Tires for a conservative driver

I'm getting close to replacing my original Michelin Pilot SX-GT tires, which
have about 50,000 miles. While I probably drive slightly faster and more
aggressively than the average Camry or Taurus driver, I'm pretty conservative
for a Miata driver. In the winter I put on Blizzaks, and while they feel a
little mushier at first, it doesn't bother me much.

Several people here have raved about the Toyo T1-S, especially the soft ride.
For someone like me who doesn't care about maximum performance, is it still
worthwhile getting the Toyos? I care most about safe handling (dry and rain),
ride, and road noise. Is there another tire that might be better than the
Toyo for me? How's the tread wear on the Toyos likely to compare with my
Michelins?

Barry

I use Toyo Proxes R28 205/40R17 80W tires on my MSpeed. I make right angle
turns in intersections at 35 mph, and the tires don't even begin to show a
trace of squealing. But, ONLY on dry pavement. On wet roads, I drive slow
and cautious. On snow, which I've never seen, the tires are most certainly
undriveable (wouldn't dream of even trying). Hell, they are practically
slicks.



"Barry" > wrote in message ...
> I'm getting close to replacing my original Michelin Pilot SX-GT tires,
> which
> have about 50,000 miles. While I probably drive slightly faster and more
> aggressively than the average Camry or Taurus driver, I'm pretty
> conservative
> for a Miata driver. In the winter I put on Blizzaks, and while they feel
> a
> little mushier at first, it doesn't bother me much.
>
> Several people here have raved about the Toyo T1-S, especially the soft
> ride.
> For someone like me who doesn't care about maximum performance, is it
> still
> worthwhile getting the Toyos? I care most about safe handling (dry and
> rain),
> ride, and road noise. Is there another tire that might be better than the
> Toyo for me? How's the tread wear on the Toyos likely to compare with my
> Michelins?
>
> Barry
>
>
>

In article >, "Barry" > wrote:
>I'm getting close to replacing my original Michelin Pilot SX-GT tires, which
>have about 50,000 miles. While I probably drive slightly faster and more
>aggressively than the average Camry or Taurus driver, I'm pretty conservative
>for a Miata driver. In the winter I put on Blizzaks, and while they feel a
>little mushier at first, it doesn't bother me much.


Judging by your needs, I think you can get by with a lower
performance, much cheaper tire. Check tirerack.com and look at
"high performance", "grand touring", and even "standard touring"
tires and check the survey ratings in the categories of interest
to you. About all that you might give up in the safety category
is the braking traction ultra-hi po tires can have. IMHO.

"Barry" > wrote:

>I'm getting close to replacing my original Michelin Pilot SX-GT tires, which
>have about 50,000 miles. While I probably drive slightly faster and more
>aggressively than the average Camry or Taurus driver, I'm pretty conservative
>for a Miata driver. In the winter I put on Blizzaks, and while they feel a
>little mushier at first, it doesn't bother me much.
>
>Several people here have raved about the Toyo T1-S, especially the soft ride.
>For someone like me who doesn't care about maximum performance, is it still
>worthwhile getting the Toyos? I care most about safe handling (dry and rain),
>ride, and road noise.

Probably not, though the rubber compound that provides the most traction
in cornering also provides the most traction in braking. But then, you
would be in trouble if you put on the Blizzaks a day too late.

> Is there another tire that might be better than the
>Toyo for me?

Dave's advice is right. Look around on Tirerack. They have comments
by users, and you can find comments on tires by Miata users on
miata.net in the product review section. Take them with a grain of
salt, though. Tirerack often has comparison test of tires that offer
much more objective info.

> How's the tread wear on the Toyos likely to compare with my
>Michelins?

My Toyos don't last long. But I try to give them happy lives.

Leon

--
Leon van Dommelen Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .)
http://www.dommelen.net/miata
EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen)

On Sat, 23 Apr 2005 00:45:46 -0400, "Barry" > wrote:

>I'm getting close to replacing my original Michelin Pilot SX-GT tires, which
>have about 50,000 miles. While I probably drive slightly faster and more
>aggressively than the average Camry or Taurus driver, I'm pretty conservative
>for a Miata driver. In the winter I put on Blizzaks, and while they feel a
>little mushier at first, it doesn't bother me much.
>
>Several people here have raved about the Toyo T1-S, especially the soft ride.
>For someone like me who doesn't care about maximum performance, is it still
>worthwhile getting the Toyos? I care most about safe handling (dry and rain),
>ride, and road noise. Is there another tire that might be better than the
>Toyo for me? How's the tread wear on the Toyos likely to compare with my
>Michelins?
>
>Barry
>
>
I have Falken ZIEX ZE-512 tires on my '97 and I love them. Great in
rain and very nice ride. I drive fairly aggressively sometimes and
though they're a bit soft feeling, they stick very well. They're
pretty cheap too.

Dave wrote:

> I have Falken ZIEX ZE-512 tires on my '97 and I love them. Great in
> rain and very nice ride. I drive fairly aggressively sometimes and
> though they're a bit soft feeling, they stick very well. They're
> pretty cheap too.



I absolutely hated my ZIEX ZE-512's.

I guess you could say they performed "ok". The ride was good. They were
quiet. They did NOT last very long (about 9-12K ...), but I really
"overdrove" these tires by a huge margin and also had a dodgy alignment so
maybe they'd have lasted if I was not so hard on them. They were fine in
the rain, actually pretty darned good up until they were worn past the wear
indicators, at which point they became downright scary.

Now, if you have lower-profile version of these tires, they may be a lot
better... like if you have 15" or 16" wheels. Most of my complaint wasn't
really with grip, but with flex. FWIW if I can get them in a size to fit my
other car (Honda Element), I will probably buy them again but just not for a
sports car.

On Sat, 23 Apr 2005 00:45:46 -0400, "Barry" > wrote:

>I'm getting close to replacing my original Michelin Pilot SX-GT tires, which
>have about 50,000 miles. While I probably drive slightly faster and more
>aggressively than the average Camry or Taurus driver, I'm pretty conservative
>for a Miata driver. In the winter I put on Blizzaks, and while they feel a
>little mushier at first, it doesn't bother me much.
>
>Several people here have raved about the Toyo T1-S, especially the soft ride.
>For someone like me who doesn't care about maximum performance, is it still
>worthwhile getting the Toyos? I care most about safe handling (dry and rain),
>ride, and road noise. Is there another tire that might be better than the
>Toyo for me? How's the tread wear on the Toyos likely to compare with my
>Michelins?
>
>Barry
>
>
If your Michelins have lasted 50K miles you are indeed more
conservative than most Miata drivers!

I got a set of Toyo Proxes 4s because they were cheaper and easier to
find than T1-s's. They have all the performance *I* need and should be
fine for you.

I've got to give a plug to my wonderful Brigestone 'Eager' tires. I know the
name is goofy but excellent ride with very good handling characteristics
(not stickiest but stick VERY well) and now have had them for 17k of pretty
agressive street driving and tread still looks like I just mounted them. I
know this sounds too good to be true but they were like $60 ea and they give
me no fears in the wet.

Antone else tried these? Confirm?

Chris
92BB&T
"Natman" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 23 Apr 2005 00:45:46 -0400, "Barry" > wrote:
>
> >I'm getting close to replacing my original Michelin Pilot SX-GT tires,
which
> >have about 50,000 miles. While I probably drive slightly faster and more
> >aggressively than the average Camry or Taurus driver, I'm pretty
conservative
> >for a Miata driver. In the winter I put on Blizzaks, and while they feel
a
> >little mushier at first, it doesn't bother me much.
> >
> >Several people here have raved about the Toyo T1-S, especially the soft
ride.
> >For someone like me who doesn't care about maximum performance, is it
still
> >worthwhile getting the Toyos? I care most about safe handling (dry and
rain),
> >ride, and road noise. Is there another tire that might be better than
the
> >Toyo for me? How's the tread wear on the Toyos likely to compare with my
> >Michelins?
> >
> >Barry
> >
> >
> If your Michelins have lasted 50K miles you are indeed more
> conservative than most Miata drivers!
>
> I got a set of Toyo Proxes 4s because they were cheaper and easier to
> find than T1-s's. They have all the performance *I* need and should be
> fine for you.

