[DeTomaso] tire opinion

[SEL]

know everyone's got an opinion...so let's have it:

have 8x15 campys front and back - to avoid the big spend on wheels, trying to just get 15" replacement tires - have narrowed down to the following 2 options:

1.  Dunlop GT Qualifier T - T speed rating - 225/15/50 front and 295/15/50 back - about $430 mounted or

2.  Nitto NT 555R Drag Radial - VR speed rating - 275/15/50 all the way around (only available size) - about $750 mounted (these are the tires Dennis (aka Dawg) wrote about last week)

Use: no track, no racing, just "spirited" street use.

Pros and cons as I see it - 1 will last longer and are cheaper, but have less performance; 1 also allows for staggered sizing (don't know if that is good or bad); 2 has better performance but more $ up front and wear out quicker; limited to that one size (don't know if that is good or bad).

questions: any views on how much longer 1 will outlast 2 given identical street use?; can 2 really serve as a good performance street tire, or is it really just meant for the track?; can 2 be driven in anything other than a warm sunny day (live in Houston, so have a lot of those - don't anticipate much wet driving, but it will happen on occassion - no snow - some cold days); what are the pluses to staggered sizing v. uniform sizing? for uniform sizing, what are your thoughts about 275 all the way around - too big up front? - thanks, stephen