Kimi322

I am a newbie to the track (appr 1 season) and have used Kumho Ecsta v700's thus far on my boxster. I just bought MPSC and will try them out for the first time this weekend at Watkins Glen.
Can anyone tell me what differences I can expect to notice and/or your experiences with one vs. the other?
BTW, the primary reason for the switch is bc I live in manhattan where it is not as easy to change tires frequently. I plan to leave these on all season.
Thanks, Kim

Martin S.

MPSC tires take a few laps to heat up to the point where they are sticky. They will feel a little wierd until they heat up. Note, once they are hot...you will like them.

I ran through a set a few years back...went back to Toyo (RA-1) because I feel they are a better overall tire for driving to and from the track...and they are cheaper too.

chrisp

Take your first laps on the MPSC slowly. Although you are driving yours on the street beforehand and that may negate my findings but a set of sticker MPSC's are usually very greasy and slippery for the first 4-5 laps. The car will slide more than normal and then you'll feel them come in. The more you overdrive them in this phase the quickerand harder they come in. I have also noticed that they seem to do this to a minor degree everytime I get them back on track after at least a few days off.

ceboyd

when MPSCs are brand new, even if you have driven to the track on them, the 1st session or 2 will not feel right... I notice that with new MPSCs, it takes 2 full 20 minute sessions before they feel right... by the 3rd session all is well...

enjoy! You'll love them... oh, NOTE that if the temp is under 50 degrees, they take 2 or 3 extra laps to warm up... and if it is only 40 degress outside, don't expect them to ever get the right amount of heat in them.... (speaking from prior experience)

PT

If you are driving them to/from track, be very careful if it rains. Everyone I spoke to who used them said they are not good in rain.

sjanes

This year, I switched from the MPSC to the Victoracer (not sure how they compare to the Ecsta) to give them a try. My car is a 87 Carrera with a track suspension (big torsion bars, monoballs, etc) and about 200rwhp, 2900lbs with driver.

Price: Victoracer= cheap, MPSC = pricey
Wear:
I got about 12 DE days of the Victoracer and they are now done. The MPSC wear like iron and run out of heatcycles before running out of tread.

Grip with stickers (i.e. not heatcycled):
Victoracer was not bad as a sticker tire. A fair bit of grip without being heatcycled. The MPSC with stickers is like the MPSC in snow. I don't know what they coat them in for shipping, but drive them on the street first to wear it off. Also, like others have said, the MPSC seems do need 4 or 5 heat cycles to develop any grip. The are a lot better at the end of the third day than they are at the end of the first.

Grip when broken-in: The Victoracer had good grip for the price. They seem to be easy to get up to temps. The MPSC is harder to get up to proper temp (in my little car anyway). When not up to full temps, they have a bit better grip than the Victoracer. When up to temp, they just stick.

Drivability: Victoracer is easy to drive. linear break away and good feedback. MPSC seems to be more stick and then let go.

Personally, I'm going back to the MPSC. The level of grip they provide when up to proper temps was just too good compared to the Kumho.

Just my $0.02 ($0.032 Cdn)

sjanes

I don't think the MPSC will be an issue in the rain on the street. It has a fair bit of tread. When mine were new, I drove them to the track in the rain and they were fine (some neg camber helps here though). I know several people that drove them to and from the track with no issues. Obviously, when worn down, you have to beware of standing water like any other tire.

I never drove them on a wet track.

Brian_77_3.6

I drove MPSC on a wet track at Pocono two years ago and after taking it easy for a few laps decided they where OK in the wet and got a little more agressive in the turns and braking zones. The result was an off track excursion. If memory serves me right I kicked it up about about 5 mile per hour coming into turn 4 of the North Course and all of a sudden no grip. There was standing water at this spot on the track but the preceeding laps at a slightly slower pace the water did not seem to have any effect.

DrJupeman

Fwiw, 38D ran the Lime Rock club race this year on MPSCs and it rained all through qualifying and the race. He finished 2nd in class.

In my experience, as well, I have not found the MPSC to be any worse a rain tire compared to the other tires with similar dry grip. That said, be careful with any tire you drive in the rain.

38D

I've driven/raced 4 days in the rain this year. I find MPSCS pretty decent in the rain, RA-1s seem to be a bit better, and real rain tires like the Hoosiers are much better.