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Do expensive tires give diminishing returns?

Following up on the intake thread: the consensus was to put money into tires. But the price range is huge. Budget tires are about $90 each, mid-range about $160, and top-tier summer tires about $280. Is $280 really three times better than $90, or does the benefit flatten out somewhere?

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challengerfan
• 8 days ago
Different view from the track. At the top end the returns don’t really diminish, because lap time is what counts. A top-tier tire can be worth a second or more per lap, and nothing else at that price gets you that. If you track the car, the expensive tire is the value option.

apex_steve
• 8 days ago
Replying to challengerfan
Sure, but the track tire wears out in a few thousand miles and is useless below about 40°F. For a commuter that’s paying more for a worse tire.

challengerfan
• 8 days ago
Replying to apex_steve
Fair. Use matters more than price.
hjones1989
• 8 days ago
It flattens out, but not where most people think. Going from budget to mid-range is the biggest jump: wet braking, hydroplaning resistance, how predictable the tire is near its limit. Going from mid-range to top-tier is a smaller gain, and you mostly feel it when you’re pushing hard.

dynamolock
• 8 days ago
Replying to hjones1989
So mid-range is the sweet spot?

hjones1989
• 8 days ago
Replying to dynamolock
For most daily drivers, yes. Each step up gets you less than the one before, but the first step is a big one.