Uniroyal, Michelin & online traders

[Greybeard]

Needed some new rubber for my 4 std alloys and after checking all the good info on here and other forums, decided on 3 options then did the ring rounds and online searches. Thought I'd share the current research with y'all.

Not seeking out and out grip, but a quiet running, good wearing premiium quality manufacturer with decent all round performance in what passes for summer & the other 9 even colder and 'wetter' months. I decided on Pilot Exalto PE2's, Uniroyal Rainsport 2's or Eagle F1 GS-D3's (probably not so good in the cold but was tempted) 205/45/16's.

Looked at 10 internet based prices, and 11 local suppliers:-

UNIROYALS - 8/10 locals couldn't get them or didn't list, one said they were on back order until April 2009 of the other 2 one was £500, the other a more reasonable £390 but needed to order. Tyre-shopper were best price at £356 and had 10 in stock. Only 2 online prices for W rated, one other was V rated only, the rest didn't list Uniroyals.

EAGLE F1's - All 18 had in stock or to order within 24 hrs, cheapest (local specialist) was £330, most expensive ATS at £480. Online prices all dearer than the local fitted £330 if you included fitting cost.

EXALTO PE2's - All claimed to have available but none of the locals had stock. Most expensive was National tyres at £500, cheapest locally was HiQ believe it or not at £436 but after asking them to order claimed they were on back order with no delivery date available. Cheapest online was C-Tyres at £431.60, most expensive MyTyres at £487.60.

In the end Protyre in Poole (owned by Micheldever I believe) got 4 PE2's next day and fitted them at £437. Look like quality tyres, time will tell if they were worth the money!

Not sure why the Uniroyals are apparently shunned by all, plenty of support for them on this forum but a lot of the posts aren't recent. The F1's probably weren't what I wanted, because rare as it is down here, they have plenty of snow and ice in those distant lands to the far north of Watford which is where I spend some of my time these days.

So, Uniroyals are apparently not widely available, online trader prices aren't always cheapest and if you like Michelins (made in Germany by the way) you have to pay dearly for them!

[Greybeard]

Needed some new rubber for my 4 std alloys and after checking all the good info on here and other forums, decided on 3 options then did the ring rounds and online searches. Thought I'd share the current research with y'all.

Not seeking out and out grip, but a quiet running, good wearing premiium quality manufacturer with decent all round performance in what passes for summer & the other 9 even colder and 'wetter' months. I decided on Pilot Exalto PE2's, Uniroyal Rainsport 2's or Eagle F1 GS-D3's (probably not so good in the cold but was tempted) 205/45/16's.

Looked at 10 internet based prices, and 11 local suppliers:-

UNIROYALS - 8/10 locals couldn't get them or didn't list, one said they were on back order until April 2009 of the other 2 one was �500, the other a more reasonable �390 but needed to order. Tyre-shopper were best price at �356 and had 10 in stock. Only 2 online prices for W rated, one other was V rated only, the rest didn't list Uniroyals.

EAGLE F1's - All 18 had in stock or to order within 24 hrs, cheapest (local specialist) was �330, most expensive ATS at �480. Online prices all dearer than the local fitted �330 if you included fitting cost.

EXALTO PE2's - All claimed to have available but none of the locals had stock. Most expensive was National tyres at �500, cheapest locally was HiQ believe it or not at �436 but after asking them to order claimed they were on back order with no delivery date available. Cheapest online was C-Tyres at �431.60, most expensive MyTyres at �487.60.

In the end Protyre in Poole (owned by Micheldever I believe) got 4 PE2's next day and fitted them at �437. Look like quality tyres, time will tell if they were worth the money!

Not sure why the Uniroyals are apparently shunned by all, plenty of support for them on this forum but a lot of the posts aren't recent. The F1's probably weren't what I wanted, because rare as it is down here, they have plenty of snow and ice in those distant lands to the far north of Watford which is where I spend some of my time these days.

So, Uniroyals are apparently not widely available, online trader prices aren't always cheapest and if you like Michelins (made in Germany by the way) you have to pay dearly for them!

Resurrecting this post just for feedback as time has now indeed passed. Just replaced the front two PE2's after almost 3 1/2 years and a little over 33000 miles, around a third of which was long distance high speed motorway cruising. They'd just reached the TWI's so a bit of life in them but not worth pushing right to the end having done so well.

