Vantage Tyre Time
Discussion
So the inside edges of my V8 Vantage tyres have slowly scuffed away whilst the previous owner had my car. I've since had the car set up and tracked and now I'm wanting to replace the worn tyres. At the moment I'm running the standard 245/40/19 Potenza. However I'm potentially looking to change to a better spec as the car is only really a dry weather car. I was looking at some of the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2's but can't find any that fit my tyre size for the vantage? Does anyone know if they make the Cup 2's in a size to fit the Vantage? Or does anyone have any tyre suggestions and experience with going from the standard Potenza to a slightly better specced sticky tyre? Note: currently running the forged N430 wheel.
Thanks in advance.
Sam
Thanks in advance.
Sam
I went from Pirelli Corsa to Michelin Pilot Super Sports on my V12 Vantage as I wanted all year round drivability. I found the Corsa's OK but in the winter months (and looking where you are based) you'll find this too possibly a bit more prolonged than us southerners to be a bit on the frenetic side if the temperature was anything below 7c which while made for some fun didn't inspire confidence on the twisty stuff!
So if you are not looking for a track biased tyre I whole heartedly recommend the Michelin PSS - mine are the previous generation and have transformed the handling IMHO!
So if you are not looking for a track biased tyre I whole heartedly recommend the Michelin PSS - mine are the previous generation and have transformed the handling IMHO!
The Michelin Pilot Super Sport are a good all round option (general road, rain and track) and they are available in the right sizes. But they are replaced this year by the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S - which are difficult to obtain in the right sizes. If available the MPSS are still an excellent option.
The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 are avaliable in 285/35 19, and in 255/35 19 for the front which is very close to the original size. That should work on the N430.
The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 are avaliable in 285/35 19, and in 255/35 19 for the front which is very close to the original size. That should work on the N430.
MPSS/MPS4S all day long.
I don't believe Michelin Cup tyres are as good in the wet by some margin (no Pirelli tyre comes close). And whilst being able to sustain 0.05g more through a corner on public roads might be useful, being able to stop when it's pissing down and there's standing water around is a far more useful property on a road tyre.
I don't believe Michelin Cup tyres are as good in the wet by some margin (no Pirelli tyre comes close). And whilst being able to sustain 0.05g more through a corner on public roads might be useful, being able to stop when it's pissing down and there's standing water around is a far more useful property on a road tyre.
Thanks for much for your input so far. I like the look of the SuperSport tyres, that's an option I hadn't really looked into. With regards to fitting 255/35/19 on 245 rim where do we stand on that? Is that a common thing to do? Will it help the handling with slightly more width on the front or not?
Thanks
Sam
Thanks
Sam
I ran my 911 on Cup 2's but have recently changed to PS4S's and they are a better tyre. You still get the immense grip of the Cups 2's but they give you more confidence in cold weather and standing water. PS4S's also have more tread from new although I'm not sure of the wear rates. I got 5k miles out of my Cup 2's which means they are an expensive set of tyres.
I believe they are releasing new sizes of the PS4S's all the time so if they are not available in the size you require right now they may be soon., maybe check with Michelin.
Interested in the outcome as I'm currently looking at Vantages and have never liked the Potenza's on other cars I've owned!
I believe they are releasing new sizes of the PS4S's all the time so if they are not available in the size you require right now they may be soon., maybe check with Michelin.
Interested in the outcome as I'm currently looking at Vantages and have never liked the Potenza's on other cars I've owned!
Interesting reading about the Cup 2's and their wear time. Was that just standard road use it were there track days involved or anything like that? I've found a supplier who does the Cup 2's in a 235/35/19 but I'm not sure if that's a bit of a backwards step when I'm currently running 245's or would I not notice? Or do you guys think if I'm looking at the Cup 2 option I'd be better going for the wider 255?
At the moment for me it seems like it's between the Super Sports, PS4's or the Cup 2's. Hmmm
At the moment for me it seems like it's between the Super Sports, PS4's or the Cup 2's. Hmmm
Yes, my Cup 2's were used on a few track days so the wear would be more than normal road use. I seem to remember they are rated for 7k miles but don't quote me on that.
Actually one thing to note about the sporty Michelin tyres (Cup 2's/PS4S's) is that they seem to have a softer sidewall and (purely in my opinion) they do improve ride quality over my experience with Bridgestones.
Actually one thing to note about the sporty Michelin tyres (Cup 2's/PS4S's) is that they seem to have a softer sidewall and (purely in my opinion) they do improve ride quality over my experience with Bridgestones.
