New Tyre recommendations

[Richard_Sideways]

Currently running Yoko A539 195/45/r15 and have for years, but the ones on at the moment have had it and they seem to have become rare as rockinghorse teeth. But time marches on so I need to find an alternative which works well on the road, can cope with a bit of ragging it on the odd Autosolo without falling to bits but won't put me in the poorhouse.

Yoko S-Drives have been suggested as an alternative to the A539s - anyone got any time on them?

 

[fubar andy]

Yes, stop buying Yoko tyres unless it's AD08 or A048's

I've run Yoko's for years and unless it's the tyres above then doubt bother. Yoko tyres are garbage and you can do much better at similar cost

Bridgestone Adrenaline
Goodyear AS2's
Falken FK453

All well priced and far superior to those nasty old Yoko's

 

[campbellju]

Looking around there was not a lot of choice in that size.

I then realised that the size is too small. For 15" I believe you want 195/50/15

195/50 R15 Tyres | lovetyres.com

Of those I'd choose the Yoko AD08R for mainly dry driving/track or Michelin PS3 for day to day.

I struggle to recommend anything else when the PS3 is so cheap. The problem is availability. If there were a Goodyear AS2 or a Michelin PSS available that would be my starting point but they're not.

 

[campbellju]

As an aside, those A539's must be very old. I bought a set once and they were the only tyres I scrapped with lots of life left. It was a different car and many people at the time (2000?) liked them for their progressive nature but I never got on with them. Something like a set of PS3's will be a revelation.

 

[fubar andy]

A539's were discounted yonks ago (it seams a few people have some old stocks knocking about)

The S and C drives are its replacements....dreadful tyres!

Should have added a link for tyres too :hide:

195/50/15

 

[campbellju]

Interesting, camskill are cheaper on the AD08R's and lovetyres on the PS3's. Someone mentioned another cheap tyre place on another forum recently but I can't remember them. Who else do people use?

 

[vpulsar]

I intend to fit Uniroyal rainsport 3's to mine when it's finished, I had them on my Saab and they were a fab all round tyre I was really impressed, I found them to be better in every department to my previous Michelin pilot sports.




Rob

 

[Makaveli_se7en]

A539's are bloody terrible ditch finders, fitting a set of remoulds would be an improvement lol

Currently running Bridgestone S001 and Conti Sport Contact 5 on my cars, both of which seem OK but not really pushed on them hard.

 

[shroom]

A539's are bloody terrible ditch finders, fitting a set of remoulds would be an improvement lol

Currently running Bridgestone S001 and Conti Sport Contact 5 on my cars, both of which seem OK but not really pushed on them hard.

Maybe that's why he is Richard Sideways lol

 

[vpulsar]

I agree I fitted A539's once and didn't like them at all was glad they wore out quickly lol.

I drive my cars very hard across the Scottish country side and these days I don't scrimp on tyres and always buy the best available that's why I always had the pilot sports until I read an article about the uniroyals so I thought I'd try them on the front to compare with the new pilots on the back, And I found both really good in the dry and wet but the Uniroyals just had the edge in the wet inspiring some very spirited cornering lol

 

[campbellju]

Which PS were you using Rob. PS2, PS3 or the latest PSS?

 

[vpulsar]

Pilot sport 3 mate, Not tried the very latest ones as I have a jeep now lol.

I've always been impressed with the pilots but for half the price the uniroyals are a real bargain, The pilots where £150 each and the Uniroyals where £77 mate.


Rob

 

[Richard_Sideways]

So nobody likes Yoko - its the Beatles all over again.
TBH, i've never had an issue with them - to the point where this set is probably the third set its had over the years (this ones lasted so long as it included nearly 2 years of the old girl being off the road).

Thanks for the suggestions, will go off for a browse.

**Update** pulled the trigger on a set of Pilot Sport 3s - £62 per corner fitted through Black Circle.

 

[KieranEG6]

In 195/50/15 the only really options I would consider are
Bridgestone Adrenaline RE002 or Ps3, I would class the Bridgestones higher alround and fair bit cheaper than the Michelin.
But if I had the cash it would be Ad08s. Talking mainly road tyres. There really is not a lot else in that 15" size. Uniroyals are said to be decent in wet but have too soft a sidewall for me.

 

[red reading]

Ad08 are good for fast road and track, ok in the damp but shit with standing water, toyo t1r are good for the road and very progressive in the wet but do melt quickly on a dry track!

 

[Richard_Sideways]

Ok, been a while, but thought I'd update on the above. The Rainsports are toast. Killed em. Ok, yes I ragged them hard on a few Autosolos, but I would have preferred to get a few more miles out of them than I did before the canvas appeared. They were a good road tyre, but BOY were they soft. Soft on the sidewalls too. Just ordered up 4 new Toyo t1r Proxes as they were really cheap, and on the mooch for a spare set of wheels that I can switch around for competing...

 

[keastygtir]

What I like about the PS range vs some of the others (toyo, uniroyal, yoko) is the sidewall stiffness. I personally dont like the feel of that second movement on early turn in you can get with some of them. I also hear the adrenaline 2 as supposed to be good.

(specific to our cars)

 

[warpspeed]

I used to like T1R's until I saw a week old set with bulges all round the sidewall on one tyre, driven very gently and fitted properly, that put me off.
Had Falken Ze912's on recently but was disapointed with them, I know they are the older design but poor dry grip and ditchfinders in the wet.
R888's....good for a road tyre but useless after a few laps on track, surprisingly they were ok in the wet except standing water.
Avon Tech R's are the best tyre I've ever used but not really a road tyre even though they are e marked and dot approved, did 150 miles round Mallory on a wet but drying track the soaking track in the afternoon, was able to push all day long and even went round the outside of a Megane R26R driven by a Renault test driver at Gerrards (he wasn't impressed) doing about 100mph, at the end of the day I was surprised to still have 4mm tread having started the day new at 5mm. Again they didn't like standing water but that not a surprise when they only have two circumferential grooves..
I have a set of Parada's to try next that I got cheap.

 

[Richard_Sideways]

I'll keep an eye on them.