Newbie Seeking Tire Advice

[Bahadur]

I recently purchased a 2002 IS 300 (e-shift) for my wife. After the purchase I belatedly found out that the tires on them are Nankang Sport NS1 (215/45/17, I think).

I couldn't find much information on the Web about the Nankang tires, except a handful of complaints that they are low quality tires made in Taiwan. My questions are:

1. Are the Nankang tires safe? Should I replace them immediately or keep them for 10,000 miles or so (the treads are 2/3 good, I think).

2. What size tires should I buy next? 17" or 16"? What's the difference?

3. What brand and type tires should I buy next? I always had Michelin Energy MXV4 Plus tires in our past cars. Consumer Reports seems to think very highly of Falken Ziex ZE 512 tires and Bridgestone Turanza LS-H tires among the "high performance all-season" or "grand touring all-season" category, so I think I'll stick to what I know (Michelin) or try the Falken or Bridgestone Turanza tires.

Oh, by the way, there is very little snow if any where I live (though there was an exceptionally unusual snow storm a couple of weeks ago, that is unlikely to recur in the next four years). There is some rain during winter. The terrain can also be hilly. So, basically, I'm looking for a good ride (rough ride is no, no), above average handling (it is appreciated, but not the first priority) and good rain traction/braking, with some light snow capability. Decent tread wear would help too.

I'd appreciate any advice!

[MrSypher]

I recently purchased a 2002 IS 300 (e-shift) for my wife. After the purchase I belatedly found out that the tires on them are Nankang Sport NS1 (215/45/17, I think).

I couldn't find much information on the Web about the Nankang tires, except a handful of complaints that they are low quality tires made in Taiwan. My questions are:

1. Are the Nankang tires safe? Should I replace them immediately or keep them for 10,000 miles or so (the treads are 2/3 good, I think).

2. What size tires should I buy next? 17" or 16"? What's the difference?

3. What brand and type tires should I buy next? I always had Michelin Energy MXV4 Plus tires in our past cars. Consumer Reports seems to think very highly of Falken Ziex ZE 512 tires and Bridgestone Turanza LS-H tires among the "high performance all-season" or "grand touring all-season" category, so I think I'll stick to what I know (Michelin) or try the Falken or Bridgestone Turanza tires.

Oh, by the way, there is very little snow if any where I live (though there was an exceptionally unusual snow storm a couple of weeks ago, that is unlikely to recur in the next four years). There is some rain during winter. The terrain can also be hilly. So, basically, I'm looking for a good ride (rough ride is no, no), above average handling (it is appreciated, but not the first priority) and good rain traction/braking, with some light snow capability. Decent tread wear would help too.

I'd appreciate any advice!

Well, first off congrats on your purchase..

Yeah those Nankang tires are not so good, from what I read they suk..

I'd say keep the tires on for now and whenever you have time replace them, as long as there's tread on them don't worry too much.. Now as for your next question, what size you should get.. First off if you have the IS stock 17's then you need to go with 17" tires because 16" won't fit.. The size that you already have on the car is fine, there's no need to change that unless you want to go a tad wider to a 225/45/17.. For tires I use Toyo Proxies T1-S's but those are for ultra high performance and I don't think you need or want that anyway.. But I know some people swear by Bridgestones.. Go to Tire Rack and check out the write-ups and make your own conclusions...

[Bahadur]

First of all, thank you for the reply.

The Falken and Bridgestone Turanza do not seem to be available (certainly not on tirerack.com) for the 17" wheels.

So, I am left with Continental ContiExtreme Contact and Pirelli Nero M-S (?). Do you have any opinions on them?

[MrSypher]

Not really.. But don't limit yourself to what you see there, go to other sites too.. Or take a ride to a tire shop around you and see what they're saying... I don't buy my tires online I get mine from Town Fair Tire and they give me great deals.. Listen, don't settle for something when your able to get what you want..

[BRAKATK]

I have the ContiExtremeContacts on my GS300 now and they provide good grip, especially in the wet, but ride rougher than the Pirelli's P6000 Sport Veloce I had on before and are a bit noisier. They occasionally hunt/track some of the grooves on concrete highways, which the Pirelli never did. Overall, they are a grippy tire and give super rain traction and are snow rated, so if that is a priority they might be a good choice. If smoother ride is more important, consider the Pirelli or Michelin instead. Also, the Conti's were a good bargain for a high performance all-season tire.

[Lexusfreak]

What is the exact tire size you need? I've heard good things about the ContiExtreme contact as well......might also want to consider Toyo's.....unfortunately they don't have them on tirerack for whatever reason which is a shame :( check out www.toyo.com to see what models come in your size & speed rating. Good Luck!