[Guest]

My SO1s are due for replacement (18000 miles, is this a record?).

Micheldever have quoted £443 for 4 SO3s, including fitting, and Elite have qouted £500 for 4 SO2s, including fitting.

Can anyone with experience of these tyres recommend which ones to go for? I know this topic has been discussed in the past, but any views would be appreciated, especially if you have used both types. At the moment I am tempted by the SO2s, as they seem to have a more overtly 'performance' tread pattern compared to the SO3s (which look more like SO1s!).

Many thanks

Daryl

BTW - my local Kwik-fit wanted £940 for 4 SO2s

 

[Guest]

You can't get better then a Kwik-Fit fitter. (Just cheaper )

I'm still on my original SO-1's (but I've only done 1600 miles so I guess thats to be expected - just!!!)
I don't know much about the SO-2's but I hear bad things about SO-3's.

Pirelli P-Zero's are meant to be a good choice though. I'd be interested to see how much a set of them would be. I had wondered about changing my tyres even though they are not worn. It's not that I'm unhappy with mine - more that I want the best that are available whatever they might be.

 

[Guest]

HomerDog,
I've just replaced all 4 of my SO1's with SO3's and I've found that I tend to get quite a bit more understeer than with the SO1's (especially in the wet). This may have been due to the fact that the rear tyres were still original after 27,000 miles and the tread was less than the fronts (replaced at 18,000 miles) but I'm not too sure. All in all I haven't given them a real try out because I've only had them a week but I'll keep you updated...

Andy

 

[Guest]

S-O2s are definetely better than S-O1s, both in the dry and wet, but still not the greatest tire as I've found out. They wear out pretty quickly, the edges that is. The tires will be fine do drive around after that but their peak performance is over a very short period.

 

[Guest]

I have replaced the front tyres on my 6 gsr i had the original so-1s they only lasted 6000 miles (rears are like new) i have fitted so-3s (could not get any s0-2s) and i think they are much better than the s0-1s .
With the so-1s it broke away under normall driving in the wet and did not make the car feel very capable .
with the s0-3s fitted there is no understeer in the wet (unless driving way too fast ) and the turn in feels much better wet or dry .
Dafydd

 

[Guest]

I've found the SO2s really good, apart from the way the outer edge (especially front nearside) disappears on a trackday. I think you'd be very pleased after SO1s for road use, but you might want to think again it you take to the track. I'm in a similar quandry - do I replace the SO2s and resign myself to keep replacing them regularly or find a better compromise for road/track use. From what I've read on this forum I've concluded that SO3s would be a retrograde step.

Darryl.

 

[Guest]

i never had the plesure of the s0-2s but th so-3s made a huge differance on my car ,and i will just resighn myself to changing them every 6000-8000 miles .
would rather have awersome grip than tyres that last 30k

 

[Guest]

I have driven all three tyres on my old Honda Accord Type R and there was a clear winner, the 02's. Now, I know that its not an Evo and as a company car I didn't take much notice of how quickly they wore. However, As the 01's got older, they began to noticably tram line. The 03's never gave me the confidence of the 02's particularly in the wet.

I have got 02's on my 7 Extreme and am more than happy, so far.

 

[Guest]

Darryl - BTW, if you are loosing the edges on track days, what suspension settings are you using? Various threads suggest adjusting front camber to 2 degrees.

 

[Guest]

How many miles do the S-01s last if you dont take them to the track much ?

Thanks
- ron

 

[Guest]

Simon7,

Will be checking the front camber this weekend to see if its already set to 2deg. The previous owner fitted Eibachs and it may already have been done.

Darryl.

 

[Guest]

I've had the pleasure to run all those tyres. We don't have to discuss about the S01. It's a shame that our cars come with them as standard. The S02 is quite a grippy tyre, very good in the wet, good grip but as already mentioned the shoulder wear off more than quickly. But the S03 was such a big disappointment that I stopped buying Bridgestones. The S03 is a comfortable tyre (who needs that on an EVO), low road noise etc. But turn-in is bad, it takes a split second the car to follow, constant correction through corners and the worst thing on a hot day they melt down after a spirited drive. You then lose suddenly all the grip, the outer tread pattern falls apart. Grip is not overwhelming. They almost squeal in every corner when driving hard. In the wet they're good. I used them on the road and on track and was more than happy when I could bin them.
Now I decided to test something different and went for the Falkens 451. Not a common tyre but it transformed my car. Superb turn-in, grip is in a different leage to the Bridgestones, absolutely stable through corners, good in the wet. Only downside is road noise and they wear quite quickly. For the posers in us they also look the business.

Cheers

Mike

 

[Guest]

I have lost the inside edges on my so2s at the front . they do wear pretty shite .and I don,t cover that many miles just round abouts.
I will definately try something different .I like those AO32 tokahamees.
Looked at SO3s ,they did have the top rating on the tyre to buy again on a tyre test site,and grip in wet and dry averaged 9.3 out of 10 .but then that could be from pug and vw owners.
Uuummmm !

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the replies chaps. Shorty, do you have a link to the tyre test site? Scoobymike, I am tempted by those Falkens, especially as Micheldever quoted £335 for a set of those

 

[Guest]

Homerdog

give them a try. I'm sure you won't be disappointed. Sometimes it's really worth to try something different to make up your own mind. And the price sounds good.

Let me know what you've decided

Mike

 

[Guest]

I'm interested in those Falkens too. I think I may ditch my 'standard fit' SO-1's when I hit 4500 miles.

 

[Guest]

Has anyone tried Goodyear Eagle F1s?

 

[Guest]

Daryl .

Sorry but didn't save in my favourites file .Just browsing around various sites looking for wheels.

 

[Guest]

Homerdog
Can you share the contact information with us for the S02's? I have NEVER seen then this cheap and just might buy a spare set and stick them in the garage...

Thanks

 

[Guest]

PZeros are better than any Bridgestone tire and have less wear. But MAXI and I have melted and/or destroyed all normal road tires so far. MAXI had a puncture in one of his PZeros and when they took it off you could see it even melted inside!

MAXI is trying A032s at the moment, and I can tell you that they are the best tire I have tried so far. Turns in very sharp, and the back is so progressive, it really is unbelievable. They look fantastic too. I will buy these asa I get my wheels.