Uniroyal Rainsport 3 -Verdict?

[All that jazz]

NiceCupOfTea said:

I know the rears will always wear more on a RWD car but my old MX-5 got much better mileage from sticky Toyo T1-Rs and also GoodYear F1 GSD3s. I know the BMW is heavier and more powerful, but it's no M3. Seems a very poor tyre life. Never had anything nearly so bad, even on heavy FWD turbo barges...

Don't get Conti SC5s as a replacement then because the wear rate on them is just as bad yet they cost about £40 more per tyre than the RS3s !

[Deerfoot]

NiceCupOfTea said:

Can we talk about the wear rate of RainSport 3s?

I had a set on my old Accord Tourer diesel auto, the fronts were shot in around 10,000 miles. This was mainly steady A road stuff. It was a reasonably heavy car but the Goodyears I had on it previously were still legal after 12,000 miles.

A good tyre but they wear too quickly.

[cliorob]

Kozy said:

RainSport 2 wasn't.

We get RainExpert. The rain tyre for your grans car.

Don't get me wrong, they're very good in the wet, but they are not a sports tyre. Mine are pretty much dead inside of 5000 miles, they just cannot handle abuse at all.

I've been running these on my van recently - completely agree regarding the abuse! Bring on the bouncy castle 65 Profiles.

[poing]

I also think they wear too fast, Conti SC3 (I think, might have been SC5) lasted about 18,000 miles, RS3 lasted 12,000 miles. Can't be bothered doing the sums to see if that's equal in £/mile but the Conti's aren't considered great for wear but they performed slightly better on the road. I've currently got Conti's on the car and will be replacing them with the same.

Replaced them with Vredestein but sadly the car went before the tyres, thinking about it I always seem to get rid of cars shortly after putting Vredestein on them!

[burritoNinja]

I've been running RS 3's for several months now and love them. I notice a huge difference in wet grip. They are great. No idea what tyres our new car will come up from dealership but thinking I will put RS 3's on the new car.

[a7x88]

Argh - I've done a set of Conti Sport Contact 5's in under 10k miles was hoping something like these would provide a cheaper alternative.

Got to way up between eagle F1's which I've had before on a different car and was impressed with or spend the extra £20 per corner for Pilot super Sports which are supposed to wear well

[NiceCupOfTea]

They are cheap though - 4x 225/50 r16s are £245 delivered from camskill

[All that jazz]

NiceCupOfTea said:

They are cheap though - 4x 225/50 r16s are £245 delivered from camskill

Yes, the Rain Sports in general are a very good tyre for the price even when you factor in the disappointing wear rate of the RS3s. I would fit them on a snotter for sure but they're too squidgy for anything sporty even with the XL rated ones.

[IanMorewood]

Wife's Fiat Bravo did about 15k on the rainsports until they where only fit for scrap, little or no motorway in that mostly fast A roads with lots of bendy bits.

[themanwithnoname]

All that jazz said:

Yes, the Rain Sports in general are a very good tyre for the price even when you factor in the disappointing wear rate of the RS3s. I would fit them on a snotter for sure but they're too squidgy for anything sporty even with the XL rated ones.

What on earth are you driving? They are absolutely superb on my Forester STI with well over 300bhp. Not "squidgy" in the slightest.

[Wills2]

hornetrider said:

Just swapped my winters on, and my two rear Rainsport 3s are kaput. Got 11k out of them, which is not bad.

11k? I think that's utterly dreadful I got over 26k from my MPSS.

[battered]

At £35 a corner and £5 each fitting to my MX-5 I can afford to replace them after 11k.

[jon-]

As the saying goes...

Wet grip
Low wear
Cheap price

Pick 2.

[a7x88]

jon- said:

As the saying goes...

Wet grip
Low wear
Cheap price

Pick 2.

My Sport Contact 5's picked one and it wasn't low wear or cheap price...

[Oilchange]

...there are too many variables to comment on this but if they are cheap enough and give the best wet grip - bar none - then they are a winner in my book.

Wills2 said:

11k? I think that's utterly dreadful I got over 26k from my MPSS.

[abbotsmike]

Waayyyy softer than RS2's. Couldn't give an exact mileage, but they do wear quickly. I've moved over to hankook ventus v12's all round and have found them to be very good.

[NiceCupOfTea]

jon- said:

As the saying goes...

Wet grip
Low wear
Cheap price

Pick 2.

Totally agree - was just shocked that I got 8k miles of normal driving from a pair. There's high wear and high wear!

[carmadgaz]

Had a set of Rain Experts on my Rover 45 and found them to be brilliant tyres so when I needed new fronts on the MX-5 I asked for a set of Uniroyals again. Ended up with RS3s and I will certainly be putting a pair on the back when they need doing. Very happy with them.

[Matt_N]

It's funny how some threads pop up at the right time.

I'm considering these for my E46 330i, but some of the wear rate suggestions are putting me off as it's a fairly heavy car but at £260 for 2x 225/40/18 and 2x 255/35/15 they are a very good price, looking at around double that for the recommended Michelin Pilot Sport.

I have Vredestein fitted at present.

[NiceCupOfTea]

Well I have just ordered a new set so it hasn't put me off!

However, I was in my wife's Qashqai today and I thought it was falling apart until I realised the appalling hum/roar was the tyres It is on Uniroyal RainExpert SUV. The fronts are part worn, one on 3-4mm, one little more due to an unexpected puncture. It really is awful. Might end up changing them for something else...