It would really depend on your use.
Michelin cup 2 tyres need heat to come alive, so if you track the car then this probably is the tyre to go for.
Road use and all-round tyre I'd be getting the Michelin pilot sport 4s as the latest and greatest from Michelin.
This guy has some great videos and here's a comparison between Pilot SS and Pilot 4S
https://youtu.be/F65rXOlS2f8
I believe a video comparing Cup 2 and 4S is imminent.
Michelin cup 2 tyres need heat to come alive, so if you track the car then this probably is the tyre to go for.
Road use and all-round tyre I'd be getting the Michelin pilot sport 4s as the latest and greatest from Michelin.
This guy has some great videos and here's a comparison between Pilot SS and Pilot 4S
https://youtu.be/F65rXOlS2f8
I believe a video comparing Cup 2 and 4S is imminent.
I would like to think then that with spirited driving on the road and little track use I should get a few more miles out of them! Interesting video there with some useful tips, I'll be interested to see the Cup 2's review.
I think once I find out if the a 255 tyre will be okay on the N430 wheels that will help me make part of my desicion anyway as I don't want to put tyres on that catch on the suspsenion or ruin the handling however if a larger front tyre has the opposite affect and let's say it improves front end grip for example I'd be more tempted to go for the slightly wider tyre on the front.
I think once I find out if the a 255 tyre will be okay on the N430 wheels that will help me make part of my desicion anyway as I don't want to put tyres on that catch on the suspsenion or ruin the handling however if a larger front tyre has the opposite affect and let's say it improves front end grip for example I'd be more tempted to go for the slightly wider tyre on the front.
Graze01 said:
You could try Nitto Invo. I had them on my RS4 and they are a good grippy tyre. Probably won't get the mileage that the michelins will give but nearly half the price
Graze
Just had a look at these online! Impressive tyre tread pattern! I think I'm going to try to with some type of Michelin on the Vantage as everyone I speak to seems to rave about how the car was transformed once they were fitted! Thanks very much for your suggestion though, may look at fitting those tyres on an everyday car! Graze
I'm a big fan of Michelin, I've used their all season tires on previous cars (BMW 330i and Subaru WRX STi), and their summer tires on a few cars (that same Subaru WRX STi and both of my V8 Vantages). Copy/paste magic from a recent blog post I wrote:
My grey car had Hankook Ventus Evo V12 tires installed when I bought it. They were a fun, cheap tire. They weren't great in the rain, and the traction wasn't the best, but being able to overpower the tires in a turn made it really easy to control with throttle steering. While fun in certain situations, the tire's lack of composure in the wet kept it from being a usable year-round tire and the lack of ultimate grip on track kept it from being an out-right performer. So, once the Hankooks had expended themselves, I switched over to Michelin.
The Michelin Pilot Super Sport (often shortened to MPSS, PSS, or Super Sport) is a fantastic tire. While not stellar when cold, they're still quite usable and stable so they can be used throughout the year. While that isn't an endorsement for using them in the snow, I will say that I was caught in an ice storm at one point, and was able to drive the car over two hours through it to get home. There were literal icicles hanging from my car when I finished the drive!
I've used the Super Sports in a wide variety of situations through the last few years: that ice storm, track days, commuting in DC metro area traffic, even some accidental mud-roading (oh, the lengths I will go to for some wine!), and they've been a fantastic all-around tire that can handle just about anything. They weren't perfect, but no tire is - tires are, again, a function of compromise. But technology advances, and with that comes a replacement for the Pilot Super Sport: The Pilot Sport 4S (often shortened to MPS4S, PS4S, 4S, etc etc).
The Pilot Sport 4S is a better tire than its predecessor in every way. Performance when warm and dry is very slightly improved - no surprise there because it was already stellar in that area. The biggest improvement is in cold and rainy situations. It's far better handling in incliment weather than the Super Sport, which is where improvement was needed most. The Pilot Sport 4S is still a new tire so sizes are limited, especially in certain regions of the world. But if you can get them in the sizes you need, these are fantastic tires!
Full blog post here covering some very basic tire info:
http://www.redpants.lol/blog/2017/8/14/good-rubber...
I haven't tried the Nitto INVO, so I can't comment on that tire. Nitto does make some good tires, though, so they might be worth a try.
