Sponsored by The Tire Rack

[Mark's M]

New to the boards here but reading everything for months.....which "helped" with the purchase of a 135 this past July. The year before I'd booked 2 days of "driver development" with Phoenix CMR (a fantastic group) at Watkins Glen for August 18th and 19th. So what to do with the RFT's on the car??? After reading the not-so-good reviews of the track performance these tires provide, I called Gill at my favorite store (I'm a 6 times purchaser from The Tire Rack over the years) and spoke to him about alternatives. Ended up with a set of Breyton GTS-R's mounted with Sumitomo HTR ZIII's (255/35/18 rear/225/40/18's front) which Gill highly recommended.

Wow!! Was he right. I threw the new set of wheels/tires onto the car on a Saturday, drove them briefly around town till Sunday and then off to Watkins Glen the same afternoon. What a nice ride they offer (quiet, smooth, no tracking issues) and in combination with the lightweight Breytons, everyone who commented on the loss of about 40 lbs (combined all around) at the 4 corners was right; I'll analogize it to wearing a pair of winter boots vs a pair of Nike running shoes.

So the big day arrives on the 18th of August. I've previously run Shannonville, Mosport and Dunnville with the SVTOA here in Canada (previous ride was an 05 Roush Mustang and then, a Mini Cooper S the past year) and I'll qualify my capabilities as novice, very novice.....but I love to drive.

So despite the BMW being only 1 month old (totally stock) and the tires/wheels being 3 days old, I hit The Glen with the enthusiasm I've always managed to muster - although a hell of a lot more nervous because this track is INTIMIDATING. Average speeds around 120-140 km/h and then up to 200 km/h on the back straight were the norm.

After 2 days of driving (8 sessions) these tires (and the car of course) performed flawlessly. I'm so impressed. The wear was even, they tracked perfectly and there's absolutely NO evidence of chunking. The tread all around is as smooth as a baby's bottom and they'll be good for next August.....and the August after that one (both of which I plan to attend). As for the understeer (push) which our cars seem to be noted for when cornering at track speed, and coming from a very heavy Mustang and a front driver Cooper S, all I can say is that it was minimal to non-existant by comparison. Perhaps the extra 10 mm on the front tires helped, perhaps the un-sprung weight loss helped, perhaps the quality of the tire helped. All in all, it was an exciting ride with NO issues (car or tires) to report.

So if you're looking for an alternative to the Bridgestone RFT's, either for road or track, talk to Gill about these tires. They're a fantastic value for the money and definately well designed and manufactured. Hook 'em up with the lightweight Breytons for a little extra fun....and enjoy.

Mark

[TunedM2C]

Sounds like a winning combo. I was going to go with the PS2's but I'll def. take a look at these. Any pics of your car with the wheels/tires mounted?

[Esmallstii]

Great write up,..Thanks for the info. Nice to have a lower cost option to the PS2's
+1 on the pics!

[Gary@TireRack]

Glad you like them Mark! Nothing I've seen outperforms them *for the price*



Here's our test results for the Sumi's, if anyone is interested:

[Mark's M]

Sorry guys, forgot my camera at Watkins, might have a couple from someone else in future. Stock wheels/tires are back on but Gill has the same Breytons on his - with lots of photos available.

[jrc]

+1000 on the sumitomos. Have them on my Subie and love 'em.

[redwood]

I've had them on the rear of my E46 for half a year and they've been great. I like them better than the Falken FK452s I had on previously. HTRZ IIIs will go on the fronts when those wear down.

[jkp1187]

+1 on Sumitomo. I've been riding on their HTR+ (all season) tires for the past five years and have been very satisfied.

[///M1]

I'm considering these at the moment as I cannot stand the RFTs. Seems they are 1/2 the price of comparable competitors.

Mark, any further comment now that you've had them for over 6 months? Thx!

[rcracer_tx]

Originally Posted by Esmallstii

Great write up,..Thanks for the info. Nice to have a lower cost option to the PS2's
+1 on the pics!

very informative review, thanks

[AlBel1214]

I put these on this past weekend!!.. Definitely sweet tires

[Mark's M]

Originally Posted by ///M1

I'm considering these at the moment as I cannot stand the RFTs. Seems they are 1/2 the price of comparable competitors.

Mark, any further comment now that you've had them for over 6 months? Thx!

Still running great! I'm so impressed with the performance (regular street performance now that they're back on for pleasure rather than tracking) and in combination with my Breytons (less weight all around), the car's much more fun to drive....not that it wasn't before!!!

[M3_Dust]

I'd really like to hear impressions of these tires vs. Michelin PS1/PS2 from people who have experience with each on BMW's. The Sumi's are half the price of a PS2, there has to be something to this.

[///M1]

Originally Posted by M3_Dust

I'd really like to hear impressions of these tires vs. Michelin PS1/PS2 from people who have experience with each on BMW's. The Sumi's are half the price of a PS2, there has to be something to this.

I consulted with a trusted tire shop that has been in the industry for generations, they were full of praise for the Sumis. 1/2 the price of the PS2s, and little to no noticeable inferiority. All of their Porsche customers are raving about them, who too are happy that finally someone else produces a tire for their specs and they don't have to be raped paying over $500 per corner!

PS: Mark, thx for the follow-up review!