v8 tyre choices

[steve930]

Hi guys,  I need to renew my rear tyres (currently running sp9000's) I know these are now obsolete

 

My car also has sp9000's fitted on the front (which still have loads of tread) so I want to avoid changing these.

 

Is anyone running the successor to the sp9000, or running with a different make tyre on the rear etc etc,  What have you done, what are your thoughts?

 

[Vulcan Grey]

I am running a new set of Nitto NT-05's right now (235/40-17 and 285/35-18, stock V8 sizes), I like them so far, haven't driven in the rain yet though...

 

Had Pirelli Pzero Rossos for a long while (2 sets) but a front tire had a molding defect from the factory!  Not happy.  Otherwise they were fine, wet grip got bad when they were worn.

 

Had a set of GoodYear Eagle F1 GSD3, but they no longer make the size for the front.

[hedgerley]

SP9000's are getting pretty rare these days but more importantly are getting old. I had one of my fronts fail catastrophically late last year. Regardless of how much tread is left you should check the age and replace them if more than 4 or 5 years old. See my thread here - 

 

http://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/54296-i-guess-the-puncture-foam-wont-be-much-good/

 

Post #13 is where it gets interesting.

 

I have used Goodyear Eagle F1s on all my cars for years and have always been very pleased. Toyo Proxies are a good replacement as well.

[gixxer]

 Regardless of how much tread is left you should check the age and replace them if more than 4 or 5 years old. See my thread here - 

 

+1

Ditch any tires if they are more than 4 or 5 years old.

I mean, throw them far, far away from your car.

The rubber gets hard. Doesn't matter how much tread they have on them. They become unpredictable and slidy, especialy in the rain.

I had Michelin Super Sports (PS3s) installed and they work very well.

 

 

 

[steve930]

@travis, I don't think you can get nitto in the uk

@mark, I remember reading your tyre thread. my dunlops are approx 3 yrs old (date stamp on tyre)

So far that's two votes for the goodyears, I used to use the f1's years ago & did like them. The question is how would the car feel running the goodyears on the back & dunlops on the front? I never felt that the dunlops gripped that well, so maybe doing this might pronounce a bit more understeer.

[oneshot]

I have Michelin Pilot Sports on mine

[paul1972]

I'm running Yokohama Advan Sport in size 295 35 18,  with the SP 9000 still on the front and they so far seem to be a great improvement on the SP 9000 rears that were on before 

[steve930]

@ dave. Do you rate the Michelin's then? I'm guessing your car originally had Pirelli p-zeros

 

@ paul so no inbalance issues then, I expect the yokos offer more grip than the dunlops

 

I would change all 4 but my van needs 4 new tyres imminently, also my X5 needs new rears which are 325/30/20's !, so along with other bills its going to be an expensive month

[oneshot]

Steve

 

Only ever had Michelin Pilot sports on so nothing really to compare to but I have never had a problem with them. I have even driven on snow in them but I wouldn't recommend that!

 

It would originally have had P zeros  (in fact I have another set of 350 wheels with original P-Zeros on!). 

[steve930]

p.s. paul, welcome to the forum. You should post a "hello" thread in the introductions section, preferably with pics of your car.

 

I made the error of not doing this when I joined & when I met bibs he gave me a good fisting

 

p.p.s  If you sign up as a full forum member, you can get loads of discounts at various places & access to factory parts manuals etc

[Alex Carter]

I have mitch pilot sports all round and im actually impressed the previous owner had a set of teflon hedge fnders in the front and some eastern budgets on the rear although the slip was amusing is far nicer to know where the limit of the cars grip is

[paul1972]

 

well the yokos have a huge amount of grip, and a set of yokos will soon be going on the front the front in 245 40 17 size, just haven't the mind set to take old fronts of just yet as they have over 6mm left on them both !

[steve930]

thanks for all the feedback guys.  I've never got on with toyos so it will be either goodyears, Michelins or yokos

[cweeden]

I ran a set of F1s and acquired a set of Proxies and was able to compare them back to back. The proxies were OK but not as confident inspiring in the wet. I am a big fan of the F1s. :-)

 

cheers

 

-Chris

[steve930]

quick update,  I have gone for the latest Michelin ps3's.  I've not yet done enough miles to offer a feedback.  Unfortunately Michelin don't make/or intend to make this tyre in the 235/40/17 size for the front. 

 

Whilst halfway through changing the tyres I thought the Michelins looked notably wider than the old dunlops.  Laying both wheels on their backs on the floor (one with Dunlop, one with Michelin) i'd say the Michelins are approx 10-15mm wider than the dunlops. 

 

On this basis when I eventually change the fronts to Michelin's I think I will go for the 225 section rather than the 245, as i'm confident it will be just as wide as the Dunlop 235 & possibly not loose a bit of feel due to the increased diameter of the 245

[toyroom]

Now that so many of these tyres are obsolete, what are people going for now? I was hoping to use Yokohamas next time (I have Toyo at the moment as this was the only make which produced 4 tyres the same in the correct size)

[toyroom]

Looking at the Yokohamas, the only way to get 4 the same will be 295 on back (same as Sport 350) and 245 on front (same as Sport 300) Any reason this would be a problem? I have 98 MY O.Z.  Saturns of standard diameter

[steve930]

Can't see it being aproblem John.

 

I'm still running the Michelin's and I'm still really pleased with them 

[toyroom]

I would be, if you could still get them. They haven't reissued them in the correct size have they?

[swindon_alan]

Hello John

 

I put these on a couple of months ago, although I still haven't got the car back from the repairers yet to tell you what they are like. One other member has done the same. It's a matching set in the right sizes.

 

 

The reason I went this week was to oversee the new tyres getting fitted. As previously mentioned, I'm sure that the ten year old rubber - or should I say concrete - was partly to blame for the accident. So a new set deffo required. I had a lot of trouble finding a matching set of front and back but in the end opted for Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2's. They get good write ups as decent summer tyres (not taking it out in the wet if I can help it and definitely not when it is frosty!) They are standard for the car, 235/40 17" on the front and 285/35 18" on the rear. Interestingly one major tyre supplier wouldn't sell me the rears as they are "Mercedes fitment" and insisted that they should only go on a Merc. Hmmmm, no, every other supplier said that just meant that they are Mercedes OE standard...

[toyroom]

Thanks: will investigate further.

[Vanya]

I can vouch for Eagle F1 Assymetric 2 - they feel great, especially compared to 1996 original Michelins..:

[toyroom]

Problem is that Goodyears don't seem to come in the right sizes for all 4 to be the same tyre type. Is this correct or has anyone else found a source of 4 tyres of the same type in the correct sizes?

[swindon_alan]

Problem is that Goodyears don't seem to come in the right sizes for all 4 to be the same tyre type. Is this correct or has anyone else found a source of 4 tyres of the same type in the correct sizes?

 

 

You are not correct if you go for the original tyre sizes. All matching.

 

Where are you John? My local tyre guys in Wiltshire will fit you a set, on site...

[toyroom]

Do you mean that the tyres do or do not exist as 4 the same type with factory sizes (285/35 18 and 235/40 17)? I am in Merseyside but regularly travel south or would buy mail order if needed. If you mean by "not correct" that the original sizes are not available, what sizes are you using? I was considering Yokohamas with all 4 tyres 1cm wider.

Edited July 15, 2015 by toyroom