Tyres

[birdmansa6]

I've done 17k miles and my tyres are down to 3mm at front and 4mm at rear.
So the question is do I replace with same as before Pirelli Pzero. 255.35.Y20 or go for a different make that's hopefully quitter and more MPG than the Pirellis. I have found these online. Dunlop SP Sport Maxx RT
255/35 R20 Y (97)
The Pirelli spec is E on fuel, B on rain and 73dB
The Dunlop is C on fuel, A on rain and 69dB.

Any of you thought on the above or indeed any other tyres you can recommend would be much appreciated.

Many thanks in advance.

[Mark 2805]

I am still in my B8 A4 tdi with Allroad on order for March delivery. In my A4 i have always used Continental Sport Contact. I do mainly motorway miles but am getting approx 30k to a set. They seem to wear really evenly so always replace 4 at a time. Cost about £165 a corner for 245.40.Y18. Although your will be more expensive due to size to get almost double the mileage should be ideal.

[john2107]

Have always switched to Vredestein Sessantas on my last two Audi's once the original Pirellis have worn. Nothing but praise for them. Am running on OEM Pirellis on my latest A6 but can't wait to get rid of them. Vredesteins much quieter in my experience and the set on my previous A6 had done 32k when I traded it in.

[neilos100]

You'll get a lot of different answers to this thread.....everyone has their own favourite tyre...end of the day you have three choices....

1. Budget. Like Nankang, Linglong or Kingdong. Don't bother with any of these...rubbish tyres at rock-bottom prices.

2.Mid- Range. Brands such as Hankook, Barum, Kumho. Some of these can actually be very good indeed and you dont have to pay the price of premiums. Some however are not so good (Marangoni). Often the brands are owned by larger companies e.g. Barum is owned by Continental...its what I have on my A6 Avant.

3. Premium. Michelin, Pirelli, Continental etc. The most expensive of tyres but some would argue the best. Tend to have the latest tread pattern and rubber compound and its this research youre paying your money for.

Good luck with the search....only you can decide what is right for you but I would urge you to stay well clear of the first paragraph above!

Neil

[JimC64]

You'll get a lot of different answers to this thread.....everyone has their own favourite tyre...end of the day you have three choices....

1. Budget. Like Nankang, Linglong or Kingdong. Don't bother with any of these...rubbish tyres at rock-bottom prices.

2.Mid- Range. Brands such as Hankook, Barum, Kumho. Some of these can actually be very good indeed and you dont have to pay the price of premiums. Some however are not so good (Marangoni). Often the brands are owned by larger companies e.g. Barum is owned by Continental...its what I have on my A6 Avant.

3. Premium. Michelin, Pirelli, Continental etc. The most expensive of tyres but some would argue the best. Tend to have the latest tread pattern and rubber compound and its this research youre paying your money for.

Good luck with the search....only you can decide what is right for you but I would urge you to stay well clear of the first paragraph above!

Neil

+1 from me on all of the above

I've done over a million miles on Pirelli's, Continentals and Bridgestones and have always found them to be great tyres, but like all premium products you will pay a premium price.

Currently my A6, my wifes Passat and sons X type, Vauxhall Vectra all running Barum Bravuris 2 as made by Continental but at half the price.

Tyres are a hotbed for discussions / arguements as are oils / fuels etc etc

Its your car, your money, your safety and ultimately your choice.

Good luck whatever you decide to go for.

[Wuffles]

Slight thread hijack but does anyone have experience of these?

http://www.blackcircles.com/catalogue/hankook/ventus-v12-evo/255/40/R19/Y/100/f?returnurl=%2forder%2ftyres%3f&tyre=19338238


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[ti rich]

I started with the Pirelli's from new. Moved to the Dunlop and now have Michelins on.

To be honest the Pirelli's were the best so far. The Dunlops lasted about 30-40% less miles than the Pirelli's. The Michelins will probably out last both BUT the amount of grip has gone down for sure especially in the wet. The car also feels even more vague on the Michelins - in fact i keep checking to see if i have a puncture. This is strange as i am generally a Michelin fan!

