Got new tires on the M5 recently (thanks, Damon) and opted for the Sumitomo HTR3 instead of another set of PS2's completely based on cost. A part of me really hesitated with putting anything less than Michelin or Pirelli on the car, but I thought I'd give it a try and so far, I'm very glad I did. I do not track the car.

The rears are 285/30/20 and cost $228 each versus $385 for the Michelins. The fronts are 255/35/20 and cost $149 each versus $377 for the Michelins. Total savings exceed 50%.

So far, I am very impressed with the Sumitomos. Road noise, dry grip and even looks are all comparable to the PS2's (admittedly, it's hard to hear any tire noise at all because of my exhaust). Wet grip, though, was unimpressive and they broke loose quicker than the PS2's, although I was only able to "test" it before I could get the new shiny outer layer worn down. I've had multiple sets of PS2's and Pirelli P Zeros on different cars and so far, I am very happy with the Sumitomo's even before considering the cost savings.

 

Nice.....thanks for the review.

Let us know how they do as they get broken in.

 

Sumitomo tires in my opinion are great for the price. I prefer Bridgestone but then again the price factor is higher..but in the end as long as you enjoy them

 

Keep us posted, I'm anxious to get more feedback on these. Thanks again for the sale.

 

385/30 tires for $228.00 each?

Is either number here a typo?

I don't even see that size when I look up their tires!

I paid $670.00 each for a pair of 325/30/19 Michelin Pilot Sport Cups! Yikes.

 

Oops, the typo is the tire size. It should be 285 not 385. The price is indeed 228 each. Fixed in original post.

 

Now that makes sense.

Good price for the tire size but I would be concerned about the wet grip capability.

I have found that bargain tires are frequently just that, and as such I have stayed with Michelin for a very long time.

Tell us more about your Sumitomo experiences.

 

I just put a set on my 996tt that Damon set me up with . I put them on a set of track wheels, did the track day, and haven't put my Champions with Pirellis back on yet.

I took the car straight to the track after putting them on. Not sure if/how that would affect their track performance. Overall I thought they did okay for a street oriented tire. The Michelin Sport Cup's had a lot more grip (obviously) but I thought the Sumitomo's were better than the Conti's a had on my M3. They are a nice looking tire as well.

On the street they have been great. Pretty dry where I live but even in the rain (sometimes heavy) that we have had here recently they were just fine.

Will be interesting to see how they wear with some miles but I have to say that for the money ($600 for the set!) I think these tires are a great deal. Bottom line from me... if you have a big ego on the track, get something sticky (and expensive) but if most of your driving is street, these are worth considering.

 

Good report. I checked their available sizes and there's little for my 360.

I found out the PS Cups are N/G for street use so have to change them. I don't do track work. I have not mounted them yet so that should be no problem. It's the size I want, and Michelin does not make the 325/30-19 in the PS2's!

Now I am looking at Novitec rims and Pirelli tires.

What a mess.

 

i remember i had these tires on my audi (when i bought a set of rims from a forum member, they had these tires on it)
i remember also that the handling was SLIGHTLY better vs driving on a blown pirelli


no disresepect dude, but youre driving a BMW M5, and have quite possibly the crappiest tires money can buy...

you spent a good penny on rims (unless those are replicas)
you can NOT go cheap on your tires.. especially on a car like an M5


a lot of people fail to remember that the ONLY part of your high HP car that makes contact with the road is your tires..

think about it.. suspension, brakes, HP.... are all useless if your tires cant produce results

 

No disrespect taken. But I'm a bit confused. In another thread, you make almost the exact same argument that I do for choosing a cheaper brand over the PS2's. Here is the thread:

https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...d.php?t=119496

You mention price, comparable performance to PS2's and the hesitation you had at first. Almost exactly what I wrote here. The only difference is that you must put Toyo's in a higher class than Sumitomo's. I put them in the same class. High performance Japanese tires at a bargain price versus the huge companies like Michelin with brand names and huge overhead and marketing budgets.

