Ok - first the data:
92 240 SX at 2750 pounds, 6x15 rims, 225x50x15 BFG G-Force tires.
March 28 - Event #1 at Tucson (1st class concrete) - 16 runs, 8 for me 8 for
the wife (I am more aggressive/faster). Tires work well. 44# front 40# rear.
Tire temps reasonable (camber-challenged car). Outer 'fake' tread mostly gone,
but not all.
April 11 - Event #2 at Phoenix (smooth asphalt) - 10 runs (5 &5), tires work
well (settle on 42# front, 37# rear), no problems. 'Fake' tread gone outside,
beginning to fade inside, two groves very prominent (not much wear).
April 17 - Event #3 at Lake Havasu City (very smooth asphalt, slightly sandy
from nearby beach) - 16 runs (4 each AM, 4 each PM), tires work well (42/37).
MINOR tire lock-up at low speed upon entering a few corners (2 to 3 times
total) due to loose sandy condition - flat spots develop that goes through the
two main "tread" grooves! One tire has a small silver dollar sized cord hole
showing in the middle of one flat spot.
April 18 - Event #3A at Lake Havasu City (same event, two day) - 16 runs (8 &
8). Fingers crossed, put corded G-Force on corner least exposed to wear. As
the day develops the size of the spot doubles, but the car still works OK. By
the end of the event, the tires are generally 60% gone, two have flat spots
beyond the two main grooves, and one has a cord hole about 2 inches in diameter.
In summary, really three events (one a two-day), 58 runs (half by a wife who
drives briskly but is not hard on tires at all), tires 60% gone, two are flat
spotted, and one with cord showing.
Let's see, about $650 for tires, tax, balance, etc., 58 runs, that's $11 per
run. Not bad, huh?
MY HISTORY - I've been around autocrossing for over 20 years, had a lot of
cars and tires. I have used Yokohamas, but BFG's primarily, and LOVED the
R-1's, even with the non-existant EGOD. I am known as a smooth driver, and do
not typically do wild spins, hit many cones, or generally lose control of my
car. I am pretty fast, have won a few divisionals, and regard myself as a B+
driver in CHD terms. On a good day with the right car I could beat anybody -
but only ONE day! ;-)
As I described above, both my wife and I had some MINOR wheel lock up on a
very loose surface a couple of runs. We do this once in a while, and have on
other tires. It has NEVER cost us a set of tires before.
My wife and I usually autocross twice most months, about 20 events a year. I
usually go through a set of tires every 6 to 8 months, after about total 160
runs (remember, me and the wife share the car).
My *opinion* is that I will not buy another set of G-Force tires. They are too
sensitive to minor driver errors. If you are a perfect driver, on a good
surface, and never make a mistake you might do OK with these tires. They wear
much faster than the R-1's did (I had a set of those on a heavier 95 240 SX).
Side Note - I once had a pretty fast spin (45 mph) with that other 240 SX at a
Divisional in California two years ago (I said I only spin ONCE in a while!)
and did NOT flat spot or cord those R-1 tires; they were fine. It would have
ruined all four of these G-Force tires.
I know these tires are newly developed, and many of you are creating your own
experiences - this was mine. I'm pretty sure BFG will tell me, as they did for
EGOD, that the tire is just better than the driver. Probably true - but until
they change this, I'm gone.
FWIW.
Scott Meyers
DS -> ES? 240 SX SE
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