Bridgestone Potenza S01 vs S02

[Marf]

Does anyone have experience of both of these tyres?

Just bought a set of wheels which need some tyres in 245/45/16 and these are front runners I think

[Marf]

Bump for the monday crowd

[900T-R]

Er? Both are so old that if I'd find them on a car I bought, they'd be up for immediate replacement...

The current Bridgestone UHP tyres are the S001 and RE050(A). The S03PP can probably still be had in a few sizes as new old stock, but in fairness these must be at least 4-5 years old now, too so if you bought a set of them you should get a fair old discount, and I wouldn't leave them on the car for another six years either...

[Marf]

Unfortunately none of your suggestions are available in the size I want.

Open to other suggestions in a 245/45 and 205/50 16, but options are pretty limited!

They may be an "old" design of tyre, but I doubt they'd be old stock as they're still current OEM spec for some Porsche models.

Put it this way, they'll be replacing Yokohama A022, which is a 20 year old design and they work pretty damned well!

Edited by Marf on Monday 30th January 12:38

[jon-]

SO2 is still one of my favourite tyres, and probably the greatest tyre Bridgestone ever produced. Be careful though, there's a lot of variants of it all slightly different, some are definitely still in production, I saw a set of S02 (K and N rated) stamped up as being made at the end of 2011.

Never used the S01.

[Marf]

That's it, as far as I am aware the 16" S02 is OE on Porsche models, so still current

http://lovetyres.com/tyre/Bridgestone-Potenza-S01/...

http://lovetyres.com/tyre/Bridgestone-Potenza-S02/...

I've asked the retailer to check the manufacture dates on the tyres to confirm they're new. Just waiting for a call back.

Do you know what the differences are between the variations?

[Nicholas Blair]

I thought the S02 was canned years ago ?

[Marf]

Well, Lovetyres just called, the S02s they have in stock were manufactured December 2012, the S01s were manufactured December 2010.

[900T-R]

Marf said:

Well, Lovetyres just called, the S02s they have in stock were manufactured December 2012,

Flux capacitor playing up again?

Thing is, N- (or whatever) rated tyres are often very different from the general market versions. You will need to ascertain that the characteristics of that particular version match your requirements.

[Marf]

300hp mid engined sports car. I imagine the N3 variant should be up ot the task

As for the flux capacitor comment, I hope you're joking and not implying(inferring?) that the retailer is fibbing about the manufactured dates on the tyres ???

[jon-]

To be manufactured in December 2012 there would have to be some 88mph travel going on somewhere

[Marf]

Doh, 2011.

Taxi!!

Well, time travel based tomfoolery aside, looks like the S02 N3 is my tyre

Edited by Marf on Monday 30th January 14:06

[Agent Orange]

Likewise I’m surprised to hear SO2s are still being made. I last had a set on my Corrado VR6 which I haven’t owned for 6 years. They were very good but when I tried to replace them Bridgestone had ceased manufacture and I had to go SO3 which from memory were too hard for the car and seemed to lack the grip of the SO2s.

Assuming we’re talking about the same tyres the S02s were a brilliant tyre for my Corrado (FWD <>230bhp).

[Marf]

How long did they last?

Now just to decide on a front set, RE050 perhaps

[jon-]

Marf said:

How long did they last?

Now just to decide on a front set, RE050 perhaps

I'm not sure I like the idea of directional and asym mixed.

Perhaps the F1 GSD3 would be a better match?

[Marf]

Fair point, the GSD3 looks good and is available in 205/50

Though the S02 is slightly asym, but I'm being pedantic

[Agent Orange]

Marf said:

How long did they last?

Now just to decide on a front set, RE050 perhaps

I think I got 15K miles out of them at the front. More at the rear but back then I had a lot more disposal income and used to replace all 4 tyres at once.

SO2s were almost legendary but personally after SO3 being such a disappointment I tried Toyo Proxes (erm something can't recall the model) and they were even better than the SO2s.

[Marf]

15k? Not bad.

Not keen on the T1R, sidewall's too squidgy for my liking, prefer something stiffer

[jon-]

I did a track vs road tyre article (which should be published soon) and the original plan was to use the S02 as the road tyre. When telling the guy from Kumho this (who was supplying the track tyre) he groaned - turned out he used to work for Bridgestone and knew how good the S02 was

I ended up using the T1R, which did well but I don't really rate, they overheat too quickly and have soft sidewalls.

[Jasandjules]

Many years ago I had SO1s on the Chimaera, then (4000 miles of enthusiastic driving later) I put SO2s on, which were more solid and comfy in the damp. But then I got S03s which made the So2s feel like they were ice skates.......