Applicable to: '90 - '97 '99 + 1.6 liter 1.8 liter
DOT legal R-compound tires in size 205/50-15.
I got these in order to try to find some grip on the track with my 99 FM2. The Proxes T1-S is an excellent tire but the car just has too much power. Putting down power out of corners was very difficult. With the RA-1, there is no problem. The grip is improved by a huge factor! I could get the car to do anything I wanted.
These tires are excellent on the street or the track. They are superb in the wet and simply other-worldly in dry conditions. They are a bit louder than the T1-S and with the stiffer sidewall, a little harsher too. But I don't care! The grip and sure-footedness these tires offer is simply unmatched. I took these to the track and I couldn't even get them to break a sweat while I passed many other cars in my run group! After 100 track miles there is no measurable wear. I expect to get a full season out of them. If you have the means, I highly recommend them.
Under 30 minutes to remove completely
DOT approved Competition Tire
Finally replaced my completely worn set of Dunlop 8000 (approx. 24K miles including many autocrosses). The Dunlops overall worked very well. They were adequate during autocross events (with no "squealing" no matter how hard you leaned on them) and were exceptional in the rain when new. Upon wearing, they induced a significant amount of vibration at highway speeds. They have a low profile (195/55R14) and, in retrospect, a somewhat harsh ride. This became most apparent when they were replaced by the toyos. Wow! Unbelievable improvement in ride probably attributable to the taller sidewalls. Although I haven't had a chance to compete with them, they seem to have an incredible amount of grip in the dry (it has yet to rain), far superior to the Dunlops. The Dunlops seemed to have quick turn-in but would just quit if pushed harder, the toyos seem to just keep pushing back the harder you push on them. The only drawback is that they produce a slight hum at 10-5 mph. Given their price ($500) and wear rating (40, Dunlops have a very good wear rating of 200) they are an extravagance (I hope to get at least a year of street use out of them) but they sure make the morning commute fun. When it snows, it will no doubt stay parked.
| Back to Product Reviews | 25 April, 2004 |