Suggested tyres for MX5...

[Austin3000]

Hi,

My girlfriend has an 02 plate MX5 with 15 inch alloys and the tyres could do with replacing as they have seen better days.

What do people recommend?

I have (and swear by) Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymetrics on my ST220 but they don't seem to do them in the right size for the MX5.

Cheers

[Merlot]

I have just fitted a set of Toyo T1Rs on my '5 and they are ruddy fantastic, I can't comment on the life or wear but they stick very well in wet and dry. I too had a set of Goodyear Eagle F1s on my other car and although it is hard to rate side by side, the Toyo certainly is up there with them!

[MX-5 Lazza]

Agree with that. Goodyear F1 are a little better than Toyo T1R but also a little more expensive. Both are excellent choices.

[I Am Milk]

Whilst there is a thread on the subject, can anyone recommend me a tyre for my 14" rims?

I fear my current tyres have little life left in them.

I'd like a decent balance between wet and dry performance as the car will spend the winter in Hull whilst I'm at uni!

[Monumental]

On the 14" wheels you don't have a whole lot of choice.

I recently bought a set of Toyo CF1s for my 14s and have been very happy with them. Don't have much to compare them to on the Eunos though as I changed the ditchfinders that it had when I bought it almost straight away (they were scary!).

[I Am Milk]

I'd seen those as well and thought they might be worth a punt.

I take it from your experience they shape up alright?

[Munter]

You can see what a number of people are using here:
http://www.pistonheads.com/xforums/topic.asp?h=0&a...

On the 14" rim I went for the Dunlops.

[Monumental]

I Am Milk said:

I'd seen those as well and thought they might be worth a punt.

I take it from your experience they shape up alright?

As I say I don't really have anything to compare them to on this car, but considering the size of the tire they seem to have good grip. When they do let go it's in a nice progressive and controllable manner. Wet behaviour is also good.

Got mine from black circles, think they were about £180 for a set, fitted.

[Firefox1]

I can't comment on Goodyear but I'm on my second set of T1R's, they give superb grip wet or dry and not to harsh a ride even though my R Ltd is lowered and runs KYB shocks, run them at 28psi. I expect them to last about 18 months/30K miles. If you look on Blackcircles you can pick them up fitted for about £120 per axle. What ever you do do not fit budget tyres at the first sign of water you will be in the nearest hedge.

For 14" rim Yokohama seem about the best.

[GravelBen]

I recently replaced a couple of the Eagle F1s on the Legacy with Bridgestone RE001 and I like them. Significantly better dry grip, similar wet grip (slightly more when warm, slightly less when cold), quieter, less tramlining, less sidewall flex.

[MX-5 Lazza]

Bridgestone do make some excellent tyres. The best you could get for an MX5 about 10 years ago were Pole Position S02. They had fantastic grip wet & dry and worked well on the track. Only really beaten on the road now by F1s but were better on track. They were replaced by S03 which were excellent on track but not so good on the road as they were much stiffer so lightweight cars like MX5s couldn't make them work.
I don't have any experience of current Bridgestone tyres but I believe they still target bigger cars.

[GravelBen]

Could be right - I haven't tried any 'sports' tyres on my MX5, I find it more fun to keep the grip levels a bit lower and enjoy playing with the balance at more licence-friendly speeds. Plus they should last longer too given the way I tend to use them.

Don't get me wrong I'm not recommending el cheapo ditchfinder supremes or anything, just a less sport-orientated tyre from a respected brand.

[ciderminx]

I Am Milk said:

Whilst there is a thread on the subject, can anyone recommend me a tyre for my 14" rims?

I fear my current tyres have little life left in them.

I'd like a decent balance between wet and dry performance as the car will spend the winter in Hull whilst I'm at uni!

Mine just failed the MOT on the rear tyres, i've been thinking of getting bigger wheels for a while, so instead of paying good money for decent rubber on 14'' alloys i've bought a set of 15'' alloys with Toyo T1's on, delivered for £360

Happy Days!

P.S - From these guys - http://www.alloywheels.com/search.asp?numrecordpos...

Edited by ciderminx on Saturday 1st August 14:55

[Munter]

ciderminx said:

Mine just failed the MOT on the rear tyres, i've been thinking of getting bigger wheels for a while, so instead of paying good money for decent rubber on 14'' alloys i've bought a set of 15'' alloys with Toyo T1's on, delivered for £360

[ciderminx]

hahaha! Almost.....but not quite.

They would have gone rather well the other weekend though when the car was dressed up for my friends hen weekend:

[DennisTheMenace]

What a cool colour , and i like the toast rack

[ciderminx]

The toast rack only got put back on for the road trip. I took it off months ago to give it a decent polish/buff and never put it back on, even though i defended it to the death!

[DennisTheMenace]

My rack is in the garage , keep thinking about selling it as they get a good £90 on teh bay , but then think "one day i might need to move an elephant and it wont go in the boot" so i hang on to it .

OH tells me i MUST keep it for the picnics we will go on ....

She is right , you can fit a gazeebo on there with bungees

[johnnyboy666]

I have 14" rims and also struggled with tyres. I went for Falken ZE912s in the end and have been very pleased with them so far. Good grip in wet and dry.

[ciderminx]

Slightly off topic.........I'm going to be selling my 14'' alloys and tyres if anyone wants them?