When I bought my vRS it had budget tyres on it with loads of tread left (a little frustrating as had just put 4 new contis on the Elegance I sold). One of the 1st things I noticed was less grip in comparison on a car that's meant to have more!

I lost total confidence in them last winter after sliding into a kerb on a round about in the snow we had.. I wasn't going quick but I'm the 1st person to put my hands up and say I obviously got it wrong for the conditions.

One tyre got a little damage around the wheel lip but held pressure, but I replaced both rears pretty soon after with some Toyos.. Don't worry, I do recommend them but this isn't a "I love toyo" thread.

The rears did seem to keep the back end in check more than the cheap rubber but didn't notice anything else at that point as I was still running the cheapo's on the front then, and through summer.

Friday I fitted Toyo's on the front as well as it's getting colder now and really didn't trust the cheap rubber in anything but dry, it's not that they let go, just that I seemd to get no feedback in bends, it's difficult to explain, they span at even a tiny prod of power though.

The New Tyres have improved so many areas I didn't expect though! And they genuinely must have as I noticed it with out expecting it.

Tracking is straighter & Ride quality has notably improved, crashing is now thudding! They're also quieter!

Traction in the wet is dramatically improved now, To get out of my street you have to gap jump a little as you join a very busy road in both directions and you do have to GO when you get a safe gap. I never, ever felt I could make a spirited exit in the damp (let alone wet or icey) for fear of moving 2 foot and the tyres letting go even when being only slightly brisk! These new tyres will let me get out now! lol.. I know that's only small but every frikking morning I sit there thinking "coulda gone then....... coulda gone then...... coulda gone then..." lol!

I guess the point of my post is.. If your running cheap tyres on a vRS (or any car for that matter).. and you've been thinking of changing them for the wetter weather.. don't hesitate any more.. just change them now! It's totally worth it!

Anyone else change tyres and find it felt like a wholly improved driving experience as well as the grip improving? It's my first experience of it!

Edited 15 November, 200916 yr by reflex88

Couldn't agree more... I had a Saab 9000 a few cars back.... Had the same experience with that... When I bought it it had worn budget tyres on it and to be honest it was such a smooth car that I didn't really notice the ride quality being bad... Or so I thought...

Because they were worn it wasn't too long before I had to replace them...

Bought a set of Michelin Pilots from Costco for it... Came in at about £350 I think...

It was a long time ago.... Anyhow I drove out of there and it felt like a new car...

Compared to my previous Sierra... The Saab felt luxurious even with worn tyres...

I was astounded at the difference with the new tyres on....

Can't wait for the "Prestivo Sport" that are on the front of my VRS to wear down a bit.

They're cack in the wet....

I'm after a set of Falken 912's next for my Furby... :thumbup:

I've heard good things about them...

I've just changed the fronts on my Leon from some Millenium pikey ****e for Contis, and it's transformed: I was having to trun the traction control off in the wet for one tricky junction before.

Yup!

No such thing as a budget tyre in my experience!

Always buy a decent set

After much searching on here & on't 'tinterweb for 4 replacements for my Conti's, i found this http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyres_For/Skoda/Fabia-vRS.htm and this http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Uniroyal/Rainsport-2.htm i've also pm'd a number of guys on here & they all rate these tyres. So i'm gonna take the plunge & go with Uniroyals - not easy to find though & about £90 a corner

Have you still got the ditchfinders or did you 'ditch' them? Just that Mr Pastyboy might fancy them for trackday use

Steve

Actually.. Yeah, I have all 4.. as well as 2 conti's and 2 others I can't remember at the minute.. Hmmmmmm.. Is the PM system up?

Edited 2 December, 200916 yr by reflex88

Yep, fully functional. I think people think Brisky's a bit more broken than it actually is

Or I can direct you to his thread if you prefer?

Steve

After much searching on here & on't 'tinterweb for 4 replacements for my Conti's, i found this http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyres_For/Skoda/Fabia-vRS.htm and this http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Uniroyal/Rainsport-2.htm i've also pm'd a number of guys on here & they all rate these tyres. So i'm gonna take the plunge & go with Uniroyals - not easy to find though & about £90 a corner

£68 from blackcircles... then say £10 to fit

Good price that. Even Camskill are £73 and they've got no Rainsport2 stock at present.

