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We've tested everything from $40 budget tires to $400 track compounds. Here's what you need to know about tire shopping without the grocery store marketing.
Shopping for tires is like grocery store marketing. You see words like "performance" and "ultra high performance" that make you feel good about buying that brand, until you realize it's all 100% marketing BS.
At MartiniWorks, we've packaged thousands of wheels and tires together at our warehouse in Illinois. We've mounted it all, driven on it all, and tested everything; from the Kenda KR20A on a 250hp drift car, to the Continental DWS06 on the 145mph straights of Road America.
Here's the truth: There's no such thing as a tire that can do it all perfectly. So how do you find the right tire? Well... start here.
The best way to figure out what tires matter most to you is using something we call a spider graph.
It's a 5-point shape that has Handling, Mileage, Warm Up, Wet Grip, and Dry Grip.
When you start looking for a tire, pick the TOP 2-3 things that matter most for your car. A great wet grip tire might have good handling and mileage, but warm it up and dry grip may suffer. If you want a tire that can do all things effectively, that'll make it more expensive. The cheaper the tire, the more likely it can only do 1 or 2 of these things well.
The same reason the Falken RT615K+ is such a contender as a killer budget 200TW tire is the same reason folks don't like it in the rain, whereas someone might prefer the 360TW General G-Max RS that's $40 cheaper per tire.
Tread designs also play a role. Some are built to evacuate water through channels and sipes for wet weather. Others use center rib designs for high-speed stability. Some have fewer channels to give more grip but less capacity in rain. Every tire is fighting for the right balance.
In the automotive industry, boring bean counters and executives put tires into "Tiers." Tier 4 through 1. Tier 4 is typically "Entry Level." Tier 3 is "category budget specific." Tier 2 is "we can't beat Michelin or Continental, but we'll try." Tier 1 is "the really expensive ones."
Now no one in the world uses those terms when you're actually looking to buy tires, so we changed their confusing corporate language to something that actually makes sense. We created our own tiers: Entry Level, Good Value, Proven Performer, and Best in Class. Simple, honest, and actually useful.
Check out the brands we offer:
WRONG. Treadwear numbers aren't controlled by any governing body. They're just a reference point that brands set themselves. A 200TW tire from Nitto can't be directly compared to a 200TW from Falken because they use different control tires. And companies like Nitto will use a different control tire for their high-performance summer tire versus an all-season.
So use treadwear as an indicator, but the numbers aren’t black and white to each other.
Tires stretch and flex differently. The sidewall of a Nitto Neo Gen is incredibly soft, which makes it great for stance setups. A Kenda KR20A doesn't stretch as much because it has a reinforced sidewall built for drifters.
All-season is really 3-season. They don't handle snow or cold temperatures well. If your school cancels for snow, you need actual winter tires, not all-seasons with winter marketing.
Tires degrade when they sit. They last 6-10 years before the chemical compounds break apart. Expired tires aren't dependable tires and their performance will be terrible, especially on track-focused compounds like drag or racing tires.
If you're working with a tight budget, here's how to maximize every dollar:
After testing everything from $40 budget tires to $400 track compounds, here are our honest recommendations:
Falken RT615K+ — Killer budget option that can handle road driving AND track days. The same reason it's a contender is why some folks don't like it in heavy rain.
General G-Max RS — About $40 cheaper per tire than the Falken, 360TW rating, and it really impressed us at Road America. Great balance of performance and price.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S — Simply lovely. Michelin uses racing data to develop the compound. It handles everything well.
Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02 — Magnificent for the dollar with their Confidence Plan benefits included.
Kenda Vezda UHP KR20A — Proper drift tire with reinforced sidewall to prevent inconsistency from lateral grip loss. It heat cycles incredibly well.
Continental Viking Contact 7 — If your school cancels for snow, you need real winter tires, not all-seasons with winter marketing.
We only sell tire brands we trust on our own builds. We don't pretend that cheap tires perform like premium ones, but expensive doesn't always mean better for your specific needs.
Start with your budget, be honest about your driving, and pick 2-3 performance priorities from our framework above. Then shop accordingly.
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