And the argument that I have a $100,000 car and $3,000 wheels so I should pay twice as much for tires that aren't twice a good doesn't work. Remember, tires are disposable and for me, that is about every 9k miles. I agree with the argument when talking about safety, but these aren't known for blowouts or safety issues and they aren't some Chinese brand that have been recalled.

I really don't mean any disrespect either, because I considered buying your Audi, but with 30 profile tires on 235 widths on a VERY lowered A4, does anything handle better than a blown Pirelli? You are also comparing how your car felt with used tires versus new tires.

 

steve
youre absolutely right
but i DID have the tires that you have now, and the issue i had with them (on my 18" wheels) was that after about 5000miles, the tires just started to lose traction fast...
i replaced the sumitomo's on my audi with michelin PS2s, because i got them for cheap..

as far as the toyo's i was definately hesitant , but to be totally honest, the difference in grip isnt worth twice the price...

btw, how long do your tires last you ?

 

I guess only time will tell with these Sumitomos! So far, I really am impressed with them though. But longevity is an unknown... you all will hear about it here in a few months.

My PS2's lasted about 9k miles on the M5, and the same when I had my 997.

 

My personal experience with the Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS Pole Position have been very good so far. They perform quite well in snow also.

 

Take a look at our test results. You can see how well they held their own against tires much more expensive:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...irePageLocQty=

When we tested them our track pros were FLOORED at how good they did for their price. We felt wet traction was a bit deficient as well, but only at track levels of driving. For street use it was just fine.

As for being a "no name" tire as mentioned before, they are far from it. They were formed in 1909 by Dunlop and hold a majority equity in the company now. The two have been sharing technology ever since. As well as making their own tires, Sumitomo Rubber Industries owns Falken and also produces many of Goodyears tires in the Asian market. Don't thing they share technology? Take a look at the tread designs of the HTRZ III and the Dunlop Sport Maxx. Or the HTR Z II and the Sport 9000. Too similiar to be co-incidence. They are also one of the top golf and tennis ball makers in the world as well as a leader in rubber stoppers for the medical industry too.
http://www.srigroup.co.jp/

Right from their website:


Major Group Companies SRI Sports Ltd.
SRI Hybrid Ltd.
Dunlop Falken Tyres Ltd.
Goodyear Japan Ltd.
Dunlop Goodyear Tires Ltd.
SRI Tire Trading Ltd.
Dunlop Sports Ltd.
SRI Engineering Ltd.
SRI Research & Development Ltd.
P.T. Sumi Rubber Indonesia
Sumirubber Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.
Zhongshan Sumirubber Precision Rubber Ltd.
Sumitomo Rubber (Changshu) Co., Ltd.
Sumitomo Rubber (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. Consolidated Sales in 2006 ¥534,086 million Main Businesses Tires Business In the Tire business, Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. manufactures and markets tires under the Dunlop, Falken, Goodyear, Sumitomo and Ohtsu brands. In addition to overseas subsidiaries in China and Indonesia, the Group carries out tire production and sales in Europe and North America in joint ventures with The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. Moreover, we are constructing a tire factory in Thailand with the goal of starting operations at the end of 2006. Sports Business In the Sports business, SRI Sports Ltd. carries out operations. SRI Sports manufactures and markets Dunlop brand golf clubs and *****, and tennis ***** and rackets in Japan, Taiwan and South Korea. In addition, SRI Sports sells the international SRIXON brand golf ***** and clubs all over the world. Industrial and Other Products Business In the Industrial and Other Products business, SRI Hybrid Ltd. and Sumitomo Rubber carry out operations. In Japan, the Group produces marine dock fenders, blankets for offset printing presses and materials for sports facilities such as artificial turf. Overseas, the Group manufactures and markets natural rubber gloves in Malaysia, precision rubber parts for office automation equipment in China and bed-related products in France and Germany. Furthermore, we are constructing a factory in Vietnam for precision rubber parts for office automation equipment that is scheduled to commence operations in October 2006.