My grey car had Hankook Ventus Evo V12 tires installed when I bought it. They were a fun, cheap tire. They weren't great in the rain, and the traction wasn't the best, but being able to overpower the tires in a turn made it really easy to control with throttle steering. While fun in certain situations, the tire's lack of composure in the wet kept it from being a usable year-round tire and the lack of ultimate grip on track kept it from being an out-right performer. So, once the Hankooks had expended themselves, I switched over to Michelin.
The Michelin Pilot Super Sport (often shortened to MPSS, PSS, or Super Sport) is a fantastic tire. While not stellar when cold, they're still quite usable and stable so they can be used throughout the year. While that isn't an endorsement for using them in the snow, I will say that I was caught in an ice storm at one point, and was able to drive the car over two hours through it to get home. There were literal icicles hanging from my car when I finished the drive!
I've used the Super Sports in a wide variety of situations through the last few years: that ice storm, track days, commuting in DC metro area traffic, even some accidental mud-roading (oh, the lengths I will go to for some wine!), and they've been a fantastic all-around tire that can handle just about anything. They weren't perfect, but no tire is - tires are, again, a function of compromise. But technology advances, and with that comes a replacement for the Pilot Super Sport: The Pilot Sport 4S (often shortened to MPS4S, PS4S, 4S, etc etc).
The Pilot Sport 4S is a better tire than its predecessor in every way. Performance when warm and dry is very slightly improved - no surprise there because it was already stellar in that area. The biggest improvement is in cold and rainy situations. It's far better handling in incliment weather than the Super Sport, which is where improvement was needed most. The Pilot Sport 4S is still a new tire so sizes are limited, especially in certain regions of the world. But if you can get them in the sizes you need, these are fantastic tires!
Full blog post here covering some very basic tire info:
http://www.redpants.lol/blog/2017/8/14/good-rubber...
I haven't tried the Nitto INVO, so I can't comment on that tire. Nitto does make some good tires, though, so they might be worth a try.
Edited by telum01 on Thursday 17th August 03:27
telum01 said:
I'm a big fan of Michelin, I've used their all season tires on previous cars (BMW 330i and Subaru WRX STi), and their summer tires on a few cars (that same Subaru WRX STi and both of my V8 Vantages). Copy/paste magic from a recent blog post I wrote:
My grey car had Hankook Ventus Evo V12 tires installed when I bought it. They were a fun, cheap tire. They weren't great in the rain, and the traction wasn't the best, but being able to overpower the tires in a turn made it really easy to control with throttle steering. While fun in certain situations, the tire's lack of composure in the wet kept it from being a usable year-round tire and the lack of ultimate grip on track kept it from being an out-right performer. So, once the Hankooks had expended themselves, I switched over to Michelin.
The Michelin Pilot Super Sport (often shortened to MPSS, PSS, or Super Sport) is a fantastic tire. While not stellar when cold, they're still quite usable and stable so they can be used throughout the year. While that isn't an endorsement for using them in the snow, I will say that I was caught in an ice storm at one point, and was able to drive the car over two hours through it to get home. There were literal icicles hanging from my car when I finished the drive!
I've used the Super Sports in a wide variety of situations through the last few years: that ice storm, track days, commuting in DC metro area traffic, even some accidental mud-roading (oh, the lengths I will go to for some wine!), and they've been a fantastic all-around tire that can handle just about anything. They weren't perfect, but no tire is - tires are, again, a function of compromise. But technology advances, and with that comes a replacement for the Pilot Super Sport: The Pilot Sport 4S (often shortened to MPS4S, PS4S, 4S, etc etc).
The Pilot Sport 4S is a better tire than its predecessor in every way. Performance when warm and dry is very slightly improved - no surprise there because it was already stellar in that area. The biggest improvement is in cold and rainy situations. It's far better handling in incliment weather than the Super Sport, which is where improvement was needed most. The Pilot Sport 4S is still a new tire so sizes are limited, especially in certain regions of the world. But if you can get them in the sizes you need, these are fantastic tires!
Full blog post here covering some very basic tire info:
http://www.redpants.lol/blog/2017/8/14/good-rubber...
I haven't tried the Nitto INVO, so I can't comment on that tire. Nitto does make some good tires, though, so they might be worth a try.
Wow thanks for that information really interesting read, just out of interest have you ever fitted the slightly wider 255 tyre to your Vantage and if so what results did you find? I'm seriously toying with the idea of fitting a wider front tyre and seeing if that aids grip maybe? I think I'm looking more at the SuperSport tyre rather than than the Cup2 as this seems a more everyday tyre.My grey car had Hankook Ventus Evo V12 tires installed when I bought it. They were a fun, cheap tire. They weren't great in the rain, and the traction wasn't the best, but being able to overpower the tires in a turn made it really easy to control with throttle steering. While fun in certain situations, the tire's lack of composure in the wet kept it from being a usable year-round tire and the lack of ultimate grip on track kept it from being an out-right performer. So, once the Hankooks had expended themselves, I switched over to Michelin.
