pdg32

OK - but aren't they both A-rated with respect to wet grip? Or is there more to it than that? there is of course 'fuel efficiency' ratings to consider - and it seems the Bridgestones rank very low in this area

just want to make sure I get the right choice, that's all - not overthinking it. it's between the MPSS, the RE050A, and the Eagle F1's. Can you clarify the Bridgestone in terms of wet handling etc

can you advise how an airfield day works normally? is it with an instructor? not heard of these before.

I thought I remembered reading the Michelins are also A-rated with respect to wet grip - ?! Not sure what you mean there, unless that's the Pilot Sport 2's (or is that the same tyre, not sure) You say you use them in the wet - not the dry also? Guessing it's a pretty solid all-surface tyre (apart from winter snow / ice), rather soft compound. i'm trying to establish the best all-rounder, with an emphasis on wet grip. What is the bridgestone wet grip like?

so are you saying the RE050A's do not aquaplane? i will try and read some of the tyre reviews on here at some point.

OK - how are the winter tyres compromised in the summer, will they just degrade more quickly, due to the higher operating temps involved? You mentioned that the sidewall being softer slightly reduces turn in response, but do the MPSS not have a softer sidewall, or are you saying that they are the best 'all-rounder' in wet and dry, and that this is neglible when compared with the RE050A? I just want someone to clarify - is the RE050A really an all-year tyre, or a summer tyre? which is more expensive out of the two? also, your thoughts on the Goodyear Eagle F1?

I understand that different drivers have different opinions. From what I have read though, it does sound as though the Michelins have the edge. Ekona - what about the Goodyear Eagle F1 - also meant to be awesome in the wet? Shinjuku - are the RE050A's really an 'all-year-round' tyre, or a summer tyre that can be compared to the MPSS? are you saying that they never aquaplane? what about their wet handling compared to the MPSS? Also, isn't the zed designed to work better with the Bridgestones, or is this just a myth

and how does the softness of the sidewall affect things?

OK - but how do the Pilot Super Sports compare with the RE050A in the wet? is the bridgestone a harder compound tyre? it's wet grip that will be a factor in deciding when the time comes. can anyone explain why some reviews say to stick with the RE050A and that changing to other manufacturers can affect the TCS and handling etc? as the car is set up to those tyres? i've read that the michelins are probably superior, or is this not the case? so many plugging them on here. i just want to know how this would affect the car's tcs / handling dynamics

But can I simply switch to a set of the Pilot Sports, as some say that the car is only set up for RE050 fitment?

Was that in wet conditions, or dry (the fishtailing)?

sorry.... Ekona

a lot of people plugging the MPSS which sound amazing - but what differences would there by swapping over from one manufacturer to another? yes, i will be totally new to the car a lot of folks trying this and that, just wondered how this would affect the handling and TCS as I had read that one shouldn't change from the RE050s are the stock tyres any good in the wet? if they are harder compound (as bridgestone often are) then i'm guessing not so hot.

cheers Colin. I don't plan on booting it anywhere other than in dry conditions, have had my fair share of crashes / accidents in the wet and have learnt the hard way in terms of driving to the conditions. When I eventually do get my Zed, I'll be pussyfooting around for a long time methinks until confident.

a great post by Evora - thanks a lot.

Crikey - that bad? So you can't ever put the pedal to the floor? What about fishtailing, do you get much of that in the zed, or the TCS keep that in checK? Does the TCS not inspire much confidence then?

Very much tyre dependant. On something like the OEM RE040 you'll be struggling for grip, but with the Pilot Supersports you'll have more grip than you would expect. Again, this is condition dependant, but that's pretty much the crux of it. Keeping the car balanced on high-speed entry fast corners is critical, and you should be aiming for a later apex than normal to maximise grip and exit speed. Maybe more important for track driving, but the application is identical to good road driving. I think I'm with you - so constant throttle mid-corner, then progressive throttle on exit? even more so in the wet? not quite sure re: the track driving protocol / jargon as never done a track day, by balanced you mean steady throttle and smooth steering?

Hi all, Have spent some time reading the tyre posts on here. I have read elsewhere that changing the tyres on the zed away from the RE050 Bridgestone fitment is not a good idea as the stock tyres are set up for the car's handling dynamics and traction control system, and that changing to other manufacturers can upset these traits - is there any truth in this? A mate told me that Bridgestone tend to be quite 'hard compound' tyres - same with the Pirellis he had on his Leon, and that when he changed to Goodyear F1's he found these to be far better in the wet and at lower temps (though this was on a Leon Cupra R, also one of my favourite cars). but what about the zed - can anyone advise? Can someone confirm the standard wheel sizes - is it 18 all round, or do some zeds have 18 fronts and 19 rears? If so, which ones? And the 245/45/18 / 225/45/18 - these are the sizes that the car is set up for? Some on here say the lower 40 profile helps with responsiveness (though not sure a novice like me would notice that if a tiny difference)? Cheers pdg

I would say yes. If you get terminal understeer then its really just a matter of lifting off. With oversteer the temptation is to keep your foot down and steer into it. Pete Would I then be....drifting perchance?

This sounds like very sensible advice. What is the threshold like though in terms of corner entry / mid-corner speeds? Is there grip going in on constant throttle?

thanks for the replies so far guys. so does this mean that with FWD you can actually nail it mid-corner / out of roundabouts more safely? does the TCS not sort any such 'moments' out, or is it easily overwhelmed in the wet? i'll certainly bear these things in mind when it comes to getting mine.

Hi there, I've just read the 'safe driving' thread, and did a search about the tragic incident involving a driver by the name of Ian that happened a year ago. It just makes me wonder about wet handling, would anyone be able to advise or give any tips for driving the zed in the wet? Obviously the adage 'drive to the conditions' comes into play and i'm assuming that the TCS will help things somewhat, but are there any definite 'dos' and 'don'ts' I haven't driven RWD before, so would like some insight prior to purchasing in 6-9 months time. A friend of mine seems to think that a lot of crashes on bends are caused by FWD cars understeering, and that RWD is actually safer in some respects (though he didn't explain why) Thanks for your time guys. pdg

some seem to say turn it off, others not so. if it cuts the power, isn't that a good thing in the snow? presumably that's why most people say don't turn it off?

Don't go out? Or don't turn off ESP? Not sure which one you mean

thanks again Pete