Best 15" Road tyres?

Author
Discussion

Sway

Original Poster:

29,388 posts

201 months

Thursday 31st March 2016
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My mk2 RS needs new shoes - driven on lovely sweeping A and B roads for just over 100 miles a day, from the south coast up through Sussex.

Won't be seeing track use, as have other wheels for that, happy to spend up to £250-300 for four fitted.

Re002? AD08R too racy? Federal?

Cheers!

Sam

one eyed mick

1,189 posts

168 months

Friday 1st April 2016
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Kumho are my choice after research on 2 other forums they changed the handling on my mk1 beyond recognition and a later 4 corner geo reset was very impressive , I tour not compete but enjoy a good road when traffic allows

skinny

5,269 posts

242 months

Monday 4th April 2016
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I always like Michelin. Got pilot sport 3 waiting to go on mine

Sway

Original Poster:

29,388 posts

201 months

Monday 4th April 2016
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Mick - which kumho?

Skinny - where did you get them, and what size/price please!

mx5alan

8 posts

120 months

Tuesday 5th April 2016
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Falkan 914's

doing lots of miles... +30,000 from a set is no problem with correct tyre rotation

pewe

663 posts

226 months

Tuesday 5th April 2016
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skinny said:
I always like Michelin. Got pilot sport 3 waiting to go on mine
Swear by these - brilliant all round tyres even for Autosoloing and trackdays.
Wet weather performance exceptional.
Local to Reading - on-line MOTest and/or F1 Autocentres.
Camskill hard to beat but you do need to find a local fitter who won't over-charge for the privilege of fitting them.
HTH.
Cheers, Pewe.

Sway

Original Poster:

29,388 posts

201 months

Tuesday 5th April 2016
quotequote all
I've just ordered a set or Bridgestone RE002, to be fitted this weekend...

Lots of people suggesting the ps3 is a retrograde step from the ps2 (and actually a replacement for the exalto tyres which I've run before and hated), and the pilot super sports which are raved about aren't available for tiny wheels.

They're the same size as a friend runs, and he loves them on his car, so if I don't get on with them he can have some fresh-ish rubber.

Cheers!

pewe

663 posts

226 months

Tuesday 5th April 2016
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Interesting but I note the wet weather rating is C compared to the PS3 A.
You pays your money...
Cheers, Pewe.

Gandahar

9,600 posts

135 months

Tuesday 5th April 2016
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The PS3's are excellent in the wet as long as they can clear the water. Very good all round tyre. They have enough grip in the dry, I did track days on mine and they were pretty predictable as they got too hot over the laps and fell off gently which was nice. They might not be as good as PS2 it seems but that might just be internet folklore now .. you know how the older folk remember rose tinted tyres. PS2 are ancient!

If it was me I would have gone for the PS3's.

Richyvrlimited

1,839 posts

170 months

Wednesday 6th April 2016
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pewe said:
Interesting but I note the wet weather rating is C compared to the PS3 A.
You pays your money...
Cheers, Pewe.
If that's a reference to the Bridgestone RE003's then I'm surprised. The wet weather grip was stunning when I was at oulton park last week. We had 2 MX5's there one on Yokohama Prada Spec2's which slithered all over the place. the RE003's were a revelation. even in standing water in a tight bend & a supercharged car I struggled to get the back end to step out.

Sway

Original Poster:

29,388 posts

201 months

Wednesday 6th April 2016
quotequote all
I'll be honest - I ignore the ratings as I simply cannot see their relevance as they're too simplistic.

Fuel efficiency - effectively the inverse of how grippy they are.

Wet performance - is that capability to clear standing water? Ability to generate grip in constantly cooling conditions? Tread pattern being effective at cutting through dampness? I don't know and I doubt many do.

So I go by personal opinions. I fully understand the ps3 is a well regarded tyre, with a level of performance a lot of people love. It's not a 'premium' tyre though, being OE spec for mid range hatchbacks and saloons (which is what the Exalto used to be - and I personally didn't like them on a lightweight rwd car).

The Bridgestones I've gone for are at least OE spec for a few sports cars, and relatively light ones at that. There seems mixed reviews about their wet performance, which I've concluded means they're fairly average at generating grip in damp/wet conditions, but good at dealing with standing water.

What I do know, is that if I don't like them I won't lose out, and even if they are crap in the wet they're likely to be dead from mileage before it'll be a big issue!

This winter I'll be fitting either all seasons or rainsports on my existing Rotas, next summer the plan is to be running a much higher performance tyre on a nice fresh set of 6ULs.

Always worth trying something new!

KASSL

11 posts

154 months

Thursday 7th April 2016
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From personal experience I’d go for the PS3s, they really improved the Handling of my MK2. They have a good dry and wet rating better than most others

pewe

663 posts

226 months

Monday 11th April 2016
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As you say Sway, always interested in peops' experience for future ref.
Please keep us posted.
Cheers, Pewe.

Sway

Original Poster:

29,388 posts

201 months

Monday 11th April 2016
quotequote all
Will do pewe.

Fitted the Bridgestones on Saturday. Done 100 very damp miles today, and (allowing a little for very fresh tyres) I'm impressed.

Will see how they are scrubbed in and with pressures adjusted etc.