Quote from: shnazzle on March  4, 2021, 21:23

Quote from: 1979scotte on March  4, 2021, 21:01

Quote from: shnazzle on March  4, 2021, 20:54I made a shocking decision today.
I'm getting rid.




... of my AD08Rs!
I'm going to follow in @Ardent 's footsteps and I've ordered a set of
195/50/15 Rainsport 5
215/45/16 Rainsport 3

I've had to go down a width on the rear, which will be odd for me, and lead to a more square setup but still plenty of stagger.

Looking forward to it.

At the same time I will fit my rear EBC pads and spacers on the rear.

I can understand stepping away from the yoko where you live its colder for longer than down here.
I wouldn't be mixing 3 and 5 though it's a different tyre why not just fit the correct oem sizes like @Ardent in Rainsport 5?

Jase also has it mixed.

Sizes just aren't available in one of them.
And remember I've got 7in wheels in front, so I can't go lower than 195.
For every tyre choice there was a compromise, except for the AD08RS, which are a compromise in their own right.

Then a new tyre must be found.
I'm not mixing

Quote from: shnazzle on March  4, 2021, 21:23For every tyre choice there was a compromise, except for the AD08RS, which are a compromise in their own right.

That pretty much covers it.

Quote from: Ardent on March  5, 2021, 07:05

Quote from: shnazzle on March  4, 2021, 21:23For every tyre choice there was a compromise, except for the AD08RS, which are a compromise in their own right.

That pretty much covers it.

We're any of the compromises financial?

Not fancying the NS20's then?

Quote from: 1979scotte on March  5, 2021, 07:20

Quote from: Ardent on March  5, 2021, 07:05

Quote from: shnazzle on March  4, 2021, 21:23For every tyre choice there was a compromise, except for the AD08RS, which are a compromise in their own right.

That pretty much covers it.

We're any of the compromises financial?

I never compromise financially on tyres. But, it was nice that it came to half the price of AD08RSs. 

Quote from: tricky1138 on March  5, 2021, 08:08Not fancying the NS20's then?

They were in my basket first. Reviews are getting increasingly better as more people try them. But unfortunately could not find a suitable front tyre size to match my wheels. 


It's getting close to crunch time wrt these alloys. 195 width 15s that match a set of rear 215 or 225 16s are rare. 

The only thing I can think to do is go square 15s. Get some matching TD1.2 15s for the rear

Did you consider these?;

https://www.zestino.eu/en/gredge-07rs/?mode=grid&limit=24&sort=popular&max=250&min=0&sort=popular&brand=0&filter%5B%5D=276812&filter%5B%5D=276815

Quote from: shnazzle on March  5, 2021, 08:32

Quote from: 1979scotte on March  5, 2021, 07:20

Quote from: Ardent on March  5, 2021, 07:05

Quote from: shnazzle on March  4, 2021, 21:23For every tyre choice there was a compromise, except for the AD08RS, which are a compromise in their own right.

That pretty much covers it.

We're any of the compromises financial?

I never compromise financially on tyres. But, it was nice that it came to half the price of AD08RSs.

Quote from: tricky1138 on March  5, 2021, 08:08Not fancying the NS20's then?

They were in my basket first. Reviews are getting increasingly better as more people try them. But unfortunately could not find a suitable front tyre size to match my wheels.


It's getting close to crunch time wrt these alloys. 195 width 15s that match a set of rear 215 or 225 16s are rare.

The only thing I can think to do is go square 15s. Get some matching TD1.2 15s for the rear

You're on 15/16 setup?

I got 195/50/15 and 225/45/16 but you can get 215/45/16 as well if you wanted that.

Quote from: 1979scotte on March  5, 2021, 07:20

Quote from: Ardent on March  5, 2021, 07:05

Quote from: shnazzle on March  4, 2021, 21:23For every tyre choice there was a compromise, except for the AD08RS, which are a compromise in their own right.

That pretty much covers it.

We're any of the compromises financial?

No.
If yoko had left the recipe the same, I would have had another set. But they didn't.
The current combo, I'm finding more usable more of the time.

Quote from: Topdownman on March  5, 2021, 09:18Did you consider these?;

https://www.zestino.eu/en/gredge-07rs/?mode=grid&limit=24&sort=popular&max=250&min=0&sort=popular&brand=0&filter%5B%5D=276812&filter%5B%5D=276815

They're not going to be any better than the AD08R in the cold and wet do you think?

I hope that they would be a better replacement for AD08r than AD08rs are but I havent tried them myself yet.

They will no doubt have the usual drawbacks in the wet and cold!

I wouldnt mix Rainsport3 and Rainsport5 from what ive read especially on a tyre sensitive car like MR2.

 Ive had RS3 on a few cars and they are ok just a bit squishy due to softness especially when new as you would expect, the RS5 is meant to be vastly improved in this regard so will inbalance car i think having just on front. I see the RS5  are not available in your selected rear size but can your rear wheels take the 205/45-16 they do ? thats size ive got on mine with zestinos but i am on stock FL wheels, plenty of grip thats for sure

Quote from: thetyrant on March  5, 2021, 10:53I wouldnt mix Rainsport3 and Rainsport5 from what ive read especially on a tyre sensitive car like MR2.

 Ive had RS3 on a few cars and they are ok just a bit squishy due to softness especially when new as you would expect, the RS5 is meant to be vastly improved in this regard so will inbalance car i think having just on front. I see the RS5  are not available in your selected rear size but can your rear wheels take the 205/45-16 they do ? thats size ive got on mine with zestinos but i am on stock FL wheels, plenty of grip thats for sure

See Jason's post. 

He's been driving this combo on his TTE for a bit now and he's happy, and the reality is... we're not F1 drivers. They will be absolutely grand. My days of risk before sense are over.

