My front tyres are getting low on the front and will need replacing soon. What's have people bought recently that they have been pleased with? 
I'm after something reasonably good on fuel, quiet, and with decent wet weather performance as I don't do separate winter tyres/wheels.
I don't mind paying more for decent branded tyres and I'm certainly not going near ditchfinders.

Can't remember what I've got on there at the mo as it's at the dealers now having the stereo problems investigated.

Dunlop Sport BluResponse look promising.

I replaced the original ones, Pirelli Cinturato P7, at the dealer, before using the car for first time, because I was looking for a more effective tyre in terms of wet performance.

Then, I preferred riding Michelin's Pilot Sport 3. Despite it's not a cheap tyre, it is impressive in wet weather, very good in dry condition, not specially noisy and with a reasonably wear for being a quite sporty tyre.

After 16.000 km, with no rotation, they still have around half life on the front side and 80% on the rear one.

If your annual mileage is not high, this, or the new PS4, could suit your needs.

I haven't had to buy new summer tyres yet, but the Michelin Primacy HP that came on it seem pretty decent to me. No idea what they'd cost.

 

Based on information available online I could make a case for the Dunlop Sport BluResponse or Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance equally, but not through first hand experience.

 

I have been using separate winter tyres, but both sets are going to need replacing soon and I'm thinking of doing away with the wheel swapping and opting for the Michelin Cross Climates. Once again I have no first hand experience though.

Those Michelin CrossClimates look promising, I want to see some real life reports of summer use though.

What about Goodyear Eagle F1 AS 3?

 

The AS 2 were brilliant tyres in the wet and dry. Don't have any experience of the AS 3 though, it is a fairly new tyre.

 

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/Goodyear-Eagle-F1-Asymmetric-3-Press-Release.htm

Edited 10 February, 201610 yr by andyvee

Hmmmm. I was kinda tempted by the crossclimates until the guy in Costco 's said they'll feel a lot like the primacy he's. That was enough for me, I ran away and brought a full set of CSC5'S which I have complete faith in even when running on the absolute edge.

Regards

T

Hankook Ventus V12 Evo 2. Absolutely belting tyre for v reasonable cost.

I've ran the Goodyear Efficient Grip Performance on my last car and they were great. Quiet, economical and belting in the wet!

What about Goodyear Eagle F1 AS 3?

 

The AS 2 were brilliant tyres in the wet and dry. Don't have any experience of the AS 3 though, it is a fairly new tyre.

 

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/Goodyear-Eagle-F1-Asymmetric-3-Press-Release.htm

+1 on the Goodyear Eagle F1's.   Extremely good in the dry, very good in the wet and quite decent in the snow!

Not yet done enough miles under challenging conditions but shod my recently acquired My16 dsg Scout with Nokian Weatherproofs after much researching. I'm after press on wet weather best performance followed by cold & mud/grass performance in an all weather tyre & not inclined to push to the limit in dryer warmer conditions.

Primacy 3's are my preference. But Pilot Sports are a good alternative, same price can be found for both. Pilots are now on Mk 4. I found previous versions of the Pilot Sport gave a very harsh ride near the end of their life, but not so with the Primacy. I ran both types for over 50k each on my Saab 9-5.

I will consider new tyres sometime soon (the car arrived with Pirelli Cinturato P7s but they offer an unsure footing).  I am inclined to the Michelin's Pilot Sport 3 or 4 (and in France, where I live, are not costly).  On my previous Mk2 I finally used Goodyear Efficient Grip Performance and found them very reassuring wet & dry.

 

Back to the Mk3 - what are the best tyre pressures? The advisory notice shows a very wide range of pressures as the estate car is loaded.  But I often travel by myself and with little luggage.  I have found the advised 2.2 bar quite squishy... and so I look to your views.

Having used both Michelin primacy and goodyear efficent grip I can say these are both fantastic tyres, very quiet, and good in the wet. I would avoid continental eco contact 5 like the plague, very noisy.

The michalins are a bit more expensive but there's not much in it performance wise the goodyears being the more silent tyre.

I will consider new tyres sometime soon (the car arrived with Pirelli Cinturato P7s but they offer an unsure footing).  I am inclined to the Michelin's Pilot Sport 3 or 4 (and in France, where I live, are not costly).  On my previous Mk2 I finally used Goodyear Efficient Grip Performance and found them very reassuring wet & dry.

 

Back to the Mk3 - what are the best tyre pressures? The advisory notice shows a very wide range of pressures as the estate car is loaded.  But I often travel by myself and with little luggage.  I have found the advised 2.2 bar quite squishy... and so I look to your views.

