ChrisF

First off, yes, I've searched. A lot. The problem is I have some very conflicting info. The consensus here seems to be that they're terrible with a few very strong dissenters. I know a local GT3 guy that runs the R888's and he loves them and turns very respectable times. I just went thru my first set of MPSC's. Lasted all of 3 track days and a maybe 1200 street miles. I was hoping for a bit more. Grip also didn't overwhelm me. I was used to running the NT-01's and felt they had more grip and felt a little more predictable at the limit.

Here now are the questions:
1. For those that have run the R888's and liked them, what was their effective life in track days / heat cycles?
2. The MPSC's have fantastic steering response. Do the R888's have same or similar? Full tread vs. shaved?
3. If the R888's are truly terrible, is there a decent source for MPSC's at some discount online or in Socal?

Thanks

Izzone

The biggest problem with a R888 is when it gtes close to teh wear bar it is dead......scary dead

I hate them, only becuase I drive my tires until they cord

997gt3north

This is pretty much the issue you have to deal with - but, it can be done. You will get 1 sessions warning - i.e. the car starts to slide around a bit more than usual - you have to counter steer where you didn't have to before. The session or maybe 2 after this, the car can just insta-go (absolutely no warning). If you are really in tune with your car and know your track well then you can correctly argue that this is manageable - just replace the tires as soon as these signs appear.

I just want to warn you, that when I say insta-gone, it is just that - car is turning in the corner, turning in the corner, turning in the corner ----> your in the wall.

I was fortunate that this happened to me at a track with no walls around. It was a short tighter track, lots of 2nd gear stuff - rotating the car, more counter steering than I would do at a fast track (but it was a short track so I was just having fun). Next session out after some slippery stuff, in the only fast 3rd gear corner, car just snapped in the rear mid corner - no warning. Replace tires - car was perfect - it wasn't the bars, setup, etc.

Purchase a set of the tires and try them out for yourself. They warm up fast out of the gate, keep the psi down, run lower camber - have fun.

TRAKCAR

Yes, R888, no profile => no grip. And like above said. Really no grip.

NJ-GT

In 6,000 miles in the Fiat, I went through 5 sets of R888 between 2009 and 2010. In the next 4,000 miles I'm in the same pair of RE-11 at the back, and got new front RE-11 due to a flat at Sebring (loose tire valve caused the flat).

I got 800 miles of combined street/track/autoX use with the R888. MPSC lasts plenty longer. I bought R888 cheap, around $1000 a set, but they really are not that good.

My worn out R888 had plenty of tread available, but they felt like driving on ice. I would not risk wrecking my favorite toy because of no grip tires.

Some people love R888, but I still have yet to see those people setting consistent fast lap times for several track sessions. I can't believe that R888 are made by the same company that built the RA-1.

Toyo really screwed up their business with the R888, and I quit them right on time.

I'm about to try Hankook RS-3 next as a substitute for my RE-11, but the RE-11 just don't want to die yet, I'm trying to wear them down, and they refuse.

ChrisF

NJ - to clarify, you're tracking the RE-11's?

ATL Fahrer

Hate the R888's and yes, I've run both extensively. If you want to try a set that are almost to the wear bars, I'll let you have them for the cost of shipping...

Some people like 'em - MDrums, where are you?

NJ-GT

2 years so far tracking Fiat and Coxster on RE-11.

I ran 3 sessions on RE-11 in the Solo group (limited passing and some usual traffic) at Sebring in January this year. After a flat front tire I switched to my old but decent Hoosier A6. This was my first ever day at Sebring, still with lots to learn at this track. The flat was due to a loose front tire valve.

RE-11 sizes: 245/35R19 and 285/35R19 on 8"x19" and 10"x19" wheels
A6 sizes: 295/30R19 and 345/30R19 on 9.5"x19" and 11.5"x19" wheels

RE-11 Lap time: 2:24.368
A6 Lap time: 2:22.901

Lap time difference of just 1.5 secs at a 3.7 miles racetrack is actually not bad at all in my opinion. A6 require a trailer, on RE-11 I can drive on them all year long everywhere. I'm comparing a full race tire, to a full street tire.

RE-11 and R888 ran the same lap times at a 45 secs Gokart track I used to do testing in California. At California Speedway (Roval setup) the RE-11 were giving me 1:49s laps while the A6 (fresh in this case) 1:46s. The best I could do with my 3,350 lbs 2007 GT3 RS on 265x19 and 345x19 MPSC was 1:52s.

I know that wider RE-11 on the wide wheels and shaving them would produce even faster lap times, but I just use them as my street/track/autoX tires, and typically I bring a set of track wheels with A6 to run a little faster and compare data.

Hankook RS-3 are supposed to be even faster than RE-11 and I will try them next. They tolerate more heat than RE-11 based on testing conducted by Grassroot Motorsports (in 2010 and 2011). In the SCCA street tire classes, the RS-3 is showing good performance.

PSS are slower than RE-11, I have a 3 months old set of PSS and they can't touch the grip level of the RE-11.

MSRPorsche

Just checking, were you using the Hoosier A6 or R6?

FLM911

Out of interest, I run MPSC and have gone through 5 sets now. What pressures you all running with? I have a 2010 GT3, I target 34 front and 36 rear (hot..ie. Fully warmed up). Beyond 36 I find they get very slippery. Local track is VIR.

zanwar

I went through two sets of cup tires earlier this season. They are the best tires I've ever run. Very smooth and controllable. I burnt through each set within 400 track miles so they were an expensive ride. I've since switched to R-S3s and I really like them. I'd say they are a little slower, around 1/2 a second per lap on the Autobahn South Track. I've put 300 miles on them so far and they are burning off cleanly, no blisters or chunking, although they are about ready to flip left/right. I'd give them a shot if you're looking for a new tire. I never liked R888s, they just didn't suit the car.

My Targa is a heavy car so I run both cups and hankooks 36psi hot all round, seems to work best.

ChrisF

32fr / 35rr pressures. Beyond that, agree they feel greasy and lose grip. I have pretty even wear. I have a set of RE-11's on my street wheels. Thinking I might try them at an upcoming track day to see how they feel. Who knows, maybe I've never even gotten them up to temp on the street

Yorkshireman

I'm struggling too here to find an R comp tire to fit the stock 19s. I really liked the Corsa Systems and put about 900 track miles them. They are effectively over $700 per rear tire which is pricey. They were also stellar in the rain IMO. I was tempted towards the R888s too just for the price of around $450. Now I may pony up for another set of the CSs. What other choice is there?

utkinpol

they have dual compound - normal r-comp is on top of a 'base' layer and as soon as you get to it you loose grip very badly, like from 1.5G cornering down to 0.5G.

most other tires have same compund going to the cords, so you will hear it, with r888 you will hear nothing as it will loose grip before it cords.

other than that - those are usual intermediate tires, pretty fast when shaved but they do not last long. NT01 nitto is way better.

utkinpol

consensus across AX people was that in 'street' cheater tires it goes like RE11 - Z1 star specs - R-S3 for dry conditions, from slowest to fastest.

R-S3 is essentially a r-comp compound in a street tread with 'official' wear rate of 150. very close to R-S3 is NT05 nitto tire but it is a bit harder and due to this - slower. both suck bad in wet weather - but Z1 star specs are pretty good in wet there and almost same with RE11 if not better so in my opinion they are best all-around tires but they tolarate heat worse than R-S3.

stock re-11 are kinda wobbly imho with full tread, you need to cut it in half imho to make them decently fast and get to the level of how new Z1 star specs behave.