I've said this 100x...
The hardest run we've done was on a battered pre-fl with 4 different tyres, only one branded. 
It was fantastic. 

Tell you what's not fantastic... Half-aged AD08Rs in the cold and wet. Sick of looking out, seeing its raining and thinking "hmm, must take it easy". 

I've driven the Rain sports before on our old mr2. Yeah they're softer but I did 1000+ miles on them, some of them quite feisty, and they felt grand.

I can also confirm Rainsport 3s fill me with confidence in the 2 just check the pressured are correct and you won't be disappointed

I rarely read individual's reviews on tyres, - apart from the unanimous praise that the ADO8's got from folk on people on here that were prepared to pay the premium price of them, - they were obviously a great tyre apart from cold temperatures.

I read Tyre tests. The Nankang's don't fare well.  The Falken ze310 & the Hankook k125 do.

You'll remember Patrick, that I ended up in a field (fortunately the right way up...) on a wet run with the first 2 that I bought. Whatever the fault it had, it made cornering in the wet a squeaky-bum event at every turn.
So you can imagine my confidence took a lot of rebuilding when I bought the next one. (now resides in Montrose)

The tyres on it were ancient & I put on the Falken. 3 or 4 days after getting them fitted I travelled down for the Lindisfarne run, & the weather was shocking. Lots of standing water. The car never flinched.

When I bought car no3, one size of the ZE310 wasn't available. Tests said the Hankook K125 was damn good & terrific for the price, so I got those. (195 front)

The price of the K125 has shot up. Whether because it's getting in short supply because a replacement is coming, or Brexit or Covid....?

I have a new set of wheels, so have been looking occasionally at tyre tests & prices. The ze310 is cheaper than the K125, & for Winter use, possibly better, I've aquaplaned once with the K125. Speed was a factor though....  

I'll be looking at ZE310 for my other 2 - waiting for an ebay offer including Demon Tweeks. (They also sell Rainsports)

Regardless, the deed has been done and should arrive soon. 
Then I'll likely play with tyre pressures a bit to find the sweet spot for my driving and then I'll give these a good ol try until they need replacing. At that point I will decide. 

Worst case scenario is that I hate them and I replace them. I've spent more on far less important things. 
But year after year buying AD08s, suffering their inabilities and discomfort for the sake of a couple of fun moments and not wanting to take the risk on other tyres,... Sick of it. 
So just diving in the deep end and seeing what's out there. 

@tricky1138 I could not find a  mix of 225/45/16 and 195/50/15! To be fair, I didn't look across retailers. Idea for next time.

Wasn't supposed to turn into a debate. Just a case of "I've bought these, let's see how I get on"

My post wasnt about rainsports in general and i would be happy to run them for road use, and have in past on other cars, its more about mixing the RS3 and RS5 as they are very different tyres in terms of construction etc, at least you will have the better/firmer tyre on the front.

Im sure you will but let us know how you go, as you say you can have fun with most setups once your aware of the limits

@shnazzle said:
Tell you what's not fantastic... Half-aged AD08Rs in the cold and wet. Sick of looking out, seeing its raining and thinking "hmm, must take it easy".

Most of my driving was in new/ ish Company cars. So they had OE tyres, typically changed for the same again when replacement was needed.
My daily I have had from new and came with Continental 's these have been replaced as required with the same again and recently with their update.
The Toyota 2 was OE with typically Bridgestone tyres, now no longer available so a change is necessary.
My understanding is that car manufacturers fit a particular tyre type for a reason and that is what I go along with.
My 2 came to me with no names and I quite  quickly changed them after much consideration to Falken for only summer driving which does "sometimes" include rain, a recent Ding Day was very wet and I wouldn't have driven otherwise, but they coped well with standing water.
But I do concur with Patrick. Why consider a tyre that can cause concern in less than ideal conditions.
Cold and wet ? That could be at any time of the year here in the UK.

Quote from: shnazzle on March  5, 2021, 12:14Regardless, the deed has been done and should arrive soon.

Ah, - didn't realise you'd already ordered.  Maybe you'll want to delete some of these then...

Think it was TyreLeader for rears and Demon Tweeks for the fronts.

I'm sure we'll find out how you get one with the Rainsports. Considering the 5's for the Skoda.

Tyres arrived. 
I'm a bit worried now... The treads are completely different between RS3 and RS5 


You cannot view this attachment.

*Go on kitty... Go play with the pigeons! *

Still not mismatched ditchfinders though are they? Which is where the trouble starts, just chuck em on!🤓

Still a different compound.

We've been telling folk to fit the same tyre across all 4 wheels now we're saying its OK to be different.
Confused.com

Edit
Had a quick look and you can get the correct pfl size 185 55 and 205 50

Edit. As Scotte rightly comments, the general consensus is to fit a full set of the same tyres for optimum safety and performance and anyone new to the marque would be well advised to stick to this tactic.
But this is Patrick we're talking to and if anyone can style it out going backwards round a roundabout it's him!🤓

Quote from: 1979scotte on March  8, 2021, 15:11Still a different compound.

We've been telling folk to fit the same tyre across all 4 wheels now we're saying its OK to be different.
Confused.com

Edit
Had a quick look and you can get the correct pfl size 185 55 and 205 50

I can't run 185. 195 minimum on 7in wheels. Aside from the fact that I'm on FL

Quote from: Call the midlife! on March  8, 2021, 15:26Edit. As Scotte rightly comments, the general consensus is to fit a full set of the same tyres for optimum safety and performance and anyone new to the marque would be well advised to stick to this tactic.
But this is Patrick we're talking to and if anyone can style it out going backwards round a roundabout it's him!🤓

I don't necessarily subscribe to that. Fronts and rears do very different jobs.