Vredestein Sprint Classic (again) and other 205/70VR14 tyres
Discussion
I've been obsessing about buying new tyres. My car uses 205/70VR14 and I'm sure as many of you will know, we're not spoilt for choice in fact there are only two 'premium' tyres available, the Michlin XWX (insane price) and the Vredestein Sprint Classic. My question is: Are the vreds premium tyres? I got a rather waspish summation from the guy at longstone tyres: 'vredesteins ... are an over priced budget tyre and the manufacturer thought he should put the price up'. Anyone care to comment on that?
I read with mild horror the thread on this forum about the unsightly sidewall deformation (and the rather curt response from the manufacturers).
Even having read that, I am still about to pull the trigger on a set of them (I like the classic tread pattern and they are V rated)
Any thoughts very much appreciated
Ben
I read with mild horror the thread on this forum about the unsightly sidewall deformation (and the rather curt response from the manufacturers).
Even having read that, I am still about to pull the trigger on a set of them (I like the classic tread pattern and they are V rated)
Any thoughts very much appreciated
Ben
Sorry to be a bit mean but..
You've already asked and got an answer from an expert in the field...would you really trust a random PHer over someone who does this for a living? For what it's worth I had a brief chat with the guy from Longstone and he seemed enthusiastic and knowledgable. My advice is to listen to his advice...
You've already asked and got an answer from an expert in the field...would you really trust a random PHer over someone who does this for a living? For what it's worth I had a brief chat with the guy from Longstone and he seemed enthusiastic and knowledgable. My advice is to listen to his advice...
I see what you're saying but I normally take those comments with a pinch of salt. It's like going to see a movie because a movie critic says so. The Longstone tyre guy may have a dog in the fight – he might want to shift more Michelins for example (though I'm not suggesting he does). I'd prefer to hear anecdotes from the regular tyre buying public.
varsas said:
Sorry to be a bit mean but..
You've already asked and got an answer from an expert in the field...would you really trust a random PHer over someone who does this for a living? For what it's worth I had a brief chat with the guy from Longstone and he seemed enthusiastic and knowledgable. My advice is to listen to his advice...
You've already asked and got an answer from an expert in the field...would you really trust a random PHer over someone who does this for a living? For what it's worth I had a brief chat with the guy from Longstone and he seemed enthusiastic and knowledgable. My advice is to listen to his advice...
Edited by decampos on Thursday 1st August 23:57
I know Dougal who owns Longstone and trust him implicitly.
He really isn't in that game to fleece people and knows his rubber.
I posted on that Vred thread you mentioned, I may have even started it, can't remember.
In any case my choice for the rally DS came down to the Vreds or the Michelin XAS. I went for the Michelins, not much change from a grand for a set of 15's but they were utterly superb.
If you have the cash then take the Michelins (and the advice). If not get the Vreds and budget for potentially speedy replacements.
He really isn't in that game to fleece people and knows his rubber.
I posted on that Vred thread you mentioned, I may have even started it, can't remember.
In any case my choice for the rally DS came down to the Vreds or the Michelin XAS. I went for the Michelins, not much change from a grand for a set of 15's but they were utterly superb.
If you have the cash then take the Michelins (and the advice). If not get the Vreds and budget for potentially speedy replacements.
Edited by benjj on Friday 2nd August 09:02
Indeed. He seemed genuinely pleasant and knowledgeable. If money were no object I'd go for the XWXs all day but at £298.20 each inc VAT (longstone tyres) compared to a good vredestein deal I've found (£192.00 each inc fitting), it has to be the vreds – there's no other V rated tyre in that size. The car has XWXs on it at the moment and they do look mighty spiffy (though mighty cracked and a getting bald).
benjj said:
I know Dougal who owns Lonstone and trust him implicitly.
He really isn't in that game to fleece people and knows his rubber.
I posted on that Vred thread you mentioned, I may have even started it, can't remember.
In any case my choice for the rally DS came down to the Vreds or the Michelin XAS. I went for the Michelins, not much change from a grand for a set of 15's but they were utterly superb.
If you have the cash then take the Michelins (and the advice). If not get the Vreds and budget for potentially speedy replacements.
He really isn't in that game to fleece people and knows his rubber.
I posted on that Vred thread you mentioned, I may have even started it, can't remember.
In any case my choice for the rally DS came down to the Vreds or the Michelin XAS. I went for the Michelins, not much change from a grand for a set of 15's but they were utterly superb.
