I’ve just ordered some new Toyo tyres and I need some reassurance that I�ve done the right thing… I just couldn’t justify spending nearly �700 on Yoko’s when I could get the Toyo’s for �290.
Am I going to regret this decision? Has anyone gone this route and regretted it?
Don’t you worry, the fact that you went for them tells me you don’t do track days.
They’re very good for the road, especially water.
Would only lack at the track. For that you’d want to get the Yoko A048, a set costs around 400 quid.
Uldis
Your right in saying I don�t use the car on the track (I have a race car for that), just lots of very hard road miles. I also felt that if I went to the really soft A048 I should really put some stiffer springs/shocks on which I don�t want to do just yet. I find the brakes a bit marginal with the current tyres (warping discs) and I don’t want to exacerbate that problem until I have fitted an aluminium belled disc set. I�m planning to do this next service which is coming up soon.
I�m expecting a little less grip from the Toyo tyres as I assume they are not so soft as the Yoko�s but I�m not massively fussed about that as grip is in such abundance anyway. You never know, it may make power slides a little easier!
I have them on my car for road use and they are fine, just a grippy as the A039’s under normal use but a hell of lot better in the wet than both types of Yoko’s.
Tyre pressures are a bit of a hit and miss, you have to keep adjusting them until you feel comfortable with the setup.
Uldis where can you get the 048’s for �400/set - just paid �330 (inc VAT and fitting)for a 2 rears
SimonE
I have to say I’m very impressed with the A048’s wet weather performance. They’re probably not as good as the 39s, but they’re not a million miles off, and certainly not as bas as they look.
When I went to France a couple of weeks ago, I was following my mate’s new SL500 on a French motorway in really horrible torrential rain, and he said his car was starting to aquaplane a bit. I reckon if our extreme track tyres cope as well as a new Merc on standard rubber it can’t be bad.
Try Southwest Lotus centre in Devon, talk to James.
01566-784152
Uldis
I had Toyo’s on mine recently and although they are okay - I don’t think they help with Power slides as the car doesn’t really have enough grunt for that - I found that on normal roads in the wet they were a bit uncommunicative and would simply let go in a rather sudden way - on the track they simply don’t have the grip that the proper Yokis have - but I guess everyone knows that. THey were reasonably progressive when they were giving up but definately add miles to your breaking distance and take lots of confidence from your cornering speed.
If I just wanted cheap longevity out of a set of tyres I would fit them again but feel that in order to properly enjoy an exige you need the Yoki rubber. They really are night and day in terms of the effect they have on handling and grip.
Thought you guys might be interested to know how I have been getting on with the Toyo tyres on the Exige…
…When I first had them fitted I took the car for a quick spin and the handling was all over the place. A quick check of the pressures and I found that the tyre guys had set the pressures at 35 all round! Not recommended.
Since then the tyres have been just what I had expected. There is a little less grip but the handling is a little more progressive. The tyres dont heat up in the same way as the Yokos but I imagine they will last longer as a result of this.
I would recommend them to anyone not willing to fork out �750 for Yokos.
it still amazes me that anyone would want to spend �25-30k on a “sportscar” - then compromise its safety, handling, grip (and looks!) by putting cheap tyres on it.
shop around and you can get the yoke’s for less than �750 a set, too.
just my 2p.
J5
Yea… but Jonny, haven’t you heard, Toyo’s are the dog’s danglies…
M.Schumacher thinks they are better than Bridgstones and want’s them on his F1 car…
I really don�t think you can describe the handling of the Exige on a good quality set of tyres as ‘compromised’. The Toyo’s may have slightly less grip than the standard fitment Yoko’s but, on the road, there really isn�t that much in it. The average driver would never even notice the difference and, as I mentioned on my previous reply, the Toyo’s are slightly more progressive than the Yokos which makes them safer.
Sure, on the track, the Yokos would perform noticeably better but I have a racing car for that and for the road I don’t feel the need to fork out unnecessary money.
FYI: with the money I�ve saved on the tyres I have just bought some decent discs, pads and hoses to replace the sh*t standard parts. I would say that my car, with good brakes and Toyos, is safer than a car with standard brakes and Yokos.
Johnny is right on the button on this - A048s can be got for less than 600 quid including VAT so …
So yeah about 500 less VAT …
I paid �480 + VAT for a set of brand new 048s a couple of months ago!!
Talk to Geary at Elise Parts
Tel: 0 (44) 1234 743373
BTW - I would not go back to 039s, let alone another make - my personal opinion!!
I dunno, if I’d continued doing loads of road miles in the Exige I was definately going to plumped for another set of wheels and put Toyos or Goodyear Eagle F1s on. I’m not a fan of the Yokos in the wet but they’re a MUST for the track.
In the end I decided I’d go for a ‘station’ car that I could have a little more fun in at legal speeds and a heated from screen for the winter months. Enter the Ford Puma, even more expensive than Yokos!
Ian
If I were to do any track days I would certainly go for the A38’s. I wouldn’t want to fit them without stiffer springs and better shocks though as the car is already a touch too soft and under-damped. I imagine they don’t last too long as well.
The 39s are good for 5000 (mixed road/track) miles.
I understand the 38s actually wear better, probably due to the tread (or lack of it) pattern.
I agree the Exige may feel a little soft but I can’t complain on track, certainly less than a Noble. The underdamping means you can hit those kerbs with less fear of losing the tail.
Ian