Australian tyre choices

[jbee]

Hi all

We want to get new tyres for the S3 as the tyres on there have a date code of 289 which makes them at least 16 years old and I have been told that this model of Michelin MXTE has an issue with the carcass falling apart.
I can see lots of cheapish alternatives and the below options from more prominent companies. The speed rating is not so important to us as we are very unlikely to exceed even 160kph but we don't want a modern style square profile tyre either as it will not look right on an older car. Grip is more important than longevity too .
Any one got an opinion on the below tyres or other recommendations? Also I am going by the size on there now too which is 155/70 R13 - is that correct or should I be looking at 80 profile?

Michelin Energy XM2 - T Speed rating
Federal SS657 - T Speed rating
Yokohama S207 - S Speed rating
ContiEcoContact 3 - T Speed rating

[Galwaylotus]

Original radial tyre size up to the S4 was 155R13 which is approximately 0.82 aspect ratio so 155/80 R13 is the closest modern equivalent. You could have ground clearance issues with 155/70.
I'm using Uniroyal RainExperts but I'm based in Europe so I'm not sure if they're available in your area. Uniroyal is a division of Continental so the EcoContacts might be a good choice. It isn't easy to get H-rated 13 inch tyres at any reasonable price but the speed rating is for sustained speeds at the maximum tyre load rating so with our lightly loaded tyres and lower actual road speeds I'm sure T-rated tyres are perfectly adequate.

[dgym]

I spent a lot of money getting michelin xas ff shipped over by longstone tyres.
Excellent tyres and excellent service.

I had money back then

[LI-599]

I have Michelin XM1- 155.80.13 on my S4 and they don't have much tread depth. They also don't handle very good due to side wall roll. Stuckey Tyres have XAS but they are exy. Ian

[jbee]

Thanks for the replies chaps, I might give Stuckeys a call then and see how much they are.

[Concrete-crusher]

I recently bought a set of continental Eco contact tyres as my Goodyear GPS tyres were over 20 years old , they drive ok but one problem I have which is becoming more annoying is they seem to allow something to migrate from the tyre into the surface of my resin coated garage floor.

My floor was spotless and very shiny making I easy to clean oil drips etc. now it has tread patterns where the car stands and they will not clean off.

The original Goodyear tyres never did this. It may be a problem with all modern tyres or just the continental Eco contacts I,m not sure. Also if something is leaching out I doubt they will last 20 years without perishing

Progress seems to go backwards sometimes ,ps the UK cost was just under ?200 for the 4. The floor cost considerably more.

Regards steve

[dgym]

I'd be interested in how much the xas are from stuckeys if you wanna share

[LI-599]

I was quoted $319.00 each by Stuckey, and another place quoted $500+.
Ian

[jbee]

Wow that's pretty expensive, how do they justify that for a 13" tyre?

[vstibbard]

By the sound of it they are the tyres that I fitted when I restored it in the 80's!

I just purchased some MAXXIS tyres as they were the only H rated tyres in that I could find.

Cheers

Vaughan

[jbee]

Well I bought my tyres and am pretty happy with them so far.

In looking for them these are the quotes I got
From Stuckey's
Dunlop 145R13 SP10 @$150ea.
Michelin 155R13 XAS @$310ea.
Vredestein Classic 145r13 @ $118ea
Vredestein Classic 155r13 @ $127ea

The Dunlops I thought just too narrow, the Michelins too dear but the Vredestein's I liked the look of, however the the web is plastered in tales of how good they look except for the odd radial dents that appear on the side walls distracting from their appeal.

So I was going to go Continental however they have ceased to import 13" tyres in any size suitable.

So I went for Yokohama AE01 Blue Earth in 165/70R13 these cost $90.00 each for a grand total of $450.00 for 5.

A quick question on tyre pressures if I may.

The handbook says 18F 22R for normal touring and 22F 26R for fast touring. An odd combination to start with as the weight I would have thought was in the front.

1 - Why lower in the front than the rear?
2 - My tyre man tells me those pressures were for old rigid walled Cross ply tyres ( as well as seeming the wrong way around) and that 28F 26R would be a better start point, as the new radials are very light with much less rigid side walls.
3 - What pressures are ideal with modern radials on an Elan?

Cheers John

[jimj]

Like you I don`t feel 18/22 psi feels right on modern tyres, though some do. Brian Buckland suggests not much more, others significantly more.
I wrote to Goodyear and Avon asking for their current recommendations with all the relevant weights etc.
They each said they could only suggest sticking to the car manufacturer`s recommendation.
Personally, 24F and 26R feels about right on the road, more on track.
Jim

[LI-599]

Hi all,
I have just opened this page after many months busy with other projects. I am running a set of Michelin XM1 tires in 155/80/13 and find that running the manufacturers recommended pressures of 18f/23r results in "white knuckle" effects when cornering( terrible weight transfer at the rear resulting in heaps of over-steer.
I have done some experimenting and find that 24f/28r is quite acceptable especially with plenty of positive use of the rhs pedal in 3rd gear. It would be great if it handled as good as the MX5 but until someone makes a wheel in 14" so we could lower the profile and have a greater choice of affordable tires that might not happen.
Cheers and safe driving in 2016.
Ian

[RogerFrench]

I've just fitted Vredestein Sprint 155 x13 to our S3 and am very pleased. They look right, and ride and grip well. I don't know if you can get them in Australia but they're definitely worth a look if you can. Price was right too, at $99 / tyre (US).

[dgym]

Hold up hold up.

...the mx5 handles better than the Elan?!