P205/40R17 Bridgestone Potenza

[tiggerbren]

The PSSes are NOT all seasons, FAR from it, as they are almost a high(er) tread wear rated open TRACK tire!

Erps, my bad, I was thinking of the Super Sport all seasons. Totally different tire. Also seriously considering the Sport Comp 2 A/S....

 

[tiggerbren]

Is running a 205/45/17 a good idea for daily driving? It's pretty tough to find a lot of these tires with a 40 sidewall.

 

[PearlGreenNMean]

Well, note to self, don't edit posts on mobile - the delete button sucks.
Fwiw, I ran potenzas on the eclipse (stock) til about 45k and had some tread left, had to ditch them due to side wall cracking ( Florida, damn you!). Got brand new Michelin power pilots, half way wore out by 5k, horrid traction compared to potenzas, but the best ride I ever had. Swapped to nitto 555's, and holy Grail of grip tires. Can not, will not spin. I will lose rpm in a turn than spin from power every time. (Eclipse base don't have torque vectoring, traction control). I will be looking for 555's or give the re01r's a chance with the fiesta. The 555's were by far the best overall tire, even performing in the rain, or cold days. No snow experience.

 

[M-Sport fan]

The problem is that Nitto REFUSES to make their; 555s, 555G2s, or NT05s in any sizes we could use without rubbing, except for the 205/50-15 NT05s if you go to a 15" wheel.

 

[S_Manley]

The best street tire available in our stock size (205/40/17) is the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500. It is available from Tire Rack for around $90 a tire, or about half the Potenzas. They are absolutely fantastic. They are more capable in dry and wet as compared to the RE050A's and even the previous best tire: BFG Sport Comp 2, which is no longer available in the stock size. Don't waste your time and money on the RE050A's. Get the Indy's. You will not regret it. Don't waste your time with all-seasons, either. The best trait of this car is the nimbleness and immediate turn-in and all-seasons will dampen that dramatically. If it snows where you live, you should have snow tires anyway.

Some people are saying that they got 40K+ miles on the stock potenzas. They are mistaken, as there is no realistic application or situation where the RE050A's on the FiST will get that kind of mileage. I should mention that Ford did also equip the FiST with Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3's from the factory, which could approach that mileage, though even those tires would need replacement at that time.

Get the Indy's is the moral of the story.

 

[Blindeye_03]

Have to agree its absurd anyone can get high mileage out of a 140 treadwear tire. They must either drive like grandma or have literally zero tread left. Im at 6/32 of wear at just 6000 miles on mine, and I dont launch the car ever but I do live on twisty back roads so that might have something to do with it.

The RE050As suck for anything in the wet - my first gear acceleration involves lots of tire spinning if I give the throttle anything over 1/3. I look forward to putting something else on the stock wheels when these wear out. Once the cooler weather comes I have some BFG Comp-2 A/S ready on a second set of wheels (16" Sparco Terras). My company puts us up in hotels during inclement weather so I shouldnt ever need to drive in the snow/ice.

 

[tiggerbren]

The best street tire available in our stock size (205/40/17) is the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500. It is available from Tire Rack for around $90 a tire, or about half the Potenzas. They are absolutely fantastic. They are more capable in dry and wet as compared to the RE050A's and even the previous best tire: BFG Sport Comp 2, which is no longer available in the stock size. Don't waste your time and money on the RE050A's. Get the Indy's. You will not regret it. Don't waste your time with all-seasons, either. The best trait of this car is the nimbleness and immediate turn-in and all-seasons will dampen that dramatically. If it snows where you live, you should have snow tires anyway.

Some people are saying that they got 40K+ miles on the stock potenzas. They are mistaken, as there is no realistic application or situation where the RE050A's on the FiST will get that kind of mileage. I should mention that Ford did also equip the FiST with Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3's from the factory, which could approach that mileage, though even those tires would need replacement at that time.

Get the Indy's is the moral of the story.

Do you think the Indys can hold up through night after night of temps in the 20s? In Albuquerque it doesn't quite snow enough to justify snow tires, but it does get down to 20 regularly.

 

[M-Sport fan]

^^^Probably not.

I would have 2 sets of wheels in that case, one with a pure summer UHP/MAX performance tire, and the other with a very handling/performance oriented tread pattern, but still all-season to handle the cold (but NOT snow, due to it's 'blocky' tread pattern), like the Nitto Neo Gen.

 

[Guaji]

I bought my FIST used and one tire is a "no name" after market brand, and another tire has a slow leak that i need to put in air every other day. After reading this thread, I think I'll go with the Firestones that others have recommended.

