SE tyres?

[C+C]

Hi guys,

I will be up for some new tyres for my SE sometime this year. Not very happy with standard tyres though. I think they are 205/40 on 17

I would like to go for a more street legal track-like tyre (something like the STi's potenza's) that give me
- wet weather grip
- great cornering stability
- medium wear
- rim guard

Any suggestions?

Also what sizes can i choose from to fit the standard rim that are relatively popular and dont make it anymore firm!!!!

Thanks

[pinkie]

My SE will also be due for some new rubber soon.

Guess we better do our own research C+C. The silence is scary on this one.

Let me know what you come up with and I'll do the same.

[Boags]

You will be looking at about $400 per corner for semi-slicks in 17\"...

All I can say is OUCH! ASE05 bought some nice rubber for his SE recently, PM him and ask.

Boags

[Craig]

I know Benny's very happy with his Falken RT615's in 17's

[Boags]

I know Benny's very happy with his Falken RT615's in 17's

I think that is what ASE05 got.

Boags

[C+C]

I quite like the look of the falkens, what sizes do they come in that would fit the SE 17\" rims.

Has onyone used the kuhmos ectsa mx's?

Any others?

Is it too much to expect to get 30,000 km from city driving?

cheers

[floda]

I had this same conversation the other day, the question was can we fit 215 not 205 / 40 x 17s.

The theory was that the sideweall would be straighter putting more rubber on the road.

Any comments????

[Boags]

Is it too much to expect to get 30,000 km from city driving?

Yes.

215s will increase your rolling diameter a poofteenth, but I can't imagine them not being suitable. Try a tyre calculator like the one on miata.net to see how big the difference is.

Boags

[rhysk]

The RT615s are quite narrow, so I'd suggest 215/40/17.

I have RT615s in 205/40/17. They are not a R-spec type, but they have chunky tread blocks, and the level of grip is higher than what you'd expect from a conventional street tyre. I don't know how you drive so I can't say you will get 30 000 km from a set, but 20 000 should be obtainable.

[StanTheMan]

This is how a RT615 compares to some other tyres in my boocks. It may not be of any use but here we go anyway. I love the RT615's but they do have compromises.


RT615 will be nowhere near as good as a fresh set of DO1's which seem to be the norm for the MX5 racers in production sports & super sprints. I found the RT215's superpb in the wet at wakefield. The R888 I believe are also better (faster) than the RT615's in the dry. you will find about ONE - TWO seconds between a good set of DO'1s & the RT 615's at wakefield racetrack
In a shagged set of DO'1 which has been dríven on the road to & from events , occasional thrash up some twistie road & maybe half way through its tread.....you will find time wise, will be the same. except i found the DO1's a little better & slightly more controllable when drifting through some corners at the top of wakefield. compared to the RT 215's (RT615's predecessor)

RT615's will get to operating temprature quicker than DO1's
RT615 will overheat mutch quicker & start getting a little mushier on the limit at the racetrack.

DO1 i personally don't recomend for road use. I found you have to go absolutley apeshit to keep them on their optimum operating temprature. & take some serious conering to keep them there. I also think that road use absolutley kills thier performance.

In sydney winter RT615's take 2 or 3 corners to warm up so do be carefull in city traffic. In peak hr traffic they mostly do not get up to operating temp. They can bite when not on operating temp. but so can the DO1's

The RT 615 is very well suited to skidpan days. where they don't get a chance to get too hot but i've read people still need to cool them down with water spray between go's.

The RT 215 had a reputation of loosing grip in puddles. never had that problem & i did some serious wet weather driving up putty Rd & the old pac. The RT615's are meant to have solved the apparent issue. I have not dríven the RT615 in wet weather.

The R888 is probabl;y somewhere between the DO1's & the RT615's

DO1 wil prolly last you 5-8k km
R888 will last somewher around 8-10k km
RT615 will prolly last 15-20k km.
All the above depends how heavy the car is. The style of your driving & your allingnment settings. Mine is reasonably aggressive. Driving as well as allingnment settings


I've not dríven on R888 but kula has a set waiting to be fitted to his car. He will be the man. Eggbox may have had a set as well. maybe they can commet.


hope thats not too confusing
thats what my experience has been

[StanTheMan]

pinkie......

hope you don't mind me saying this.....
RT615's are possebly a little hard core for you.

Toyo TR1 are the are comfortable and don't need warming up but also deliver plenty of grip. Great street tyre. But will probably fall apart on the track.(figure of speech)

[pinkie]

Whaadya mean hardcore - the Mickey Thompson slicks just won't f*****g fit Stan!

Maybe for the Holden hey!

PS: You're right I don't need a racing tyre - just good tyres that will easily get 30k - the stock Toyo's have done 20k and look good for another 10-15k - in my book that's OK.

[Alf]

Whaadya mean hardcore - the Mickey Thompson slicks just won't f*****g fit Stan!

Maybe for the Holden hey!

PS: You're right I don't need a racing tyre - just good tyres that will easily get 30k - the stock Toyo's have done 20k and look good for another 10-15k - in my book that's OK.

I found that after 20k the stockers still had plenty of tread, but had gone quite hard. Tended to spin 'em up when planting the foot in third on a wet road. Replaced them with some Yoko AVS ES100's on 16" wheels and gained both grip and handling. The Pilot Precedas I've got on now are probably about the same standard as the yokos.

Cheers.
Alf

[timk]

What do you consider a good price for the RT615 in the 215/40/17 size? The previous owner of my SE put \"Tornado\" tyres on it. I've never heard of them before but they are complete rubbish.

Cheers

[C+C]

I have the opportunity to buy some 'new' RT215 215/45/17

- i thought they were preceeded by RT615, does that mean they are old, and if so are they still ok
- how do they stack up to the RT615' for suitability for fast road and the odd track use, wet use, wearability, tyre noise, how many km's
- will the above trye size fit ok on the 17\" rims without too much trouble?
-how do i check that the tyres are legit, and not cheap imports/fakes

cheers guys