Tyres
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Joined: May 2014
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In the UK...
Crap weather, lots of rain, crap road surfaces.. plus some owners don't give a hoot about tyres (bizarrely).
It's why it's subjective. After driving over 100k miles in s2000s over the years - and not all motorway, the Michelins wear well and grip is good. I trust them, and can lean on them no bother.
I think Bridgestone tyres, and Goodyear suit different cars (were great on my previous FWD VW Golfs and 4wd Golf R). However, there's no point delving into tyre comparisons. Sidewall flex comes into it. Track day tyres is a totally different subject, and not this one. The OP doesn't engage in that.
The UKs fave are the PS4/4s/5/Cup, especially the BMW crowd.
I made a terrible mistake 20 years ago and replaced the already dodgy S02's with Avon ZZ3's. Absolutely twitchy as hell and never made that mistake again putting on my S2k.
However - not joking, the ZZ3's were sublime on my later BMW 530d Sport as a great all round tyre, and worked brilliantly in the Winter Snow!
I think in fairness the Bridgestones have to be really warmed up to give you grip on spirited drives. i found they wore quickly, like Contis. Takes a few years to learn what's best for your own application
Crap weather, lots of rain, crap road surfaces.. plus some owners don't give a hoot about tyres (bizarrely).
It's why it's subjective. After driving over 100k miles in s2000s over the years - and not all motorway, the Michelins wear well and grip is good. I trust them, and can lean on them no bother.
I think Bridgestone tyres, and Goodyear suit different cars (were great on my previous FWD VW Golfs and 4wd Golf R). However, there's no point delving into tyre comparisons. Sidewall flex comes into it. Track day tyres is a totally different subject, and not this one. The OP doesn't engage in that.
The UKs fave are the PS4/4s/5/Cup, especially the BMW crowd.
I made a terrible mistake 20 years ago and replaced the already dodgy S02's with Avon ZZ3's. Absolutely twitchy as hell and never made that mistake again putting on my S2k.
However - not joking, the ZZ3's were sublime on my later BMW 530d Sport as a great all round tyre, and worked brilliantly in the Winter Snow!
I think in fairness the Bridgestones have to be really warmed up to give you grip on spirited drives. i found they wore quickly, like Contis. Takes a few years to learn what's best for your own application
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Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Michigan
I miss Dunlop tires, my favorites on the S2000 were the original Star Specs and then the Direzzas. Have the PS4 (summers) on now and while they're fine as an everyday tire, they just don't grip as well as I'd like. I also have the PS4 (all season) on my Giulia Quadrifoglio and I wish I'd tried something else. The Giulia came with Pirelli Corsa (with a 60 TW rating) that are super sticky but wear out just by looking at them. I'm noticing the same on my 911 that I put the PS4 (summer) on earlier this year, nice tire, but don't grip all that well when it's warm out, the PZero's it came with are better imo.
I hated the Bridgestone RE050's on my S2000 when I bought it, way too twitchy and unpredictable but the RE-11's were quite good and completely different.
Tires are super subjective, some people like twitchy, some like stable, we all want decent wet weather grip and I'm yet to find something that's "perfect", think the closest was the Star Spec but they weren't brilliant in the wet.
Sorry the ramble, the PS4 is fine for all weather use (even the summer ones) just not perfect in the warmer temps, in my experience.
I hated the Bridgestone RE050's on my S2000 when I bought it, way too twitchy and unpredictable but the RE-11's were quite good and completely different.
Tires are super subjective, some people like twitchy, some like stable, we all want decent wet weather grip and I'm yet to find something that's "perfect", think the closest was the Star Spec but they weren't brilliant in the wet.
Sorry the ramble, the PS4 is fine for all weather use (even the summer ones) just not perfect in the warmer temps, in my experience.
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Joined: May 2014
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Yeah the star specs were kinda the shit for a while back in the day. They just got a bit overdone by the RE-11 on the autocross side of things but still were great tires. I liked mine. I think star specs were the last tires I ran on my OEM Ap1 wheels before I switched to 255 square and other wheels.
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 50,803
Likes: 3,396
From: Michigan
The Direzza's are very good as well, just noisy on the highway over expansion gaps/tar bits. I lovingly referred to them as the 'verp verp' tire. I still have a set on a second set of wheels but they're out of date now so I don't run them anymore.
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 24,769
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From: Stanmore
Most of these tyres were never available in the UK, especially so for the 16" wheels.
A Caterham owning friend informed me that Avon have gone out of business, so his preferred tyres are no longer available.
Apparently somene is setting up a company called "NovA" (geddit?) to begin making them again.
A Caterham owning friend informed me that Avon have gone out of business, so his preferred tyres are no longer available.
Apparently somene is setting up a company called "NovA" (geddit?) to begin making them again.
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LaSer911
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Jun 30, 2021 08:02 AM