Shop High-Performance Tires at Best Prices + FREE SHIPPING

High-performance tires are radically different from the other tire categories, so we have to pay great attention to their quality and tread wear. Properly chosen HP tires provide a safe ride on high speeds, solid control of performance cars, and good handling in wet or dry conditions. UTires.com offers a range of used high-performance tires from the world's best manufacturers. Make your choice and enjoy the ride!

What are high-performance tires?

New or used high performance tires provide steering precision, perfect cornering and impressive braking performance. They perfectly hold the car during maneuvers — therefore, suit experienced drivers and sports cars. High-performance tires can withstand loads at high speeds. However, they are designed for driving only on paved roads. Their sidewalls are poorly protected which practically excludes the possibility of operating a vehicle off-road.

6 main characteristics of new or used high-performance tires

Low and short profile of the sidewalls for better cornering during performance driving
The lower angle of belts for excellent responsiveness
Large tread blocks for better dry grip with the road’s surface
Drainage grooves for good performance during wet traction
Circular grooves for providing the directional stability of the vehicle
Premium rubber compound for longer tread life despite high speeds & loads. The technology of rubber production becomes more and more innovative — and high-performance tires are a perfect example of cutting-edge compounds.

How to choose the right tire size for a high-performance vehicle

Listen to the manufacturer

First advice — choose the size, based on the manufacturer's recommendations. Remember that the wider the tire is, the more stable the car is on the road. Low-profile rubber allows responsive handling and efficient control while maneuvering.

Take only as much weight as you can handle

The maximum load index shows how much weight each of your vehicle’s wheels can take. Your tire’s load index is a 2- or 3-digit number before the speed index (the very last letter in the sequence). Makes sense that high-performance vehicles aren’t made for lifting heavy weights: their usual load capacity is between 92 to 100, meaning from 1389 lbs to 1764 lbs per wheel. How fast can my car go with used high-performance tires?

Aim for the speed you need

When shopping for new or used high-performance tires, don't forget to check its speed index. You can find it at the end of the 9-digit size code on a tire’s sidewall: usually, HP tires have high indexes, up to H (130 mph max), common for sports sedans & coupes, or even V, or in some cases Z (149 mph max), common for high-performance vehicles. Also, remember that avoiding high g-force is important for HP tire durability.

3 types of tread patterns of used high-performance tires

The most popular symmetrical tread pattern doesn’t suit high-performance tires. Practically no tires with high-performance marking would have it. These 3 types of a tread patterns are more common for HP tires:

Directional symmetrical. Is found in more advanced tires. Sets the direction for precise movement and handling. Allows high-speed driving in both dry or wet weather conditions.
Asymmetric. Combines two types of patterns, which allows the tire to operate equally great in any mild climate weather.
Directional asymmetric. Sometimes the tread design can have both — directional symmetrical and asymmetric tread patterns. This makes a perfect rubber for all weather conditions.

High-performance summer tires vs all-season vs winter HP tires

High-performance summer tire

A high-performance tire is specially designed for summer: it acts the best in warm weather, providing excellent wet or dry traction. Tires in good condition should have a minimum of 6/32” tread left to be effective in both dry or wet conditions. Thanks to distinct drainage grooves, these tires perform well on wet roads even in heavy rains — but for them to act the best, you need substantial tread left.

High-performance all-season tire

All-season high-performance tires — another category of HP tires on the market. The experts call it “a nice try” of the manufacturers to be distinct from the classic summer category (therefore, narrower capacities). But opting for this one, you have to keep in mind that the range of weather conditions in which all-season tires perform the best, is limited. It makes sense to use them in temperatures not lower than 42 °F. For driving in winter conditions the minimum tread of all-season HP tires is 5/32”, and it would be dangerous to use rubber with smaller parameters in colder weather.

High-performance winter tires

Winter high-performance tires are relatively new for the market. Their tread design is similar to summer rain tires, but is even deeper, with sips on the tread blocks.

A good example of this tire is Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4. The manufacturer claims that the new rubber compound reduces braking distances on wet roads by up to 118 inches:

“The new silicon-based rubber compound contains sunflower oil to maintain its elasticity in cold weather and increase tire wear resistance. Due to this, even at low temperatures, the tire retains the ability to deform on the microroughness of the road, thereby providing excellent grip and increased durability”.

Aggressive tread pattern with a large number of tread blocks of different shapes, as well as an extensive network of wide drainage channels allows the Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 tire to have excellent grip on snow surfaces. The number of tread sectors has been increased by 26% in comparison to the previous model.

TOP 7 used high-performance tires: UTires customers’ choice

Need to go faster? Go beyond high performance

If your ambitions — or the capabilities of your vehicle — demand a higher speed rating, check out our selection of Ultra High-Performance Tires with a whooping speed rating V (149 mph). Not enough? Choose from the list of Max Performance Tires, they can handle up to 168 mph (index W). If you own a sports car, you definitely need top levels of grip: in this case, take a closer look at our Extreme Performance Tires. They have the highest speed rating possible — Y and are capable of reaching 186 mph. Perfect examples? Michelin Pilot Sport 4S or Bridgestone Potenza Pole Position S-04.

Any kind of performance tires you find in Utires.com selection, come with discounted prices, warranty, and free shipping. Buying tires is a really big deal, so we will help you to make the right decision.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between grand touring and high performance tires?

High performance tires have better characteristics in handling such as braking and cornering, while grand touring tires are more comfortable for long trips on the highway.

Do high performance tires wear out faster?

Yes, high performance tires wear out faster then casual passengers tires, if you are using it according to there’s purpose — driving at high speeds.

What are homologated tires?

Homologated tires are often used for high-performance driving. These tires are designed specifically for some car models, and often high-performance vehicles are factory equipped with them. Homologation code is added to the usual 9-digit tire size code on the sidewall and is individual for each manufacturer. For example, N1 — is the homologation code that Porsche uses.

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