Clio 182. What tyres? Semi slicks for majority road driving?
Discussion
Hi guys,
Have a Clio 182 that's running 195/15/50 Kumho KU36's (will be running 205/15/50 though). They are good tyres, but not great.
What should I get next? I do a few trackdays now and then, but the majority is daily driving (I do a lot of spirited driving on weekends though). Would like to step up the levels of grip, but am unsure if a semi-slick will compromise wet performance to unsafe levels.
Are PS2's as good as I hear they are?
Have a Clio 182 that's running 195/15/50 Kumho KU36's (will be running 205/15/50 though). They are good tyres, but not great.
What should I get next? I do a few trackdays now and then, but the majority is daily driving (I do a lot of spirited driving on weekends though). Would like to step up the levels of grip, but am unsure if a semi-slick will compromise wet performance to unsafe levels.
Are PS2's as good as I hear they are?
Edited by domlebo70 on Saturday 4th June 11:41
Defcon5 said:
195/205/50? You must have some very odd shaped wheels!
Dont bother with some semi slicks? I have no experience of those Kumhos, but I would imagine they are distinctly average - try a premium tyre.
Isnt there a tyre specifically or use by the 1x2 series?
Fixed the size error :PDont bother with some semi slicks? I have no experience of those Kumhos, but I would imagine they are distinctly average - try a premium tyre.
Isnt there a tyre specifically or use by the 1x2 series?
The Kumhos are reported as quite decent by most people. Obviously not a premium tyre, but not rubbish Chinese stuff.
182's were shipped with PS2's and the tyre was designed with them in mind. But that was 7 years ago :P Things may have moved on.
The Michelin Pilot Exalto 2 that they run as standard are no longer produced. I just recently replaced my fronts with Michelin Pilot Sport 3 and they are at least as good if not better.
Would not recommend semi slicks for road use, if you actually "need" the extra grip they give in the dry then you are driving like a fool and not giving yourself the margin of error needed on the road. In the wet you don't want to end up in the hedge when you come across some very wet road with some puddles just a bit too deep for them to handle.
Used to race on Kumho Ecstas then Yoko A048s and in the wet I'm certain you could have gone faster with standard road tyres they also let go quite quick.
If you want trackday tyres then get some semi slicks or even slicks but I wouldn't compromise by running the same tyre on road and track. Get tyres that are suited to the job you need them to do at the time. If your thinking about cost try finding some used tyres from racers.
Would not recommend semi slicks for road use, if you actually "need" the extra grip they give in the dry then you are driving like a fool and not giving yourself the margin of error needed on the road. In the wet you don't want to end up in the hedge when you come across some very wet road with some puddles just a bit too deep for them to handle.
Used to race on Kumho Ecstas then Yoko A048s and in the wet I'm certain you could have gone faster with standard road tyres they also let go quite quick.
If you want trackday tyres then get some semi slicks or even slicks but I wouldn't compromise by running the same tyre on road and track. Get tyres that are suited to the job you need them to do at the time. If your thinking about cost try finding some used tyres from racers.
I've recently put Hankook RS2 on the front, with PE2 on the back. I did a track day with the PE2 all round and they were great. I have noticed the RS2s grip better but I expect the wet weather performance won't be as good.
On the plus side, they're around £50 a corner so quite cheap for 'stickier than normal' tyres.
Mine are 195/50/15 btw
On the plus side, they're around £50 a corner so quite cheap for 'stickier than normal' tyres.
Mine are 195/50/15 btw
xr287 said:
The Michelin Pilot Exalto 2 that they run as standard are no longer produced. I just recently replaced my fronts with Michelin Pilot Sport 3 and they are at least as good if not better.
Would not recommend semi slicks for road use, if you actually "need" the extra grip they give in the dry then you are driving like a fool and not giving yourself the margin of error needed on the road. In the wet you don't want to end up in the hedge when you come across some very wet road with some puddles just a bit too deep for them to handle.
Used to race on Kumho Ecstas then Yoko A048s and in the wet I'm certain you could have gone faster with standard road tyres they also let go quite quick.
If you want trackday tyres then get some semi slicks or even slicks but I wouldn't compromise by running the same tyre on road and track. Get tyres that are suited to the job you need them to do at the time. If your thinking about cost try finding some used tyres from racers.
