what ones did you have and what car was you running them on :confused:

Khumo KU30's I think. 205/45/16 Completely standard Fab vRS. Thought the traction was poor, and the cornering grip no more than average at best in comparison to the other tyres mentioned.

Just my 2 pennies worth though.

At the moment it is a toss-up between a special 4 tyre T1-R deal from Camskill @ £251 all in, or just over £72 a tyre for Good Year Eagle F1 GSD....

At the moment it is a toss-up between a special 4 tyre T1-R deal from Camskill @ £251 all in, or just over £72 a tyre for Good Year Eagle F1 GSD....

Thats pretty good for a set o 4

Obvious question, but ultimate grip under what conditions?

Bone dry, damp, wet, cold and wet, ice, snow.... think you get the idea.

Well the GSD3s are terrible, cr*p and sh*te (just to emphasise) in the cold, let alone snow.

Just based on experience, and I got different tyres fitted as a result. Not going to get those again for an all-year tyre

How fast do you drive Mr WW ? The GSD3s were **** in snow, not perfect in the ice but they were OK if I took it steady? I admit I've had better tyres but they weren't that bad

Nothing, even a "snow tyre" is actually good in the greasy mess that usually passes for snow in the UK. Similarly, only a studded tyre is actually good on ice, but they're rubbish everywhere else except snow (and then only if they're based on a snow tyre).

I am well happy with my GSD3s although I was driving miss daisy when we had all the snow, I've had them on for about 7 months now including a 2 day session at the Nurburgring. As Shifty has posted above I think I'm gonna go down the R888 route on a set of track wheels though (as soon as I sell my house so I've got a garage to store them)

They are crap in the cold too - the speeds on snow/ice were relative to tyres like the much-maligned continentals, which were much better under those conditions

Of course sensible speeds were used though

Currently running the GSD3's on the Panda (standard fitment) and think they're probably one of the best tyres I've used and no-one who's driven the car has complained. After 22k miles they're still only half worn and grip in dry and wet is great. Didn't have any probs driving with them on snow or icey roads either - from people's reports I was expecting to have to walk to work

I do drive like a Granny though

Chris

Nothing, even a "snow tyre" is actually good in the greasy mess that usually passes for snow in the UK. Similarly, only a studded tyre is actually good on ice, but they're rubbish everywhere else except snow (and then only if they're based on a snow tyre).

Actually I was chatting to a couple of guys (one from Norway and the other Germany) about winter tyres and ice and made the same assumption. They stated that on hard ice the studded can be bad as they can't break into the ice, but the sipped winter tyres grip well as they actually suck themselves to the ice and then use this effect to provide grip.

Have a look around and you'll see a lot of ice tyres that are no longer studded.

For a Fabia VRS it's difficult. There's a lot of weight needs managing at the front end.

For handling/grip based purely on managing the front end, I'd start with 215/40x17s or maybe even go to reasonably narrow 18s with a 215/35 profile.

Personal experience:

For having cast iron sidewalls I'd recommend Bridgestone Potenza SO3 PP's as being most likely to support the Fabia's cast iron front end. They are not the best in wet weather and they aren't cheap (even if you can find them and in the size you need).

I find the Goodyear F1 GSD3 a little squirmy under power in my Impreza. That's 225/35x18s. I can't imagine them being better in a lower spec on a 350lbft+ diesel.

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From tyre traders, depending on size, a few names seem to stand out...

The Toyos....

Pirelli Pzero Nero

Yokohama A520, A539, Parada 1s and 2s.

Bridgestone RE40s, RE50s.

Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta (215/35x18) but you'd need to double your budget.

J.

J.

Toyoy proxes R888s. You cant comprehend the sheer amount of grip they gave

At the moment it is a toss-up between a special 4 tyre T1-R deal from Camskill @ £251 all in, or just over £72 a tyre for Good Year Eagle F1 GSD....

The gsd 3's are **** on the Fabia IMHO. T1 R all the way. Or again, for no compromise GRIP, 888's.

In the end, I went for T1-R from www.tyretraders.co.uk @ £129 delivered.