Milton Keynes Ate My Off-Side Front Tyre!

[Vimeous]

It's offical. Goodyear F1's are too soft for Milton Keynes.

They gripped like nobodies business, never given anything other than sterling service and have been predicatable and easily the best tyres on my car throughout their life-span.

However with less than five figures gone the drivers-side front numbers 3mm and the off-side front, a distinctly rounded 2...almost. In fact I appear to be missing half the writing on that particular corner..... Oops (Pix to come if I remember)

I'll be putting the F1's from the back on the front as they're part-worn (and very much alive) and something new on the rear. The choices are :

More F1's! - £62 delivered. (and accept they won't last long!)
Michelin Premacy - £72 delivered.
Michelin Exalto - Dunno yet.

Does anyone have either of the Michelins that can give me an idea of how they perform? I know they'll be hard wearing but I need great grip and forgiving characteristics in all conditions. Any advice would be most appreciated!

[Lowe]

Have a look at the current Potenza 720's.

[Shad]

*cough* Yokohama A539/AVS Sport *cough*

[Grey M@a]

Gotta agree with Shad, the Yoko's would be your best bet

[TiG]

IF goodyear F1's are too soft then surely Yoko's are a step the wrong way?, even softer won't help surely?

TiG

[Shad]

IF goodyear F1's are too soft then surely Yoko's are a step the wrong way?, even softer won't help surely?

TiG

Going by the type of driving it sounds like Vimeous does, he'd be better off with the track day favourite tyre, the A539. I'm not saying it'll be any harder than an F1, but at least the Yoko's don't melt

[TiG]

Knowing Vimeous very well i'd have to say that he's disintegrate that in no time at all tho. TBH he doesn't need the softness either, he'll quite happily drive through that small % less grip.

TiG

[Vimeous]

As TiG says I'm happy to sacrifice the ultimate %'age of grip in return for better value. The F1's are softest I'd go. TBH they have one unnerving characteristic in my car (5dr Civic).

Accelerating hard while exiting roundabouts transfers all the weight to the outside rear tyre and with the F1's you can feel the give in the sidewall of the tyre. While I understand this is quite reasonable (and in a rear-driver quite probably desirable) in a front-driver like mine that's alot of weight to transfer away from the driven wheels, especially the one keeping you attached to the right line at the apex of the bend.

Going softer and increasing the overall tyre pressure is one answer but with shocks that are almost 90k miles old now the amount of body-roll generated would probably make the car less driveable. I can handle a little under or over-steer as long as it's progressive, drifting through these roundabouts is half the fun!

Hence the likely decision to go to Michelins (should feedback be good) as they probably give me 50% more wear for only an extra 1/6 the cost.
Which ones though? I'm heard little about the Exaltos and as they're meant to be a 'performance' tyre I'm very interested!

[Shad]

I had Pilot Sport's on my old Clio which worked really well. The Exalto's are the new version of the same thing I think. Can't go far wrong with the performance Michelins

[Vimeous]

I can't get Pilot Sport in the size I need. Some time ago I had Sport SX's but since they changed the range 2-3 years ago I've had no luck. I'd love some genuine Pilot Sports!

[Russ]

my conti premium contacts look brand new, only done 3k miles mind but hardly any wear what so ever

[Zak33]

Michelin Energy....hard as concrete...last a millenia.......good in water....cack in all other cases

I can only tell you that Michelin Pilot Sports are FRIKKIN SUPERB.

Sair's new car has some on the front.....mahoosive tyre wall strength, and they are ACE in the wet......I was shocked today when I brought it to work.....wet roads, slippy conditions.....

these are the finest tyres I have driven on a road car.

Period.

[Jiff Lemon]

I'd say go with the Premacy's - They look nicer than the Exalto's and are slightly harder wearing too;

[TiG]

my conti premium contacts look brand new, only done 3k miles mind but hardly any wear what so ever

But you don't live in MK, I ATE my first set of conti's round MK, its just too easy to come in hard into roundabouts, making the car work and then accelerating out again

My second pair after realising how much they cost have been much better protected

TiG

[Jiff Lemon]

Indeed, for those who have never sampled the delights of MK, it's essential a series of 1 mile National Speed limit sections connected by roundabouts!

Brakes and tyres get a damn fine work out down here.

[Lowe]

As I found out.. one set of discs, tyres and a tank fuel of fuel later...

Better than a track day