Tyre Experiences of European MX-5 Owners

When it comes to fitting new tyres just driving up to your local fastfitter and thoughtlessly ordering any tyre they happen to have in stock just won't do. Not for a car which is meant for more than just getting from A to B.
The MX-5 deserves a tyre that will do justice to its precise steering and its cornering capabilities. Even if you are trying to save a few pennies, you should try to find out which tyre is going to bring the best performance for your budget, be it on durability or on driving pleasure.

The abundance of American Miata information on the web won't be of much use to European owners, because most of the tyres sold in Europe are different from those in the US. Please help improving the scope and depth of this overview by adding your own experience and fill out the form at the bottom. Recent price quotes are helpful too.

Avon CR338
'LJK Setright was waxing lyrical about them so I thought I'd try them. The Avon's lasted 11k. In the dry they were comparable to the NCT2's but would squeal at the limit. Also I think they break away more abruptly than the NCT2's in the wet.'
Gerard Sullivan, Ireland

Bridgestone Potenza RE88
'I have had the pleasure of enjoying the infamous OEM Bridgestones for a couple of summers now. I'm afraid I must say they are the worst tyres I've ever had in any car. Period. Their grip is very limited, the return from slides is abrupt, and their wet grip & feel is even worse. Unfortunately, they seem to last forever...'
Jukka-Pekka Mannermaa, Finland

Dunlop D89
'General opinion is the original Dunlops weren't that much cop.'
Tim Robinson, UK

'I used two sets of stock Dunlops D89. They were OK in the dry, and bad in the wet.'
Werner Cassel, Germany

'I bought my '90 with 19k on the clock. It still had the original Dunlops. I binned them after it rained a couple of times.'
Gerard Sullivan, Ireland

Dunlop SP Sport 2000
'I have as standard DunlopSPSport 2000 195/50-15's. Had them for 2 years & 16,000 kms. They are good dry weather tyres and have a nice square shoulder. They have about 4mm of tread remaining - so just over half worn if you take into account the legal limit of 1.6mm (or is that 2mm now ?)'
Des Rocks, Scotland

Goodyear NCT
'Several of our members have gone for Goodyear NCTs which they like.'
Tim Robinson, UK

'Currently, I drive on 195/50 Goodyear Eagle NCT3 Touring on 7x15 rims. The ultimate possible speed in fast corners is a bit higher, handling is slightly worse, and the tyre itself is worse compared to the Michelin MXV3A (louder, worse in the wet, no grip at really cold weather).'
Werner Cassel, Germany

'My first choice were Goodyear NCT2 standard size. They are very good in the wet or dry. They break away very gently and quietly. The back tyres lasted 10k. I moved the front NCT2's to the rear (they were like new) and fitted NCT3's to the front. I thought maybe the newer tyre might last longer so I bought the NCT3's. The NCT3's seemed to be quieter than the 2's. I could not fault them on the front of the car. The rear NCT2's lasted 10k. The NCT3's will last about 22k on the front cause they're nearly gone now.'
Gerard Sullivan, Ireland

Michelin MXV3A Energy
'I switched to very expensive Michelin MXV3A Energy tyres. They were GREAT! Not much wear, very good in the dry, incomparable better in the wet. And, another good thing, they still offer grip at below freezing temperatures, when normal summer tyres loose performance even in the dry. The Miata handled nicely neutral with those tyres, and they were easily controllable at the (high) limit. The only drawback (or advantage, depending on your preference) was the acoustic warning they gave at the limit: SQEEEEEAL.'
Werner Cassel, Germany

Pirelli P6000
'I have Pirelli P6000's on my 92 Miata import. I am very impressed with them. They are very grippy in the dry - although that changes a bit in the wet - and are noticably quieter than a number of other makes I have witnessed. They are 195/50 R15's. Cost about 90 pounds each fitted and balanced at the end of last year. I highly recommend them.'
Ed Owen, UK

Yokohama A509
'I'm a great fan of Yokohama which seem to be very good quality, handle well (though my experience is in larger sizes I must admit) and seem to return a good mileage.'
Tim Robinson, UK

'I'm running with Yokohama's that are (I think) A509 (or maybe 409 ?); about UKP50 each and loads better than the stock Dunlop D89's in terms of grip. They've also lasted pretty well so far (about 30K of driving like a maniac). Great in the dry; OK in the wet, but can still unstick them if the road's greasy.'
Jeremy Hendy, UK

'The latest rear tyres are the Yokohama 509. They're only on three weeks so it's a bit early yet but they seem smooth and quiet to date.'
Gerard Sullivan, Ireland