Advan RZ + Kumho Ecsta XS = WIN!

I truly love and admire the legendary Enkei RPF1. Had no issues with the wheels on Black Mamba except for some comments saying it look more like 16s on the DC5. It didn't bug me, well, it did, a little but coudln't think of what to change as most Japan 17 inches wheels with 8 inches width will burn a big hole in my account. And to get the super rare RPF1 with 17 x 8 inches and +45 offset in Malaysia is as good as finding a 1991 CR-X halfcut with 10,000km mileage. Since Adlan has not yet sold his K24 EP3, I offered him to swap wheels with his Advan RZ plus some cash. He agreed, and we set a date to meet in Sunway for the swap. :)

Black Mamba's final moment with the RPF1. Adlan smiling at the back.

I also had no intention of changing the tires as I believe my RS Sport can still serve me for another month or so. But I was proved wrong when I found out two of the tires have only 10-20% thread left! Considering the fact that tires are the foundation of maximizing a car's fun factor and due to safety, I felt it's high time for me to change. So we walked around Sunway and checked out couple of places for Eagle RS Sport, in which the price has ridiculously gone up from RM450 to RM630-650 a piece. Although I'm frustrated with the new price, I still had the gut to ask for the new Yokohama Advan Neova AD08. It would be uber-cool to have both Advans in the form of tires and wheels on Black Mamba..but that dream was once again shattered when the price for 205/45/17 is already at RM750 a piece. You can do the math for 225/45/17. The last on my list was the Federal 595RS-R which the preferred size was also unavailable in Sunway.

Not wanting to wait any further, I gave the green light to the workers at Kin Alignment to wrap the Advan RZ with brand new Kumho Ecsta XS KU36 tires. With a higher rating than the AD08 and a price cheaper than RS Sport, it's the best choice for me at RM500 a piece. Although the thread pattern allow only front-back rotation, the design has already won it's place in my heart.

Took me a while to feel the new tires on the wider Advan RZ. Drove around Sunway and Subang for 30mins and as soon as I hit LDP, the rain came. Perfect time to test the tires on the wet. The Ecsta has already proved it's worthiness as I drove through Penchala Link and took the long S-corner entering Duke. Level of grip in wet seems better than the RS Sport and at 80kmh it keeps on biting till the end of the long corner. I also noticed that the thread grooves are much deeper, which assisted the higher level of wet grip. The next day I drove back to East Coast through Karak and all I can say the tires brought endless smile on my face. I couldn't push the car much harder due to the fact that my right side hydro mount has broken for the 3rd time in 13 months! *&!@#^*!. Nevertheless the ride was smooth and much silent than the RS Sport. The harder sidewalls on Ecsta also helped reducing the understeer and it didn't show any sign of tiredness on any type of corners. Play with your throttle and you'll be slicing the corners like a hot knife on a butter. I will write another review once I hit the track soon..In the meantime to those who seeks tire replacement, I highly recommend you to try this. It may take a while to accustom oneself with the non-Japanese brand, but I can assure you the Ecstas are worth swiping your card with. Hahaha..

Adlan's EP3 with the RPF1. Nampak kecik la Lan...hahaha.

Gangsterer than before hehe.

Newly painted ass!