Tires

Bill Rehm · Post by **Bill Rehm** » Wed Jul 05, 2000 3:38 pm

It's time to replace the tires on my 91 MX5 with standard factory rims.

Can anyone offer some advice and recommendations in terms of:
tire performance/handling (both dry and especially wet weather), tire wear, quality of supplier's service, and of course cost?

I'm a JAFA who has average driving habits (but am known for usually driving over the speed limit).

Thanks in advance

Bill

Charles Lynch · Post by **Charles Lynch** » Wed Jul 05, 2000 3:46 pm

Bill,
I'm really happy with my Toyo T1-S's (see my review at
http://www.mx5club.co.nz/info/reviews.sht)

Cheers

Chic

humed · Post by **humed** » Thu Jul 06, 2000 9:06 am

Hi Bill,

I have recently put Dunlop Formula FM901's (185/60 14inch) on my 91.
Overall I am very impressed with the performance of these tires. The grip
in the dry is fantastic and the steering response of the car is now a lot
better then I had with the Michelins that these tires have replaced.
Performance in the wet still amazes me, and scares me should I ever find
the limit of their traction. Overall I am very happy with these tires.
Price normallly about $180 - $190, however I managed to get mine for $160
each balanced and fitted from Phil at Beaurepaires in Whakatane while I was
there for a long weekend.
Actually while I was having these tires fitted to my car two of the local
Police cars were also have sets of these tires fitted.

Dave

Post by **zorruno** » Thu Jul 06, 2000 12:07 pm

Hi Bill, Welcome to the list.

Have not driven the latest T1-Ss however they seem to be getting a fair
amount of good publicity lately. The club is giving $10 per tyre off your
next years membership.
see http://www.mx5club.org.nz/sponsors/sponsor_list.sht

Not sure of your budget, but I have had Bridgestone RE710s for the last 2
cars and will probably buy these next (or the next iteration of these the
711s) Wet and dry performance is very predictable, no roadnoise, and wear
seems very good for a Z rated tyre (not sure how good, as I sold my last car
at approx 12,000Kms wear and have only done 8,000 on my present tyres)

I found out that S-O2s, the next performance tyre up are only $50 or so more
per tyre so I may go that way next time if I can find out how much wear I
will compromise. A number of people in the club have Bridgestone G-Grids
which are also a directional tyre and are a good lower cost performance
tyre. (Although I couldn't find them in a 45/16 profile in NZ)

Also driven Kumho Excsta (SP!?!) - very sticky in dry - pretty sad in wet
compared to 710 but these were worn to the belt in just over 10,000Kms so I
would never buy them again. I'm told the sidewalls are too flexible on
these also, but I couldn't really notice it on a 16".

Not sure of pricing either as I get them through my partners work (and you
don't mention sizes), however I have heard Owen at Performance Tyres in
Morningside (JAFFAland) gives excellent deals.

H.

Fletcher Blades · Post by **Fletcher Blades** » Fri Jul 07, 2000 7:06 am

I'll second Howards reccomendation of seeing Owen at Performance Tyres in
Morningside. (Gt North Rd, between StLukes and Kingsland)

Sadly, the Toyo T1s arenet available in 14" (standard factory rim size).

Toyo do also make other models, including the FZ4 which I have no personal
experience with, but I know a guy who likes his.
When I had 14" rims, I went through two sets of Falken Zeix 502's. They are
a really good tire for the price (approx $160 each).

Goodyear, Bridgestone, Yokohama, Dunlop and all the "known" tyre brands have
good tyres too, but often their performance tyres are fairly highly priced
compared to the companies that are still trying to become well known...

But then, some people dont feel confident buying something they've never
heard of...

Owen at Performance Tyres really knows his stuff. Ring him up and talk to
him.

Fletch.

mx-5 · Post by **mx-5** » Fri Jul 07, 2000 9:18 am

Last month I had to replace all four tires and with a relatively tight budget I
couldn't afford to go to the likes of Mag & Turbo to get something really
flash. I checked out a couple of places and the closet most affordable tire to
the ones it came out of Japan with were Dunlop Monza's at $135 each fitted &
balanced from Beaurepaires. They took a couple of weeks of semi-cautious
driving to wear in, but now they feel great. I did a night trip to Hamner this
week in the rain and they performed superbly on that very windy road, they are
also just as good in the dry .. I live down a shingle road so they get driven
on all different kinds of surfaces. I am impressed as I was dubious what the
driving quality would be like on budget tires. Just another option

Regards
Tj

[...]

STANLEY, Murray · Post by **STANLEY, Murray** » Fri Jul 07, 2000 10:04 am

I have just changed onto Dunlop Monzas a few days ago and have been very
disappointed with how they feel. I am however heartened by the prospect
that they may wear in after a couple of weeks. My car originally came shod
with Bridgestone RE88s and the price of these tyres is comparable with the
Dunlop Monzas for those of us who are budget conscious. I went with the
Monzas because the local Bridgestone dealer in Alexandra didn't have any
RE88s in stock and it would have taken a few days to get them down here from
the warehouse in Auckland (and I needed a WOF and didn't want to wait).
With the new Dunlops, the car feels like it is "tippy-toeing" round fast
corners and gives me the impression that it is on the verge of lurching into
a big oversteering episode so I tend to take things a bit easier than I
normally would have with the RE88s. I had total confidence in the RE88s
even if they didn't look as fabulous as some of the other tyres around these
days. I think I will be going back to the Bridgestones if these Monzas
don't shape up. It's no good having an MX5 if you can't drive it like a
sports car.

