MX5 Owners in here....bring your curling tongs

TimBrad said:
Still looking on these wheels!

What tyres would people recommend on these btw? We had no problem with Toyo T1-Rs on the MG-F and they did very well in all conditions, any opinion on what tyres just seem to really work well with the '5?
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I always had T1Rs on mine (albeit 195s stretched onto 8" wide wheels) and it was great. They didn't last very long though.

Uniroyal Rainsports were getting a lot of use on the MX5 forums when I was last there. Better wet performance than the T1Rs which isn't difficult. Just makes winter driving that little less tentative when its cold and damp.
 
Cheers mate, I'll check them out, funny thing is the MG was godly even in snow on those T1Rs, but obviously its more balanced with the mid engine in the first place, I'll get prices checked out & see what comes in, too.
 
I've heard good things about the T1R's. I've got a set of Kumho KU39 (i think) on mine which have been pretty good.

Cheap to :)
 
T1-Rs are good compromise, they even last ok on track. I used to run them on my first RS LTD. If you plan to go on track I'd suggests 595 RSRs or Yoko AD08s. R888s offer too much grip for an MX5 imho. For road only Toyo's are fine and good at their price point. Might also be worth looking at the latest Yoko road tyres. Then obviously you can spend even more and get Michelin's or Conti's.
 
I ran Rainsport 2s all round for a while and was impressed, I now have Rainsport 2's on the front and Rainsport 3's on the back and I'm even more impressed.
 
Been running rainsport 3's all year and they are fantastic, they are a bit too soft when its really warm and dry but when we have a as much wet/damp days as dry they are a good compromise.
 
I found T1Rs to be hugely overrated and they ruined the handling when I had the misfortune of borrowing a set of my mates wheels that were wrapped in a set of them. They made my car feel like it was driving on jelly and wet performance is just dire.

To those who say they're good, what are you comparing them too? Surely mismatched linglongs or something equally as poor? If you're running 15s then tyres are dirt cheap anyways. I only paid £70 a corner for my AD08Rs so why skimp and get rubbish.
 
t1r are ****, period, they were mediocre when they came out 12 years ago. mate has just put on the new GY excellence performance, they're hilariously grippy but my god they're wobbly! Perfect for bumpy wet roads that'll be around for the next few months. £45 on TyreLeader!
 
Horses for courses, they're a vogue tyre to hate for sure. On anything heavy I'd agree they don't work as well. However, on a light MX5 setup for the road they're a well balanced match, and good for the price point. Then you're into the realms of what do you want out of the car and what's your individual preference.

AD08Rs, on the softest compound, (the harder one may be different / no exp) are great but a way more 'focused' tyre. On a road tuned MX5 they'd be a waste and over grip. Great on a 325BHP kit car when it's raining / mildly moist :D.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPbpkiccHVI

I like MX5s that move around. Lots of people rush out and over tyre an MX5. Then miss the reason they're fun. All said my MX5 is understeering and not very well balanced :'( at the moment. Geo session booked! That's with 595 RSRs and two up. 595s surprisingly good in the rain. Even on an old set that have been heat cycled lots :D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgtwGJ7Qiks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbvAZGJakEI

All based on nothing more than my exp with the tyres, am no racing driver. The others might be :D.
 
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dale1uk said:
I found T1Rs to be hugely overrated and they ruined the handling when I had the misfortune of borrowing a set of my mates wheels that were wrapped in a set of them. They made my car feel like it was driving on jelly and wet performance is just dire.

To those who say they're good, what are you comparing them too? Surely mismatched linglongs or something equally as poor? If you're running 15s then tyres are dirt cheap anyways. I only paid £70 a corner for my AD08Rs so why skimp and get rubbish.
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Muffin` said:
t1r are ****, period, they were mediocre when they came out 12 years ago. mate has just put on the new GY excellence performance, they're hilariously grippy but my god they're wobbly! Perfect for bumpy wet roads that'll be around for the next few months. £45 on TyreLeader!
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I found that the T1-Rs had incredible grip, but yes, they had a slightly squirmy feeling to them, and tended to tramline as they wore. I went to CSC3s after the T1-RS - grip wasn't quite as good, although still good, and they felt a bit more responsive and confident.
 
Anyone changed the super long aerial on a mk2? Or gonna good guide that details how to do it. And those who have, how much did you roughly spend?
 
