TDI tyre choice - commuters choice

[devonutopia]

T1-R for me. To buck the trend, a set of fronts usually lasts me almost 20,000 miles. Have 4 new tyres on mine now, and find that on a long motorway commute, sticking an extra few PSI in the backs can help with economy a little bit. Once back on normal roads, this is let out.

I like the T1-R for it's performance and reliability, yet also seems to be good for endurance too.

 

[Dave H]

I decided to fit 4 new Continental Premium Contact 2 tyres, will now be hoping to get 20K miles from the front ones and hope an extra 10K on the rear.

Bought through blackcircles. Happy with choice so far with 500 miles completed

Cost: £241.48 for all 4 fitted.

 

[allh2k]

Just done about 500 miles on the Falken 452's and at first they were abit strange they felt abit wobbly! but now I can feel the grip from them and after the first blast last night(in the wet) they get the thumbs up from me!! Just need to do the oil/air/fuel/pollen filters and I can rest o after a wash 2!! and the brakes squeel a bit too and the rest.....

Road noise is ok compared to the v warn kumhos

 

[cheshire cat]

I get close to 25k out my tyres on my FR Tdi. Opted for Barums!! Not quite budget but close. Have to say, really good 'all round tyre', no pun indended! tyreshopper.co.uk, was roughly 320 for 4 fitted. Still lasting well, had 15k out them!

me too BRAVURIS tho' not the cheaper ones they are a div' of Conti

 

[jackluminous]

I had to replace my back tyres a few months ago when I got a puncture then drove for a bit before I realised what the noise coming from the back of my car was. Oops!!! Anyway, took my car to National and got a pair of Avons for £200, fully fitted and balanced.

National also do this thing where they will insure each tyre for a fiver each that if they can't repair your puncture then depending on how much tread you have left then they will give you a discount on replacements. It goes something like if you had 4mm of tread left on the tyre then they might only charge you 10% of the cost price of the new tyre. The smaller the amount of tread left then obviously the discount reduces so that if you only had 2mm tread then you might only get a 5% discount if anything at all.

I thought it was pretty good value.

 

[fr 150 boy]

i got toyo proxes on mine & excellent in the wet

 

[horace1664]

..National also do this thing where they will insure each tyre for a fiver each that if they can't repair your puncture then depending on how much tread you have left then they will give you a discount on replacements..I thought it was pretty good value.

I wish I knew that a few year ago with my Clio 172 that had a liking for side wall punctures

 

[Fishy]

I currently have Dunlop Sport Maxx all round but the fronts are now at the stage of getting slippy. 16k so not that bad.

I'm thinking about trying the new Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric's. £111 fitted.

Fish

 

[TornadoRed]

I find it very strange that anyone of you is looking for a tyre that will last 20k miles. I'd be very unhappy with any tire, sorry, tyre, that doesn't last 50k miles. What are you doing, to wear out tyres as such a rapid rate?

Most TDIs in NOrth America come with Michelin Energy tyres fitted as standard equipment. I went through a couple sets of them, got decent fuel economy and decent longevity. But they are the most expensive tyres in the usual 195/65R15 size that is standard.

For my last set I chose Bridgestone Potenzas, which were about 2/3 the price of the Michelins. Good handling but fuel economy is about 1-2 MPG less.

Wider low-profile performance tires tend to cost more and not last as long. But handling is better -- it is always a compromise between price, performance, longevity, and fuel economy.

 

[Husbandofstinky]

I don't know what compounds they have in the states, but I remember seeing boards advertising with 'tires lasting up to 80,000 miles' and thought no good for back home - a wee bit on the hard side. Different market, different roads (straight), different compounds.

There are similar(ish) tyres here and I'm of the opinion that they tend to be the cheap budget brands from Korea - just watch it on the first roundabout in the wet.

I use the Conti sportcontact (2 at present) the first set were the Mk1's (o/e). Fronts lasted on the original tyres to 18k, second set on the front only did just over 13k. I was a bit disappointed with the second set - my car is a 150PD totally standard with not too much over zealous driving.

I have heard from some people that the tyre you buy as o/e on your car is different to what you can get as a replacement from the garages - o/e stuff seems to last longer than replacement (2 x service managers and a dealer said that me). The Mk1 Sport Contact's back this one up for me - exactly the same tyre - different compound?

Anyway paid £94 each fitted for Cont sport 2's a month ago. Would love to get 25k out of them.

 

[muddyboots]

I find it very strange that anyone of you is looking for a tyre that will last 20k miles. I'd be very unhappy with any tire, sorry, tyre, that doesn't last 50k miles.

Maybe there are quite big differences in the road types, and traffic speeds where you live ?

Tyres fitted to a car driven typically driven on long straight smooth roads with a lower speed limit and minimal slowing down & speeding up, will last a LOT longer than your typical British twisty road with lots of bunched up stopping & starting traffic, junctions, crap road surfaces...

 

[fr 150 boy]

our roads must be the worse,certain parts on the m4 going to gatwick airport from south wales,was so rough from swindon to the m25.
what i find the softer the compound more grip & rapid wear. hard compound lots of road noise less grip but lasts longer.
the tyres i had on before the toyos were avon zz3,EXCELLENT ALLROUND TYRE.

 

[Fishy]

Not so much a different in the way people drive, but there is a difference in the material the roads are made of and the compounds in the tyres.

Due to the heat that you get in CA and the lack of rain, you'll need a harder compound.

Fish

 

[ini]

The Barum's are essentially Continentals.

The Dunlops and Continentals are a bit to noisy for me.

I recommend F1's or Proxes.

 

[Wheely]

Anyone tried MICHELIN PILOT PRIMACY

Get a good write up :

Manufacturer: Michelin
Tyre: Primacy HP
Features: A summer tyre designed specifically for drivers of luxury performance and touring vehicles, the European-manufactured Michelin Pilot Primacy features outstanding performance and exceptional grip on wet surfaces and through deep standing water.
Perfect handling on dry surfaces.
Comfortable and quiet with excellent tread life..
Long-lasting performance
Speed Index: HR, VR, WR, YR



I have a Leon Cupra TDi and want a good all round tyre -- I dont always hoon around but when I have my moments I want grip too.

Cheers

 

[TornadoRed]

Not so much a different in the way people drive, but there is a difference in the material the roads are made of and the compounds in the tyres.

Due to the heat that you get in CA and the lack of rain, you'll need a harder compound.

That's true. I've had these Bridgestone Potenzas on since mid-June, and I still don't really know how they will work in heavy rain -- we haven't had more than a few sprinkles here and there. I'll be headed into the Snow Belt at Christmas, so I'll find out then about snow and sleet.

 

[gndjm23964]

If you are a Costco member you can get Michelin Pilot Sports for about £125 a corner.

 

[Fishy]

Appears that the Eagle F1 A's are not about at present so ended up with some ContiSport 3's.

Appear to be ok but only done a couple of hundred miles at the moment.

Fish

 

[Nutkin]

i have Michellin Somethings. as i went to costco and got em for £94 each and £50 off for buying 4.


I do only motorway miles and they are fine.

Also Dont replace the front ones but move the rears to the front and put the new tyres on the back.

 

[gndjm23964]

That's interesting, as the fronts are due for replacement on mine soon. I know that Costco swap the rears to the front and fit new ones on the back as a matter of policy.