...or, rather more accurately, purchased and had fitted, four new Vredestein Ultracs.

Car is Octy VRS estate, so 16"s (boo!).

Amazing price, though - £60 per corner, fitted, balanced and tyre disposal, (and tracking checked, too), and the shonky Chinese spare replaced with the only slightly worn rear driver's side.

I can highly recommend Harborne Tyres, just off the Bristol Road in Birmingham.

First impressions are a slightly heavier steering feel, but that's probably down to the fact that the Turanzas they're replacing were pretty worn.

Got a few miles coming up, so looking forward to testing them out.

Good tyres mate i have these too on the front been on for about 3k, very good grip in the dry and wet, what i like best is the great steering feel. £60 is cheap! i payed £110 for mine for 17's.

I have just fitted another set to mine as i have had them on before.

£260 for 4 x 225 45 17.

what kind of tyres are these?

sporty / performance

winter / summer

wet / dry

or are they average all rounders?

presumably they are not a budget tyre, but are not a premium brand tyre?

are they the ultrac sessantas you.ve gone for?

I just got the Ultracs which are classed as a summer tyre.

I had a set on when i first got the car and thought that they were pretty good,then i fitted goodyear eagle f1 gsd3 which are a good tyre but only lasted around 13k which i don't think is that good.

Ultracs will last at least 20k.

what kind of tyres are these?

sporty / performance

winter / summer

wet / dry

or are they average all rounders?

presumably they are not a budget tyre, but are not a premium brand tyre?

They're down as summer tyres on the Vredestein website. That said, most of the big brand tyres - Potenzas, SportContacts, F1s etc - are summer tyres.

They're not a budget tyre, just not very well-known. The Ultrac Sessantas (next one up) came second in the Evo tyre test this year, and did very well in the Auto Express one too.

Well-regarded for wet-weather performance, apparently.

Lard-ajc, no, they don't make the Sessantas in a 16" size, unfortunately. The vanilla Ultracs are a directional tread, compared with the Sessantas' asymetric pattern.

Jay, I looked at the F1s, but it was the high wear rates that put me off. I'm not particularly stingy but at those prices I'd rather not be replacing tyres every 10k! Good to hear the Ultracs will last - I wasn't expecting intercontinental mileages as the tread compound is relatively soft.