More Tyre Stuff

General General Lotus Talk
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My Exige has Pirelli 6000 tyres.12000 miles and rears have just about had it.Great in wet and have only lost traction once on road and I was trying very hard!Nice thing is they are �120 each fitted and balanced.

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ToneFor the sake of a few quid, I’d fit the A048s if I were you. They have been constructed specially for the Exige, with considerable input from the top development guys at Lotus, & do know a bit about car handling [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/wink.gif[/image][This message has been edited by Pesky (edited 17 August 2002).]

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Does anyone know if the A048’s are like the A039’s, in that they have the LTS designation and are only available from Lotus.Dave

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DaveYes is the answer.

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Pesky, I fitted the Pirelli’s to Tone’s car when I owned it, purely as road tyres when the car is normally not pushed (as on the track) to the ultimate degree. They worked fine but then they would! If you are (nearly!) as old as me you will remember that Colin Chapman gave his cars exceptional HANDLING with soft springing, firm damping and a front roll bar - exactly what the Exige (and Elise) has. The tyres provide(d) GRIP - not handling. Earlier slip and break-away Can give just as much entertainment and skill honing as late, if not ultimate lap times.I am sure you wont let anyone, including Lotus, kid you that spending �900 plus on a set of tyres will increase your enjoyment or give better handling!.

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RobI hear what you say, but if Tone is going on track, I reckon he should go for the A48s. If he wants to “goon” about on say an airfield, to hone his skills/have a laugh, then he’d be better off also buying some used tyres (make doesn’t matter) with a bit of tread on them. (I appreciate that without a spare set of wheels that may be tricky!!)For ultimate grip, slicks are of course the answer, but the A048s “appear” to be the best compromise to dateA couple of months ago I did a trackday at Rockingham (pre cursor to the Johnny Herbert Driving Experience days), driving a factory Exige, which was fitted with Bridgestones - obviously a cost saving exercise. Handling/grip was frankly disappointing compared to my own car which at the time was fitted with A039s. Tim Skipper was also there in his 190 Elise 2 running the A048s - incredibly quick compared to the other cars on track. With regards cost, the A048s are (excl vat/fitting) fronts �114 & rears �139 each.At the end of the day, it’s horses for courses [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]PS First race I remember going to was Oulton Park in 1963 (I think!!!),when a certain James Clark was chucking a Lotus Cortina around on 2 wheels at some corners. He was up against 5 litre Ford Falcons which were much quicker in a straight line, but Jimmy left them for dead through the twisty bits & eventually won - aah, those were the days [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]

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Pesky and RobSorry been out, my other passion - flying.A048 sounds a good deal price wise - but I guess not mileage wise.If I did a lot of track days I’m sure there would be an advantage - but I don’t. If I got to the odd track day per year I’m not sure I could warrant �500 on spare wheels and �600/�700 on another set of tyres, just to have them sitting in a garage gathering dust for 363 days per year.Gonna have to have a look at one of these track days - but as a spectator first. But I get so much pleasure from the Exige on the road, the track day would have to be something special. The point I was trying to make from my origonal posting was you can drive the Exige on cheaper tyres, get acceptable mileage from them and yet still get enough grip to satisfy most people most of the time.Having said that I knew I’d rattle a few purist’s cages!!! [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]

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quote:Originally posted by Tone:Gonna have to have a look at one of these track days - but as a spectator first. But I get so much pleasure from the Exige on the road, the track day would have to be something special. Moi(& RussT for that matter) - deja vu February 2001 (1 month after buying Exige), & never been on track except as a spectator [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]Since then, approx one day per month spent on track [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]Please, please come along to a trackday where some of us Exige owners are driving. Grab yourself a passenger ride, see what it’s about, & then get yourself on board at a future event. Myself & others, can’t speak highly enough about Bookatrack days - well organised, safe as you can get, very friendly, & above all, enormous fun [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]If you can get to Oulton on the 28th August, myself, Russ, JohnO & Martin Edwards will be there, & we’d be very happy to take you for a trip around the circuit [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]

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Thanks Pesky I will meet you all at a track day soon - but - gotta take the tribe to Paris and Disney that very same day and all the weekend!!!They won’t even let me fly the plane!!!Tony

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[QUOTE]Originally posted by Pesky: never been on track except as a spectator Isn’t that a bit dangerous?

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Pesky… When will you guys be at Oulton on the 28th ? I’m on holiday all that week, may pop up and see what seasoned track day pro’s can do round one of my favourite circuits !!(I was going to put ‘Track day veterans’ but thought better of it !)

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RobWe’ll be there from 8am, & driving is scheduled to start at 9am. Track closes at 5pm.Bring a helmet (if you’ve got one) [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]

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A048’s are the bees knees!I’m not totally convinced about their wet weather ability (my experience seems to contradict the info posted on Lotus Life by Nick Adams) but in the dry they are fan-bloody-tastic.Life wise, I only have them on for track days, but I’ve done 7 very hard days now. The rears are down to the wear bars and the fronts have some tread left but feel like they’ve gone off through too many heat cycles. All have worn evenly accross the tyre.Pretty good value I reckon.Tim (S2 Sport 190)