Michelin tyres on a Chim?

[TVR keith]

Looking at the need to replace the tyres on my 450 Chim in the new year,
Car currently has;
front 205/55 ZR15 88W
rear 225/50 ZR16 92W
All SO3's
As these are not available anymore have to look elsewhere.
My son works for ATS and has come up with Michelin Pilot Exalto
front 205/55 15W
rear 225/50 Z16 92W
Are these OK for the car, has anyone got them fitted?
I have a high regard for Michelin, run Pilot Premacy's on my tin top, fantastic wet & dry grip and still going strong at 20K miles.
The other possibility is Dunlop 9000 both Z rated. These specialist tyres are made in batches, all they know is fronts available 2007 and no date for rears. I want the same make all round.
Your thoughts please

[silverback mike]

I really like michelins, they are usually my tyre of choice. I have brand new tyres on the rear on mine, the previous owner put them on. Must admit, never heard of them "champiro" I guess I shall join you in buying some michelins.

Especially as I have pirelli p6000 ditchfinders on the front as well

[f1fx]

Just as the tyres on my chim seem to be a diffrent size to the one stated above .. what should they be ? and would this explane why my speedo is about 10 mph too high .

Edited by f1fx on Wednesday 15th November 10:38

Edited by f1fx on Wednesday 15th November 11:10

[.Mark]

silverback mike said:

I really like michelins, they are usually my tyre of choice. I have brand new tyres on the rear on mine, the previous owner put them on. Must admit, never heard of them "champiro" I guess I shall join you in buying some michelins.

Especially as I have pirelli p6000 ditchfinders on the front as well

Don't want to worry you unduly Mike, but I have Champiro tyres on my 3rd choice car, little XR2i - they were the cheapest I could buy to run it around on, think I paid about £120 for all 4 fitted. Not saying the ones on yours are cheap or inadequate, but just a heads up for you mate.

[ricardo bertone]

Hey I have a Champiro on my wheelbarrow and it's great!

[silverback mike]

.Mark said:

silverback mike said:

I really like michelins, they are usually my tyre of choice. I have brand new tyres on the rear on mine, the previous owner put them on. Must admit, never heard of them "champiro" I guess I shall join you in buying some michelins.

Especially as I have pirelli p6000 ditchfinders on the front as well

Don't want to worry you unduly Mike, but I have Champiro tyres on my 3rd choice car, little XR2i - they were the cheapest I could buy to run it around on, think I paid about £120 for all 4 fitted. Not saying the ones on yours are cheap or inadequate, but just a heads up for you mate.

It's ok, I am fully aware of how crap they are...I shall be changing them as soon as possible. Even ditchfinders are better than these...

[blujay10]

Well I'm running Michelin Pilot Premacy on the front of mine and I have no complaints, use the car all year round in all weather. Plenty of grip. Also run them on my T4 Volvo and very happy. IMHO of course as I guess there will be others who disagree.......

[andy jb]

TVR keith said:

My son works for ATS and has come up with Michelin Pilot Exalto
front 205/55 15W
rear 225/50 Z16 92W
Are these OK for the car, has anyone got them fitted?
I have a high regard for Michelin, run Pilot Premacy's on my tin top, fantastic wet & dry grip and still going strong at 20K miles.

Michelin are a premium brand. I used to run a company Focus ST170 and believe me teh Pilot Primacy are NOT performance tyres, the pilot sport are teh ones to go for, although not in teh sizes you mention for the TIV.
Have you tried Toyo T1S/R ? I used these to great effect on another sports car - although check sizes in 55 profile. You should be able to used 50 profiles as standard on my 500.

[sparkythecat]

andy jb said:

Michelin are a premium brand. I used to run a company Focus ST170 and believe me teh Pilot Primacy are NOT performance tyres

care to expand on that a bit?

Different tyre compounds have different wear/grip/slip charachterics but I thought that the only 'performance' element of road tyres indicated was the speed rating letter(s).

So one would expect a Michelin tyre rates ZR or W to have better 'performance' than a say a Toyo tyre rated S or T.

Edited by sparkythecat on Wednesday 15th November 17:14

[chris_chim]

Not too sure what the issue is with the Dunlops. I got some rears from mytyres last week without any problem and they claimed to have fronts as well.

[SpudMurphy]

I replaced my SO3's with Dunlops and have no negative issues. I suggest that you should think about what driving conditions you are planning - dry days only, track days or whatever. The Dunlops are not great on the track where Toyo's would be vastly superior but the opposite would be true if you if you found yourself with a long drive in the wet where the Dunlops would give much better grip. There's really no 'one size fits all' solution but you might find that size availability is an important factor in your final decision.

Edited by SpudMurphy on Thursday 16th November 10:05

[FunkyGibbon]

chris_chim said:

Not too sure what the issue is with the Dunlops. I got some rears from mytyres last week without any problem and they claimed to have fronts as well.

me neither - had a full set of SP9000 (same sizes as the OP) put on last week by www.etyres.co.uk/ and a quick search of their site suggests they still have some.

[ads]

I have dunlop sp9000's on mine too, Seem as good as the S02's they replaced. My tyres and Black circles have them is stock. Plus you get 5% off black circles for being a pistonheads member!

[M@H]

I run BF Goodrich G-Force Profilers on the rear of my Chim.. very happy with them and I have them on the Scooby and the Alfa too



..and they look good

Edited by M@H on Thursday 16th November 10:42

[Don]

Agree with the comment about Michelin Pilot Sport tyres.

I have them on my Porsche - they're really, really good. Wet and dry grip is astonishing. And, boy, are they hard wearing - even with all the track days I do!

If you can get a set in the right sizes for your Chim I think they'll make excellent tyres for it. I'd have put them on our Chim last time if I'd been on the ball - as it is we have Toyos - and they're OK.

Michelins aren't cheap though...

[TVR Keith]

So what I get from that is that Michelins should be good but expensive, (but my son can get me a substantial discount!), the Dunlops have good wet grip, the Toyos are good on a track (which I don't do) but not so good in the wet.
My experience of Michelins is that they do last pretty well and as I seem to be doing about 7000 miles per annum that is obviously a consideration.
Oh, and that Spanish chappie seems to like them, but of course he'll be on Bridgestones next year.
Pity that Bridgestone invest all that money into F1 for the advertising and don't make them for fast British cars....

Edited by TVR Keith on Thursday 16th November 17:23

[Happy Monkey]

TVR keith said:

I want the same make all round.

Mine are all round too

[Don]

I usually go to Micheldever tyres - good deals. I turn up in the TVR and the Porsche and usually buy the best tyres I can.

I also go in my Vectra. And buy ones that are Black and Round.

In fact when I was asked what tyres I wanted I replied "Black and Round, please!" Without even a flicker of amusement the service chap announced in a friendly manner: "Yes we do stock Kumhos."

[ray_von]

Don said:

I usually go to Micheldever tyres - good deals. I turn up in the TVR and the Porsche and usually buy the best tyres I can.

I also go in my Vectra. And buy ones that are Black and Round.

In fact when I was asked what tyres I wanted I replied "Black and Round, please!" Without even a flicker of amusement the service chap announced in a friendly manner: "Yes we do stock Kumhos."

What do you mean the best you can?? Don't knock Kumhos I've tried them and there's nowt wrong with them

[aaandy]

Toyo's seem to be the order of the day at the moment since the old bridgestone supplies dried up.

I have heard nothing but good reports and I have been very, very happy with the toyo's on mine. A lot better in the wet than the S02s ever were, and generally better ride quality (even with an extra 2psi to allow for the softer tyre wall).