Remember that when switching from a worn tyre to a new one the MPG will be worse as you have an increased rotational mass.

[neilos100]

Slight thread hijack but does anyone have experience of these?

http://www.blackcircles.com/catalogue/hankook/ventus-v12-evo/255/40/R19/Y/100/f?returnurl=%2forder%2ftyres%3f&tyre=19338238


Sent from my KFSOWI using Tapatalk
Yes...had them on my previous car, a Citroen C4 Grand Picasso and thought they were actually very good indeed.
Neil

[zollaf]

there is only one choice for me and thats an avon. i am on the ice tourings at the moment, what with it being winter and all that, and in the summer run zv5's. ok, they don't last as long as some but boy do they grip, especially in the wet. a few of my customers have gone over to them and all love them.

[Wuffles]

Yes...had them on my previous car, a Citroen C4 Grand Picasso and thought they were actually very good indeed.
Neil

Cheers, am interested as blackcircles have them quite cheap but they're rated quite highly by previous purchasers.

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[johnsimcox]

I have used Event Tyres (Cheap Tyres Online | Professional Mobile Tyre Fitting | Event Mobile Tyres (http://event-tyres.co.uk)) regularly over the past few years and cannot fault them in terms of price or quality of service. They seem to be slightly cheaper than Black Circles for the Hankooks

[Wuffles]

Cheers John, I'll give them a try.

[birdmansa6]

I have used Event Tyres (Cheap Tyres Online | Professional Mobile Tyre Fitting | Event Mobile Tyres (http://event-tyres.co.uk)) regularly over the past few years and cannot fault them in terms of price or quality of service. They seem to be slightly cheaper than Black Circles for the Hankooks

I've checked out quite a few sites now. I think Event tyres seems to be leading on price. They rate their tyres at a lower spec than other suppliers. I am undecided between the Dunlops and the Vledestien or whatever they are called. I ll give them a call in the next few weeks and see what they would recommend.

Many thanks for all that contributed it was all very helpful.

[Guest 2]

Remember to try your local independent fitter as they're usually cheaper than a big national outfit.

[Cockney Boy]

Black Circle is always a good start to barter with as the larger dealers tend to screw you over

[Mike41]

I'm sure I'm naive but why are the budget tyres dismissed as rubbish? If you have a higher specced engine and are thus interested in performance, handling, cornering characteristics then maybe it makes sense to have a better tyre?

I drive the humble 2.0 and drive it for carefully for fuel economy so what would I gain by buying a better specced tyre ?

[Guest 2]

I'm sure I'm naive but why are the budget tyres dismissed as rubbish? If you have a higher specced engine and are thus interested in performance, handling, cornering characteristics then maybe it makes sense to have a better tyre?

I drive the humble 2.0 and drive it for carefully for fuel economy so what would I gain by buying a better specced tyre ?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2c9Ry0JfMw

[zollaf]

says it all really, being cheap can be the difference between life or death. if that life or death is someone close to you, you are going to pray the person responsible wasn't being cheap.

[Mike41]

I'm afraid I'm not convinced although thanks for the link it was interesting to view.
However, the clip was bordering on an advertisement - it certainly wasn't independent.
Assuming that there is some truth in it, I still don't buy the argument that not getting the very best makes you a wicked person who should never take to the roads. That would imply anyone who didn't have full racing seats and wore (and insisted their family) wore crash helmets etc was also being a cheapskate. In fact nobody should be allowed to drive at all.

H&S gone mad again I reckon.
Bring back this chap I say !
Fred Dibnah How to remove the top of a chimney stack - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezX_o0H5FuE)

[zollaf]

you are totally missing the point there mike. very few tests have been done on these cheap chinese tyres, and there lies the problem. the link above is continental comparing two almost identical tyres, one made properly and one just made, somewhere in the far east. problem is, there are many different cheap tyres and they really are just made and in no way developed. how they grip is of no concern to the maker, just the money they get for making them. if you buy tyres, buy something you have heard of and read some reviews first. there are plenty of budget tyres that are up to the job. sure, they will never be as good as a top brand, but they will be a lot better than some cheap chinese knock off. some premium tyres sell their tyres under different names, and these are good for a budget tyre, like a SAVA, but not as cheap as a daiyung ditchfinder. your money, your choice, i hope you make the right one and don't end up a statsistic as i nearly did when a customers car nearly threw me off the road when the back end stepped out under braking. cheap dangerous tyre on one corner, a few months later the owner smashed it up when the same tyre let go.

[johnsimcox]

I'm afraid I'm not convinced although thanks for the link it was interesting to view.
However, the clip was bordering on an advertisement - it certainly wasn't independent.
Assuming that there is some truth in it, I still don't buy the argument that not getting the very best makes you a wicked person who should never take to the roads. That would imply anyone who didn't have full racing seats and wore (and insisted their family) wore crash helmets etc was also being a cheapskate. In fact nobody should be allowed to drive at all.

H&S gone mad again I reckon.
Bring back this chap I say !
Fred Dibnah How to remove the top of a chimney stack - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezX_o0H5FuE)
The only thing that connect your car to the road is four small contact areas and I would want to be sure that I had the best tools to ensure that those contact areas behave in the safest way possible. Premium car manufacturers design the suspension and steering components of their cars using premium tyres and to move away from those could affect many ways in which the car behaves and in some cases that could be fatal. I hate spending money unnecessarily, however I can never understand why someone is prepared to spend £30k or more on a car and then worry about spending a comparatively small amount on keeping the car safe on the road. I appreciate that not all cheap tyres are the same and some as has been pointed out are simply rebranded tyres from the premium vendors but lack the huge marketing spend behind them. I wonder how an insurance company would react if a car with cheap tyres has an accident attributed to the type of tyre fitted. Would this be seen as a material change in the specification of the car that they had not been informed about and deny the claim. It was only a couple of years ago that insurance companies were trying to avoid claims or increase premiums because the owner had fitted winter tyres which had actually made the car safer.

[Wuffles]

Where do people see brands such as the Hankook I posted in a link before?

Unimpressed with the standard offering of Pirelli on the A6 we have, pull away grip and noise being my primary gripes but don't really want to end up in a worse situation just to have saved a couple of quid.

[A6ian]

One of my favorites is Vredestein ultrac Sessantas, deffinatelly better for both wet grip and life than the pirelli P zeros I had on my X type. I will look at them when I need some for the A6.

Also, Camskill are worth a look for supply. Then take them to Hi Q for fitting at between £10 and £20 a piece. I found my local Hi Q seem to care a about the rims. Black Circles were good as a company but their fitting centers were a bit hit and miss, I had some trouble with rim leaks and damage etc, one refused to fit 19" 235/30s to the sons VXR.

[john2107]

Another vote for Vredestein Sessantas. As I said previously, I have had them on two other Audis. Far quieter than Pirellis, long lasting and sensibly priced.

[neilos100]

Where do people see brands such as the Hankook I posted in a link before?

Unimpressed with the standard offering of Pirelli on the A6 we have, pull away grip and noise being my primary gripes but don't really want to end up in a worse situation just to have saved a couple of quid.

I was impressed with the Hankooks....excellent grip in all weathers and quieter than the Michelins on previously. They lasted well also .....I would definitely use them again.
Neil

Sent from my phone...

[MarkTM]

There's no harm in also looking on places like Ebay if you want top tier tyres at a lower price.

I bought 4 x Michelin Pilot Super Sports in 245/45/18 XL for £480 from a guy that bought them for his Renault 6 months earlier, when it came time to fit he found they were the wrong size. Still had the stickers on and he gave me the receipt he'd paid £800

Michelin Pilot Super Sport | the Michelin Pilot Super Sport reviewed and rated | the online tyre guide (http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Michelin/Pilot-Super-Sport.htm)

4 x audi reviews one of them mine.

[Kar Krazy]

Cheap tyres take longer to stop your car, making you more likely to have a collision if someone pulls out in front of you.

They also make your car less likely to follow your inputs to the steering wheel, again making you more likely to have a collision if someone pulls out in front of you.

It's not about having a high-performance car, it's about the weight of the car and the ability of those four tiny patches of tread to apply enough force to stop that weight or change its direction.

