Talkin tires..

This isn't going to be SUPER helpful, but good advice nonetheless. I dont give a damn WHAT you buy, just STAY AWAY from Sumitomo's if you enjoy launching your car and it actually going somewhere.

Get the Nittos, thats what Im running and they are wearing perfectly
after about 7k miles still look close to new. Forget Falkens. Also the
Yokohama S-drive are excellent.

Do a ebay search, you can get a set of BFG g-force KD's in the size you listed for $550. You probably won't find a better deal than that, you won't find a better dry performance tire than the KD. Don't confuse this with the more common KDW or KDWS. The KD is about the best tire BFG has ever released.

I LOVE my Nittos. I currently have 255/40-17 NT555s. I pulled 2.0 60's with a stock stalled, stock geared, bolt on NPI GT. And the power/stall (not the tires) is the only thing holding that from going lower. I'm sure that I could have pulled 1.9s, maybe 1.8s with a higher stall or 5 speed.

Now, with the blower making 335 ft-lbs of torque, in the summer heat, I can barely break them loose without hitting the brake, and even then it's only a little screech up until about 20 mph, no smoke at all.

My granddad has 275/40-17 NT555s on his auto Mach 1, and you really have to mash on the gas while holding the brake to break them loose; it doesn't even think about spinning without holding the brake. Being that I have 9 inch rims, I will be buying the Nittos in 275/40-17 next time I buy tires. (I didn't think 275s would fit on the front of a 94-98 SN-95, so I got 255s all around, only to later find out that the 275s WILL fit.)

The Nittos last GREAT! I've got over 20,000 miles on mine right now, with almost 200 passes at the track with a small 1st gear burnout on each run. I compared them to my new 555Rs (similar tread pattern, and same tread depth), and I'd estimate that they are about half worn out. I fully expect to get 40,000 miles out of them, which I find to be great for a performance tire.

They also do well in the rain. I've driven in lots of rain and have never once hydroplaned.

Now a lot of people are going to recommend the BFG KDW2s, and I've heard lots of great things about them. I'm used to BFG truck tires, which are great, so I'm sure the KDW2s are great as well. But they are more expensive than the Nittos and I'm not sure how long they last.

Hope this helps.

Tire Search Results
Take your pick?

I'd say go for some BFGoodrich KDW2 tires. They grip the best I've ever seen in a regular street tire, don't hydroplane at all, and even go in the snow. Not to mention they are awesome looking.



The only downside is they are BFGs, meaning like 15k MAX out of them. That, and if your car is even the slightest bit out of adjustment in camber or toe, they get choppy REAL easy and start to hum and vibrate like a mud tire for a truck.


Another to consider would be the Goodyear GS-D3.



(GS-D3 on the right)

I have had them all..... well close anyway and can say my Yokohama S-drives are my most favorite tire ever. They stick better then my GS-C, GS-D, P-Zero, P9000, TA KD, TA KDW, 555, PS1, PS2 etc etc and the wear is great! I drive hard and a big heavy car at that, I have 8000 miles on them and about 2/3 tread left. I can nail my throttle from idle and only get a quick bark yet still hit 60 in under 5 seconds.
If they can handle a KB blown 4v from idle then I say they have superior hook.
Another big plus is they are very quiet.

LaserSVT said:

I have had them all..... well close anyway and can say my Yokohama S-drives are my most favorite tire ever. They stick better then my GS-C, GS-D, P-Zero, P9000, TA KD, TA KDW, 555, PS1, PS2 etc etc and the wear is great! I drive hard and a big heavy car at that, I have 8000 miles on them and about 2/3 tread left. I can nail my throttle from idle and only get a quick bark yet still hit 60 in under 5 seconds.
If they can handle a KB blown 4v from idle then I say they have superior hook.
Another big plus is they are very quiet.

Click to expand...

Too bad they don't come in a 315 or 335 (or so Tirerack has told me). I'd run them. I'm on the hunt for tires myself, actually. Unfortunately this time I have to do all 4.

streethorse said:

Get the Nittos, thats what Im running and they are wearing perfectly
after about 7k miles still look close to new. Forget Falkens. Also the
Yokohama S-drive are excellent.

Click to expand...

+1. Can't go wrong with Nittos for a bolt on stang. 555's or take a look at the NT05's.

The 555 Extreme's may be the drag radial, aka the 555R. You DON'T want them on all four wheels. 555R's out back, and 555 street tires up front are a good combo. But any drag radial will generally have a good bit less life than a street tire.

My bfg gforces are sticky, they almost hook like drag radials at the track! But they were pricey.. Almost 750 bucks for all four

Just ordered 295/35/18 Nitto NT-05's looking forward to testing them out.