[Crash]

Hi all, with the winter months coming up, I've been looking into getting a good set of all seasons for the FiST. I'm still running on the stockers after a year and survived last winter, but the extra 10 months of tire wear has me a bit skeptical about things this winter. The options I'm looking at are the Michelin Pilot Sport AS/3's and the Kumho Ecsta 4X II's.

I had the first gen Ecsta 4X on my old Focus SVT, and they handled great and got me through a snowpocalypse in Toledo a couple years back, and the new gen seems to be more more refined in every aspect. But the Pilot Sports seem to be the bar right now.

I'd be on these tires for pretty much everything from daily driving to potential autocross events if I join next year, so performance is definitely a must (I can't afford a new set of wheels...) So if I can get some advice on which tire to go with, or even some other recommendations would be great!

Also, this is my first post... I'm brand new to the forums so my bad if I'm posting in the wrong place or in the wrong way! I probably should've replied to an older thread but I wasn't sure..

 

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Hey, I sell tires for a living and have been sent to tire schools by provided by Michelin for the last ten years. I'm a walking encyclopedia of tires, lol... I'm a huge fan of the Michelin's and that is what I mostly run. I do like the Kumho because they are hard to bet for the price. I sell a ton of those Kumho's. No I'm in North Carolina so we don't get the snow like up north. I would get the Michelin's if you don't mind spending the extra cash. Kumho is a pain when it comes to warranty, if you try to cover them under mileage warranty make sure you have documented rotations every 5,000 miles per there warranty. Other than that, they are a great tire, plus they have the $100 mail in rebate going on right now through select retailers.

I will be putting the Pilot sport A/S3 when these tires wear out. I know a fan Favorite is the Cont DWS06!

 

[Crash]

Thanks for the info! I've heard a lot about the DWS06, and the one thing that sticks out is the aspect ratio on the tire.. with OE being 40 and the DWS being 45, would it really make a huge difference??

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Yeah, I would not do it, I'm more for trying to keep to the stock ratio. But you will be putting less miles on your car, lol...

 

[Crash]

Haha looks like I'll be going for the Michelin's! Since I don't have the money or space for new wheels I might as well go for the best for best all seasons I can get.
If I had 16" I'd go for the DWS, but for now I think new wheels aren't in the cards for me..

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[reddog99]

I've got the Michelins, and although I like them, I would trade tire mileage for some more traction. I've got 42,000 miles on mine and it looks as if I'll be getting another ten out of them (all commuting). But pulling away from a stop on an up-hill off-camber road that I travel always results in wheel spin and side-slip. This car is all kinds of fun! Interestingly, the tires almost never squeal when breaking traction. If I wasn't so cheap, I'd put in a limited-slip.

 

[Crash]

I'm kinda the same way, I wouldn't mind trading a few thousand miles if the tire has really good traction on it.
Heck it would take me like 4 years to put 40,000 on them... so bearing that in mind, what tire do you guys think is best in terms of traction to run on the stock wheels, do the Michelin's still win out?

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As a generalized statement, you will always have less traction in an all season vs a summer tire. We all know some tires just suck and that is why I say as a generalized statement. The tire I suggest does not come in stock size and that would be the BFG comp-2 AS, there summer tire is just plain sick. I have done more on that tire then any other tire and it would not let go. I have not driven on the AS version but I have sold a few sets to my friends and they love them. The options in our size really kinda sucks. But I was happy knowing that I could get the Michelin's when it is time to replace the summer tires that come on these cars.