If you have the cash then take the Michelins (and the advice). If not get the Vreds and budget for potentially speedy replacements.
I contributed to the Vredestein topic back last year as I've fitted them to my MGB GT. I wouldn't consider them a premium tyre like the Michelin but a good mid range tyre. I've not had any sidewall problems with them and I'm a good few thousand miles into them.
I had old Goodyears on mine before which had loads of tread but were far too old. The Vredesteins transformed the handling of the car so if yours are old and bald then I suspect you will find the same. The look good too!
I had old Goodyears on mine before which had loads of tread but were far too old. The Vredesteins transformed the handling of the car so if yours are old and bald then I suspect you will find the same. The look good too!
williredale said:
.. The Vredesteins transformed the handling of the car so if yours are old and bald then I suspect you will find the same. The look good too!
That's interesting to hear williredale. I also like the look of them (apart from the 'Classic' script on the side.I was at Harpenden on Wednesday for the classics on the common and I saw loads of mk 2 Jags sporting them. I did see quite a few instances of the sidewall 'grooves'. I had a set of Nankangs with similar distortions, up until then I thought they had been leaning against something in storage.
I had 205/70 R15 XWXs on my Longchamp (XWX was the factory set for Longchamps), and they were a perfect fit for it. My Esprit have the 205/70 R14 Vredestein Spritnt Classics on the rear, and I have been happy with them. I did not get the XWX for the Esprit, as they did not look period correct, were three times more expensive, and because I had heard positive feed back from other users about the Vredestein. Esprit is pretty tricky with the tire size combination that doesn´t have a single performance tire model for both front and rear (205/60 R14 front, 205/70 R14 rear).
If you only drive a few thousand kilometers or less per year, the XWX is the way to go in my experience. Lots of tread and most importantly the rubber seems to last forever.
We left ours on for 9 years (the maximum allowed time by the local "MOT") on one car and there is still no hardening, cracking or deterioration of the material. They are still soft and grip well in the dry and wet.
The guy who did the inspection commented that it would be a shame to throw the tires away, but we chose to swap them mainly for insurance reasons.
I cannot say the same for the cheaper brands like Vredestein, Falken, Avon, etc.
Leaving those on for longer than 4 years is a very bad idea in my experience. The roadholding gets noticeably worse every year past that point, it is most obvious in spring when the roads are damp and cold. Not to mention the common puncture/sidewall groove issues.
As ridiculous as the prices for the Michelins may be, I think they are absolutely worth it unless you put them on your daily driver. And depending on the car you put them on, they just look so right.
We left ours on for 9 years (the maximum allowed time by the local "MOT") on one car and there is still no hardening, cracking or deterioration of the material. They are still soft and grip well in the dry and wet.
The guy who did the inspection commented that it would be a shame to throw the tires away, but we chose to swap them mainly for insurance reasons.
I cannot say the same for the cheaper brands like Vredestein, Falken, Avon, etc.
Leaving those on for longer than 4 years is a very bad idea in my experience. The roadholding gets noticeably worse every year past that point, it is most obvious in spring when the roads are damp and cold. Not to mention the common puncture/sidewall groove issues.
As ridiculous as the prices for the Michelins may be, I think they are absolutely worth it unless you put them on your daily driver. And depending on the car you put them on, they just look so right.
Thought I'd post this in case it's useful to anyone. Went for the Vredesteins as I found such a good deal on them. £769 for all 4 included fitting and tax. Vintage Tyre and Longstone sell them each for £280 and that's not including fitting, so they are both about £400 more expensive. I don't want to break any forum rules so I won't plug the company.
The Vredesteins look really great in my opinion. Exactly the classic look I was after (though not as iconic and somehow gorgeous as the xwxs). They are wonderfully smooth also. It's unfair to compare them to the XWXs as they were pretty ancient. Having said that, they do seem to be a bit louder. I'll keep an eye out for any sidewall deformation.
The Vredesteins look really great in my opinion. Exactly the classic look I was after (though not as iconic and somehow gorgeous as the xwxs). They are wonderfully smooth also. It's unfair to compare them to the XWXs as they were pretty ancient. Having said that, they do seem to be a bit louder. I'll keep an eye out for any sidewall deformation.
decampos said:
I don't want to break any forum rules so I won't plug the company.
I don't think (having just read them) you break any posting rules by putting that you got good service from a named company and recommending themsaying you got poor service from a named company is not allowed though
I know loads of racing people who swear by the Vreds, so I guess it is down to personal choice really. There deems to be £200 of difference the 5 tyres between the vreds and the Michelins, but to throw a spanner in the works have you thought of this:-
http://vintagetyretalk.blogspot.fr/2011/02/camac-t...
