The other day I was fortunate enough to purchase a set of mint condition vRS wheels at a great price. Must say I'm very impressed how good these wheels look from up close

and today I also fitted them with a set of 205/40/17" Matador MP 46 Hectorra 2

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Matador/MP-46-Hectorra-2.htm

Very hard to find for some reason but for those who don't know the brand it is a sub-brand of Continental. They are manufactured at the same factory as Conti, with the same materials and processes but way cheaper. Don't let that fool you though as my first impressions as very, very positive, and I'm not the only one. Coming from a set of 205/45/16" Bridgestones Turanza ER300 (which by the way are great for track use but horrible for everyday use) the Matadors prove to be very quiet and very comfortable considering my profile now is lower. Same positive feedback goes for grip too, great at corners as well as speeding off and braking. Overall I can't recommend them enough, plus they are cheaper from the competition. Will let you know how they turn out after a few thousand miles.

Will also upload tomorrow some photos with the new wheels. Got some vRS DNA now

Nice wheels Sir!

Tyres sound good, and seem priced incredibly well. Black circles quoting £267 for 4 fitted.

I am fed up listening to my Dunlops so I might have a dabble with some of these.

Anyone else got an opinion on a good performance (road) tyre that is QUIET?

Dunlop 205/40/17 sport Maxx tyres are utterly, utterly, utterly,utterly, utterly utterly, utterly,utterlyutterly, utterly, utterly,utterly, utterly utterly, utterly,utterly utterly, utterly, utterly,utterly, utterly utterly, utterly,utterly utterly, utterly, utterly,utterly, utterly utterly, utterly,utterly utterly, utterly, utterly,utterly, utterly utterly, utterly,utterly utterly, utterly, utterly,utterly, utterly utterly, utterly, utterly,utterly, utterly utterly, utterly,utterly , utterly,utterly SH1TE

i think the utterly button is stuck on your keyboard Auric

i think the utterly button is stuck on your keyboard Auric

utterly, utterly, utterly,utterly, utterly utterly, utterly,utterlyutterly, utterly, utterly,utterly, utterly utterly, utterly,utterly utterly, utterly, utterly,utterly, utterly utterly, utterly,utterly utterly, utterly, utterly,utterly, utterly utterly, utterly,utterly utterly, utterly, utterly,utterly, utterly utterly, utterly,utterly utterly, utterly, utterly,utterly, utterly utterly, utterly, utterly,utterly, utterly utterly, utterly,utterly , utterly,utterly

You are Utterly Correct Sir

utterly, utterly, utterly,utterly, utterly utterly, utterly,utterlyutterly, utterly, utterly,utterly, utterly utterly, utterly,utterly utterly, utterly, utterly,utterly, utterly utterly, utterly,utterly utterly, utterly, utterly,utterly, utterly utterly, utterly,utterly utterly, utterly, utterly,utterly, utterly utterly, utterly,utterly utterly, utterly, utterly,utterly, utterly utterly, utterly, utterly,utterly, utterly utterly, utterly,utterly , utterly,utterly

You are Utterly Correct Sir

OK Mr Goldfinger, I am Utterly convinced!

Question 1: WHY?

Question 2: Alternative?

Regards, Utterly deaf and skint from replacing kerbed/potholed Dunlops and needing recommendations.

I've had Dunlop sp sport 01 and Dunlop Sport Fast Response, the best tyres i've had, lateral grip is very good on the wet. unlike conti's which Ihave to slow down in fear of the back end slipping out.

Dunlop sport Fast response are extremely good tyres in the dry and wet.

edit: add good year efficient grip, very surefooted around corners. used by a police force on their high persuit cars.

Edited 20 November, 201114 yr by fabia55

OK Mr Goldfinger, I am Utterly convinced!

Question 1: WHY?

Question 2: Alternative?

Regards, Utterly deaf and skint from replacing kerbed/potholed Dunlops and needing recommendations.

Right, must say these are my thoughts.

I think the main reason why I don't like them is they take an age warm up, the rubber seems to be very hard compared with the Uniroyal Rain Sports (Rain Masters ) which I have all round on my Octavia Vrs. I have no confidence in the Dunlops at all and find them rather skittish in the wet. Maybe in a bigger profile they may be OK but on the Fabia MkII Vrs the tyre feels very hard and there isn't much give.

I've been out in a Fabia Vrs which had Continentals fitted and the ride was completely different, felt more planted, sure footed.

An alternative,mmmmm, let me think, has to be the Uniroyal, Fantastic in the Dry, better in the wet.

Sorted.

Just to add:- I don't think the High tyre pressures recommended on the Fuel filler cap help either

Hard Rubber with High pressures.

You're right. I would have gone for these.

Camskill - UniRoyal Rainsport 2 - 205/40 R17 84W

Again, Continental own Uniroyal too.

Nice - we need pics now

Are these fitted yet?

very nice looking forward to seeing them on the car :yes:

never noticed that tyre before, looks like a bargin for the perfomance claimed in the reviews!

again, look forward to seeing them on the car!

Here are the pics too.

very nice, one of the best looking sports I've seen

I still can't get away with that polished rim on those wheels. Makes them look like they've been kerbed :(

Dunlop Sport Max are really crap, unless you can get a lot of heat into them. Of course without heat in them, they have less grip and the car will tend to understeer. When you get them "switched on" there's much more grip and then you'll have less understeer and a more nervous rear end. You got the Contis switched on far easier, they are a much better tyre for the UK.

On a recent meet, there was a Montie with Dunlop tyres on. In the wet and damp it was plain to see that he had very poor grip, and it was only when the sun came out, dry road and with him really pushing hard that he managed to get the tyres to work.

Have a search in the Octy forums for "sawtoothing". They hate the Dunlops too.

Good performance road tyre that is quiet: (I have tried both)

Goodyear Eagle F1

Toyo T1-R

Edited 20 November, 201114 yr by Mike Wrightson

I still can't get away with that polished rim on those wheels. Makes them look like they've been kerbed :(

To be honest if they didn't have that chrome bit they would get lost in the tyre. :yes:

Totally murdered out now

Once again fantastic. Bravo!!

Barum, Matador and Uniroyal ( in Europe, Michelin in USA ) are all part of the Continental group and all generally get good reviews although a couple of members of this site have found the Uniroyal Rainsports don't seem to work well on the Fabia.

I guess they have to be clever with marketing so as too many people don't know and buy the sub-brands instead of Continental while aiming to get the budget buyer to have one of their sub-brands rather than a third world one.

I hadn't heard of Matador either until mentioned by my local STS Tyre Pros.

Others are listed here

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/who-owns-what-tyre-brands.htm

I had Dunlop Fast Response on my last car as bought at a good price. Generally I was happy with them but they were a harder ride than the mix of Goodyear and Dunlop Sport ??? (not Max) that came off. Also as part of the stiffening the tread depth on the outer block is less so if you get any edge wear they can be illegal while still 3mm or more tread depth in the centre.

nice pics, you need to change the picture in your signature now!

nice pics, you need to change the picture in your signature now!

Hehehe, true!

Dunlop Sport Max are really crap, unless you can get a lot of heat into them. Of course without heat in them, they have less grip and the car will tend to understeer. When you get them "switched on" there's much more grip and then you'll have less understeer and a more nervous rear end. You got the Contis switched on far easier, they are a much better tyre for the UK.

On a recent meet, there was a Montie with Dunlop tyres on. In the wet and damp it was plain to see that he had very poor grip, and it was only when the sun came out, dry road and with him really pushing hard that he managed to get the tyres to work.

@ Mike.

Good description there Mike, almost mirrors my Last Post in this thread.......