Aus spec Bridgestone re001's

[bensale]

I'll definetly be at the driver training day

I've spoken to my Dad about the Bridgestone Australia plant in South Australia. Apparantly the the plant's automation is quite old, quite possibly a factor in the quality issues encountered with the Australian made tyres...

[NMX516]

Hmm, no sign of those treads on the AU Kumho site, but I did find them on the US site - http://www.kumhousa.com/tires/passenger ... ce/KU31.do
There are some similar looking designs on the AU site, but maybe they are newer than I thought, and/or the Kumho IT dept needs a kicking!

They don't list the 185/60/14's on the US site, but I have a brochure in front of me from the tyre place I went to, and it does list them in that size... They even list a 185/60/13, and a 295/25/22!!

I'm not going to recommend RE001's though Ben I've heard a few people rave about Kumho's, none of them on MX5's though if that even makes a difference.

Out of interest Ben, what tyres are you running at the moment?

[Steampunk]

Try out the new Kumho Ecsta XS if they have it in your size. New tyre which have had rave reviews for the road and track.
I was going to buy them.

[PUR157]

Back when I was looking for tyres the KU31 came up too...
They're quite a sticky tyre for the price but wear out quite quickly (20odd thousand Ks from some accounts) so they're a soft compound

[bensale]

My 14' wheels are currently running Yokohama A539's which are a few years old, although I believe were quite highly regarded in their time. They are very much near the end of there life, yet still are resonably grippy and give me nice feedback. My 16' wheels were running Bridgestone Turanza er30's in 205/45/16 which are now illegally worn. These have slightly more grip than the yokos, yet give me less feedback. I've found both to be more than adequate for road use and give a fair bit of warning when you reach the limit of there abilities.

I would have no i issues running either of these tyres on the track for my first time out. Howver, I figure that if I am to spend a reasonable amount on tyres I wan't to make the best purchase possible. I should add that the car is a daily driver and I do 15,000+ kilometres per year. Therefore the 20,000 km Kuhmo's are probebly not as good a bet as the re001's which I should get a minimum of 35,000 out of. I'll need to find out the wear rating on them. Were the people who got 20,000 kms out of them doing a lot of track work?

I'll call some places regarding Kumho's on the 29th as I believe that is when most tyre places should re open. Hopefully I can find a set and get some prices. I cant blame Kuhmo too much for there website as the Bridgestone website doesn't have the 14' re001's yet either.

[manga_blue]

Ben, I wouldn't stress too much about tyres just for the training day. One of the points about the day is to give you some experience at handling the car at its limits. The day is not about laptimes or speed. Pushing it to the limits often means going beyond them when you're new to it. So there's a reasonable chance of you flatspotting the fronts in a brake lockup or even flatspotting all four in a major lose. If you do it a few times you'll find yourself bumping all the way home on hexagonal tyres. We've all done that.

I'd be thinking about taking tyres that don't owe you anything. If they have less grip than new tyres then all the better, it means that when you do lose it you'll lose it at lower speed, that's all.

What you really need to be thinking about are fresh fluids, meat in the pads, good belts/hoses/plugs, etc and anything else like that which could threaten to cut your day short.

[PUR157]

Were the people who got 20,000 kms out of them doing a lot of track work?

If I remember right there may have been the odd track day thrown in... but I suspect tracking the car often will eat away the KU31s lickety split...

Ask Kula, I remember that it was his opinions of the KU31s I read...?

[bensale]

Thanks for that Phil. When I do buy new tyres for either of my wheels I'll have one set left with tyres either just at or approaching a few of the TWI's. I think you are 100% correct and if I'm allowed to I'll run those worn tyres I will. I'm planning on changing all fluids, oil and my radiator hoses before the day. I'm also considering running at the sprints day after too.

Thanks PUR157, I'll do a seach for those comments

[bensale]

After much ringing around it seems impossible to find KU31's is 185/60/14, they simply haven't been imported into the country. The only tyre they have in that size is the KH15 which is by no means a performance tyre...

I got some prices on some Yokohama C-drives which are around $140 a corner, which is a fair bit more than the re001's but still tempting...

I spoke to some people about the re001's, sadly the only way to get some Jap spec 14's is privatly importing them. Whether or not it is B.S i was told that they have recently really cracked down on the quality control of the Adrenalin re001's after having to send a lot back. Apparentlt this is to the extent that they are at least as good as the re001's coming out of Japan... Thanks to fellow forumite 'Cent' I can get the re001's at $105 per tyre, which compares to other prices between $121-125.

So at the moment it is probebly re001's due to there being not that much else out there that compare with them at the same price.

[feel_ixx]

Thanks to fellow forumite 'Cent' I can get the re001's at $105 per tyre, which compares to other prices between $121-125.

I was quoted $189 per tyre as a "special" at a local JAX tyres. True they are JAX but COME ON. I asked them for shits and giggles, and shits and giggles is what I got.

[wun911]

Geez thats like 1/2 the price of mine just get them already, Im quite happy with mine I doubt you will be disapointed...

[PUR157]

Always welcome bensale

FWIW I got my C Drives for $140/corner about a year ago... 195/50R15

And more hearsay, even though lotsa forumites really liked the C-Drives (a reason I bought them) lotsa people ended up backing the Adrenalins shortly after I bought mine... Ain't that always how it works
By no means am I dissappointed in the C drives though... They're a good tyre... haven't put a tyre wrong yet... and long wearing too
1 year... 10000odd Ks and heaps of tread left

The consensus seemed to be that they were much more a touring tyre than outright sporting... which seems consistent with what I've personally found
Quiet... Long Life... but still quite sure-footed

[bensale]

Wun, I'm 99% sure I'll get them, although as my current tyres still have a bit of tread left, although the fronts have signifigantly less after the GOR run I figure I'll make the most considered purchase possible

feel_ixx, it amazes me the difference in tyre prices between different shops. It really shows how it pays to shop around. I've found The Tyre Factory to be quite competitive for most things, if you have them in NSW they may be worth a call. There price on the re001's was the same as the bridgestone tyre centres.

PUR157, I currently have the Yoko A539's which were replaced by the C-drive and S-drive. I quite like them, quiet, responsive and grip quite well. However, from all account the Adrenalin is a better performance tyre and it cheaper so I'll probebly go with them.

Thanks again everyone.

[garettb16]

Ben.

i have a set of re001's Aus made in the same profile and are the BEST tires i have ever dríven on, (street use) i havent tried track yet
highly recommend. if anything it has made the car boring as it now has too much grip. i chase down my friends
clio sport cup and he has R tyres.

[bensale]

Thanks for that Garrett I'm glad to hear that you've had no issues and like the tyres. Clio's are far from slow cars, especially one running r-specs, that impresses me!

I think i'll order a set soonish, will update the thread when I get them.