Best compromise tyres from this list...

[Prof Prolapse]

Need a set of front tyres only for the snow/near year (back tyres are pretty decent) and a friend of mine has offered me any of the above at cost.

I'm after some tyres that can cut through the snow but will also be fairly good for the rest of the year.

Can anybody recommend any of the above?

Car is 1991 Golf Gti, 195/50/15

Edited by Prof Prolapse on Sunday 5th December 10:02

[joebongo]

I thought due to the different handling characteristics of summer/all round/winter tyres it was best not to mix?

[Fox-]

joebongo said:

I thought due to the different handling characteristics of summer/all round/winter tyres it was best not to mix?

All the tyres he has listed are conventional 'summer' (ie, what we in the UK simply call 'normal tyres') tyres.

[hyperblue]

Yokohoma Parada are excellent in the summer on dry roads. Hilariously useless on wet roads though.

[RDM]

Check the reviews for all the tyres but don't think the P6000s or Continentals
would be recommended for any sort of driving.

Edited by RDM on Sunday 5th December 10:37

[blueg33]

Tyres with best grip should go on the rear.

Can't comment on any of the above though

Edited by blueg33 on Sunday 5th December 10:40

[Fox-]

RDM said:

Check the reviews for all the tyres but don't think the P6000s or Continentals
would be recommended for any sort of driving.

I'm not going to mention the whole snow thing but you don't think the Conti Premium Contact is 'recommended for any sort of driving'? What? It's one of the best mid range tyres around!

[Simond S]

P6000's will be the most authentic.

Grip will be horrendous though

[MJK 24]

I've experience of the Firestones in that very size on my Scirocco. Can't fault them. On my second set now. First set covered 45k miles.

I've had P6000's on an Audi A4 and they're nowhere near as good as the Firestones.

No experience of the others mentioned. I too get my tyres for cost and I think I paid £150 for four Firestones fitted. I'd say the Michelin and Continental will be £200 or thereabouts. Up to you if you think they're worth the extra.

[RobM77]

I wouldn't put different tyres front and rear on a car. Not necessarily just for safety reasons, but because the car won't handle very well! I've bought a few cars with it done and they were transformed for the better by fitting the same tyres all round.

[Prof Prolapse]

I appreciate the advice re the fitment of the tyres. The bottom line is the back tyres are fairly decent (one is new) and the fronts are where I want the new tyres. The car is run on a tight budget and I've no real desire to spend more than I have to on it. I won't be putting up for four new tyres for as long as I own this car.

I'm sorry but I remain unconvinced by the "best tyres at the rear" arguement. I know it's been done to death on Pistonheads but for me FWD cars have the best tyres at the front.

I know these aren't winter tyres but, again due to budget, I can get the above tyres for a significant discount and I just want to know if anybody would recommend one that will be a good all rounder in the snow! If they're all ste that's fair enough but they'll be better than the ones I have now.

[Prof Prolapse]

Fox- said:

RDM said:

Check the reviews for all the tyres but don't think the P6000s or Continentals
would be recommended for any sort of driving.

I'm not going to mention the whole snow thing but you don't think the Conti Premium Contact is 'recommended for any sort of driving'? What? It's one of the best mid range tyres around!

I'll be honest I hate P6000s but the car I had them on was very different.

Interesting you should say that about the Contis. Anecdotally a few friends have advised me to steer clear of the Contis (including the chap who sells them!) , "over-priced and ste" were pretty much his words.

[Matt UK]

Prof Prolapse said:

Fox- said:

RDM said:

Check the reviews for all the tyres but don't think the P6000s or Continentals
would be recommended for any sort of driving.

I'm not going to mention the whole snow thing but you don't think the Conti Premium Contact is 'recommended for any sort of driving'? What? It's one of the best mid range tyres around!

I'll be honest I hate P6000s but the car I had them on was very different.

Interesting you should say that about the Contis. Anecdotally a few friends have advised me to steer clear of the Contis (including the chap who sells them!) , "over-priced and ste" were pretty much his words.

Agree re the P6000s based on personal experience.

Also based on personal experience, the Contis are great tyres. After trying out stuff like the Falkens, I'm back on Contis and won't switch away from them. Great tyre for the money.

[edo]

Get the best performing tyres overall and a set a of snow socks.

None of the above are winter or all season tyres, so all will be pretty st in the snow/ice.

Edited by edo on Sunday 5th December 11:53

[V8mate]

Prof Prolapse said:

I'm sorry but I remain unconvinced by the "best tyres at the rear" arguement. I know it's been done to death on Pistonheads but for me FWD cars have the best tyres at the front.

Probably best that you don't ask for advice on anything here then.

It's not 'PH advice', it's tyre industry advice and if you're not the sort to listen to advice, best not to seek it.

[Prof Prolapse]

V8mate said:

Prof Prolapse said:

I'm sorry but I remain unconvinced by the "best tyres at the rear" arguement. I know it's been done to death on Pistonheads but for me FWD cars have the best tyres at the front.

Probably best that you don't ask for advice on anything here then.

It's not 'PH advice', it's tyre industry advice and if you're not the sort to listen to advice, best not to seek it.

Midlothian Police and Farmers Autocare (who are part of the "tyre industry") have advised me the contrary. FWD car, best tyres at the front.

Given that I've never heard a decent arguement for putting them at the back outside of aquaplaning and I've been moving them around on the cars to test which is best (and the best on the front is far better) I see no reason to put them at the back just because some loud mouths here said so.

Maybe you could explain to me why they shouldn't be at the front in terms of grip? I'm genuinely open to the concept but no one has ever explained why! They just bang on about oversteer vs. understeer which isn't the arguement! It's neutral handling (more grip where it's needed) vs. understeer (less grip at fron).

Please explain or wind you neck in.

[RDM]

Fox- said:

RDM said:

Check the reviews for all the tyres but don't think the P6000s or Continentals
would be recommended for any sort of driving.

I'm not going to mention the whole snow thing but you don't think the Conti Premium Contact is 'recommended for any sort of driving'? What? It's one of the best mid range tyres around!

Just a personal thing, nothing to do with grip/ wear, it's just that I found the road noise far
too loud.

[anonymous-user]

The P6000's are ok'ish when new but when part worn turn into Korean specials.

[BeeRoad]

V8mate said:

Prof Prolapse said:

I'm sorry but I remain unconvinced by the "best tyres at the rear" arguement. I know it's been done to death on Pistonheads but for me FWD cars have the best tyres at the front.

Probably best that you don't ask for advice on anything here then.

It's not 'PH advice', it's tyre industry advice and if you're not the sort to listen to advice, best not to seek it.

The 'best tyres on the rear' is industry advice, but it's not for safety despite their PR to the contrary. The reason they all spout this now is that most cars are FWD and their rear tyres often last for many years before needing to be changed. If you encourage/force people who buy two new tyres for their FWD car to put them on the back and the old back ones on the front you end up turning over a higher number of tyres in a shorter time than if the same tyres are left on the back for years. The other problem with this advice is that most tyre monkeys take 'best tyre' and 'newest tyre' as the same thing which is why you see so many fairly new cars which have worn out their quality OEM tyres on the front now sporting a 5mm set of grippy Contis or Goodyears on the front that were on the back and a brand new set of teflon Minge-Wang ditch-finders on the back.

And lets not forget the OP - he's threatening to fit P6000's to the front which means pretty much whatever is currently fitted on the back will be 'better' then the new ones!

[frosted]

Just put 2 zv3 on the front on my passat , makes a big difference in the snow . Look at the pattern and choose yourself