Wet tyres??

[F.C.]

Ok drove 250 miles in pouring rain today, did more than enough bum clenching to last me a lifetime on these 48's, So what do you all recommend as a wet weather tyre?
F.C.

[bogie]

Yokohama A039 - similar (if not slightly softer) compound to the A048, softer sidewalls (better in the wet) - basically the best all round tyre you can run on an Elise/Exige if you have the 195 fronts (like you do) and you can afford £650 a set

I used to run these all the time on one set of wheels, I did have another set with A048s or Toyo 888s for summer trackdays, which is where you should use them really, they are not really road tyres as you have found out

[F.C.]

Cheapest supplier of th AO39's, anyone?
F.C.

[bogie]

they are Lotus dealer only (some specialists), and priced fixed as usual as they are OE fitment on S1 Exige ...the only car they were ever made for in the sizes you need, a very low volume specialist tyre, even more so than the A048

try the nearest Lotus specialist to you like Sinclaires or Maidstonesportscars - these guys usually have a set in stock ...or even Camskill, they might have a set if you are lucky

[IGM]

Marianne at Hangar111.com sorted some out for me, not really used them much in the wet to fully comment yet other than at Anglesey, but either the track is superb when wet or the tyres are pretty good because the grip was impressive.

However are you ready for this, they were £810.75 inc vat but plus delivery.

Edited by IGM on Tuesday 9th September 20:11

[F.C.]

IGM said:

Marianne at Hangar111.com sorted some out for me, not really used them much in the wet to fully comment yet other than at Anglesey, but either the track is superb when wet or the tyres are pretty good because the grip was impressive.

However are you ready for this, they were £810.75 inc vat but plus delivery.

Edited by IGM on Tuesday 9th September 20:11

£810.75 with delivery and fitting on top!!!
F.C.

[The Bandit]

F.C. Not sure if this helps but these Advan AD07s are a better all rounder for winter use and they're Lotus specific.

http://www.bell-colvill.co.uk/LotusShop/Details.as...

[bogie]

the trouble with AD07 is that they only do them for the skinny std S2 wheels with 175 fronts ...if they did them in 195 fronts, they would be a great all round tyre for an Exige.

[Scuffers]

The Bandit said:

F.C. Not sure if this helps but these Advan AD07s are a better all rounder for winter use and they're Lotus specific.

http://www.bell-colvill.co.uk/LotusShop/Details.as...

not in the same league tyre wise (and 175 fronts)

£800+ is a joke, shop around more, they can be had for way less than that, you might want to try Lotus Motorport for starters...

[kirky135r]

I don't know why people complain about AO48's in the wet. I drove in the driving rain up to castle combe on Friday and did a track day without any issues with a massively soaked track.

I find them very good in the wet compared to other tyre's that were on the car when I picked it up, just standing water is the one to avoid if possible.

Must admit though when the tread is getting near the wear indicators they're pretty bad, but that's because you need to change them

[F.C.]

kirky135r said:

just standing water is the one to avoid if possible.

Precisely.
F.C.

[Scuffers]

kirky135r said:

I don't know why people complain about AO48's in the wet. I drove in the driving rain up to castle combe on Friday and did a track day without any issues with a massively soaked track.

I find them very good in the wet compared to other tyre's that were on the car when I picked it up, just standing water is the one to avoid if possible.

Must admit though when the tread is getting near the wear indicators they're pretty bad, but that's because you need to change them

just becuse you can drive on a wet track with them does not make them good.

if somebody else had been there with the same spec car on A039R's they would have whipped your butt comprehencivly.

and before you go on, it's not really the lack of tread that's the issue here, it's the construction of the carcase, A048R's are VERY stiff, this is to maintain the tyres form at high loads, this is exactly what you do NOT want in the wet, the loads will never be that high and the stiff carcase makes keeping the contact patch even near impossible.

this is why you have sod all steering feel with A048R's

personally I think running A048R's on the road is plain stupid, you will never get the benifit of the extra potential grip as you can never get any real tyre temp on the road, they are way too stiff to maintain contact patch on road surfaces.

