[Perfectlap]

My RE-11's are the bees knees. Feels just like an R-Comp. Although not the greatest in the puddles. In that respect I miss the GY Eagle F1's. The B'stones are not cheap though but here's how I look at it:
you may not be a world class driver but the car is world class. If you're going to have a car like that no point in cutting a marginal corner on such important element on the basis price. If we were talking about twice the price okay maybe but that's not the case with a budget tire vs. a premium tire. Now if the budget tire performs and is only cheap because of less marketing and all that other nonsense then that's also another matter. Personally I don't think the savings is worth going to a cheaper tire if its going to get bumpy, lumpy and buttery after x amount of miles.
And to the OP, I wouldn't use HP as factor in determining the car's "sports car value". This particularly true with Porsches, they've never been known for being HP monsters. I almost look at HP as a way for a poorly engineered and balanced car to hide its flawes since most drivers will never have the foot to the metal with the wheel turned. Even minivans come with 300 hp now... gotta get to yo gabba gabba show asap!

At the end of the day tires aren't like a one time gas fill up. They're going to be on your car for at least a season if not two if you run a winter tire. From my view, the extra $400 to be on AAA+ rubber is not worth the savings since most guys will end up blowing that $400 on a night out, some unecessary gadget, expensive pair of sneakers or shoes, etc. Maybe not the $400 all at once but definitely over the course of a year, ceratinly over two years. Life is indeed about choices. That's why a bought a 50" Panasonic Vierra Plasma for $600 instead of the $1400 LED Sharp at Costco.