Steve

I had a golf mk v hire car and was trundling along a back road I regarly drive quite happily, went into a right hand bend at 40mph (which is lower than usual) and experienced understeer which luckliy stopped just before I hit the hedge. I was surprised as I was not pushing andit was dry.

Got home and had a look at the tyres, turned out to be Michelin energy tyres, save some fuel and crash into a hedge.

Good price that. Even Camskill are £73 and they've got no Rainsport2 stock at present.

Steve

I might have had their last set.. and mighty impressed with them I have been so far

Good stuff - yeah, getting good reviews. About time really, as the Mk1s were getting a bit long in the tooth. Think I had a set of those in 2003!

Steve

The car I bought two months ago has Goodrich tyres on the rear and another budget brand on the front. I can't wait to change them but there's plenty of tread on every corner - looking to get Toyos as I've heard nothing but good reports about them.However, I must admit I've no real complaints so far about the current set. The vRS is far better on wet / greasy roads than my previous car (Lupo GTi - great on dry roads but like Bambi on ice in the wet - however, I only ever had the standard Dunlop 205/45/15s on it - apparently much better on Toyos, who are the only other company who do tyres in that size - getting tyres for the Lupo was a pain in the **** and not cheap either!).

Got home and had a look at the tyres, turned out to be Michelin energy tyres, save some fuel and crash into a hedge.

Standard fit on my old Schitroen Berlingo. Poor in the dry, cr@p in the wet, useless on snow, worn out after 15,000 miles.

You only get what you pay for. To get decent wear rates and grip you need to spend a decent wad. £50/corner usually wont be much good.

I had Toyo T1R's fitted to mine and was very impressed with them. I have switched to Rainsport 2s and they are in a total different league. They have more grip on the front and tackle these wet conditions brilliantly. I love the toyos but overall I find the Rainsports to be a much better tyre.

(Lupo GTi - great on dry roads but like Bambi on ice in the wet - however, I only ever had the standard Dunlop 205/45/15s on it - apparently much better on Toyos, who are the only other company who do tyres in that size - getting tyres for the Lupo was a pain in the **** and not cheap either!).

I thought all the Lupo guys just dropped to 195/45/15 and got access to a cheaper size as a result? Didn't know anyone still ran them on that size any more, all because of the cost issue!

Steve

I thought all the Lupo guys just dropped to 195/45/15 and got access to a cheaper size as a result? Didn't know anyone still ran them on that size any more, all because of the cost issue!

Steve

Apparently there's a very small chance that running on a non-standard tyre size can confuse the ABS - I got that from the horse's mouth at VW. I bought my Lupo in April '05 when it was only three months old - it still had the original Dunlop rear tyres when I sold it in February this year (I'd only done 20,000 miles in four years!).Anyway, after reading this thread I'm now tempted to go for the Rainsports - will get the tyres changed in the new year.

If you've not already, go and visit Club Lupo

This is the end of this public service announcement.

Confusing ABS? Smells a bit funny to me that.

Steve

Yeah, sounds dodge! I almost wrote off a new GTI on the standard crappy Dunlops on a test drive.

195's ftw

I think it can only confuse ABS or ESP if you don't have the same size tyre on all four wheels.

If you've not already, go and visit Club Lupo

This is the end of this public service announcement.

Confusing ABS? Smells a bit funny to me that.

Steve

A couple of people of people on Club Lupo said the same but it was also in Auto Express (not specifically about the Lupo). I regret not putting Toyos on the Lupo but strictly 205/45/15s (I like my cars totally standard and very picky about it!). Anyway, doesn't matter now!

Yeah, fair enough as you've sold it

But you could have run 195/45/15s no problem and saved yourself a fair bit of cash...

Steve

The only way you can confuse ABS, traction control (any form), or 4wd systems is by running different rolling radius tyres front and rear. They all work by comparing how fast the wheels are turning.

NB, this may not apply if your car has different RR front and rear as standard, but since we're talking Lupos and Furbies...