I have tried unsuccessfully to find a set of matching front/rear tires for my 87 Carrera in 205/55 ZR 16 and 245/55 ZR 16. I cannot find them at tires.com, tirerack.com, local vendors etc.

The one and only tire that comes in those sizes, so as to have a matching set, is the Fuzion ZRi. I have no experience with them whatsoever and ask for anyone here that has experience with them, if there is anyone indeed, to please provide me with some impressions on this tire. I believe it is made by Bridgestone and they are very, very cheap at about $136 for the 245s installed at my local Discount Tire.

I mean, it would be great to have 4 brand new tires for < $500 installed but I am somehow sceptic or suspicious about a tire that is so cheap but that is claimed to be great by sellers, of course. Can I take those claims as real or bogus?

Thanks for the input!

 

The rear tire size is the problem.
You may wish to consider trying as 245/50-16 in the rear (slightly/marginally shorter, but should be ok.) Other wise you probably have to go narrower to the extent your wheel width will allow. (Not the most desirable)
Then you have options on the Rack in Kumho, Sumitomo and Yokohama.
However, w/ some fussing I did find there is a Michelin option for the Pilot A/S, however they are a different speed rating 91Y & 97W (so it won't prompt in the automatic "matched" front and rear query), which should not be an issue for a regular daily driver. (Michelin is always my #1 choice)
Call Tire Rack & confirm these assertions.
Good Luck.
OH, and the Fusion isn't absolutely horrible (certainly not a Michelin). Not a great pick for rain. But adequate for a moderate driver.

 

Try 225 fr and 255 rear,
dhc3

 

I experienced the same problem you explained above late last summer. I looked all over the place for 245/45x16's for the rear and 205/55x16's for the front. The 205's were not a problem but finding the 245's proved almost impossible. Like you, I didn't have any choice except to purchase the Fuzion tires.

I have had them on the car for approximately 6 months and they are performing OK. They are pretty quiet and have a good grip on the road. The tread pattern reminds me of the Dunlap Sport 8000's I used to run. I liked the compound in the Yoko's better, but that was no longer an option. I did find a couple of Pilot Sport 245's in California but they were out of production and if I bought them, at a rediculous price, and had to replace one of them I would have been in deep doo-doo.

My 87 911 is lowered and going to a wider tire wasn't a choice, no room in the rear fender well. I was told a couple of months ago by Tire Rack that there will be two tire manufacturer's making the 245x45's sometime this spring. If you can wait it out...you might have a better selection. Refer to my thread posted below in the 911 forum for info regarding the Toyo R-A1 that is supposed to be coming out this January.

 

Well, I haven't bitten the bullet yet. Nevertheless, I plan on tracking the car soon and cannot wait until Spring for those tires to be out. It is a good thing, though, that someone will be manufacturing them, if indeed they do.

When you said the Fuzions are OK, are they OK to what degree? How sticky are they compared to the Yokohamas or Dunlops? I've had Yokohamas on my Carrera since I bought it and have experience with Dunlops on the 951 I owned for many years, so a comparison would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

The compound in the Fuzion ZR1 is harder than in the Yoko's. But I think the compound in the Dunlops is harder than the Yoko's too. I could only get 15K miles out of the Yoko's with moderate driving habits, even after rotating them on the rear wheels. I used to get over 20K miles out the Dunlops. I have a feeling the Fuzion will perform closer to the Dunlops than the Yoko's. But only time will tell. There isn't much choice out there right now, so I felt that if I had to install two sets of Fuzions to one set of Yoko or Dunlops, I wouldn't be spending any more money. The Fuzions are performing well for me, I wouldn't be afraid to buy another set if required.

I don't think the Fuzion's would necessarily make great track tires, though. You would need to pump them up to 50 psi to use them on the track and they would definitely be to hard for that....traction would be a problem. I had the same problem with my Yoko's when I pumped them up to 50 psi for running autocross. You can find 245/45/16's in track tires that are soft compound sticky slicks that will hold the corners.

 

Well, I bit the bullet today. I cannot say anything yet as I want to put about 150 miles on them before pushing to feel how they behave. Somehow I am positive about the outcome. At least I only spent $477 including mounting and lifetime balancing for all 4 tires! That's about how much I paid for 1 rear tire on my 997 a couple of weeks ago, when I had to replace both rears!

 

Good luck with the Fuzions...let us know if you have any problems.....Pipes

 

Toyo T1R has a matching set that size (205/55 and 245/45)

 

Well, so far, for street use - as I have not taken them to the track - is that they are a great bang for the buck. It's hard to beat $477 for all 4 installed and with lifetime balancing on tires. On the street they behave very well and I am completely satisfied so far. Of course, I'll have to wait to see how they wear and behave as that wear happens to see if my impressions change. I also have to take them on track to really compare them to the Yokohama AVS ES100s the car had before.