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High performance wheels year-round

3K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  NM WRX 
#1 ·
I've been searching this forum for more hours than I'd care to admit, and I think I need to poll the experts before buying a new set of wheels for my 02 WRX Wagon (after-marketed with Cobb stage 2 power, stiffened suspension/sway bars, lightweight flywheel).
I'm sad to say that I just had my summer wheels stolen - 17" OZ Superleggeras with Bridgestone SO3 Pole Positions. I've been running my stock 16" rims with Michelin Bilzzaks as my winter wheels. It was a great combination while it lasted. Trouble is, I don't have a secure place to store an extra set of wheels, and unfortunately I hadn't changed over to my summer setup when I got my carport robbed !Cry!. So now I've decided to get a new set of wheels to "do it all" and get rid of the stock set.
Ground rules: I drive 95+% of the time in above-freezing temps, so I want the best summer performance possible from a tire that won't be utterly without grip on snow.
Wheels: I'm thinking of getting either OZ ultraleggeras or Enkei PFO1's. The Enkeis seem to have a slight edge in weight and price, but I was a happy OZ owner... I'd be open to other suggestions, but not really looking to compromise performance significantly in order to cut cost.
Tires: Of the "ultra high performance all season" tires it seems that the Michelin Pilot Sport AS get the best reviews. I was thinking about Pirelli PZero Neros, but the few reviews I read on tire rack were not good. Anything else worth considering? As I said, I'd like to lean as far as possible toward the summer performance end of the spectrum.
Specs: I was running 225/45/17's on the superleggeras with no clearance issues, but I'm ashamed to admit I don't remember how wide the rims were. I think the ultraleggeras come in 17x7 and 17x8, and the Enkeis come in 17x7.5.
Recs???
Thanks!
- Dave in Albuquerque
 
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#2 ·
First off, welcome to the forums. I was in Taos until a few months ago, and there are only a few from NM here. Sorry to hear that your rims got lifted. The Duke City has it's share of criminals.

I don't have any experience with the rubber you're considering, but you obviously understand the limits of grippy rubber in winter. I would go for best ultra high performance all season tire and rims you can afford, and re-mount the stockers when the white stuff falls. Sorry to not have more specific input for you
 
#3 ·
^^good advice^^

I think you have to make a decisoin re all season vs. summer only. I opt for the latter, ultra or extreme perfomance if priced right, because I have snow tires (Blizzaks) and wheels (ice coating, smaller diameter, narrower rim).

I use Michilen PS2s on my 350Z and highly recommend them. I replaced Yoko Advans which developed chop too easily. I also have another wheel/tire set up with Falken 452s that replaced Bridgestones Potenzas. And, I have Toyo Proxie T1-Rs that I'm liking alot.

Hard to recommend wheels without knowing the look you appreciate. But take a look at SSR Racing, WedsSport and anything from the Rays/Work/Volk racing catalogue. I wouldn't use either SSR or Volk anywhere near snow, salt, ice, etc, however. Very lightweight, and great designs for summer.

Good luck man!
 
#4 ·
I've been stewing it over and I think you're right. Clearly the wrong decision to go with all season tires - I enjoy summer tires too much in the summer, and winter tires too much in winter - honestly can't imagine creeping along snowy roads in an AWD rally car, and I'd miss those occasional post-snowstorm sessions in empty parking lots. Guess I was hoping a compromise tire would "do it all," but I've been looking into it and that seems overly optimistic if not downright dumb.
I've got my winter setup (on my car now:pity:): original 16" rims with Blizzaks. So now I've got to decide on a summer combo. I'm leaning toward OZ Alleggerita wheels (17") and either Michelin Pilot Supersports or Bridgestone SO4s (225/45/17). The wheels aren't cheap, but to be honest, I would be forever bummed about losing my Superleggeras unless I took this opportunity to upgrade. I liked how my old SO3's gripped the road, but they sure wore out fast(!), no wonder they didn't carry any tread life warranty. Also, they were so grippy they tended to track on any grooves or gradients in the road. The Supersports get pages and pages of rave reviews on Tire Rack, seems like they're very high performance but perhaps a bit more forgiving than the SO4s and wear longer, so right now I'm leaning that way.
By the way, Wagonracer, you're right about the Duke city. Full of heroin junkies stealing shit. I work in the public hospital, though, so it's their indigent fund dollars that will be paying for my new wheels! Speaking of Taos, it was there that I realized the limits of summer rubber on snow, on the way up a friend's driveway in Arroyo Seco - got about 100 ft up a steep incline, and suddenly found myself coming back down - backwards! Fortunately nothing damaged but my pride. Subaru-shaped dent in the snowbank lasted most of the winter, good thing my buddy had a jeep with a winch!
 
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