All Weather Tires - The Good. The Bad. Help!

[tehpounce]

I live in Georgia and the weather has been a bit on the rainy side.
I recently just upgraded from my 1996 Miata to a 2011.
My stock tires are absolute crap.
Everytime it rains I get zero traction on the roads.
Recently causing me to get into an accident even going SLOW around a corner.
The Miata is fine, minimal damage, that's getting fixed soon but now I'm in need of some tire advice.
I need something with more traction that wont kill me if/when it rains in the future.
Price isn't so much an issue, I just want quality.
Any and all advice is welcome!
Thanks!

[bigx5murf]

All seasons = no seasons

If money is available, 2 sets is best. High performance summer + winters.

[tehpounce]

Money isn't so much a factor. It's just a matter of shuffling finances.
High performance summers and winters? Any recommendations?

[— kung fu jesus —]

All-seasons are a compromise. I was planning to try a set of Continental Extreme Contact DWS on my daily driver. There are a few others I was going to research when the time comes.

I would suggest combing through the Tirerack website and read the tests, comparisons and reviews on all season tires. You can also search out reviews by other Miata owners there too.

Ultimately, we can't always get exactly what we would like, but I understand your issues. Over the years, I have found some manufacturers are better than others when it comes to tires. You really do get what you pay for, so you may want to take some time and consider the priorities of your selection.

Sure, I'd love to rock race tires on my daily driver as I did on my NA for a while, but it's not practical or safe considering the weather we get here in the South.

My daily driver is a FWD Acura, so I cannot speak to how it well the Pirellis on it translate to your car. MY wife DDs our NB, so I always take rain into consideration. She is currently on Yokohama S-drives. I had two sets of these on my M3. It's a summer tire and I bought these before we moved from CA to NC. She made it through the winter just fine.

Is your Miata your only car?

[The Driver]

All seasons = no seasons

If money is available, 2 sets is best. High performance summer + winters.

Agreed.

[tehpounce]

Miata is my only car. I'm definitely considering the 2 sets, I've also been recommended the Michelin PSS and Pilot Ex alto all weather tires. Just doing research between calls at work. Its such a tough decision, but I definitely don't want to have anymore spin outs.

[Johnnie]

I've driven the Conti DW summer tire and it is supposed to be *the* wet-weather summer tire. If you don't need autocross-level grip, this would be the one for a street-driven summer tire. Get a good recommendation for an all-season (m/s rating?) that shines in sloppy stuff and that's about all you should need for Georgia. Ice/snow tires aren't necessary, IMO.

[tehpounce]

I will be moving to Northwest Arkansas early next year for school but I suppose for now snow tires aren't necessary. I will definitely look into all the suggestions and compare. Thank you everyone for you time!! I do appreciate it. I've been on the hunt for new tires since my first spin out and my second causing a collision confirmed I needed new tires and stat.

[etikoner]

Drive a little slower?

S drives are good in the rain.

Star specs are supposed to be really good as well.

[tehpounce]

I was going maybe 25 around that turn and like 15 the first time I spun out. So it's not speed.
I literally have ZERO problems on dry pavement but as soon as its slightly slick, I slide.

[DK Wolf]

Just get all seasons, but a decent set. Contis are some of the best I've ever had, and the roads out here on oki are slippery as shit (roads are made of coral, you can make a stock civic lose traction during a regular stop and go).

Had them on my FD, amazing. Still amazing handling in the dry during one of my autox. If you aren't competing, don't waste your money for summer tires. Who cares, odds are you won't be driving to the limit of your contis anyway.

I have all seasons on my GC8 now, and a spare set of RS3s for autox. Honestly.. I'm tempted to just sell my tires and pocket the cash since I still have a phenomenal time on all seasons. And the contis really have amazing dry traction.


More money, more happy. That's my philosophy

[— kung fu jesus —]

NW Arkansas is Martin's territory. I've been there for business many times. Definitely get all-seasons. The weather can be a bit colder than GA and the rest of the SE.

Just a suggestion, too. Go out in a big/ smooth empty parking lot when it rains next. Practice the same turn you do when you spin. Just try to get a feel for how the car reacts when it starts to oversteer until you feel comfortable with making adjustments to control it.

[The Driver]

NW Arkansas is Martin's territory. I've been there for business many times. Definitely get all-seasons. The weather can be a bit colder than GA and the rest of the SE.

Correct about Martin, but one thing... The weather is much dryer than experienced in North GA. Meaning less precipitation, less need for "all weather" tires.

[Chops]

I was going maybe 25 around that turn and like 15 the first time I spun out. So it's not speed.
I literally have ZERO problems on dry pavement but as soon as its slightly slick, I slide.

How is that even possible if you're NOT pushing the car too hard for the conditions?

My very first autocross was in the rain with hard, worn Falken 912 tires and still managed good times around the track, and not once lost control. The Toyo Proxes T1R's I have now are also hard, worn and the right rear is as slick as a baby's ass, and I can still cruise along at 75mph in the rain on the highway without an issue, and drive without issue in town as well in the rain.

Sorry to say it, but I'm leaning more towards user error rather than equipment failure. Just my 2 cents.

[The Driver]

How is that even possible if you're NOT pushing the car too hard for the conditions?


Sorry to say it, but I'm leaning more towards user error rather than equipment failure. Just my 2 cents.

How can you say that when we don't know what kind of tires the OP has or what shape they are? I'm a darn good driver, and the only time I lost it in the rain was on my first Miata (a Merlot) with some Eagle GT4 tires. I was not speeding and just leaving an off ramp on I-275 and Fowler Avenue. The tires were virtually brand new, installed by the previous owner. They were gone within a week, and have NEVER experienced that again.