Finally after a grueling
(it’s very bothersome being car-less) near-2-month sitting in some workshop for major repairs I had her back, restored to her glory ~ cosmetically, at least
(hardly any traces of damage visible from outside) & surprisingly not much structural damaged sustained, as the wheel alignment check results came back okay. Sent her for service yesterday & the engine health checks turned out good too; except for that mangled open pod filter which I’ll still be using for the time being until I get a proper replacement
(K&N). Having survived the potentially horrendous crash
(it could have been much worse), I’d decided compromise on safety anymore & replace the balding tires which, I should have done much earlier.
Often overlooked, those four patches of rubbers are your only contacts with road when driving ~ could make the difference between keeping you on the road or careening off-course & worse, into a tree or lamp post if they lose traction. Bad/unmaintained tires ~ usually one of the major factors of an accident
Acknowledging the spirited type of driver I can be at times, I opted for a pair of Toyo Trampio R1R rubbers (made in Japan, babeh!) a unique hybrid ultra high-performance / race tires designed for club-motor sport competitors that regularly use their vehicles on public roads ~ features unidirectional Arrowhead tread design that allows it to achieve balanced performance between wet & dry condition ~ this should suffice for daily use. (it’s a cliché that semi slicks rubbers though known for their superb grip on dry condition, are completely useless when used in wet conditions; so if you’re running a set of those on your ride, when it rains, make sure you drive below 30km/h ~ I kid you not!). The only downside is that it cost a premium (x2 what you would pay for a normal set of tires) & the fact that the TPR1R are performance oriented rubbers ~ meaning that they’ll be noisier that conventional road tires that are designed for comfort; But being a car enthusiast, chances are we’re most likely already running loud aftermarket exhausts that could get us into trouble with the law. Who’s complaining about the extra tire noise anyway?
Since it’s only available in limited sizes, I’m currently running a staggered rubber setup of 195/55R15 upfront (brand new Toyos) & my old 195/50R15 at the rear (but better treaded pair of Neova AD07). My car looks a bit funny with the fatter rubbers in front with a diameter difference of 0.7” larger than my initial setup (filled the wheel arch to the brim!) , so had to dial-in sufficient height increase on the front adjustable coilovers to ensure the wheels don’t chuck against the inner fenders when turning. The fatter rubbers upfront should absorb the bumps better & make for a more comfy drive.
Being a front wheel drive, it would suffice to have more grip on the front tires; this setup should give ample traction… though I have yet to really put it to the test. Have been reluctant to give my ride the trashing drive it deserves since I got her back; maybe someday soon, since her vital checks have been verified okay. =p
* i had a very good company to do my manly shopping trip with today! =)
