Exige tyre help

[Kong]

Hi guys, just bought an Exige 190 at the weekend and this is my first post in the Lotus section

I need to get some new tyres and I'm having trouble finding a set due to the odd size of the fronts.

Would you get:

Front: Yokohama ADVAN A460
Rear: Michelin Pilot Sport 3

Or

Michelin Pilot Sport 3 all round (but fitting a 205 section at the front instead of the standard 195)

Or

Kumho KH31 all round

Thanks

[Stephanie Plum]

None of the above personally. I'd put R888s all round.

[zebra]

With Stephanie on this one. Triple 8's or go back to A048's subject to how many miles you do, whether it's a track car, how often you drive.

[Kong]

100% road car for me, I think the soft compound tyres are a bit expensive for me - given how long they last. I appreciate other tyres won't grip as well though. I have AD07's on at the moment and they're awesome!

[zebra]

Is this a daily driver?

[Kong]

Yes, for now since my only other car is a hayabusa engined kit car with no reverse gear! Looking to get a cheap mondeo or something to keep the miles off the Exige.

Actually I have A048's at the moment, they are fun. How long do they last with mainly fast road?

[jock mcsporran]

I'm using PS3's as my daily tyre. Been pretty good over 10k miles. Rears have just worn out before the winter and fronts have a few k left in them. Tried them on track but not so great though.
I've got a set of A048's for any track days and Nokians for winter.

[Kong]

Yes PS3 would be my ideal choice but the narrowest they make it is the 205 which would be a bit pinched on my rim (Exige S' are wider IIRC).

PS. Andy just realised we both went to Lemans in 2006 with the NYTVRCC

[The Bandit]

Just get a set of AD08s with 205/45 fronts, around 500 a set.

[jock mcsporran]

Kong said:

PS. Andy just realised we both went to Lemans in 2006 with the NYTVRCC

Yeah, i saw the pic of your new steed on FB.

[Kong]

The Bandit said:

Just get a set of AD08s with 205/45 fronts, around 500 a set.

That's not a bad idea, I reckon I could stomach that price. But will they not look a bit silly bulging out?

[mikeyb13]

R888's for me or Ao48's if you can afford them. My Exige just never felt right with normal tyres on, it felt soft and slidey.
Seems mental spending a massive premium for an Exige, over similar age/performance, to buy a car that is all about handling then ruin it with cheap tyres.

Edited by mikeyb13 on Tuesday 26th March 09:17

[Kong]

It's not so much about the price (although that is a consideration), the PS3 is one of the best tyres on the market. As well as being a daily driver I also so a lot of European road trips and I'd feel better with something more suited to sudden downpours on the motorway.

Maybe I should get a second set of wheels?

[jock mcsporran]

I've driven the car on 48's in heavy rain and it doesn't feel comfortable. I've also driven it in heavy rain on PS3's and, for me, it's a no brainer. I use my car daily, trips to the Highlands, Euro trips, nursery run, supermarket. If you are needing the extra dry grip of the 48's in normal road driving then you're pushing it harder on public roads than I would personally be comfortable with. Not to mention wasting expensive rubber doing the mundane things that everyday life requires you to do.

It also helps, having a more normal road tyre, when you get caught out in the Highlands with a metal spike through the rubber and can pick up a new tyre at the local tyre shop rather than screwing up the trip trying to find a 48 somewhere.

If you're going to do track days then get a spare set of wheels. You can pick them up for a few hundred quid on the various forums.

[The Bandit]

Kong said:

The Bandit said:

Just get a set of AD08s with 205/45 fronts, around 500 a set.

That's not a bad idea, I reckon I could stomach that price. But will they not look a bit silly bulging out?

No, not at all. No 'bulging' whatsoever.
I guess it all depends what you use the car for, if it's weekends, trackdays and Euro tours then AD08s make sense as a perfect 'all rounder'.
If it's a daily driver year round then a winter orientated tyre will perform better in the cold/wet.
Personally, I ran AD08s on my Elise for the former doing 10k a year and they were very, very good.