Elise S1: Rear Tyre Recommendations

[Big Rides]

Hi,

 

'Seeking your much-appreciated recommendations and advice on choice / sourcing of rear tyres for my S1.

 

Although I really enjoy driving the car, I don't really "drive" the car hard. It is used everyday for a 12 mile urban round trip. I never take it on a track, and won't be in the future. I don't want to pay big money for something I wont (personally) get the extra benefit from (if that makes sense?)

 

 

With the above in mind, can you please recommend some good (appropriate) tyres and possible sources (for the best price)? I am based in Shrewsbury.

 

I will travelling to Horizon in the next few weeks, so will be around the Sandwell / Birmingham area if that help?

 

Many thanks in advance for any help.

 

Regards,

Ian

[avalon]

I had Toyos fitted in June last year by Horizon when my car was in there for a C service.

 

Fronts were £40 + Vat each

Rears were £66+ Vat each

[Black Swan]

Have to say Toyos will give you all you need and more.

 

Peter

[Big Rides]

Thanks both- which particular Toyos do you have?

 

Regards,

Ian

[avalon]

Thanks both- which particular Toyos do you have?

 

Regards,

Ian

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

Mine are the T1-S

 

Horizon offered the possibility to get Advans for me and fit them if I wanted but after reading many Tyre threads on various boards I didn't see much benefit from the extra £150 which a set of Advans would have cost.

 

What I wanted was a good all round road tyre. I did not want the hassle of sourcing tyres, getting them delivered somewhere and then getting someone to fit them.

 

Horizon are Toyo agents so all I did was drop my car off and pick it up after the service c/w the new tyres fitted. Even so I'm pretty sure that the tyres were very competitively priced compared with anywhere else.

[GCCK]

Best S1 tyres are Yokohama Advan Neova LTS at around £425 fitted for all 4. Best budget alternative are the Toyos for around 1/3 less but suffer from some tyrewall flex which can cause some disconcerting (but not dangerous) handling quirks until you're used to them.

 

Both these tyres are far superior to the Pirelli P0 fitted when new, particularly when conditions are wet. Usual caveats about mixing tyre brands & compounds but at least putting a "top" tyre on the back will make the car more prone to understeer rather than tail happy.

[MattyB]

I think the T1-R's are the choice now?

 

And I agree, going by your description the Toyo's would be more suited to your needs.

 

IIRC, the reason people chose the Advans is due to the reduced tyre flex and also the fact that the Toyo's are known to melt on track?

[Steve J]

I've heard some good reports about the BF Goodridge Profiler G tyres too.

 

If you are off to Horizon though, then for what you want them to do, the Toyos seem to be your best option. Good performance and cheap price.

[Zircon450]

I had the Toyo T1-R's fitted a week or so before selling the car.

 

If you have wide rims, great.

 

If you have standard S1 (std car - not 160 etc) prepare for the arse end to move like it never did before.

 

The tyre width (rears) is too big for std rims, they flex on the sidewall, and kill the handling.

 

My knackered PZeroes (bald) had no grip in the wet, and little in the dry, but, the stability of the car was good. With the Toyos, crap.

 

EOS.

 

To turn a taught arse end into a sloppy Mondeo did nothing for me.

[malbon]

go for the BF Goodrich. if u have a costco card u can get there from there apparently

[Sooty]

I agree with the BF Goodrich. I got a set put on in July last year and have done over 4k road miles and they still look and handle like new.

 

Zircon, what do you have on the Chimp? I have 2 brand new Potenza SO3s on the front of the Griff, but the rear SO2s are down to about 2.5mm so need replacing.

For the same price I can get a matching set of rear SO3s or a full set of something cheaper.

[MarkH]

Need to change my P0s as the rears are on their way out. Had thought of Toyo's or Yoko Advans. Anyone purchased Advans? Where is the best place to get Advans from (fitted - I can't be ars*d with messing around).

 

Do I need to change all tyres front & rear or can they be mixed (the front P0s have a bit of ife in them yet)?

 

Any views on Toyo vs Yoko?

 

I do about 4k per year on the road & want to do some track days this year (& I don't like it too slow!).

 

Cheers

 

Mark

 

[Sooty]

Mark,

 

Mixing brands front and rear isn't advised as it will exaggerate any oversteer or understeer in different weather conditions.

 

Cheapest place for Advans used to be BuyaTyre (part of Bookatrack.com) who were £399 fitted at any of their trackdays. Not sure if they are still the same price.

[Steve J]

Had a conversation with Mike at Horizon about different tyres front to rear. He said that it was no problem so long as there are good quality ones on the front. He seemed to think that the fronts were more important as if the back goes it can be recovered but if the fronts go you're fooked.

 

Flame suit on

[Ladders]

Ian

 

I've got on well with Bridgestone SO3's on mine

 

Good and progresive grip in the dry, probably a tad better than P0's, and miles better than P0's in the wet - you can actually corner and catch it if you slip.

 

They are a tad more than Toyo's though, but Horizon can get them as well.

 

Suppose thats correct to a point steve, but I'd prefer equally matched tyres all round, plus I'd rather the fronts washed out first than the rears. Understeers easier to recover than oversteer!