NPC: All-season performance tire recommendations?, Daily-driver and weekend warrior shoes for my Jetta. Options

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

It's that time of year again where I need to get new, sticky tires for my '95 VW Jetta -- come to think of it, my girlfriend's '02 Passat needs tires as well. Anyway, what I currently have:
Kuhmo 215/40ZR16, Treadwear 280, Traction AA, Temp. A

I'm looking for a good, all-season performance tire. Good water-evacuation is a "must have". I'd rather error on excellent summer performance than cold-weather performance. The snow/ice we get here in Portland is only a couple weeks at most, and generally not consecutively. But it does stay wet. I also will use the same tires for auto-crossing (EP).

I liked the Kuhmos (my second set). They're nice in the wet and when new. But as they get to the replacment point their traction isn't good. What I did like about them is that they didn't break-away immediately -- they would balk and squeal, giving good audio feedback when their limit was being reached, thus no surprises when traction was finally lost.

Recommendations? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

(IMG:http://www.icbm.org/erkson/personal/mycars/no_rear_emblems.jpg)

[anthony]

The Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 are pretty awesome sticky, daily driver tires. They are exceptional in the wet according to tire rack tests and almost equal to the Bridgestone SO-3 in the dry.

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

The Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 are pretty awesome sticky, daily driver tires. They are exceptional in the wet according to tire rack tests and almost equal to the Bridgestone SO-3 in the dry.

Yeah, I've been on The Tire Rack website for over an hour (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) Reviews are all over the board. And since I don't know if the complaints are legit or just driver error they really aren't much help. So far I've got these four tires as candidates from various searches there (in no particular order):

• Sumitomo HTR+
• Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3
• Kumho ECSTA Supra 712
• Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S (good example of contrasting reviews...but rated the best in the "High Performance All-Season" category)

I went to the Les Schwab web site and the only Toyo's they have are Proxes T1-R (new model?) No real information, either (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

People keep mentioning 'bubbling' on the Goodyear's you mention...what's 'bubbling'?

Anyway, this is frustrating! I know I'll be sacrificing one thing for another...maybe I'm fretting over split-hairs? Wish I could afford dedicated summer and winter tires :pray: