What Tyres Do You Choose When Push Comes to Shove?

[Johnny5hoods]

What tyres do you choose when no premium sports tyres are still made in your size?

I'm interested in what the PH collective thinks is 'the best of the rest' when you've got a sporty vehicle with 17" or smaller (particularly in an unusual size) and tyre manufacturers are no longer supporting your vehicle with any of their premium sports tyres any more.

Is there anything out there that's just about as good?

I know this is becoming an increasing problem for many an owner of a modern classic. Tyre manufacturers are 'size-ist' today.

[IroningMan]

Kumho and General Grabber are as far down the ladder as I’ve ever gone.

[MBVitoria]

IroningMan said:

Kumho and General Grabber are as far down the ladder as I’ve ever gone.

Just bought a pair of Kumho tyres via Black Circles and they seem alright. Good rating for wet grip which for me, is the main factor I look for.

Although, word of warning to the unaware, they're pronounced "koom-ho" not "cum-ho".

Felt a little embarrassed at ATS reception as the pretty female receptionist asked me which tyres I'd bought as apparently Black Circles only send them a product code and not the name of the tyre and they had a few different orders in.

[GregK2]

Found Hankook to be "best of the rest" category in admittedly limited testing over the years.

[Leins]

My default is Michelin, then Bridgestone or Continental, but I have gone with Hankooks in the past when none others were available

[Monkeylegend]

If Kuhmo are good enough for Mercedes to fit as OEM direct from the factory they must be classed as premium tyres surely.

[trickywoo]

I change the tyre size to match what’s available, within reason.

My car standard is 195/45/17 but there is a lot more choice in 205/45/17. The 205 size luckily suits the car better and has way more choice.

I’d even change wheels if necessary to match what premium tyre manufacturers are making.

[IroningMan]

Monkeylegend said:

If Kuhmo are good enough for Mercedes to fit as OEM direct from the factory they must be classed as premium tyres surely.

Maybe. I confess I’ve not bought any since about 2010. They were excellent on our Espace, and their List 1b Ecsta V70 tyres worked much better on my hill climb car than the Yokohama 038s that preceded them.

[shtu]

Kuhmo are often the cheapest "known" brand name. I've used them on various things over the years and they've been fine.

[Baldchap]

Never seen a cheap tyre with sufficient speed rating, so it's OEM for me.

[119]

Monkeylegend said:

If Kuhmo are good enough for Mercedes to fit as OEM direct from the factory they must be classed as premium tyres surely.

Only because they are the cheapest they can get away with.

[MustangGT]

If using the car all year round I would be looking at all-season tyres.

[Ultra Sound Guy]

A few years ago I would regularly encounter a huge puddle on one section of road. Hitting this at 60 would feel like hitting a solid object and the car would always take a large skip to the right (it was on a left-hand bend).
When it came to the time for new tyres I sought affordable tyres from an established brand, at an “affordable” price and with an “A” rating for wet-weather use.
I decided on the Uniroyal Rainsports.
First time I tried them on the problem puddle it was as if it wasn’t there!
They have a really good performance in the wet, work well and predictably on snow and ice, and have never given any cause for concern in dry conditions or for longevity.
I’ve used them on 3 different types of car now (Volvo V70, Mercedes R class and Mercedes SLK) and they worked well on them all!
Good value, safe tyre IMHO!

[vikingaero]

Nearly always Michelins on the 520d or Family Passat, both of which I have spare alloys and winter tyres for.

Mrs V.'s car has Vredestein All Seasons.

Mum & Dads cars have Uniroyal All Seasons

And any Shed, I'm more experimental on - currently has Maxxis All Seasons which are fine. It's not a car to push around corners at 99%.

[mmm-five]

Mid-range is as low as I go...so nothing from the very budget end of the spectrum.

But I'll tend to stay away from anything the tyre place offers as being "made in the same factory as..." a premium brand so "must be good".

I don't think all budget tyres are terrible, it's just that they tend to be good in a single area...so great in the dry above 20ºc, but terrible in the wet or cold as they're rock hard, or only last 5k miles as they're so soft.

The more premium tyres tend to excel in multiple areas...or become so specialised to excel in specific areas (like track, snow, ice tyres).

I normally put decent all-seasons on my daily shopper (Michelin Cross-Climates, Bridgestone WeatherControl, Goodyear Vector 4-Seasons, Conti AllSeasonContact)...and the only area they've 'let me down' is when i had to fall back to the shopping car for a 'Ring trip...quite slidey, but very controllable in the dry - but came into their own when it pissed down

[dhutch]

I have settled for Avon ZV7 on the wifes car.

And as the PilotSport4 has been discontinued and the PS5 gets mixed reviews for the price, I have just stuck a pair on the E46 330ci.
Unfortunately they have only been on a week so I cant really comment on what they will be like but I am not overly worried.

Noticed the hire car (40k on the clock, so not original fitment) was on them too, so yeah. Seems a fair tyre for the price.

[Pica-Pica]

My 335d x-drive has Goodyear EfficientGrips - a ‘summer’ tyre.
My wife’s Fabia has Vredestein Quatrac 5s- an all-season tyre.
Both these tyres have asymmetric, non-directional tread patterns.
We have mild winters here in coastal NW Wales, so these have coped with everything in the last 7 years so far. The Vredesteins on the Fabia are in case we NEED to go out WHEN there is ice or snow locally (never so far) and the Fabia is 10 years old, so writing it off would be a nuisance, but no big financial deal!
I keep outdoor temperature and weather records. The few days when the average daytime temperatures were low and potentially slippery were in
2019 week5
2021 week 3
2022 week 50
So a total of probably 6 to 10 days in 7 years.

Edited to correct to weather from wether. I know it is sheep country, but I keep no records about castrated male sheep!

Edited by Pica-Pica on Monday 13th November 19:05

[wyson]

Johnny5hoods said:

What tyres do you choose when no premium sports tyres are still made in your size?

I'm interested in what the PH collective thinks is 'the best of the rest' when you've got a sporty vehicle with 17" or smaller (particularly in an unusual size) and tyre manufacturers are no longer supporting your vehicle with any of their premium sports tyres any more.

Is there anything out there that's just about as good?

I know this is becoming an increasing problem for many an owner of a modern classic. Tyre manufacturers are 'size-ist' today.

tyrereviews liked GT tyres as a sporty mid market brand.

[E-bmw]

Monkeylegend said:

If Kuhmo are good enough for Mercedes to fit as OEM direct from the factory they must be classed as premium tyres surely.

Er, no, they are mid-range at best.

Don't get me wrong when times were tight I have used them & they were acceptable in all-round performance, but then they lasted less than half the mileage of better tyres, so it wasn't for long that I used them.

They may have improved since that time but I still tend to only use proper well rated (on tyrereviews "real" tests) premium brands & have always been well impressed.

Current tyres of choice are F1 Assy 5 for summer & Michelin Pilot Alpin 5.

I do stress however that the choice can be SEVERELY limited by size & I have been known to fit a different size (within usual limits) to give better choice/price.

[BenS94]

My go to brands are (in no particular order)

Michelin
Goodyear
Dunlop
Pirelli
Toyo
Hankook
Nexen
Kumho

I'd consider Barum, but having never had experience of these, I can't comment, but I'd not have anything from Landsail, A-Plus, Goodride, BlackLion, Radar or any other cheap st. (The cheap tyres fitted by dealers or already on cars when bought)