[mlai]

Originally Posted by juztinl

=) 312 is growing on me. but not sure about the ride quality on 20". what do u guys think??
btw i think my friend didn't know what tire size i was talking about so yea they should be above 2k.
and is Dunlop Sp Sport any good?

The 312s.... You aiming for the gray or the regular? I had friends who tried out the Dunlop Z1*, very good tires. almost as good as the old BS S03. But very very noisy and didn't last a year.......

Heard that the Dunlop Sp Sport is even louder than the Z1*?? But haven't had any personal experience and didn't bother trying.....

[juztinl]

leaning towards regular as the car is in Sophisto Gray. i want some contrast instead of going all dark. anyone with 20" experience on HK roads?

[chiver]

Thanks guys for this educational discussion(at least for me). I'm interested in the 331. If you can get a discount with a group buy, please count me in. For the tires, I'm not going to track it so im looking for a combination of comfort, price and durability. I had a set of Dunlop sPORT maxx but they didnt last very long.

[RC3]

Originally Posted by mlai

RC3, what tyre models did you quote? I am interested to know because prices for different models are very different even within the same brand.......

I would appreciate if there are any price info on P Zero Nero/Rosso/Hero for the following sizes:

245/35R20
275/30R20
285/30R20.

I think PS2s are roughly the same prices. However, Continental is currently doing a promote on CSC2 (getting rid of stock?) and is about 25-30% cheaper than either the PS2 and the P Zero Hero......

I did not ask in depth since my car won't be delivered until Nov. Here are what I have (19" mixed tires 245/40F 275/35B):
Advan sport $2.65k @ advxnshxp Ching Fung St
P zero and Bridgestone Potenza both around $2.5k (did not mention any particular model) @ Shxing Txk Tai Hung
What I heard the Tai Hung one usually gives good deal. This is where I got quoted for Breyton Race GTP 19" for $3,650 per wheel
Don't know if the above help

[mlai]

From my experience of max performance tyres from Bridgestone, Michellin, Goodyear and Pirelli, I would rank them:

Stickiness to the road

1) Bridgestone S and some REs are most sticky.
2) Pirellis are a bit less sticky than BS S and REs.
2) Michellins are on par with Pirellis
4) Goodyear F1 GSDS. Still excellent, closely behind the Michellins and Pirellis.

Noisiness:
1) Michellins are most quiet. (PS2s)
2) Pirellis (P Zeros) are quiet, very slight worse than Michelins
3) Goodyear F1 GSDS. very close to Pirellis.
4) BS S series and REs. Noisy as hell.

Ride comfort.
1) Michelins for some reason are the most comfy. I have been told that the PS2's sidewalls are not as reinforced as others which contributes to comfort.
2) Pirellis, Bridgestone REs.
3) Bridgestone S, and Goodyear F1

Treadwear.
1) Goodyear F1 last the longest, maintaining traction al the way to when the tyres are 70% done on treads.....
2) Pirellis lasts second longest, but maintaining best traction to only around 50% of treads.
3) Michellins PS2 third. I think Michelins used different compounds in inner treads and outer treads and this coupled with the softer sidewalls result in uneven wear of the tires. And you can't swap inner side to outside to even the wear out. So kinda wasteful.
4) Bridgestone S and REs. These are rubber erasers!!!! They are almost always gone in less than a year on my cars. Worse, they maintain their best traction only for the first 20% of tread life.

Value for money:
1) Surprisingly, Goodyear takes the crown in my books. very well rounded tyres. If the goodyears F1 has 20" sizes available, I would gladly try them first with my F10. But no dice. No 20" F1s here in HK. (They used to cost only about 50-60% of what the Pirellis costs me)
2) Pirelli P Zeros. I haven't been disappointed by them.
3) Michelins. Well balanced but for me at least, they don't last as long as my P Zeros. Maybe just me.
4) Bridgestone S and REs. Although they are excellent performing tyres, I just can't justify replacing them in less than a year, even with regular rotation of tyres......

