Advice Please on New Tyres

[mike foster]

Appreciate some guidance here chaps (and chapesses) on what new tyres to go for :-

Car is 2.0L TDI 140 Sportback (2006)

Looking at (in no particular order):-

1. Dunlop SP Sportmaxx TT
2. Pirelli P6000
3. Goodyear Eagle F1 Assymetric
4. Falken FK452

Currently got Michelin Pilot Sport 2

My driving style is that which you would expect of a senior citizen mainly pottering about but giving it the odd blast or two !!!!!! lol

 

[pinterovski]

18's or 19's?

 

[mike foster]

18's or 19's?

Thanks for reply mate - the tyres are standard 225/45/17 Y

 

[_G_]

I would not touch any of those tyres you listed as far as I could throw them. I would stick with your Pilot Sport and if you are on a budget then the Continental Sport Contact 5 would work out a snip under the Pilot Sports.

 

[cloughy]

I've got contisport contact 3's which are very good however I had goodyear eagle f1 *** on my BMW, they were superb in both the dry and the wet, best tyre I've ever had.

They are regularly at or near the top of tyre tests as are contisport contact 5's

Think they have since brought out assymetric 2's which I'm sure would be even better

 

[pinterovski]

Sportmaxx TT!
I had them in 18's,awesome tyre!

 

[Hendo]

Goodyear Eagle F1 Assymetric 2's for me all the way, they get great reviews and I have them on 18" and 19" rims.

 

[Sheikh]

A lot of people rate the Goodyears!

 

[mike foster]

Hey chaps - thanks for all the replies.

So far it looks like Pirelli and Falkens are off the menu !

Watch this space !:icon_thumright:

 

[Shadowman]

The trouble is that everyone has different ideas and opinions on tyres as they are so subjective.

I had the Sportmaxx's and didn't get on with them and am about to fit Assymetric 2's to see how they go, but to be honest, your best bet is to read all of the latest reviews of tyres in the nearest size to yours and then take an 'Educated Punt'..

The feedback from the guys on here will be interesting and provide you with more information, but your decision has to be yours.

Let us know what you plump for.

 

[mx_rab]

Why are the Falken 452 getting a bad rep? Iv used them for years on most my cars. Awesome tyre, good wear, grip and not to mention price. £80 per corner on 18", yes please

 

[_GRP_]

I've recent put on some Avon Z3's which I'm very happy with.

 

[mike foster]

The trouble is that everyone has different ideas and opinions on tyres as they are so subjective.

I had the Sportmaxx's and didn't get on with them and am about to fit Assymetric 2's to see how they go, but to be honest, your best bet is to read all of the latest reviews of tyres in the nearest size to yours and then take an 'Educated Punt'..

The feedback from the guys on here will be interesting and provide you with more information, but your decision has to be yours.

Let us know what you plump for.

I agree entirely and that is why I thought I would see if there might be a concensus !

As stated I am generally a gentle, careful driver and am really looking for a good, all-round tyre with decent wear rate that doesn't go too high on cost (being a pensioner and all that !!). I do like to give it the odd blast and the bit of motorway stuff I do is usually 75-80 mph.

Will report on final decision asap.

Cheers mate

 

[mike foster]

Why are the Falken 452 getting a bad rep? Iv used them for years on most my cars. Awesome tyre, good wear, grip and not to mention price. £80 per corner on 18", yes please

Must admit I thought I had read decent reports of them before ! £103 fitted is the lowest so far.

 

[mx_rab]

Must admit I thought I had read decent reports of them before ! £103 fitted is the lowest so far.

Thats quite dear, i think the most expensive round my way was £87 a corner.

Im currently on Uniroyal Rainsport 2' and must say im liking them. Plus i know a guy so i got them for £95 a corner. It really all depends on what your driving style is. Im maximum mpg most of the time but once or twice a week i just give it beans, safe beans that is ha.

 

[mike foster]

Thats quite dear, i think the most expensive round my way was £87 a corner.

Im currently on Uniroyal Rainsport 2' and must say im liking them. Plus i know a guy so i got them for £95 a corner. It really all depends on what your driving style is. Im maximum mpg most of the time but once or twice a week i just give it beans, safe beans that is ha.

That £103 is the cheapest fitted price on any tyre I have looked at so far ! Maybe it's because I'm in Leeds area !! lol

I'm basically max mpg as well mate !

 

[mike foster]

Thats quite dear, i think the most expensive round my way was £87 a corner.

Im currently on Uniroyal Rainsport 2' and must say im liking them. Plus i know a guy so i got them for £95 a corner. It really all depends on what your driving style is. Im maximum mpg most of the time but once or twice a week i just give it beans, safe beans that is ha.