As a dry track tyre, they are great, but how much of their life are they actually on a dry track? whichever way you look at it, your better off keeping the A048's for the track and runing something more conventional for the road (where the car spends 99% of it's life)

[IGM]

Scuffers said:

The Bandit said:

F.C. Not sure if this helps but these Advan AD07s are a better all rounder for winter use and they're Lotus specific.

http://www.bell-colvill.co.uk/LotusShop/Details.as...

not in the same league tyre wise (and 175 fronts)

£800+ is a joke, shop around more, they can be had for way less than that, you might want to try Lotus Motorport for starters...

Bummer been had again............at least I put them through my business and got the vat back.

[kirky135r]

Scuffers said:

if somebody else had been there with the same spec car on A039R's they would have whipped your butt comprehencivly.

What a stupid comment. I think you'll find that unless we were both Lewis Hamilton there wouldn't be that much difference.

Scuffers said:

and before you go on, it's not really the lack of tread that's the issue here, it's the construction of the carcase, A048R's are VERY stiff, this is to maintain the tyres form at high loads, this is exactly what you do NOT want in the wet, the loads will never be that high and the stiff carcase makes keeping the contact patch even near impossible.

So how come my girlfriend can go out in the rain on AO48s, get to work without ever once complaining about levels of grip in the p1ssing down rain. Or maybe she's got it wrong and she should be attempting to get to the office like she's going to be the first woman driver in F1. By the way, she doesn't hang around...

Scuffers said:

this is why you have sod all steering feel with A048R's

What a load of st. The information relayed back is perfectly fine, and if you look FC wasn't happy with the standing water problem.

Scuffers said:

personally I think running A048R's on the road is plain stupid, you will never get the benifit of the extra potential grip as you can never get any real tyre temp on the road, they are way too stiff to maintain contact patch on road surfaces.

Personally I think you're pretty stupid Simon and you feel the need to jump on people at the slightest moment for not agreeing with your narrow mind.

Do you have small man syndrome or something.

Are different people not allowed different opinions, must we all be sheep.

Scuffers said:

As a dry track tyre, they are great, but how much of their life are they actually on a dry track? whichever way you look at it, your better off keeping the A048's for the track and runing something more conventional for the road (where the car spends 99% of it's life)

Horses for courses numb nuts, and I personally don't have an issue with AO48s in the wet, in fact I think they're fking brilliant.

I've done over 10,000 miles in wet and dry conditions so I think I'm allowed to have my opinion thanks

You're probably a really nice chap in real life, but on here you don't half come across like some sad ken keyboard warrior.

Ever wonder why you got booted off SeLoc?

[bogie]

ROFLMAO

look regardless of whether you 'like' Scuffers or not, everything hes said is fact...jeez if you ring Lotus Motorsport they will tell you the same.

Did you watch the F1 at the weekend ? - see Heidfield go from 12th to 3rd in the last 4 laps, lapping 30secs a lap quicker just because he changed tyre to an intermediate (not even a wet) - thats like the difference between A048s to A039s on a wet race track...and Im not talking its a bit damp here - A048s are fine on a damp track, im talking running water on the track....proper "wet" etc

If you drive like a granny in the wet (or like your girlfriend ) then of course you can stay on the road - its if you attempt to drive the car anything like normally that A048s will let you down

thats it really, nothing much else to say - this is fact, please dont try to convince newbies that they are safe on A048s in the wet, when they are not, just because youve been lucky so far.

[kirky135r]

Just exactly how many people run AO48s on a daily basis without issues then?

Would that be the majority of Exige owners perhaps?

I give up.

You won't change my personal opinion of them.

I'll just stick to driving Miss Daisy.

Cheers

[F.C.]

kirky135r said:

Scuffers said:

if somebody else had been there with the same spec car on A039R's they would have whipped your butt comprehencivly.

What a stupid comment. I think you'll find that unless we were both Lewis Hamilton there wouldn't be that much difference.

Scuffers said:

and before you go on, it's not really the lack of tread that's the issue here, it's the construction of the carcase, A048R's are VERY stiff, this is to maintain the tyres form at high loads, this is exactly what you do NOT want in the wet, the loads will never be that high and the stiff carcase makes keeping the contact patch even near impossible.

