Inabj2

And my inital reaction to them is that... I freaking love them!!!!

I traded in my old Pirelli P6000s that I had since i got the car (over 2 years ago.) had little thread but this tires were worthless to me so I threw them. And I took the michelin Pilots A/S off as well, although I dont plan in using them they still have a lot of thread left, little over half if not half. This tires were GREAT in the rain, but less then what I wanted them to be in the dry so although I kept them I had them removed, my old tires were factory sized 225/55/16s. And I kept my stock wheels.

I replaced my tires with Falken 451 GRbetas, all around, 280 thread rating summer use which is perfect for phoenix az. I decided to go for a slightly stiffer sidewall, so I upgraded to 225/50/16s, although only 5 mm it lowered the car to the point where its noticeable if you pay attention. Downside wheels do look even smaller now but its still well worth it.

Well to the good stuff, how the car drives...

Riding comfort, this new tires did affect riding comfort, although they're slightly louder then the other ones its still rather quiet. The ride is harsher, then before but still comfortable unless you post under the name of Marshall! , however the driving charactheristics of the car did change! And for the better! Enough where it might call for a slight relearn on how to drive the car at the limit!

First off the car is more responsive during the turn ins, it feels considerably more accurate then before when it had the stock tires, and as of now it feels like it has a rather neutral handling, although Ive yet to prove the new limits. The limits of the old pirellis are totally gone I can take turns withouth any drama whatsover, at speeds where the old pirellis would be squealing and scuffing into a push understeer. The biggest changes are. I need less late braking before the turn ins, I can push the throttle earlier then before. I need to relearn how much wheel to use during this, since I need to turn the wheel slightly less then before. I can.. toss the car considerably more then before! Its hard to believe this thing is close to 3750-3800 lbs, with driver spare and random belongings..(that are flying everywhere oops!) As I suspected the SC300/400 is an awesome chassis that is hampered by everything else! Now its clear that the stock suspension at the limit is starting to be the weaker link, since now that it grips more.. well it allows more room for the car to sway...

Ive yet to prove the new limits of these tires, but they have definitively gone higher then before. And I wont do that at the street, this definitively calls for an autocross (last time I took this car I my *** handed to me by nearly everyone.. now close to 2 years later both us have improved, (I did autoxes just no on the sc300.) For now though this is my observations when driving the car at my old known limits where I had to compensate for heavy understeer, now making that 90 degree right turn on my way home at 23-25 mph where before would be the absolute limit including squealing tires and a slight understeer induced exit, when done at same speeds.. this time around.. Noting silence.. in fact a bit to much wheel, and I can lay on the throttle a little earlier!!

I can't wait till I find the new limits! I have to sign up to the next autocross in my area! So far my initial reactions of this tire is IT ROCKS! well see how I feel about them after the autox.