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Mixed budget tyre brands on my SLK 55

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2.1K views 17 replies 9 participants last post by  slk55inchina  
#1 ·
Time to change the tyres on my 55 so I’ve decided to go against the grain and shod the car with mixed tyre brands albeit the same brand of tyre per axle.

I’ve decided to go with Accelera in 225/40 guise and Nankang 255/35 rear. Neither tyres are MO rated but I’m super excited to learn more about these branDMs.

What could possibly go wrong?
 
#5 ·
You can mix tires and as long as you stay with similar performance tires the handling should not become problematic at normal speeds.
Tires are what affects the characteristics of a car the most, putting cheap tires on a performance car is not a great way to save money.

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You raise a good point but I struggled choosing the right tyre for this car given the limited use, never in the rain or snow and for fast road use. I looked at PS4s but they only do them in 225/40 18’s only - no 245 or 255 in 18’s. The PS4 would have been good and the reviews have been excellent but I wanted something more. Continental Sport contact 7, Bridgestone Potenza Sport and Yokohama Advan V107 fut the bill but again, I wanted to try a grippier tyre for the street.

The Accelera 651 Sport Xtra are a 100 treadwear tyre and the NS-2R are a 180 treadwear tyre. For maximum grip they’re both right up there and represent excellent value for money. For comparison for example, the Cup 2 tyres are 180 tread wear tyres, so the Accelera are a lot softer.

So far so good on the short drive and importantly, they’re not noisy.
 
#10 ·
I'm running 245/35R18 rear. The difference in width between 245/35R18 and 255/35R18 is 0.4". One centimeter.. I'd argue if that makes any real difference in the real world (as in, on the road).

On the track, with slicks, with an experienced driver.. Well, that's a completely different matter..
 
#12 ·
As an update on these tyres after a few spirited drives. In a word, amazing! The grip, turn-in, the grip, comfort even; they’re on a different level to the S001‘s that were on there before.

I‘ve had several of these type of UHP, semi slick tyres for the road, from R888’s (too noisy), AD08R and have Cup 2’s on my Porsche. These are better for sure but it’s still early days and I’m not sure street driving will be able get enough heat into the rears for ultimate grip - the fronts just grip.

I‘ve no idea what they’ll be like in winter or in the rain, but for the dry, summer driving - at the price point, they’re very good.
 
#13 ·
Well, you did your homework and as you're satisfied, that's really all that matters. Some reviews I've seen don't exactly agree with you but then, everyone has a different reason for buying something. Good for you(y).

For anyone else reading this thread, I found this "opinion" (well, "top 3" opinions but the 2nd one listed is the one I refer you to) so you be da judge. Note: other websites are shall we say more tolerant in the language used so...beware.

Now, that guy's car (Miata) has no where near the power you do, and if he's complaining about certain "qualities" of that tire.......
 
#14 ·
The Tyrereviews are referring to a different tyre, though. I have the 651 Sport Extra’s, a 100 treadwear tyre vs the 651 Sport which is a 200 treadwear tyre.

For those that don’t understand the meaning of treadwear ratings, PS4 for example are a 320 rating. Cup 2’s are 180 rating. The lower the rating the softer the tyre. The softer the tyre the grippier the tyre. Soft tyres don’t last long on the street but they give maximum grip especially when new.

The Nankang NS-2R are a 180 treadwear tyre, the AR-1’s are a 80 treadwear tyre, so the rear tyres on my car are less grippy than the fronts but I have a Quaife to help it along.

If I’m honest, for the street, the tyres are overkill. At the price point however, they’re unbeatable as an UHP tyre.
 
#16 ·
How are those cheaper tires going for you?

I've learned lessons over the years not to save money on tires, but if you know what you're doing it's different. Dry + track + competent driver can make any tire work. The same tire, cold, in the rain + unexpected situations is a different story. It's great if you can have a separate set for the track.

I've got CSC 5p front 235/35/R19 and Michelin PS4S on the rear 265/30/R19

I would not use these on the track ; too expensive and they'll become hot even if you deflate them properly before running.

If my calipers allow it then I want to get another set of 18 or even 17 inch rims, more narrow, with semi or real slicks.

Interesting read/watch ;


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Low 92s vs 98s is significant but not that important if you are in a convoy style track day. On the ring this probably would help a lot especially if you can get and keep them to their best temperature.