You have to work out what price you put on the safety of yourself and your loved ones. And if keeping your car undamaged is worth the difference in price between rubbish tyres and good ones.

I had Vredestein Ultrac Sessantas and swore by them because they are great in wet or dry, but they lost grip in the snow in stop-go traffic up a steep hill.

Now I run Goodyear Assymetric 2 and they are brilliant. I had one slight slide on slush on top of ice trying to stop downhill, but any summer tyre is going to do that.

[CeeTee]

I've just replaced two p zero's with another two after much deliberation and comparison between different brands. I was also trying to weigh up all of the different factors and decided to stick with what was originally fitted after 36,000 kms on the fronts I think that the life was good enough so that was that box ticked. Yes I got some wheel spin in wet or loose conditions but only near the end of their life but when I switched the fronts and the rears around when they were really low it was like driving a new car again which is where I put the new ones. They have never let me down under hard braking which is when you find out the real value of your tyres and is not something that is rated for some strange reason? Everybody seems to be only interested in economy, noise, which I can live with as the differences are minimal, and wet weather grip, what is the point of driving fast in the wet anyway. Do not penny pinch on probably the most important pieces of safety equipment on your car as even a low speed collision can cost you thousands in repair bills in body shops and paint shops.

[Needmorepower]

I'm sure I'm naive but why are the budget tyres dismissed as rubbish? If you have a higher specced engine and are thus interested in performance, handling, cornering characteristics then maybe it makes sense to have a better tyre?

I drive the humble 2.0 and drive it for carefully for fuel economy so what would I gain by buying a better specced tyre ?


I too drive the humble 2.0 and definitely go for economy (Christmas short trips saw that drop to 40 from 46 combined... boo!!) but I would always stress getting the best tyres you can. Always.
Our near 2 tonne beasts only have four contact patches with the road and total area they touch tarmac is equivalent to circa 1 sheet of A4. You entrust your life to this one sheet of paper being able to stop and turn when needed. Only sensible thing is to go for the best you can!


For what it's worth I started on OEM Bridgestones and moved to Michelin Pilot Cups Sport 2s (19" wheels). MPCS been much grippier, slightly quieter and slighty more economical. However, they haven't been quite as surefooted in the recent rain which does put me off more than a tad. Might try a third option when these run down in the near future

[michaelsanderso]

I had P Zero's on an Insignia VXR which was packing 350bhp, 435nm of torque, 1.7 tonne, and 20" wheels. They were good, if a little noisy, but I could still slide it round corners without much effort. I swapped onto Dunlop Sport Maxx RT after I couldn't get hold of anything else in time to stay legal, and never looked back. Quieter, and stuck like glue.

[a8toa6convert]

Sportmaxx RT's are great for grip and (lack of noise) but may not last very long. Have run them on a 4.2 A8 and a 535d and they were up to the job.

[ScottyA6]

Agreed, had Sportmaxx's on my XF Diesel S Jag and they were great tyres, quieter than the Goodyears on the A6, excellent in the wet and long lasting. Can't really compare grip as the A6 is Quattro so it's a hopelessly unfair competition. Couldn't agree more on the point about buying the best tyres you can, would anyone here buy cut price brake pads or disks? You can't spend the saving when you're dead.

[k6rff]

I had Vre
I had Vredestein Ultrac Cento's on my recently departed 170 PS TT Quattro. Best tyres I ever owned. Their Snotracs win plenty of awards too. I'm currently on the oem supplied Bridgestone Turanza. I'm not nearly as happy with them and I cannot wait for an excuse to swap. I shall probably stick the part worn cases on eBay which is what I did on the TT. The transformation was stunning.
vredestein are a smaller Dutch manufacturer but appear to make a highly respected product that you frequently see on high performing vehicles.

[Wuffles]

I had Vre
I had Vredestein Ultrac Cento's on my recently departed 170 PS TT Quattro. Best tyres I ever owned. Their Snotracs win plenty of awards too. I'm currently on the oem supplied Bridgestone Turanza. I'm not nearly as happy with them and I cannot wait for an excuse to swap. I shall probably stick the part worn cases on eBay which is what I did on the TT. The transformation was stunning.
vredestein are a smaller Dutch manufacturer but appear to make a highly respected product that you frequently see on high performing vehicles.