Above are just very subjective and only pertains to my experience of those tyres in Hong Kong. YMMV.

PS. Cars tested: 1996 SLK230, 2000 CLK320, 1996 C36, 2000 C43, 2005 C55, 2004 E55.

[mlai]

RC3, many thanks. My turn to check them out.

[RC3]

Originally Posted by juztinl

leaning towards regular as the car is in Sophisto Gray. i want some contrast instead of going all dark. anyone with 20" experience on HK roads?

20" would require 35F and 30B for F10. This is pretty thin profile and comfort may be suffered. And gotta be very careful for parallel parking otherwise you will scratched your rims. My wife who is not a very good driver will be driving my car also. So this is the draw back for me to get the 20".

[mlai]

Originally Posted by RC3

20" would require 35F and 30B for F10. This is pretty thin profile and comfort may be suffered. And gotta be very careful for parallel parking otherwise you will scratched your rims. My wife who is not a very good driver will be driving my car also. So this is the draw back for me to get the 20".

Add to that 20" tyres of the same brand and model may costs 40-60% more over 19" tyres......

[juztinl]

that's very informative mlai! thanks for your input.
i am still struggling between 19' or 20'

[RC3]

Originally Posted by mlai

From my experience of max performance tyres from Bridgestone, Michellin, Goodyear and Pirelli, I would rank them:

Stickiness to the road

1) Bridgestone S and some REs are most sticky.
2) Pirellis are a bit less sticky than BS S and REs.
2) Michellins are on par with Pirellis
4) Goodyear F1 GSDS. Still excellent, closely behind the Michellins and Pirellis.

Noisiness:
1) Michellins are most quiet. (PS2s)
2) Pirellis (P Zeros) are quiet, very slight worse than Michelins
3) Goodyear F1 GSDS. very close to Pirellis.
4) BS S series and REs. Noisy as hell.

Ride comfort.
1) Michelins for some reason are the most comfy. I have been told that the PS2's sidewalls are not as reinforced as others which contributes to comfort.
2) Pirellis, Bridgestone REs.
3) Bridgestone S, and Goodyear F1

Treadwear.
1) Goodyear F1 last the longest, maintaining traction al the way to when the tyres are 70% done on treads.....
2) Pirellis lasts second longest, but maintaining best traction to only around 50% of treads.
3) Michellins PS2 third. I think Michelins used different compounds in inner treads and outer treads and this coupled with the softer sidewalls result in uneven wear of the tires. And you can't swap inner side to outside to even the wear out. So kinda wasteful.
4) Bridgestone S and REs. These are rubber erasers!!!! They are almost always gone in less than a year on my cars. Worse, they maintain their best traction only for the first 20% of tread life.

Value for money:
1) Surprisingly, Goodyear takes the crown in my books. very well rounded tyres. If the goodyears F1 has 20" sizes available, I would gladly try them first with my F10. But no dice. No 20" F1s here in HK. (They used to cost only about 50-60% of what the Pirellis costs me)
2) Pirelli P Zeros. I haven't been disappointed by them.
3) Michelins. Well balanced but for me at least, they don't last as long as my P Zeros. Maybe just me.
4) Bridgestone S and REs. Although they are excellent performing tyres, I just can't justify replacing them in less than a year, even with regular rotation of tyres......

Above are just very subjective and only pertains to my experience of those tyres in Hong Kong. YMMV.

PS. Cars tested: 1996 SLK230, 2000 CLK320, 1996 C36, 2000 C43, 2005 C55, 2004 E55.

mlai, this is very useful sharing. many thanks

[chiver]

mlai many thanks for the info! Personally I love the look of the 312's but I think I'll stick to the 19" for the ride quality as the roads in HK are quite brutal. Also my wife will be driving this car a lot and the low profile 20 will be quite easy to scratch.

[RC3]

Originally Posted by mlai

1) Surprisingly, Goodyear takes the crown in my books. very well rounded tyres. If the goodyears F1 has 20" sizes available, I would gladly try them first with my F10. But no dice. No 20" F1s here in HK. (They used to cost only about 50-60% of what the Pirellis costs me)

Do you know if 19" is available?