Great answer. That's what I suspected with semi-slicks. Only reason I was considering some is because they are VERY cheap via Tirerack (shipped to AU). Would not recommend semi slicks for road use, if you actually "need" the extra grip they give in the dry then you are driving like a fool and not giving yourself the margin of error needed on the road. In the wet you don't want to end up in the hedge when you come across some very wet road with some puddles just a bit too deep for them to handle.
Used to race on Kumho Ecstas then Yoko A048s and in the wet I'm certain you could have gone faster with standard road tyres they also let go quite quick.
If you want trackday tyres then get some semi slicks or even slicks but I wouldn't compromise by running the same tyre on road and track. Get tyres that are suited to the job you need them to do at the time. If your thinking about cost try finding some used tyres from racers.
Will look into PS2's/PS3's.
MagicalTrevor said:
I've recently put Hankook RS2 on the front, with PE2 on the back. I did a track day with the PE2 all round and they were great. I have noticed the RS2s grip better but I expect the wet weather performance won't be as good.
On the plus side, they're around £50 a corner so quite cheap for 'stickier than normal' tyres.
Mine are 195/50/15 btw
Bet thats an interesting combination.On the plus side, they're around £50 a corner so quite cheap for 'stickier than normal' tyres.
Mine are 195/50/15 btw
John D. said:
Bet thats an interesting combination.
I expect I know your answer 
but why do you say?The car wasn't ready for rears but they will be replaced in the not too distant future for RS2. I'm aware of the changes to the handling characteristics and adjust my driving accordingly.
MagicalTrevor said:
John D. said:
Bet thats an interesting combination.
I expect I know your answer but why do you say?The car wasn't ready for rears but they will be replaced in the not too distant future for RS2. I'm aware of the changes to the handling characteristics and adjust my driving accordingly.
Interested to hear of RS2s being used on the Clio. Was always very happy with the PE2 but I know RS2 are a bargain for the price.
John D. said:
I ran a PE2 shod 172 Cup for three years and replaced it with a RS2 shod Elise. I'm aware of the differing wet weather performance offered by each!
Interested to hear of RS2s being used on the Clio. Was always very happy with the PE2 but I know RS2 are a bargain for the price.
I think they're commenting on the use of RS2s on one axle with PE2s on the other axle. It isn't the ideal situation but I thought about the characteristics of placing them on the front long and hard and decided that I'd personally prefer a tendancy to oversteer the understeer. Having said that I've tested them on roundabouts in the dry and damp and find the point where you can feel the back end losing grip to be fairly predictable (I've not lost the back end). I am very careful though because of the tyre difference.Interested to hear of RS2s being used on the Clio. Was always very happy with the PE2 but I know RS2 are a bargain for the price.
Shouldn't be too long until they replaced.
MagicalTrevor said:
John D. said:
I ran a PE2 shod 172 Cup for three years and replaced it with a RS2 shod Elise. I'm aware of the differing wet weather performance offered by each!
Interested to hear of RS2s being used on the Clio. Was always very happy with the PE2 but I know RS2 are a bargain for the price.
I think they're commenting on the use of RS2s on one axle with PE2s on the other axle. It isn't the ideal situation but I thought about the characteristics of placing them on the front long and hard and decided that I'd personally prefer a tendancy to oversteer the understeer. Having said that I've tested them on roundabouts in the dry and damp and find the point where you can feel the back end losing grip to be fairly predictable (I've not lost the back end). I am very careful though because of the tyre difference.Interested to hear of RS2s being used on the Clio. Was always very happy with the PE2 but I know RS2 are a bargain for the price.
Shouldn't be too long until they replaced.
How have you found it in the wet? I don't suppose you've had much chance of late.
John D. said:
Dry weather grip isn't what would be at the fore front of my mind. More like in the wet where the RS2 is going to grip significantly less than the PE2 (which I always found excellent in the wet). Then you're going to be finding understeer potentially.
How have you found it in the wet? I don't suppose you've had much chance of late.
Not had much chance as you say, which was why I felt that I was reasonably ok to put them on the front. Dry grip is noticeably better than the PE2s (which I replaced only because of damage to one side and a puncture on the spare). Had it been winter then I wouldn't have done them the way I have.How have you found it in the wet? I don't suppose you've had much chance of late.
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