NSX tires available when order was placed.

[jwmelvin]

1) the Continentals are not all-season tires

2) extreme-performance summer tires are typically better than all-season tires in wet but warm conditions

3) the wheels that some with the car are likely quite good (strong and light) and a replacement/equivalent set would be $5-10k plus ~$2k for tires

 

[kendallj]

1) the Continentals are not all-season tires

2) extreme-performance summer tires are typically better than all-season tires in wet but warm conditions

3) the wheels that some with the car are likely quite good (strong and light) and a replacement/equivalent set would be $5-10k plus ~$2k for tires

Thank you for replying. I have much to learn!

As a rookie, I'll go with whatever Honda end up supplying with the car; the max open road speed here is 100km/h, so I'd be confident they will be fit for general road use.

However the margin for an extra for a set of wheels with track spec tires doesn't seem too bad. There's a track about and hour and a half away that regularly runs track days so I'll seek some advice there too as to what suitable tires might be available here in NZ.

 

[BB]

The Super Sports are also awesome all-in-one. The Conti's are just an unknown.

The Super Sports and Continentals are peers. Both are classified as Max Performance Summer tires on Tire Rack. To say the Conti's are an unknown is completely wrong. Owners of European cars have often compared these very same two tires to each other. While a lot of people seem to like the Super Sports better, the Conti's offer roughly similar performance.

It appears Honda is in tight with Continental since the Civic Type-R that recently set the FWD ring record was on Conti's also.

 

[chrisn]

The Super Sports and Continentals are peers......While a lot of people seem to like the Super Sports better, the Conti's offer roughly similar performance.

In my personal experience, I've never heard from any fan (or strong detractor) of the Conti SportContact 5P in the paddock on track days. In contrast, I have personally used and loved Michelin Super Sports on track and street and have been VERY impressed with them. Others in the paddock have shared similar conclusions.

So, maybe I should have said "unknown TO ME." If you have personal experience or a link to head-to-head comparison, I'd love to hear/read it. It seems that we'll all have to live with at least one set of the Conti's.

 

[BB]

So, maybe I should have said "unknown TO ME." If you have personal experience or a link to head-to-head comparison, I'd love to hear/read it. It seems that we'll all have to live with at least one set of the Conti's.

Here's a comparison between the two....

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2014-Auto-Review-Max-Performance-Tyre-Test.htm

- - - Updated - - -

Not really a proper comparison, but if you read the through the entire article there are sections where they compare the Conti 5P to the Super Sports....

http://www.evo.co.uk/features/16838...review-the-tyre-of-choice-for-your-sports-car

 

[chrisn]

Thanks. Helpful. It does indeed seem that these are very good tires for all-around use (outside cold weather regions). Still bummed that we can order Cup2's or equivalent, but good to known that the Contis won't be as bad as some early reviews suggested.

 

[BB]

Thanks. Helpful. It does indeed seem that these are very good tires for all-around use (outside cold weather regions). Still bummed that we can order Cup2's or equivalent, but good to known that the Contis won't be as bad as some early reviews suggested.

I recall reading that the M3 and M4 are now shipping with either Super Sports or Conti 5Ps. When you order your car you don't even know which tire you'll be getting! The factory switches back and forth between the two tire models at will. I noticed several of the owners who got the 5P delivered on their car were initially mad, but after driving on the track with the 5P they developed a more positive impression of it. Overall I'd say the consensus is that the Super Sports are a little better on the track, but the 5P is not far behind.

It's interesting how several reviews refer to the 5P as being "more fun" than the Super Sports due to its break away characteristics. Reminds me of McLaren's marketing message about how the 570S is engineered more for fun than for the ultimate track times.