2118s

[Gordon]

Was more to do with cost tbh mate.

Fair enough. I thought getting back to PE2's was partly the motivation. A bit of both I expect.

most use the 195 s when dropping down to 15s also. But then the cost of tyres for 195s make for a cheaper option when it comes to trackdays also.

I expect that has a lot to do with it. Perhaps a wider choice of track day tyre in those dimensions too.

I try to drive for the conditions and keep within my skill level if you know what I mean. Pushing my car in the wet seems like a bad idea to me, I don't want to slide off into a ditch somewhere because I have the wrong tyres for the situation.

Completely agree with you. My concern about the Yokohama's is that I heard there is a significant, if not major drop off in wet weather grip compared to the PE2. Making simply driving in the wet a nervous experience, even at speeds well within the T's, or a standard drivers limits. I was amazed at the wet weather grip of the T with the PE2. It was almost as good as in the dry.

I used Yokohama A539's on a 106 Rallye for years, good tyre, but like night and day in the dry and wet.

The reason I put the AD08's on was because I wanted that crisp turn in that the PE2's had, which I lost with the PS3's. The AD08's give me that turn in response and more grip as well.

Interesting you feel the AD08's bring back what the PE2 had and PS3 lost in feel. It could be worth keeping that feeling, sacrificing wet weather grip and simply driving very carefully in the rain.

 

[Will#I#Ams]

Like you say mate, those who have had the chance to compare the pe2/3s directly, all seem to say the 2 is the better tyre. Without comparing myself, I can't really comment, but I do know just how good the pe2s are, having them fitted to my cars for the last 7/8 year's or so. Although I do think even back then I believed the exalto to be a better tyre than the pe2, iirc the pe2s had a slightly stiffer sidewall making the ride a little more crashy.

 

[Will#I#Ams]

Well, after a couple of weeks and a few hundred miles, what can I say? The ride is so much better on the 15s and decent rubber. My confidence in the car has grown immensely. It's not as trashy over the rougher roads,turns in sharper, grips better, has a nice amount of body roll, not too much, and it does seem, for some strange reason, not to cook the brakes as easily. It's running shit pads that used to fade after a couple of heavy step ons. Since fitting the wheels iv had no fade. Whether this is due to the pads being glazed before and have now cut through the glazing, or the fact I have more confidence in the cars ability to get round a corner now so use them less or the wheels help to cool them better, I don't know lol.

To sum up. A vast improvement on how it was.

 

[Gordon]

Really good to hear the feedback. It seems you are a big convert to the 15" wheel and 195/50 R15 Michelin Pilot Exalto 2 combination. The interesting part would be how much is the good handling you report down to the PE2 on a 15" vs PS3 on a 16", or just the rubber.

I wonder how many others will now be keen to take the plunge to the 15" and PE2 combination, with the benefits of cheaper and better (subjectively) rubber, as well as the continuation of excellent handling characteristics.

Perhaps the fact you previously had poor quality worn out tyres on 16"s, before switching to new, now scrubbed in, good quality rubber on 15"s has something to do with it ; )

 

[Will#I#Ams]

Well this is it exactly. Would be great to compare all the diff size variations etc. But unless you get them all on the same car back to back it'd be a bit of a pointless excercise really. As above we all have diff views on how we like the car to handle, so even direct comparison can be subjective lol. I do prefer it how it is, bit it definitely needs lowering. Lol.