Applicable to '99 + 1.8 liter
All-season performance tire.
These replaced a set of Toyo Proxes RA 1's (12,000 Miles). I was looking for a compromise between performance and longevity. I am dissapointed with their performance overall. They feel unsure at Higher speeds and are fairly harsh. They do handle wet roads well.
I initially purchased these while doing mostly city driving. My new job has primarily highway driving and I just don't feel that confident with the SH 30's.
Not an installed item
High Performance All-Season radial tires, 185/60HR14 size.
I purchased these tires because they were on sale and with a coupon they were less than $60/tire at my local Firestone store. My previous tires were Dunlop D60A2 in stock size. I always felt that the Dunlops were not very good in wet conditions so I was hoping that since the Firestones were advertized as rain tires that they would do better.
The first thing I noticed about these tires was a softer ride. I thought the installers must of underinflated them but checking them the next morning I found them to be inflated to 30 PSI. I don't know how the SH30's would compare to a true touring tire but compared to the D60A2's they feel plush. Also, steering effort is noticibly reduced. In cornering the SH30's are rather sloppy handling. When pushed hard they feel very mushy and slow to set up. They do not have as good dry traction as the D60A2's but at least they let go very gradually and predictably. They squeel a bit more than the D60A2's when they slide but even worse they make a disconcerting scrubbing or groaning sound when overloaded. When driven within their limits they produce little road noise. Wet traction is where the SH30's shine. They feel much more solid when wet than the D60A2's. These tires are rated 460 for wear and even though I've only ridden them for a few thousand miles so far they do seem to be quite durable. With the D60A2's I had only a bit of the 65 MPH shimmy but the SH30's all but eliminated it. At high speeds the SH30's feel a little less stable. I notice having to work more to keep my car in the lane at high speeds. Since we haven't had any snow or ice this year I can't comment on the SH30's winter traction.
I suppose that these would be good tires for someone looking for a durable tire with a softer ride and better wet traction than the Dunlops. I suspect that most Miata owners would prefer a sportier tire.
| Back to Product Reviews | 15 October, 2000 |