Another vRS tyre thread!

[JerryT]

Ok, another thread on tyres.

I have recently changed the conti sport contact 2 originally fitted to the vRS for Michelin pilot sport 3's. The tyres have more grip than the Conti's and are far better in the wet. And that annoying pull to the left seems to have cured itself which was there from new (and i didn't have the tracking done).

But I have noticed my fuel consumption has dropped by some 2 or 3 mpg. Now this could be associated with the change point from Summer to Winter gasoline with the fuel being a little more volatile and thus having a lower energy density, but wondered what others may have found/noticed when they changed their tyres?

Also, I got my tyres through Black Circles, only to find out later from the garage that fitted mine would have done them for about £13 a corner cheaper, doh. Just thought I would through that little gem in if others are looking for replacements. Next time I will use BC to get a base price then contact the garage direct for a price.

[Ootohere]

Looking forward to the Winter Fuel being in all the stations here

& the even better MPG that gives me, that and colder weather and driving a little slower, all saves me money.

Never found the winter fuel to give a worse MPG.

Same Octane & It meets the minimum requirements and can exceed them.

http://www.tesco.com...efits-specs.asp

Have you set your own tyre pressures or checked what the Fitter set them at?

(re-set the TPMS yourself)

Maybe more grip is more traction/friction. Just going that ikle bit faster, feeling more secure.

Or is the rolling radius exactly the same as the tyres that came off?

george

[JerryT]

Checked my own pressures and then set to the OEM recoomendations.

[XK140]

Ok, another thread on tyres.

I have recently changed the conti sport contact 2 originally fitted to the vRS for Michelin pilot sport 3's. The tyres have more grip than the Conti's and are far better in the wet. And that annoying pull to the left seems to have cured itself which was there from new (and i didn't have the tracking done).

But I have noticed my fuel consumption has dropped by some 2 or 3 mpg. Now this could be associated with the change point from Summer to Winter gasoline with the fuel being a little more volatile and thus having a lower energy density, but wondered what others may have found/noticed when they changed their tyres?

Also, I got my tyres through Black Circles, only to find out later from the garage that fitted mine would have done them for about £13 a corner cheaper, doh. Just thought I would through that little gem in if others are looking for replacements. Next time I will use BC to get a base price then contact the garage direct for a price.

Better to use Camskill to get a good low price..BC seem to have become expensive.

[A Woodster]

Agree on camskill, always used them as cheapest and fast delivery, then just pop down with some cash to local fitters to get them on.

Definitely mpg differences with different tyres (and seasons!), mainly due to weight and compounds, but people often change tyres coming into winter and thus also see changes linked to ambient temperatures, lights, air-con, warm-up times and fuel etc... so not always just down to tyres.

I would rather lose a few mpg and have the best stuff possible connecting me and my car to the road - don't skimp on rubbers!!

Andy

[JerryT]

I would rather lose a few mpg and have the best stuff possible connecting me and my car to the road - don't skimp on rubbers!!

Totally agree Andy, and as these came third in the most recent EVO tyre test only slightly being out paced by the Goodyears' tested (can't remember which but were considerably more expensive) and Pirelli P Zero, I went for the Michelin which performed very well especially in the wet.

[kopo]

Ok, another thread on tyres.

I have recently changed the conti sport contact 2 originally fitted to the vRS for Michelin pilot sport 3's. The tyres have more grip than the Conti's and are far better in the wet. And that annoying pull to the left seems to have cured itself which was there from new (and i didn't have the tracking done).

But I have noticed my fuel consumption has dropped by some 2 or 3 mpg. Now this could be associated with the change point from Summer to Winter gasoline with the fuel being a little more volatile and thus having a lower energy density, but wondered what others may have found/noticed when they changed their tyres?

Also, I got my tyres through Black Circles, only to find out later from the garage that fitted mine would have done them for about £13 a corner cheaper, doh. Just thought I would through that little gem in if others are looking for replacements. Next time I will use BC to get a base price then contact the garage direct for a price.

I also changed the conti sport contact 2 to pilot sport 3 and noticed the same,especially in wet.

