- My model of MX-5 is: __ND2
- I’m based near: __Mansfield
- I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: __What tyres are best for my daily driver MX5. It is currently on the Yokohama ones I bought it with.
Just do a search as there have been many posts on this topic. When you have read all them you will be no wiser!!
if you are looking for a daily driving use i would go for some goodyear eagle f1 asymmetric 6 as the Michelin ps5 are better by a small bit but considerably more expensive. second thing is to look at camskill for the tires but they do not come with fitting. final thing would be go to 215/45 17" as they are cheaper as more cars use them and make the speed more precise. hope this helps
The OP has the 1.5L version, so if he turns up to a tyre place with 215/45/17 he might have some issues.
Speaking of those tyres (which aren’t available in the OP’s 195/50/16 size), I’ve now had PS5 on TWO cars (not the ND granted), and I find them very vanilla. Most recently/currently on my up! gti. I was contemplating getting the GY AS6 you mentioned, but went PS5. I don’t know why they have ‘sport’ in their name. Like a few reviews I’ve watched/read, they don’t seem ‘sporty’ at all. Not bad, but vanilla would be the best way I could describe them. In fact, the previous owner had fitted Landsail LS338 and still had shed loads of tread. I changed the ‘ditch finders’, which to be honest I found fine in the 8 months since I bought it, and in hindsight I think they were more sporty, better turn in than the Pilot Sport 5. The PS5 wins on comfort, but that’s it! And the Landsails were knocking 4 years on, too, so I bet would be comfier if new. Never in a million years would I think replacing near 4 year old Landsail LS338 for PS5 would be meh.
To the OP, and back on topic, I ‘think’ the general consensus is the OEM Yokohama Advan Sports are fine. There isn’t too much choice in that size too, if I recall correctly.
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I recently had the same dilemma.16’’ tyre choice is very limited.in the end I replaced old original tyres with new Yokohama advan sport 195/50r16.sourced locally £100 each fitted.had them on my previous Elise and have never had a problem.
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Just an example below, get 10% off 2 or more tyres at Blackcircles.
I’ve had these fitted to my daily driver in the past, excellent tyres. Always went for the 17inch version too for my NC.
Try your local garage for supply and fit, I did and got a very good price fitted for a full set I went with them.
Bought those Kumho’s. They have been an excellent replacement for the Goodyear Eagle F1 they replaced.
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These are currently offered in 84W by Camskill for £83 (not fitted of course). I bought a set of these from Tyreleader a couple of years ago and was surprised to see they were marked “OE”. They were probably made for the Lotus Elise. Initially I felt they were slightly different to the 84V’s they replaced, but maybe that was just the newness. Whatever, they are just as good as the 84V and there’s obvs no harm in a higher speed rating.
I saw no reason to buy anything else than the Yokos. I can tell you they have a very solid sidewall as I have the best one of the last set in my garage as a spare. The Goodyear touring tyres (Efficient Grip 2) on our other two cars are very good but the sidewalls are like balloons which might have been a factor in both having had tyres written off by pinch damage from potholes.
On the Yokos, the OE info was discussed here not so long ago. Essentially one speed rating is OE for Elise, the other for MX-5 ND.
In terms of replacement, I’ll probably also put another set of Yokos on when the time comes. I often use Kumho and like what they produce, although annoyingly the version mentioned above is XL rated which there’s really no need for on the MX-5.