[JorJorBinks]

As we all did, I fell in love with the handling of the Fiesta with the stock re050a tires on. Now my car is up to 33,000 miles and the Bridgestone are looooong gone. I've been riding on 215/45/17 Firehawk Indy 500 and am regretting the decision. Nearly 20,000 miles on the Firehawks now and it's time for a new set. Coming up on 4/32 all around and I want to love driving my car again. The best way I can describe it handling is, like raising the car up to about a Prius ride height with the grip of the stockers still holding the road. Before I'd be able to turn the wheel rapidly back and forth to stir my little brother up, and now I just don't feel safe doing it because of the body roll. I've two tires in mind for the replacement. 205/40/17 Falken rt615k+ or the 205/45/17 Continental ExtremeContact Sport. I'm leaning on the Falken because I believe the decrease in performance is due to taller sidewalls, higher weight, larger circumference, and just less of a tire than stock. I am a bit worried about replacing the Falkens every 10,000 but it's a small price to pay to love my car again.

 

[JorJorBinks]

Now considering Federal 595 RS-RR IN 215/40/17 size.

 

[Sil3nt611]

Have you considered buying the same Bridgestone tires that came stock again? You're then guaranteed to get what you want again. That's what I did. I bought some cheap all seasons for the winter season when it dropped below 40 degrees a lot (doesn't snow often in North Texas) and use the Bridgestone tires the rest of the year. If you want something that lasts longer you will be giving up grip no matter what.

 

[JorJorBinks]

I've been trying to find the stockers, but so far here in SoCal they're either non existent. Or $180 a piece. Almost considering buying used ones on eBay.

 

[Sil3nt611]

I bought a set of stock wheels and tires with 250 miles on them off ebay for my second set so I'm not sure if any local place would stock them. Tirerack has them for $638 for a set of 4 but then shipping is close to $70 shipping to my location. All in all it comes in at a little under $180 each, no tax required for me being in Texas. I assume if you live in a state with a warehouse that may be otherwise. Extra cost for local installation of course. Depends how worth it the tires are to you I guess.
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tire...&tireModel=Potenza+RE050A&partnum=04WR7RE050A

Or you can buy a new set from Tirerack on ebay. Comes in at $2 cheaper than what I priced out shipped to me on their website, no tax needed since it's from Indiana to Cali I would assume. The ones on the website come with road hazard protection at no extra cost currently and the ebay ones likely don't though.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bridgestone...ash=item544786fd6e:g:r0UAAOSw4CFY5YG3&vxp=mtr

I'd probably buy from their website if I was buying right now. Price out local shops and see what install cost will be. Discount Tire here wasn't nice to the paint on my factory wheels. They were already curbed up pretty good (which is why I bought the second set anyway) so I didn't care as much since they are my winter wheels now. Around the outside would seem the only place where damage would occur, but there was scratches on the face of most of them like they laid them face down on the ground... With the paint being so fragile you might want to find out if they actually try to keep the paint on the wheel or if they just don't care and what they may do to compensate in the case that they destroy the paint.

 

[JorJorBinks]

I love Discount Tire/ Americas Tire! Today I ended up picking up 4 Federal 595 RS-RR and having Americas Tore throw them on for me. All in all $440 out the door for the whole job. I'm astonished by these tires so far. I love my car again plus they ride smoother than Both of the tires ive had. Only downfall of the tires is, I kid you not, it sounds like a bi-plane is tailing right behind you on the freeway. It's very weird to me sense I'm used to the usual road roar, but it's not the roads it's the actual tire. I'll find somewhere to put my review of these bad boys.

 

[Sil3nt611]

Some tires are louder than others. Hope they work out for you.