tyres

[angryman]

Currently have bridgestones all round , its mot time and front tyres have side wall cracks so need to change them, rears are fine .
i have tried to get same tyres but not having any luck.

What are people using now , are falkens any good ? where can i get toyos from?

any advice would be appreciated.

my present tyres are 185/55/15 and 215/45/16.

rgds
peter

[lamcote]

There are lots of views, I have read many threads on this.

My decision is now either Continental or Dunlop (which I have at the moment), unless you want to go super grippy, then it's AD08s.

But......many will disagree!

[pauls0212]

think you are passed your mot time mate ... did you get my text or have you changed your number

[cptspaulding]

I got my Toyo's from Blackcircles. Toyo don't do a 45 on the rear size but they do a 40.

[Jrichards20]

Got cheap toyos T1Rs of the eBay for popping down the shops/storage wheels, the pair for £70  s:) s:)  wouldn't use them for anything other than a 30mph trip to shops etc. I use the AD08s for track days and road trips, anything where I will want to corner quicker than the average man in a Honda jazz.

[1979scotte]

I used black circles last time for my new boots.
T1R all round they're good on road but people say the soft sidewalls are no good especially on track.

[martin_b]

I'm getting toyo R-1R from here.

http://www.tyreleader.co.uk/

[angryman]

Thank you  all for your advice .

Is it the case now , even though i have two perfectly good rear tyres that because the potenza re040 has been discontinued that i have to fit new  all four corners of the same brand/type  ? i only say this because we all know we are not to mix tyres on these cars .

or is there any other option.

Im not being a cheapskate here ( cough!!!!) im just looking at the options.

rgds
peter

[normanh]

I had Dunlop Sports on the front of my 2 and Yokahomas on the rear - hated the feel on the front they just felt too hard and unforgiving and too soft on the rears yup a lethal combi, put Toyos on as quick as possible, had these on since. Been very happy since. Out of interest I have have Hankooks on my i30 which have done 48K and still have 3mm of tread on each corner, not sure on how they perform on a 2 but that milage is very interesting. They give a nice road feel and drive in a hatchback.

Norman

[cptspaulding]

when I bought the car, I had the same Potenza re040's on the rear with plenty tread & Dunlops on the front that needed changing. I changed those to the T1R's & ran with that mix for over a year before the rears needed changing. Never gave me any cause for concern at all.

I just changed the rears to T1R's so I have the same all round. I really noticed the rear felt peculiar to say the least after the Bridgestones - so much so that I stopped after about 30 miles to check my rear wheels were bolted back on properly  s:crazyeyes: :crazyeyes: s:crazyeyes:  . I was concerned & worried until the journey home when I remembered the advice on the softer side walls. Gave it a the beans round a few corners & got my confidence back again. Much happier now but given the choice, I would go for something other than the proxes. Ask me again in a month & I may have changed my mind back again   s:roll: :roll: s:roll:

[Tomo70]

I run the Michelin sport on the back with reinforced tyre wall and the potenza on the fronts. Done over 8k now with out any brown trouser moments even on tight gnarly roads. bought from tyre leader for less than 250quid + 40 for fitting and balance.

[moorx]

I've had Toyo T1Rs on mine for over a year now and I'm more than happy with them.  I use my car as a daily driver (in conjunction with the Celica) and do over 300 miles a week, mostly on motorways.

I got mine from my local ATS.

[angryman]

Thanks to all
Now i know that quite a few have mixed fronts and rears then i am going for falken fronts and keeping the potenzas on the rear.

I dont drive the car to its limits anyway and i certanly am not a " drifter" whatever one of those may be! 70,s pop group of four dudes dancing together, or was it 5.
( i was actually asked this question by one garage.)

Anyway thanks again and if i have any bad experiences with this setup ill let you all know.

rgds
peter

[Jrichards20]

I wouldn't suggest getting an MR2 for drifting anyway, engine in the back doesn't tend to help with drifting...

Erg, 2 weeks of driving with the T1Rs and just bought 4 R888s because I cant stand the feel that they give, they give such a more floaty front. I am still amazed at the difference in buying better tyres to average ones, for me, the extra price of £30 quid or so a tyre is the best thing I have ever done to any of my cars.

[angryman]

Thanks for your input, much appreciated.

I see you have an elise, im seriously thinking of buying one, what are your thoughts/opinions  on them in comparison to the 2 ?

They are holding there price quite well.

rgds
peter

[Jrichards20]

ohhh tough question. Very tough question. If you were to give me 10K I'm not sure what I would do with it, It would 100% be either a lotus or Mr2, but I can only list the pros and cons between the both as it would be a difficult choice.