So how come my girlfriend can go out in the rain on AO48s, get to work without ever once complaining about levels of grip in the p1ssing down rain. Or maybe she's got it wrong and she should be attempting to get to the office like she's going to be the first woman driver in F1. By the way, she doesn't hang around...

Scuffers said:

this is why you have sod all steering feel with A048R's

What a load of st. The information relayed back is perfectly fine, and if you look FC wasn't happy with the standing water problem.

Scuffers said:

personally I think running A048R's on the road is plain stupid, you will never get the benifit of the extra potential grip as you can never get any real tyre temp on the road, they are way too stiff to maintain contact patch on road surfaces.

Personally I think you're pretty stupid Simon and you feel the need to jump on people at the slightest moment for not agreeing with your narrow mind.

Do you have small man syndrome or something.

Are different people not allowed different opinions, must we all be sheep.

Scuffers said:

As a dry track tyre, they are great, but how much of their life are they actually on a dry track? whichever way you look at it, your better off keeping the A048's for the track and runing something more conventional for the road (where the car spends 99% of it's life)

Horses for courses numb nuts, and I personally don't have an issue with AO48s in the wet, in fact I think they're fking brilliant.

I've done over 10,000 miles in wet and dry conditions so I think I'm allowed to have my opinion thanks

You're probably a really nice chap in real life, but on here you don't half come across like some sad ken keyboard warrior.

Ever wonder why you got booted off SeLoc?

Hmm. As it happens I was talking about high speed work in the wet,
I have to agree with the NO feel comment here, I used to get loads more feedback from the Pirellli Corsas on my Noble in the wet, these 48's feel vague at speed and positively lifeless in standing water.
They are ok at "town speeds" but personally not for me for the high speed stuff,
The softer tyre wall argument has its merits here and hopefully I will find a good compromise for my driving style.

The comments about tread are interesting I was under the impression that the deeper the tread the more block movement there was and therefore more heat generated.
So less tread = less block movement = less heat is why we feel tyres are going "off" when the tread gets low?
F.C.

[bogie]

Im sure loads of people use them daily...which can mean a run to work in the summer with the odd shower...in between trackdays..or a frosty January morning ...I can remember using them daily too, and being limited to 40-50mph on a wet motorway, skipping about aquaplaning, whilst repmobiles passed on by as normal.

Yes, you can get by with them daily, inbetween trackdays, IF you are a good driver, I just wouldnt recommend them thats all...it was a revelation to have 2 sets of wheels n tyres, and keep the A048s or R888s for track use only, and have some more "regular" tyres on the road :up

But then if look at what the Exige, 135R, 190R etc were for...they are the track orientated versions of the Elise ...and come with trackday rubber, stiffer suspension etc...they are a compromise for road use...so as far as Lotus as concerned - they all do what they say on the tin

[kirky135r]

bogie said:

Im sure loads of people use them daily...which can mean a run to work in the summer with the odd shower...in between trackdays..or a frosty January morning ...I can remember using them daily too, and being limited to 40-50mph on a wet motorway, skipping about aquaplaning, whilst repmobiles passed on by as normal.

Yes, you can get by with them daily, inbetween trackdays, IF you are a good driver, I just wouldnt recommend them thats all...it was a revelation to have 2 sets of wheels n tyres, and keep the A048s or R888s for track use only, and have some more "regular" tyres on the road :up

But then if look at what the Exige, 135R, 190R etc were for...they are the track orientated versions of the Elise ...and come with trackday rubber, stiffer suspension etc...they are a compromise for road use...so as far as Lotus as concerned - they all do what they say on the tin

Good points to be fair, which I hadn't really thought about.

I'll wind my neck in somewhat (a little stressful day), and the information regarding tyre compounds was interesting - thanks Simon (Scuffers)

[braddo]

bogie said:

the trouble with AD07 is that they only do them for the skinny std S2 wheels with 175 fronts ...if they did them in 195 fronts, they would be a great all round tyre for an Exige.

I'll double check but I think my car has Advans all round and the fronts are 195.

Brad