[nate]

Save some cash and have good grip, get the Bridgestone RE730s. I was very pleased with their track performance and they showed little to no wear :thumb:

 

[nate]

Just checked these out; they look like what I am looking for. Decent price, looks like good grip (though obviously less than the S-03s) but a treadwear rating of 300 compared to 220 for the S-03s (since they are the same mfgr, should be comparable, no?).

Thanks. Will post impressions of whatever I end up with.

If you would like, I can post a more in-depth comparisons in this thread between the S-03s and RE730s

 

[nate]

Any info you can give would be appreciated.

I liked both tires....

The RE730s had MUCH lower wear, almost nil. My S-03s wear fast at the track. Both are predictible tires with good amounts of at the limit feedback, S-03s a little better due to the stiffer sidewalls and tread compound. The S-03s certainly have more grip and seem to respond better to quick transitions. With the RE730s, being smoother is more important because they don't have as much grip. The S-03s are louder and have a harsher ride. At the track you can build them up into an insanely loud roar, RE730s give off more of a wooshing noise at the limit. The S-03s seemed more forgiving because of the higher limits, "I'm understeering a bit, I'll just turn in harder" The car does it with S-03s. Do this with the 730s, and you are more likely to load up a tire and slow down on the car using the outer front wheel.

S-03s- ~$15 more per tire, wears fast, loud, VERY sticky

RE730s- slighly cheaper, harder compund, low wear, very good grip

I think the RE730s will cost you a second or so at auto-x over the S-03s, but you will have to be smother and hopefully (!) improve. I have not seen a street tire that can grip like the S-03 though, it is truly phenomenal. You will save some cash with RE730s, but if the grip sacrefice is fine with you, you won't be disappointed...

 

[nate]

Thanks, Nate. Any thoughts on noise with the RE730s? Nearly every review I've read indicates that these tires get very loud after 50 percent of the tread is gone. The new "Gen 2" 730 allegedly has design changes aimed at fixing this problem, but I cannot find information on whether this has actually worked.

See, e.g., these reviews.

I haven't noticed, but the car is a convertible so :dunno:

S-03s are VERY, VERY loud though...

 

[nate]

(Scratches head...)

The S-03s on my car are MUCH MUCH quieter than the Contis were. I have thought to myself on numerous occasions how quiet they were.

They WILL get louder, mine did....

They are pretty good on smooth roads, but deafening on grooved and rough pavement...

far louder than any tire that I have driven :dunno:

 

[nate]

You have 29K on your rear Pilot Sports?

you probably don't need Pilot Sports or S-03s if you get that kind of milage out of them :dunno:

 

[nate]

You aren't agressive enough. Nothing like howling S-03s in an S55.

chirping Pilot Sports hard going into 3rd in an M5 is more fun