2.0 / 2.5 Roadster / Roadster Sport Tire Thread

[smorgasbord]

AD07 vs AD08

According to TireRack, the AD08 is 1 lb lighter than the AD07. However, the AD07 has 1mm more tread depth.

 

[hcsharp]

I don't mind mixing tires on different axles. There are Pirelli, Michelin, and Bridgestone tires in the rear sizes that have pretty good reviews. Some have better treadwear. I know there's often a correlation between performance and treadwear, but it's not absolute.

Has no-one tried other tires that might perform as well as the standard Yokohamas, yet have longer treadlife?

I've been trying to answer this question too. Some people have had bad experiences mixing different tires on different axles. Still others have had success when the front and rear tires are similar design. I can't afford to keep putting AD07s on the back every 4000 miles. I'd like to try the Hankook Ventus on the rear with the AD07 on the front. They are reasonably priced and look like similar design. Mitrovic - what did you have on the front when you had the Ventus on the rear? Other than acceleration, how did they handle compared to the Yokos?

 

[ViperDoc]

Sottozero 240?

Have changed to winter tires last week. The front tires are Pirelli 210 Snowsport (195/50), the rears Pirelli 240 Sottozero S2 (225/45). Had only AD07 until now and am missing the fast acceleration with them. The TC comes on every time when I accelerate or regenerate hard.

If those Sottozero's are new, are you sure they are Pirelli 240's? I didn't think those were available (I have been looking), although Pirelli 210 Sottozero's are.

Thanks

DJ

 

[Mitrovic]

I've been trying to answer this question too. Some people have had bad experiences mixing different tires on different axles. Still others have had success when the front and rear tires are similar design. I can't afford to keep putting AD07s on the back every 4000 miles. I'd like to try the Hankook Ventus on the rear with the AD07 on the front. They are reasonably priced and look like similar design. Mitrovic - what did you have on the front when you had the Ventus on the rear? Other than acceleration, how did they handle compared to the Yokos?

I had Continentals front and rear.
Now I have Hankooks at the rear and Continentals at the front.
So far I have no problem having two different tires front and rear.
I must confess that I do not see any difference with the new tires, but I remarked that the Hankooks gave me excellent grip at acceleration when it was wet. Of course, I can not compare it scientifically to the Yoko's or to the Continentals.

 

[smorgasbord]

Special AD048s for Lotus?

In my search for tires, I came across this from Yokohama http://www.yokohamatire.com/assets/docs/yokohamatire_advan_a048.pdf

It has a special listing for Lotus Elise Sport tires. They have different Part #s than the same size tires in the same model with the two standard compounds. Spec-wise, the UTGQ for the Lotus versions are 60/AA/A instead of 60/A/A and weight drops from 23.2lbs to 21.09 for rears and from 19.79lbs to 18.66 for the fronts, comparing to the "MH" Compound. The "M" Compound is different yet, but closer to the MH than to the Lotus version.

What's up with these special versions? Are these the versions that shipped on Roadster Sports with the 048s? Tirerack has them priced at $10/tire more than the AD07s (rears). The non-Lotus AD048s in the same size are $27 or $28 cheaper, depending on compound. I thought I remembered that when ordering a Roadster Sport, you could save something like $200/tire by not getting the AD048s. Have the AD07s gone up in price, or have the AD048s dropped, or am I even more confused than usual?

 

[tennis_trs]

... I thought I remembered that when ordering a Roadster Sport, you could save something like $200/tire by not getting the AD048s. Have the AD07s gone up in price, or have the AD048s dropped, or am I even more confused than usual?

I don't know anything about different versions of the AD048s, but I'm pretty sure that I didn't get any reduction in price from getting the AD07s instead of the standard AD048s on my Sport.

 

[Doug_G]

I don't know anything about different versions of the AD048s, but I'm pretty sure that I didn't get any reduction in price from getting the AD07s instead of the standard AD048s on my Sport.

Funny, they wanted to charge me $975 for "Performance Tires" for my base Roadster. Seems to be a one-way option.

Tesla ships the MH compound, I'm told.

 

[Dragon]

If those Sottozero's are new, are you sure they are Pirelli 240's? I didn't think those were available (I have been looking), although Pirelli 210 Sottozero's are.

Thanks

DJ

Sorry for the late reply, didn't see it earlier.
I can confirm they are indeed Pirelli 240 Sottozero Serie 2 tires. Easy to get them here in Italy, homeland of Pirelli.

 

[DrTaras]

After years of putting on AO48s, and changing them, at great expense, multiple times, winter has arrived in LA. That means about 3 months of sub 40 degree temps during one hour in the early morning about 3 or 4 times per month as well as about a fortnight of rain during those 3 months, but not consecutively. But that aside, with the economy being what it is, I'm concerned that if I put flashy new tires on my Roadster that OWS might want to occupy Tesla! That & I've already blown through the $1.5K of winnings from My Ride Rules! :tongue:

I've kept abreast of this thread and I have not seen any posts about the Kumho Ecsta ASX or Kumho Exsta 4X. I think I like the look of the ASX better.
Any thoughts, comments or random musings?

 

[dsm363]

I've kept abreast of this thread and I have not seen any posts about the Kumho Ecsta ASX or Kumho Exsta 4X. I think I like the look of the ASX better.
Any thoughts, comments or random musings?

Have you thought about just going to the AD07s at least? They'd do fine in that weather and would last at least twice as long. There are others mentioned that last even longer as you've read but don't fit the front size exactly.

 

[ggr]

I've kept abreast of this thread and I have not seen any posts about the Kumho Ecsta ASX or Kumho Exsta 4X. I think I like the look of the ASX better.
Any thoughts, comments or random musings?

I have the Ecsta ASX's on both front and back. I also have Ecsta's on my Merc CLK 63... not sure if they're exactly the same tires or not. I love them on the Merc, although it doesn't get driven much. But I hate them on the Roadster. The rears just don't hold the road well... I see a lot more of the traction control kicking in, and it means it, because the car is usually going slightly sideways at the time. (Yes, I did the calibration thing a couple of times.) They also haven't worn well, which is good, 'cuz I get to replace them with something else soon.

 

[DrTaras]

hate them on the Roadster. The rears just don't hold the road well... I see a lot more of the traction control kicking in

Wow! This is what the Internet is all about! Power to the people! Thank YOU ggr!

 

[DrTaras]

Next question... anyone using Dunlop Direzza DZ101 or Dunlop SP Sport 5000 M?

 

[Dragon]

Next question... anyone using Dunlop Direzza DZ101 or Dunlop SP Sport 5000 M?

The reviews at tirerack would suggest these are not good for the Tesla Roadster... or any other sports car.

 

[Timothy]

I was looking at the posts on the bulletin board about tires for the last couple of months. I just checked and my rears are down to the wear bars at 6200 miles--the fronts are fine--so I need new rear tires.

Doing some research on the tirerack I came up with Michelin Pilot Super Sport at $177 as opposed to the Yokahama AD07 at $309 each. (And the AD08 tires are $199.) The Michelins had be best ratings of all:

Consumer Survey Results By Category

Has anyone tried the Michelins or have any information on them?

 

[DrTaras]

I decided to change from the Yokahama AO48s in baby steps to the AD07s. I think if I had to over simplify, the tread rating on all the tires I was looking at was min 240 and max 400.
The AO48s are rated at a 90 & the AD07s at a 180. I think that the softer compound is necessary because the torque is so voracious on the Roadster that a harder (longer lasting) compound will not give as much and therefore slip and cause the Traction Control to alert. That's my theory, anyway.

 

[smorgasbord]

You might want to consider the AD08s for the rears. $100 less than the AD07s, supposedly better grip and slightly better wear - both due to compound improvements.

 

[hcsharp]

I was looking at the posts on the bulletin board about tires for the last couple of months. I just checked and my rears are down to the wear bars at 6200 miles--the fronts are fine--so I need new rear tires.

Doing some research on the tirerack I came up with Michelin Pilot Super Sport at $177 as opposed to the Yokahama AD07 at $309 each. (And the AD08 tires are $199.) The Michelins had be best ratings of all:

Consumer Survey Results By Category

Has anyone tried the Michelins or have any information on them?

I was planning to try these on the rear in the spring when the snow melts. They don't currently make the front size so it will be a risk mixing tires front and rear. That tire has consistently good ratings for both dry traction and low rolling resistance. It's still relatively new so maybe they will start making the front size soon. It also has a 15000 mi warranty (30k if front and rear tires are the same size). I think you should try them Tim and give us a report!

 

[ggr]

I was looking at the posts on the bulletin board about tires for the last couple of months. I just checked and my rears are down to the wear bars at 6200 miles--the fronts are fine--so I need new rear tires.

Doing some research on the tirerack I came up with Michelin Pilot Super Sport at $177 as opposed to the Yokahama AD07 at $309 each. (And the AD08 tires are $199.) The Michelins had be best ratings of all:

Consumer Survey Results By Category

Has anyone tried the Michelins or have any information on them?

Yes, I had the Michelins for a while, on the rear only (the original Yokohama performance tires on the front). When it was time to replace them, for some reason matching fronts were not available (or maybe neither front nor back, it was about 18 months ago) so I ended up with my not-recommended Kumhos. I did like the Michelins.

 

[DrTaras]

They don't currently make the front size so it will be a risk mixing tires front and rear

That's exactly why I didn't go with the AD08s