Did they wear well fella? I'd hate to go for something that people recommend only to find they are as soft as old Avons and whilst grippy, only last a few thousand miles.

[k6rff]

Had 19k on them and were just past half worn when I px'd the TT. I drive primarily motorway but was generally a little heavy footed. A couple of long fast bends near home in the 100 -120 region and they were on Quattro. Cannot comment on snow as I had winter tyres (Dunlop winter sport) for the very cold weather

[Wuffles]

Had 19k on them and were just past half worn when I px'd the TT. I drive primarily motorway but was generally a little heavy footed. A couple of long fast bends near home in the 100 -120 region and they were on Quattro. Cannot comment on snow as I had winter tyres (Dunlop winter sport) for the very cold weather

Right on, cheers fella.

[BigAid]

I had a 2.0ltr 57' C6s S-Line and 2.0ltr 09' SE (Eco engine) on 18"s and they got 18-20k out of the fronts and 40k (usually puncture actually) out of the rears with Michelin Pilot Sport 2s then 3s. I'd have done 100k plus across both cars from 07-11.

I switched to a C7 3.0ltr Quattro with Sports Diff on 20" Rotors and it was a huge shock to only get 18k front and 16k rears on Pirelli's.

I've tried switching to Michelin Pilot Super Sports (£265 a corner was the best price I've had £1,060 for a set - ASDAtyres would have done them for £996 for a set but I couldn't wait 3days with a 20" space saver on given that I had to do 200+ mile trip).

But they give about the same as the Pirelli's.

Not sure if just the Quattro would have the same wear pattern front v rear as the Quattro with Sports Diff but been a shock to say the least.

It is beautiful to drive though.

[Wuffles]

Oh hello Asda tyres, I haven't seen them before. I should pay more attention.

So, reviews reviews. VREDESTEIN ULTRAC SESSANTA seem to have a good rep until you read a review of someone or other killing them in under 10k and feeling pretty narked about it. Whereas everyone is bragging about the grip on various other forums, no-one seems to dispute that fact each time it crops up. Only tyrereviews.co.uk seem to rate them for everything. Also, only people flogging 255/40/19 are Event tyres, who will only fit at my missus' workplace. They don't come to the wilds of Somerset.

Asda Tyres do have the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 which also have excellent reviews too. Anyone real world experience of both? Or either? In those sizes, as the high wearers are on much smaller rubber and perhaps that's why.

I need a hobby.

[Tripletrouble]

Try Tyre Leader. Based in Germany but the price includes courier delivery. Oh and BTW, I looked at Asda tyre prices, did a quick Google and found the same Goodyear tyre £30 cheaper!
They quote £121 for the Vredestein Ultrac, delivered.

[Wuffles]

Deeper and deeper. Never paid this much attention to tyres.

Cheers.

[Wuffles]

So, thanks to that bit of info, 4 x Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 in 255/40 R19 100Y come to a quite remarkable £520ish delivered.

[Sauron]

Now that's a good price! I've used Camskill often in the past and have found them very competitive on price but they are currently £163.90 plus£2.99 per tyre delivery for the Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2; an extra £11 a corner.

[Wuffles]

So, thanks to that bit of info, 4 x Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 in 255/40 R19 100Y come to a quite remarkable £520ish delivered.

Read it wrong. That's without TAX. I (wrongly) assumed this was the Euro price and the GBP price was below. Will try Camskill now and see.

[Sauron]

I didn't notice that price was without tax either. If this is the case then Camskill are back in pole position.

[Wuffles]

Not entirely. At that price Tyre Leader are £154.59 per tyre delivered. Unless I was missing something on camskill?

[Sauron]

Wuffles

no you're not missing anything but I misunderstood your comment regarding TAX. I thought you were implying that the £154.59 price was without VAT, in which case Camskill would have been the cheaper option. If this price is with VAT (slightly cheaper than the other day) then they are just over £12 a corner cheaper - good price and hard to beat I would have thought!

