Uniroyal Rainexpert v Toyo 350?

[vit4]

Finally got enough money to get some decent tyres (155/80 R13)

Looking at buying online & then getting fitted. Camskill or similar. Narrowed it down to these two, and both seem to be reviewed positively online. Negligible price difference.

Does anybody have experience with either, or both ideally? What I'm really after is wet grip, fairly quiet but reasonable longevity; although I'd sacrifice the longevity for generally improved performance on road. Must admit that I'm leaning towards the Uniroyals


Cheers

Edit: http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Uniroyal/RainExp...
The reviews that are leaning me towards them.

Edited by vit4 on Monday 28th February 23:12

[parapaul]

Don't know about the RainExpert but the RainSport was an outstanding wet weather tyre. If that's your main concern, I wouldn't even look at the Toyo.

[vit4]

parapaul said:

Don't know about the RainExpert but the RainSport was an outstanding wet weather tyre. If that's your main concern, I wouldn't even look at the Toyo.

Reading around more and more, that's the impression I'm getting. Fairly often I do a 150 mile round trip fully loaded, and it is without fail pissing with rain. Had some st-scary moments so really want something predictable. If it's fun on the lanes, even better

[51mes]

Have the uniroyal MS plus on the Octy vRS over the winter..

the wet weather grip has been amazing, it's like the whole cars on rails...

If the rainexperts are anywhere near as good you cant go wrong..

[James_N]

Have rainsport 2 tyres all round on the S2000. Wet weather grip has been amazing. Really have to drive like a complete idiot to get it to break traction. I think I was even more impressed with them in the snow. Drove up inclines i really shouldn't of got up. Wont look anywhere else but rainsports from now on!

[acf8181]

can't go wrong with the uniroyals

[Tom H]

Had Rainsport 2's and were awesome so I guess the expert will he equally as good. No experience of the others

[vit4]

Rainexperts getting fitted tomorrow, so will update as to whether or not they're any good within the next few days

[anonymous-user]

I've got Rainsport 2s on the front of my car, great grip in all weathers and wearing very well too.

My tyre guy had to order them, and commented that not many people buy them, but those that do usually come back for them time and time again. Made by Continental according to him.

[Snails]

I've got Rainexperts and i've been very impressing with, they give good feedback and let you know when you are nearing the limts of grip. The grip on soaked roads is fanastic, especially given their price.

[vit4]

yellowbentines said:

My tyre guy had to order them, and commented that not many people buy them, but those that do usually come back for them time and time again. Made by Continental according to him.

:nods: Had to order them in from this place. Another place refused to do it without a BIG deposit because 'it's very rare anybody buys them, especially in that size'. Got a feeling I'm not going to be disappointed Quite excited in a sad kind of way! Gonna be better than the 2x Ceats, Firestone and Passio (?!) I've got on at the moment

[TOX1C]

Another nod for the Rainsport 2. Have got 225/45x x17 on an Alfa 156 2.4 and despite all that torque (331 ft/lb) they grip fantastically in the wet (and snow) and wear well. Will probably get another set.

[All that jazz]

Just reviving an old thread here as I'm considering some new rubber for my Puma (195/50/R15) and the RainExpert and Rain Sport 2s are high in my list. I had a bad 'off' in the rain many years ago which nearly killed me and ever since I've always felt a little unconfident when driving in the wet. I used to have Michelin Energy XH1s which were the best tyres I've ever experienced for wet weather and snow, but although they still make them they only go up to 185s and I need 195s.

So my question to those of you above is do you still rate them and what do you find the wear rate like in comparison to soft compound stuff like Yoko's or Toyo's?

[FoundOnRoadside]

Uniroyal RainExpert is still an excellent tyre for smaller cars. I had them on my Mondeo, as well. They worked pretty well there too.

I'm pretty confident I'll be putting RainExperts on the OH's i30 in a few months time, to replace the OE fit Hankooks. The Hankooks are like Fred Flintstone tyres, hard and bumpy as hell, and incredibly noisy.

[All that jazz]

FoundOnRoadside said:

Uniroyal RainExpert is still an excellent tyre for smaller cars. I had them on my Mondeo, as well. They worked pretty well there too.

I'm pretty confident I'll be putting RainExperts on the OH's i30 in a few months time, to replace the OE fit Hankooks. The Hankooks are like Fred Flintstone tyres, hard and bumpy as hell, and incredibly noisy.

Thanks. Did some further reading since my post above and the general concensus seems to be that the RainExpert's are good for your bog standard stuff but Rain Sport 2s are recommended for anything sporty or that will be driven enthusiastically as the side walls are much stiffer and don't suffer the lateral flex of the softer Experts. Any thoughts? The RS2s are only a couple of quid more than the (already cheap) Experts, too.