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Cup 2 Connect wear/grip update

R Golf

Go Kart Champion
Location
Lenox, MA
Due to Michelin discontinuing their Cup 2's, I switched from Cup 2 to Cup 2 Connects. I did not buy the whole Connect temp/pressure recording system, only the tires.

After 2 track days with lots and lots of laps due to open track at Lime Rock and Summit Point Seat Time, I have some mid-term feedback.

The wear rating increased from 180 to 240; however the grip and feedback was easily equal to and maybe better with the Connects. Beat my PB at Lime Rock by a smidge. Love the tires with the only drawback being $$$.
Wear so far is meeting expectations. I would get 4 days out of the Cup 2's and hope to get 5 out of the Connects. Both tires like higher pressures on my car with 41-42lbs hot being the sweet spot. Car has -2.2 camber, lowering springs, rear sway, and stock shocks & brakes (DS2500/Motul 660).

After these go, I am going to give the Falken 660's a try. Much cheaper and good reviews from both TireRack testing and my nephew who uses them on his BMW.
 

xXDavidCXx

Autocross Champion
Location
AZ
Car(s)
2017 GTI SE DSG
6
Due to Michelin discontinuing their Cup 2's, I switched from Cup 2 to Cup 2 Connects. I did not buy the whole Connect temp/pressure recording system, only the tires.

After 2 track days with lots and lots of laps due to open track at Lime Rock and Summit Point Seat Time, I have some mid-term feedback.

The wear rating increased from 180 to 240; however the grip and feedback was easily equal to and maybe better with the Connects. Beat my PB at Lime Rock by a smidge. Love the tires with the only drawback being $$$.
Wear so far is meeting expectations. I would get 4 days out of the Cup 2's and hope to get 5 out of the Connects. Both tires like higher pressures on my car with 41-42lbs hot being the sweet spot. Car has -2.2 camber, lowering springs, rear sway, and stock shocks & brakes (DS2500/Motul 660).

After these go, I am going to give the Falken 660's a try. Much cheaper and good reviews from both TireRack testing and my nephew who uses them on his BMW.
660s are soft and will likely get shredded at the track. Try an RS4/R888 type tire instead. Unless you have lots of money to burn, then do whatever.
 

R Golf

Go Kart Champion
Location
Lenox, MA
6

660s are soft and will likely get shredded at the track. Try an RS4/R888 type tire instead. Unless you have lots of money to burn, then do whatever.
Thanks! That actually was a worry in the back of my mind. I think I am going to push out my 660 decision.

My nephew is now on 615's and has a new set of 660's that will be given a thorough workout over the next few weeks. I'm going to wait until I get his feedback regading wear. I'm going to give the Yokohama A052's a shot first because I have heard nothing but rave reviews from people using them at the track and in comparison reviews. I did look at the RS4's and in the few comparisons I've read, including TireRack's full side by side testing, they perform poorly. Well at least vs. the top tier tires in their category. They also get very poor ratings as DD which doesn't count for most people, but I do quite a lot of DD along with 10-12 track days per year, so that is also important to me. I'm going to see if I can find some people using RS4's at my next couple of HPDE's to get direct track feedback.
 

xXDavidCXx

Autocross Champion
Location
AZ
Car(s)
2017 GTI SE DSG
In all my 20 years or so of motorsports and buying tires, no one has ever been happy with a soft wearing autocross tire for the track, unless you want a few fast laps.

If you really want to daily and track 10-12 events per year, you would likely need 3-4 sets of 660s. The track tires I mentioned, and others are made to last. Not the 660.
 

R Golf

Go Kart Champion
Location
Lenox, MA
In all my 20 years or so of motorsports and buying tires, no one has ever been happy with a soft wearing autocross tire for the track, unless you want a few fast laps.

If you really want to daily and track 10-12 events per year, you would likely need 3-4 sets of 660s. The track tires I mentioned, and others are made to last. Not the 660.
We disagree, which is fine. I've also been tracking/instructing for over 20 years and I have gotten feedback directly from many, many HPDE drivers, instructors, and racers. Tons of drivers are more than happy with Michelin PS4, Cup2, A052's, Falkens, etc. Those brands far outweigh RS4's at any track event.

Different strokes I guess.
 

R Golf

Go Kart Champion
Location
Lenox, MA
Sure, for outright speed, not longevity, which I thought you might care about.

But you don’t, so really a pointless discussion.
I re-read my prior post, and it may sound dismissive, which was not at all my intent. If you thought that, sorry.