[mlai]

Sorry. Didn't ask for the 19" F1s. i think they are now called F1 Asymmetrics.....

PS. Correction. current generation is called F1 GS-D3

[mlai]

OK. Got off work early so did a bit of market research. Visited the shop at Tsing Fung street in Tin Hau. They suggested the Forgestar F14 custom-made 20", HKD6K each. Very light. They also gave me an estimate for P Zero (Hero) 245/35R20, 285/30R20 tire package for HKD17K. PS2 are at the same price.

Went to Sh*ng T*k tyres at Tai Hang. They offered the Breyton GTS silver 20" for HKD4.7K each. They also quoted P Zero (Hero), same size as above, for HKD16.5K. Same price for PS2 as well.

PS. There is also one set of the HRE 20" at stock in Tai Hang. For any of you so inclined and with way too much money to burn, the sets of four HREs are ONLY HKD50K.......

I think I am going to stick with my BMW 356 wheels and the P Zero trade-in package..... No money.....

[juztinl]

damn. my girlfriend said 356 is the hottest among 356 312 and 331. maybe she is a keeper.

[mlai]

juztinl, what are you going to do when you switch girlfriend? Get new wheels?

And don't touch my 356 there at the wanchai shop I went there today and made sure they kept it for me

[RC3]

Originally Posted by mlai

Went to Sh*ng T*k tyres at Tai Hang. They offered the Breyton GTS silver 20" for HKD4.7K each. They also quoted P Zero (Hero), same size as above, for HKD16.5K. Same price for PS2 as well.

Compared to what this shop's quote for me previously, Breyton GTP sliver 19" $3.65k each and P zero around $10k, there is big difference. I wonder if because of the 19" vs. 20" or the price has gone up (only a few weeks ago). If I get the 19" Breyton from the Tai Hung shop $14.6k(rims)+$10k(tires)-4k(trade in 17" stock)=$20.6k. Sounds like a pretty good deal for me

[mlai]

Originally Posted by RC3

Compared to what this shop's quote for me previously, Breyton GTP sliver 19" $3.65k each and P zero around $10k, there is big difference. I wonder if because of the 19" vs. 20" or the price has gone up (only a few weeks ago). If I get the 19" Breyton from the Tai Hung shop $14.6k(rims)+$10k(tires)-4k(trade in 17" stock)=$20.6k. Sounds like a pretty good deal for me

Actually, I am not surprised about the price difference, given that 19" will cost your an arm, only reasonable that 20" will cost your arm and a leg

[juztinl]

Originally Posted by mlai

juztinl, what are you going to do when you switch girlfriend? Get new wheels?

And don't touch my 356 there at the wanchai shop I went there today and made sure they kept it for me

don't worry. i will probably get 331 19" to save some money for my gf.lol
btw. the shop said it is out of stock. how long does it take them to order a set?
the guy said it takes a longgggggg time

[mlai]

Juztinl, if you can't wait and don't mine mail ordering, I found a UK shop that can ship them to HK. Prices are equivalent of buying in HK. Will pm u the site.

PS. Will you consider the Forgestar F14? When I asked yesterday, the guy told me they are custom-made from the US but can arrive within a month because they air the wheels to HK when done.......

[RC3]

Originally Posted by mlai

Juztinl, if you can't wait and don't mine mail ordering, I found a UK shop that can ship them to HK. Prices are equivalent of buying in HK. Will pm u the site.

PS. Will you consider the Forgestar F14? When I asked yesterday, the guy told me they are custom-made from the US but can arrive within a month because they air the wheels to HK when done.......

mlai, any clue on the price for Forgestar F14 19"?

[RC3]

Originally Posted by mlai

Actually, I am not surprised about the price difference, given that 19" will cost your an arm, only reasonable that 20" will cost your arm and a leg

Ya, I need that leg