tyre shopping

butters · Postby **butters** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 2:35 pm

i took possesion of my new baby last night. a 91 white hard top with a/c. it is a beautiful car to drive and i'm looking forward to learning how to drive it.

i do have a bit of a shopping list for it but that will come all in good time. one issue i'd like to address are the tyres. it has a set of uniroyals that have gone a bit hard and showing cracks all through the tread. so i've gone to a few tyre places today and told them i wanted something nice and sticky and i'm not too concerned about wear. this is what i got:

pirelli p6000 $142
falken azenis st115 $120
Bridgestone potenza g3 $120
BFG G-force $110 (made by michelin)

just interested to see if anyone has any comments.

note i'm thinking of a possible second set of tyres down the track on some Starcorps for trackdays/cruises/ golf trips up mt Tamborine :wink:

probably falken azenis rt215? $190

Brad · Postby **Brad** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 3:59 pm

Firstly, you can't get RT215's anymore, they are called RT615's and are a little more expensive. I paid $200 for 195/60/14 when they were first released. Still an excellent tyre and are by all accounts much better in the wet, less noisy and still great for track work and fast road use.

I had 2 sets of ST115's on my Pug and they were great. Did many trackdays and hard drives and they lasted about 30,000kms. As a direct comparison, I was chasing Cal in his Mi16, in my 306 S16, same power and weight, he had the older Azenis RS (which I ended up putting on my MX5) and I had the ST115's and he couldn't get away from me on a tight mountain pass.

rodent · Postby **rodent** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 4:10 pm

I haven't tried the others so I can't provide a qualified opinion, but I love my P6000's (they're the \"Powergy\" model, whatever that means). Great grip in both wet and dry. 5,000km and so far, so good.

Congrats on the new car btw. SHOW US PICS!!

jonno.

Craig · Postby **Craig** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 5:41 pm

Being a 91 the stock rims are 14x5.5, go hunting for a nice set of 15x6 NB8A (98-2000 standard rims) or 15x7...maybe even a set of the starcorps in 15x6.5

smiles · Postby **smiles** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 9:49 pm

I've had the Azenis ST-115's before and they're a pretty good road tyre. No comparison to the RT215 or 615's for track days but you're looking at getting a 2nd set for track work so it's no issue.

Have you got a price for the Falken FK-451's, they're about the same as the ST-115's and usually a bit cheaper, but also noisier.

Interested to hear what ppl think of the G3, aren't they a relatively recent release?

Garry · Postby **Garry** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 8:54 am

My experience relates to the 15\" wheel size on a '96 NA.

I liked the P6000's. They had reasonable grip in the dry but were very progressive when they let go and easy to drive on the limit. Wet weather grip was incredible, best I've ever experienced. They were very noisey though. One of those tyres that sounds like the wheel bearings were on the way out and thats the main reason I didn't get them again.

I thought the Potenza G111's were nothing special. I found them a step down from the model they replaced. Average grip wet and dry, hard riding and not paticularily quiet. They were cheap though at around $117.

93_Clubman · Postby **93_Clubman** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 11:40 am

currently running bridgestone potenza gIII (185/60/14) purchased in jan 03. have run bridgestone potenzas in their various iterations for the last 15 years or so on mx5s, but when i get a new set of tyres early next year i'll be paying more & going for something different, probably the higher spec falkens or yokos. have been happy with the bridgestone potenzas as a low hundred & something dollar tyre, but other companies have caught-up (& passed them in some regards?).

JSE · Postby **JSE** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 5:01 pm

I heard that Falken tyres are shocking in the wet? A good mate who works as a tyre fitter put a set on his S15 and said they were terrible compared to the Potenza's that he usually has on.

Correct or incorrect?

Brad · Postby **Brad** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 5:12 pm

I found mine very good in the wet, though it was a FWD car which will have different handling traits to a RWD

red63sprint · Postby **red63sprint** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 6:51 pm

I rang up about the RT615's today. No 185/60's are made.

Brad said he had 195/60/14 - they are the wrong size?

Shouldnt they be 185/60? 95's would be an inch too tall wouldnt it?

From the sound of things - best bet for a stock 14 inch rim would be the ST 115's then??

David

Slugoid · Postby **Slugoid** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 1:10 am

If you had 15\"+ rims, I would recommend the Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3's. They are quite good for the price imo.

butters · Postby **butters** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 9:48 am

yeh i'd have to get 15\"s to get rt615/215

butters · Postby **butters** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 9:56 am

i'll probably go the st 115. i'm getting fulcrum to give me an aggressive wheel alignment tomorrow. i'm just enjoying the idea that i only have to spend $120 for good tyres. my previous car was a suzuki grand vitara, tyers started form $250. spastic 235/60 r16.

might see some of you guys at the tech night tommorow? a friend with a '98 and i are keen to become club members. can bring the form and cash tomorow night.