josh > wrote:

>Dave wrote:
>
>> I have Falken ZIEX ZE-512 tires on my '97 and I love them. Great in
>> rain and very nice ride. I drive fairly aggressively sometimes and
>> though they're a bit soft feeling, they stick very well. They're
>> pretty cheap too.
>
>
>
>I absolutely hated my ZIEX ZE-512's.
>
>I guess you could say they performed "ok". The ride was good. They were
>quiet. They did NOT last very long (about 9-12K ...), but I really
>"overdrove" these tires by a huge margin and also had a dodgy alignment so
>maybe they'd have lasted if I was not so hard on them.

Your data are invalid. Your front wheels were way out of alignment.
You had total toe out 0.28; Mazda puts the *limit* at 0.03. And those
limits are designed to make life easier for the dealer. *Of course*
your tire life was miserable. What do you expect with that much toe
out?

> They were fine in
>the rain, actually pretty darned good up until they were worn past the wear
>indicators, at which point they became downright scary.
>
>Now, if you have lower-profile version of these tires, they may be a lot
>better... like if you have 15" or 16" wheels. Most of my complaint wasn't
>really with grip, but with flex.

I would not be surprised if the flex was an effect of the excessive
toe too. You are putting a lot of out-of-spec torsion on the sidewalls.

I am not saying those tires are good or bad, (I don't know,) just that
using experiences on your car is unfair to them.

Leon

> FWIW if I can get them in a size to fit my
>other car (Honda Element), I will probably buy them again but just not for a
> sports car.

--
Leon van Dommelen Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .)
http://www.dommelen.net/miata
EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen)

If I were you mate I would do as the others guys said and just ask at your
local shop which tyres are on offer,
The problem with other people offering tyre advice is that, its all
subjective,
What feels soft for one feels great for another,
Plus if someone in California rates a tyre it almost definitely is not going
to feel the same in New York, then you take into consideration tyre warmth
depending on how you drive, how often people check the pressure, how bumpy
the roads are,
It is also very rare you see people mentioning wheel sizes, when
recommending tyres yet this makes a dramatic effect to how a tyre feels,
someone with a 17" wheel may recommend a tyre, yet in 14" size it feels as
soft as a marsh mellow in hell,
Also how fat some peoples wallets are makes the biggest decision my wheels
are 14" it costs 220 Euros for 4 Toyo T1-s's here in Greece, I've seen as
much as 550 Euros for 16" versions, so if I had 16" I'd want a lot more
miles per set than my 14".

Are you happy with your Michelins?
If so buy them again.
What don't you like about them?
Its all a compromise mate, for example better turn in usually means a
stiffer ride, better grip will mean higher wear rate.
And 99% of people that drive on the road never push a tyre's performance
anyway.


"Barry" > wrote in message ...
> I'm getting close to replacing my original Michelin Pilot SX-GT tires,
> which
> have about 50,000 miles. While I probably drive slightly faster and more
> aggressively than the average Camry or Taurus driver, I'm pretty
> conservative
> for a Miata driver. In the winter I put on Blizzaks, and while they feel
> a
> little mushier at first, it doesn't bother me much.
>
> Several people here have raved about the Toyo T1-S, especially the soft
> ride.
> For someone like me who doesn't care about maximum performance, is it
> still
> worthwhile getting the Toyos? I care most about safe handling (dry and
> rain),
> ride, and road noise. Is there another tire that might be better than the
> Toyo for me? How's the tread wear on the Toyos likely to compare with my
> Michelins?
>
> Barry
>
>
>