Tyre'd about tyres

I'm about to lose my mind. After using a set of (very past their best) Pirelli P6000s it's time for a new set. I've lost count of the evenings I've spent reading review after review to be completely lost. And obviously, a tyre fitted to a BMW will not necessarily be the best for a coupe.

I note a lot of people rate Toyo T1R Proxes, but others also say the sidewalls are too soft. I can buy four of these on eBay with free delivery for £214, not including fitting, disposal etc, but still a decent price.

Uniroyal Rainsport 3s are £260 but a they seem to get slated on the reviews. Did like the idea of something that works in the rain though - my P6000s are terrifying.

If I had the money I'd be buying Michelins or Continentals but I'm not a rich man. The Yokohama AD08s look good but they work out at £350 before fitting.

I realise the debate on tyres has been done to death but I think it's always good to get people's opinions every few months, especially after the UK has just had the wettest 2 months ever!

Opinions please...

So many people, so many views on the tyre choice. If you don't want to spend a lot consider: Falken FK452 / 453, Fallen Ziex 914, Kumho Ecsta LE Sport (KU39).

If you are not in a rush i will be able to give you some feedback on Uniroyal rainsport3 just been waiting for a spare moment to get them on the car now having been messed about by one wheel refurber and having to go to a different one, now all done just going to get them balanced then on the car this week sometime
The reveiws are mixed for the uniroyals and as im not really hooning my car around everywhere im sure they will be ok
The Toyo wet performance put me off but then some people dont use their car in the wet so it wont bother everybody!

I used to swear by Toyos - had 20+ pairs over the years.

However, I got lucky with a pair of Continental Sport Contact 3 and they were streets ahead of the Toyos, wet or dry.

When the Contis wore out, I fitted a new set of Toyos and quickly realised just how average they are

Next set on the Coupe will be Michelin Pilot Sports, Conti SC5 or maybe even Yokohama AD08 if I can get them in the correct size

I found Contis to be streets ahead too after a scary incident with my Toyo's.

Bottom line is, they're your only contact with the road so I always make sure I've got the very best even if it's a stretch - it's better than ending up in a ditch......

Yep, I had these on my Crono. Definitely the best tyre I've had.

Similar to Nigel and Proccy, I swore by an intermediate tyre for YEARS. I liked the FK453 but, as I found out when moving to a better tyre, it's only because they were the best I'd used at the time. I'm now on AD08Rs and they are leagues apart. For the price difference, it really is a no brainer.

I'd recommend Eagle F1s too. They're an even better all round tyre. The girlfriend has them on her 350Z and it feels incredibly planted in the wet. If you've ever driven one, you'll know what that means!

I don't think the Goodyear F1 is available any more in 205/50 x 16. I'd find the dosh to get the Contis or Michelins - you gets what you pay for - except for Pirellis which I thought were gripless but still expensive .

Definitely agree with some above comments. Get the best premium brand tyres you can, makes a huge difference.

I had Falken 452 on my coop for a while and car felt skittish when thrown around a bit and I thought they were rockhard! Then changed to Conti sport contact 5 all round (18") and the difference in the wet and dry was incredible, best thing I ever done to that car! Made driving it even more of a pleasure.

Then I had an M3 and that had Michelin Pilot super sport all round and I couldnt even get the car to slip or squerm in any way. Best tyres ever!

Only thing is with some of the best premium tyres is sizes, if your still on standard 16" wheels its a bit more tricky.

Bottom line though......stretch your budget you wont regret it.

Conti 5's seem to be for summer use?

And not runflat like 3's, but have a protective sidewall......

HR - would be interested in knowing how the Uniroyals go. Obviously you won't know how long they'll last but I'd like to know how they fare in the wet.

I understand what everyone else says about going for the best ones though. I've always believed in buying the best tyres but for as cheap as possible. Unfortunately the 'cheap as possible' bit doesn't seem that cheap at the moment.

One thing I have discovered is that you drive within the limits of a vehicle as it is set up, including the tyres. Perhaps having the best tyres encourages more enthusiastic driving in poorer conditions and having slightly lesser tyres makes you drive more sensibly? Or perhaps I'm just trying to talk myself into going for the cheaper option!

If I go for Toyos or Uniroyals I'll then be able to afford a service too which it will soon need. Then there'll be something else to pay out for no doubt...

I'm Uniroyals handle they coners at pace in all weathers
have had toyos before there to soft conti to hard

I have falcon tires on mine... They are great in the dry or wet from my experience....

But I have been considering the toyo R888 ones with a view of running the car in summer only.

Bear in mind Toyo R888 and Yoko AD08Rs and semi slicks so I'd expect their life to be lower than normal road tyres. I do 3k per annum and went for the Yokos this summer. Great tyres.

Never been a fan of the so called premium brands, whether on Coupe or on the daily car.

I am currently running my coupe on two mid range tyre brands.

