Yokohamas 048 - how long do they last with you?

[Phil-CH]

After having done 6000km / 3750 miles in my Exige S2, I guess my back ones already need to be replaced. :-/ Since this is my first Lotus and the first time I'm about to get my tires exchanged, I'm wondering how this compares with other lads out there! Am I in line with what you guys go through or have I been possibly been driving quite hard with them?

Note; I have not been on the track with the car; only rather hard driving in the Black Forrest.

Would love to hear how these figures compare with other members on here! How often do you need to exchange them (back / front) and how much do they cost in your region?


As reference; The back ones will cost me roughly about a ~1000 CHF | ~441 British Pounds | ~806 USD.

Replacing both front and back (195/50R16 + 225/45R17) would cost me exactly 1700 CHF | 750 British Pounds | 1,370 USD...

:-(

Also, if someone knows where to get them cheap(er) (perhaps in Germany/Switzerland if someone from there is in the know), I'd be very grateful! Thanks!

[bogie]

sounds about right - get around 5-6K out of fronts and 3-4K out of rears with a coupld of trackdays, the rest on the road ...with a lot of trackdays you could see them off in 2K miles

price is pretty much fixed as they are low volume in the Lotus sizes/compounds Im afraid.....

[bher]

Life of your A048 is normal
Mine were overinflated and lasted 2200 miles... That means trips and track from brussels to abbeville once, twice to francorchamps and once to Nurburgring.
Fronts are half way.
Speaking with Lotus people, they suggest fr 24 and rr 26 PSI. Mine were 30 at cold....

[hbaumhardt]

Was following an Exige on track at Rockingham and suggested that his back end was twitchy probably cos his pressures were too high .. yup found 30/31 hot so took them down to 26/28 hot and the driver tells me it was transformed. Of course when the car cools down it can be as low as 20/22 so be careful !

[speedyellow]

My car has hard track use mainly and I'm on my fourth set of rears now at 5K miles and getting to the end of the second set of fronts... but at the correct pressures they do grip like hell and wear very evenly.

At Spa running round from Stavelot round to the bus stop at a vmax of about 125 mph the car was generating 1.21G on the data logger!!! Guess the downforce does really work on the Exige at high speeds!

[Moist]

I am not sure if they are the same tyres on the VXR220 (I think they are!).

If they are, do a search on VX220.org.uk as they were having some kind of group buy on them and I think the price was sub £600 for all four.

[speedyellow]

I'm definately going to check that out with my current consumption rates!!!

Thanks!

[GTRene]

Hi Phil, in the Netherlands by dealer van der kooi, they do a set(both front and rears) of yokohamas 048 for 850,-euro incl balancing and fixing! so thats around 575,-gbp? thats saves you almost 400$ a set...?
here is the link
www.lotuscars.nl/site/main.php?page=shop&merknaam=Lotus&lang=nl&details=786&merk_id=1&model_id=11&catagorie=27

have fun
GTRene

>> Edited by GTRene on Monday 1st May 11:20

[simonk]

Ive now done 5000 miles on mine which has included one airfield day (wet) and 3 track days (dry). Whilst they dont look like new anymore id say theres plenty of life still left in them. Am i not trying hard enough?!

Simon

[shangani]

simonk said:

Ive now done 5000 miles on mine which has included one airfield day (wet) and 3 track days (dry). Whilst they dont look like new anymore id say theres plenty of life still left in them. Am i not trying hard enough?! Simon

No

[hbaumhardt]

shangani said:

No, your being really super gay

No need for that

[alicrozier]

GTRene said:

Hi Phil, in the Netherlands by dealer van der kooi, they do a set(both front and rears) of yokohamas 048 for 850,-euro incl balancing and fixing! so thats around 575,-gbp? thats saves you almost 400$ a set...? here is the link www.lotuscars.nl/site/main.php?page=shop&merknaam=Lotus&lang=nl&details=786&merk_id=1&model_id=11&catagorie=27 have fun GTRene >> Edited by GTRene on Monday 1st May 11:20

That might be handy for on the way back from Spa at the end of the month.

[bher]

simonk said:

Ive now done 5000 miles on mine which has included one airfield day (wet) and 3 track days (dry). Whilst they dont look like new anymore id say theres plenty of life still left in them. Am i not trying hard enough?! Simon

I would more believe you set the pressure correctly.
Think positive

[Davey S2]

Just had all mine replaced for £650 which was the price several dealers quoted me. Bookatrack can supply them a bit cheaper but they were not anywhere near me to have them fitted so I went with the local dealer.

My car is on 9500 miles and this is my 3rd set of rears but only the second set of fronts.

The mileage includes 2 days at Bruntingthorpe which isnt very tyre freindly, 2 days at Donnington, a day at Bedford and a day at Llandow.

Not to bad really. Just stings a bit when you have to replace all 4 at once.

[simonk]

At them prices for replacements im not proud!

Simon

[hbaumhardt]

Worth mentioning the SELOC memebrship 10% discount on parts from some Lotus dealers can help. Last time I asked Bell & Colville and Merrits will honour this and do a set of A048 LTS for around £550. You can get A048s in non LTS compond e.g. M & MH lots of places always worth double checking what is being offered.

Edit to say I'm with simonk on this, even if my skill was up to it I simply could not afford (in cash terms) to go sideways round the track on A048s like some folks can, although switching to R888s at £440 fitted could help with my education.

>> Edited by hbaumhardt on Monday 1st May 19:06

[shangani]

simonk said:

At them prices for replacements im not proud! Simon

Simon, I was taking the mickey a bit earlier - I have looked after mine with kid gloves. Only for dry trackdays, not airfield days (Bedford aside) etc etc. Reason = cost. If you get good mileage, you save wedge. Period.

[simonk]

Dont worry i took it as a joke! Tis a bit difficult sometimes with written words to know for sure what people mean. Should probably try and use some of the smiley thingies but havent actually worked out how...

Really funny thing is i havent actually deliberately looked after the tyres. Im not a fast driver on the road (40MPGs!) and am clearly a little over cautious on track. However, it always seems to be wet up here which must help and i do have traction control also.

But hey im happy

Simon

[simonk]

Looks like ive finally cracked the smiley things!

[shangani]

You should go out for pax laps with Lotusnick who posts on here. 3 trackdays to shred his well beyond the wear markers. I will cross post video from Saturday when available. How NOT to make track tyres last.

He was grinning from ear to ear for two days though.