Stock rubber really does suck...

[iLisa]

I can honestly say that I never had an issue with my stock Dunlops.. (and i've driven thru some major snow falls with them) but I should also report that the Falken Azenis I put on my RH rims are REALLY SUPER good in the rain!!

 

[Rac3rX]

I ride on Pirelli P-Zero's 225/45/17 and they GRIP!!!

I would have to agree, the stock tires arnt the best, but the Driver is the deciding factor.

I drive my car through some SICK winters (Great Canadian North) Let me tell you driving on Winter ice/slush/snow makes Summer rain a cake walk even on stock tires. Keep in mind this is a FWD and needs to be driven like one.

 

[Lord_Zath]

I haven't had any issues with the tires in the rain - once I got them to hydroplane but I was going about 70 - 75 mph.

The issues I've had with them were in winter - the car just slid all over the place. The rear was too light and it kept fishtailing.

 

[Rac3rX]

I haven't had any issues with the tires in the rain - once I got them to hydroplane but I was going about 70 - 75 mph.

The issues I've had with them were in winter - the car just slid all over the place. The rear was too light and it kept fishtailing.

Winter tires are a must in Winter, especially with no ABS, and rear drums.

The front will lock up like its nothing on ICE (lock and slide) and the tail will keep going feeling like iits comming arround on you, this usually puts you in a uncontroleable side slide.

If that happens you need better winter tires.

The exact same stop attempt on winter tires would be completly different, you would slow to a stop.

 

[Lord_Zath]

yeah I have ABS and shizzle, but I also picked up a set of winter wheels and tires and now everything's much better

 

[Rac3rX]

yeah I have ABS and shizzle, but I also picked up a set of winter wheels and tires and now everything's much better

Good move, your not only making thhe road safer for yourself, but everybody on the road with you.

 

[thrasher]

Winter tires are a must in Winter, especially with no ABS, and rear drums.

Who has rear drums on their P5?

 

[p5power]

$2500 at 40mph...1 month into owning my p5. thats how i found out that the p5 cant handle snow without snow tires. blizzaks rule!! i'm unstoppable now!!! muhuhahaha!

 

[Rac3rX]

Who has rear drums on their P5?

Not everybody here has a P5, Some of us have Protege's that got the same stock rubber.... & handle pretty much the same. Go Figure...& what difference does it make anyways? The problem is still there even with disk in the rear, just not as bad as with drums.

 

[90210brandon]

I loved the stockers in the dry. I the rain, they blew.

I have Kumho's now. They are great in the rain...which I need on the Wetcoast and alright in the dry stuff.

Dion

 

[asifmbadar]

BFG T/A KD; Kumho Ecsta, and any Falken tires, Ziex or Azenis... rock.

I hit 135mph in a old, beat up honda prelude with brand new BFG tires.. It felt like I was glued to the floor, With those tires, the ride was always smooth, and cornering grip was insane... I have never experienced anything haveing such a dramatic effect on a cars ride as the tires..

Went to a drift event with some goodyear tires.. my 240sx kept plowing through turns, understeering (regardless of the completely aftermarket drift-tuned suspension), for my last couple of runs.. I borrowed some really used and beat up azeni's from my friend.. and the car drifted extremely well, no more plowing.. just a direct road to steering wheel feel...

The stock tires are garbage. Driver skills have a lot to do with it, but crappy tires are ... crappy tires..

 

[Salmon_Rob]

i am a pretty bad driver, ask amaff, but my horrible driving skills had nothing to do with how bad the tires are

 

[aMaff]

how would I know if you're a bad driver or not? lol

 

[Jack Daniels]

I put 205/50 BFG Traction T/A's on last winter. I like the look of the larger size and straight line grip is a lot better than the originals dry and especially wet. However, the 205's take a little longer to set in hard cornering, aren't quite as precise in steering, and I'm not certain that lateral grip is any better. If I had to do it again, I'd probably go with the original size.

 

[Mazda P5 driver]

I don't know if I would hold the Crossfire up as the gold standard of cornering and grip. Every review I have read labeled it as a absolute pig, sporty in looks only. The SRT version is pretty capable, but has a punishing ride. It's apples to oranges anyway, compare the MP5 to another similar car that retailed at $18k. By that standard it's pretty damn good.quote]

you have never ridden/driven one?

My neighbor has one and has taken me for a few rides.

the roll that we have is not there, grip is much more than we have. i beleive that on stock wheels it pulls close to .9g. what is our p5? .8?

it's got mercedes all over the inside of the engine bay.

sure it costs more. you also pay for what you get. we have an inexpensive commuter. so why does this forum think they have the ferrari of cornering? it's not that good and it's not that bad. it has it's pros and cons. believe me...when you feel 255's pilot sports grip mid corner and you feel the g's on your body while accelerating, you'll know how slow are cars really are at about everything.

I like it, but not enough to love it.

 

[Mazda P5 driver]

I put 205/50 BFG Traction T/A's on last winter. I like the look of the larger size and straight line grip is a lot better than the originals dry and especially wet. However, the 205's take a little longer to set in hard cornering, aren't quite as precise in steering, and I'm not certain that lateral grip is any better. If I had to do it again, I'd probably go with the original size.

what I have found with the 205 width Perelli's is that the straight line stability is much better. doesn't feel as darty as the more narrow stock sizes do, yet has stiff sidewalls.

please note...all of you with ~100lbs in the trunk at all times won't feel the body roll as much as us that have zero in the trunk. with crap in the back, the car feels much flatter while cornering and less "drama". But our cars are slow enough and I find the stock sub adequate so I will not be adding dead weight.

 

[Mazda P5 driver]

i switched mine at 20k, 2k after i bought it . and mazda p5 driver, every car with stock suspension, even ferraris, are set up to understeer. do you know why? because the average driver cannot drive. its a safety thing, if you drive over your ability, the car will understeer, most of the time saving your ass. a few simple tweaks however, and the p5 is an oversteering b****

ahhh...but at what point does a ferrari understeer compared to a p5?

.95g's compared to .8?

it almost seems like you are saying if I don't outdrive the p5 I can pull higher g's.

I can understand if you say I ask the car to do more than it was engineered for.

 

[Salmon_Rob]

msp pulled .94 on the skid pad on stock rubber. i have all of the msp suspension, and then its upgraded on top of that, on stickier rubber, and my car weighs less. im pretty sure i can keep up with a clk i mean crossfire

 

[Donas64]

msp pulled .94 on the skid pad on stock rubber. i have all of the msp suspension, and then its upgraded on top of that, on stickier rubber, and my car weighs less. im pretty sure i can keep up with a clk i mean crossfire

SLK

 

[Salmon_Rob]

my bad . not just an slk, the 3 yr old slk at that