Tire & Wheel Recommendations

[RedTetsu13]

Hi All,

So very recently I put in my order for my 21MY Mustang Ecoboost HPP. If everything holds true I'll be taking delivery of it sometime in early March 2021. At that time there is still a chance that there will be snow on the ground (Detroit-metro area is where I currently reside and my parents live in the Chicago land area). Tire sizes I'm looking outside the stock 265/40-R19 size includes 255/40-R19 and 255/40-R18 (would be getting new Rims if I go this size).
My questions are of the following tires which do you recommend for all season spirited driving (Think back-road driving or Touge style driving) and why? Which tires are solid choices when dealing with slush and snow? And for new Rims, are there any good 6-spoke designs which will work for the mustang (6 has a special place in my heart so I'd prefer this wheel design over anything else)?

Stock Tire Size: Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+
255 19's: Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate, Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 (Including Tires listed above)
255 18's: Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4, BF Goodrich g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus (Including tires listed above)

Some more background as well, I currently work for Ford so I have a discount on tires but I want to have the cheapest route in the long run (which would probably mean sizing down the tires and wheels eventually or just sticking to the 255 19's). This is also my first rear wheel drive performance oriented car, and I live in an apartment complex (ie very little space so two sets of tires and wheels are very out of the question). I'll likely be selling the performance tires on here shortly after I get the car so I'll also give a small heads up on that as well (will probably settle to sell close to the cost of the new tires so if people give me a cheap suggestion I'll probably sell the Pirelli's for cheap as well even if they are worth more at the given tread level).

I look forward from hearing from everyone and sorry for the long post!

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[MidwayJ]

Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ and Continental DWS06 are the best high performance all seasons. However, if I lived up there I'd want a separate set of dedicated winter tires or another car to drive in snow.

If you ordered the HPP with handling package I'd keep those wheels. They are great looking.

 

[Mr981]

None of the above. Get proper winter/snow tires if you expect to drive in winter/snow conditions. All seasons are a compromise, especially in the cold.

+1
Since the winter weather in Detroit is similar to what we get in NE Ohio, you'll need real winter tires when the snow comes. Seriously consider a set of winter tires like the Blizzak WS80/90.

I put a set on when I got the car back in 11/2015. One quick stop with the GY F1 A/S tires on a cold rainy night was all it took to get me looking for real winter tires. Blizzaks really bump up the amount of traction you have in handling and braking.

If space is a big issue, consider the TR wall mount or rolling racks for storage. If that doesn't work, remove your summer tires from your stock wheels and mount your snows till the end of April. When I lived in a apt. I 'd store my extra tires--unmounted--in a closet until needed. You pay extra $ for the annual mounting/balancing, but to me that is nothing relative to the added peace of mind gained when the weather is bad. The difference in winter driving in the Great Lakes region is huge between a A/S and dedicated winter tire.

 

[2rav4u]

I agree that dedicated winter tires are the best option. However as you said, you are in a situation where you don't have space to store seasonal wheels and/or tires and probably don't want to pay a shop to store your tires (I've heard that some tire shops offer tire storage). In that case I would just get the OEM size Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+. I also work at Ford and I have the HPP/HP with summer tires as well.... But I have the option of keeping the car in a garage while I drive my little jeep patriot during the cold months. My boss has been driving a mustang GT in A/S tires no issue in the winter. Obviously drive cautiously


In the future when my Pzeros are toast and need to be replaced I will be going with the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+.

Tirerack review says the A/S3+ does pretty well in light snow:
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=216

 

[RedTetsu13]

I agree that dedicated winter tires are the best option. However as you said, you are in a situation where you don't have space to store seasonal wheels and/or tires and probably don't want to pay a shop to store your tires (I've heard that some tire shops offer tire storage). In that case I would just get the OEM size Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+. I also work at Ford and I have the HPP/HP with summer tires as well.... But I have the option of keeping the car in a garage while I drive my little jeep patriot during the cold months. My boss has been driving a mustang GT in A/S tires no issue in the winter. Obviously drive cautiously


In the future when my Pzeros are toast and need to be replaced I will be going with the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+.

Tirerack review says the A/S3+ does pretty well in light snow:
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=216

General question how do you feel about your Ecoboost HPP, any fun driving roads do you know around the area? The only one I've found was taking Hines Dr. from my work location at FEL to just north of where my Apartment is at.

Also I had looked at storage places and although it is affordable for me to do separate tire option, if I can save some money with the initial part of ownership especially given the Pandemic I can pay off my college loans while keeping the new car. I won't be taking delivery and going through financing until March at the earliest so all I have to go on right now is the A-Plan price after MSRP, I still don't know what extended warranty service packages I'll be getting which could raise the price and I don't know about what financing rate I'll be getting (Fico score is close to 800 right now but other factors decide the rate as well). My mentor also drives a GT, and he mentioned that he also doesn't use dedicated Winter tires either so the secondary confirmation is reassuring.

I know that the regular ecoboost ride height is close to my 2014 elantra, and something I confirmed winter '19-'20 was that if the snow got so bad that it would warrant a deep snow rating tire, I wouldn't be driving my elantra out there to begin with.

 

[2rav4u]

General question how do you feel about your Ecoboost HPP, any fun driving roads do you know around the area? The only one I've found was taking Hines Dr. from my work location at FEL to just north of where my Apartment is at.

I really like the HPP. Seems perfect in my mind for spirited driving. Definitely not the rumbly V8 though, if that is important to you. For example I thought BRZ was cool, but HPP power was intriguing to me and the s550 looks are just so much classier with more livable space/storage for daily use. This is also my 1st manual trans vehicle, so my biggest complaint so far is that there is no rev-match for the Ecoboost. It is a little rough at times until I can perfect doing that myself manually, but a joy when I nail it.

Good driving roads around metro are a bit sparse.... But Hines Drive is good, and Hell Michigan has some nice twisties (but the speed limits are a buzzkill).

https://www.motorcycleroads.com/motorcycle-roads/michigan/along-the-river-to-hell

I still don't know what extended warranty service packages I'll be getting which could raise the price and I don't know about what financing rate I'll be getting (Fico score is close to 800 right now but other factors decide the rate as well)

I ended up tacking on extended warranty for peace of mind with all of the electronics. I was able to get the warranty at an employee discount, so see if that is something you can do as well if you go that route.

I know that the regular ecoboost ride height is close to my 2014 elantra, and something I confirmed winter '19-'20 was that if the snow got so bad that it would warrant a deep snow rating tire, I wouldn't be driving my elantra out there to begin with.

I agree with that. SE michigan gets cold, but I wouldn't say we get inundated with enough snow like MI Upper Peninsula, or places in Canada where I would say it is more of a requirement to own winter tires.

Side note for SE michigan driving if you are newish to the area. Never drive on the first snowfall of the year, as it will be full of idiots driving too fast for the conditions on their probably worn out tires.

 

[SAY WHAT]

I would say get the all season 4 or look at the Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate. I would tell you to get winter tires since you are in Michigan, but if you can avoid driving on heavy snowfall the all seasons will get you through the year. Take a look at the cross climate two in the 235/50/18 size. That size is what the base gt will get with 4 piston brakes, im not sure if the Hpp ecoboost has 4 or 6.

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