Matt's 200

[Pav]

that's what they do to you..now you screwed

 

[MattP]

Nothing to report other than I Love this car.

 

[Pav]

 

[MattP]

So first track day done and so impressed with the little Clio! So much fun!

Initial thoughts are that:

- the PS4 tyres handled the track much better than expected but did go off after 5 or so quick laps
- yellow stuff pads were excellent and fine on the road as well so they can stay
- the clio’s With coilover setups went round corners quicker (you’d hope so wouldn’t you!)
- doesn’t matter if your car is not as fast as others if it sounds as good as a Clio with an Akrapovic!

Sooooo: tyres & suspension seem as good as any place to start. And with the M5 sold there’s some cash in the kitty.

Suspension wise I’ve ordered KW V3 and am currently looking at top mounts to go with. Any advice welcome!

Also pretty settled on Oz Alleggerita as I think they look mean/great and they are only 6kg a corner. Having been reading recently about unsprung weight I finally understand its importance!

Tyres are more difficult to nail down. Having spent a lot of time reading/watching reviews and with the PS4S not available in 17, I may go with pilot Sport Cup 2s. These would be a May-Sept tyre with the Speedlines and PS4 going back on for winter. Reviews suggest they are fantastic In the dry and on track and fine on wet days when up to temp and not driving like a mentalist.

Again - any advice on tyres welcome!

Got a Wales trip planned with a few mates in May driving up through Black mountains and staying at Anglesey for a track day the next day so hopefully have some of this done for then.

Any advice welcome but bear in mind this is my daily so going for fast road with good track performance rather than outright lap times!

 

[Beany]

Sounds good and like where this is going, however there’s been afew bad review for the cup 2’s and there is a better tyre imho.

If it’s still a road going car I’d recommend either Yokohama AD08r or Federal 585 RSR to run during the summer.

 

[MattP]

If it’s still a road going car I’d recommend either Yokohama AD08r or Federal 585 RSR to run during the summer.

Ok, I’ll have a look at those. Do you run either?

 

[Beany]

Ok, I’ll have a look at those. Do you run either?

Yeah I run the Yoko’s currently and had them on at Bedford

 

[MattP]

Yeah I run the Yoko’s currently and had them on at Bedford

You happy with the grip at Bedford? Any problems on a rainy day?

 

[Beany]

You happy with the grip at Bedford? Any problems on a rainy day?

Grip was fine throughout and no issues, I wouldn’t go aiming for puddles in them but if you drive to the conditions they’ll be ok

 

[Big Ben]

Yokohama AD08R would be my suggestion. I ran them for 2 years driving to track and racing on them. Very good dry grip. Only beaten by a dedicated track tyre like my Direzzas. They are ok in damp but like any summer tyre are not much use in standing water.
Federal 595 also get decent reviews bang for buck. Not tried them yet however.
Either of those would be an improvement over PS4 in a trackday environment.

Good to see you having a blast. Catch you again soon hopefully.

 

[MattP]

Ok torn. Really want to try the cup 2s as reviews online seem to put them right but AD08R seem like everyone’s fave!

Tyre review who I trust a lot keep swaying me

How about I try them and if it doesn’t work I’ll get AD08R and you all promise not to say you told me so...... lol

 

[Beany]

@peter talk some sense into him

Matt I’ve got some ad08s if you want to try them out!

 

[peter]

@peter talk some sense into him

can't argue with statistics.

How about I try them and if it doesn’t work I’ll get AD08R and you all promise not to say you told me so...... lol

good idea. expensive, but good.
can't wait to hear what you make of them.

 

[MattP]

Has anyone on here tried the cups?

Price wise per tyre we’re talking £11 a tyre

 

[NickD]

The problem with all tyre reviews is the context. Firstly there will be a vast difference between both the Texas weather and surface than the A5 even today. Hoosier tyres for instance, apart from some rather obscure race series, never perform well in Europe. The biggest difference in tyres however is their construction and operating temperature window. It would be hard to argue that an F1 soft slick or tyre made of that rubber compound would offer substantially more in say the braking department than any of these tyres, however if it is at ambient 20 deg or even 30 for Texas rather than the 80 + it needs to be at then it would be like driving on a piece of wood. Cup2's are pretty much the Michelin AD08. They go on your expensive BMW or Porsche to do a "bit", they are not Michelin's proper trackday or road legal treaded tyre, which they have had to introduce because the PSC2 isn't.
Again, you are unlikely to find Trofeo's on many cars due to the cost.
Wet grip, again, tyres want their rubber to be in their operating temperature window to work best. There will be a world of difference between Texas sunshine, even in the wet, and a damp, overcast October day on the B158 or M4 for that matter. There will also be a world of difference between a typical UK puddle and the 0.5 to 1mm water depth that test tracks use. And in addition these tyres are new, their tread will not be substantially worn. You only have to look at all the features that are moulded into the top of the tread of many modern tyres to see that the characteristics will change at relatively minor wear.
Bottom line is tyres do different things on different cars, on difference surfaces and with different weather conditions. Tghere is far more to be gained from a tyre you are comfortable with for the use you want rather than some random figures that are likely to have very little relation to your driving.

 

[MattP]

Tghere is far more to be gained from a tyre you are comfortable with for the use you want rather than some random figures that are likely to have very little relation to your driving.

A very fair point. I guess what I’ve got is a fair few Clio owners saying that in similar conditions to what I’m going to be driving in - they really like AD08R and it works really well.

But no one who’s had a cup2 on a Clio. So......

I’ll probably play it safe!

 

[NickD]

I don't think there is anything wrong with Cup2's per se, it's just that the internet raises expectations. BMW forums, a place where fitting anything but a Michelin makes you a Pikey or deserving of death, because when you have spent new M3 money how dare you not, will fit a set of Cups and think it is the second coming. It gets around that they are "the best evaaaaar!"
I thought someone on here had issues recently with tyres falling to bits or similar.
You may well get roll on road tyres too.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZWw5i7Cop2sJtWn38

 

[peter]

I thought someone on here had issues recently with tyres falling to bits or similar.

yup. me.

There is far more to be gained from a tyre you are comfortable with for the use you want rather than some random figures that are likely to have very little relation to your driving.

100% true. that's why i will never ever buy cup 2's again.

But no one who’s had a cup2 on a Clio. So......

i've had them (and currently running a second set). you can find my experience with them in my project/progress thread ... https://clio197.net/threads/2012-clio-3rs-rb7-166.52285/ ... feeling lazy, so you'll have to dig in yourself. sorry.

some guys in here have had the cup 2's on their cars and rave about them. just not me. fair play to michelin for giving me a second set for free, but when these are done i'm getting yoko's again. like nick mentioned, it's all about confidence/comfortableness.

 

[MattP]

i've had them (and currently running a second set). you can find my experience with them in my project/progress thread ... https://clio197.net/threads/2012-clio-3rs-rb7-166.52285/ ... feeling lazy, so you'll have to dig in yourself. sorry.

No problem at all - really useful to have some info.

 

[MattP]

@peter wonderful thread! Just enjoyed all 12 pages with a cup of tea!

AD08R it is then!!!!!

Oh, and lightweight pulley looks interesting!