Tyre recommendations?

[BrianCork]

Hey all, just asking this on the off chance someone here has some feedback regarding tyre choice for me. Looking to replace the front tyres on my 08 JCW Mini. They're 205/45/17's. Its got runflats on at the moment which are horribly noisy and beyond useless in the wet even though they're Goodyears. Looking to ditch the runflats and get a decent grippy tyre. This car is putting about 300hp to the front wheels so not looking to cheap out! A lot of road going sport tyres though only seem to be available in 40 profile which I'm not too keen on going for. Have a tyre machine in the workshop at home so not afraid of ordering online if it works out in my favour.

As always any advice is greatly appreciated, and I hope you all had a great new year!

 

[armalites]

If you have a tyre changer the world is your oyster. You can get Pilot Sport for just over £100 mail order and in that size/pattern they are listed as A rated for wet grip. I've been running Avon ZV7 on my Volvo and I'm happy with them. Again A rated for wet grip and run nice and quiet.

 

[BrianCork]

Can get a decent price here on Toyo Proxes but have heard extremely mixed reviews on their performance in the wet, but they seem they could be worth a punt..

 

[Anguz]

toyo's are pretty good in the wet once you have scrubbed them in.... like glass for the first few days

 

[gaz_moose]

your best bet is to go on the mini forum and see what others recommend as some tyres seem to work better on some cars.

I would say something like a Uniroyal rainsport3.

I always found that toyo proxies wear the edges off the tyres pretty quickly.

 

[armalites]

I've run a few sets of Rainsports and really rated them but I had a set that went out of shape and became noisy. I also found that the side walls were quite soft and with potholed rural roads it was easy to get a bulge. Since switching to the Avons I've had no issues.

 

[Kayos]

your best bet is to go on the mini forum and see what others recommend as some tyres seem to work better on some cars.

I would say something like a Uniroyal rainsport3.

I always found that toyo proxies wear the edges off the tyres pretty quickly.

I ran Rainsports on my very modified (250bhp) Vectra B and they were very very good, a bit noisy but nowhere near as bad as run flats or winter tyres

 

[Ruffian]

Can get a decent price here on Toyo Proxes but have heard extremely mixed reviews on their performance in the wet, but they seem they could be worth a punt..

Work for a subaru tuning company and run a tweaked seat exeo tfsi sport also, (270bhp at the wheels) and when running t1-r tyres (on there at the moment) they are sketchy in the wet/cold weather. Great summer tyre but not for the winter.
I still do love the Goodyear eagle f1 assemetrics for most vehicles,

 

[PhillipM]

Pilot Sports.

 

[Turbo]

When my Legacy turbo was on the road I only ever fitted Good Year Eagle F1's on it, superb tyre!

Try https://www.eiretyres.com/ for a decent online retailer.

 

[pedrobedro]

Tyre place I use always recommends the same whenever I ask, the round black ones.

 

[armalites]

I'm sure they are perfectly fine but if I was looking at a performance car that had Toyo Proxes I would think the owner was skrimping. Obviously if it's a car that is a low value that's understandable and people often do it a as cheap option when selling a car.

All cars suit different tyres and it's not alway original fit that's the best.

 

[Rannsachair]

I like Pilot sports, have used them for years on the Saab Aero and its predecessor, if you have Costco membership they often have good deals on them.

 

[knighty]

dunlop sport maxx rt 2 here - highly recommended for my car (jag xjr) but they get slated for other cars a lot of the time

best to check some mini reviews, weight of car / tyre width / sidewall strength make a big difference

in something heavy a stiff side wall will give you great control... where on something light it'll make the ride bumpy as hell and the tyres will want to skip over the road sideways instead of bending a bit / sitting flat on the road etc.

 

[fzr phil]

Hi
Might be worth checking National Tyres if you haven't already, they do an incredible online discount on decent tyres, and an insurance for damage/puncture that can't be repaired.
Just a bit of a pain you have to book a few days in advance.
I just got a couple of dunlop sport response £75 ea (due to a puncture in my audi close to the side-wall) 205/60/15, Would have been £120 odd if you turned up on the forecourt.
Good luck
Phil

 

[Brummie]

I usually check out the prices on blackcircles.com first and then compare it with other offerings.

 

[Rig Pig]

I've got Pirelli P Zeroes on my Porsche, they are very grippy, when they do let go if I'm fooling about they are predictable, I strongly recommend them.

 

[Rocketman]

Continental's often come top or very near top if you can afford them in group tests. I like them a lot, got them on the GTI.

I have P zeros's on the Renaultsport, about the cheapest premium tyres I could get. They are not great though but I knew that when I was buying them. Better than the budget tyres some tool put on it when I bought it though.

 

[knighty]

I've load my faith in Continentals

I like 10 ply tyres on the work vans for the extra load rating, piece of cake for the transits, loads to choose from

but for the sprinters the tyre place I use have only been able to get continentals in that size and 10 ply... but expensive for the vans but I stumped up the cash for them... but we had two blow-outs on two separate occasions with them

one the inside of the wall blew out on a front tyre, driver and helper swear blind they were just driving around a corner, didn't hit anything etc.

then about 18 months later, with a full new set on (because they needed changing anyway)

I was driving along the M1, unloaded, nice straight bit, no debri etc. rear tyre blew out, tread came off and undertook me