Just seen a 'special' price on these at Kwikfit - £110 each fitted etc. etc.

Does that sound a good price ?

 

[Shadowman]

Mike, take a look at the Camskill website ( Cheap Tyres Discount Tyres Buy Tyres Online & Japanese Import Car Parts Spares Tuning Performance Servicing Accessories )....they have the Falken 452's for £77 a corner in your size, along with many others as well.

They will have to be fitted and balanced by your local tyre dealer, but you will probably still save money....a load of us get our tyres from here, and they have a very good reputation with very quick and efficient delivery.

 

[mx_rab]

Just seen a 'special' price on these at Kwikfit - £110 each fitted etc. etc.

Does that sound a good price ?

Sounds like a good deal to me, considering Kwikfit usually sell them at around 140-160 each. Probably the cheapest you will find

 

[cloughy]

http://ssl.delti.com/cgi-bin/rshop....s=Ordern&typ=D-116074&ranzahl=4&nichtweiter=1

Just to give an idea- £102 for goodyears, my local fitter charges £10 a wheel cash for fitting and balancing

 

[mike foster]

Sounds like a good deal to me, considering Kwikfit usually sell them at around 140-160 each. Probably the cheapest you will find

Normal price £153 - so they say !!!!!!!

 

[Shadowman]

And the Uniroyal Rainsport 2's are £87 a corner at Camskill !

 

[mike foster]

Mike, take a look at the Camskill website ( Cheap Tyres Discount Tyres Buy Tyres Online & Japanese Import Car Parts Spares Tuning Performance Servicing Accessories )....they have the Falken 452's for £77 a corner in your size, along with many others as well.

They will have to be fitted and balanced by your local tyre dealer, but you will probably still save money....a load of us get our tyres from here, and they have a very good reputation with very quick and efficient delivery.

Thanks for that Shadowman - I'm actually on that site now. Only problem is I don't have a local tyre fitter (other than Kwikfit) to get them fitted !

 

[Shadowman]

Lots of places do mobile tyre fitting nowadays.....do a Google search for mobile tyre fitters and I reckon you'll find what you need,,,,,then just get the tyres delivered to your home and then get the mobile guy to fit them at a day and time that suits you

 

[mx_rab]

Usually about £10 a tyre to get them fitted. You can get them done at any local tyre fitters, even Kwikfit will do it for if you supply the tyres.

 

[mike foster]

And the Uniroyal Rainsport 2's are £87 a corner at Camskill !

Just looked at KwikFit again ( I know they're not flavour of the month on this forum !) but they have two types of Rainsport 2's

Rainsport 2 Y17 load index 94 reinforced at £110
Rainsport 2 W17 load index 91 (not reinforced) at £102

Haven't a clue which to go for ??

 

[Dandle]

Looking at (in no particular order):-

1. Dunlop SP Sportmaxx TT
2. Pirelli P6000
3. Goodyear Eagle F1 Assymetric
4. Falken FK452

Bit of an odd mix of tyres there. The P6000 is dire an absolutely lethal in the wet, people who know nothing about tyres seem to buy them because they are from a main brand. The F1 Asymmetric is a last generation tyre and been replaced by the Asymmetric 2, it was and still is a very good tyre winning many reviews but suffered with alot of wear. The Asymmetric 2 advances many of the originals pro points with much better wear characteristics. The Falken 452 is a mid range tyre and only seems to get a lot of praise when you start comparing it to other tyres in that price range. Cant really comment to much on the Sportmaxx its never been at the top of the reviews I've read and not been at the bottom either.

The Michelin Pilot Sport 2 you have on now is a really good tyre for both performance and life, it's been replaced now by the Pilot Super Sport (not the Pilot Sport 3 Like alot of people think) as the UHP tyre for Michelin. Any tyre from Michelin though seems to command a silly premium over the over premium brands. My personal choice for tyres at the moment would be the Asymmetric 2(have these on my BMW now) or the Continental Sport Contact 5 both of which have increased life over their predecessors while offering best in class performance if you ever actually need it.

If you look through these articles you'll get an idea of how the various different tyres have performed Tyre Articles | the online tyre guide

 

[Shadowman]

I think you will need the Y spec 94 load rating tyres, but look at the tyres you currently have fitted on the car or in the handbook or at the tyre pressure sticker inside the drivers door for the correct tyre details for your car....and make sure you get the same specification as a replacement or it can invalidate your insurance.

