Buy lightly used Toyo RA1 or new Dunlop Star Specs?
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Buy lightly used Toyo RA1 or new Dunlop Star Specs?
My Bridgestone RE050A Pole Positions are about to kick the can. They are getting really low on tread and i have a lot of track/autocross events in August so i'm pretty sure it's going to be the end of them (i got 33k miles out of them though ).
I've had my heart set on the Star Specs for a long time. They seem like the best tire out there right now and they're reasonably priced. A Set of 275/35/18 would run me $1050 from Tirerack but i found a set of lightly used Toyo RA1's same size for $600 shipped.
The RA1 seems like a pretty good tire but it's impossible to find a comparison of the two.
Let me know if it's worth it to spend top dollar for the Star Specs or if i should spend $450 less for a previous generation's top tier tire?
Thanks
I've had my heart set on the Star Specs for a long time. They seem like the best tire out there right now and they're reasonably priced. A Set of 275/35/18 would run me $1050 from Tirerack but i found a set of lightly used Toyo RA1's same size for $600 shipped.
The RA1 seems like a pretty good tire but it's impossible to find a comparison of the two.
Let me know if it's worth it to spend top dollar for the Star Specs or if i should spend $450 less for a previous generation's top tier tire?
Thanks
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Toyo RA1's not Nitto NT01's... I want NT01's but only once i have two sets of wheels to swap back and forth for track days.
I'm still trying to get more info out of the seller but he called them "barely used". They look like they may have been used for a track day -- the surface is not smooth like on a street driven tire but they still look like they have a lot of tread left. I'd guess 85-95%.
I'm still trying to get more info out of the seller but he called them "barely used". They look like they may have been used for a track day -- the surface is not smooth like on a street driven tire but they still look like they have a lot of tread left. I'd guess 85-95%.
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Bah! I don't think Washington's perpetual drizzle would be too much for the RA1's. Hydroplaning is rarely an issue and i'm assuming the RA-1's would be fine on Washington's damp roads. I have a second car anyways. I try not to drive the 8 in foul weather.
I'm leaning towards the RA1's but the seller is taking a long time to get back to me.
I'm leaning towards the RA1's but the seller is taking a long time to get back to me.
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RA-1s will not qualify as street tires in SCCA rules, if that matters to you.
I've run both, although on different cars (RA-1 on a Miata and Star Specs on the RX-8) and the RA-1 will outperform a Star Spec, in my estimation. And, The Ra-1s grip right down to the wear bars. Spec Miata guys love 'em (or should I say loved 'em) for that reason.
But, as a winter tire, probably not a good choice. I drive my Star Specs year-round, although I basically parked it when we got all that snow last year.
{edit} Now that I see your last post, I'd say go for the RA-1s. They have so much grip you may feel conspicuous using them to their full potential on the street. But you will like them.
I've run both, although on different cars (RA-1 on a Miata and Star Specs on the RX-8) and the RA-1 will outperform a Star Spec, in my estimation. And, The Ra-1s grip right down to the wear bars. Spec Miata guys love 'em (or should I say loved 'em) for that reason.
But, as a winter tire, probably not a good choice. I drive my Star Specs year-round, although I basically parked it when we got all that snow last year.
{edit} Now that I see your last post, I'd say go for the RA-1s. They have so much grip you may feel conspicuous using them to their full potential on the street. But you will like them.
Last edited by GeorgeH; 08-04-2009 at 07:20 PM.
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Also, find out if they have been shaved. They are even better shaved from a performance standpoint, but they would be marginal in the rain, for sure (if shaved).
If they are not shaved they have fantastic rain performance, although at some point grip will fall off as the temperature does.
If they are not shaved they have fantastic rain performance, although at some point grip will fall off as the temperature does.
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Also, find out if they have been shaved. They are even better shaved from a performance standpoint, but they would be marginal in the rain, for sure (if shaved).
If they are not shaved they have fantastic rain performance, although at some point grip will fall off as the temperature does.
If they are not shaved they have fantastic rain performance, although at some point grip will fall off as the temperature does.
If they are shaved i think i'll stick with the Star Specs. I don't want to have to replace them in 5000 miles or however long they don't last
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I just heard back from the seller. The RA1's have 2 autocrosses on them and about 1000 street miles
edit: Actually.. i'm trying to talk myself out of this...
edit: Actually.. i'm trying to talk myself out of this...
Last edited by JantzenRX-8; 08-07-2009 at 12:40 AM.
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I dunno, I ran shaved RA-1s on my Miata daily one summer. Were they overkill? You bet. It was hard to truly use their potential on the street. But they were fun.
I did sell them to a spec Miata racer eventually.
Jantzen, if you were paying full retail I'd probably agree with mac. But the price you are getting these at - why not get them and enjoy them while you can? You probably will go back to a "regular" street tire like the Star Specs eventually, but at least you can say that you ran RA-1s once.
Life is about living!
I did sell them to a spec Miata racer eventually.
Jantzen, if you were paying full retail I'd probably agree with mac. But the price you are getting these at - why not get them and enjoy them while you can? You probably will go back to a "regular" street tire like the Star Specs eventually, but at least you can say that you ran RA-1s once.
Life is about living!
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I dunno, I ran shaved RA-1s on my Miata daily one summer. Were they overkill? You bet. It was hard to truly use their potential on the street. But they were fun.
I did sell them to a spec Miata racer eventually.
Jantzen, if you were paying full retail I'd probably agree with mac. But the price you are getting these at - why not get them and enjoy them while you can? You probably will go back to a "regular" street tire like the Star Specs eventually, but at least you can say that you ran RA-1s once.
Life is about living!
I did sell them to a spec Miata racer eventually.
Jantzen, if you were paying full retail I'd probably agree with mac. But the price you are getting these at - why not get them and enjoy them while you can? You probably will go back to a "regular" street tire like the Star Specs eventually, but at least you can say that you ran RA-1s once.
Life is about living!
I have a couple months of autocrosses, track days and summer drives through the twisties.... arg... decisions decisions...
If i find cheap lightly used top notch street tires similar to this deal that'd be best but seems hard to do
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