Yes, there's a load of threads about tyres. Sorry... I am about to pull the trigger on a set of Superformance wheels. But what tyres to put on them? I spoke to my local shop and they offerred Pirelli's or Kumho's. Does anyone have a preference.? I was going to just buy the Pirelli's and be done with it but I thought I would consult the masses. I will order the rims tomorrow and the tyres the following day. The intention being to get this done by Saturday. Thanks Andy
I don't know what size you're shopping for but take a look at Riken. Raptor ZR. Company is a Michelin subsidiary. https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Riken&tireModel=Raptor+ZR I have them on my Mercedes coupe, they are just as good as the Michelin Pilots I had on it before. REALLY. I've got a couple thousand miles on them now and I am very happy with them at 1/4 the price of the Pilots. Barring that, I ran Kuhmos on a Porsche Boxster S for a while, liked them as well.
I fitted the Toyo Proxes R1R. Really nice tyre. I think they also look great. Very good grip and they stay nicely "in shape" under heavy cornering and braking. However when about half worn they can get tricky in the wet.
Here are the 10 year old 4000 miles Kumho ECSTA SPT on my 308 QV. They still look and run good. I was looking for the same tire for replacement but I think they are no longer available. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Thanks everyone for your opinions, I am now leaning towards the Kumho's. But I'll have another chat with my tyre guy and see what other brands he does. Looking at the various websites it's clear that for each tyre size, each manufacturer offers a range of compounds/treads etc. (and prices!) I'm finally ditching my TRX wheels and tyres. The tyres are embarrassingly old and are now a liability & every journey last year felt like a gamble. They have plenty of tread on them but should I have an accident, for whatever reason, the age of the tyres would be seen as a contributing factor. And I don't want that hanging over me any more.
Hi Andy, What ever you do decide on putting onto the new rims your ride will be totally transformed for the better. I put Toyo compound on mind replacing 11 year old rock hard Pirelli P-Zero's. After a half a dozen turns on new rubber I thought I was driving a totally different car. New rubber will feel amazing and smoothness/less noise and cornering will deliver a great positive feel. Have fun
Thanks Paul. I'm really looking forward to it. I'm hoping that the toil of the last few years on the suspension/brakes/steering rack will pay dividends. I've bought Kumho HS51's - the whole set is about the same price as a single TRX tyre... My choice was actually quite limited because I wanted the same tread pattern front and back - apparently some makes have different tread patterns for the different sizes. But the race to get this done for the weekend has been scuppered, Superformance have sold out of 16" rims and are waiting on a delivery in the next fortnight...
Andy, I'm sure you realize this, but the Superformance 16" wheels are a copy of a front wheel. They do not have the correct profile of a period 16" rear wheel. There is a "deep dish" rim on the rears. Once you know what to look for it's very easy to see.
That's interesting, I didn't know that. Unfortunately my options are limited. When I was chatting to Superformance, we got around to the subject of the limited wheel choice which obviously plays in their favour. I suggested that they produce a version of the Compomotive TS17's, they listened sympathetically. Heaven knows how much they would cost but it would be great if they were available.
Hi Andy, I just replaced my 9 year old P7's, which were hard. Just flogged the crap out of them on the track the other day and they barely got warm, didn't wear, and certainly didn't stick! They still look like new, but are positively dangerous in the wet. I've been looking at various options, and you're right about the staggered tyre choice - very hard to get matching F&R tyres. Even harder in Oz. I decided to go up a size (225/50 front, 245/45 rear), and opted for Continentals. Only a brief drive so far, but going on a 3000 km run next week on them. They certainly fill the guards nicely. Incidentally, I have a set of TS-17's, which cost me my first borne son and my left kidney. I've been humming and harring over tyre sizes and didn't want to use them on such a long trip without trying them out on shorter runs first, so they stay naked for now.
Hi Patrick, there is no 'incidentally' needed. I am well aware that you own a set of Compomotive TS17's. My envy keeps me awake at night! You need to press them into service as you are missing out on this: Image Unavailable, Please Login
Not sure if this helps Andy but I managed to pop into Image wheels in Tipton, West Midlands a while back and they can do most designs and the two single picture, I think they are about 2K - 2.5K a set. The compomotive look alikes are excellent quality, and they can do many different finishes. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Hi Patrick! I agree with Andy, you really got to install them. If you ask me, I think the TS17 is the best and most beautiful aftermarket wheels for the 308. Here’s mine with 225/45/17 front tires and 255/40/17 for the rears.
Hi, I ran Pirelli’s on 328 wheels and switched to Kumhos for 17” 348 wheels on my mondi (please don’t swear). I found the kumhos on the street and track day absolutely fine. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I know, I know. I need to stop working so hard, so I can concentrate on my toys! I promise I'll get onto it when I get back.
Paul, they are indeed a thing of beauty. If you could pop round and explain the 'Man Maths' to Mrs. 308GTB, I'd be really grateful. Justifying the Superformance rims wasn't particularly successful. My statements regarding tyre degradation over time and the history of Metric Tyres was met with indifference.