i ran goodyear eagle f1's on my previous car (Mk3 GTI) for most of its life, over 10 years.
any tyre wont last a dime if you rag it in and out of corners and take off from the lights like a jet fighter.
the f1's ran for around 25,000 miles (rotated at least once) and the grip in damp, wet and monsoon conditions was amazing, dry grip was as good as any other tyre.
bridgestones i hated, no grip in the dry
dunlops ok, not the best in the wet but still ok
pirellis were hard and therefore not very grippy when pushed, still a good choice.
never used any other tyre on any of my cars...
... my a4 due a pair of 235/40 18" boots and im most likely going to get the f1's. ive seen them somewhere for £149ea valve and fitted, hi-q sell them at £155 at the moment, a few blaggers reckon they can get them for a ton each, but im still waiting.