Technical What tyres on stock sporting alloys?

[vitorio]

Hi guys, i know this question gets asked here every other month or so, but i havent found any definitive answer using the search.

I've decided to put off mucking about with PGT brakes and bigger rims for now (the right rims keep slipping through my fingers, it is very irritating), and just get the cinq roling with cheap (read OEM replacement) parts rather then upgrade everything i come accross.

Anyway, i need two new tyres, and dont know what to go for, my shortlist:
- 165/55-R13: Pirelli p700s, Nankang toursport 611 / XR611, Accelera gamma
- 175/50-R13: Dunlop Sp2000, Nankang AS-1, Yokohama A539

The Pirelli/Dunlop/Yokohama options all command a good 30 euro premium per tyre on the Nankang/Accelera's, and normally i would think that would be for a very good reason, and opt for the expensive stuff. However, my desire to just get the cinq rolling (and if i like it, i'll get 14's anyway) has led me to re-evaluate my options, and i've read left and right that people prefer the nankangs over the supposedly rather outdated and primitive P700, i even found some rather praising talk about the accelera on here.

So what do you guys think, is it stupid to go with the nankangs? Either way i wont be driving in the wet/cold with the cinq as it is just a toy. I have a few basic engine tweaks done, 866 cam and a 38mm TB, plan on chipping it, but no mad amounts of power going to the front wheels

 

[ycming]

I like the Nankang for road use! Really soft tyres and does well!

 

[vitorio]

I like the Nankang for road use! Really soft tyres and does well!

Soft sounds good, i dont care about tyre wear, so if it is a bit softer/grippier, that is just a bonus for me.

Did you use the XR611 or the AS-1?

 

[ycming]

XR611!

P600 is a harder tyre IMO.

Ming

 

[andys cinq]

Yokohama A 539s all the way over any of the others,ive tried the rest and imo settled for the best but i know others will have their opinions

 

[blu73]

you can get yokohama A048 in 175/50r13 They will be pricey mind and you might crash if it rains haha.
Although, like Andy i do like the A539's, had them on my old turbo cinq and they were excellent tyres.

 

[vitorio]

Yokohama A 539s all the way over any of the others,ive tried the rest and imo settled for the best but i know others will have their opinions

If i do end up going for the expensive option ill be sure to take those over the dunlops.

Thing is, i am 100% sure right now that i wont do more then 3000 miles on the tires i'm gonna buy, just about a year of recreational round-a-bouting and such, before i either get rid of the cinq alltogether, or fit it with PGT brakes and 14" wheels.

So i'm still considering just taking my chances on a pair of nankangs, if they suck i'll just move em to the back axle and finish of the pirelli's on the other two wheels.

EDIT: just had a friendly chat with the local tyre specialist (small company, not something like profile or euromaster), and he recommends the nankang tour sport 611 over the pirelli or the accelera. His prices are about 15 bucks more expensive then if i were to order online, but he was also very willing to fit any tires i bought myself, for a rather acceptable price, so i guess i'll be going that direction, now to make up my mind on the tyrechoice

 

[blu73]

the dunlops are horrendous, don't do that.. i have some now and they are pathetic. Really need to buy some new tyres but can't afford it right now.

 

[vitorio]

the dunlops are horrendous, don't do that.. i have some now and they are pathetic. Really need to buy some new tyres but can't afford it right now.

Thanks for making up my mind, the local tyre guy wasnt too impressed with the yoko's(something to do with handling in the wet), dunlop and pirelli are out as well, so i'll just order a pair of nankangs, saves me 50 bucks over dunlop/yoko as well.

 

[ycming]

Thanks for making up my mind, the local tyre guy wasnt too impressed with the yoko's(something to do with handling in the wet), dunlop and pirelli are out as well, so i'll just order a pair of nankangs, saves me 50 bucks over dunlop/yoko as well.

I have used them all apart from those Accle....

Nankang are the best IMO in that size.

Well am using them at the moment lol

Ming

 

[simo101]

well ive got 2 nankang, a pirelli and an accelera - i like to think of it as my own personal setup

 

[Caravadossi]

... the local tyre guy wasnt too impressed with the yoko's(something to do with handling in the wet) ...

... & goes on to "recommend" Nankang (presumably on their wet performance?).

And maybe FC Emmen will finish ahead of Ajax or Feyenoord next season!

I can’t see Yokohama having a problem with EU Reg 1222/2009, given their tyres are OE fit with 20+ car manufacturers (half of them EU). Whereas Nankang … ?

120704

 

[m177ens]

If anyone can .... Nankang

 

[Lecook]

They don't call the$ ditch finders for no reason, I recently had a puncture in one of my a539's and had the nangkang as a spare in a slightly narrower profile with slightly bigger side wall 165/55/13 iirc whereas I run 185/50/13 yokos the nangkang scared the living sh*t out of me more than a couple of times

Imo u get what you pay for with tyres, pay for ditch finders and they'll find you a ditch, I didn't trust the nangkang at all, I was told they were bad and I really didn't think they would be as bad as they were, I'd rather get re-moulds then nangkangs, either that or run on 4 doughnuts, at least that was you'll think twice before nailing it into a roundabout , nangkangs look pretty but are pants

I paid 76quid for a a539 and although I complained at that, the first roundabout I nailed it into made it worth every penny, as for wet handling I'd agree they aren't perfect but they're bloody close to it, I've had the rear cocking its leg in the wet

I agree with blu and andy on this and believe they are the best tyre choice for stock wheels

Lee

 

[blu73]

the nankang ex500 is what is known as a ditch-finder or hedge-finder, i heard alot of good things about the XR611's

And if we are honest the ex500 is actually a good tyre, its just doesn't seem to work in that size for some reason. But i have had some of them too and they were bad on a cento.

 

[Brooky]

What about conti sport contacts?

 

[DannyCento]

I have 4 Accelera on mine, with good tread and I must say in the wet they have next to no grip. So much so that for the first time in 20 years of driving I'm going to change tyres before they're used up!

 

[blu73]

What about conti sport contacts?

Also top tyres, i have had these in both 13" & 14" on a cento and can't fault them really, usually quite pricey though.. I have some in 18" on the van and they are about £200 a corner

 

[vitorio]

What about conti sport contacts?

I havent seen those available in the correct size yet, and would probably be rather spendy as well.
Lecook, what type of nankang was the spare? I'm looking at the 611's Blu is talking about, and they seem decent enough.

Ideally i'd like four 195/45-R14 Falkens under my cinq, but the budget for both four falkens, and the set of OZ rims i want just isnt there at the moment, so i'd rather get the cinq MOTed and rolling so i can see if i even like the damn thing and want to spend more money on tarting it up.

 

[levemircento]

when I got my cinq in december 06 I put a pair of brand new nankang xr611's [aka toursport] on the back, these tyres have lasted to date 50,000 miles!!! still with 4mm of tread to go.

during late 2010 I bought a pair of Accelera's for the front, initially I was impressed with them but by last week they were at tread depth markers and terrible in the wet, I reckon they did about 12,000 miles and I dont drive the car hard at all, and do a mixture of A road and motorway

I replaced those front ones with another pair of nankang xr611 bought from tyretraders.com , the car was due mot and they fitted them for free, I am really impressed with them, steering is lighter, and they are superb in the heavy rain we have been having, also they balanced up a lot better than the Accelera's did so the car is far smoother on the motorway

So the Nankang XR611 Toursport get my vote