Cheers
Murray Stanley

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mx-5 · Post by **mx-5** » Fri Jul 07, 2000 10:32 am

I agree Murray, whatever it was that came with the car when I got it were
brillant and I drove them till they were no longer warrantable ... I had the
Monza's put on and being the blonde I can be, proceeded to carry on driving
like I had before .. and was extremely lucky not to lose it later that
afternoon coming round a familiar bend. Big wake up call. I was horrified to
think I wasn't going to be able to drive my car the way I liked to and that I'd
wasted all that money on dud tires. I did some thinking and decided that if
they hadn't improved within 3 or so months they were coming off and being
replaced even if it meant a huge bill. I mean, like you say, what's the point
of having a sports car if it doesn't drive and handle like one? So I gave them
absolute heaps for several weeks thinking if they didn't perform it didn't
really matter. Now they feel good. I would have to say not quite as good as
what was originally there, but I have a feeling that with what else came with
the car that the Japanese owner only put the best of everything on it when
required. But the Monza's were what was affordable at the time for me. Just to
give you an idea, I do over 500kms a week going from country to town and back
again, the car has to cope with our shitty weather down here as well as shingle
roads, bad tarseal, bendy roads and town roading, so it was easy for me to wear
them in relatively quickly.

All the best of luck
Tj

[...]

Lindsay Vette · Post by **Lindsay Vette** » Fri Jul 07, 2000 2:18 pm

Hi,

I also put Dunlop Monzas on my car. My criteria was budget and noise - my
'90 came with some directional (I think Yokohamas) tyres that made so much
noise at 50 - 60kmh (but perfectly OK at 120kmh - just drive faster you all
say!) that I replaced them after owning the car for four days even though
they had plenty of tread left. From memory I paid between $115 and $125 per
tyre and got a trade in on the old jobs as they had some life left. That was
from Frank Allen Tyres in Quay St, Auckland.

Handling definitely changed and I don't feel quite as confident when it's
wet, but after a few months I decided I had either gotten used to them or
they got better as they wore in. Shortly after putting the tyres on I would
get the back end breaking loose under heavy acceleration in the wet but it
seems OK now.

At the Pukekohe day last October I felt that the oversteer I was getting was
manageable, and totally expected given the speed I was cornering at. I did
manage to do the final slalom course in the morning with the tail of the car
wagging about but was going significantly faster than the previous attempts.

Regards,
Lindsay

Sam Parker · Post by **Sam Parker** » Tue Jul 11, 2000 7:22 pm

I replaced the original Bridgestone tyres on our 90 with a set of Yokohama A509's - Dry and wet grip was improved, noise was same or a bit better and the steering (non power steer) was noticeably lighter, don't do enough Kms to comment on the wear but the original Bridgestones only did about 45,000kms which isn't flash for such a light car - they ere due to be replaced and I finished them off at the clubs Gymkhana at Whenuapai a couple of years back - I did a short article for the club newsletter at the time on them.

Regards

Sam & Denise Parker
340 Beach Road
Mairangi Bay
Auckland
NEW ZEALAND

Ph/fax 64 9 478 4761
Mobile sam 021 909 140, Denise 025 774 917
email samparker@clear.net.nz

Bill Rehm · Post by **Bill Rehm** » Mon Jul 17, 2000 11:42 am

Two weeks ago I sent the mssg below and to date have not recvd any reply.
While I'm not a club member I was hoping my enquiry would provide insight
to how helpful members are and candidly would likely motivated my joining.
I'm not opposed to this possibility. Can someone pls reply? Thanks again.

MX5 Club E-administrator · Post by **MX5 Club E-administrator** » Mon Jul 17, 2000 3:48 pm

Bill. There have been nine responses to this email. Responses get posted
to the list, (unless you request them to be sent to you personally) That
way everyone gets to see the responses, and it creates a little community

Therefore you have to be subscribed to see the responses.

I will pass all the replys on to you shortly. I'm pretty sure I also sent
you an email when you posted this as I suspected this might happen. Did you
not see it?

I have updated the instructions on the web site to make this a bit clearer.
Details on subscribing are at
http://www.mx5club.org.nz/emaillists/nz_mx5_list.sht
No you don't have to be a club member - this is an open list. However -
we'd love to have you...

e-administrator

Post by **zorruno** » Mon Jul 17, 2000 7:44 pm

Wow, now that is the kind of 1st class feedback I was hoping for. Thx
loads. If you don't mind what manuf makes T1-Ss?

Toyo. $10 discount per tyre if you're a club member
http://www.mx5club.org.nz/sponsors/sponsor_list.sht

Noted that humed has FM901s which he seems to be very plsd with. Know
anything about them?

Sorry No. Anyone else?

I ask because the local Beaurepaires has proposed these at $158ea incl
balance and GST. A performance tire dealer nearby says they are noisy and
recommends Uniroyals at $150ea incl balance and GST or next in line Yoko
A509s. Care to comment?

Owen at performance tyres says No to Uniroyals - you might want the
explaination from him! Might be fine for most driving styles however.
Owen's explaination will take 15 minutes or so though!... Also have no
experience with the Yokos.

Noticed that the $10 a tire savings towards membership is for a particular
brand of tire. Any idea what those tires are like?

See above. A lot of people are swinging toward the T1-S. (Ask Chic!) Very
good tyre from all accounts. And a price to match.

Have subscribed to the emasil list.

Welcome!

Thx again to you and everyone else for the advice.

No prob. That's what we're here for

H.

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