FunkyR

Hi guys, I've got a DC5 Type R and am getting 17" rims....

Which is the better tyre do you think??

I've heard that S02 has better dry grip and the S03 better wet grip.... and that the S02 wears out quicker....

Austblue

FunkyR, I don't know enough about tyres to give you a good advice on them but I might be able to give you a bit of guidance to get the answer that you're after.

Have you enquired about these two tyres at your local Bridgestone? I am quite certain that the 'w' rated SO2s dont come in 17" so you might have to cross them off the list to begin with. As for the S03s most distributers will admit that they are an inferior performance tyre to the S02 in general so I know that I would be looking to other manufacturers.

Check out this thread that has just recently discussed the latest tyre tests and read through the thread rather than just looking at the numbers because there are alot of good points being raised and there is much to learn from these guys that have tested the different tyres.

http://forums.s2ki.com/forums/showthread.p...threadid=162144

If you dont find your answer in there then do a search on tyre using this button and select the australian forum. You will get plenty of good reading but with these threads you should keep in mind the date that they were written to keep things in perspective.

Good luck and welcome to the board

FunkyR

Hi, thx for the input.....

My stock tyres are rated 89V and I've called Donnellans in Melb and they have quoted me the following prices for suitable tyres (ie speed rated compatible).....

$225 S-02 225/45/R17 (clearance price)
$290 S-03 225/45/R17

I was almost set on the S-03 since they're quiter, handle better in the wet and last longer, but looking at the tempting price of the S-02s now I'm not sure..... Even considered Eagle F1-DS3 (rated top by EVO magazine 2002).... but they dont quite handle as well as the S-03s in the dry.

Knowing Melb weather, it rains quite a bit, but I practically never push the car too hard in the wet....

That's my dilemma! Pay less for S-02s or go for S-03s which are more practical and a street tyre.....

FunkyR

Here's another review site I've been looking at:

Tye Rack

and

EVO 2002 tyre test

(I'm told the Bridgestone's they tested were the S03s even though the tread pattern doesnt look like a S03)...

The Eagle's won more so on subjective marks than objective (which isnt what I'm looking for)

DavidM

FunkyR, the most important thing to keep in mind is that different tyres are suited more/less to different cars. What could be good on the S2000, might not be good on the IT-R ... or Monaro and vica versa. So you're better off looking for a tyre test where the car used has similar characteristics to your car ie. the EVO test as they used a perfrormance oriented small sized front-wheel-drive car.

I was almost set on the S-03 since they're quiter, handle better in the wet and last longer

I can't comment on the S02 vs S03 on an IT-R, but on a HSV the S02s lasted longer. The grip levels were not that different (in a dry and wet), but they went in favour to the S02. ALso, I di not notice any noise difference ... ContiSport2 are a lot quieter than both. Keep in mind this is a 1700kg, 260kW rear-wheel-drive car that I'm talking about and might not be applicable to you.

CKY

Funky
the s02s tend to work well with the DC5..at that price for the size I would consider them...although RE711s would last longer and probably be a more suitable tyre..

naishou

I had S02s on a modified ST162 Celica which was a similar car to an ITR in terms of weight, tyre size, drivetrain setup and suspension characteristics. They were brilliant and especially so in the wet (talking about S02 Pole Positions here - totally different animal from the tyres on the S2000). This is quite a few years back though and they've probably been caught and overtaken by the competition.

RedRover

FunkyR, tyres that work well on an S2000 may not necessarily work well on an ITR (and vice versa).

If you want to see discussion on S2000 tyres try here

http://forums.s2ki.com/forums/showthread.p...threadid=145478

However, I strongly recommend you talk to the owners on the Integra board http://forums.clubrsx.com/

There's a special forum devoted to Integra wheels & tyres there. If you're Melbourne based I suggest you send a PM to slick who will probably be able to organise a good deal for you.

#69

Funky i've been looking at a set of 17" tyres and that price for the S-02s is phenomenal! Considering they are a recognised top end tyre ,at that price they are an excellent buy, you could do much much worse as there aren't many tyres that compare to S-02, and most of those will be $300+. For my money it;d be my choice.

On the point David made about using results on a similar car, the EVO test used a Focus RS which is comparable to a DC5R so use the results of that test as a guide. It points to GS-D3s, whose wet weather grip would be advantageous in Vic.

RedRover

Any arguments about the weather can be settled at this site.......

http://members.optusnet.com.au/~darrengile...atherdebate.htm