Practicability - If you like a boot, the elise has one, relatively small, but bigger than the rear bins in the Mr2. If going for a K series, you must let it warm up properly, treat it like a turbo, its a sensitive engine. Getting in an our of one takes experience and it is not dignified, nor anywhere near as easy as an MR2
Comfort - Mr2 = Rolls Royce. The elise has no conform what so ever. I have the tourer model with carpets etc, and I still haven't decided whether its more comfortable on my motorbike or not.
Acceleration - My little engine has standard 119bhp which now its probably down to 110bhp ish, (going on a rolling road next month) And the thing still hits me in the back harder than my MR2 Turbo did, you can get the engine tuned to 150bhp for 1.2K which I will be getting next year, and im a little scared how fast that will be! My mate who has a lightly modified Audi TT 3.2 V6 Quattro could not believe the acceleration difference between his car, my old mr2s and then the difference that a lotus has.
Top Speed/Motorway driving - Pants in both.
Handling - The Mr2 handles superbly, but I never understood what chassis flex felt like until I made the move from MR2 to Elise, the grip can probably be equal with a few mods to the MR2 with bracing bigger tyres, suspension etc. But the responsiveness and sheer feel of the lotus is far better than the MR2, which obviously is going to be the case when you have rock hard suspension and no power steering. The lotus feels like the only part of the car is the seat, you think, and your body has already turned the corner, the whole car is one, while the mr2, didn't have the same rigidness.

The problem is, they are not two cars to be compared. A lotus elise should be compared more to a caterham or such car, while an Mr2 should more be compared to an S2000.

If your after a full on driving thrill with no regard for anything else, then the elise is brilliant. While if you like any sort of comforts, while still wanting a great big grin then you have to choose MR2.

Lotus Elises have gone up in value since I bought mine, so mine has appreciated, im probably just lucky but you will find it very difficult to loose money when buying and selling a lotus. While an MR2 does tend to depreciate 1K a year at nowadays ages.

You can make an MR2 that is just as fast around a track as a lotus for the same price. Buying a 2, new engine, new suspension, new wheels and it will be extremely difficult for a lotus to pull away.
So depends on whether you want to spend 10K on a car, or would prefer a bit slower car for 3K.

I enjoy my lotus and its the superior car. But I love Mr2s and will always regret selling my first two.

if your budget is 5K or under, you wont get a lotus, so it has to be an MR2.
For 10K you can get an MR2 as quick round a track as a lotus, but you will never have the same agility which comes with the car weighing 200KG less. Depends what you value more, turn in response or being able to do a 600 mile journey without going deaf and breaking your back. For me, I'm still unsure.If someone said to me, I can have my turbo back and 4K cash in my pocket, I would take them up on it. Building one from scratch and loosing the money that comes with all the modifying, would be to difficult to make.

Hope that's detailed enough  s:) s:)  IF your ever down south I'l take you for a drive, after I have taken Scott for one because he asked months ago!  s:) s:)

[Anonymous]

ohhh tough question. Very tough question. If you were to give me 10K I'm not sure what I would do with it, It would 100% be either a lotus or Mr2, but I can only list the pros and cons between the both as it would be a difficult choice.

Practicability - If you like a boot, the elise has one, relatively small, but bigger than the rear bins in the Mr2. If going for a K series, you must let it warm up properly, treat it like a turbo, its a sensitive engine. Getting in an our of one takes experience and it is not dignified, nor anywhere near as easy as an MR2
Comfort - Mr2 = Rolls Royce. The elise has no conform what so ever. I have the tourer model with carpets etc, and I still haven't decided whether its more comfortable on my motorbike or not.
Acceleration - My little engine has standard 119bhp which now its probably down to 110bhp ish, (going on a rolling road next month) And the thing still hits me in the back harder than my MR2 Turbo did, you can get the engine tuned to 150bhp for 1.2K which I will be getting next year, and I'm a little scared how fast that will be! My mate who has a lightly modified Audi TT 3.2 V6 Quattro could not believe the acceleration difference between his car, my old mr2s and then the difference that a lotus has.
Top Speed/Motorway driving - Pants in both.
Handling - The Mr2 handles superbly, but I never understood what chassis flex felt like until I made the move from MR2 to Elise, the grip can probably be equal with a few mods to the MR2 with bracing bigger tyres, suspension etc. But the responsiveness and sheer feel of the lotus is far better than the MR2, which obviously is going to be the case when you have rock hard suspension and no power steering. The lotus feels like the only part of the car is the seat, you think, and your body has already turned the corner, the whole car is one, while the mr2, didn't have the same rigidness.

