Discussion
Re tyre choice (apologies, I know this is a frequent topic).
I currently have Toyo Proxes T1R fitted as follows:
Front
225/45ZR16 93W
Rear
245/45ZR16 94W
(the 15" wheels on the front were changed to 16" a while back).
The tyres still have plenty of tread but they're getting old, hence considering changing the whole set.
Stick with Toyo or are there better options these days?
Year 2000 Chim 500 BTW.
Many thanks,
Jim
I currently have Toyo Proxes T1R fitted as follows:
Front
225/45ZR16 93W
Rear
245/45ZR16 94W
(the 15" wheels on the front were changed to 16" a while back).
The tyres still have plenty of tread but they're getting old, hence considering changing the whole set.
Stick with Toyo or are there better options these days?
Year 2000 Chim 500 BTW.
Many thanks,
Jim
Edited by JimTC on Monday 4th January 18:28
KateV8 said:
With sincere apologies to the OP for the thread hijack (but this should be relevant to his question) has anybody had Rainsport 3's on long enough to give an assessment in wet and dry conditions once they've bedded in? Fast road and touring use, not track days.
I have them ,aaprt from the very thin walls they grip like hell ..I have Uniroyal Rainsport 3s on my Saab, awesome tyres, particularly in the current wet weather.
They handle rivers and huge puddles at 70 mph....but of course the Saab is much heavier then the TVR
Grip like crazy in the wet ("A" rated for wet grip), and are nice in the dry too.
So far covered 17,500 miles on them since May. Not even half worn.
They handle rivers and huge puddles at 70 mph....but of course the Saab is much heavier then the TVR
Grip like crazy in the wet ("A" rated for wet grip), and are nice in the dry too.
So far covered 17,500 miles on them since May. Not even half worn.
Some highly rated views there
,,, Rainsports,,, I'm getting temped 
The car being light is where the side wall flex must help our cars a tad,, as we hardly get any really hot days weather at anytime of year then when are you going to really overload them on the roads,,, seems like a good choice
If Anthony's done 17,000 miles then there hard wearing too by the sounds of it,,
I'd simply like the softest compound with a proper winter tread pattern through them,,, which ones are they
,,, Rainsports,,, I'm getting temped 
The car being light is where the side wall flex must help our cars a tad,, as we hardly get any really hot days weather at anytime of year then when are you going to really overload them on the roads,,, seems like a good choice
If Anthony's done 17,000 miles then there hard wearing too by the sounds of it,,
I'd simply like the softest compound with a proper winter tread pattern through them,,, which ones are they

I am also contemplating what to change to from my existing T1R's as I need more rear end grip but would really like to keep my original 16" Imolas for road use as I'd like to keep the "standard" look. However one thing keeps cropping up in my considerations that does not seem to have been mentioned in this thread so far.
With the odd exception (QBee for one) the average mileage covered by our beloved cars would seem to be around 3,000 miles per year, mostly in drier weather. If that is coupled with the general consensus that it is not good practice to run tyres for more than 4 years or so to avoid perishing and the tyres losing their flexibility, then it would seem that to combine performance and getting the most out of tyre wear (i.e. not having 4-5 year old tyres with 50% tread left on them) we perhaps should be looking at softer compounds that will give a life of 12-15,000 miles in total.
All this is only my humble opinion of course but worth thinking about.
With the odd exception (QBee for one) the average mileage covered by our beloved cars would seem to be around 3,000 miles per year, mostly in drier weather. If that is coupled with the general consensus that it is not good practice to run tyres for more than 4 years or so to avoid perishing and the tyres losing their flexibility, then it would seem that to combine performance and getting the most out of tyre wear (i.e. not having 4-5 year old tyres with 50% tread left on them) we perhaps should be looking at softer compounds that will give a life of 12-15,000 miles in total.
All this is only my humble opinion of course but worth thinking about.

Richard 858 said:
I am also contemplating what to change to from my existing T1R's as I need more rear end grip but would really like to keep my original 16" Imolas for road use as I'd like to keep the "standard" look. However one thing keeps cropping up in my considerations that does not seem to have been mentioned in this thread so far.
With the odd exception (QBee for one) the average mileage covered by our beloved cars would seem to be around 3,000 miles per year, mostly in drier weather. If that is coupled with the general consensus that it is not good practice to run tyres for more than 4 years or so to avoid perishing and the tyres losing their flexibility, then it would seem that to combine performance and getting the most out of tyre wear (i.e. not having 4-5 year old tyres with 50% tread left on them) we perhaps should be looking at softer compounds that will give a life of 12-15,000 miles in total.
All this is only my humble opinion of course but worth thinking about.
Can you get R1Rs in your size, they are really good and even with my torque they struggle to break traction.With the odd exception (QBee for one) the average mileage covered by our beloved cars would seem to be around 3,000 miles per year, mostly in drier weather. If that is coupled with the general consensus that it is not good practice to run tyres for more than 4 years or so to avoid perishing and the tyres losing their flexibility, then it would seem that to combine performance and getting the most out of tyre wear (i.e. not having 4-5 year old tyres with 50% tread left on them) we perhaps should be looking at softer compounds that will give a life of 12-15,000 miles in total.
All this is only my humble opinion of course but worth thinking about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOu_zZfSU8g
I also have the Bridgestone RE002 on mine and it has been very good in both the wet and dry on the roads. I even did a sprint day on them, also and took them up to 135mph in standing water at the RAF Wittering family day in the summer.
Not sure I would want to use them for a full on track day, but they were ok for what I was doing.
Not sure I would want to use them for a full on track day, but they were ok for what I was doing.
Jeremy, I did your Leicestershire run last Tuesday on my knackered, almost to the legal limit, heavily track-dayed Federal 595 RSRs and had almost no loss of grip on what were dry roads, but with significant wet stretches. We certainly weren't hanging about.
I wasn't giving it absolutely full beans, but I would say that a new set of Federal 595 RSRs (be careful, you need the RSR, not the SS) is a brilliant compromise as they have Toyo R888 levels of grip in the dry, can handle a track day as well as the R888s, but also are pretty competent in the wet. And not too expensive - I will go and look up if they are available in the sizes you require, as I use 17s.
Yokohama AD08R also have a good level of wet grip, as well as being excellent in the dry.
ETA - scrub that idea - they don't come in wide enough sizes
I wasn't giving it absolutely full beans, but I would say that a new set of Federal 595 RSRs (be careful, you need the RSR, not the SS) is a brilliant compromise as they have Toyo R888 levels of grip in the dry, can handle a track day as well as the R888s, but also are pretty competent in the wet. And not too expensive - I will go and look up if they are available in the sizes you require, as I use 17s.
Yokohama AD08R also have a good level of wet grip, as well as being excellent in the dry.
ETA - scrub that idea - they don't come in wide enough sizes
Edited by QBee on Tuesday 5th January 09:53
Another yes for Rainsport 3's. Only got them on the rear at the moment as I can't decide what size to put on the front (16 inch).
She doesn't feel like she is trying to kill me in the wet now!
What pressures are people using? I was advised to run 30psi on the rear because of the softer sidewall.
She doesn't feel like she is trying to kill me in the wet now!
What pressures are people using? I was advised to run 30psi on the rear because of the softer sidewall.
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