One hell of a lot cheaper.
http://vintagetyretalk.blogspot.fr/2011/02/camac-t...
One hell of a lot cheaper.
lowdrag said:
... but to throw a spanner in the works have you thought of this:-
http://vintagetyretalk.blogspot.fr/2011/02/camac-t...
One hell of a lot cheaper.
Thanks for the link. I did look at and consider the Camacs. I bought the vreds in the end. The guy from Longstone regarded Camac as 'portugese trailer tyres'. Though all tyres need to conform to strict legislation (so they're all relatively safe), I do think they're a part of a the character of the car. I'd feel I'd have 'skimped' had I have gone for budget tyres.http://vintagetyretalk.blogspot.fr/2011/02/camac-t...
One hell of a lot cheaper.
nta16 said:
I don't think (having just read them) you break any posting rules by putting that you got good service from a named company and recommending them
I shopped around and Event Tyres worked out the best price for the Sprint Classics by far. I'd hate to hear what he has to say about Blockley's which I've used in cross ply form on the XKSS for years and in radial form on the E-type. A bit noisy, but very good roadholding and good longevity. But then they are made by a small man in the backwoods and are probably only suitable for fred Flintstone. Still, Longstone aren't authorised dealers, are they? 
I'd have recommended them to you, but they don't make 14".
I'd have recommended them to you, but they don't make 14".
lowdrag said:
I'd hate to hear what he has to say about Blockley's which I've used in cross ply form on the XKSS for years and in radial form on the E-type. A bit noisy, but very good roadholding and good longevity. But then they are made by a small man in the backwoods and are probably only suitable for fred Flintstone. Still, Longstone aren't authorised dealers, are they?
I'd have recommended them to you, but they don't make 14".
Ah yes, I did look into Blockleys. I asked them (julian) about the possibility of introducing a 205/70/14. He told me to more or less 'watch this space'. I looked closely at a set of radial blockleys on a jag the other day. Very nice looking tyre. Nice meaty tread patten yet somehow elegant. I liked the clean and unfussy sidewalls also.I'd have recommended them to you, but they don't make 14".
How are you getting on with the Vredesteins? Happy?
Like you I'm considering Vreds or Blockley radials (although in 205/70 VR15), mainly as they are the cheapest classic options. I am in shock now as I have just looked up the receipt for the last tyres I bought, back in 2008, which were £64 a corner! (215 section Falkens, almost 20,000 miles ago, sadly NLA)
If I'm prepared to go to H-rated tyres, there seem to be plenty of soft-roader style tyres available (Pirelli Scorpions, Bridgestone Duellers, etc). Are these suitable for normal car use? They would work obviously, but apart from speed rating, what are the compromises? The guy at Event Tyres tried to steer me towards them, and said the Vreds are overpriced for what they are.
Like you I'm considering Vreds or Blockley radials (although in 205/70 VR15), mainly as they are the cheapest classic options. I am in shock now as I have just looked up the receipt for the last tyres I bought, back in 2008, which were £64 a corner! (215 section Falkens, almost 20,000 miles ago, sadly NLA)
If I'm prepared to go to H-rated tyres, there seem to be plenty of soft-roader style tyres available (Pirelli Scorpions, Bridgestone Duellers, etc). Are these suitable for normal car use? They would work obviously, but apart from speed rating, what are the compromises? The guy at Event Tyres tried to steer me towards them, and said the Vreds are overpriced for what they are.
The H and V ratings are very important if the car can truly sustain 130mph and 150mph for ten minutes or more - http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible.html
tyres are very complicated components and much under rated in their importance, also bear in mind they're the four small contact areas between your car and the road, just think about the heat and stress on the tyres at any higher speed in perfect conditions then think of our real world roads and weather and perhaps need to take a slight bend at high speeds (that is a 'straight' road at lower speeds) and the additional stress on the tyre from that or braking even slightly at high speeds
tyres are very complicated components and much under rated in their importance, also bear in mind they're the four small contact areas between your car and the road, just think about the heat and stress on the tyres at any higher speed in perfect conditions then think of our real world roads and weather and perhaps need to take a slight bend at high speeds (that is a 'straight' road at lower speeds) and the additional stress on the tyre from that or braking even slightly at high speeds
Gassing Station | Classic Cars and Yesterday's Heroes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff