The Tyre Discussion Thread - please read 1st post

[dukest 0]

they look good, hope the trackday doesnt take too much out of them being so new. let us know how they feel on it though!

[coullstar 0]

Doubt it will, its due to be pissing down again.

[dukest 0]

Doh!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

That's a very decent looking tread pattern there! Don't think they're available in 15" though :(

[coullstar 0]

150miles today in the wet and they are very good. A lot more wet grip than the 452's.

[fla 9]

which would you suggest: Falken 452s, Hankook V12 Evo, Kumho KU31, or Proxes T1-R? Ideally looking for good wet grip, low noise, quite tight turn in, bit of a comfortable ride, so not diamond hard rubber! I dont do any track days (yet!) so more for a good daily drive.

[mjcp 0]

What tyres on Blackcircles (Sub £60ea) Std. 16v?

Blackcricles.co.uk currently have (fitted) 195/50/15:

 

Yokos at @ £55

Toyo Proxes TR-1 @ £54

Yoko c.Drive 2@ £58

Avon ZV3 @ 56

 

and various others (Falken, Firestone, Bridgstone and unbranded/minor makes) between £45 and £60...

 

Last few pages suggest Tr-1s, any thoughts on the Yokos at that price? Someone mentioned Toyos at £30 in December... where from?

 

Recommendations for spirited daily driver?

 

Cheers,

Marc

[dukest 0]

Camskill. And they've gone up now, with more rises to come too.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Ideally looking for good wet grip, low noise, quite tight turn in, bit of a comfortable ride, so not diamond hard rubber! I dont do any track days (yet!) so more for a good daily drive.

 

Conti Premium Contact 2.

 

I had exactly the same dilemma going back to 15s. What to choose? Not a lot of choice in 'sport' tyres (except the usual semi-slick intermediates) but all those in your list were available. Having used the Toyo and Kumho previously, I wanted a change. I also didn't want any arrow head tread patterns as they don't work well on the VR6 imo, especially past half worn.

 

The PC2 sits under the SportContact and having the assymetric tread pattern means tramlining is greatly reduced. Always a conti strong point.

 

They are very quiet, very comfy and grip well in all conditions.

 

If the SportContact was available in 205/50, I'd defo get it but the PC2 is the next best thing. As far as I can tell, the only difference between the PC2 and SC2 is sidewall stiffness. The PC2 being softer gives the better ride obviously, but surprisingly without much of a compromise in cornering. The actual compound feels the same to me.

 

Don't take my word for it though, ask Pat McCrotch as he bought some for his too and loves them. We've both had Conti SC3s (an all time great all rounder) before and rate these a very close second.

[stuart70 0]

Any thoughts on going to a 195/50/15 rather than standard 205 sizing on standard vr6 wheels? Looking at coming down as much cheaper for better "quality" of tyre. Anyone any experience of doing this, or am I potentially being a muppet? Use the car for commuting and potentially a couple of track days. Any recommendations?

 

Cheers

[dukest 0]

i'm very tempted to do this - especially given the price/quality trade-off you mention. when i mentioned it a while back Kev mentioned that they might look a bit weedy in comparison but at the same time they'd effectively lower the car a little as well and for me I wouldnt consider that a bad thing! toyo R1Rs at £72 are pretty tempting :)

[domwells27 0]

I've been running 195/50/15 since owning my C and have had no problems. I couldn't find any decent tyres in 205 size for a gd price, so I had 4 T1Rs in 195 width fitted for 160 quid. Oh and you do effectively lower your car by 5 whole millimeters!!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

G60s have 195/50s as standard though I thought?

 

Yeah my 195/50/15 winters did look a little bit small in the archs compared to what I'm used to, but far from daft. It just looks like a G60 or Valver with 15" speedlines, so there's nothing wrong with that at all imo.

 

With my 3.68 final drive and light flywheel, and those ickle 195s, in-gear acceleration was bordering on the ridiculous. Slightly busier motorway cruise too, but that doesn't bother me. And yep, 195s does noticably lower a VR6 a tad.

 

I personally prefer 205/15s but if they become extinct and / or stupidly priced, I would have no qualms in going over to 195s permanently.

[domwells27 0]

G60s have 195/50s as standard though I thought?

 

Hmmm. I thought they were 205, all the tyre sites recommended 205 based on my number plate (not that I would read too much into that). Either way, I would go 195 regardless, just for the extra choice.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I'm sure the 4 cyl Corrados all had 195/50, but I would have expected the more powerful G60 to use 205s!

 

Anyway, as you say, loads more choice with 195s.

 

I've been digging around and other cars that 205/50s (Integras, some early Imprezas, Sierra Cosworth, Golf VR6 etc) are all having the same problems right now.

[stuart70 0]

Thanks for the replies

 

Good to know I was not being an utter muppet - will have a cast around black circles for a deal this weekend - tyres are getting a bit on the marginal side on the wear. Will balance up the cost vs originality for the VR6. Saving up for brakes and suspension - but that is another thread and another round of being an idiot with no knowledge.

 

Great crowd on here, btw. Cheers

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I was looking on Camskill lastnight (as you do!) out of interest and some of the top brand 195/50s are half the price of 205/50s, such as the Michelin Pilot Exalto 2. 5 sheets for the 195 and 10 sheets for the 205. It's madness.

[Supercharged 2]

205 Tyres only went on the 'Plus' cars with the extended track rods / WB's...

 

I was buying Uniroyal Rainsport 1's in 195/50/15 a few years back for £25 each, think the new ones are £33 ish

[wy906 0]

RS-2 fitted £149 each! (205/50/15 @mytyres)

 

Shocking!

 

AD08 is available for £102 each fitted but only 195/50/15 at blackcircles.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Or £78.64 from Camskill. £53.11 in 195/50/15.

 

Ad08 is £94 in 205 and £80 in 195.

 

God knows what Mytyres are up to!

[wy906 0]

Good find!

 

Just need a friendly local tyre fitter then.

[carrots 1]

my rear tyres seem very loud on the road they are made by triangle.whats a good cheap tyre 205/45/17

Edited April 2, 2011 by carrots

[dukest 0]

do you mean that size? you should normally be on 40 profile at 17 inch. also, have you looked on any of the sites in the first post for prices or reviews? what do you want from your tyres? (good and cheap are not exactly unusual requests..)

[dalhalvaig 0]

I've a set of 16" RS771s that I'm refurbing and will soon need a set of tyres. Looking at 205/45 16s. Blackcircles do Pirelli Nero Zeros for about £90. Has anyone tried these or have other recommendations? Looking for low road noise, good grip and reasonably long life.

 

What do folk think?

 

Cheers

 

D

[Supercharged 2]

I've a set of 16" RS771s that I'm refurbing and will soon need a set of tyres. Looking at 205/45 16s. Blackcircles do Pirelli Nero Zeros for about £90. Has anyone tried these or have other recommendations? Looking for low road noise, good grip and reasonably long life.

 

What do folk think?

 

Cheers

 

D

 

They're a good tyre, low noise, very long life but grip is not great as they are quite hard... I bought 195/45/16's from Bestbuytyres - £200 for 4 delivered and got a free (massive) Pirelli bag.

 

My fronts lasted 24k miles and I've had 2 more pairs since then, Eagle F1's and Conti Sport 2's both of which felt a bit better for grip. The rears are still on the car and have done 40k (!!) and still only just over half worn. I'd buy again though, especially at the price above and the other thing I've noticed is the sidewalls seem to hold up better than any tyres I've ever had ie don't show signs of perishing) - the rear tyres which are now 3 years old look just as new as the fronts which are 3 months old!