Never heard of that brand. I avoid anything Chinese if I can - quite difficult!
I re-shod my MK3.5 with Yokohama Blue Earth AE50s. The difference in ride and handling was noticeable as soon as I drove away from the fitting centre.
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I notice someone said to make sure the roof drains are clear… Don’t stick anything! Down them, you will dislodge (or maybe destroy) the two rubber flaps inside each tube which will lead to road/transmission noise from the transmission tunnel into the cabin.
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Don’t stick anything up them👎
You can stick something down like a flexible curtain rod or trombone brush. Once it’s gone most of the way and out the other end don’t pull it back out the same way as it went in. Withdraw from the outlet under the car. The flaps on the bottom end stay closed until something is pushing on them like rainwater from above, a one way flap.
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Yes, I’m thinking of replacing the tyres, even though they look brand new. My late dad once advised me to never skimp on a car’s tyres, brakes, steering or suspension, basically anything that relates to the wheels. Pretty much everything else that stops working is an annoyance, whereas these can cost you your life.
Hi Noddy Dog. I had a NB Ar tic ten changed it for ND Arctic. I use my 5s sa daily drivers, they love being used constantly and I get it serviced halfway thru the service intervals.
I used Hancook tyres on the NB, going to 172k, and keep with Yokohama on ND, now at 52k, bought in 2017. Don’t mess about with tyres, get the best you can afford and check alignment. Probably best to go to a proper MX5 specialist for a check over. I use 97 Ron , which is now v expensive but keep going with it, usually BP, and as the ND Arctic is 1496cc, I had her re-mapped, 141 bhp. (just done a speed awareness course!!!). All a bit pricey but I live alone on my civil service pension, and just about break even! I really must keep off the right pedal, but it does make a satisfying noise!
Keep 5ing!!! ( oh yes, check your drain holes… )
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Thanks Richard. So are Yokohama and Hancook what most on here would recommend? My wife will be driving it about half the time, and I particularly want something that grips well in the wet.
I read a tyre test some time ago - I think it was in Auto Express - and the difference in stopping distances between the best and the worst tyres was considerable. A budget Chinese brand was one of the worst.
You don’t have a lot of contact with the road and in an emergency every metre counts!
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Works for me!
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Tyres are a very personal choice. I had a puncture on my ND a while back and Kwik Fit put on Continentals , badly, and they were horrid. Yokohama were the originals, so the main dealer I go to, (very reasonable and love 5s!) fitted those, competing favourably with locals. Michelin prob the best, but I have no problems in the wet, and I don’t hang about. Look after your 5 and she will look after you. You will have trouble keeping your wife out of the driving seat and if she hasn’t already got a spare set , keep the keys away!!!
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Hi Mick, I cant agree. I had the issue of noise in the cabin and so I removed and dismantled the drain tubes (which come in sections) and took out the rubber flaps and resolved the issue by soaking the flaps in hot water to regain the shape and then in cold water to “fix” them. Having held the all bits in my hands I really don’t think they will take a trombone brush or anything else rigid without taking damage or being deformed…. The rain water only causes the flaps to bend very slightly (allowing then to return to the closed position and “seal” for sound), anything rigid will cause a 90degree bend from which they won’t return. I’m not going to say anything else on this matter as I don’t want to hijack this thread. Thanks for your opinion and reply!!
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How much difference did it make to road noise???
Hi Noddy Dog,
A few things I have done on my 2012 MK3 3.5 PRHT below you may want to consider. (I bought it this spring).
Fit 215 - 45- 17 tyres, cheaper and far better than 205’s. Better ride quality, grip and Speedo more accurate.
Full 4 wheel alignment on a Hunter Alignment System, massive improvement, was miles out. Hunter kit is as good as it gets (Guildford Tyres Gatwick).
Tyres fit are ‘Goodyear F1 Asymmetric 5’ I love them.
Hoovered a small amount of bits from rear drain grills. PRHT don’t clog as bad as the softop versions do.
Simply washed out the rear drains with hot fairy liquid water and rinsed also with hot water a few times, made sure water gushed out beneath the car near the rear wheel. NOTE: not the rubber drains in your pick, the offending drains are further in behind the headrests, I don’t think the grills come out, no need for trombone cleaner on my PRHT, just rinse.
Sealed the front bulkhead grommets with silicone.
Had F.O.C. 19 point inspection at MX5 Restorer (Pevensey).
Had car Cavity Waxed and Re-undersealed at MX5 Restorer. I’m very pleased, a nice job £480 Inc VAT. A bit of a trip from Gatwick area but well worth inspection and wax/seal jobs. They kept my car for 3 days for wax and underseal, a bit of a pain going back and forth but would still do it again.
Roy
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I inspected my hood drains whilst under the car last year just out of curiosity. Flaps intact (you can see them, just in the outlet) I’d previously had a flexible curtain rod down there.
So yes it’s possible they could be dislodged and I’d certainly go to them if I was experiencing any excessive road noise from that area for a fix.
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Thanks for this Roy. As a consequence I’m now booked in to Guildford Tyres (in Guildford) for a free wheel alignment check tomorrow.
I agree with you in avoiding poking rods etc, but sometime it’s not always avoidable.
However, my preferred method is a powerful wet-vac applied to the outlet underneath, using a hand to make a good seal. If there is a dried blockage, first let it soak with some detergent-laden water for half an hour to soften it
The Pfffhhhtooom noise when it releases is most satisfying!
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I don’t really know much about this side of things, please can you elaborate?
My 3.5 has 16” wheels, I don’t know if they all do?
Best way to avoid condensation is to lower the roof, works every time. 
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Hi Noddy Dog,
I have 17"rims so yours are smaller dia. I’m not sure about 16" wheels/tyres but sure as heck I love my Asymetric 5 tyres on mine.
The reason I fit 215’s was because with 17" rims the tyre profile does not boad well on the surrey/sussex roads because of the amount of pit holes in the roads so I wanted higher side walls.
I would have preferred 16" Rims because the tyres have taller side walls. I bought my car (Miyako) which come standard with 17" rims because it was the best car with no rot I could find. thus a tyre size change was a great upgrade.
Roy
Well I thought I was going to have to replace the Differential….
There are two flaps in each tube (one is half way down which you can’t see from the outside)…