Falken Ziex 512. Great handling in the dry, and they shed water like a duck. Probably the best bang for the buck all season tire on the market (although I hear they aren't all that great in the snow - for you snow belt readers checking out this thread). Edgeracing.com has great prices on them too - well under $80/tire. If you don't like buying tires online I believe Sears carries them, as does American Tire. Always a good idea to ask if they'll price match.
For comparison:
On my '99 Miata I used to have a set of Kumho Ecsta 711s and they were damn slippery, especially the one time I drove them in the wet. I now have the Ziex 512s on and they hook great, although I must admit it was fun to step the tail end out any time I wanted. Keep in mind this is in a 2300lb rear drive car, not necessarily a direct correlation to a 3300lb front driver, but still..........
On my '92 Camaro RS V6 running a pretty new set of Kelly Chargers there was a specific stop light on the incline of a freeway overpass that I could not pull away from in the wet without breaking the tires loose. Now, with the Ziex 512s, I can floor it and they bite - the car is also in a better state of tune now.
A few of my local PT Cruiser buddies have switched to the Ziex and are thrilled with the handling (especially in the wet), ride and noise level. It should be noted that we don't get a lot of wet here in SoCal, so we tend to get a lot of oil buildup on the streets and a light rain can be treacherous.
For the record, my PT is shod with BFG KDW2 tires. Love 'em.
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