Currently in the wet weather, Nexen N8000 are on the front, Falken Ziex 914 on the rear, till the summer comes, when they will be swapped front to rear and vice versa.

The choice of really good tyres is limited with standard 16inch wheels. I've got a set of AD08s which are fantastic in the dry, but they do make the ride harsher and are a little noisier than some. I also have a set of Falken FK452s which I rate pretty well, and certainly a good price/wear compromise. I've not tried the 453 though.

I would ideally like some Pilot Super Sports but than means getting 17" wheels so gets expensive!

I used Toyo R1Rs in the summer and the grip was amazing, especially with the 22mm Rear ARB. But while OK if roads damp, were a lot less good in heavy rain and you couldn't use, or even store them below a certain temperature (Seem to recall it being about 2 degrees C but could be wrong). Else the rubber would crack.

I tried P6000s and they were ditch finders, so I think almost any tyre will be an improvement.

I quite liked the ToyoT1Rs but as others have said, a Contisport or Michelin Pilot Sport will be a huge improvement on them.

Good luck with your choice, BTW Event Tyres are a good company to use, very competitive prices and they come to you to fit the tyres. I just bought 2x new rears for the 911 and price was competitive and fitter knew what he was doing.

Trappy what are you having to pay for ad08's,and where from?

Mine are in 235/40/17 so not going to help you...

T1R's for me wore very quickly and I was not that impressed with the grip. Put Conti's on and the car is literally transformed. Not kidding it feels like I've replaced suspension components. Not just for grip but for ride quality as well. I would seriously reccomend trying to save for them. Superb rubber for the Coupe

Good luck when you put the Nexens on the rear - expect lift-off oversteer. I'd ditch them before they ditch you.

Agree about the Nexens, pure ditch-finders when under any duress

Never had any problems with N8000, worked great on an Alfa 147 GTA for 5 years.

Could say the same about Falken 452's or 914' s as they are **** in the wet.

Indeed and driving styles can affect how they behave in any given conditions, and why I will only go for Contis, Toyo's etc - it's my experience having used Falkens, Nankang's, Kumho to name a few that I won't trust again and especially asi have my kids with me regularly. Each to their own

Yep I'm with Proccy when he mentions driving styles. Personally on the Coop I've always put on Conti's apart from the odd occasion when a bargain came up & purchased what I thought was a good buy.

In saying all that, when I first purchased the Coop the car had a cheap well worn pair of infinity front tyres which performed not too badly,surprisingly much better than I'd hoped for in the dry & in the snow. Obviously I wasn't going too fast & overdoing things, but giving it the beans non the less. Obviously the big lump over the front wheels has an effect.

When I bought my Alfa GT, it had four budget tyres on, the BEST of which was a Nexen. It was May 2013, sunny and dry and although the tyres were a bit noisy, the grip was acceptable for a daily commuting hack.

Then one day it rained......

I might as well have been driving on plastic slicks - it would 4-wheel slide at very low speeds and was completely unpredictable. It would wheelspin in the first four gears, which is going some for a rattly old 1.9 diesel

I fitted Falken 914, which are miles better - still not up to Conti or Michelin standards, but at least I know they aren't about to chuck me into the scenery

I would never fit anything cheaper than mid-range tyres to any car

P6000s are really bad so you have a lot to look forward to whatever you choose.

The point of driving styles is very true and I accept that. I am too old now to be a boy racer, once upon a time, but more infrequently now.

I have various tyre brands on my Alfa's since i was 17, my first was an Alfa 33 with remould tyres, they where scary ! Many a Alfa 159 Ti owner fits these cheap EP tyres as the tyre size choice is limited, again these are scary in the wet. I have had Yoko's on 155 V6, they were brill, but the same tyre on a 164 QV did not work at all and wore out rapidly.

So to conclude from my perspective, the Nexen N8000 tyre worked very well on a 147 GTA, i have to admit, works as well on my 20VT to date, even in the wet / slushy snow roads. I cannot rely on the Falken 914's in the wet, they are awful, hence they are demoted to the rear, till the summer comes where i will see what they are really like.

Accelera Alphas

had these on Cinquecento, Stilo and currently on Coupe 20v. dry grip is brilliant, wet is better than you would expect, they dont let go suddenly when driving in a spritely manner (unless the road is crappy, but thats physics) at no point have i regretted buying them or wished id bought something double the price. also tyre life is good (cant give you a mileage figure because ive not worn a new set out yet)

Coincidentally i'll be sticking a set of Accelera Phi R on the 159 this week.

It is fascinating to listed how people justify purchase of cheap tyres. There is no doubt that you get what you pay for. IMHO, driving style should have nothing to do with the tyre choice. A premium tyre will stop you quicker, give better feedback, better grip in any given situation. Even if it means saving you an inch of your breaking distance when you're cruising like a granny...

£120+ per corner plus fitting is an extortionate amount to pay for premium tyres and the performance over and above something of £40 per corner just isnt worth it for a <150 BHP mid '90s car.

just look at the euro numbers and price difference between, for example, Pirelli PZero and Yoko AD08R. they both have the same fuel and wet grip figures but the yokos are 3dB louder (yes, thats a doubling in volume but its measure outside the car at a set distance and speed so its of no real interest). the price difference between them is neigh on £50 PER CORNER... thats £200.

if somebody tried to sell you the same thing but at a 20% mark up would you not opt for the cheaper option?

driving style and expected conditions has nearly everything to do with tyre selection... if we solely take your logic of '...A premium tyre will stop you quicker, give better feedback, better grip in any given situation...' a set of premium large block, off road tyres for will be better choice for you than a set of budget slicks on a race track. (extreme and silly choice but it gets my point across)

i personally drive up and down motorways round roundabouts and on a-roads for 99% of the time. i drive well within the limits of myself and the tyres i have fitted. im actually more worried about the factory fitted suspension tying itself in knots or the factory brakes not being upto it, way before my budget tyres decide to let go. for me and many others on here £500 on a set of tyres just isnt worth the expenditure for such a relatively small risk of saving a couple of inches on stopping distance or giving better feed back (even if i did want better feedback id have to ditch these, soft as pillow, 50section tyres and opt for a smaller, stiffer sidewall)

this argument could go on all day but whats good for the goose isn't necessarily whats good for the gander. For you deannn, it may very well be worth you extra money on grippier premium rubber because of your set up and thats fine, but please dont belittle us guys who run 'out of the crate' cars because we simply dont want or require the same level of performance kit as you.

I remember having a bit of a moment years ago in an Escort. I was basically forced out of the lane I was in and wound up hurtling towards a queue of cars doing a fair bit more than they were. The ABS didn't help one bit and it came down to me just turning to save hitting the car in front. I was perhaps half a car length past the car. The tyres just locked up and wouldn't provide any stopping before the ABS took the brakes off. I would have had no such problem in the coop on the Falken FK452s it was running back then.

Turned out the Escort was fitted with the nastiest cheapest tyres the owner could find.

It had better tyres fitted soon after.

I think there are truly terrible tyres out there in the lower ranges but then there are fairly decent tyres in the mid range. It does depend on what you're using the car for and what type of car it is. I spend as much as I can (I think as much as anyone could actually) on my tyres because I'm asking the fronts to manage 208bhp each WHILE dealing with the steering.

If I had 150bhp, I wouldn't spend anything like what I do on AD08Rs in 235/40/17.

Fair enough, but it's not 208bhp at each wheel is it?

Apologies if I offended anyone. I didn't mean to do so and I also acknowledge that not everyone can afford premium tyres.
Anyway, I used budget, mid range and premium tyres on my cars ranging from 100 - 350bhp and all I was trying to say, from my own experience, is that budget tyres are night and day when compared to premium tyres in any situation, definitely in an extreme situation like Trappy's. And I will hold onto that.
Also, I know that there are good mid range tyres, so for my own and others safety I wouldn't touch budget tyres with a barge pole. If money was issue I would go with a mid range tyre instead.

I never expected people to get so passionate about this thread, and I have to say there is some great feedback from people. I have not yet bought a set, though I am currently swaying towards the top end of the market.

However, next month I'm having a full suspension refresh, full service, and most likely new discs and pads. Wanted to get the new tyres by then too. Now where's that credit card, again...

Never really cost effective owning a Coop, in saying that for what it is, it's still a bargain compared to other cars in it's class, but we all know that. As I said when I purchased my Coop, it had cheap well worn tyres & I changed them as soon as I could. My driving style was really going to be limited until then I thought, but as I said was surprised.

The Coop deserves the best tyres you can afford, even if you're a steady driver, it's the kind of car that takes you by surprise shall we say when a spirited run is in order...

Of course our great British weather lends itself to choosing a tyre that performs well in all situations, especially in the wet. We all know this.
Having been on this forum for a few years, & getting to know the Coop & what people say about these cars, even those who have moved on & still visit here, I'm not surprised people get passionate.

Keep up the good work...

Taking into account posts from my last post, I am not alone in using a mid range tyre, but I have 2 day to day cars to run and another modern classic, hence maybe not having the deep pockets for premium rubber on a car that does a fraction of my normal use SUV, which requires premium rubber all season tyres.

On a sub note, despite my Coupe fitted with Nexen & Falken tyres, its quite surprising when you look at other performance cars in Tesco, Sainsbury car parks that are 3+ years old, what rubber is fitted, most I see are not even " mid range " all I see is Chinese brands !!! M3's and VW GTis seem to be the most common with Chinese Ling Long tyres, common on most warm or hot hatches as well. Even the likes of Kwik Fit, National, ATS do not sell a mid range tyre as budget tyre anymore, they peddle the really cheap budget Chinese tyres....

I'm disappointed at the lack of decent tyres available for the standard 16" wheels.

I found the AutoExpress 2015 giant test winning Continental ContiSportContact 5 for £70 on mytyres.co.uk, but no chance for 225x45x16. Not even at 205x50x16.

I loved the Falken FK451's I used to put on my 16VT, but that was 2000's tyre technology (still just as pricey, if not more, mind you).

Are the Continental SportContact2 a decent substitute for the 5?

Midrange tyres for me too.

Currently have Kumho Ecsta HS51 (205/50) and before that HiFly HF805. Maybe I'm getting old but I just don't drive on the public road in such a way to notice the difference between those "midrange" tyres and a Goodyear or Pirelli (which incidentally is now Chinese owned!). I don't drive the coupe in the wet though, where the biggest difference would be found.

It shouldn't be about how you drive or whether you like to chuck the car about which warrents which tyres you buy, it's stopping distances. Then you have to compare your brakes and tyres compared to the car in front. Which is going to have in the vast majority of cases more modern brakes with ESP and other technology which is going to stop a lot quick than a Coupe. Stick budgets on and in an emergency you'll notice the difference

where can i find such information?
do they conduct tests in dry, wet, and varying temperature scenarios?
do they have different test results for ESP, ABS, non ABS/ESP vehicles?
do they define the weight of the vehicle they are testing?

There's a test with braking distances here:

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2012-Autobild-50-Tyre-Braking-Test.htm

not much difference (~5%) between mid-range and premium tyres wet or dry, but a very large difference (~40%) between the mid/premium tyres and the cheapest tyres in the wet.

IME the premium brands tend to last longer than the mid-range stuff, it's that and the slight performance difference that you're paying for, as well as the name of course.

thanks graham

Graham

Thanks for the post, see my mid range Nexen N8000 tyres did ok.

I can't say what's best or worst, but I am known for being tyre-fussy!I have Bridgestone Potenza RE002's on my 20vt in 205/50/16. I think they are fantastic. They are reasonably quiet, crazy good in the wet and very good in the dry. The sidewalls feel nice and firm, sharpened the steering up lovely. 7 million times better than the Goodyear's on it before (disclaimer; the Goodies were OLD). €440 for 4x in Ireland.

H_R

Any feedback on the Uniroyal Rainsport 3 yet?

I could get a set of 4 fitted for about £305 through 'Asda Tyres'.

just pm'd you as saw the PM before this
Not much to report but no negatives bearing in mind they are on 17" rims and 40 profile

It is hard to compare, unless you have a back to back test. I would imagine the compound for the 5 is more advanced, but Continental probably have similar engineering over a few models. I put 5s on the Coupe, but I have 17 inch rims (215/45s, which are too big according to the specs, but when I test my speed via GPS, they are spot on - so you might find some sizes work better than you think). My more sedate pace these days doesn't give my a good idea of the limits, so I rely on those comparison tests in the mags to choose!

I think the main issue is the 16" rims; nobody has such unfashionably small wheels these days!

I certainly won't be testing any limits for cornering, but if called upon, I'd like to know the braking performance is up to scratch!

Right, that's it, I've finally made a decision and booked the car in for 4 fitting tomorrow.

I've gone for Uniroyal Rainsport 3s, £279 all in.

I've read all the reviews, so I know they're a bit soft and their longevity isn't as good as others, but every review says the wet grip is outstanding which for me is really important. To be honest, a lot of the reviews appear to be better than the more expensive stuff. And I expect they will be amazing compared to the P6000s I've had to endure for 18 months.

The only issue is I've had to go for V rated meaning I'll have to keep it under 150mph!

Nice one, i'll be interested to see how you get on with these

Just wondered if there might be any issues regarding validity of insurance if you have chosen a speed rating less than the original spec from Fiat.

Continental SportContact2's are still excellant Jim

No issue with insurance. Already phoned Adrian Flux and 'as long as they are legal' they have no problems at all.

my coupe always wore Yokos A510's I think or Toyo T1R Proxes. Are these old hat now and no good anymore?

Cheers Nello, I think I will go for these when the time comes...

As for speed ratings, don't they have implications for the MOT? I know the incorrect rating could lead to a fail on the Controle Technique in France...

Having googled the issue, I can't seem to find anything relating to the MOT and speed ratings being an issue.

I think you're right and this (rather interesting - to me, anyway!) article seems to confirm your findings.

http://www.tyrespeedrating.co.uk/

There may, however, be an issue with insurance...

Interesting one Jim

I too googled this before buying my tyres luckily for me there was no problem with ratings as mine are on 17" rims

The insurance question though

Snow tyres, winter tyres and space saver tyres are all reduced speed ratings and manufacturers certainly tend to supply space savers!

So provided you drive to the spec of the tyre i cannot see how it would make any difference!

Unless of course there are rules regarding it being clearly marked! but that cannot be an issue as it wont be clearly marked late at night in the dark!

That's a good point about driving within the spec of the tyre, H_R. I'd have thought an insurance company would be hard pushed to prove that you were exceeding the marked rating, unless there was compelling evidence. Given that (presumably) you are permitted to drive (a limited distance) with a space-saver and that winter tyres (used correctly) should lower your risk factor, it would be a very harsh decision to decline a claim based on speed rating.

Wait, this is insurance companies - of course they will duck their responsibilities!

To revive the thread just wondered if anyone has tried the Bridgestone POtenza Adrenalin RE002 tyre on a Coupe? - http://www.bridgestone.co.uk/car-tyres/summer-tyres-potenza/adrenalin-re002/tyre-sizes/

Look like it could be reasonably good tyre for use on track whilst being OK for road use. I'm limited on tyre for hillclimbing and my Yokohama AD08s have pretty much had it so I need replacements (the AD08R isn't on my permitted list so unfortunately no good for me).

I have the Bridgestone Potenza Adrenalin RE002 tyres, superb! Far superior than the Toyos I use to go for.

Much better grip, ride and road noise than the Toyos.

Just about to get some more of these, so highly recommend them.

John

Thanks John, good to know. Need to see what tyres we are allowed in my class at Harewood next year (if I replace the engine in the car) but if it is the same list as this year I think they have to be the best option.

I am picking up Michelin PS3's tomorrow and will let you know how they handle in a couple of weeks.

As for the Falken FK452 I have been running them for the past 3 years. For my modded coop they work great when new, but once were starts appearing they start to loose grip in slow corners.

I'm still running 225/45 16's but with the rapidly diminishing choice in that size, I wondered if anyone had tried the Hankook Ventus Prime 2 on a coupe and what they thought of it, as (even though it has now been superseded by the VP3 in other sizes) it appears to be one of the most modern Tyre designs remaining in that size; with a decent B rating in the wet too?
Still sounds like a character from "Transformers" mind!
Any feedback appreciated.
Cheers.
Chris

I have just purchased a set of 4 federal 595rs-r 215/40r17 I hope to receivem on tuesday and fit them by the end of the week. I Will update you guys with my opinion on theese.

Those are super noisy - 72dB of "fun", hard side walls and poor in rain. Doesn't matter if you will be using them on a track though.

you can look for 205/50/16 or 215/45/16 tyres.

Deann no a problem it dosent rain much in Barcelona ha ha ha. I never use the coop when it rains. Igual have heard that they are very noisy but I hope that with the loud exhaust I have I wont hear it.

Hehehe, fair enough

Forgot to leave feedback on the federal 595rsr. Whats a great tyre running 298hp and at te moment the best tyre I have used.

In corners its great high stability. I have used falKen 912 and 452 toyo proxes and Will not use them again.

While updating the 'Coupé Costs' spreadsheet just now, I noticed something that I thought I'd share on here. The Yokohama Advan Neova AD08Rs I'm currently running have now covered 12,000 miles. Sure, I rotated the fronts to the rear when they started to get a little thin but both sets are still good, the fronts having plenty of life left.

Pretty impressive for over 400bhp and me driving I thought

Might swing a decision for someone worried about them falling to bits. They've also been on through two winters without issue in bad conditions. I will be buying them again

Cheers for the update Trappy, I finally swapped my end of life T1R's for AD08R's and now have them on all 4 corners. Pleased to hear you are getting good life from them.

If you are not a speed demon I still think the Conti Sport Contact 2's are superb. Huge improvement especially in ride.

Hankook Ventus Prime are doing well on my OE 15 inch wheels

I got to say that cheap Nexen N'fera SU1 are doing great on my 20VT with GT2871R. I bought them after fitting them to my E90 325i. Phenomenal value for money and really good in the rain (way better wet braking than Dunlop Sport Maxx RT).

Good to see another users feedback with Nexen. I am running N8000's and to date far surpass the former Falken's offered for wet grip.

My Dads very powerful Plus had T1r all round and I told him for a long time they are average and old technology. I recommended Michelins or continenals but cant get the best models in 16" so went for Yokohama advan AD08 all round and the difference is huge! Even he said, wish I done it earlier.

Ive always believed and probably mentioned in this post, if you have power, even 220bhp is not to be sniffed at, you need to get the best tyres you afford/buy.
Even if you think you dont drive fast, its not just about that, its about confidence, braking, steering, turn in, feel, wet etc etc.....

They really are epic! I'm beginning to suspect they might also be the best wearing tyre I've ever used too...

If that is true (I've never kept records of mileage for other tyres) then there's certainly a strong case for value too

They are a bloody good track tyre too...loads of grip, and the stiff sidewall makes a car feel more 'pointy' etc.

When I went to R888's I was staggered at the difference in feel.... as long as it's dry!

