…looking at replacing my current mix of Toyo T1-R and Firestone tyres I see that Rainsports are really very cheap on Blackcircles at the moment, £48 per corner! Considering how wet the UK is these days, I am wondering if these wet weather biased tyres might do the job? Has anyone else fitted them to their MX-5 and rate them? My tyre size is 195/50/82…15 inch…
I bought my 2.0 Sport NC autumn 2014. Had 2 new Rainsports on front and on rear Continentals with 3mm. Well last winter the car was very tail happy, had a few slides I liked and a couple on slow speed roundabouts where it almost caught me out. (I learnt to drive in a VW Beetle so loved the slides) Traction control worked overtime, light always flashing. So come the spring being sensible I fitted new rears (3mm pushing it) , went for Rainsports for a full set, and they were a good price at my tyres dot co
So this winter it hasn’t stopped raining, flooding everywhere. Car sticks to the road as if its glued so i agree with above post. Traction lights hardly ever one.
As an aside I had Rainsports on a Lotus Elan turbo 10 years ago, again due to wet weather and a winter daily driver.
you won’t regret it. at £48 you’ve got nothing to lose.
I’ve got Rainsport 3s on and I love them. Recently had a puncture and got a need-it-now replacement for £58 fitted so that’s a good price. I’d be happy to pay more for them because I like them that much, but don’t tell Uniroyal/Black Circles that!
Karl
I had the Rainsport 2’s fitted on my Mk1 and Mk2, do agree they are excellent in the wet and of course as you would expect in the dry too.
I think they saved me and my car once from a meeting with a ditch and hedge, unaware of the sharpness of the bend they kept the car on the tarmac, quite a sticky bum moment.
I have Rainsport 2’s fitted to my GT86 on 18" wheels and have found them very good.
I don’t have Rainsports on my Mx5 but I did have them on my Honda and while I concur that they’re a very good tyre in terms of grip, they lost their tread very quickly and for that reason I wouldn’t buy them again.
Good feedback, thanks. I am not bothered about wear, as I am doing about 4,000 miles a year and at £48 per rear tyre, its not really an issue is it!
Just one query, the wet weather grip sounds great, but does it still let you edge the back out on the throttle if you want to? I want a tyre that basically doesn’t try and put me off the road when I don’t want to oversteer, but allows some slip if I want to provoke it.
I had RS3’s on my MK1 and loved them. I found them very forgiving if you put a bit too much throttle in. I had the car round Snetterton in the pouring rain and it felt planted yet progressive if you did slide. There was a stripped out Clio 182 there that should have been a lot faster than I was but it had NS2r’s on which as a wet track day tyre aint to bad. I was keeping up round most of the track with the rainsport 3’s. Im sure most of that was down to the tyres.
Got RS3’s on my Mk2, second set now actually. Love 'em