Edited 12 October, 2012 by kopo

[JerryT]

Thanks Kopo for the confirmation and the environmental data as used for domestic appliances and cars. I knew these were coming for tyres (law from next month i think?) so it will make it easier to find out such information. The EVO tyre tests are a good source of information but if i could have stacked the top three against potential running costs it may have swayed my decision over the Michelins to the more expensive Goodyears or the comparably priced Pirelli's.

Losing 2 to 3 miles a gallon on a vRS is quite a cost when you see your average consumption drop from 38 to 40 mpg average to about 35 mpg. Oh well, hope they wear relatively quickly and i shall buy another set of tyres.

A quick calculation based on an MPG of 35 and 38 over a distance of 25000 miles results in an additional fuel cost of £370. And that is using a nominal fuel cost of £1.45/l. Those Goodyear's if they would have returned the same fuel economy as the Conti's now seem a good buy at an additional £50 for the 4 tyres. ho hum never mind.

[Ootohere]

You could always just get your 99 ron fuel for £1.41 per litre. instead of £1.45

&

if your Average consumption stayed at the lower figure you are getting now, you would be back where you were, or even better off.

Plus you are on tyres that are better in the wet.

http://www.petrolprices.com

(hoping for tyres wearing quickly so that you can spend another £400 or so sooner is an odd way to look at safety & economy JMO)

george

Maybe try better quality oil than Skoda Dealerships use, & as the miles go on the engine the MPG might improve.

[vRSy]

my mpg has always dropped in the winter despite my driving style not changing. it makes sense though, cooler temps = more oxygen for a given volume, which means the ECU will automatically squeeze more fuel into the cylinders to keep the ratio the same.

this is why you make more power in cooler weather

[Ootohere]

One way to look at it, another way is cooler air and more oxygen & smoother running & more efficient at the same speeds & less fuel used.

More power available but not needed and revs drop, some engines are more economic at lower revs, not all tho..

An autobox can often help in getting the improved economy.

Add a Supercharger in a certain rev range and no turbo used and savings/economy can be easy in cooler air..

Possibly cooler weather and road surfaces and speeds & driving style slightly reduced & less fuel used.

Lower friction on cooler road surfaces & ikle saving on fuel if still on summer tyres.

Lights & heater on & more stuff carried in the car in winter so slightly heavier & cold weather tyres & back to about the same as summer.

Possibly almost twice the distance covered at 0-2 degrees ambient than at 20 degrees ambient before your engine oil is at the optimum running temp to give you best economy.

so cover a 10 mile trip on a cold day and you are on a poorer MPG possibly than on a warm summer day.

Swings and roundabouts.

george

[Kie]

We had a day with Dunlop Goodyear to help explain these tyre labels now on these tyre labels the are only 3 criteria’s listed i.e. rolling resistance stopping distance in the wet and noise from outside of the car heard by passers by (not noise herd in the cabin don’t know why but don’t mistake it for dB heard in the cabin because it’s not) now all of this is explained on here: http://www.goodyear....label/index.jsp

but this opens opportunity for cheap tyre companies to create a tyre that may well excel in these 3 categories to make it look good to you guys (the buyers) but what the label fails to mention is all tyres are tested under 50 different tests by good year including thins like corning in the wet and tyre wear etc. now all these 50 criteria cannot be listed but there is a magazine company call EVO that have conducted the same test on all well-known tyres and listed the most important criteria for you guys to look at.. And this can be accessed here: http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/

Edited 12 October, 2012 by Kie

[Kie]

Hope this helps

Kieran (Skoda UK)

Edited 12 October, 2012 by Kie

[JerryT]

Testing is always subjective with these markings, just look at the 'official' consumption figures quoted for cars and how they reflect real world findings. However, such information being made available, combined with other data helps to provide for a some what informed decision. EVO and other car mags to go to some trouble in providing there tyre testing, however, they only normally test about ten different brands and of course the test car is unlikely to be the same as yours, so again the performance we see from the tyres may be entirely different. However, they never report on fuel economy which in this case it would have been nice to know.

