Sailor wrote:I've never been a great fan of the Pilot Sport, I find it much like Grange Hermitage, Very nice but there are equals and better at more favourable prices.
Here is a 2011 tyre test which may have you rethinking
http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/20 ... e-Test.htm
The problem with tests like this is that they are pretty subjective.
In this test linked above, the Hankook S1 ranks #1, P Zero #2, Continental Contact 3 #3 and Goodyear F1 #4
On the same site, go to the right and click on "2011 Autoreview Max Performance Summer Tyre Test" and you find that Continental 5P ranks #1, P Zero #2, Hankook S1 #3, Goodyear F1 #4 and the Bridgestone S001 #6.
Go again to the right and click on "2011 Subjective shootout" and you find that Goodyear F1 ranks #1, Continental 5P ranks #2 and the Bridgestone S001 #3.
Another thing to consider is that all the test were done on front wheel drive cars, Mazda 3 MPS (225x40x18) VW Sirocco (235x35x19) and the heavy Audi A7 (255x40x19). All tyres were of a size and profile that we wouldn’t fit on a light weight rear drive MX-5.
The Continental ranks very highly in all three tests (as it does in most tests I've read) but remember, European testers are heavily bias towards tyres that do well in the wet, as they should due to their road conditions. Here in AU we really need to look at dry weather performance in warm to hot conditions, over rutted, pot-holed roads that get the odd down pour or damp conditions.
On price, the RE001 that was great in the dry but fell down badly in the wet when compared to PP2’s and T1Rs. Of the three the Michelins were the best tyre I’ve had on an MX-5.