Mini/test-drive review of Nitto NT05 tires in Gen III-IV sizes

[PhoenixGTS]

I put some OEM six-spoke wheels on my GTS and decided to try the newer Nitto NT05 which is listed by Nitto as stickier than the Invos some you you guys use. The tread of the NT05 is not as **** as the Invo:

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The bead to rim interface is nice with lots of wheel protection:

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I went with 285s up front instead of 275s. I might not do that again as there is an optical illusion that the front sidewall is taller than the rear sidewall, but I know it is no at the rears overall diameter is exactly an inch taller than the fronts. Plus, as you can see abvoe, the front tire is squarer than the rear. At least I have a litte more rubber on the road.

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How do they work? Well they felt weird when I unloaded them - they were sticky like there was glue on them. Went for test drive and WHOA it was like driving on grease! Good news is they got better the more I drove and the more I hammered them. BUT, they are no where near as sticky as the Toyo R888s I had on the car (which unfortunately are not available in the Gen III-IV fitment. It is going to rain all week so no seat time for me, but I will try and update when I get some more miles on these tires. Right now my bolt-on Gen II can blow them off with a hard 1-2 shift.

 

[Camfab]

Those wheels are a huge improvement over the Gen II wheels. I like them alot.

 

[SkyBob]

It rains in Phoenix?

 

[Jerome Sparich]

It can take up to 500 miles to get the mold release off of the tires IIRC. After then they should be much better.

Car looks much better now.

 

[Malu59RT]

Yep, give it a few hundred miles and report back!

 

[PhoenixGTS]

It rains in Phoenix?

Only during the Barret-jackson Auction and the FBR PGA Golf Open!

Yep, give it a few hundred miles and report back!

For the record, my Toyo R888s stuck like glue from the second they hit the road. They were hard to spin even if I tried on the first test drive. That is why these are so scary so far.

 

[Spdrcrj25]

I may be wrong but comparing 888's to NT05's is like apples to oranges. The 888's are R compound and the 05's are something between and R compound and super high performance street tire. I think it'd be a great tire for those to drive 90% of the time on the street with an occasional track day.

 

[Next Phase]

Are these cheaper than Invos?

 

[JJB500]

They make the 345s? I only saw up to 335 in 19s?

 

[Next Phase]

Are these cheaper than Invos?

Curious on the cost and sizes?

 

[PhoenixGTS]

I may be wrong but comparing 888's to NT05's is like apples to oranges. The 888's are R compound and the 05's are something between and R compound and super high performance street tire. I think it'd be a great tire for those to drive 90% of the time on the street with an occasional track day.

Dang you are correct. After a little reminder research I see the R888s have a 100 wear rating (like Pilot Cups) whereas the NT05s have a 200 wear rating. For som reason I was thinking the Toyos had a 200 rating also. Not sure how I blew that. Well as the weather heats up the traction will improve and the engine will make less power so all will be good. The four Nitto NT05s cost me $1,330 installed from a local shop - and yes the rears are 335s not 345s.

 

[ROCKET62]

Looks like Nitto has also announced a drag radial, the NT05R, in a 345/30/19.

 

[Shank2117]

when i first bought my invo's they looked extremely thick up front, and now they look normal. I think they just break in or something

 

[Just Enough]

285-30-18 or 285-35-18 up front? They look great, that 6 spoke is aftermarket looking enough to work with any generation.

 

[Leslie]

This is the tire I ran last track event. I run 295 up front.

They virtually eliminated the 'push' I had, the downside for ME was I went through them in 2 weekends

I drove on them last Oct to Mid OH for the 2nd weekend use in a monster downpour, 5 hr drive...and I was hydroplaning haha. Cash84 was behind me and I called him and said, dude I gotta pull over hahaa.

 

[PhoenixGTS]

285-30-18 or 285-35-18 up front? They look great, that 6 spoke is aftermarket looking enough to work with any generation.

285-35-18 on the front

 

[PhoenixGTS]

Follow-Up: I now over 100 miles on the NT05 Nittos and they have really come around. I have never experienced a tire before that was like driving on grease for the first mile, then slippy for many more miles, then nice and grippy once you scrubbed them fully. We had a few days of total sun which heated up the pavement and the tires became hard to spin with my bolt-on GTS with 3.55 gears even with ambients under 70F so the engine was making good power. Very nice and they are also quiet on the freeway. At only $1,330/set intalled the Nitto NT05 looks like a decent option for the Gen III-IV 18"/19" fitment. Sorry I cannot compare them to Invos or the PS2, but thought I would post my comments for searchable data purposes..