Nitto Tires..

blkmgk

Anyone familiar with the brand nitto.

lancerfixer

But I watched "Iron Chef" last week and the featured ingredient was natto. Looked like nasty stuff. Even the Iron Chef said he didn't like natto and never used it in his cooking.

zueslewis

and are very comparible to BF Goodrich, Michelin, Dunlop (the major brands). They specialize in performance applications and also do a very good SUV tire, off-road tire and a good ol' passenger car radial.

I was a Regional Manager for Super Shops and we carried Nitto as a secondary brand to BF Goodrich and Michelin. I have NT 450s on my 84 GTi autocross car and they're doing well in all aspects.

lngtonge18

Great to see another original GTI owner!! I have an 84 too but have kept it mostly stock (Neuspeed upper and lower stress bars, Neuspeed SofSport springs, Bilstein HD front shocks and Boge Progas rear shocks). I have Dunlop SP Sport 8000 and they grip the road like no other tire. Hows your GTI been holding up? Would love to hear all about your car. I love my GTI and could never part with it.

bretfraz

Well, it's a bit much to compare Nitto to Michelin and Dunlop (guess we forgot Goodyear and Bridgestone as other "major brands").

Nitto is a rather small Japanese tire company and Zues is right, most of their tires are targeted towards the low profile - performance type. The NT450 is by far their most prevalent model on the road. I must admit I rarely see a Nitto SUV tire.

Nitto is a good value product and should be compared to Toyo, Falken, Dayton, Kelly-Springfield and the other "value" brands.

blkmgk

Let me be the first to sample nitto.
I just purchased a new set of nitto touring tires for my LS400. Yep. I was gonna buy the yokohamas, but I wanted to try these nittos. I have only had them for a few days, but let me tell you that these tire are doing an excellent job. Smooth ride, they look good, holds the corners well and most of all they are quiet. Only thing left is the rain test. They are the premium touring edition, called NT460.

zueslewis

195/50-15 NT450's, a Schrick 460 lift, 292 duration cam, TRW 10.5:1 pistons, head milled .060 (for approx 10.9:1 compression),intake manifold and heads are "extrude-honed", Neuspeed 2-1 downpipe, 3" exhaust w/Flowmaster 3 chamber muffler, Boge Progas Struts and Suspension Techniques Springs and Neuspeed Upper and Lower Front and Upper and Lower Rear Braces.

Aren't these cars a blast? My next move is Corbeau seats - having not used aftermarket seats in a VW, what the heck do I do for mounting points? The Rabbit, Scirocco and Jetta are different animals than the Civics and Accords most aftermarket seats are designed for--

blkmgk

Sorry but,Whats that got to do with nitto tires???

zueslewis

I was asked to describe my 84 GTI as he has one also. Who are you, the posting police? Can't two car guys rant about their hobby? Besides, I get contingency money from Nitto for autocrossing my GTI, so I'd say the desription has some importance.

I couldn't get sponsor money when I was a regional manager for Super Shops - at the time, the nation's largest distributor of BF Goodrich tires - that says soemthing about Nitto.

blkmgk

I am not the posting police, and there is nothing wrong with ranting about your "hobby". Maybe you should start your own discussion.
Thats all.

zueslewis

please read post #4. I thought all these conversations and chats were friendly. You're not one of those guys who pays $90.00 to analyze your oil so you can avoid four $15.00 oil changes are you? (Just kidding - I'm really poking fun.)

blkmgk

since we are on this topic, why dont you email a picture of your GTI, I'd like to see it, if you dont mind:>

zueslewis

it's getting the paint and interior redone now. Nothing fancy, just clean.

blkmgk

what color and what are you doing to the interior? Keeping it original or midifying?

zueslewis

and the interior is going to center around Cobra grey/black race seats. I've got carpet from ACC (Auto Custom Carpet, Anniston, Alabama) - inexpensive and very nice and I'm having the rear seat done in grey/black tweed (cheap tweed) to match the front. Red Diest 4-pt harnesses mounted to the roll bar, aluminum pedals and shifter, monster tach (aluminum housing) - should be cool. My 15 year old doesn't know it yet, but after the remainder of this season and the spring (he will be legal to drive at 16 1/2 in May), he'll get the car. I keep telling him I'm going to find him an old mini-truck that barely passes inspection as a first ride. He should love the GTI.

blkmgk

I am SURE your son will be in for a surprise.
I definitely would be if that were me.

zueslewis

that in 1979 (at 15 in Texas) when I got my license, my father "gifted" me with our old farm truck - a '63 Ford F-100 ex-phone company rig with rusted Koenig rear utility assembly. It was Kermit green and the fenders flopped when driven. Work great for feeding cattle, though and checking irrigation settings.

Opted for '68 Pontiac Tempest (Coupe) with 350 and "powerslide" - much more fun.

namfflow

Back to the subject at hand. (Please take your other topics off line or to another topic).

I used Nitto tires when they were an unknown (early 80's.) The tires were great for the price. About 50 bucks each for 205/70-14. I can't remember the model but the tread had a pattern of dogbones. Tires worked well in the wet and the dry. I have no experience with them in the snow as I don't get snow here. But those tires were on par with my favorites which are Pirellis.

Don't know anything about the new ones.

blkmgk

I would like to add to that, I have a set of new nittos and they are smooth and quiet and very good under wet conditions. It seems like there is no rain - thats how well it performs. So far I am very satisfied with this purchase, I do 60mph on curves and they hold on tight!