I'll be looking to get new tyres and i know this question has been asked many times, as i've seen but never seen a comparison or verdict on the OE bridgestone ER300 turanza's Vs the Uniroyal rainsports. I've heard the rainsports are verygood in wet and are quiet but they are quite soft so wear quickly.

I've never had anything other than bridgestones on my vrs and i find them to be good and after 12 months of use still have quite a bit of wear left, but during jan this year they struggled alot in the snow. Almost felt like i had no grip whatsoever. They seem ok in the wet tho.

can anyone help?

i'd imagine if anyone designs a tyre thats good in snow they will be a millionaire quickly...

Move to a warmer climate? Drive more slowly in the snow? Fit spiky James Bond style tyres?

The road surface is never the cause of a skid, it is always the driver and skids don't happen by accident, regardless of the conditions, they are always caused by poor driving technique. The trick is how you drive the car. Tyres can do one thing to a maximum 100% efficiency. If they need to do two or more things then they have to share that ability. This is called tyre grip trade off. Therefore, if the vehicle is travelling in a straight line the front tyres need only steer. If the vehicle needs to slow down then the tyres need only brake. If the vehicle is on a bend and you need to apply the brakes then clearly the tyre has to do two things - steer and brake. This means it cannot do either to maximum efficiency.

You should use the system of car control which works on the principle that the vehicle is at it's most stable when you only ask the tyres to do one thing at a time. Drive more slowly, avoid harsh acceration, heavy braking and excessive steering when driving in ice and snow. Give yourself more time to reach your destination. Give yourself more room when stopping. Look further ahead in traffic, particularly in poor conditions. Drive with headlights on at all times. Avoid abrupt actions when steering, braking or accelarating. Don't accelerate into a bend, get your speed off before the bend, then maintain the speed in the bend and accelerate gently out. This applies to any hazard. Slow down when approaching intersections, off-ramps, bridges or shady spots. These all have potential to develop black ice. Use all the car's controls - accelerator, brakes, clutch and steering - as gently and progressively as possible. If necessary, select second gear when pulling away, easing your foot off the clutch gently to avoid wheel-spin. Try to maintain a constant speed, choosing the most suitable gear in advance to avoid having to change down while climbing a hill. When driving downhill, choose third or fourth gear to prevent skidding. Never let other speeding drivers lull you into a false sense of security. Only drive as fast as conditions allow and give yourself room to be able to stop safely in the distance you can see to be clear ahead. Don't let ABS or ESC lull you into a false sense of security - technology can't change the laws of physics. If you do all this you shouldn't have a problem!

Edited 27 October, 200916 yr by Big Mikey

I found ER300s to be terrible, but it all depends on your expectations - as in all these tyre threads!

I've had Rainsports and they do what they say on the tin. I found them to be a bit noisy though. Ultimately, I'd go and buy Toyo T1-Rs or Goodyear F1s, but everyone has their own preferences. I'm also interested in trying Hankook's V12 Evo, when I next need tyres.

Steve

I was thinking of getting Uniroyal rainsports next- do they last long or are they soft like the OP said? They seem a good price, around £65-£70 a tyre.

But I don't mind paying an extra £20 a tyre if they are going to last well.

I had michelin pilot exaltos on my clio 182, lasted well but £100 a tyre, how do they cope with the torque as my clio had none!

Cheers,

Stan

You'll struggle to find a better wet weather Tyre than the Uniroyal Rain Masters.

You'll struggle to find a better wet weather Tyre than the Uniroyal Rain Masters.

Seconded, in fact I barely ever get the ASR light flashing even deliberately trying to get a bit of spin out of a wet corner. A big difference to the fairly worn Zero Neros I replaced which got the ASR flashing even in the dry.

I've switched to Rainsport 2's on a couple of cars I've had and they've lasted a lot longer than the F1's and Toyo's that I've had on previously, and in terms of an all year round tyre they provided better grip as well. The F1's and Toyo's both left a lot to be desired in terms of wet weather grip - and bearing in mind how wet our summers generally - are I'm sticking with the Uniroyals.

Another interesting difference in opinion there, as I've found T1-Rs to be brilliant in wet and very wet conditions. It's only in greasy, damp conditions that I notice a degradation in the amount of grip, but I've yet to find a tyre which handles that type of condition, while being upto the job in the bone dry and streaming wet!

Steve

Another interesting difference in opinion there, as I've found T1-Rs to be brilliant in wet and very wet conditions. It's only in greasy, damp conditions that I notice a degradation in the amount of grip, but I've yet to find a tyre which handles that type of condition, while being upto the job in the bone dry and streaming wet!

Steve

I found the same with Falken 512's, great in a flood and desert conditions but see a black cloud or a damp road, I used to catch the bus

It's just finding that right compromise. The Toyos were fine in damp/greasy conditions, but you could certainly tell the difference in feedback and grip level - as you should really.

Steve