Uniroyal rainexperts

[Gooly]

Hi guys,

Looking for a reasonably affordable, grippy tyre for daily driving all year round. Running 6.5j 14s at the moment, looking for 185/55/14 or 195/50/14 (would move down to 195/45/14). Rainexperts seem to be a reputable choice, does anyone have any other recommendations? It has to hold up to "enthusiastic" driving.

Edit; Just realised I made a similar topic a few months ago for my old car; Toyo CF1s and Uniroyal Rainexperts came up as the main recommendations, would most people agree with that?

Edited by Gooly on Thursday 10th January 17:43

[twink]

Only ever used Uniroyal Rainsports, not Rainexperts but if the former are anything to go by, they're brilliant tyres.

[MX7]

twink said:

Only ever used Uniroyal Rainsports, not Rainexperts but if the former are anything to go by, they're brilliant tyres.

+1

[Baryonyx]

I had these on the front of my MR2 Turbo, I thought they were pretty good. Certainly, the front end grip was better than the rear end grip...

[Gooly]

Does £45 a corner for 195/45/r14 rainsport2s sound reasonable?

http://www.camskill.co.uk/m4b1138s307p97595/Uniroy...

If so I'm just gonna order these

[twink]

Seems pretty good to me. Go for it and let us know how you get on with them.

[Debaser]

Had them on my old banger (an M reg Toyota Carina 1.6!) and they were fine. They gave a lot of confidence when pressing on.

Was quite amusing to catch a Golf GTI being driven quickly on a dark, wet country road, seeing the passengers looking around trying to work out what car the dull headlamps following them belonged to. When we got to a village with street lights they looked surprised to see it was a Carina on skinny tyres, being driven by a boring looking wally in a shirt and tie.

[Bonefish Blues]

Very good at a cursory glance - mytyres are 60 for the same tyre.

[Gooly]

Bah just realised 195s will be way to wide for my wheels; ordering these instead since rainsports don't come in less than 195 on 14s;

http://www.camskill.co.uk/m4b1705s403p97586/Uniroy...

£49

Will post up on how they feel

[911p]

The RainExpert is a great tyre, I've got them on my Golf. Decent amounts of grip, very progressive and predictable, as well as fantastic wet grip.

[McSam]

Nice to hear that the Rainexpert is rated as well, I'll be putting Rainsport 2s on the BMW but Rainexperts will do nicely on the OH's Fiesta.

OP, once you have the tyres nicely run in (~500mi), definitely pop back and let us know what you think the thing often missing from tyre recommendation threads is any sort of final feedback!

[NiceCupOfTea]

IIRC the Rainsport2s are more upmarket versions of the Rainexperts (latter of which are available in smaller sizes). I've been running the rainsports on my daily since last spring and I think they're really good, frankly they're better than Toyo T1Rs on a heavy car that gets driven in all weathers IMHO.

Edited by NiceCupOfTea on Thursday 10th January 21:09

[Klippie]

Have a look at Firestone Multihawk's...I had them fitted to my car when the POS Kwik Fit no name brand the previous owner fitted ( cheers for that ) were skidding about too much the Multihawk's are superb in the wet & dry and are wearing very good too, I drive my car hard and I'am very impressed by them.

[McSam]

As I said in another recent tyre thread, any comments on a particular tyre that don't state the car and size fitted aren't that helpful, as - for example - some work brilliantly on lighter cars but are hopeless when made in a lower profile or given a lot of power to deal with.

[NiceCupOfTea]

I am talking mid-90s saloon spec sized car/wheels - Saab 9000 with 16" wheels, normal profile tyres. Never thought Toyo T1Rs were great on heavy cars, and certainly not in rain - good on my old MX-5 though.

I decided that I am driving in wet/damp conditions so often that a wet weather tyre makes the most sense. Not heard anything bad about either of the Uniroyals.

[McSam]

I was talking mostly to Klippie, but funnily enough T1-Rs being great on an MX-5 but crap on heavy cars is exactly what I was thinking of when mentioning the importance of context

Definitely agree about the Uniroyals being a logical choice, though. It's sort of amplified by the fact that I can't remember the last time I was taken by surprise and lost grip in the dry - it's at a very predictable, quite consistent and far higher level - but the wet is when you're liable to be caught out.

[Bonefish Blues]

And in that context, Rainsports are increasingly being used on MX5s, too - I found them excellent in that respect, so there's a tyre which seems to be spanning different vehicle weights very adequately.

[DanTvts]

Only used Rainsport 2's on various hatches but they are fantastic tyres and usually at a reasonable price too.
Sorry thats not more help but a lot of people seem to share the same opinion at least!

[NiceCupOfTea]

My old Saab 900 is wearing the Toyos as well - they were the only decent tyre available in the rather strange size (195/? R16) a few years back and have stuck with them. Only thing I could compare them to are knackered P6000s on 15" wheels! Intend to get an alignment and fit the Uniroyals next change.

The TVR is on Bridgestones at the moment, would be tempted to use the Uniroyals there too but it's on 15" wheels and I suspect the Rainsports aren't available in that size. Certainly my wife's car will be on them next time (currently the Toyos as well).

Edited by NiceCupOfTea on Thursday 10th January 22:37

[Caulkhead]

I have Rainsport2 on the 6 MPS and Rainexpert on the Doblo runaround in 185/65/15 and both perform very well, as you might guess especially in the wet.