The problem is, they are not two cars to be compared. A lotus elise should be compared more to a caterham or such car, while an Mr2 should more be compared to an S2000.

If your after a full on driving thrill with no regard for anything else, then the elise is brilliant. While if you like any sort of comforts, while still wanting a great big grin then you have to choose MR2.

Lotus Elises have gone up in value since I bought mine, so mine has appreciated, I'm probably just lucky but you will find it very difficult to loose money when buying and selling a lotus. While an MR2 does tend to depreciate 1K a year at nowadays ages.

You can make an MR2 that is just as fast around a track as a lotus for the same price. Buying a 2, new engine, new suspension, new wheels and it will be extremely difficult for a lotus to pull away.
So depends on whether you want to spend 10K on a car, or would prefer a bit slower car for 3K.

I enjoy my lotus and its the superior car. But I love Mr2s and will always regret selling my first two.

if your budget is 5K or under, you wont get a lotus, so it has to be an MR2.
For 10K you can get an MR2 as quick round a track as a lotus, but you will never have the same agility which comes with the car weighing 200KG less. Depends what you value more, turn in response or being able to do a 600 mile journey without going deaf and breaking your back. For me, I'm still unsure.If someone said to me, I can have my turbo back and 4K cash in my pocket, I would take them up on it. Building one from scratch and loosing the money that comes with all the modifying, would be to difficult to make.

Hope that's detailed enough  s:) s:)  IF your ever down south I'l take you for a drive, after I have taken Scott for one because he asked months ago!  s:) s:)

I didn't ask the question, but thanks for the answer... Nice read  s:) s:)

[angryman]

Thank you for such an informative and comprehensive explanation, it makes great reading.
Pretty much what you have explained is what i was kind of thinking, i know the elise is purely a drivers car and lacks certain refinements that the two has.
But, just purely because it is what it is i am still drawn to buying one, they are an absolutely stunning car to look at and i have fancied one for a while now.
It would be a stable mate for the two any way as i couldnt part with that.
They seem to hold their price very well .
I have my eye on an S1 and an S2 so ill post a pic when i find the right one.

Thanks again.

[ashbuck]

Sorry to bring up an old thread but the years have passed and tyres may have changed.
yesterday i spun off the motorway lucky no visible damage to me or my car apart from 3 wrecked tyres.
i have been searching the forum and lots of advice is given to which tyres are good.

i would quite like tyres with good performance as well a fuel efficiency and i don't mind spending a bit on them if it keeps me from facing oncoming motorway traffic in the wet.

so far i believe i have seen the following:

AD08R
Toyo T1R.
Hankook Ventus Prime 2
Dunlop Sport Bluresponse 185/55 R15 82V
Continental Conti Premium Contact 5
Continental Conti Premium Contact 2

*Edit no years have gone by :s maybe i did hit my head *

wondering if there was any advice thanks!

[cptspaulding]

FL sizes or PFL? I've been searching for a FL sizes to go all round & so far only found
AD08r
Toyo T1R
Dunlop Sportmaxx (I think)
Falken ZE914

From the research I've done, tyres appear to be a personal preference. Some can't see past the Toyo proxes whilst others can't abide the feel that the soft sidewalls give.

[ashbuck]

sorry may be an odd question but FL PFL?

the view on Toyo is a bit odd and your totally right. mind you the fuel efficiency isn't great and i can't help but think there have to be better tyres

[Jrichards20]

Facelift or Pre face lift. Depending on the year your car was made. Up to 2003? I think. Wheel sizes where 15's all round. Facelift was 16 rear 15 front. Therefore had different sized wheels.

You can easily see if yours is Facelift/pre facelift. By looking at the wheels sizes. Or whether you have a smile for a front bumper or a rectangle  s:) s:)  that's how I usually tell the difference.

[ashbuck]

oh that was a silly question lol PFL deffo
he garage is about 1.5 miles away but I'm almost on rims :s what also would you recommed

Edit:also some addition questions if thats ok.
What is the benefits of having a DOT?
can you replace a 82 V tyre with 86 V?

[mr mr2]

Ado8r on mine love them but there not a all year tyre I've have been in the wet with them but I wouldn't push them in the wet but in the dry there fantastic

[ashbuck]

like the look of the Ado8r now I'm seriously confused the tyres i have on the car are as follows PFL:

Front:185/55 R15 82V
Rear: 205/50R15 89V

however all tyre companies suggest:

Front: 185/55 R15 81V
Rear: 205/50 R15 85V