New to cars - what should i do about my tyres and brakes?

[Nikki]

Hey guys, I posted this thread ( viewtopic.php?f=18&t=77449&p=940165#p940165 ) – detailing my situation if u want to read it for context.

I have read a lot of threads on here and other websites about brakes and tyres, but honestly I find it very confusing. Looking for more straight forward help and recommendations (direct links to products would be great if possible lmao)

The car is a stock standard 1999 nb8a. (stock rims and suspension). My budget is quite small, as I have other stuff I need to fix up too – but at the same time, if im going to go through the effort of getting new stuff, I don’t want to completely cheap out and buy crap products.

Not planning on doing track days or anything, but I like spirited driving – through Macquarie pass etc so something that is going to give me a lot of grip and brakes that can take a lot of action.

So I need:
Rotors: what type and where to buy from?
Brakes pads: what type and where to buy from?
Tyres: what type and where to buy from? I heard the rs4 is good??? (the sizing really confuses me with tires – I like the chunkier full look to the wheel well if that’s a thing)

Also any advice on how easy/difficult it is to change these things by urself? Or where I should get it done if its hard?
Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[StanTheMan]

tyres,

everyone raves about the Bridges tomes Potenza RE003. great bang for buck. If you go to the mainstream places like Bob jane, You might find Bridgestone have a purchase 3 tyres get 1 free.

the ones I use are
super high performance but still road tyres . but probably significantly more expensive while perhaps only a fraction better grip in dry and stopping power.

https://www.jaxtyres.com.au/tyres/brand ... f6EALw_wcB
thgis is the Jax website.....just choose your car

basically your tyre size are a combination of metric & imperial sizes to fit around a wheel . Letters are max speed & weight rating for that tyre

[hks_kansei]

Rotors: what type and where to buy from?

RDA brake rotors are cheap and work fine.
Expect to pay about $40 per rotor for them (car will need 4)

Brakes pads: what type and where to buy from?

There's about as many opinions about brake pads as there are people.
But QFM brand pads (the HPX model) have a decent reputation for the price. About $80 per axle (car will need 2)

I'd stay clear of Bendix Brake pads, the General CT ones are pretty lacklustre at anything, and the better models like the "ultimates" are just wayyy more expensive than other brands.

Tyres: what type and where to buy from? I heard the rs4 is good??? (the sizing really confuses me with tires – I like the chunkier full look to the wheel well if that’s a thing).

Tyre sizing is thus:

195/50/15
195 = tyre tread width in mm
50 is sidewall height in % of width (so in this case it is 50% of 195, or 97.5mm)
15 is the rim (metal part of wheel) diameter in inches

As far as sizing goes, if you're not changing the wheels, keep to the same size as it has, otherwise the speedo etc will be off.

Factory size for the NB8A is 195/50/15

Tyre model wise, as metnioned above, the Bridgestone RE003 is a good balance of price/performance/life.

Also any advice on how easy/difficult it is to change these things by urself? Or where I should get it done if its hard?
Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Tyres will need to be fitted at a tyre shop, since they need to be balanced etc.
this is included in the price of the tyre in 99% of cases.

If the budget allows, it's best to have a wheel alignment done at the same time, so that they tyres wear evenly (and the car will drive nicer)


Brake rotors and pads can be done at home quite easily, you'll just need basic hand tools (spanners mainly) and a set of allen keys for the rear brakes.
I'd recommend also buying a tube of high temp grease, and some wax/grease remover.
The grease is to lubricate the slider pins that the calipers move on (the old grease is likely dried out)

the wax/grease remover is to wipe off the brake rotors before you fit them, since they often have an oily residue on them to prevent rust (good for that, but without removing it the brakes wont work)



Worth noting, if the rotors dont have any lip on the edge, and are above minimum thickness, you can use the existing ones with new pads to save a little money.

[Code4]

I also bought my first MX-5 at 180,000km and my trip to 210,000km sounds similar to yours. Basic servicing first, dont fix what isn't broken till you can afford to replace safety and reliability items.
How much brake pad have you left ? There are youtube videos explaining how to find this out and the acceptable wear limits. If you have wear left and the car pulls up in a straight line then you are fine.
Replacement discs will need to be standard size to fit your standard rims if they need replacing.
I had RS3's and found them too loud for daily driving. The RS4 is louder ! according to the manufacturer.
If you want a quiet, consistent (predictable) and comfortable tyre that will last a long time, the Michelin Pilot Sport 3 may suit you but the entry price is a bit high and won't have the ultimate dry grip of other tyres.
The best improvement I made to the handling and ride of my NB8A was a wheel alignment (from someone who knows MX5's) and to replace the factory shock absorbers. They were the original shocks and totally shot at 180,000km. Again, you don't need high dollar items to get a comfortable ride and acceptable handling.
... and enjoy that car. Even in standard spec they are very rewarding and entertaining.

[Mr Morlock]

What do you really need to replace? My front pads were changed about 70,000 klm and still going fine at 160,000 klm. Disc rotors will normally be machined when you change pads and if in spec they dont need to be replaced. Tyres are all much of a much for price and a check around retailers soon suss out pricing. All tyre service centres get regular special deals, like Myer has sales,- some maker is offering a deal on a regular basis. If tyres are good just leave them alone. I change tyres when needed. I recently had some rotors machined on car to fix pulsation- quick fix worked and the pads are still ok.