Tyres again!!!!! Sorry.

[AG2728]

I apologise in advance for starting yet another tyre thread but I am due to replace both fronts on my 4200.

When I joined the forum last year, much praise was being given to the Falken 452 as a realistic and cost effective alternative. It seems that these have now been superseded by the 453. I have no real world knowledge of the 453 other than much chatter from internet warriors claiming that they are not as good as the 452s.

Does anyone on here have any real world experiences of 453s on a coupe? I am not a brand snob after ditching my long standing relationship with Toyos years ago for Federal 595s on my daily commute cars (Mitsi Evo/Impreza/Skoda vRS/various Alfas). They are (to me) very impressive and good value but do not, in theory, have a high enough load rating for such a heavy car as a Maserati.

Do I just bite the bullet and get a pair of default Pirellis at twice the price or are the 453s worth considering?

I am not looking for links to reviews, as I have probably read them all, but would value ownership experience.

Thanks in advance.

 

[CatmanV2]

I have 453's on the back of mine. I can't compare them to the 452's but they work just fine. Plenty of grip for day to day use.

At least * *think* they are 453's I may need to go and double check.

C

 

[Chrisbassett]

I had 452s on the front then 453s all round. I did a track day or two and about 6000 miles on each, and they are both fine for every day and spirited road driving. Round Llandow's bus stop I found the 453s to have a little more oversteer, but it could have been me pushing harder the second time.

 

[maverick]

I have just put the new vreds on my 4200 and so far I am very impressed with good grip in the wet and better in the dry ish and there seem quieter than the pilot sports there replaced .

 

[CatmanV2]

Deffo 453's Pretty happy with them although Bill McGrath suggested that I'd get a much better ride / handling with something else....

C

 

[mjheathcote]

I have just put the new vreds on my 4200 and so far I am very impressed with good grip in the wet and better in the dry ish and there seem quieter than the pilot sports there replaced .

Vorti's I think you went for?
What's the rim protection like as I am planning on Vorti's on my new FD rims come spring time.

 

[BennyD]

Have a look at the Goodyear F1 A2s, they have lots of rim protection to the point that they look a size bigger. I'll be sticking to the standard sizes on mine to reduce the chance of rubbing.

On tyrereviews the Goodyears consistently beat the Vortis; they are almost as good in the dry but much better in the wet. It does come across that the Vortis at among the very best dry tyres but onlyu average in the cold/wet. Given that wet handling is an almost all year round requirement in the UK, I will probably go for the F1s next time (if they aren't too wide!).

 

[adam01]

Ok anyone running either these combination on a GS ?

1) 245/275 tyres + FD springs

2) 245/275 tyres + FD springs + spacers

Interested to know if clearances r ok ( no tyre rub)

Txs

 

[mjheathcote]

Can't see them being a problem, you are only talking 5mm wider per tyre side, you will see that much difference between different tyre makes!
Plus 245/275 are recommended sizes by FD using their FD rims that are half an inch wider front and back.

 

[maverick]

Vorti's I think you went for?
What's the rim protection like as I am planning on Vorti's on my new FD rims come spring time.

The rim protection is fairly good without looking ridicules but in my exsperance if you going to hit a curb no matter what you have your wheels are going to get damaged also I was tempted to go for the Goodyear there were my over option but was told there wear very quickly but again no exsperance of them so went for the vorti and so far very impressed

 

[AG2728]

I had 452s on the front then 453s all round. I did a track day or two and about 6000 miles on each, and they are both fine for every day and spirited road driving. Round Llandow's bus stop I found the 453s to have a little more oversteer, but it could have been me pushing harder the second time.

Thanks for all the input chaps. I think I will try the Falkens. Apart from one day a year at the ring (as it's rude not to when I pass it), I have no intention of tracking this car.

 

[adam01]

Have a look at the Goodyear F1 A2s, they have lots of rim protection to the point that they look a size bigger. I'll be sticking to the standard sizes on mine to reduce the chance of rubbing.

On tyrereviews the Goodyears consistently beat the Vortis; they are almost as good in the dry but much better in the wet. It does come across that the Vortis at among the very best dry tyres but onlyu average in the cold/wet. Given that wet handling is an almost all year round requirement in the UK, I will probably go for the F1s next time (if they aren't too wide!).

Just fitted these (GY) front/rear 245 (35) & 275(30) x 19 on gs rims

One rim buckled & probably needs correction

(Will be doing + 1000 kms nxt weekend so will have an idea on their behavior)

 

[Woody]

I bought a full set of Goodyear Eagle F1s recently. Priced them up on lovetyres.com which I think came to £740, fully fitted. Local dealer matched the price, no arguments what so ever. Kwik-Fit do the same.

Currnetly they're on there for £654 for a set. Cracking value IMO.

 

[Woody]

Just priced them to include fitting -£714. Am I nuts or is that a great price?

 

[CatmanV2]

Just priced them to include fitting -£714. Am I nuts or is that a great price?

Yes, that seems pretty good!

C

 

[midlifecrisis]

Anyone tried Dunlop Sport Maxi? Or have an opinion at least? They're about the price as Falken 453's

 

[AG2728]

In the end I ended up getting a pair of Pirelli P Zero Neros. £270 fitted from my local tyre place seemed v reasonable.

 

[SimonCC]

In the end I ended up getting a pair of Pirelli P Zero Neros. £270 fitted from my local tyre place seemed v reasonable.

Is that for the rears 265s AG? If so that's a great price!

I will fit Zero Rossos to mine which are currently on the car - my local tyre place quoted me about £170-180 per tyre fitted which I thought was good. Not sure how Rossos compare to Neros price wise...?

 

[CatmanV2]

That sounds a mad price!

C

 

[AG2728]

In an effort not to mislead anyone, let me correct my earlier post.

P Zero seems to have become a sub-brand in itself these days with its own website and a confusing number of variants. (380 according to Pirelli). I assume they are counting all the different sizes?

I replaced both fronts.

I have bought P Zeros. They were £269.28 a pair, guaranteed fitted within 24 hours

P Zero Rosso were 90p a tyre more expensive.

Rears would have cost £169.80 each, fitted.

The Falkens I was considering in my opening post were £118.84 each, fitted (fronts) and given that the latest 453s do not seem to have the same following as the previous 452s, I thought it worthwhile splashing out a further 16 quid a corner on the Pirellis.

FWIW, the consensus from numerous owner reviews on PH, suggested recommendations for P Zeros rather than P Zero Rossos and that P Zero Neros were more for comfort than performance.

The Rossos seem to be very Marmite as they are positively eulogised by some, whereas others think they are, (in the words of a Saleen Mustang owner) "shameful".

Also the ad confusingly lists the Rossos as asimmetrico, but mine are just as asymmetric. Go figure.

Life never used to be this complicated.

One thing is for sure, they cannot be worse than the brand new Wan-King Ditchfinders that were fitted by the previous owner prior to selling the car to me, prompted by an MOT advisory. They were horrendous and I changed them with arguably more tread left on them than my new Pirellis started with. I would imagine that they have probably already understeered their way out of the skip in which they were discarded, and caused a massive RTA.

For clarity I have attached an image from the Pirelli P Zero site. Mine are 2nd from the left.

Also a screenshot of the ad from the tyre place I used.