LCR Goodyear GSDs Vs Dunlop SP 9000 - Which Ones

[grasshopper]

Got GSDs on the LCR at the moment but want to know whether the Dunlops would be worth a go.
Done some forum searching but just wanted to see if anyone else out there is running the SP 9000s and has a like for like comparison with the GSDs on a modded LCR.

cheers

 

[V5Ade]

I've had both SP9000's and GSD3's. The SP9000's were not bad but the GSD3's were noticably better, especially in the wet. One thing that I really remember about the Sp900's is that they just seemed to stop gripping when they were two thirds worn.

 

[Steve Flatley]

I'm also interested in the tyre debate as I've got P-Zeros at the mo and I've seen on here that people don't really rate them.

I've got a bit of tread left on all of the corners but I have a nail in one of them so I may be looking to get a new pair and using the other good P-Zero as the spare.

What's the views on Pilot Sports? (sorry to hijack the thread by the way)

 

[RobDon]

Pilot Sport's are supposed to be very good, the newer PS2 version awesome apparently. The Dunlop SP Sport Maxx is supposed to be alot better than the 9000, the Maxx recently came top in an independant tyre test, dry cornering grip was the biggest winner for it.

I don't know why people get so hung up on wet, surely slower sensible driving in the wet rather than pushing hard, which I'd consider just plain stupid and dangerous? The tyres most people seem to rate are (in no order):

Goodyear F1-GSD3
Michelin Pilot Sport PS2
Toyo T1-R

Also consider the Vredestein Ultrac, a very good tyre indeed, I've had these and they gripped very well in the wet and dry.

 

[Vicky M]

i've noticed Pirelli's are particularly crap in the wet, specially when the surface is greasy.

Ran pilot's previously, grip is fantastic, but soft compound means they don't last very long!

very un-trendy, but uniroyal/avon/continental are good all rounders, with great wet handling.
toyo proxos and yoko's AVS are great performers, but come at a premium.

of the original 2 choices, i'd stick with Goodyears, as long as you can get a good deal!

 

[Paul Cupra R]

I've just changed my p zeros for the 9000's and they are a huge improvement.

The handling in the wet is far superior, very important when you live in Scotland!

 

[RobDon]

I'm considering the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx, same price as the Goodyear GSD3 but have better dry cornering ability and nearly as good in the wet. I read this test:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testResultsModel.jsp?tireMake=Dunlop&tireModel=SP+Sport+Maxx

"There was no significant over- or understeer, providing balanced overall handling and producing the fastest average overall lap time of the test."

"The Sport Maxx achieved the highest lateral g’s, which aided driver confidence, and easily set the fastest average overall lap time in this test."

Also another test with the GSD3 and the Pilot Sport PS2 in it:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/bs_RE050A_rd.jsp

Seems the PS2 is better in the dry, GSD3 slightly better in the wet, but the GSD3 is around £40 cheaper than the PS2 which is alot of money on one tyre.

Goodyear F1 GSD3, Dunlop SP, Michelin Pilot Sport, Vredestein Ultrac, Toyo T1-R, Uniroyal Rainsport are all very good tyres that are unlikely to disappoint. Not many fans of Pirelli though, not a fan of Avon myself either.

 

[luke]

I put 2 new GSD3's on the front of my car yesterday - £84 each + VAT (micheldever tyres, so probably not far from you grasshopper). Of all the other tyres I'd be tempted to give the Toyo's a go because the Evo boys seem to rate them.

 

[andycupra]

I put 2 new GSD3's on the front of my car yesterday - £84 each + VAT (micheldever tyres, so probably not far from you grasshopper). Of all the other tyres I'd be tempted to give the Toyo's a go because the Evo boys seem to rate them.

225 40 18? fitted?
blimey thats less than £99 per tyre!

i cant get anywhere near that.

 

[Steve Flatley]

I put 2 new GSD3's on the front of my car yesterday - £84 each + VAT (micheldever tyres, so probably not far from you grasshopper). Of all the other tyres I'd be tempted to give the Toyo's a go because the Evo boys seem to rate them.

Micheldever are fantastic. They're a bit of a trek from me (I live in Fareham) but there's a protyre near me which are part of the same chain so they also have nice low prices.

 

[RobDon]

GSD3 in 225/40ZR18 are £102 delivered from Mytyres just now, always heard good things about Micheldever though, seem a good company. £84 + VAT is £98, fitting must be free at Micheldever then!

 

[flashbsd]

i've always used dunlop sport 9000's, i binned my p-zero's even though they were almost brand new, just terrible in the wet. (and i do drive slowly, the dunlops just keep on gripping so it gives you that extra buffer in heavy rain and reduces aquaplaning)

the dunlops are very good, they came out with better wet/dry handling than the gsd3's in all of the independant tests.

The nice thing about them is they are very quiet in the car, I find mnost tyres drum and whine on poor road surfaces, these dont complain

Have had avon zv1/3's before, they are worse than the pirelli's., toyo are ok but you need to have owned them to see what theyre like, every roy bacer has toyo's!

 

[cupra R con]

225 40 18? fitted?
blimey thats less than £99 per tyre!

i cant get anywhere near that.

Andy, give me a bell, or PM, but i can sort you out

 

[Rokerlad]

I have Just put 2 Dunlop Sport Maxx 's on the front of my LCR and have to say, I'm highly impressed with them. Infinitley better than crappy P-Zero's, I now don;t go sideways round wet roundabouts, and the EPS light hardly ever flashes now. Totally transforms the handling of the car.

 

[RobDon]

I've just ordered a set of SP Maxx, glad you like 'em, confirms my decision - cheers!

 

[Feel]

i haven't tried GSD3's, so I wasn't going to chip in - but I've had one set of SP9000s and two sets of sport maxx and I love 'em.

You'll love them in the dry when they're scrubbed in... The only thing I have to say is that they seem to "go off" towards the end of their life.

 

[RobDon]

Cool, I only do 5k or less a year (and not every day use), so wear rate not a problem, but it's good to hear they are a good tyre.

 

[flashbsd]

am i right in saying the sport maxx's are used on the rally cars when driving between events? there was something like that, track day cars or something.

Where did you get the sport maxx's from? i may give em a shot see the diff from the SP9000's

 

[Wayne 1]

Hi All, Im new to this and have an ebony Black 210 Cupra R, bought it too early for the 225. It's been great fun from new.
Anyways nice to see your comments I'm on my 2nd set of P-Zero's and they are lasting just over 7k miles crap I know. My biggest concern is tyre pressures. The dealer say's they should wear smooth in the centre but I think this is due to over inflation. Im currently running my 225 40 18" at 28 psi.... to see if this improves matters. Previously at 31psi. I have no handbook with this model. What are you running at ???

Any comments would be appreciated.

Wayne. Norfolk

 

[RobDon]

Dunlop quote 32PSI all round for 225/40/18 tyres on a Leon, I believe the centre wearing smooth is a common trait in Pirelli tyres, nothing to do with over-inflation. I normally run mine at 35PSI and have never had the centres go bald on any non-Pirelli tyre.