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Buying new tires can't decide between firestone firehawks.......

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Old Aug 28, 2003 | 09:42 PM
  #1  
kyzer soze's Avatar
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From: Los Angeles, CA
Buying new tires can't decide between firestone firehawks.......

Whats up everyone i got some money for my birthday today so im getting two new tires. Here's the problem. My car is my daily driver. I don't have many mods right now but "hopefully" my 3.73's and lt headers are going in by next month. I need my tires to last over a year at the same time have good traction with the mods i have now. Im in california not much rain and when their is i don't drive my car. I want to buy my rear tires now which im not sure if i should go with firestone firehawks sz50 ep's, dunlop sp sport 5000, or nittto nt555r drag radials. I haven't been to the track but plan to this year a few times (2 or 3). Mostly street driving . After saying that which ones would suit me the best?

1.firestone firehawks sz 50 ep's
2.dunlop sp sport 5000
3.nitto nt555r drag radials


In a few weeks im going to get the front tires which will be

yokohoma es100 or
dunlops sp sport 5000

Tire size is 245\50\16

thank you in advance
Old Aug 28, 2003 | 09:51 PM
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FN2BINAZ's Avatar
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From: Fuquay-Varina, NC
firehawks on all fours
Old Aug 28, 2003 | 09:52 PM
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Originally posted by FN2BINAZ
firehawks on all fours
ditto, thats my next choice of tire
Old Aug 28, 2003 | 09:57 PM
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From: Woodlawn VA
I put some firestone firehawk ss20s on my Z and if you don't abuse them they'll last Forever. I've had the same set on the front of my Z since mid 2000 and they still have 60% tread left!(back ones i fried off) but the traction is super crappy. Especially if you try to launch with an M6.
I've also had a pair of Nitto DR and i loved em, traction wise for a drag radial they're only second to the BFGoodwrench DRs but have a bit longer treadlife. They still don't go for very long if your not looking at alot of strip time i wouldn't buy them, they're much to expensive to be wasted on daily driving.
Don't know much about the Dunlops, haven't had any.
Old Aug 28, 2003 | 10:02 PM
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ZYALATER's Avatar
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Eagle F1 GS-D3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Old Aug 28, 2003 | 10:06 PM
  #6  
Aeromaks's Avatar
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the firestone firehawkz sz50 were great tires, good to great rain traction, and regular traction was superb, be it on the street or at the track, at the track on the stock salad shooters, was able to cut 2.1 60' on those tires. just one thing though....the sz50's were amazing, the new sz50 ep (extended performance), no clue how those are, still should be very good tires... the problem with the sz50's the originals, was that they went by fairly quick. then again, burnouts didnt help, but they do have a bit less tread than other tires, but still, never the less, simply amazing tires.
Old Aug 28, 2003 | 10:52 PM
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rlax31's Avatar
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I like my firehawks
Old Aug 28, 2003 | 11:16 PM
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Kick 97Z's Avatar
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I think my firestone firehawk sz 50 ep's beat ***...

but when i got my car last year the tires were so bald i could burn em' thru 3rd, so i guess anything would be an improvement.
Old Aug 28, 2003 | 11:48 PM
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IrocManiac's Avatar
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Originally posted by ZYALATER
Eagle F1 GS-D3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GoodYear = OVER rated IMO...I just have had two bad experiences with them and a couple friends in HS did too...tires wore out way too fast and cost way too much money...so I switched to bridgestone and then firestone and then back to bridgestone and both of the latter were great....thats just my experience though.
Old Aug 29, 2003 | 04:08 AM
  #10  
kyzer soze's Avatar
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Thanks for the replies everyone. Tread wear is more important to me now so firehawks it is. I'll be ordering them tomorrow.

Thanks
Old Aug 29, 2003 | 07:34 AM
  #11  
egarnaat's Avatar
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From: Charlotte, Michigan
I wondered where u were gonna buy your tires. I've found that tire rack.com has by far the cheapest prices of any one. You ought to chek them out.
Old Aug 29, 2003 | 08:48 AM
  #12  
IrocManiac's Avatar
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Tirerack is awesome if you're going to order online...I personally prefer going someplace local that'll give me free balancing and rotation as long as I own the tires as well as free replacement should something happen.
Old Aug 29, 2003 | 10:02 AM
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Fastbird93's Avatar
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From: Waynesboro, PA
Firehawk SZ50's. I was cutting regular 1.92-1.95 sixty foot times at the track, and the wet and dry street traction is outstanding. Plus, they've got a ton of life left after 20,000 miles of street/strip abuse (speaking of the back ones here, the fronts look new for the most part).
Old Aug 29, 2003 | 10:06 AM
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I'am on my first set of SZ50's and they are bad ***.......defientely what you need, if you got the nittos they'd be burned off from daily driving in no time, i think the treadwear on them is like 100, the sz50's is either 360 or something, maybe 320, dont remember.
Old Aug 29, 2003 | 10:22 AM
  #15  
Kuma's Avatar
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From: 6500 MSL
I suggest Sumitomo HTRZII's. They are almost identical to the Dunlops you list. In fact in Japan they are the same company and are made in the same factory. You can get them for a little over $100 a tire if you shop around. Sears Tire will actually price match to Tirerack or whatever as well. I just got them and so far I love them...not for the price, though it is nice, but because they are a sweet tire. Good traction too.

The Dunlops are overpriced when compared with the Sumitomos.



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