Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Autocross and Open Track Legal mods for the Contour

Higher than STS. But it wouldn't really matter as I don't think anyone would ever notice. I wouldn't really worry about what class you're in unless you plan to really be competetive.

What size Azenis can I get on stock mystique 15s 215/55/15? I drove my friends Sentra with the Avenis what a difference over my no stick tires I have.

Yeah, tires make a huge difference. You are going to have a very hard time finding anything in a 15", though. You can get low-profile tires in 15", but they are very small, and no good for street use. Your best bet if you want to run stock is to get some extra 15" wheels and 205/50R15 Azenis 615s or Hankook Z212s. They are tiny, but that won't hurt you on the track. They also are stock class legal and cheap. If you want to go STS, get 16x7.5 or 16x7 wheels and 225/45R16 Z212s for a great bargain in traction.

The tires wouldn't see much street use probably only driving to the autocross and back. The Azenis in 15in sizes are cheap but are the 205s fat enough to make it worth while. Can that size handle the weight of the contour. That is the size my friend is running on his sentra.

Are you thinking about stock class or STS?

If STS: run new wheels in 16 or 17". I'd go 16x7.5 if you can find a nice one, and run 225/45 in either 16x7, 16x7.5, or 17x7.5. Hankooks are a great bargain, Azenis are slightly faster for more money. There are other options but those are the two I would look at, either one will make you happy.

If stock: run something like 225/45ZR15 Hoosier AS305 for $188/tire for insane grip, or 225/50ZR15 Kuhmo Victoracers for $129 each for a better bargain. There are a ton of other R-compound tires that will be good too, go to sccaforums.com to find out more: I don't really know my R-comps that well. Maybe moxnix will give you some answers there if you are stock.

R Compounds like lots of camber.

All information is for AutoX.

If you want very good stick and a nice long life go with the Kumho V710's if you can find them in stock in your size. One local guy told me that he had about 100 runs on his 710's on his Mini (known for killing tires) and he still won the local event this weekend for his class and came in 3rd in PAX out of 250+ people at the event.

For longer life go with either the Kumho Victoracer V700 (not the Escta V700) or the Toyo RA-1. I bought a set of well used RA-1's from ebay to put on my protege and I have gotten 40 runs out of them so far (bought with approximately 0.100 of tread depth left (average) according to the ebay description) and that is with a stock alignment not an AutoX alignment.

I would not buy the A(Autocross) Compound Hoosiers for a camber limited car like the contour. They have a bit better turn-in than the V710's but from my reading a little less overall grip than the V710's. I can tell the difference between my old A3S03's and my new V710's on turn-in and and grip I am sure the newer hoosiers have even better turn in but unless you like the turn-in and are looking for that last .001 second of time (still up for debate if they are faster than the V710's) and you are sure these are the ones to do it I would not buy them unless you like to drive on tires made of $100 dollar bills. Some Mini's have been getting less than 20 runs out of a set before they cord them.

I do not know much about the Avon tires or the new Yokohama R Compounds but from what i have been reading they are slower than the V710's and the Hoosier A compound tires and faster wearing than the Victoracer/RA-1.

With the RA-1's I got the 8th fastest overall time and 4th fastest PAXed time at an event with 80 people in the completely stock protege.

I am now running V710's on the miata and RA-1's on the protege.

Summary.
Hoosier = $$$$ fastest turn-in but less overall grip than V710's and wear out lots faster.
Kumho V710's = Fairly long lasting and very grippy but don't have the turn-in of the hoosiers. Keep cool by spraying between runs. Like low pressures and keeping cool people are running between low 20's to low 30's depending on the car and driver preference and outside temps.
RA-1's = Long lasting, More of a track tire but work well when heated up and like high pressures. I run about 44F/42R (235/40/17 on a 17X7 wheel) on the protege and might be bumping that figure up a bit. They seem to be fine just letting them build heat. Great to start on and very forgiving of mistakes.
Victoracers = Long lasting, Has more grip than street tires but less than other R Compounds. Great to start on and very forgiving of mistakes.