Bloody Tyre Reviews. I'll be down to the wires.........

Bloody Tyre Reviews. I'll be down to the wires.........

Author
Discussion

Tannedbaldhead

Original Poster:

2,952 posts

131 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
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..........before I make up my mind.

Both front tyres on my car are just off illegal. Am looking for 2 new tyres to put on the rear then intend to scrub off the fronts post haste and replace them with the same make. Result, 4 nonrunflats, all the same make and a happy TBH.

Am looking through the tyre reviews on various car and tyre forums. Just as I get to like what I'm reading about a particular tyre some bugger always comes along and says, usually in caps lock, "DON'T BUY THESE.... NOT JUST CRAP BUT DANGEROUSLY CRAP. I FEARED FOR MY LIFE TO SUCH AN EXTENT I GOT RID OF AFTER ONLY 3000 MILES" or words to that effect. Am torn between Kumho Ecsta KU39s, Hankook Ventus V12 Evos, Continental Sport Contacts and Pirelli P Zero Neros. All have different pros and cons all have their online fans and vitriolic haters.

In the old days I swanned into Kwikfit asked "what you got?" and bought one of the in-stock tyres whos brand name I recognised rather than one that sounds tasty with fried rice. Never seemed to have a problem. Now, thanks to the Internet, picking a tyre is an agonising proposition for those of us of an indecisive nature.

My dread is that I pick a tyre when another is grippier, longer lasting, quieter, smoother riding, less likely to aquaplane, provides better feedback, has a lower rolling resistance and provides all of the above when fitted to my car because just to complicate matters there are guys who post things like "this tyre was brilliant on my Cliosport but an out and out liability when I put them on my Leon Cupra" Aaaarrrrrrrrrggggghhhhhh!!!!!

Edited by Tannedbaldhead on Wednesday 23 April 19:26

Northernchimp

1,282 posts

131 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
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WHat car and what size?

Buff Mchugelarge

3,316 posts

149 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
quotequote all
Tannedbaldhead said:


In the old days I swanned into Kwikfit asked "what you got?" and bought one of the in-stock tyres whos brand name I recognised rather than one that sounds tasty with fried rice.
rofl

I'm in the same pedicament!
Online reviews are a real PITA, you often get completely conflicting reviews one after another.


I'm going for Nankang NS-2R's. They're cheap and most importantly they look nice.

Tannedbaldhead

Original Poster:

2,952 posts

131 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
quotequote all
Northernchimp said:
WHat car and what size?
Cooper S. 205/45 on 17inch rims.

Will be interesting to see if someone will say the best tyres are (insert fave tyre here) only to see two posts down that message in quotes and another poster saying "faaaaahkin' hell mate. You don't want them. Ditchfinders"

Centurion07

10,381 posts

246 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
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Unless you try each one back-to-back you'll never know which one is the best, so whichever ones you choose, they're the best.

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
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The Kumho's are a good mid range tyre in my experience. The chaps at my local tyre place use them on their own cars, which must tell you something..

HertsBiker

6,300 posts

270 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
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Totally agree

M3CS

341 posts

172 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
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I used to play this game, but have run the same same tyres for a while now.
If it'll accept Michelin Pilot Super Sports (they only fit fairly wide wheels) and you can afford them, BUY THEM. No better road tyre in my opinion. There's a Chris Harris video where he reviews the Ferarri GTO and describes them as having 'cup like grip'... so true. Yet they seem to last ages, resist punctures much better than Continentals I've had before (or maybe I was just unlucky with the Contis) and are good in the wet.

If you're buying mid range tyres, whatever you do don't buy Pirelli P6000s. Downright dangerous aged tyre design. Replacement P7 design okay. I've heard good things about Falken FK452s.

jamieduff1981

8,022 posts

139 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
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I'll leave this here:



P-Zero Nero. That one is 8,000 miles and 11 months old. I removed the front wheels having bought new wheel bearings because of noise. Both fronts had failed this way on the inside shoulders. They were always correctly inflated and alignment was spot on - you could peel the tread off the carcass. I'd previously had 3 other Neros fail with egg sized lumps in the sidewalls. Never again.

Buy the Continentals from your short list.

After much disappointment, I've settled on Goodyear Eagle F1 Assymmetric 2 for the TVR, Michelin Pilot Sport 3 for the X-Type and I've just today received Michelin Pilot Super Sports for the S-Type.

Edited by jamieduff1981 on Wednesday 23 April 19:36


Edited by jamieduff1981 on Wednesday 23 April 19:37

Fantuzzi

3,297 posts

145 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
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tyrereviews.co.uk, there's a website full of owner reviews and a load of magazine tests.

Mr2Mike

20,143 posts

254 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
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Tannedbaldhead said:
Am looking through the tyre reviews on various car and tyre forums. Just as I get to like what I'm reading about a particular tyre some bugger always comes along and says, usually in caps lock, "DON'T BUY THESE.... NOT JUST CRAP BUT DANGEROUSLY CRAP. I FEARED FOR MY LIFE TO SUCH AN EXTENT I GOT RID OF AFTER ONLY 3000 MILES" or words to that effect. Am torn between Kumho Ecsta KU39s, Hankook Ventus V12 Evos, Continental Sport Contacts and Pirelli P Zero Neros. All have different pros and cons all have their online fans and vitriolic haters.
I'd probably be heading towards the Conti's as I've had two sets on my car and they have been faultless, but they are all perfectly reasonable tyres and I doubt you'd be unhappy with any of them.

