where do you guys buy your tyres?

marinerbluemx5 · Post by **marinerbluemx5** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 6:48 pm

Alright so I need new tyres, as I just found out that the all-seasons that are on the car are 11-year-old

They do give a pretty terrible ride, and the grip's just not there.

I'm not sure if I'm going to go for an aggressive, quick-wearing compound, like, say:
- Falken Azenis RT-615 (200-wear-rating, USD$80 each)
- Hankook Ventus R-S2 Z212 (200-wear rating, USD$75 each)
- Yokohama AVS ES100 (280-wear rating, USD$83 each)

Or more all-around rubber:
- Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS Pole Position (400-wear rating, USD$72 each)
- Falken Ziex ZE-912 (480-wear-rating, USD$55 each)

That's pretty much all I can do in terms of size, since I'm running the original 14-inch rims, which give me the 185/60-14 or the 195/60-14 options.

Anyway I did all my research on United States based websites, I'm wondering if these are available in New Zealand? And, most importantly: what's a good place to buy these tires in Auckland?

Post by **jif** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 8:57 pm

You might have probs finding most(?) of those here. I tried to find the RT-615's here a few years back... they were $300+ each !!!

If budget permits, you could try looking into the Yokohama A, C or S-drive tyres. Yokohama always seems tohave the right idea... second choice would be bridgestone. Have never liked Dunlops, they never seemed to perform well and yet also wore out really fast.

Having said that, life is too short to put up with 300+ wear rated tyres either. My Ziex 502's are still ~50% after several years, and they're pretty sub-par. Like wearing ill-fitting shoes every day...

Dream choice would be Yokohama Advan Neova's...
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp ... Neova+AD07

:]

madandy · Post by **madandy** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 11:53 am

I have ADVAN Neova AD07 on my HP12 Primera. They are very good. Better than my old favourite, Goodyear GSD3's, no question. Damn near an R rated tyres similar to Toyo RA1 for grip and much better wear.

MN · Post by MN » Wed Sep 10, 2008 9:05 pm

Now you've got the half cage and want to do track days DONT just think tyres you MUST get competition pads and better brake fluid, otherwise you wont get the best from the car.

emexfive · Post by **emexfive** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 12:17 pm

I'm looking around to see what's out there down there too. I may be buying a car that's going to need tires. Is there something like TireRack.com local to NZ? Someplace that I can price different sizes online? If I get the car in question it would have the stock early 14's. I'd get the Yoko AVS ES100 up here in the US, or perhaps indulge in the Falken 615s. But I don't know Adam from Eve when looking at the tires I find in NZ looking on http://www.newtyres.co.nz/yokohama.html#v102

I'm probably getting WAY ahead of myself since I'm not even in NZ nor do I have a car picked out for sure. But I wanted to get some idea of what a new set of tires would be like. Cost and the variety of choices.

Post by **jif** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 2:01 pm

something decent in a 14" size should be in the $100-150 range. Or you could go kiwi-styles and put second hand tyres on your (second hand) car !!

I guess it seems a touch expensive if you're used to US prices

Usually i check out either hyper.co.nz or ... trademe (again!) for tyre prices ... HTH.

-Jeff

marinerbluemx5 · Post by **marinerbluemx5** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 11:11 pm

MN wrote:Now you've got the half cage and want to do track days DONT just think tyres you MUST get competition pads and better brake fluid, otherwise you wont get the best from the car.

Are you kidding me MX5's don't brake for corners, it's a momentum car dude

But yeah you're right, the list is long and bloody expensive, I can't afford all this stuff...
- rollbar, done
- tires, done (although they're just kinda-grippy, nothing special)
- alignment, trying to get this done, can't find a decent shop
- brake pads, brake fluid
- new shocks
- turbo
- swaybars
- underbody bracing
... could go on and on

madandy · Post by **madandy** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 2:49 pm

marinerbluemx5 wrote:
MN wrote:Now you've got the half cage and want to do track days DONT just think tyres you MUST get competition pads and better brake fluid, otherwise you wont get the best from the car.
Are you kidding me MX5's don't brake for corners, it's a momentum car dude

But yeah you're right, the list is long and bloody expensive, I can't afford all this stuff...
- rollbar, done
- tires, done (although they're just kinda-grippy, nothing special)
- alignment, trying to get this done, can't find a decent shop
- brake pads, brake fluid
- new shocks
- turbo
- swaybars
- underbody bracing
... could go on and on

C'mon man I saw your brake lights flashing at the track day

My brakes are shot after that session on the A1GP circuit...

I've got a similar list to yours...though most parts are sitting in my garage awaiting fitment

My new Cusco Coilovers have been a revelation on road - yet to test them on track - I was too slow to have them ready for that track day

marinerbluemx5 · Post by **marinerbluemx5** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 10:18 am

madandy wrote:C'mon man I saw your brake lights flashing at the track day

My brakes are shot after that session on the A1GP circuit...

I've got a similar list to yours...though most parts are sitting in my garage awaiting fitment
My new Cusco Coilovers have been a revelation on road - yet to test them on track - I was too slow to have them ready for that track day

Cool, sounds like the project is coming along nicely. With mine, well the only difference is my list is mostly imaginary

I think that my MX5 is going to have stay stock (besides that rollbar that's already in) and I'll just spend what I have on replacing tyres and brakes as needed. Like yesterday at Pukekohe, I punctured my right rear tyre in the mid-afternoon... didn't even do any shenanigans like running off track or spinning to earn it, just a straight up random on-track puncture.

Speaking of track days though, I'm planning on going down to Manfeild on Nov. 2nd, it's run by these guys:
http://www.trackdays.co.nz/
I'm excited, never been at that track before, should be fun.

madandy · Post by **madandy** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 6:14 pm

Cool. Manfield is a great track.

We're having another track day at Taupo this coming February 9.
Full A1GP circuit all day long

http://www.gtr-elite.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=8

marinerbluemx5 · Post by **marinerbluemx5** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 6:31 pm

madandy wrote:Cool. Manfield is a great track.

We're having another track day at Taupo this coming February 9.
Full A1GP circuit all day long
http://www.gtr-elite.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=8

Bah, a Monday?? Time to sweet talk the boss into giving me a long weekend...

A whole day on the full circuit is going to be awesome. Much better suited for the MX5 than the shorter track's emphasis on straights.