Track tyres and wheels OR fast road tyres?

[George118118]

Hey all,

Just picked up my PP mk7 GTI, unfortunately the last owner had just put 4 new Tyres on and they're awful chinese ditch finders.

I'm prepping for my first track day in this car but it seems so wasteful to throw away these tyres.

I'm thinking either...

1, ditch the chinese tyres and put some decent fast road legal tyres.

2, get a new set of wheels with track tyres just for the track.

What do you think?

 

[Rennwagen]

Brakes and Tires are the only things that allow you to make a safe stop.
New tires is a great investment for the safety of yourself and others. Plus it’s a fun upgrade too!

 

[JC_451]

Don't let the idea of "wasting the tire" force you to keep rubber which will do nothing but hold back your enjoyment of the car.

See if the tire store will give you $25 or $30 per tire towards new rubber. Used tires actually aren't valueless and unless they're an odd size the store won't have any problem moving them.

I made the mistake of getting the "value" out of the crap stock tires on the GTI. Don't punish yourself, those garbage tires could last thousands of wheel spinning, ASR illuminating miles.

I would still have a set of dedicated track wheels and tires in addition though, provided you have the space to hold 2 sets of wheels.

 

[daconchslop]

Yes.

 

[gmgti]

Get rid of them now.
Spending the money on better tires is the best thing you can do.

 

[R Golf]

Get rid of them now.
Spending the money on better tires is the best thing you can do.

This

 

[Genegenie]

I didn't vote; depends on your road use : track days ratio, but get the best tyres you can afford, stating the obvious they are the only physical connection 'tween your car and the road (duh). Cheap tyres are a false economy and potentially dangerous; once drove my auntie's car, Ford Fiesta 1100cc, regular town hatchback, for it's annual Ministry Of Transport test (yearly official required UK safety test, 'the MOT' ), it was fitted with cheap new tyres, about £25 each (!) of dubious origin. It passed its MOT with no issues. But, well, I was able to easily put the car into 4-wheel slides at 25MPH, in the dry without really trying, in the wet it would have been lethal. The mileage and speeds my auntie drove, theoretically it wouldn't have been an issue, unless she need to stop quickly. And it was wet....

 

[JC_451]

I didn't vote; depends on your road use : track days ratio, but get the best tyres you can afford, stating the obvious they are the only physical connection 'tween your car and the road (duh). Cheap tyres are a false economy and potentially dangerous; once drove my auntie's car, Ford Fiesta 1100cc, regular town hatchback, for it's annual Ministry Of Transport test (yearly official required UK safety test, 'the MOT' ), it was fitted with cheap new tyres, about £25 each (!) of dubious origin. It passed its MOT with no issues. But, well, I was able to easily put the car into 4-wheel slides at 25MPH, in the dry without really trying, in the wet it would have been lethal. The mileage and speeds my auntie drove, theoretically it wouldn't have been an issue, unless she need to stop quickly. And it was wet....

The older you get the slower your reaction times, so having bad tires and being auntie is definitely a bad combination. Probably more for pedestrians and road side objects than auntie herself though.

My grandmother once took out a power transformer despite her passenger alerting her to the impending crash for several seconds before it happened

 

[deleteaccount]

Hey all,

Just picked up my PP mk7 GTI, unfortunately the last owner had just put 4 new Tyres on and they're awful chinese ditch finders.

I'm prepping for my first track day in this car but it seems so wasteful to throw away these tyres.

I'm thinking either...

1, ditch the chinese tyres and put some decent fast road legal tyres.

2, get a new set of wheels with track tyres just for the track.

What do you think?

Get good summer street tires. If you track often get a second track set of 200 wear tires also. Otherwise just use you street tires.

I actually run “track” tires on the street. Yokohama Advan a052. Super grippy and don’t require warming up for street use. I live in Spokane WA so half the year I’m on Perelli winter tires. I’d say it’s probably close to six months on the Perelli’s and six months on the Advans. But even with limited time on them they definitely wear fast. It’s a set up that gives me more smiles then miles. But I can roll up to a track without having to change a thing.

 

[Genegenie]

"The older you get the slower your reaction times, so having bad tires and being auntie is definitely a bad combination. Probably more for pedestrians and road side objects than auntie herself though." True, said auntie is no longer 'with us', passsed due to health issues, but amazingly she had no accidents. Neither, incredibly, has an uncle. Prepare for real road terror : (think I've told this before ?) Unc lives down a quiet cul-de-sac, the type where kids happily play in the road with little fear of any danger, if only they knew. He regularly pulls out of the junction onto almost equally quiet road without looking, ever as "nothing ever comes along this road" not surprisingly no one will ride with him anymore, he has been warned several times that one day something will come along that road, but he 'knows best'. Apart from clippimg the odd wing mirror his only recent incedent (thankfully) was when testing a DSG Polo the car (apparently) "just ran away with me and hit the small wall across the road by itself", slight damage to poor defenceless car & wall but no one was hurt. He's decided a DSG box isn't for him afterall, I wonder why, and is sticking to his manual 'box for now. Won't be a sad day when he gives up driving. People of the Golf Mk7 Forum: just assume everyone on the road will try to take you out, assume that and it will likely save your life one day, be careful out there....

 

[GTIfan99]

First, tires are the number one mod for these cars and increase all performance metrics in one upgrade.

Second, be honest with yourself. How much do you plan to track and how fast are you?

If you're going to track twice a year, get a set of wider than stock PS4S and call it a day.

If you honestly plan on tracking often and you're fast, get a second tier performance tire, like the FK510, and a second set of wheels with a track tire. If you don't plan on upgrading brake and suspension, stick with a 200tw. RS4 would be best choice if you can get them. If you're going to do suspension and brakes, then Nanking AR-1 or Goodyear F1 3R. I'd do 17" if you're planned BBK will allow, it greatly reduces cost of consumables.

 

[George118118]

Some great advice here, thank you everyone.

The clear winner was to get a new set of road tyres so I'll be ordering them this week. I've been eyeing some pilot sport 4s.

 

[Maximo7]

Tires are the ONLY contact the car has to the road.

Good tires are always....ALWAYS the best choice.