Brando said:
Horses for courses, they're a vogue tyre to hate for sure. On anything heavy I'd agree they don't work as well. However, on a light MX5 setup for the road they're a well balanced match, and good for the price point. Then you're into the realms of what do you want out of the car and what's your individual preference.

AD08Rs, on the softest compound, (the harder one may be different / no exp) are great but a way more 'focused' tyre. On a road tuned MX5 they'd be a waste and over grip. Great on a 325BHP kit car when it's raining / mildly moist :D.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPbpkiccHVI

I like MX5s that move around. Lots of people rush out and over tyre an MX5. Then miss the reason they're fun. All said my MX5 is understeering and not very well balanced :'( at the moment. Geo session booked! That's with 595 RSRs and two up. 595s surprisingly good in the rain. Even on an old set that have been heat cycled lots :D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgtwGJ7Qiks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbvAZGJakEI

All based on nothing more than my exp with the tyres, am no racing driver. The others might be :D.
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AD08Rs only come in one compound, and are similar to 595 RSRs. Are you sure your not thinking about A048s which are much more track focused. AD08Rs can still be made to step out and move around with standard power when you want it to.

I'm not advising that everyone should run out and go for track focused tyres, just do better than T1Rs!


Conscript said:
I found that the T1-Rs had incredible grip, but yes, they had a slightly squirmy feeling to them, and tended to tramline as they wore. I went to CSC3s after the T1-RS - grip wasn't quite as good, although still good, and they felt a bit more responsive and confident.
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I found dry grip to be OK, but as you said they are very squirmy which just ruins the whole feel of the car. Wet grip was just terrible and on track they just overheat and melt. You could easily ruin a new set on a single track day. There are plenty of better tyres available at a similar price point, I just don't get why you'd choose the Toyos
 
dale1uk said:
AD08Rs only come in one compound, and are similar to 595 RSRs. Are you sure your not thinking about A048s which are much more track focused. AD08Rs can still be made to step out and move around with standard power when you want it to.

I'm not advising that everyone should run out and go for track focused tyres, just do better than T1Rs!
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Defo AD08Rs, we got them for their water clearing ability and wet/damp days. Opting for r888s in the dry. Sampled A048s as a pax only on an MX5 and an Elise. My bad on AD08s: I got confused between the AD08 and AD08R transfer phase when you could still get either or. We made the call for the newer AD08Rs which I think are softer.
 
Ahleckz said:
Anyone changed the super long aerial on a mk2? Or gonna good guide that details how to do it. And those who have, how much did you roughly spend?
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Mine came with a motorised aerial (Mk2.5) but it was broken, I found changing it was pretty easy to do.
 
Ahleckz said:
Anyone changed the super long aerial on a mk2? Or gonna good guide that details how to do it. And those who have, how much did you roughly spend?
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Isn't your aerial automatic? Mine is telescopic and rises when ever I switch on the radio then retracts when it's switched off. It's also kind of redundant as my DAB aerial is fitted to the front windscreen (:rolleyes:) I assume you're looking to change to the stubby ones fitted on the MK3's?
 
Sonea Fifer said:
Isn't your aerial automatic? Mine is telescopic and rises when ever I switch on the radio then retracts when it's switched off. It's also kind of redundant as my DAB aerial is fitted to the front windscreen (:rolleyes:) I assume you're looking to change to the stubby ones fitted on the MK3's?
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That's exactly what I want. I ended up looking on MX5Parts and they sell a kit that does it, but it's around £50 which seems a bit much. Couldn't I just get a stubby aerial and disable the motor? I just think the huge aerial is a bit of an eyesore.
 
Ahleckz said:
That's exactly what I want. I ended up looking on MX5Parts and they sell a kit that does it, but it's around £50 which seems a bit much.
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I've used MX5 parts quite a few times and their service is brilliant. But £50.00 for a part you can pick up on eBay for less than a fiver though really is ripping the **** :mad:

Ahleckz said:
Couldn't I just get a stubby aerial and disable the motor?
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Can't see any reason why not - have you considered the sharks fin aerial?


Ahleckz said:
I just think the huge aerial is a bit of an eyesore.
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Agreed :p
 
Can someone confirm that all the Mk2 1.8s with the Nardi 3 spoke steering wheel and ABS came with an LSD?

Looking at picking one up in the new year for a bit of fun and to do some local drift days as they're run regularly at santa pod which is only 30 minutes away.
 
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