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Absolutely love my CUP 2's! I live in WA state and car is only driven on absolutely DRY days, which means not very much. I'd say a day here and there as soon as Spring hits and more during Summer, until mid to late October. You do have to get the tires warm to be fully confident in pushing the car, otherwise, it's really tail happy. More oversteer and little to no understeer. Rears are 305 30 19's and fronts are 255 35 19's. Tire pressures are 36 fronts/35 rears cold, I don't push really hard until tire pressures are up to 40/39. Rears are really close to needing to be replaced after 3 years.
Thanks. I only drive my car in perfect weather unless unexpectedly the weather changes from very nice to rainy during the trip. That is why I am not too worried about wet traction. Does anyone know if the chunk off the shoulder blockof the driver's side tire the size of a small rock chip will be an issue? I can see rubber underneath so looks like it is only the very top layer. Talked to my tire shop and they said the tire is fine.
Your tire shop is correct. Monitor the tire to see if it continues to chunk, but road debris can damage a small portion of the tread without significantly impacting street performance.
After racing motorcycles and doing HPDEs in cars, the one thing I can tell you about "racing" tires or "R" compound tires is, they only really work well at temperature. Much like racing brake pads (which admittedly I run on the street because I like the feel they have), when they're not in their prime temperature zone, they don't work nearly as well as when they are. This isn't saying they won't feel grippier, but your comment about lightness is directly related to tread thickness and service life. Given your use profile, you could probably run them, and maybe you'd be happier with them, but by the same token, you might find they're not really what you want, OR they change the driveability of the car significantly because your springs and dampers were not set up for these tires. Ordinarily, a change to this kind of tire would be accompanied by a change in spring and damping rates to accommodate the new rubber and get the most out of it. So - maybe you'll like it, maybe it will be a placebo, or maybe you'll have some Cup 2s in the classifieds really quickly. Pretty hard to say one way or the other.
I've run plenty of full race parts on my street cars and motorcycles only to pull them off quickly because they were not at all what I wanted in a street driven vehicle.
Also, FWIW, I've been pondering the exact same thing for my IS F since I have two sets of wheels - one for "winter" in the South with all season tires and the other currently with PS4S on all four corners.
Yes, those are some of the things I am contemplating. The lighter weight definitely must be mostly because of lesser tread depth. I guess, over time all other tires lighten up as they get worn down. From what I can research, I heard it feels much more sharper and precise even on city roads with the Cup 2 cars, but seem to typically have tramlining issues with slick racing tires on joints, grooves in the road. Even cars like GT350R seems to follow the grooves and joints in the road. I tend to drive primarily on smooth roads, the dry and also on very good weather days so I did not read too much into the tramlining issue.
For me, it is all about subjective feel of the car feel sharp, very precise steering and responsive regardless of the rpm and especially at slower speeds since I drive mostly on city roads. The price difference of $500 combined also works to the advantage of the MPS4S.
I could not get a more clearer picture because I had to place the camera very close, but here is a blurry picture of the chunk (more like an indent), which is the size of a rock chip or potentially a shard of glass (since I remember going over broken windshield glass at an intersection).
Originally Posted by lobuxracer
Your tire shop is correct. Monitor the tire to see if it continues to chunk, but road debris can damage a small portion of the tread without significantly impacting street performance.
After racing motorcycles and doing HPDEs in cars, the one thing I can tell you about "racing" tires or "R" compound tires is, they only really work well at temperature. Much like racing brake pads (which admittedly I run on the street because I like the feel they have), when they're not in their prime temperature zone, they don't work nearly as well as when they are. This isn't saying they won't feel grippier, but your comment about lightness is directly related to tread thickness and service life. Given your use profile, you could probably run them, and maybe you'd be happier with them, but by the same token, you might find they're not really what you want, OR they change the driveability of the car significantly because your springs and dampers were not set up for these tires. Ordinarily, a change to this kind of tire would be accompanied by a change in spring and damping rates to accommodate the new rubber and get the most out of it. So - maybe you'll like it, maybe it will be a placebo, or maybe you'll have some Cup 2s in the classifieds really quickly. Pretty hard to say one way or the other.
I've run plenty of full race parts on my street cars and motorcycles only to pull them off quickly because they were not at all what I wanted in a street driven vehicle.
Also, FWIW, I've been pondering the exact same thing for my IS F since I have two sets of wheels - one for "winter" in the South with all season tires and the other currently with PS4S on all four corners.
Too tiny to consider a tire change. Run them and be happy - delay this decision and undoubtedly there will be better options when the time to replace is undeniable.
Too tiny to consider a tire change. Run them and be happy - delay this decision and undoubtedly there will be better options when the time to replace is undeniable.
Thanks. Yeah, that is what I am hoping for. Over time, there will be more options available as time goes by.
Just went from Continental Extreme contact sports back to Michelin's....i opted for theXL P4S's and couldn't be more happier. I myself run wider tires on my stock wheels (275/35 front & 305/30 rear) and love the feel and control of the XL P4S's
Just went from Continental Extreme contact sports back to Michelin's....i opted for theXL P4S's and couldn't be more happier. I myself run wider tires on my stock wheels (275/35 front & 305/30 rear) and love the feel and control of the XL P4S's
How many miles do you have on it? How do you feel about the sidewalls? Do you feel a noticeable difference in the sidewall rigidity, steering response and sharpness especially at low rpms/low speeds? I am totally fine with very rigid sidewalls since I don't daily drive my car. I drive it only when I really want to drive it and not for commuting. Thanks.
