When I bought my first set of R-compound tires for auto-x, I got full-tread RA-1s because A) half our events are wet, B) a lot of people up here ran them (I later found out... none of the really fast people) and C) I'm a college student and I needed them to last a while.

Well I'm getting more competitive, only 1 event out of the 7-8 I've done with them has been wet, and I'm soon to be a college student no more. While I've gotten fantastic life from the RA-1s (good tread and still feel as soft as day 1) and their performance isn't THAT bad for auto-x especially in the wet, I can't help but think that I'm selling myself short with a tire that doesn't get to temp.

I've been thinking about the V710s for something that will stick hard in auto-x (no trackdays in near future) and has decent wear. Any other suggestions? I don't think my budget is quite ready for Hoosiers. It would be nice to have something that is at least fairly decent in the wet too.

And BTW, anybody interested in some great-condition 205/50/15 RA-1s? The tread is about to 2/32nds to the wear bars and compound is still quite soft (kind of like a shaved new RA-1). Mounted on 15 x 7" Slipstreams.

 

ra1 is a great tire....especially if it is at 1/16th....those will be just as grippy as a v710

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by chad &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">especially if it is at 1/16th....those will be just as grippy as a v710
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Not a chance.

Victoracers would be a better choice.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by chad &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">ra1 is a great tire....especially if it is at 1/16th....those will be just as grippy as a v710</TD></TR></TABLE>

No way is an RA-1 as grippy as a 710. I watched people switch to them this year from the Toyo and just destroy previous bests, both in Auto-x and at the track.

 

For your requirements of:
a) auto-x
b) wet grip
c) decent wear
d) stickier then the RA1

... I would go with full tread V700s.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SPiFF &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">For your requirements of:
a) auto-x
b) wet grip
c) decent wear
d) stickier then the RA1

... I would go with full tread V700s.</TD></TR></TABLE>
I thought the V710s were just flat-out better than the V700s? Would the V700s be quite a bit better than the RA-1s for my purposes? I don't want to unload a lot of cash for a small difference when I already have a good set of RA-1s, although the V700s are significantly cheaper than the V710s.

 

Don't fool with anything other than the V710's. As long as there isn't standing water, they aren't TOO BAD in the wet.

 

if theres water v700's

 

I've been very happy with my full-tread ECSTA V700's (not victoracers) for wet weather use on the Spec Miata. Had a miserably wet autocross on them and one test day and they aren't as good as Hoosier rains in standing water, but everywhere else they're quite good and at the rainy local autocross I was only a couple tenths off the fastest 350Z this year at Nationals on his Hoosier radial rains who beat me out for FTD, not that there was much competition.

So yeah, they werk good in the rain and are definitely better in the dry at full tread than RA1's.

 

Yeah, but then you have to drive on them in the dry, too. I think the Ecsta V700's totally suck ***. They are slower than the V710's and Hoosiers, they are really sensitive to tire pressures (the V710's aren't), and they don't wear great.

 

Just get 710s, they will work fine until water is standing..