Chokinzoku
Active Member
- Joined
- Jun 18, 2023
- Threads
- 5
- Messages
- 39
- Reaction score
- 57
- Location
- San Francisco
- Car(s)
- 2023 Nissan Z
- Thread starter
- #1
So I took the Z out yesterday, it was 96 degrees in California. Decided to see if there’s a difference between the stock Bridgestones and the recently installed Michelin PS4S tires. The car is a Proto 9 AT.
Key Observations:
- From a dig, in manual shifting mode, first through third gears is a massively noticeable improvement in grip. First gear does no chirp or a minor chirp, and there was no slippage in 2nd-3rd. The engine noise was finally translating to power being put down on the boiling hot pavement. I was literally surprised when I was moving forward without listening to constant spinning tires. It’s like comparing glue on hot tarmac to olive oil on hot tarmac.
- Also from a dig, in auto mode, the car surges forward with far more grip and is no longer making tire screeching sounds until you reach ~ 60MPH anymore. It feels/sounds just a bit like a R35 in auto mode, maybe like a 1/4 version of it.
- On the freeway, the ride feels better, as the Michelins are just a better engineered tire, and that makes the car feel more stable all around, whether it’s on-ramps, taking corners, braking, accelerating, etc. Makes me wonder if Nissan has some longstanding contract or alliance w Bridgestone…
- this is very similar to what happened when I put PS4S tires on my M177 C63 (non-S) version. The stock tires were weak yet when I added PS4s, the slippage in each gear went away, other than the occasional chirp in first, which is understandable.
-the VR30 revs extremely fast, making first gear in the auto a key test of your reflexes. Thankfully I’ve been playing GT for decades so that helps lol. The pull from 5K RPM onward is now much more enjoyable since your tires don’t feel like hair gel.
-the PS4S tires literally transform the car from a slippery, olive oil-laced rear driver to what it should have felt like from the factory—a twin turbo 6 that pulls hard and sticks to the road.
-Again it was 96 degrees and I dunno how big of a difference it’ll be at 60 degrees or lower, but at hot temperatures like this the car is now able to realize more of it’s full potential from my POV.
- PS4S also comes stock on my Plaid so it’s definitely one of the industry’s go-to tires for serious grip. Wondering how big of a difference it would make on an R35 over the stock Dunlops….
Key Observations:
- From a dig, in manual shifting mode, first through third gears is a massively noticeable improvement in grip. First gear does no chirp or a minor chirp, and there was no slippage in 2nd-3rd. The engine noise was finally translating to power being put down on the boiling hot pavement. I was literally surprised when I was moving forward without listening to constant spinning tires. It’s like comparing glue on hot tarmac to olive oil on hot tarmac.
- Also from a dig, in auto mode, the car surges forward with far more grip and is no longer making tire screeching sounds until you reach ~ 60MPH anymore. It feels/sounds just a bit like a R35 in auto mode, maybe like a 1/4 version of it.
- On the freeway, the ride feels better, as the Michelins are just a better engineered tire, and that makes the car feel more stable all around, whether it’s on-ramps, taking corners, braking, accelerating, etc. Makes me wonder if Nissan has some longstanding contract or alliance w Bridgestone…
- this is very similar to what happened when I put PS4S tires on my M177 C63 (non-S) version. The stock tires were weak yet when I added PS4s, the slippage in each gear went away, other than the occasional chirp in first, which is understandable.
-the VR30 revs extremely fast, making first gear in the auto a key test of your reflexes. Thankfully I’ve been playing GT for decades so that helps lol. The pull from 5K RPM onward is now much more enjoyable since your tires don’t feel like hair gel.
-the PS4S tires literally transform the car from a slippery, olive oil-laced rear driver to what it should have felt like from the factory—a twin turbo 6 that pulls hard and sticks to the road.
-Again it was 96 degrees and I dunno how big of a difference it’ll be at 60 degrees or lower, but at hot temperatures like this the car is now able to realize more of it’s full potential from my POV.
- PS4S also comes stock on my Plaid so it’s definitely one of the industry’s go-to tires for serious grip. Wondering how big of a difference it would make on an R35 over the stock Dunlops….
, seems to echo the findings of many shops/tuners that have been pushing for lower 1/4 mile times, in that while the Z suspension may not be well-suited for pure straight line acceleration, a higher grade tire is a sufficient bandaid for much of the grip issues
...
