Tire advice and size question

Which summer rubbers

  • Falken ZE912 (195/45-15)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Falken ZR912 (195/50-15)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Yokohama Parada Spec2 (195/50-15)

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    9
  • Poll closed .
Okay guys and lasses.

Firstly, sorry for making a thread, that you may have seen a gazillion times before. Hope you´ll read it though.

Winter is finally loosening it´s grip here in Denmark, and it´s time to consider some summer-rubbers. I bought the Scoot in december, and it only had some ooold steelies, which I promptly got sorted with some winter tyres. As the Scoot is our family´s cheap no2 runaround, commute to job car, the budget regarding it, is unfortunately not very big. But I just bought a secondhand set of alloys, for the sum of 40£, delivered. :grinning:

The tyres on the alloys are for the scrapper, so need to get a new set of summer tires. The alloys are 15", and reading here on the forums, it seems that there is only one size to get, 195/45-15. That is also very close to the original rolling diameter, so I understand that. But 195/45´s are a bit more expensive than 195/50´s, so I´m gonna ask : Apart from the larger rolling diameter on 195/50, are there any reason that they would be a really bad choice ? I´m thinking rubbing etc.

I hope you will cast your vote in the poll, and that you furthermore will write a post, telling why you voted what you did. Votes are fun, and and indicator, but the explanations can actually make us wiser. Any firsthand experience with any of the tires, would be great. And If there is some tire, you think is the tire to get, please let me know. The key word in the tyre I want, is safety. My wife and daughter also rides in the Scoot, so it has to be surefooted. And a tire with good grip, could also let me have some solo -fun, from time to time. It has to be safe tire, good grip in sun and rain, never mind snow, ice and frost, got winter tires for that time of year.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, please cast a vote, and enlighten me with your thoughts. Thank you


Now, I have had a little look around the market, to get an idea of what to invest in, tyre wise. I´m not finished looking, but here is what I´m looking at so far :

Falken ZE912 195/45-15, 176,3£ set of 4
Toyo T1R 195/45-15, 194£ set of 4

Falken ZE912 195/50-15, 152£ set of 4
Toyo T1R 195/50-15, 137£ set of 4
Yokohama Parada Spec2, 164£ set of 4
 

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OP
OP
Blownfuse
Come on here.....

4 votes, and one post (thank you, Shaun).... That is what I consider a shockingly low percentage, of a car clubs members, to have an interest in tyres....

Bump !

Come on everybody, chime in, they got to be some of you, who can contribute to this.
:upside:
 

r-reg-sr

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Site Supporter
if it were me i would run the winter tyres down,,,,,,,,all the way down and through summer
but thats just me,others have their own opinion

"I reject your reality, and substitute with my own"
 
OP
OP
Blownfuse
R-REG-SR - Each to their own, mate.:cool:

My experience is that winter tires are the only real option, through a danish winter. And summer tires are significantly better in the summer. Plus the softer compound in winter tires, means that they just disappear, if you drive them through the summer. So I´m one of those, who change tires when the temperature gets down to around 4 degress celsius, and then waits, and waits, and waits....... And waits.... Waaaits........ For that first Saturday, when I dare pronounce "Spring is here ! Goodbye mr Frost", when I´ll summon friends and relatives for big happy "put on the summer tires" day.
 
OP
OP
Blownfuse
As I´m also got to get the P11 new summer rubbers, I have a thread like this, going over at "my other club"..... So far it looks like the T1R´s are winning over there too.... Though the Parada´s are tied on votes, the post´s clearly speaks against the Parada´s so far.
 

r-reg-sr

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Site Supporter
:grinning: you are 100% right
i had to try hypnotize you and replace your realities with some other ones:laugh:
cool :grinning:
it obviously had no affect on you,maybe phase 2 should be initiated?
 