In any case, as you "mentioned" I think this boils down to where longevity sits on your priorites. I would rather purchase 3 sets of tires a year of a tire I love than to drive on 2 sets per year of something I'm less happy with.
 
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Oversteermybagel

Go Kart Champion
Location
Boston
Car(s)
mk7 2017 GTi Sport
These dunlops have ~7hrs of track time on them and 1 autox. This is the worst tire of the lot. I suspect on your car you could get considerable more time out of them. Plan is to flip and see if I can get a few more hours out of them. They don't appear to be heat cycled meaningfully and still puke blue. I have Kumho V730s in the basement for when these are done.
 

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Oversteermybagel

Go Kart Champion
Location
Boston
Car(s)
mk7 2017 GTi Sport
And I wouldn't hesitate to at least give the RT660 a go based on the price alone. Aren't they like 1/2 the price of Cup2s? Based on aggregate feedback from the time attack folks it seems like the RT660 has ~5min of outright pace and has show that it can hold it together to win 15min sprint races in GLTC with a weight reward against slicks--but maybe that is just with O'Gorman driving. What I am saying is that it does not seem out of bounds for them to be able to survive 20min sessions.
 

Mini7

Autocross Champion
Location
Charlotte, NC
Car(s)
2017 GTi Sport PP
Put the Goodyear Supercar 3 on your list.
The GY F1 Supercar 3R does not come in 255-35-18 or I would give it a try. 265-35-18 will likely rub. From everything I’ve read they are a great tire. They take a couple of laps to warm up but hopefully that also means they will handle a full 30-min session without getting greasy.

Also interested in hearing how long these will last On track.
 

Junkyardspecial

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
South Florida
The GY F1 Supercar 3R does not come in 255-35-18 or I would give it a try. 265-35-18 will likely rub. From everything I’ve read they are a great tire. They take a couple of laps to warm up but hopefully that also means they will handle a full 30-min session without getting greasy.

Also interested in hearing how long these will last On track.
Not the same tire. The 3R and 3 are different, I track constantly on both, the 3R, is a better tire in every way than the Cup 2, just doesn't last as long, but doesn't have the steep fall off the cup 2 has after a handful of laps. This is easily the best non slick track tire on the market currently.

The 3, is a less aggressive compound that lasts longer and is more street friendly. A good compromise.
 

bfury5

Autocross Champion
Location
CT
I'm going to give the Yokohama A052's a shot first because I have heard nothing but rave reviews from people using them at the track and in comparison reviews.

A052 are great, tons of grip. At 2.2deg of camber the outer edge wear will definitely dictate how long they last. Not sure of your wheel width, but I'd recommend a bit of a stretch on the tire. The sidewall is hilariously soft, so putting more rim under it for support helps turn-in and the camber wear
 

Mini7

Autocross Champion
Location
Charlotte, NC
Car(s)
2017 GTi Sport PP
Not the same tire. The 3R and 3 are different, I track constantly on both, the 3R, is a better tire in every way than the Cup 2, just doesn't last as long, but doesn't have the steep fall off the cup 2 has after a handful of laps. This is easily the best non slick track tire on the market currently.

The 3, is a less aggressive compound that lasts longer and is more street friendly. A good compromise.
What size tire do you run on the GTi and on what rim?
What alignment do you run?

How many DE days on the 3R and how many on the 3? Track life.
Laptime delta between the 3R and 3?

Trying to figure out my next HPDE tire choice, hence all the questions.
 

Junkyardspecial

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
South Florida
What size tire do you run on the GTi and on what rim?
What alignment do you run?

How many DE days on the 3R and how many on the 3? Track life.
Laptime delta between the 3R and 3?

Trying to figure out my next HPDE tire choice, hence all the questions.

This is all base on my track car, the Camaro ZL1 1LE. I run about 2.7 camber in the front there 2.0 rear with no front toe and slight rear toe in.
I am a driving instructor so I track quite a lot, I can get about 2-3 full days out of a set of the 3Rs on the Camaro, and from cars I have seen the 3, is double that.
The 3r vs 3 is good for almost two seconds depending on the track obviously. But its comparing a 100tw practically slick tire from a 220tw daily drivable track tire.

I have driven on the Cup 2 and cup 2 Connect and its quite a handful at the limit for me.

The Cup 2 is on par with the supercar 3, and the 3R is essentially a Hoosier with some grooves cut in it.

This is a great video comparing some of the top tires for track use.

 
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