My RC F is my daily and has 67K on it.... extremely noticeable difference on the P4S's compared to the OEM Michelins and even the Continentals. Sidewalls aren't so rigid that it is extremely noticeable, but from a performance stand point, night and day better. a little wider as well vs your normal michelins and continentals in the same width and sidewalls. I give them two thumbs up! LOL
My RC F is my daily and has 67K on it.... extremely noticeable difference on the P4S's compared to the OEM Michelins and even the Continentals. Sidewalls aren't so rigid that it is extremely noticeable, but from a performance stand point, night and day better. a little wider as well vs your normal michelins and continentals in the same width and sidewalls. I give them two thumbs up! LOL
Agree on the increase in stiffness and response. It is not as comfortable when going slow doing Lexus type stuff but it is improved when you are acting in a decidedly less civilized manner. I can see why they chose the stock setup but it is another example of missing a target customer. Maybe offer two options based on what people want the car to do. WHo knows, the guy buying it new for $85 may have wanted it comfortable which still would have left several of us switching them out.
My RC F is my daily and has 67K on it.... extremely noticeable difference on the P4S's compared to the OEM Michelins and even the Continentals. Sidewalls aren't so rigid that it is extremely noticeable, but from a performance stand point, night and day better. a little wider as well vs your normal michelins and continentals in the same width and sidewalls. I give them two thumbs up! LOL
Originally Posted by Apone
Agree on the increase in stiffness and response. It is not as comfortable when going slow doing Lexus type stuff but it is improved when you are acting in a decidedly less civilized manner. I can see why they chose the stock setup but it is another example of missing a target customer. Maybe offer two options based on what people want the car to do. WHo knows, the guy buying it new for $85 may have wanted it comfortable which still would have left several of us switching them out.
Thanks. Very informative. I am most likely going to stick with stock sizes. Maybe, if I can get MPS4S in 285/30/19 XL in the rear, I would go for that. Slightly wider and slightly shorter. So, more lateral grip and more sidewall support while the shortness of the circumference will mean shorter gearing. I would see that as a win-win as I would like to have slightly shorter gearing in 1st thru 3rd. Only issue is, the 285/30 are not available yet for MPS4S. Only the M3/M4 XL version of the MPSS have it, but I am trying to stick with newer and better either MPS4S or MPSC2.
Thanks. Very informative. I am most likely going to stick with stock sizes. Maybe, if I can get MPS4S in 285/30/19 XL in the rear, I would go for that. Slightly wider and slightly shorter. So, more lateral grip and more sidewall support while the shortness of the circumference will mean shorter gearing. I would see that as a win-win as I would like to have slightly shorter gearing in 1st thru 3rd. Only issue is, the 285/30 are not available yet for MPS4S. Only the M3/M4 XL version of the MPSS have it, but I am trying to stick with newer and better either MPS4S or MPSC2.
Ive followed this thread because I’m looking for new tires for my rcf. But after reading this I’m more lost than ever. I have two complaints about my rcf. One- when I put it down I get squirreling tail happy at times which make me nervous because I really like pushing my car at times. Two- bumps are really uncomfortable at times. I live in the inner city of houston and to streets are terrible. Lots of bumps and pot holes.
However, there are a few roads, especially on my commute, that are fabulous. No cops no traffic where daily I can really fly. Weather? It’s Texas so hot 90% of the time. I don’t care about cost or longevity. I want super grip And comfortable in the bumps. So which is right for me??
Ive followed this thread because I’m looking for new tires for my rcf. But after reading this I’m more lost than ever. I have two complaints about my rcf. One- when I put it down I get squirreling tail happy at times which make me nervous because I really like pushing my car at times. Two- bumps are really uncomfortable at times. I live in the inner city of houston and to streets are terrible. Lots of bumps and pot holes.
However, there are a few roads, especially on my commute, that are fabulous. No cops no traffic where daily I can really fly. Weather? It’s Texas so hot 90% of the time. I don’t care about cost or longevity. I want super grip And comfortable in the bumps. So which is right for me??
If you get a ot wheel spin, it might be a sign your tires are too worn out and need to be replaced. Considering what you are looking for, I don't believe either of these tires will help you get traction while staying soft. I think the OEM Michelin Pilot Super Sport (non-XL rated) are your best bet as they have relatively soft sidewalls and have quite good grip, if you have a lot of tread. The two tires I put in the title are both XL rated, which means they have added reinforcement to stiffen them up to make them handle the load better under extreme load. All season tires tend to be on the softer side, but you might not have the grip you are looking for.
To throw in another twist, why not the RE71R? They are cheaper and seem available in more sizes than MPSS/PS4S/PSC2.
I was in a similar dilemma when shopping for new rubber for my IS F. Ended up going in a different direction due to sizing availability and purchased the Indy 500 in 255/35/19 and 285/30/19. My car sees more street than auto-x/track use so I went with a tire that offers more tread depth, slightly more comfort (less harshness and noise), costs less so I won't feel bad for destroying them and also won't sandblast my paint.
To throw in another twist, why not the RE71R? They are cheaper and seem available in more sizes than MPSS/PS4S/PSC2.
I was in a similar dilemma when shopping for new rubber for my IS F. Ended up going in a different direction due to sizing availability and purchased the Indy 500 in 255/35/19 and 285/30/19. My car sees more street than auto-x/track use so I went with a tire that offers more tread depth, slightly more comfort (less harshness and noise), costs less so I won't feel bad for destroying them and also won't sandblast my paint.
Thanks. Definitely, I would look into that. I tend to stick with Michelin based on my previous experience with many brands. The balance between road noise and performance is typically quite surprising on Michelin. Anyway, definitely will research those Potenzas.
06-17-19, 05:13 PM
but it is improved when you are acting in a decidedly less civilized manner. I can see why they chose the stock setup but it is another example of missing a target customer. Maybe offer two options based on what people want the car to do. WHo knows, the guy buying it new for $85 may have wanted it comfortable which still would have left several of us switching them out.