OP
OP
Blownfuse
OOhhh...... That sounds..... intriguing ! Phase 2.... Is that the phase that involves abduction, solitary, dark, confinement, japanese water torture.... Or is it sneaking into my house, planting speakers, to play subliminal messages 24/7 ? :eek:
 

r-reg-sr

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Site Supporter
good quality them toyo's
phase2 -----in the morning you shall leave your home and make your way to the local phone box
then you will call agent obama and ask if their are any free places in cuba
if yes book ticket immediately and go (via the whitehouse)
if no back to this thread so i can try reject most of your reality and switch it to an alternate one i'll make up
 
OP
OP
Blownfuse
Well... 6 votes for T1R´s, zip votes for other brands. And one, just one, post actually regarding one the tires (Thanks 6.5x55). R-REG-SR´s post´s sure livemed up my dull check ins, Shauns post also useful, but... I am a little disapointed in the lack of interest for tyres in here. Come on, the tyres are the main part, that let us control our Micra´s, get them in the direction we want, and stop us from careening wildly out of control, in any which direction. Surely more members of a car club, takes an interest in the tyres, they fit on their car. Or what ?

Status : Looks like T1R´s for the K11, and also for the P11. Though Parada Spec2 is still an option for the P11. And I´m still looking for other suppliers, with a larger selection. Anybody know any good internet based tire shops, who will ship to Denmark, please let me know.
 

essexpunx

Site Supporter
T1R's are really good tyres wet or dry, but having said that i've just put cheapo Nankang NS2's in 195/45x15 on my micra and after scrubbing them in i'm quite impressed with the grip.
 
OP
OP
Blownfuse
Well, as price is an issue, though not as much an issue as safety, I think I have found a tire for the Micra. Found a good offer on Uniroyal Rainsport 2, 20£ cheaper than the T1R´s, and good reviews. So it very much looks like, I will get the Uniroyals.
 
OP
OP
Blownfuse
As I started out saying, the tires I´ve listed is not the only options. It was the tires I had found, which I could afford to buy, and I had an idea of could be good tires. I also wrote that anybody could recommend other tires than the ones listed. At the time of writing #0, the Uniroyal Rainsport 2 was way to expensive, for me. Now I´ve found a really good offer on them, actually a wee bit cheaper than the Toyo´s. It has very good reviews, and also been told on other forums, that it is a very good tire, from other peoples personal experience. What I hear is, that it is almost equal to T1R´s in the dry, but very significantly better in the wet. Maybe I did´nt make it crystal-clear, that I´m looking for the best possible tire, grip-wise, in the wet and dry, for a certain sum of £´s. Not a trackday tire. If it was for trackdays only, then #### how it grips in the wet, and then I could just go get some R888´s. But it´s for everyday use, with the occasionel spirited drive, every now and then.

I´m quite convinced, that the T1R´s are a very good tire. However, I´m not convinced that it is the tire. Furthermore, there is actually only 2 persons, who have written anything about their personal experience, with any of the tires. One endorses the Toyo´s, the other endorses the Toyo´s, but also Nankang.... So though the vote is quite clear, the reasons for why it should be T1R, is´nt really overwhelming. Compared to the feedback I´ve recieved in my other club, this here thread is sorely lacking in any real info/personal experiences. I´m really thankful for Essexpunx and 6,5x55´s post´s, as they actually are relevant to the subject, and with info that is usefull. But they are the only ones, to elaborate on why they voted for the the Toyo´s. As I started out saying, it is very easy casting a vote, but it is the reason for why you voted what you did, that really matters.

So... I´m not at all fazed, that you maybe take offense to me maybe picking another tire, than the one that got all the votes. If all those who voted, would share there personal experiences with the tire, and some maybe would say why Rainsport 2´s are good/bad, then I would have something to work with. I just don´t think, that this thread has left me very much info, therefore I´ve had to look elsewhere for info. In my other club, the T1R´s also get recomended, but not hailed as the tire. I have recieved both good and bad experiences of the tire, and also some serious arguments for choosing other tires.

All that said, Frank, I rate you as a very serious capacity on car-stuff, especially Micra, what are your recommendation, summer tire wise, with a max price loft of 200£ for a set of 4 ?

Ps. And then, Frank, I´m not a complete numb-nut around a car. I have some experience, not in your league, not at all, but tried a little of this and that through time. So it´s not that I´m a total blank when it comes to tire selection. I just really like to hear others experiences. Could be I could learn something from it, and I do like learning. I´m not really into the tire market for 15´s, since the last 6 years I´ve only bought 17" summer tires, so thought somebody may knew something about 15", that I don´t.

