Tyre question?

[pereirac]

I am looking to buy a set of standard tyres for my Sprint for some new wheels I bought earlier this year. I know the Michelin XAS are probably the best tyres around, but I can think of other ways to spend ?1000 on my car, which I don?t race anyway..
Just wondering if Uniroyal were still popular or if Dunlops were better for a little more? I have Vredenstein Classic HRs on my car at the moment and they are great but you can?t get them any more...

Carl

[Rob P]

Running Uniroyal Rainexpert 3 on my Elan S4 for the past year and they seem fine to me for day to day driving and some spirited country lane blasts

[pereirac]

Perfect, thanks, I had Uniroyals in the past and they were fine for day to day driving....

Thanks

[Grizzly]

I have Rainsport 3's and 2's on our daily cars and tbh the very soft side walls put me off them on the Elan. I ended up going for Michelin E3B tyres and i've been really happy with them (very progressive in the dry and great in the wet)

The only thing that bugs me slightly is the very modern looking tread pattern.

Bit of a heads up, be careful of the tyre to rear spring perch clearance...... My Michelin E3B tyres have about 5mm clearance and never catch but i believe some of the Dunlop range do touch (assuming you have stock spring's on the back)

[pereirac]

HI Chris,

I don't think Dunlop Classics do a 155 13, they do a 165 13 but it's more expensive than the Michelin XAS!!

I will have a look the Michelin EB3 tyres as well..

Thanks
Carl

[Grizzly]

Yes sorry, taken it off as i have just checked and your quite right they don't do them.

When i was selecting mine i had to go with the squarest side walls thanks to the stock rear suspension.

[661]

I have rain expert 3's and they seem reasonable, certainly good value.
A full appraisal is not feasable until I get the rear toe in correct.

[MarkDa]

I've got Barum Brilliantis and they are fine.
A Conti brand with good performance at a budget price.

[JimE]

Continental ContiEcoContact 3 on my Sprint and 130/5. Work fine in the dry. Haven't tried them in the wet yet but don't envisage any problems. Jim

[Orsom Weels]

I replaced the Rally 680's on my S4 with Rainexpert 3's last year & hate them ! They rub the rear arches & front ARB where the rally 680's had clearance, (both std 155/80x13 sizes), they look all wrong, far too modern a tread pattern for a classic & worst of all, they lock up in the wet far too easily for my liking, something I never experienced with the rally 680's. I've had two really scary moments on only slightly wet roads where all four wheels have locked & the car has started to get well out of line under quite gentle braking, & that's with a non servo system !

Regards, Tim

[pereirac]

Has anybody any experience of Retro Classic 001 types, I thinks they are Chinese (Nankang?) copies of Michelin tyres? Not too keen on the 'Chinese' bit but I gather even some of the mainstream manufacturers make tyres in China.. and Lotus is part owned by the Chinese. Not HR rated but the tread pattern look 'vintage'?

https://www.tirendo.co.uk/retro-classic-001-155-80-r13-79t-r-361169.html

[JimE]

Ostensibily they look alright. Jim

[pereirac]

Ah, but looks aren't everything

[MarkDa]

I've not managed to find any statutory labelling info on these and while they look like xvs pattern now the right way round apparently! I'd be very wary of performance.
If thinking about Nankang their NA1 looks ok and has a decent wet grip rating.

http://www.nankangtyre.co.uk/products/car/na-1/

[dougal cawley]

Hi

Sorry for the commercial posting, but i hope you find it useful.

The XAS are more expensive than other tyres but they are very different https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/155hr1 ... as-ff.html The carcass is suited to cars like the Elan and they will improve the handling noticeably.

I used to run XAS on a Cortina i had with a Zetech engine in it. they are epic.

I have ditched the Cortina now and joined your gang with an Elite.

i wonder if you chaps fit bigger tyres, because Pirelli have recently reproduced the 175/70R13 Cinturato CN36 that was OE on the Escort Mexico https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/catalo ... gory/8918/

If you want to go up in size that would be the best tyre. However, i wouldn't i would stick with 155R13. and i would fit the XAS and just sit back and watch my credit card smoke.