Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RZ or Potenza Race

It is time to replace the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s. Anybody have any experience/feedback with the Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RZ or Potenza Race?

Whats the use-case?

The use case is street driving. My M3 does not see a lot of miles per year (500 or less) so my tire strategy for this car is to get tires that have a very low treadwear value (200 or less) so that they are worn down to the bars when I get new tires around the 7 year mark. I also want maximum grip for the few miles that I drive. It is hard for me to throw away tires that still have life on them after they expire. The Cup 2s have served me well, but the current version is a 240 treadwear compared to the current ones I have on the car that are 180. The Bridgestone tires are 200 treadwear.

Track tyres... to last 7 years of daily driving? Nah man. These tyres are aimed at track day use. The soft compounds will age out faster if you just treat them like street tyres. They're also less ideal in rain, more likely to aquaplane as the tread designs sacrifice some water repelling capability for stiffness.


You should be looking at tyres like Pilot Sports 5S, Eagle f1 Assymetrics etc.

nawktrebor wrote

The use case is street driving. My M3 does not see a lot of miles per year (500 or less) so my tire strategy for this car is to get tires that have a very low treadwear value (200 or less) so that they are worn down to the bars when I get new tires around the 7 year mark. I also want maximum grip for the few miles that I drive. It is hard for me to throw away tires that still have life on them after they expire. The Cup 2s have served me well, but the current version is a 240 treadwear compared to the current ones I have on the car that are 180. The Bridgestone tires are 200 treadwear.

Not really what they are meant to be used for. But they'd be better in the wet than the cup 2s, so if you want something like the Cup2s that will last longer and be better in the wet, then yes give the RE71RZ a try.

But PS4S is more than enough tire for the street. You just won't wear them out in 7 years/<5k miles. I'd prefer to go with the PS4S imo.

Thanks for all the feedback. I live in San Diego where we don't see a lot of rain. I think I will go with the BMW * version of the Cup 2 (240) or the RE71RZ.

nawktrebor wrote

The use case is street driving. My M3 does not see a lot of miles per year (500 or less) so my tire strategy for this car is to get tires that have a very low treadwear value (200 or less) so that they are worn down to the bars when I get new tires around the 7 year mark. I also want maximum grip for the few miles that I drive. It is hard for me to throw away tires that still have life on them after they expire. The Cup 2s have served me well, but the current version is a 240 treadwear compared to the current ones I have on the car that are 180. The Bridgestone tires are 200 treadwear.

Any tire will age out long before 7 years, even with nearly no use.

If I had to buy a "street tire" with so little use and it HAD to be a one of the super 200tw variants... I'd get the Yokohama A052. They warm up fast so you won't crash while getting your morning latte, are nearly dead silent which is unheard of for this level of tire, and do very well with rain. (not standing water)

I will look at the A052. I run the factory 19" wheels so hope they have the sizes I need.

nawktrebor wrote

I will look at the A052. I run the factory 19" wheels so hope they have the sizes I need.

They have 255/35/19 and 275/35/19 and that's about as perfect as you can get for the stock sized wheels.

RE71RS was better than Cup 2 and the newer 71RZ is even better than 71RS. I use 71RS for street, canyon and track and no issues. It rains all the time here in Malaysia.

Don't think it will last 7 years tho. The rubber will harden long before that.

I run Pilot Sport 4S on the street car and RE-71 on the track car. 4S is effectively no compromise for me on the street.

If you're driving HARD, RE-71 family is the right lane and RZ is the current best of the family. Good in rain for a 200TW, durable, cheaper than Cup 2 or Race.

If 500mi is anything less than ballistic pace, you don't need a 200TW at all. A 4S gives you most of the street dynamics with meaningfully better wet, cold, and age-durability.

Between the two you listed: RZ.