The Michelin Pilot Super Sport (often shortened to MPSS, PSS, or Super Sport) is a fantastic tire. While not stellar when cold, they're still quite usable and stable so they can be used throughout the year. While that isn't an endorsement for using them in the snow, I will say that I was caught in an ice storm at one point, and was able to drive the car over two hours through it to get home. There were literal icicles hanging from my car when I finished the drive!
I've used the Super Sports in a wide variety of situations through the last few years: that ice storm, track days, commuting in DC metro area traffic, even some accidental mud-roading (oh, the lengths I will go to for some wine!), and they've been a fantastic all-around tire that can handle just about anything. They weren't perfect, but no tire is - tires are, again, a function of compromise. But technology advances, and with that comes a replacement for the Pilot Super Sport: The Pilot Sport 4S (often shortened to MPS4S, PS4S, 4S, etc etc).
The Pilot Sport 4S is a better tire than its predecessor in every way. Performance when warm and dry is very slightly improved - no surprise there because it was already stellar in that area. The biggest improvement is in cold and rainy situations. It's far better handling in incliment weather than the Super Sport, which is where improvement was needed most. The Pilot Sport 4S is still a new tire so sizes are limited, especially in certain regions of the world. But if you can get them in the sizes you need, these are fantastic tires!
Full blog post here covering some very basic tire info:
http://www.redpants.lol/blog/2017/8/14/good-rubber...
I haven't tried the Nitto INVO, so I can't comment on that tire. Nitto does make some good tires, though, so they might be worth a try.
Edited by telum01 on Thursday 17th August 03:27
By the way your oil change video tutorial proved very useful the other day when changing the oil!
I wouldn't get the Cup 2 tires unless it's a mostly-track car. The Pilot Sport 4S is far better when cold (that includes normal driving) so it's al all-round better tire unless track performance is your main goal. It'll also have better tread life, which is a nice bonus.
You shouldn't have an issue with a 255-width tire so long as you have the right aspect ratio and the tire fits your rim. I'm currently running a 265-width tire on the front of my grey Vantage. The setup on my grey car is 265-front and 305-rear. The tire diameter is a little shorter than the original tires (more in line with the V12V tire diameter). With a 255-width front tire (and matching 295-width rear) you'll be a bit taller than the original tires. But either way, you shouldn't have any rubbing issues so long as your suspension isn't slammed.
The 265/305 tires on my grey car are the Pilot Sport 4S. Wonderful for normal driving, and I never found the limits of their traction on the track day I did at the end of June. My nerves ran out before the tires did (the last time I was on track before this event resulted in my little tire wall incident, so I was a little conservative this outing, but I still beat my lap times compared to the year before).
You shouldn't have an issue with a 255-width tire so long as you have the right aspect ratio and the tire fits your rim. I'm currently running a 265-width tire on the front of my grey Vantage. The setup on my grey car is 265-front and 305-rear. The tire diameter is a little shorter than the original tires (more in line with the V12V tire diameter). With a 255-width front tire (and matching 295-width rear) you'll be a bit taller than the original tires. But either way, you shouldn't have any rubbing issues so long as your suspension isn't slammed.
The 265/305 tires on my grey car are the Pilot Sport 4S. Wonderful for normal driving, and I never found the limits of their traction on the track day I did at the end of June. My nerves ran out before the tires did (the last time I was on track before this event resulted in my little tire wall incident, so I was a little conservative this outing, but I still beat my lap times compared to the year before).
shinjuku said:
On the tyre topic—I am thinking about winter tyres. Can I run the same width tyre all round on the standard 19s or do I need Pirelli Sotto Zero Winter, 235 40 R 19 96 W/ 275/35/R19 100W.
Help, thoughts, and experiences appreciated
I think the AML recommendation is Pirelli Sotto Zero, 235/40/R19 front and 275/35/R19 rear on everything from standard V8V up to V12V. This is what I've used on both my previous 4.7 V8V and my current V8S and they work well. Why would you want to use the same width front and rear? Not sure this would work as the wheels are different widths.Help, thoughts, and experiences appreciated
Gassing Station | Aston Martin | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff