Just picked up MY01 & I am in love.
What a sweet machine, perfect condition & only 13k miles, it even smells new!
This car has everything, looks, speed, handling & a 10 disc player in the trunk.
My only concern, so far, are the rear tyres.
They look new but do not match the fronts.
The dealer told me the car came this way. - I doubt this!
In front are the Potenza S-02 205/55R16.
In the rear are Delta Esteem XLE 225/50TR16.
I know the rears are supposed to be wider, but the Delta's have a different tread pattern.
In just a few days of driving, everything seems fine.
Any problems with this set up?
Thanks!

 

um... yea

maybe my lack of experience at tyre place, i've never heard of that tire. the size are correct. i think teh previous owner just got some cheap tire put on before he sells the car. i don't know what kind of tire is esteem exl and i'm pretty sure that are not as good handling as the s02. try go change it out cuz s2k is a tail happy car. with less grip in the rear means you butt is going to come out a lot easier.

stock size is 205 55 16 front and 225 50 16 rear.

 

Bad tires, wrong size.

Take a look at the treadwear rating on the Deltas.... gonna be pretty high (like 300+). The rating on the S02 is 140.

This means the front tires are gonna be nice and sticky, while your rear tires will be hard as a rock and not so sticky.

Also, if you put aftermarket tires on our car, you need a 245 width. The stock S02 is not really 225, to get any other tire to match up, you need a 245.

And....mis-matched front and rear tires make this car even more difficult to control in less-than-ideal condotions.

Be very careful, and go invest in some new tires. You don't HAVE to get S02s, just get a full set of the same tire in the correct size.

Enjoy

 

ive had a problem with alignment running different tires on a car...u should change em.

 

Contact Jim at TireRack. If you are running stock wheels, and do not want to spend for Bridgestone S02s, then (as the the person above stated) you will need to run 245s in the rear. It is very important to match up your tires as you are risking major damage to your new S (sliding the back end into a curb for example)

Check out the Tire & Wheel Forum section under Forums. All the info you will need is located in the various tire threads.

 

delta esteem????

without seeing them, i just know it's a CHEAP tire.

as in, ford aspire

 

Actually, Hyundai.....not that that's any better!

 

hyundai made the accent. ford produced winners such as the aspire and the festiva.

regardless of the name on the tire... they're smaller than what should be on the S. before you pack the rear end into a ditch, go out and get some S-02's.

good luck and watch the throttle in turns especially with those super-duper delta esteems.

 

I had a very similar experience.

When I got my car it had the orginial S02 on the front and Kumho 712 on the rear (stock sizes)

Its not just the tread but the different tire compound (likey harder than S02) will cause the backend to be extreamly loose.

I've since gotten new rims & rubber and can attest that car feels enormously more balanced.

My advice, get a line on getting S-02's for the rear and burn up the Delta's at the next Autocross event.

 

245s??? Tat's 20mm more than the stock width? Will it cause a prob fitting the stock rims? And is it really neccessary? Thanx.....