Yoko feckin hama

[vetteheadracer]

Took my Exige in for service 3 weeks ago and new rear tyres.

Garage said "about another 1,000 miles still on the tyres" so off I go. Anyway, phoned again today as 1,000 miles about up and rear starting to feel very twitchy as tread is barely legally....."tyres still out of stock, won't be any for a couple of weeks".

Phoned independent Yokohama dealer who told me the LTS marked (Lotus specific) tyres won't be produced by Yokohama until next year so there won't be ANY Yoko's available in UK until probably March 2008 !!!!

No 225/45/17 available anywhere

Now phoning around for Toyo 888's.........

[mini*drummer]

dunno who told you that...
i work at lotus dealer at we've got some due in on wednesday
so mayb ur nearest dealer will be the same.
but don't talk to me about lotus parts on back order

[Paul RN]

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong here but plenty of people use the non LTS version of the tyre without a problem.

[Jonblue]

As I understand it, you can go for non LTS tyres if you are replacing both backs or both fronts together. But you should never mix them.

[Esprit]

We've got a nice wee stockpile of 048s in S2/Exige sizes here in NZ... I know because I made sure I had tyres in stock before I brought my car in

[Furyous]

Merritts in Amersham have stock of rear A048'S.

hth

F

[Cuzza]

ISTR the std M compound fronts and MH rears are pretty similar to LTS. I doubt you'd notice the difference, it's not like we're talking 48s on one end and Korean cheapo crap on the the other.

Call George Polley Motorsport on 01354 688111 - they are the UK Yokohama supplier, they might be able to give a more definitive opinion or even tell you who has some.

[Paul RN]

Jonblue said:

As I understand it, you can go for non LTS tyres if you are replacing both backs or both fronts together. But you should never mix them.

You shouldn't mix different makes, having A048s (LTS) on the front and A048s on the back isn't going to make much difference at all if you ask me.

[Strangely Brown]

Isn't the LTS designation just for a softer sidewall due to the light weight of the car?

Edit: I got a full set of Advans via Lakeside, who in turn sourced them from Bell & Colvill just a few weeks ago. There was no indication of any stock shortage then.

Edit2: Just realised you probably want 048s rather than Advans. Still, might be worth asking.

Edited by Strangely Brown on Friday 21st September 17:33

[S Works]

Just get 888's.

[bogie]

R888s are fine - if you can get them

you can run the different compound A048s if you can find them in stock anywhere in the right size - I think the LTS ones are MH front and M on the rear from memory - just buy the supersoft ones all round

[jon-]

Try Kumho V70as, won the bild track tyre test a couple of years back and available in a fair few sizes. Camskill stocks them.

[DucatiGary]

i got a complete set of 4 yoko's for the liz 2 weeks ago, despite the rumours a month prior about the shortage there was no problems . . . .


(christopher neils in case your wondering)

[jon-]

I finally got around to writing up the old autobild article.

Info http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/autobild-trac... if anyone is interested in how the Yoko A048 faired...

[Gooby]

jon- said:

I finally got around to writing up the old autobild article.

Info http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/autobild-trac... if anyone is interested in how the Yoko A048 faired...

The test application is "track driving". Lotus use them 'cos they can also be used on the road. Given that brief - they are pretty good!

[jon-]

I think the wet benchmarks are the most relevant to road driving as you have to cater to the most extreme conditions and you're right, they're fairly convincing in the aquaplaning test (by quite a long margin).

[leech]

Try Brooke Kensington- I had some AD07's fitted last week and it looked like they had lots of 048s in stock!

[Furyous]

SGT in Taplow Berks have some A048 rears in stock now too.

[Gooby]

New AD07 today, apparently Westover cant get '48's untill 12th Oct

[StuartB]

Strangely Brown said:

Edit: I got a full set of Advans via Lakeside, who in turn sourced them from Bell & Colvill just a few weeks ago. There was no indication of any stock shortage then.

Edited by Strangely Brown on Friday 21st September 17:33

I understand both Lakeside and B&C get their tyres from
http://www.guildfordtyre.co.uk/