You might recall I had new tyres fitted by my Mazda dealer a bit overa week ago. They recommended the Fulda Carat Exelero, and I initially reported how quiet they are. Since then, I've taken them through all my favourite twisty bits and can report they hang on really well. They do feel different, but as a friend of mine pointed out that I have a full load of tread on board compared to a couple of mm above the trad bars on the old ones. From that point of view, it really is very difficult to compare tyres for the average punter, since we're comparing new with old as well as comparing different brands.

There has been an unexpected bonus; the engine has a sweeter note. "How can this be?" I asked myself. Then I thought about interfering harmonics from the engine and tyre noises. It's a bit like two musical instruments being slightly out of tune. You get these "beats" set up, due to reinforcing of the sound at particular nodes. I must admit previously on a long drive, the engine sound used to get to me. It hard a harsh sound. Now, I enjoy the sound of the rotary so much more. The whole sound of the car is just that much more sophisticated.

 

OoOoo...

Tempting. How much these set you back again labrat.
I've found a couple of quotes for tyres as im in the market for some soon.

Nankang NS-2 245/40/18 $189
Azenis RT-615 Semi-slick 245/40/18 $380 (IMPORT)
TOYO T1-R 245/40/18 $430...Can somebody point me in the right direction for better prices
on this tyre.(kicks Stuart!:D)

 

RXP33D,

How could you go past the Nankangs at that bargain basement price?

Cheers,
Hymee.

Oops - Thanks for the report, Labrat! It must be the cooler weather making it run sweeter!

 

Hymee!

I totally agree, the T1Rs are double the price,

but my question is, are they double to goodness?

It'd be awesome if I could get someone with 1st hand experience

to give a comparison/review on the 2 tyres.

Cheers.

 

Doubtful they'd be double the goodness!

labrat -- I think you are right about noise, but it might be more general than just your tyres. I certainly notice the 040s became very noisy at the end of their life. I can only hope it represents an aural warning system I, too noitced my new tyres immediately quieter

 

Wildcard has had the Nankangs for a while now.

Cheers,
Hymee.

 

I will need new tires after the Nats.

Thank you Labrat for your tire update the more information we get from everyone on tire choice and subsequent experience will lead to us all having a better driving experience.

I think it is fair to say that the stock tires are lacking especially in the tire noise department however I am sure most of us would not want to sacrifice perfomance.

These Fulda tires may be the way to go.

skc

 

I don't want to hijack Labrat's thread but I just put Toyo's Trampio Gu:Wn (otherwise known as Trampio TPG) on last week as well. Cost was $300/tyre in 245/40 x 18. I've also found an incredible improvement in both road noise and low speed ride harshness. Again, hard to compare new with old tyres, but I'm darn sure the Re040's were never anything like this refined. It's almost like I'm driving a totally different car.
We've had no rain this week, but initial handling impressions are very positive. Grip in the twisties is great - better I would say than the Re040's. The only negative is slightly less precision on turn in. I suspect the sidewalls are a little softer than the RE040's, however this could also be due to the tread depth on these new tyres vs the old shagged Bridgestones ( the Trampios have seriously deep tread). Whatever, for me it's a small price to pay for the substantial improvement in refinement. Another small side-benefit: they look damn good too...

 

Driven Stuart's car on the weekend...

I can tell you that the T1-R is a very very good tyre for the price. I went for the Michellin as someone knows (I got a good deal and work out the cheaper than Stuart's - but anyhow), I don't see there is much less grip than the Michellin.

Toyo is a quiet tyre and does have a good amount of front grip for the corners. Stu had done 10000km on it already and he has to point out to me to see the wear on the thread. It is a very good road tyre. I can related to the feeling that Stu worried about oversteering on the track, but it is ok - road tyre meant to do that.

I wish people talk about wet grip of their tyres. I put these as the most important factor when I choose my tyre - even ahead of quietness, since safety is paramount on the road, especially with Little Taka at the back.

 

I was going for the Toyo Trampio, but they were out of stock in my size at the time. I contacted Toyo, who said his computer was down and had no idea when any stock was coming in. I was quoted $280 on the Toyo Trampio, by the way. Mazda Grand Prix Aspley quoted me $310 per tyre for the Fulda Carat Exelero 245/40 18 with fitting, balancing, etc., but it worked out a few dollars cheaper because I bought 4. Buying through a dealer has attractions in terms of customer relations, too.

Although my tyres measured very well in terms of aquaplaning and wet grip in European trials, I have had no way of evaluating here as we have had no meaningful rain over the past week or so.

 

What is European wet road like. I was travelling in the Princess Hwy today, and raining. There was a lot of variation in terms of water collecting on the road and the spray the car generated from the tyres.

Country road sucks on clearing water and feel water log and catching on the Bridgestone on my Camry.

 

Many years experience driving in the UK, wet roads over there are better drained and less "shiny" than Melbourne roads. I find here it's almost impossible to see road markings when raining. Whether it is the type of tarmac or the drainage I have no idea.

 

The trials I described were conducted under standard test conditions on a purpose-built facility in France by the German official accreditation authority TUV. There is a PDF download on the tests available from the website www.fulda.com, all 38 pages of it. While Rotaryenvy was not enamoured with the idea of an accreditation agency doing this sort of work, there nothing I have been able to find which has reported testing to this level. As a trained scientist, I have a natural suspicion of subjective impressions, including my own.

 

Funny that cause although I should put WET TRACTION as my 1st priority,
its unfortunately my last (hoon you ask?). I think anything within these price ranges would have more than adequate traction in the wet so thus being a
summer tyre I'm looking for, I'm keen on driving in the DRY with max grip with
decent tread life in mind FULL STOP.

Thanks on the review Taka. Sounds like a worthy tyre...But you really can't go
past those PS2's...Literally. :D

 

It's the tarmac.

When the road building contractors feel like it, they can lay down roads which operate very well in the wet.