My turn for a tyre thread

I have PC2s on the Focus - they suck for how the Clio would be driven.

I'm not massively keen on the Pirellis either - there are better tyres out there, I'm certain of it. (I had them on the ST when I bought it).

As for your observation, for the purposes of this thread I drive it properly, as that is the only consideration I have when buying tyres because when I do take the Clio for a blast (or I'm being cheeky on roundabouts) I want it to feel like my Clio does now :). Sure, I don't want to go silly and buy something that'll be on the markers within 5k miles, but similarly I don't want people suggesting things like PC2s because their great for running up and down the motorway.
 
Got V12's on my 182 at the moment. Didn't drives it for long with the PE2's on it but I would definitely say they're on par with them.

The main reason a lot of people recommend V12's is the price v performance. I know they're not the best tyre out for but for the price I thought it was worth a shot and haven't been let down!
 
Yeah, and people say the same thing about FK452s. Yes, they are good for the money, but I certainly wouldn't buy them again, no matter how skint I was.
 
I've been doing a bit of reading on various tyres and the Uniroyal Rainsport 2s appear to be getting some pretty rave reviews.

Evo rates them giving them 2nd overall in the 2010 tyre test.
 
Cs3, but I'm struggling to find them in my size.

I'm trying to find what they actually said about them and the rs2 rather than just the positions.
 
See that EVo test is all well and good, but remember that it certainly isn't gospel. Every car will react differently to each set of tyres, some in good ways, some in bad.

For example, even if I could get some of these award winning tyres in the smaller size I require, they would probably turn the handling into jelly. RS2, PE2 and AD08 are great on the Teg because of their stiff wall (not soo much the PE2 vs others), but I doubt they would do as well in the controlled evo tests as others tyres. But the Teg is a light SOB and not some fat old Golf GTI barge.

Just see what owners chat about, look at reviews such as the EVO tests, get more recommendations, then just take an educated guess on what you think will suit you best. There is no perfect tyre for a specific car and person combo and you need to try a few out to get that experience.
 
MikeHiow said:
I have PC2s on the Focus - they suck for how the Clio would be driven.

I'm not massively keen on the Pirellis either - there are better tyres out there, I'm certain of it. (I had them on the ST when I bought it).

As for your observation, for the purposes of this thread I drive it properly, as that is the only consideration I have when buying tyres because when I do take the Clio for a blast (or I'm being cheeky on roundabouts) I want it to feel like my Clio does now :). Sure, I don't want to go silly and buy something that'll be on the markers within 5k miles, but similarly I don't want people suggesting things like PC2s because their great for running up and down the motorway.
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But you just said that 5 days out of 7 you run up and down the motorway ;)

Either suck up the high price for PE2's or settle for something else and stop bitching :p

I bought a pair of premium contact 2s for the front of my Rallye and can't say I've found them lacking.
 
PE2s are not the only acceptable tyre - the next cheapest alternative is an R1R and even they are £30 a corner cheaper!

Just because I go up and down the motorway 5 days a week does not mean I need to compromise for anything less than one of the top tyres short of "trackday" tyres (ie. R1Rs, AD08s etc.)
 
MikeHiow said:
I've not tried the AD08s, but they are supposed to be ridiculously heavy wearing aren't they? Or was that the 48s?

I had a VX220 on R1Rs for a week and it was sublime wet or dry. In the dry there was no understeer and no real oversteer without provocation - the only way I can describe it is thoroughly planted and balanced.

I'm actually half tempted by the R1R for the clio at £110 a corner, but feel that something too sticky would ruin the car - it doesn't suffer massively at the front as it is, but it really benefits from a bit of "fluidity" at the rear. Plus it's a bit of a waste for running up and down the M27 5 days a week.
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R1R is worse!

R1R is 140 tread wear rating with 5.5-6.0mm depth tread level.

AD08 is 180 tread wear rating with 7mm depth tread level.

So ad08 has more tread and better wear rating and guys who have run both on same car get circa 1000-2000 more miles from AD08 and consider it marginally better tyre.

What you experienced with VX220 is more the car than tyres. ;)

A048's are the extreme track tyre and you can get different compounds, not ideal for road but some people do run on road and it was even standard oem fitment on some evo's.

I can't see how a stickier tyre will ruin a car you will just have higher grip levels, more feedback etc.
Downfall will be harsher ride and more road noise with poor performance in freezing conditions.
 
I had CS3's on my 172 and was actually quite surprised, mostly in the lack of wet grip.

May of been due to my car set up not the tyre - but was left dissapointed.

You say "I want it to feel like my Clio does now", why don't you buy the same tyres you've currently got on your car? :p
 
It's a tough one - I don't normally skimp on tyres, but I cannot help but feel that there is very little value in spending £150 a corner for tyres when everything else is down around the £100 mark.
 
MikeHiow said:
It's a tough one - I don't normally skimp on tyres, but I cannot help but feel that there is very little value in spending £150 a corner for tyres when everything else is down around the £100 mark.
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Fair play.

Do take a look at Hankook though, Cliosport rave about them on 1*2's. Good value.
 
Gibbo said:
What you experienced with VX220 is more the car than tyres. ;)
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Depends on whether he previously drove the car with non sticky rubber. R1Rs made a huge difference to my Elise and since then a couple of my friends have moved to them with similar positive results with very noticeable increase in front end grip.

Only problem is that they do show up the Bilsteins I have fitted and I'm now trying to stop myself buying a set of Nitrons :D
 
Del Lardo said:
Depends on whether he previously drove the car with non sticky rubber. R1Rs made a huge difference to my Elise and since then a couple of my friends have moved to them with similar positive results with very noticeable increase in front end grip.

Only problem is that they do show up the Bilsteins I have fitted and I'm now trying to stop myself buying a set of Nitrons :D
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Don't get me wrong the R1R is an amazing tyre, its even standard OEM fitment on the EVO X 400, but I know guys who have had both and they preferred the AD08's, but this was admittedly EVO owners and different tyres work better on different cars, no doubt of that at all.

As to the OP he clearly likes the PE2's a lot, in theory the PS3 should be good as it replaces the PE2, maybe an email to Michelin could clarify the differences/improvements between PE2 and PS3.

But if I was in his shoes Id go R1R or AD08 all the way as the fun factor and handling/grip improvement will be immense.

However when its heavy downfall on motorway or freezin conditions you have to take it very very easy, they are not great in such conditions or alternatively buy a set of cheap winter tyres and fit those for colder months.
 
Also interest in this for when I need some. Exactly the same as Mike, 205/45/16 on a Clio 182 that's currently got PE2s.

@ Fox's suggestion of CS3s: I've just had a look on Blackcircles/mytyres/etyres and none of them list CS3s in 205/45/16.
 
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