Need two new rear tyres for 111r

[chicosgroove]

Hi All,
I need two new rear tyres on my 54 plate 111r elise.
Long stratton has quoted me £215+vat EACH which includes the fitting.
Car is fitted with the standard Bridgestone Potenzas.
Is this the ONLY tyre I can have fitted? Does anyone know if this price is reasonable or if I can source them (or an alternative that is cheaper but not inferior) cheaper elsewhere?
Your thoughts and experiences will be most welcomed as ever!
Thanks

C

[21TonyK]

Thats absolutely crazy, £215 You can buy AD07's online for £77+VAT and get them fitted anywhere for a tenner a wheel. Have a look at any of the online Lotus "shops" and you'll find a whole range of options.

I just picked up a pair of rear R888's for £250 delivered to my door.

/just found a complete set of AD07's for £387+VAT online at B&C so thats a complete set of better tyres for less that two from a dealer

Edited by 21TonyK on Friday 27th June 09:15

[siw06]

Big Ding to the above, you've got a choice of bridgestone, Yoko AD07, or Toyo really.

I've just had a full set of AD07's fitted and they are a major improvment over the Bridgestones - probably why Lotus now supply them as their OEM tyre now.

Edited by siw06 on Friday 27th June 12:36

[kevin ritson]

Long Stratton can take a long walk then!

Do Event Tyres operate in your area? They'll do both for about £220 and come to you. No need to change to Advans if your fronts still have plenty of tread, once they've gone (and your rears will probably be ready to change by then) then it's worth swapping over.

[chicosgroove]

Well I thought it sounded steep, even for a non main stream car.
Im taking it that if I source the tyres myself, any joker in a garage could fit them (well, within reason?)
Seeing as how that quote is seemingly ridiculous, how does £400+vat for its first major service (4 years old) sound?
Thanks
C

[kevin ritson]

Not sure what the schedule for a 111R is but even for a major service it seems a lot to me. There are plenty of independents around to try - I think Hangar 111 can service Elises, or go a bit further down the road and try Sinclaires.

[chicosgroove]

Further to my tyre topic, could you give me the link to where you got your Yokos from?
Im pretty lame with tyre sizes and names, does the AD07 you refer to mean A-Drive, as in Yokohama A-Drive? Link to them is this http://www.tyre-shopper.co.uk/article.asp?id=564&a...

Sorry, Im a retard with this!

C

[chicosgroove]

Forget my last question, Im a retard. I know what Im looking for now ,
Advan Neovas Im assuming.
thanks guys!

[21TonyK]

I've got an '04 Exige so should (in theory) be the same service costs and mine just had it's 4 year (8000 mile) service, an MOT and a few hours fiddling around at a Lotus dealer for under £300.

Tyres can be had from

www.camskill.co.uk
www.eliseparts.com
www.elise-shop.com
www.bell-colvill.co.uk
www.hangar111.co.uk

If you shop around this lot you'll probably get a very good deal. B&C are the first ones I looked at doing a set of AD07's but I guarantee all the others would be very similar.

[Gooby]

chicosgroove said:

Further to my tyre topic, could you give me the link to where you got your Yokos from?
Im pretty lame with tyre sizes and names, does the AD07 you refer to mean A-Drive, as in Yokohama A-Drive? Link to them is this http://www.tyre-shopper.co.uk/article.asp?id=564&a...

Sorry, Im a retard with this!

C

Whoa there - DO NOT MIX TYRES.
Unless you are changing all tyres to yoko's then you will have to match the front tyres to the rears.

Even though the bridgestones are a pile-o-poo you will have to match the fronts.

[chicosgroove]

Tony,
where did you get your service done and what is the site for b & c?
Thanks

[21TonyK]

chicosgroove said:

Tony,
where did you get your service done and what is the site for b & c?
Thanks

http://www.bell-colvill.co.uk/LotusShop/Details.asp?SearchString=AD07&Id=AD07

As for servicing. Mine was done at my local Lotus dealer in Exeter. If you ask on here for recommendations you'll get a long list of everyones favourites.

TBH though, at 4 years old you might as well use good independents as theres no warranty to maintain, unless you have an extended Lotus warranty?

[chicosgroove]

Ok, lets clear this up.

On the car currently I have Bridgestone Potenzas 175/55r16 (Front)
and rear Bridgestone Potenza 225/45R17

The front pair are in good nick with nice deep tread, the rears are verging on being slicks and definately now illegal.

Im thinking of selling this car soon so the idea of replacing two perfectly good fronts hurts. Is it a cardinal sin not to mix the tyres? If I only want to replace the rears, should I stick to the Bridgestones?

Sorry for the lame questions again

C

[21TonyK]

If you're flogging it then just get a pair of these delivered and get the local tyre place to fit them. Save yourself a few hundred!

http://www.camskill.co.uk/products.php?plid=m4b789...

That way there's no issues with mixing tyres either in terms of safety, performance or potential resale.

[wantalotus]

Hi, was in same boat about 6 months ago, changed all 4 at CN Northwich for £450, which I considered a good deal. I found it very hard to track the LTS compound anywhere except dealers. Was also warned off about mixing front/rear. So best option is to renew just rears in your case, if you are selling?

[chicosgroove]

Thanks Tony, most helpful.
Ive posted a new topic (to canvas opinion) regarding what service the car requires and how much it should cost, Ive gained a little more info which might help you to help me work out whats required!!

[stringthing]

chicosgroove said:

any joker in a garage could fit them

Just a word of caution. I had to have a puncture repaired on one of my rear AD07s a while ago and ended up just taking it to the local Kwik-Fit. To the lads credit, he didn't damage the wheel, but he had a devil of a job getting the tyre off. All to do with the sidewall being so stiff apparently. Same thing happened when I had to have both replaced by my local dealer. The guy that fitted them said they were a real PITA. Just be careful who you let near your precious alloys with a tyre spanner !

[shangani]

Gooby said:

Whoa there - DO NOT MIX TYRES.
Unless you are changing all tyres to yoko's then you will have to match the front tyres to the rears.

Even though the bridgestones are a pile-o-poo you will have to match the fronts.

Spot on Gooby - very sound advice.

It would be very risky mixing tyres on a light car like an elise. It may be fine in the dry, but in the wet they will behave differently and you may get some unpredictable handling characteristics. (like going through a hedge) The bridgestones are reasonably for road use and behave well under braking. AD07's are all-round an improvement in wet and dry. Mine are also lasting far better than I thought they would.

[ludo]

chicosgroove said:

Hi All,
I need two new rear tyres on my 54 plate 111r elise.
Long stratton has quoted me £215+vat EACH which includes the fitting.

You could always try the Lotus factory service centre at Hethel, I got my rear tyres replaced there earlier this year (Advan Neova LTSs) for £240 for the pair fitted.