 

[Diabs]

Lol...I'm changing my shoes as we speak...original tires on summer rims. 70,000km!
Lol...little thread left, they look like slicks!!!...
Trying good year eagles F1 asymmetric


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[S_Manley]

Lol...I'm changing my shoes as we speak...original tires on summer rims. 70,000km!
Lol...little thread left, they look like slicks!!!...
Trying good year eagles F1 asymmetric


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I would recommend against the F1 Asymmetric 3's for the Fiesta ST. If you read the Tire Rack review of them, they specifically cite they suffer from sluggish response and poor turn-in, which are the two strong points of the Fiesta ST. You are much better off going with the Indy 500's. There is a user review on TR with a Fiesta ST owner who bought the Eagle F1's and he was not happy with them, saying that

"I have had these on my fiesta st for 5000 miles. I bought them after I burned through the oem summer tires (bridgestone potenza re050) in about 15,000 miles. The bridgestones had a 140 treadwear rating, and I bought these goodyears on the basis that they are in the same category, but have a much higher treadwear (300). That should mean double the life right? The thing is... now that Ive had them for a while, i'm not sure I want to have them last for 30,000 miles. While they are great tires, the performance is no where close to that of the bridgestones. The turn in is slow and squishy. They are less communicative at the limit. Dry grip is slightly less, but you really notice it in the wet. The first time I really tested them I was disappointed."

You can find the review here: https://www.tirerack.com/survey/Sur...WR7F1A3XL&tirePageLocQty=&partnum=04WR7F1A3XL

Here is Tire Rack's review of the Eagle F1's: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=218

Hopefully you can return them.

 

[S_Manley]

Do you think the Indys can hold up through night after night of temps in the 20s? In Albuquerque it doesn't quite snow enough to justify snow tires, but it does get down to 20 regularly.

My answer is tricky.

If we are honest, after the Explorer/Firestone debacle, the lawyers have been all over tires, because they don't want to get sued, which makes sense. I work in insurance and people will sue over ANYTHING.

Manufacturers say that they are not "intended to be driven in near-freezing temperatures, through snow or on ice".

They also say that the tread compound can become cracked if they are driven on in extreme cold.

I think there is a ton of truth to that. The rubber on summer tires gets hard when it gets cold and it doesn't bend very well.

I live in Portland, where it rarely is below freezing, usually it's in the 40's and 50's and rainy, and I have had no problems at all with the RE050A's, SC2's, or the Indy's. Does it have the same level of grip as in the summer? No. But I also am not looking to be at 10/10ths in the rain or when it's very cold out. You just need to be responsible. If there is snow or ice, just leave the car at home.

I think you would be fine for the most part, especially considering that these tires are replaced every 18-36 months anyway. BUT.. If you could swing a great deal on some snow tires and steelies, I would do that and not worry and use the Indy's in the spring, summer, and fall, when it is above freezing for the most part. That way, you would save your summer tires a ton of wear and stress in the winter months, but still take advantage of the huge advantage of summer tires the rest of the year. You would also protect your wheels from winter weather and potholes. I just don't see the point of all-seasons when tires, both summer and winter, are so affordable for this car and give you the best of both.

Just my 0.02.

 

[Diabs]

Funny thing talking to my tire guy....I loved the potenza's, they stuck all the time, great in the rain too. But I noticed the thread pattern was reversed on one tire, and I mentioned that to the tire guy, and he said potenza's are notorious for that! He's seen dozen's of them like that. I should of snapped a pic b4 he threw them out.
But so far these F1's are holding up quite well! I love that they are super quiet.
They haven't slipped on me yet, did my clover leaf ko cart test, held up just as good as the potenza's with heavy g's going in n out of the corners...so far so good! The only thing that I noticed very differently is they are sensitive in steering qualities...if that makes sense to anyone lol


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[tiggerbren]

^^^Probably not.

I would have 2 sets of wheels in that case, one with a pure summer UHP/MAX performance tire, and the other with a very handling/performance oriented tread pattern, but still all-season to handle the cold (but NOT snow, due to it's 'blocky' tread pattern), like the Nitto Neo Gen.

Are the Neo Gens a good all season in your opinion?

 

[tiggerbren]

My answer is tricky.

If we are honest, after the Explorer/Firestone debacle, the lawyers have been all over tires, because they don't want to get sued, which makes sense. I work in insurance and people will sue over ANYTHING.

Manufacturers say that they are not "intended to be driven in near-freezing temperatures, through snow or on ice".

They also say that the tread compound can become cracked if they are driven on in extreme cold.

I think there is a ton of truth to that. The rubber on summer tires gets hard when it gets cold and it doesn't bend very well.

I live in Portland, where it rarely is below freezing, usually it's in the 40's and 50's and rainy, and I have had no problems at all with the RE050A's, SC2's, or the Indy's. Does it have the same level of grip as in the summer? No. But I also am not looking to be at 10/10ths in the rain or when it's very cold out. You just need to be responsible. If there is snow or ice, just leave the car at home.

