I’ve read the posts on tyres but they seem to mainly be about S1’s.
My A048’s are beginning to look a bit tired but I don’t use the car on track (use it every day on the road), anyone know of a good road tyre alternative?
That’s the best there is, Yoko A048’s.
No track days and they’re worn?
How many miles have you done?
Ok no choice but to get them from a Lotus dealer then (Blackcircles tell me Yokohama won’t sell them to anyone else). Which isn’t so good as Glasgow Lotus can get them but can’t fit them as their tyre machine can’t fit such low profiles at the moment, they say I can get them fitted at Edinburgh branch (a small matter of 180 mile round trip).
I’ve done about 7000 miles and rears are looking a bit low on thread (I believe the minimum is 1.6mm although I haven’t actually measured the depth yet), fronts are ok by the looks of it.
Yes no track days yet (no time at the moment due to a house build)but I’m keen to do trackdays, sprints, hillclimbs or something.
Alan
A “decent” tyre supplier should be able to fit the tyres for you, for around �10 per tyre. I would tend to avoid the QuikFits/ATS peeps & go to a local fitter, but make sure that they understand that you don’t want them to damage the rims!!!
You will find Edingburgh Lotus cant fit them either. They get a local garage to do them!!
Oh well, looks like I’ll have to buy them from Lotus and find someone who won’t botch it. Anyone know of a good tyre fitting shop near Largs?
Why not join the S_E?
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Scottish_Elises/
Lots of useful advice in the Scotland area.
Can’t help you myself, too far from Largs…
Thanks for the help, I’ll give SCOTTISH ELISES a try. I’ve been quoted �140 each for the rears does this seem good?
Same as what I am paying. Taking the car through to Edinburgh on Monday. They will then take my car to another garage to get the tyres fitted.
Makes sense having Lotus as the only supplier of the tyres in Scotland yet none of them have the equipment to fit them!!!
Yes very sensible!!
Let me know how you get on, I’d appreciate it, I wouldn’t like to drive to Edinburgh just for them to wreck my wheels.
By the way how many miles have they lasted? Lotus guy tells me 6-7K for rears and 9-10K fronts is normal, although he has seen as little as 3K for rears!!
Will do. Got about 8000 miles out of them, been on track once and made a few long motorway trips. Not looking too legal though!! Edinburgh just contract to a local tyre fitter, apparently Glasgow don’t.
Just get the tyres and get some local garage with an alloy guard to fit them. That is apparently why Lotus can’t fit them.
Does anyone know when the Toyo R888’s are out in S2 Exige sizes?
I have heard that it is sometime this summer but no one seems to know for sure.
Supposed to be just as good as AO48’s but half the price. If thats true I cant see Lotus selling many AO48’s at their current price.
Davey
In general terms the Toyos may well be as good as Yokos. However, the Yoko 048 LTS are specific carcass/compound for our cars, as developed in conjunction by Lotus & Yoko.
Personally, I’m looking at getting something different to 48s for normal road use, & keeping 48s for trackdays only - since going Honda I seem to be getting through rears in less than 3000 miles & a couple of trackdays
Davey, i doubt the toyo’s will be half the price? and when i emailed them a few weeks ago the were quoting late september.
Gav
Alan
Central Tyres in Irvine, next door to Harry Fairbairn BMW have swapped Toyo/A039/A048’s over for me a few times and do a good job. Still a bit far from Largs but I don’t know anywhere in the Glasgow/Greenock direction from you.
I’m pretty sure if you go around your locality and talk to the various Tyre/Wheel shops you will find someone you would be willing to trust… otoh, if you have to go up to Glasgow for the tyres anyway, why not ask Gavin where they would take them?
Thanks RoxTeddy, I’ll bear that in mind. Spoke to Gavin the other day but he wasn’t very forthcoming when I mentioned getting them fitted (although I’m sure he wanted to sell me the tyres!) Irvine’s only 20 minutes from me as I live outside Largs, you local then?, I’ve not seen another Exige around these parts! (a few elises mainly S1)
Hi - Where’s �140 from? (incl VAT?). Best I’ve found is �155 each (rears) and �143 (front) all in.
Personally, I’m looking at getting something different to 48s for normal road use, & keeping 48s for trackdays only - since going Honda I seem to be getting through rears in less than 3000 miles & a couple of trackdays
Pesky, that was the idea behind getting the set of Toyo T1-R’s on the road set of wheels.
It ended all very wrong, so I’ll be back to something proper when the car is back.
Most likely A048’s
I think this included VAT but not fitting as they can’t do this
I did see something on another forum where someone said a Lotus dealer in South West were giving 10% off but I don’t know who it is (anyway by the time you add delivery, unless you live there, it won’t save you anything). Sorry it’s probably not much help but Lotus and Yoko seem to have it wrapped up (maybe it’s not too bad, I’ve just had Bridgestone Re040’s fitted to my leased company Civic Type R, they were �120 each although I obviously didn’t see the bill!)
Pesky, that was the idea behind getting the set of Toyo T1-R’s on the road set of wheels.
It ended all very wrong, so I’ll be back to something proper when the car is back.
Most likely A048’s
I think Uldis is right when he summises that light cars need soft rubber (sadly proving that the hard way ). The 280 wear of the Toyo T1-S/R and the Goodyear Eagles F1s is just not soft enough. I was miss informed by Mr Walsh (who’s doing his best to frustrate me these days, a story for another day if it doesn’t get sorted soon!) that 39s are harder than 48s, the side walls both say 60. I guess anything over 200 just isn’t going to work on a Lotus.
The Yoko Advan Neova rear from the Elise seems a pretty good road option at a wear rate of 180. It’s just finding a similar front that’s the problem.
Ian