Pps. aww....Can´t edit in a smiley.... Just to lighten the spirits a bit. ;-)
 
OP
OP
Blownfuse
Hmm...... Just finished reading reviews on Kumho KU39. I must admit to not have given Kumho a thought, as I had somewhat the feeling that they are cheap "china plastic" tires. But the reviews are actually very good. Then found ADAC´s review, and that was pretty good too. 4 out of 5 stars. And ADAC tend to take their testing very serious... So maybe also worth consideration...o_Oo_O
 

r-reg-sr

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Site Supporter
Are those K12 alloys 16's mate?

yeh 16" k12 alloys with kumho ecsta kh11 185/50r16 tyres that are all GONE with plenty of tread but side wall drama,,which the MOT station would have slammed me down for
got the sr alloys on him now(good tyres)

LOOKING TOO SEE if these alloys are polishable to mirror---- as i have read magnesium 20% plus content cant be

http://www.englishcustompolishing.com/usca/aluminum1.html

the rubber feels really sticky on these tyres here
 

frank

Club Member
what are your recommendation, summer tire wise, with a max price loft of 200£ for a set of 4 ?

i,ve no idea mate, i only run partworn stock size tyres personally, and they all seem to grip great when they have plenty of tread and are crap when well worn.
and i,ve worked as a tyre fitter and most of the ones i removed had been under inflated or were out of track, but the tyre would get blamed if it had,nt lasted as long as it should have fwn
 

solarice

Ex. Club Member
Hows about 175's or 185's and running slightly stretched? Same as Shaun suggested. They might be cheaper to buy...depending on height you might not even really notice they are stretched. Also depends on the width of the alloys.

Mine are very slightly and all its done apart from saving me some money is square the sidewall abit. That and i think its looks better haha.
 
OP
OP
Blownfuse
the rubber feels really sticky on these tyres here

Not entirely sure, I get your point R-REG-SR. If the point is, that the tire is rubbish, well, then I will start with pointing out, that it is a completely different tire. So far as I can google, KH11 is´nt even in production anymore. fwn
 
OP
OP
Blownfuse
i,ve no idea mate, i only run partworn stock size tyres personally, and they all seem to grip great when they have plenty of tread and are crap when well worn.
and i,ve worked as a tyre fitter and most of the ones i removed had been under inflated or were out of track, but the tyre would get blamed if it had,nt lasted as long as it should have fwn

Thanks for your input, frank, much appreciated. Must say, that I usually check my tire pressure at least once a week. And try to convince friends and relatives, that it is wise, to check tire pressure more than twice a year. Not much luck though.:wasntme:
 
OP
OP
Blownfuse
Hows about 175's or 185's and running slightly stretched? Same as Shaun suggested. They might be cheaper to buy...depending on height you might not even really notice they are stretched. Also depends on the width of the alloys.

Mine are very slightly and all its done apart from saving me some money is square the sidewall abit. That and i think its looks better haha.

What size wheels, and what size tires are you running ? Had´nt really considered deliberately to go the "strech way", since it seems the general consensus here at MSC, is to run 195/45 on 15" s.
 

solarice

Ex. Club Member
Ive got 7j 14" Alloys...right now have 185 55's Toyo proxies fitted. (in reality nothing that could be called stretch haha)

My old alloys 7j 15" had 195 45's...no give in the tyres though. I'll be honest im not sure what combo you'd need to go to get them the same as 195 45 but using different tyre sizes. But a deliberate stretch can save you money -- basically why it started in the first place :D

I guess you could say 195 45's are the default, no messing about size for speedo accuracy. -- probably why they are mentioned so much.
 
OP
OP
Blownfuse
Just a last bump........ Then I let it sail, and make a decision........ ANY input, especially around tires, are still appreciated.
*geek*
 
OP
OP
Blownfuse
Well. Tires are ordered now. And I must stress that it is not to insult anyone, who have shared their experiences, but I ended up choosing a "outsider". It´s not in the poll, but has been mentioned in the thread. Due to price, experiences/reviews of chosen tire, and the other contestants, there simply was no sane argument for not choosing the Uniroyal Rainsport 2. Substantially better reviews by ADAC and the like, and heard from a number of people, that the T1R´s really was´nt exactly amazing in the wet. As they were also 15% more expensive than the Uniroyals, the debate was pretty much closed.

Looking forward to trying them.

And thanks to all contributors in the thread, your time is very much appreciated, though I ended up selecting a tire none of you had experience with.
(Y)
 
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