Howdi,

I will very shortly be purchasing three new tyres for my Octy Mk 1 VRS, size 205/50/17. I have read through loads of threads about tyres so no having a go at me for not doing my research! There is little I could find about the P7 on here, has anyone got experience/views/opinions on them? I don't wanna start a whole new tyre thread, but if anyone does have some NEW suggestions that would be appreciated as tyres are alot of ££££, which I don't mind spending as they are what keep the beast on the road!! However, I want a good all rounder and also not a 225/45/17, I wanna keep it standard. I think this limits me from getting Eagle F1 - which I really liked on my old car and some others but I really don't wanna go there.

It will be for the front and one rear, the unused spare (Conti I think?) will go on the fourth and the half worn one will go in the boot (was a replacement for a puncture about a year ago!). So I will have four lovely new tyres (hopefully!) Every search and phonecall I make seems to land me back at the P7, best price from a trusted local garage fully fitted etc was £118 a corner. I really DON'T wanna spend more than that

I currently have Good Year NCT 5's on the front, tbh they have done me well but have spoken to a few tyre places and those are being phased out so no stock and nothing ready as a replacement.

So go on then hit me....................... !!

Edited 22 December, 200916 yr by Woo7dy

205/50/17 are very steeply priced compared to 225's, I know you have said you don't want to change but I would think about it.

You could get the eagles then as well. Or T1r's.

had 4 of these from new in my wife's Leon. Found that they all wore to the limit over the central 2 bands but the shoulders still have 5mm left. They were not over-inflated, I even ran them 3psi underinflated to try to even teh wear out but had no improvement.

Had none of these problems so far with the F1 asymetrics or ultrac sessantas...

There must be a disadvantage in going to the 225/45/17 otherwise Skoda would have made this their choice of size? Will it affect handling and wear for the benefit of £25 a tyre (25 is a guess by the way!) That's the only thing putting me doing this......

The only thing I know of is slight drop in mpg as there is more fricion iirc.

Some did come with this size fitted from the factory iirc (again lol)

They are are Porsche fitment so they charge more for the priviledge.

Work colleague had P7s on his work Honda Accord and hated every minute of using them. He found them squishy and non responsive. They sucked in the dry and even more in the wet! As soon as the car was off the lease he brought it and changed all the tyres to Contis. The P7s even had 5mm of tread left!

He then moved to Ultracs and really like them!

A quick search on Camskill shows the Hankook V12 Evo (good tyre by all accounts) for £71 a corner plus fitting.

Edited 23 December, 200916 yr by Nathanio

There must be a disadvantage in going to the 225/45/17 otherwise Skoda would have made this their choice of size? Will it affect handling and wear for the benefit of £25 a tyre (25 is a guess by the way!) That's the only thing putting me doing this......

The 205s are rare and not very common and thats why they are more expensive. For a time Skoda did fit 225/45 17s onto the vRS when they were unable to get enough 205 width tyres. I ran 225/45 17 on my old vRS from its first tyre change to when the car was sold 6 years later without any problems at all.

I think that the 225/45 size is commone to most VAG cars fitted with 17 inch wheels. I was quite surprised when I read on here that the vRS fitment was only a 205 width. Perhaps VAG didn't want the Octavia to out handle the Golf and A3 etc.

Aren't Pirellis made from something akin to bakelite anyway, they never wear out and don't grip either?

Edited 23 December, 200916 yr by ExAudiSi

so 225's will fit on the standard 17" vrs wheels? didnt know that!

Aren't the 225/45/17's standard anyway?

have you tried black circles they seem to have the nct5 in stock.personally im a bit anal and use the continental contisports as i get 23000 miles out of each, but then i drive like my grandad

P7? Blimey, move to 225s if you need 4 of them and reap the benefits. So much more choice.

ive always had 205/50/17s a mixture of kumhos and hankooks. however every bloody year so far ive had to have some a couple of new tyres onit. go through them like a hot knife does butter!

so 225's will fit on the standard 17" vrs wheels? didnt know that!

Yes, they fit just fine.

Aren't the 225/45/17's standard anyway?

No, on the vRS mk1 the standard tyre size was 205/50/17. if you have a car with 225/45/17 then the likelyhood is that they have been changed to that size at some point.