[Wuffles]

I'm glad as I'd just pressed "buy" and was instantly worried :o

[Sauron]

Wuffles

let us know how long delivery takes for future reference.

[Wuffles]

Wuffles

let us know how long delivery takes for future reference.

They're here. Arrived via DPD, they were in Holland last night so was expecting a DPD type text msg today offering delivery sometime Monday.

Why is it tyres always look massive when they're not on the wheels?

Also, forgot to say, don't forget to use a credit card that doesn't charge for foreign transactions as that'll be a factor otherwise. I don't know yet, but I suspected they'd charge in Euros so I used a Nationwide credit card as they don't charge.

[Sauron]

Wuffles

Thanks for the info, so 3 days delivery as advertised which is good, I'd be interested to know whether you were charged in Euros or pounds though once you find out. And good call on using a credit card that doesn't charge for foreign transactions.

Agree with the comment regarding looking bigger off the car, mind you 4 tyres in the car was always going to require the rear seats folded.

Some feedback on the tyres once they're on would also be useful; I've got the Asymmetric 1's as OEM and find them good but reviews indicate the Asymmetric 2's are even better.

[Tripletrouble]

You pay in £ so no currency charge and there is no charge on my card for a foreign transaction.

[Wuffles]

Bummer, could have got a handful of John Lewis points.

[Sauron]

Wuffles

If the charge is in £ then not sure how they could add a foreign transaction fee but useful to know. As per earlier, please let is know what you think of the tyres once able.

[Wuffles]

Wuffles

If the charge is in £ then not sure how they could add a foreign transaction fee but useful to know. As per earlier, please let is know what you think of the tyres once able.

I was just assuming it would be as it was all a bit Euroy, makes no odds either way, was just in case.

I won't be able to tell you a thing about the tyres, my Wife uses the car and she's no tyre reviewer. All I can say is they were cheap, arrived on time, and look the part.

[Sauron]

Understand on the review of the tyres but at least the service was good and as advertised.

[Wuffles]

Understand on the review of the tyres but at least the service was good and as advertised.

Spirited drive up through Cheddar Gorge this morning nice and early leads me to believe the tyres are fine. I'm alive at least. I think they're noticeably quieter than the Pirellis that were on there before, but then the EU approved rating numbers suggested they would be anyway.

[Sauron]

Wuffles

Good feedback and your comment regarding the Pirellis support other comments elsewhere that they tend to be a bit noisier; I think that that the price/performance point is such that they will certainly be worth considering when I come to replace.

[szladob]

Many thanks for the website suggestions; I have looked at so many, but didn't find Camskills. Just out of curiosity, what was the date stamp on the tyres (recent enough)?

[Wuffles]

If that was to me, I have absolutely no idea, sorry.

[szladob]

There is usually a 4 digit number on the side of the tyre (e.g. 3513 - 35th weeks in 2013)... Some companies are selling old stock, which is why it is better price... If one drives lots, it doesn't matter, but with lower annual miles, having a "brand new" but 1-2 year old tyre takes away valuable life from the tyre (before it starts cracking...).. Cheers, Balazs

[Wuffles]

Found a 2313 in the rain. I don't know if that's old in "tyre" years, but I can't imagine they don't sit around for a while waiting for the right customer, like most of the toys in the books my 3 year old demands I read her.

[szladob]

Thanks, didn't mean to send you out into the rain... :( I think half a year old tyre is OK.... My recent order of winter tyres were 4413, so late 2013...

[birdmansa6]

Hi finally went with the Dunlops sport maxx rt. as I had a puncture and needed tyres super quick.
I got them from Asda tyres, they were the cheapest and quickest for install. Next day in fact. Just had a look at the code and it says 3613. So far impressed with these.
Just one thing to mention it's probably best to get the balancing weights yourself and clean the wheel before the new tyres as there is a few scratches on mine now. You live and learn.
By the way they where fitted by Halfords Auto centre.

[Passatier3]

Thanks, didn't mean to send you out into the rain... :( I think half a year old tyre is OK.... My recent order of winter tyres were 4413, so late 2013...

My original tyres are older than that already! :D