[Kie]

they never report on fuel economy which in this case it would have been nice to know.

Well the tyre label by the EU states that the difference between A and G is 6 litres + from a full tank i.e. (7.5%) increase in fuel economy

Edited 12 October, 2012 by Kie

[JerryT]

You could always just get your 99 ron fuel for £1.41 per litre. instead of £1.45

&

if your Average consumption stayed at the lower figure you are getting now, you would be back where you were, or even better off.

Plus you are on tyres that are better in the wet.

http://www.petrolprices.com

(hoping for tyres wearing quickly so that you can spend another £400 or so sooner is an odd way to look at safety & economy JMO)

george

Maybe try better quality oil than Skoda Dealerships use, & as the miles go on the engine the MPG might improve.

Hi George

In working out the cost over a 25000 mile life i used a typical figure of £ 1.45/l. Yes you can get cheaper fuel but not necessarily when it is convenient or close so that you have to make a special journey/diversion to get it. Plus, i some what suspect that over the 18 months these tyres will spend on the car if they achieve the 25000 miles the price of fuel is going to increase. This thread was about tyres and not the cost of fuel.

As to the tyres wearing quickly that was a sort of humorous comment. However, if an alternatively performing tyre can return my lost mpg for about £400 then they would barely cost me anything to change now based on the increased fuel costs i will now incur based on the reduced fuel consumption.

The ultimate point of the original post was to try and establish from other forum members, or perhaps to provide additional information for those contemplating changing tyres in the near future, that these Michelins despite being a very good tyre in terms of safety, will hit you in the pocket with regards to fuel economy. Safety is paramount, however with the additional information provided which will be a requirement within the next month or so to be displayed for all tyres, it will be possible to select a tyre that offers both safety and economy if such a tyre exists. Hence the comment that if the Goodyears (which where rated very slightly above the Michelins overall by EVO) would have returned a better fuel economy, the spending of an extra £50 now would have saved me the potential £370 minimum extra in fuel costs.

Jerry

[Kie]

Well yes that’s what it is designed to do.. to help dealerships create more revenue by being able to explain to you the benefits of spending that extra £50 at point of sale (benefit to dealers) and save you money in the long run (benefit to you)

Edited 12 October, 2012 by Kie

[Ootohere]

JerryT,

since no tyre does or can do 'everything well' & it is the UK you live in and no part of the UK has the same weather or weather pattern at the same time,

& then drivers have different requirements,

You can compare the 'do everything slightly well tyres' or maybe get 2 sets of tyres/wheels & have something for 2 differing 6 month periods.

or go one further

& have cold weather tyres that are good in the rain, warm weather tyres that are good in the rain, give better economy & if necessary more tyres to go and use when playing.

Over the life of 1 or 2 cars if you need the same size tyres this can be economical, since a car comes fitted with 1 set anyway.

Roads are flooded here today & as it is, nothing i have are suitable to go wading, so a change of vehicle is required.

Horses for courses really, or to suit your pocket and needs.

george

[Kie]

JerryT,

since no tyre does or can do 'everything well' & it is the UK you live in and no part of the UK has the same weather or weather pattern at the same time,

& then drivers have different requirements,

You can compare the 'do everything slightly well tyres' or maybe get 2 sets of tyres/wheels & have something for 2 differing 6 month periods.

or go one further

& have cold weather tyres that are good in the rain, warm weather tyres that are good in the rain, give better economy & if necessary more tyres to go and use when playing.

Over the life of 1 or 2 cars if you need the same size tyres this can be economical, since a car comes fitted with 1 set anyway.

Roads are flooded here today & as it is, nothing i have are suitable to go wading, so a change of vehicle is required.

Horses for courses really, or to suit your pocket and needs.

george

Ye I don’t think your going to get a tyre to suit every day of the week but the concept of the tyre labelling system is to help a customer choose a tyre that may be better then the current one they are using hence why they stick to only the 3 criteria’s. if you wanted something more specific i would suggest maybe looking at the 50 criteria set up by Goodyear Dunlop company