[Matt D.]

Keep in mind that the treadwear rating of the tires they mentioned are in the 300-340 range. The tires I mentioned are 200. (Racing slicks are 40 treadwear, very soft.) These tires should last me through this year and maybe the beginning of next. The end of this year will mark 17 autocross events (6-8 runs each) and probably close to 20,000 miles of driving. They're at about 4/32 right now (measured them a week ago) and I flipped them side to side a month ago after getting my suspension installed.

While driving on the street you will not notice much if any difference between say a Falken RT615 and a Sumitomo HTRZIII. But once you start pushing the tire to the limit that's where the softer more aggressive tire will shine.

While I'm not trying to sway you from saving some money by buying a tire that will last longer, I feel you should buy a tire that will keep up with and make the most of anything you ever expect to throw at it.

Also, run the widest tire you can. The more rubber on the ground, the more traction you'll have. Your Evo wheels are great, you can fit 255/40/17s on there. Look at 17x9 wheels and you can fit 275s. I'm unsure what wheel and tire clearance is like on a DSM, but it really is something to consider.