Thanks for the info. So what sizes did you end up getting with the SSRs?Nathan968 said:Ok, this is a good enough place for an update. I ended up geting Dunlop Graspic-DS2 tires on SSR comps from TireRack.
That quote was about the A048s.rob said:Regardless, I'm still curious about how it drives in the snow. I've heard things like 'okay' and 'bloody awful.' One of the bloody awfuls was from factory trained driver.
Anyone have any input on how it drives in the rain?
Thanks, I think I'll try out the DS-2s. Seems better than driving home on the A048s, and also will probably be more fun than towing it home.Nathan968 said:Recommended sizes are 195/50R16 and 215/45R17 as per the owners manual.
This is similar to what I heard - car is scary even with the base tires in the rain. Someone told me that full throttle in the wet can send the car into a spin.Surferjer said:It's my understanding that the AO48s are much worse than the Advans in the snow and rain. I have Advans (stock or LTS) and it's a bit scary in the rain for me. I generally go pretty slow and with the slightest burst of throttle the rear end wants to break loose.
I will park my Elise on snowy days, threat of snow, or expected big thunderstorms AND on really cold days (temps under 20 degrees). Since I live in eastern PA, I experience similar conditions to you. I estimate I'll get about 10.5-11 months/year in my Elise. Oh, I am NOT buying snow tires.
BIG difference between those tires. The Pirelli performance is amazing. Back when I lived in Rochester, NY I ran a whole bunch of different snow tires and the Pirellis were in a class of their own. Their high speed stability and cornering performance were worlds better than the others. They DO wear fast in the dry, so try not to be overly tempted to drive aggressively when the roads are clear.Nathan968 said:Ok, this is a good enough place for an update. I ended up geting Dunlop Graspic-DS2 tires on SSR comps from TireRack. The recommended Pirellis are effectively unavailable in the USA. You can get them in other sizes but not the required sizes. You can get them from Lotus UK at ~$300 per tirebut they are back ordered and there is no ETA. Incidentally, if TireRack could get these they would be about $140 per.
If anyone is interested, the price breakdown looks like this.
Pirelli Snowsports on Lotus 8-spoke wheel:
Wheels: $1500.80
Tires: $1200.
Total: $2780.80![]()
Available ???
Dunlops on SSRs:
Wheels: $1268.00
Tires: $350.00
Total: $1618.00
In stock now.
I have Dunlop Winter Sport M2s on my Mercedes C230 Sport Coupe. I drove it home from Toronto last December on The Snowiest Day of the Year. It kept me moving on some roads in northern Pennsylvania that had inches of snow in the tire tracks - proof that good snow tires are an excellent substitute for front wheel drive.Cisitalia said:When I lived up north in snow country (upstate NY, CT, MI and Canada) I loved the Dunlop Winter Sport M2s, even better than the Nokian NRWs. I had a BMW M3 and a WRX at the time. They are the perfect compromise snow, ice, rain and dry tire. This would especially work for your region. I can't praise these tires enough.
For the rear, you could certainly run a 215/45-17, and a 205/50-17 should also be within specs. Both of these are very close to stock diameter. Narrower tires than that would probably get too skinny for the 7.5" wheels.Graydon said:What would be the narrowest tire you could put on the LSS rims - could you go any less than 195 & 225?