Overall the PE2's performed brilliantly, even got through last years untypically cold winter for the south with the extremely rare snow/ice normally unseen by those of us who dwell close to the gulf stream. Did have to go very light footed and stick to the gritted main routes but thankfully got away with it unscathed.

Given that experience I've replaced them with 2 Pilot Sport 3's as the PE2's don't seem to be available any longer in 205/45/16. Considered cold weather tyres, but it's rarely been below 7c down here this year so with 'spring' due in a month and not planning to venture too far in that time have decided to chance it, so fingers crossed February isn't totally arctic.

[smudgejock]

Hello,try Kamskill for tyres.They are very competitive with very reasonable postage charges.Iv got Falken ZE912`s on the front of my vrs which are excellent,you can get them for £53.80 inc vat each.I doubt you will find a better tyre for anywhere near that price.

[Static]

Ive just got 2 rainsports from f1..

http://www.f1autocentres.co.uk

Good price too and 5% off if you can find the code online..

came to £158 for 2 tyres in the end!

[Black-Cat]

I had the PE2's and was well impressed with them and tried to get them again but like you say they're unavailable for some reason so I ended up with the new Sports and I'm equally impressed with them so far (6 weeks). Hopefully they'll last as long too!

[AlpineWhite]

33,000 miles? Very impressive.

Will need some new front tyres soon, makes me wonder if the extra cash is worth it over other tyres.

[NICNAK]

33,000 miles? Very impressive.

Will need some new front tyres soon, makes me wonder if the extra cash is worth it over other tyres.

I stuck with the original fit... Bridgestone ER300's, dont go for the extra loaded one's, just the 'w' rated, very good for wear, grip & price, think I paid £180 for the two, dont risk ur life with budget tyres like Falken, wanli, khumo cos you will find yourself unstuck at some time, believe me.. :no: conti's are good but expensive, but because of the sizes not all brands do them, just do your homework, just dont get tempted with the cheap prices, oh, and another tip, dont buy off net, they may be cheap, or cheaper, but you are then at the mercy of the garage that fit them, most charge £12+ to fit um :wonder: some charge extra for new valves, then weights, etc etc etc

[iain]

if you are after mitchelin it may be worth ringing ATS cos they are doing upto 30% off at the moment.

I got 4 165/70/r14 for £240 inc valves balance and nitrogen fill.

budges were coming out at £220 - 230 fully fitted

[Polo6n1600i]

Ive been tearing the crap out of a set of Falken 452's on my Touran - they are great all round tyres, but i wouldnt say they were budgets - they are cheaper mid-range tyres and have served me well. I'm upgrading my Touran to 19" rims in the summer and ive already bought 4 Falkens to put on it. My VRS ive been rocking Toyo T1R's since almost day 1! A lot of people give them bad reviews, but they are tyres you have to get seriously hot and tacky to get the best grip out of. But once you get there they can go too far and its like driving on ice!

[AlpineWhite]

I stuck with the original fit... Bridgestone ER300's, dont go for the extra loaded one's, just the 'w' rated, very good for wear, grip & price, think I paid £180 for the two, dont risk ur life with budget tyres like Falken, wanli, khumo cos you will find yourself unstuck at some time, believe me.. :no: conti's are good but expensive, but because of the sizes not all brands do them, just do your homework, just dont get tempted with the cheap prices, oh, and another tip, dont buy off net, they may be cheap, or cheaper, but you are then at the mercy of the garage that fit them, most charge £12+ to fit um :wonder: some charge extra for new valves, then weights, etc etc etc

1) Normally go for the higher load rating myself. I prefer a stiffer sidewall after some weird wear patterns on some Bridgestone P-zeros.

2) I'm on Kumho (winters) at the minute and I wouldn't say I'm risking my life! Lateral grip is a bit woolly but it's there when the weather is cold. And there's a big difference between the likes of Kumho or Falken, and proper budget tyres like Wanli, Roadstone to name a couple.

3) Yes, Contis are expensive. Michelin even more so. The wear-per-£ was only slightly better with Contis than Toyos. So, really, my question earlier was wondering whether the extra money (again) was worth it.

4) Cheap tyres off the net? That's where you look for the fitted price, not just delivered.

[AlpineWhite]

if you are after mitchelin it may be worth ringing ATS cos they are doing upto 30% off at the moment.

Ace, thank you.