Having started this thread earlier last year, I can now report back on the Uniroyal Rainsport 3s I bought - at the end of their life.

Firstly, they are damn good in the rain, which is surely the entire point. In the dry they are 'ok', not in anyway bad, just ok. But then when they start to wear their talents start to fade rapidly. My fronts are now due a replacement and have just checked the mileage to find I have covered 8000 miles on them. My car is standard, and though it has about 220 bhp going through the front wheels I would have hoped they'd last a bit longer. I suppose they are quite a soft compound though.

As I rarely drive the coop in the rain anymore, I aren't that bothered about excellent wet weather ability, more how they perform in the dry to be honest. Been thinking about Toyo Proxes again, but have found Pirelli Cinturato P7s for sale at ATS euromaster at £97 fitted (for 2!). Anyone know if these P7 are ok for performance cars or should I steer clear?

My tuppance on this.
The Coupe I recently bought for my trackday shinagans came with RainSports, on driving it home I thought the turn-in was a bit vague and no-where near as good as the original Pirelli's (P Zeros's) or the Toyo T1R's fitted to my other Coupe.

I then took the car onto my first trackday with it and if you follow that thread, the rainsports we're absolutely appalling on the track, they overheated very quickly and yes to be fair my suspension was standard and a bit old, but the tyre wall flexed so much I drove around corners on the side wall, the wear was pretty horrific to!

As I mentioned on that thread, these tyres feel like a winter tyre, soft tyre wall, soft compound, good for cooler wetter temps'

I suspect I shall be flamed here, but unless you drive in the wet a lot and in cold clims - oh like a British Summer, I really think these are an inappropriate choice of tyre for a Coupe.

Related to the P7, prior to buying my Toyo T1R's (which I find are pretty good), I looked into the Pirelli P7's, I'm pretty certain there is a thread here that discusses them, but the overall opinion is/was that they are not a very good tyre for the Coupe.

Finally, agree that the Yoko's AD08 are good, I've heard lots of good things about them, though I've not tried them myself, but am looking at these as an intermediate wet/dry tyre for my trackcar, though that said the Toyo R888R have proved AMAZING on the saturated Snetterton track in July (2017), but I would suspect that there longevity on the road would be very short as they are very, very stickey - I have a picture from the Nordschleife trip, where the wedge I use to keep the car put when parked (engine on cool down, handbrake not used), was very "stuck" on the tyre!!!

Sg

What difference would 5mm make??
Speedo, clearance, etc

Tr-1 205/50 87w £80
Tr-1 205/55 91w £62

That's not 5mm difference, it's 5% higher aspect ratio. The tyre sidewall is 55% of the width, i.e. 112.75mm sidewall height, versus 102.5mm for the OE size. The tyre will therefore be just over 20mm greater in diameter.

You can get Uniroyal Rainsport 3 in 205/50 for just under £61 a corner - way better than Toyo T1-R

This shows the difference, 55 profile on left, 50 profile on right



Photo as photobucket seems to want money from me!

Fantastic peeps, thanks

Just sat at the tyre place having Toyos fitted! Got them on eBay for £105 for two. Leaving the Rainsports on the back though and decided not to rotate them.

I was going to buy those of fleabay too - how much were you charged for fitting?

I would be interested to hear your opinions on the car's balance after you've driven it properly. Last time I had Toyos at one end and a properly grippy tyre at the other, it screwed my handling completely

I've since gone back to 4 x Toyos, simply for the balance, but my next tyres on the Coupe will be top-end.

IMHO, Toyo T1-R are no longer competitive (performance or price), even as a mid-range tyre - Rainsports are massively better for similar money

I was advised during the last MOT that they are all getting a bit low now (though still over the legal limit). They're curently at around 14,000 miles in 28 months... I'll be buying another set

That's pretty impressive for what is touted as a hybrid road/track tyre

I only get about 9k - 12k from a pair of Toyos

Yeah but I only have fairly serious power

Ah, yes - I forgot about that. You should be getting 20,000+ then.....

Used Kwik Fit - I wouldn't normally but it as convenient. They charged £24 for fitting, balancing, and disposal. But then ramped up the price when I had the tracking checked. Tracking cost another £45 and they tried to sell me a deal of having the tracking done up to 8 times in 2 years for £120.If I drive the Coop all the time I'd have considered it!

Cheers Stuart, I will follow suite I think seemed great value all in, even with tracking

A new set went on yesterday. Final count was just over 15,000 miles but all four were just on the wear indicator strips and beginning to feel it.

Great to hear Trappy!

I just put tyres on mine. Dramatic change! The tyres on the car must have really been shot at. You notice the difference just looking at the car. It is sat at least 5mm higher! The sidewalls do seem quite stiff but I've hardly had the chance to scrub them off yet. After reading all the advice on here I disregarded it and went for Falken ZIEX ZE310 a brand new tyre from Falken. They look great and have fab rim protection. The ride has changed dramatically too! Really smooth, really quiet, and ten times better over speed bumps (but that's probably down to how soft the old tyres were) I'll check it out on the twisties on my way home

Sounds good! The Falken did well in this year's AutoBild (sister mag to Auto Express) test of standard tyres:

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2018-Auto-Bild-15-inch-Summer-Tyre-Test.htm

Wow that's a great review site Neil, thanks for posting.
Looks like I might have chosen a good one there! I must admit they do look really nice (I know that's not why we choose them but it does make a difference) and it sounds like they'll do the job as well, and all for £75.00 a corner fitted!
Big up for Tyrecare in St Helens too. The car is lowered a little so they drove it onto wooden blocks before jacking it up. Then they found the correct jacking points for the coop (and showed me some damage where someone previously hadn't) They started each bolt off by hand then used an air wrench then finished them off with a hand torque wrench. Boss service (took them ages though )

It is a great site to find pro reviews for a tyre you are interested in.

However, I completely ignore the user reviews because I just don't trust people comparing their latest purchase with that worn set that they have just replaced

The average user's breadth of experience and ability to really know how good a tyre is just too hit and miss. I don't see why anyone should trust my judgement, hence I don't trust others in my position.

What is interesting is how consistently Hankook is improving. They are now right up with the best and still better priced as the established names.

Driving style factored in also?

I am looking to buy a new set of tyres as my Toyos are well past it purely on age.

I can't believe how the choice of tyres for 225 or 205 has dwindled over the past two years, most of the decnent tyres mentioned on this theard just aren't available anymore, which is very worrying for the future.

Will probably go for Hankook K125 on 205/50.

The Nexen 6000 225/45s on mine are shot, and when searching for Y-rated 225/45s there were none!
Picking up a fresh set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4s in 205/55R16 tomorrow.

Felt weird, choosing a narrower and taller tyre. For the original wheels. I'm getting old

Looking at the reviews they are getting and the price you can get them for, they appear to be the clever person's choice. Michelin PS3 are available but cost 60% more.

We have the previous version on the Tucson and they are pretty good, even in the wet, which was their apparent weak area. The K125 is supposed to be a step better in the wet bringing them up to the top group of tyres.

Isn't the standard size 205/50R16?

It is, but the selection of 205/50 is rather limited. Hopefully 55's will fit just fine, accentuating the Coupé's grand touring capabilities. Springs are standard.

I'm sure 55s will catch the Arch liner on 3/4 lock to full lock.

The Germans are rather strict and if it is not a size allowed in the little green card, one has to have it individually checked. If it catches anywhere, especially when they push the suspension up at opposite corners and turn the steering, it does not get allowed.

The 20V is funny here though. The std. tyre size is the diddy 205/50-15 but the significantly bigger 205/50-16" are also allowed!

Let us know how you get on. I would also hope that it would fit. Wider with same diameter fits. Slightly bigger diameter and same width could also work and might have been done in the past???

They fit! Went out for a long sunny drive today, and pressed the car a fair bit in corners and roundabouts, over potholes and speed bumps. Not even a hint of rubbing. And the Pilot Sports did what I hoped; tramlining has almost disappeared, the car feels more planted and surefooted, and the ride comfort has increased. The wheels look a bit more "meaty" as well. On the negative side the whole car sits a bit higher, and I suspect road noise has increased. That might be due to not taking the time to mount the side skirts back on before taking it out.

edit: not tramlining - following the ruts in the road. Don't remember the correct terminology.

What about maneuvering with full lock? No rubbing on the arch liners?

No rubbing. Haven't tried with the car full of people tho.

I'm a big fan of Hankooks been using them for years.
I had K115 all round on my daily drive, replaced the fronts for goodyear efficient grip and was hugely disappointed, then due to a kerb incident and a pothole incident had to replace the goodyears...went back to K115 and was amazed by transformation. I agree I think they are great in the wet despite that being a supposed weak point.
My rationale was that PS3s are an old design, now supplanted by PS4, and the reviews show how they perform poorer compared to new designs.
The new hankook K125 should be even better than the K115 and a lot cheaper than PS3.

Decision made.

My thoughts too. I deleted all the others from my Coupe shopping list a couple of days ago. It is a top-flight tyre at a great price and my Coupe is only a 20V so why bother looking further.

Well a quick check for 225/45 R16 reveals only a couple of choices.

I made some noises about changing tyres last year - but after my run to Nurburgring, I've been so swamped with work and commitments, TRS has not had much road time.

Now with the 25th Anniversary hopes dashed- a tour of Route Napoleon and maybe back via Stelvio Pass is planned. Heading out just as all you guys are heading back in. And I need to sort the pull to the left, and put some newer rubber on her

I'm not really minded to take a thinner tyre. But want to move on from the Toyo's - continentals have been mentioned - but the choice out there seems starkly thin....

For fun I just toured a few places online - with kwik fit coming up with a warning that there are no tyres available for a coupe (I would never use Kwik Fit anyhows but interesting to price shop).

MM

MM 205/50R16 is the standard tyre size, of which there is plenty of choice including the Bridgestone RainSport3, Yokohama BluEarth-A AE50, Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance and if you are willing to spend a little bit more even the Bridgestone Turanza T005, Continental Premium Contact 6
Why are you so avidly set of the 225/45R16 anyway?

In Germany, in the 225/45 R16 size, found:

Nexen N'Fera SU1 XL RPB 225/45 R16 93W @ 71.51 €
Hankook 225/45 R16 89W Ventus Prime2 K115 @ 96.41 €
Toyo 225/45 ZR16 93W Proxes T1-R RF FSL @ 127. 88 €

None of these really appeal but the Hankook would do as it is a good all rounder (The newer K125 is apparently a lot better).

In the 205/50 R16 size, just the fairly famous ones available include:

Falken 205/50 R16 87W ZIEX ZE-310 EC 205/50 R16 87W @ 74.53 €
Nokian 205/50 R16 87W Nokian zLine @ 78. 28 €
Hankook Ventus Prime3 K125 XL 205/50 R16 91W @ 81.29 €
Vredestein 205/50 ZR16 87W Ultrac Satin FSL @ 85.94 €
Goodyear 205/50 R16 87W EfficientGrip Performance FP @ 96.84 €
Dunlop 205/50 R16 87W SP Sport Maxx RT MFS @ 102.99 €
Continental 205/50 R16 87W PremiumContact 6 @ 109.67 €

It's what the car was supplied with back in the day BBR - and I don't really like a skinner tyre for the coop, as the wheels are small enough anyway to start with.

That sounds promising Neil-R,

Hankook isn't really a name that I consider to have good tyre reputation - but everyone here seems to rate them as up and coming!

Regards

MM

Were any coupes supplied with 225 tyres from the factory?

The modern trend for wide tyres is an over the top fashion thing anyway and 205 should be fine for such a light car, especially as the wheel width remains the same. Excess width especially at the front doesn't help how the steering feels. There is minimal grip difference going wider and lower but a definite trade-off in aquaplaning resistance.

Hankook has been scoring better and better in tests each year. The K115 on our Tucson seem absolutely fine as far as one can tell when just driving on public roads. and the K125 appears to have caught up with the best names. The winter tyres are also Hankook and they are also fine. If nothing else was available, I would be happy with them. At the moment, they seem to be the clever choice as they are still a bit cheaper but give away nothing on overall performance.

Pretty sure the 225 was OE fit on the Plus or LE model but hopefully someone can confirm.

Yep, I found a couple of places stating that the Plus at least did. However, as the base car was technically pretty much the same, it would only be cosmetic. I would rather have a good 205 tyre than an average 225.

My late VT6 came with the 225 profile - from the factory, as mentioned above.

Which is the reason for asking for a better 225. I hadn't realised the collective was to down size to 205.

If anyone is thinking of 225 I've been told Yamohama's "Neova" tyre is a good choice.

Thanks for the helpful feed back all.

MM

The Neova is a track day tyre, right? You might want to take a look at this test: http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2017-Track-Day-Tyre-Test.htm

Hmmm....no bit too much then. I'll leave that for the wannabe race drivers.

Hmmmm they have the Toyo's on that page next to the hankook's.

More reading I guess before finally committing.

MM

Yokohama Advan Neova AD08R

Look at reviews for this!

Excellent dry grip and very good in wet and under braking too.

Also comes in 205 and 225

Ive used them and ive used Conti on the coop with 400bhp and so speak from experience.

So, joining this debate late, what do we think for semi-track tyres? This coop is track-focussed - albeit road legal (just). Currently running stock suspension with 17" team dynamic wheels, in the next few weeks/months theres a set of bc coilovers, 23mm rear arb, and polybushed wishbones and rear beam to go on. It's on 3 eaglef1's and a crappy budget a moment (how the wheels came to me)

I'm running R888r on my hillclimb Coupe at the moment - much more grip than the AD08 - i'm a second or two quicker at Harewood with them than I was with the AD08. Life of them is pretty short though and they aren't cheap!

Andy - which class are you in if you're running 888s?

I'm in Road Modified class. It depends on the venue whether MSUK list 1A or 1B tyres are allowed - most apparently allow 1B tyres so Harewood moved to that a couple of years ago. It made everyone quicker but there were some variations in the difference made, an MX5 with a turbo that competes sometimes went from setting similar times to myself to vying for the class record because the R888r enabled him to put down the power he had, heavier cars not benefiting in the same way. I stayed about level with most others so all it did for me was up the cost!

888s and rainsports 3. I may try some Nankang semi slicks on my 17s soon though.