M3CS said:
If you're buying mid range tyres, whatever you do don't buy Pirelli P6000s. Downright dangerous aged tyre design. Replacement P7 design okay. I've heard good things about Falken FK452s.
The 452 was a reasonable mid-range tyre in it's time, but it's now an old design and has been superseded by the 453.

TimLambert7

642 posts

124 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
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Mr2Mike said:
Tannedbaldhead said:
Am looking through the tyre reviews on various car and tyre forums. Just as I get to like what I'm reading about a particular tyre some bugger always comes along and says, usually in caps lock, "DON'T BUY THESE.... NOT JUST CRAP BUT DANGEROUSLY CRAP. I FEARED FOR MY LIFE TO SUCH AN EXTENT I GOT RID OF AFTER ONLY 3000 MILES" or words to that effect. Am torn between Kumho Ecsta KU39s, Hankook Ventus V12 Evos, Continental Sport Contacts and Pirelli P Zero Neros. All have different pros and cons all have their online fans and vitriolic haters.
I'd probably be heading towards the Conti's as I've had two sets on my car and they have been faultless, but they are all perfectly reasonable tyres and I doubt you'd be unhappy with any of them.
I've got Continentals on my MX-5 and they're great. Really can't fault them.

Jawaman

271 posts

132 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
quotequote all
You must be my twin. The internet is ruining my life.

You know something is wrong when you spend days reading 200 reviews of a £10 USB stick before daring to pull the trigger....

You worry there might be one for £11 that is miles better, or one for £9 that is just as good.

Then I'll go throw £30 on takeaway without thinking about it

Sarge 4x4

2,371 posts

204 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
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Love talking about tyres. wink

Dan_1981

17,352 posts

198 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
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I had P Zero Neros on my Evo VIII for a while.

They were awful in the wet.

Couldn't push it hard enough in the dry to find out.

Turkey

380 posts

183 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
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Been through a similar mind blowing circle recently!

Those tyres have a different price bracket obviously, mid range to premium. Generally I have found grippy mid range tyres that are well regarded in the reviews tyres wear quickly (and I hope I'm right when I say those like linglon and wanli with the horrendous reputation are often longer lasting but can't achieve decent grip as well like a long lasting premium tyre could). I have no long term experience of premium tyres, but am switching to Michelin PS3s all round as I want to get say 18,000 miles+ from a set (just fitted to the front only for now, rear to follow soon), for convenience and overall cost (less number of tyres disposal fees, fitting fees and balancing etc. in the long run). My sums were that the Michelins could prove a little bit cheaper in the long run if I get 18,000+ miles from them, say 20% cheaper.

Sadly tyre performance IS car specific, I got a horrible wear rate on my MG ZS with a heavy engine, on the front tyres, with Uniroyal Rainsport 2's, also poor damp grip surprisingly. 9/10 cats love them.

Mine are 17" extra load tyres, to accomodate the heavyish car and Diesel engine, same size as yours at 205/45.

On the ZS I have found the KU39 to be very good overall, a bit numb feeling, and wear quickly. They were a great price so overall a good tyre for my needs, all things considered. The Hankook V12 good too, better steering feel, but a high wear rate again, and quite expensive now (maybe after they won one of the tyre tests and became the next big thing). For both the KU39 and Hankoook V12 a set was lasting about 12 months, 12,000 miles before the tyres were absolutely worn out, with rotating the tyres too. Much of this driving was motorway and gentle town driving, but occasionally pressing on, wet and dry. I don't dry steer and the tracking was spot on so the both of these tyres wore evenly.

A mini forum might give some advice for what works well on the Cooper S too, in case certain tyres bring out any nasty handling traits, I hear Minis can be a bit oversteery, probably more so on the 17" wheels as these are the lowest profile I think, so a tyre that breaks away gently might be better in case the worst happens. A softer tyre might also soften the ride a bit too, depends what you want I guess.

ETA - oh and the PS3s are proving very nice so far, not too harsh riding, not too soft either, give reasonable steering feel, no tramlining, and grippy both wet and dry, but I don't drive to the limit on the road to be honest. If they wear as well as some of the reviews suggest well they will prove great, too early to say.


Edited by Turkey on Wednesday 23 April 19:50

kambites

67,461 posts

220 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
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Eagle F1 Asymetrics are very good in terms of grip, noise and ride quality, although some people find the side-walls rather soft.

jamieduff1981

8,022 posts

139 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
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You'll like the PS3s I think. They're very good all-round summer tyres. They've actually been very good in the cold too. They're about half worn on our X-Type after around 8~10k so should last til your target milage. They're very predictable, progressive, quiet, grippy and so far, deliver as well now as they did when new.

Road2Ruin

5,167 posts

215 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
quotequote all
Tannedbaldhead said:
Cooper S. 205/45 on 17inch
Oh my god, not one of those. ..nearly killef me 3 times, feared for my life so I got rid of it after 3000miles!!!
Am I doing it right?

Get what you fancy at a price that suits you..unless you drive like an ijit you will be fine.

HereBeMonsters

14,180 posts

181 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
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Looked at Falken? The ZE914s are excellent.