Interesting you say this I agree, I have R16 and find 2.2 is squishy I find 2.5 too hard as that is the recommended presure for eco hence I use 2.3. It gives a relaxing ride and handles the bumps better, however from a performance point of view I think a higher presure is required.

I went for the Dunlop in the end, as I'm getting close to the limit after 24k. Will post an update on Wednesday.

I went for the Dunlop in the end, as I'm getting close to the limit after 24k. Will post an update on Wednesday.

 

 

Dunlop never had any tyres by them, what model of Tyre did you go for?

+1 Pipsyreturns

 

Hankook Ventus V12 Evo 2. Absolutely belting tyre for v reasonable cost.

I'll be interstes to hear how you go with the blue response tyres. They do well in the comparisons particularly regarding low rolling resistance.

They are not available in Aus yet.

My concern would be that Dunlop sport max fitted as OEM would seem to have poor quality control in manufacture

Interesting you say this I agree, I have R16 and find 2.2 is squishy I find 2.5 too hard as that is the recommended presure for eco hence I use 2.3. It gives a relaxing ride and handles the bumps better, however from a performance point of view I think a higher pressure is required.

 

Thanks for your note - especially about higher pressure for performance.

After a laser alignment I found the guys had set the tyres at 3.0 bar and I enjoyed the new ride - no squishy deviations over bumps and I did not notice the bumps because before the alignment the car jerked about too much!

Now I am searching for a good compromise for my R17s - and run at 2.4 (a bit too hard I think) as the rear will jump off bumps (many on French rural roads!)

 

It's a pity that Skoda reverted to cart springs on the MK3 Elegance (and lower) specs.  The MK2 had a better suspension set up.

 

Data for all - over the first 18,000 kms from new I have averaged 45 mpg (5.1 l/100km) on mixed driving - motorways if free, rural roads, over mountain roads (for variety) at up to 40C, but no snow!   The Conti P7's on the front may have 8,000 km remaining.

Edited 14 February, 201610 yr by johnbkidd

It's a pity that Skoda reverted to cart springs on the MK3 Elegance (and lower) specs.  The MK2 had a better suspension set up.

 

Rear torture beam suspension I've termed it, a cost  weight saving advance or so I'm told, just wait till your brakes start to wear and the services guys ask if you want them replaced, "I'll replace them when the red light comes on" I said "there's no red light on these Sir" came the responce FFS

 

Regards

T

Do the Pirelli P7's go off quite markedly when they get down to around 4.5mm on the fronts?

 

Mine certainly feel like they've gone off badly in the last few weeks to the point they feel semi-dangerous.

At times it feels like driving around on marbles (and i'm no longer a "press on" driver).

 

I was intending to replace them around April, based on wear rates, but if this is a trait of the tyre, and not something else, I'm tempted to replace them now.

 

If i needed to do all four i'd have plumped for cross climates but replacing only the front two i'm leaning towards the hankooks pipsy mentions as they get solid reviews.

Edited 17 February, 201610 yr by AlleyCat`

Those Michelin CrossClimates look promising, I want to see some real life reports of summer use though.

 

I had cross climates fitted when the car was delivered to the dealer and flogged the OEM tyres in Briskoda. Not had any issues with them at all but hard to do a comparison as I've not driven the car on anything else. They've been flawless in all the snow, ice and slush this winter and they were fine throughout the Summer too. 

So far, all is well with the Dunlop Sport BluResponse.

They are definitely quieter than the Pirelli P7 that the car came with, and they grip well on damp roads.

On very wet roads they are clearly a big improvement but you'd expect that going from 2mm tread to 8mm.

Fuel consumption is fine too, with 61mpg one way and 54 back on a 240 mile round trip to Doncaster at the weekend.

Annoyingly I've found them cheaper on MyTyres since getting them fitted through Black Circles, but that's not the end of the world.

 

<edit>

And dry grip is better too.

I did a full circuit of the cloverleaf junction in Redditch on the way home and cornering speeds are definitely up a few MPH.

Anything except bridgestones!

Michelin know how to make a tyre. Never a bad choice whether 2 wheels or 4.

Anything except bridgestones!

Michelin know how to make a tyre. Never a bad choice whether 2 wheels or 4.

Not sure about nowdays but a coupla year back I was changing Michelin PS2'S for Conti SC3'S as the PS2'S wore really quick. The tyre man said "it's not surprising, the Conti 's have 2mm more tread straight outta the moulds" FFS it's no wonder they wore quick, dunno if it's still the case.

Regards

T