What tyres to get to replace Goodyear Eagle F1 ?

[jangles]

For the past 21 months, I've had four Goodyear Eagle F1 235/40 R18 95Y on my A4 SLine, all bought new and fitted at the same time. My car had its MOT today (passed!) and I noted the mileage: 128,626. When I bought the F1s, the car had covered 102,334 meaning this set of tyres has done 26,292 miles. I reckon that's not bad at all.

Today's MOT showed that both front tyres are not far off the legal minimum while the two rears still have a good 4mm of tread depth. So I'm thinking of replacing the front tyres for now, swapping position with the still-good rears, ie, fit the new tyres at the rear and move the current rears to the front.

As my experience with the F1s has been really good, I'm inclined to replace them with the same tyre. But I noticed Goodyear now has the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2, a successor to the original F1. So here are my questions:

1. The F1 2 (http://www.goodyear.eu/uk_en/tires/p...-asymmetric-2/) looks very similar to the current F1. Would it be ok to fit two of these while the other two are the still-good F1 originals? I assume both on the same axle is not a problem.

2. What alternative brands would you suggest? I hear good things about Falken and Hankook. The F1s are pricey although I'm seeing online prices ranging from close to the recommended £165 per tyre or so if I go to the likes of National or Kwik Fit, to as low as £90 from an online dealer.

Thanks for your help.

[jangles]

Doing a bit more online reserach, I came across Nexen N8000 Nexen N8000 | the Nexen N8000 reviewed and rated - TyreReviews. Keen pricing, about a third less at RRP than the F1 2s. Worth considering?

[jdp1962]

I've just recently put a set of Dunlop Sport Maxx RTs on my quattro. Best tyres I've found in years. I always rated the Falkens I had on before, but these are much better still. I paid £552 for a set of four 235/40/18s, fitted.

[jangles]

I looked at the Dunlops originally but went with the Goodyears in the end. I think it was a better discounted price that clinched it.

[jangles]

Today was the day for new tyres! After quite a bit of online research and considering a wide range of brands -from premiums like Goodyear, Dunlop, Continental and Michelin to mid/budgets like Nexen, Arrowspeed, Capitol and Roadstone - I decided to stick with the Goodyear F1 Eagles.

A close examination of the current tyres showed tread depth on both fronts at less than 2mm while the two rears had a bit over 6mm (not 4mm that I mentioned earlier). I'm really impressed with that: after more than 26,000 miles, the rear tyres still had that amount of tread depth.

So 2 new F1 Asymmetric 2s purchased to replace the two front tyres; then, those new tyres put on the rear and the two 6mm rears put on the front. All for £267 at a local garage I've used before. I went and spoke to them yesterday; they ordered the tyres which arrived today, and they fitted them today. Terrific service.

No one could match that total price, certainly not the big tyre retailers like Kwik Fit and National (both of those were close to the so-called RRP of £190 per tyre although KF would do them for £152 each if ordered and paid upfront on their website, and charge 7 quid per tyre to swap them around), nor the likes of Blackcircles, Mytyres or TyreLeader who had much better prices for the tyres but you then had to add on costs for fitting, balancing, valves, old tyre disposal.

What a market it is with huge margins: you really have to pay close attention to understand exactly what it is you actually get for a particular price. And how do you calculate the value of terrific service? Or crap service if you get really unlucky?

In all, I'm very pleased with the end result. Based on the mileage I've got out of the set of F1s I bought in 2012, I reckon I'll have at least another year on those 6mm wheels. Yes, I'm pretty impressed with the Goodyear brand.

[JLBmatic]

Nice review - thanks..
I work in Wokingham (Molly Millars lane, where else!) - could you let me know the garage please for future reference?? Many thanks and glad you got good service

[jangles]

Hello neighbour

The garage is the Wokingham MOT and Service Centre on the Reading Road in Emmbrook. Right behind Kwik Fit and just after the Woosehill roundabout as you come out of Wokingham.

Good people there. Ask for Craig.

[JLBmatic]

Great - many thanks

[zollaf]

everyone raves about buying tyres online, but local is often better. glad you went for the fi's, a budget like the nexen is ok but you would find yourself trying to wear them out. i had some nexens on mine when i bought it and it was a relief when they wore out and i could go back to avons. i like avons, they wear out faster but grip like sugar.