I think you would be fine for the most part, especially considering that these tires are replaced every 18-36 months anyway. BUT.. If you could swing a great deal on some snow tires and steelies, I would do that and not worry and use the Indy's in the spring, summer, and fall, when it is above freezing for the most part. That way, you would save your summer tires a ton of wear and stress in the winter months, but still take advantage of the huge advantage of summer tires the rest of the year. You would also protect your wheels from winter weather and potholes. I just don't see the point of all-seasons when tires, both summer and winter, are so affordable for this car and give you the best of both.

Just my 0.02.

I’ve never had snow or winter tires and I’m not sure if I actually need snow tires since there will be about a week of snow total. Is it normal to drive around on snow tires on the days that it’s not freezing and snowy?
I have my stock rims and a set of 16s. I’d prefer using the 16s for racing and have something like the Indys for daily driving. I just need to figure out what to do when it freezes. Might be nice to have winter Steelies to throw on. Just need to figure out what kind of tire to use. I’ll probably see 7-14 days where it snows all winter and most of the times it will be gone in a matter of hours.

 

[M-Sport fan]

Are the Neo Gens a good all season in your opinion?

I was going by all of the reviews by people on here who have used them in VERY cold ambient temps, in the DRY.

They are probably one of the most useless all seasons in ANY actual snow, going by their big, blocky, tread pattern, and lack of any micro-sipes at all.
But I am considering them for my factory wheels when my factory Pilot Sport AS/3s are toast since I MUST drive in cold, DRY weather, but do NOT have to go out in snow, as others must.

I too would hate to spend big coin on winter tires, only to burn them up on the dry, cold, winter days, which is most of the time here.
But when I eventually do get them, they will also be used to safely, and with no wheel damage (BIG sidewalls), get me down the stage roads necessary to travel on when doing volunteer work on Rally America events.

 

[tiggerbren]

I was going by all of the reviews by people on here who have used them in VERY cold ambient temps, in the DRY.

They are probably one of the most useless all seasons in ANY actual snow, going by their big, blocky, tread pattern, and lack of any micro-sipes at all.
But I am considering them for my factory wheels when my factory Pilot Sport AS/3s are toast since I MUST drive in cold, DRY weather, but do NOT have to go out in snow, as others must.

I too would hate to spend big coin on winter tires, only to burn them up on the dry, cold, winter days, which is most of the time here.
But when I eventually do get them, they will also be used to safely, and with no wheel damage (BIG sidewalls), get me down the stage roads necessary to travel on when doing volunteer work on Rally America events.

What size as/3s were you running? I'm having trouble finding those at the moment...

 

[M-Sport fan]

What size as/3s were you running? I'm having trouble finding those at the moment...

The factory 205/40-17 V rated ones which were installed at the factory, onto the Rado factory wheels as per my special order.
This setup will be going back onto the car as soon as the temps (even night time temps) dip below ~45*F.

 

[Zissou]

I would recommend against the F1 Asymmetric 3's for the Fiesta ST. If you read the Tire Rack review of them, they specifically cite they suffer from sluggish response and poor turn-in, which are the two strong points of the Fiesta ST. You are much better off going with the Indy 500's. There is a user review on TR with a Fiesta ST owner who bought the Eagle F1's and he was not happy with them, saying that

"I have had these on my fiesta st for 5000 miles. I bought them after I burned through the oem summer tires (bridgestone potenza re050) in about 15,000 miles. The bridgestones had a 140 treadwear rating, and I bought these goodyears on the basis that they are in the same category, but have a much higher treadwear (300). That should mean double the life right? The thing is... now that Ive had them for a while, i'm not sure I want to have them last for 30,000 miles. While they are great tires, the performance is no where close to that of the bridgestones. The turn in is slow and squishy. They are less communicative at the limit. Dry grip is slightly less, but you really notice it in the wet. The first time I really tested them I was disappointed."

You can find the review here: https://www.tirerack.com/survey/Sur...WR7F1A3XL&tirePageLocQty=&partnum=04WR7F1A3XL

Here is Tire Rack's review of the Eagle F1's: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=218

Hopefully you can return them.

Honestly if he's getting 43k miles out of the Bridgestone RE050a's he's not driving at a level that the performance differences would be noticeable between that and the Goodyears. You don't get 20k+ miles out of the OEM tires and drive it at the limits.

 

[PearlGreenNMean]

Maybe he does it once or twice a month. E85 is kinda opposite way of commute so I painstakingly granny my way to work and back. Only give it juice on the highway from a fill up. I never had a set of tires last less than 30k, excluding those garbage ass Michelin pilots.

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