 

[Dandle]

Just looked at KwikFit again ( I know they're not flavour of the month on this forum !) but they have two types of Rainsport 2's

Rainsport 2 Y17 load index 94 reinforced at £110
Rainsport 2 W17 load index 91 (not reinforced) at £102

Haven't a clue which to go for ??

The W and the Y are the speed index for the tyre. I would imagine the A3 same as yours would need anything higher than a V but check your manual (you can go higher but not lower, unless using winter tyres). The 91 and 94 are the load index 91 will be fine on the A3 and 94 will make the tyre a little stiffer so harsher riding.

 

[mike foster]

Bit of an odd mix of tyres there. The P6000 is dire an absolutely lethal in the wet, people who know nothing about tyres seem to buy them because they are from a main brand. The F1 Asymmetric is a last generation tyre and been replaced by the Asymmetric 2, it was and still is a very good tyre winning many reviews but suffered with alot of wear. The Asymmetric 2 advances many of the originals pro points with much better wear characteristics. The Falken 452 is a mid range tyre and only seems to get a lot of praise when you start comparing it to other tyres in that price range. Cant really comment to much on the Sportmaxx its never been at the top of the reviews I've read and not been at the bottom either.

The Michelin Pilot Sport 2 you have on now is a really good tyre for both performance and life, it's been replaced now by the Pilot Super Sport (not the Pilot Sport 3 Like alot of people think) as the UHP tyre for Michelin. Any tyre from Michelin though seems to command a silly premium over the over premium brands. My personal choice for tyres at the moment would be the Asymmetric 2(have these on my BMW now) or the Continental Sport Contact 5 both of which have increased life over their predecessors while offering best in class performance if you ever actually need it.

If you look through these articles you'll get an idea of how the various different tyres have performed Tyre Articles | the online tyre guide

Thanks Dandle - the original mix of choices were just 'plucked' from various bits I had read !

Tending to lean towards Rainsport 2's which seem to have good reports and are reasonably priced. Do you have any experience of these ?

 

[mx_rab]

Just looked at KwikFit again ( I know they're not flavour of the month on this forum !) but they have two types of Rainsport 2's

Rainsport 2 Y17 load index 94 reinforced at £110
Rainsport 2 W17 load index 91 (not reinforced) at £102

Haven't a clue which to go for ??

Yeah one is extra load which being audi is usually the one you need. There was two types when i went in and they explained about extra load.

 

[Dandle]

Never used them but they are from Uniroyal which is one of Continental tyres European Midrange brands. Don't get confused with them being called the rain tyre. They aren't the best in the rain that was a slogan that they used before they were bought out and Conti have kept it on. They aren't focussed on rain performance its just a name. That said they get reasonable reviews although in that price range theres a tyre from Hankook called the V12 Evo which has one some of the tests over the most expensive UHP tyres from premium manufacturers. If that was the price bracket your looking at I would probably go for them.

Going to kwikfit your limiting you choices and being limited with price. Alot of the online websites offer delivery to a local tyre fitter and fitting as part of the package have you thought about trying some of them. mytyres, Blackcircles just to get you browsing.

 

[mike foster]

Just been out and checked current tyre ratings.

They are all 91 Y's

Would like to think I could stay within £110 per corner so will ask around for a few fitting prices .

Thanks everyone for massive response and valuable feedback and I'll let you know what I decide.

Cheers all !

 

[Dandle]

From having a quick look it seems that you can go from the Rainsport 2 to the Sportcontact 3 or the Asymmetric 2 for only an extra £5-6 per tyre. For that price it would be a no brainer for me not to fit the midrange tyre. Also seems that the tyre rating for you car is a 91V same as my wifes Seat Altea 2.0 but check your manual to be sure.

Let us know how you get on and good luck.

 

[mike foster]

From having a quick look it seems that you can go from the Rainsport 2 to the Sportcontact 3 or the Asymmetric 2 for only an extra £5-6 per tyre. For that price it would be a no brainer for me not to fit the midrange tyre. Also seems that the tyre rating for you car is a 91V same as my wifes Seat Altea 2.0 but check your manual to be sure.

Let us know how you get on and good luck.

Thanks again mate - I'll get back to you

 

[c_w]

Have Goodyear Asymmetric on my BMW, great wet or dry, quietish, and wearing really well.

 

[razza1]

Another shout on goodyears

 

[mike foster]

Just had a quick scout round - how does Goodyear Assy 2's at £112 fitted sound ?

£102 from mytyres.co.uk delivered and £10 fitted, balanced etc. incl disposal of old.

 

[razza1]

****** good, what size?

 

[razza1]

As for disposal of own, stick them on eBay, you'll get a few quid for them, got over 20 each for my old ones