E30 Zone

probably been asked a million times before...

i'm looking to get a set of low profile 16" tyres (something like 205/45/16...) for my touring and am after recommendations.

i don't have a lot to spend... i am thinking it may well be worth getting something soft on the front and hard on the rear (very low so lots of camber... + rear wheel steering!!!)

can anyone suggest anything?

toyo's on the front and conti's on the back, I find conti's to be quite hard wearing

toyo proxes t1-s. think there is a newer one to this now

The Toyo Proxy T1-S is no longer king (I have had a few) The Toyo Proxy T1-R are much better all round and wear better on the edge.
I run 215/40/17 and the grip is really good. I think I pay Ԛ£89/tyre

rowemeister wrote:The Toyo Proxy T1-S is no longer king (I have had a few) The Toyo Proxy T1-R are much better all round and wear better on the edge.
I run 215/40/17 and the grip is really good. I think I pay Ԛ£89/tyre

Nice car

With your drop and 215/40's, how have you got round the rear arch issues?

I run 215/40 Avon ZZ3's on a 40 mm drop and catch front and rear arches, on booting it and hard corners, I think the front is due to a dodgy fitting inner wing, but the rears catch on the lip that hasn't been rolled already....gonna cut them out as they are going rusty anyway now.

And my 2p, I've had conti's and they were very grippy, but too soft for the neg camber issues at the rear and the Avon's I have are very very grippy, got some Yoko A520's to try next and I've heard good things about them too.

Just don't get cheap tires, ever, especially in a powerfull rwd car, tires are the only thing that keep you stuck to road

I only get a little tyre rub @ the rear when I boot on a bumpy surface. They rub on the plastic liner though!
Being a sport the rear arches are rolled a little anyway! so perhaps that has helped.

Ive got Yoko a539s at the mo but have heard great things about the new T1-rs from Toyo-think ill go for them next.

rowemeister wrote:I only get a little tyre rub @ the rear when I boot on a bumpy surface. They rub on the plastic liner though!
Being a sport the rear arches are rolled a little anyway! so perhaps that has helped.

Mine are half rolled, front to middle, then sticking out proud from half way to back, no idea why the only did half tho???

I'll get stuck in with the grinder anyway, they need cutting out.

Cheers for the info
Mark.

cheers guys.

i have a set of 195/50/15 toyo proxes t1s on my 205 gti and am very impressed with them. i doubt they'll stand up well to abuse on the rear though (especially the camber).

they would make a very sensible choice on the front... i'd never find a tyre to match on the rear though!

my brother has a set of Velocity Extreme tyres on his MK1 MR2 and they're very impressive. it seems to be a copy of the yokohama a032r so is like a cut slick!

try www.justgtis.com for toyo's

eagle F1's not too dear either! very good all round, myabe these for the front and woosungs on the rear!!!

fozzymonster wrote:

rowemeister wrote: got some Yoko A520's to try next and I've heard good things about them too.

extreeeeeeeeemly damn good tyre, once there a bit warm there just great, but in the wet its a big no no. as there only dry weather tyres,
and in my own opinion stay away from the A539's i recon there just crap!

Are Yoko A539's not upto much then?

I was stunned by how cheap they were when I was in for a puncture repair recently. A539's fitted & balanced Ԛ£69 a corner!!

Surely they must be better than the Nankang crap that's on my car at present?

E30BeemerLad wrote:Are Yoko A539's not upto much then?

I was stunned by how cheap they were when I was in for a puncture repair recently. A539's fitted & balanced Ԛ£69 a corner!!

i think that these are the cheapest (price wise) of the yokohama range, and it showes in the performance, thats my own opinion any way, they might be better on other peopls cars with diffrent setups.

well, i've just ordered a set of 215/40/16 toyo proxes T1-R tyres. Ԛ£49 each inc vat and delivery!!! not bad i reckon.

i could have got a set of budgets for a tenner less (each) but at that price i'd be mad not to get the toyos!

this bunch are by far the cheapest online supplier i've found: http://ssl.delti.com/mytires/Tyres.html

Gotta give my vote to the T1-Rs too! Had em on my E30, very impressive for the price. I'll be getting more for the Puma probably, 195/50/15s are only Ԛ£30 each!

A539 is the replacement for the A520 - the A520 has been discontinued for quite a while. You're likely to be running on old stock if you get a A520 now.

F1's with nankangs on the back!

Thought I'd give this a bump!

After some tyres soon and doin a search on the forum only comes up with the usual 'what tyre size' as opposed to 'what tyre to use'

I've been a Falken Ze512 man after 2 sets of tyres (Ԛ£42 a tyre from local tyre place 205/40/17) but I think it's time for a change.
I spose the question is: which tyre has average durability and average grip? Instead of longlife and no grip

Stick to 205/40 on 17's, 215's rub the inner arch, beyond where you can roll them, looks like I'm gonna have to sell the Avon ZZ3's I have on now as they rub under full chat or with 3 people in....not good when you have a family

I have to say that the Avons are super sticky tho, gutted they're too wide!!

(i'm lowered 40mm by the way )

Good grip and good life are difficult to get together in a tyre, unless you go up to the big boys like Michelin, Goodyear or Bridgestone. All the elcheapos are either soft with good grip or hard as hell with no grip.

Take something like a Michelin Pilot Primacy HX - they last forever, yet there's so little grip they're scary. Compare to a Michelin Pilot Exalto - they're sticky as hell as they were designed for the nice and light Clio Sport 172. You'll be driving like a granny to get 20k out of them though.

I just got a pair of Goodyear Excellence tyres on the front of my wee motor. They're good. Make the Pirelli P6000s that they replaced just look silly. The Goodyears are better in the dry than the Bridgestone RE720s I'm running on the back, and probably equal in the wet which is no bad thing as the Potenzas are a pretty excellent all round tyre. Of course, the Goodyear is a 195/50-15 as opposed to the 185/55-15 of the Bridgestones.