I'm pretty much ready for 4 new tyres on my VRS tdi, it's on 19" extremes. Its approaching 35k and still on the original set of pirelli p-zeros. A couple of people have suggested uniroyal rainsports with one of those owning a V8 manual Audi RS4 saloon, he says he wouldnt use anything else. 

 

So what's everyone else's thoughts? Rainsports, p-zeros again or something else? 

The only issue I had with Rainsports was very soft tyre wall, lost two within a month due to potholes (that was on Mk1 Fabia VRS).

Rainsport do have a reputation for good grip due to soft compound but won't be long lasting.

 

If your Pirellis have lasted 35k you might expect only half of that from the Uniroyals.

 

Illustrative prices:

Pirelli £115

Uniroyal £90

Personal opinion, they're a decent enough mid range tyre but the only reason to buy them ahead of something like the Michelin PS4S or Goodyear Eagle F1 A5 is cost saving. 

 

Even then, comparative wear rates call that into question longer term. 

 

The new PZ4 version of the P Zero is meant to be good but historically they've not made it easy to differentiate versions as they're all just called P Zero. 

I got about 13k miles from a front set of Uniroyal Rainsport 3s. The rear tyres are on 25k now and still going strong. Brilliant tyre for UK weather.

Ok, something else to throw in the mix.........

 

My car is a company vehicle, bought not leased, which means the company pay for the tyres. With my director being a bit of a petrol head he says get whichever tyres I want. So cost is not an issue, it has to be performance related and best suited to the UK's predictable weather!

I'd go for some Michelin Pilot Sport 4S myself.

1 hour ago, JamiePvrs said:

Ok, something else to throw in the mix.........

 

My car is a company vehicle, bought not leased, which means the company pay for the tyres. With my director being a bit of a petrol head he says get whichever tyres I want. So cost is not an issue, it has to be performance related and best suited to the UK's predictable weather!

PS4S all the way in my opinion then

I suspected that one or two of you may say that! I've just had a look on blackcircles and a full set fitted is £631. 

If the Rainsports are soft, surely tyre noise will be reduced relative to the standard P Zeros? Which are shocking. 

 

This is the no. 1 priority when mine are due. 

11 hours ago, Swirly182 said:

If the Rainsports are soft, surely tyre noise will be reduced relative to the standard P Zeros?

Tyre noise (on a given surface) is at least partly a function of tread design.

Check out the tested tyre noise levels on National Tyres, Black Circles etc. 

Those tested noise levels are for exterior noise. Who cares what noise pedestrians hear from your car? It's noise transmitted to the cabin that's important.

My current Bridgestones are marketed as quiet but inside the car they certainly aren't. The label noise figures are meaningless in my experience.

Check out real consumers reports on comfort/noise etc on Tyrereviews.co.uk.

So every tyre should be tested on every vehicle on the market? I think not.

A standardised test for external noise is a good starting point to compare tyres.

26 minutes ago, gregoir said:

So every tyre should be tested on every vehicle on the market? I think not.

A standardised test for external noise is a good starting point to compare tyres.

 

???

 

Those labels are possibly as disingenuous as the EU mpg figures in my book, so I'll continue to base tyre decisions on thousands of real consumer reviews, but each to their own.

But those user reviews are based on random opinions in random cars. The external noise tests are not vehicle dependent.

4 minutes ago, gregoir said:

But those user reviews are based on random opinions in random cars. The external noise tests are not vehicle dependent.

That's true: it doesn't alter the fact that the sticker value is a self-certified drive-by noise figure, and won't necessarily reflect interior noise in, say, a Thripps Thunderclap IV.

Yes and yes. But, for me personally, the dB figure is a good starting point before considering the reviews.

On 04/07/2019 at 22:01, camelspyyder said:

 

???

 

Those labels are possibly as disingenuous as the EU mpg figures in my book, so I'll continue to base tyre decisions on thousands of real consumer reviews, but each to their own.

 

Also if you look on the manufacturers website of all the sizes of a tyre often find 2-3 dB variation for same type.

 

So someone doing a review might be describing a 70 dB and someone else a 72 dB tyre of Brand X type Y simply because their car uses a different size

 

In practice, road surface type and quality is more important, everyone will have driven on sections that seem good and quiet, and at other extreme, road surfaces that are noisy and seem to make sound rumble and echo.

 

 

I've used Rainsport (2 & 3) on various cars. They are very good tyres for grip in the wet, the dry and the cold. They don't last that long on the front wheels, but the water rate is not terrible and they are not expensive. 

 

I'm going to change my Octavia tyres soon, as the previous owner had fitted a pair of Nexen blue something on the front, which are not good in the wet (dry front wheel grip limits may be down to the chassis) and the OEM Eco contacts are on the back 

 

I'll probably go for Rainsports again. They suit Manchester year-round weather. 

Edited 12 July, 20196 yr by MC Bodge

On 03/07/2019 at 16:48, JamiePvrs said:

Ok, something else to throw in the mix.........

 

My car is a company vehicle, bought not leased, which means the company pay for the tyres. With my director being a bit of a petrol head he says get whichever tyres I want. So cost is not an issue, it has to be performance related and best suited to the UK's predictable weather!

 

Michelin Pilot 4S or Continental Sport Contact 6 in the summer

and Michelin Alpin 6s or Vredestein Wintrac Pro or Continental TS860 S in the winter

 

Or If you prefer to run one set all year (that can cope with muddy field run off in Autumn, and frost and slush in Jan-Feb), would look at something like new Vredestein Quatrac Pro

Had Rainsport 3's on my Astravan, currently got them on the Audi A3, Octavia VRS and Porsche Boxster. They have been really good.

 

They are not used in winter as we have winter wheels and tyres so they last a bit longer. With the mileage we do, we are renewing them every 3 years  or so rather than them lasting for many years and the rubber going hard and cracking. Also with very hard wearing tyres, it means that they are at low tread depth for longer until you replace them.

 

We get a fair amount of rain in Scotland and the rainsports handle it very well. Good in the dry also. Good tyres at a reasonable price.

 

I went for the rainsports! 

 

Just need a good clean now!!

 

Let's see how they perform! I will report back

As others said here, the Rainsports are soft on the sidewall and wear quickly, but very grippy. SWMBO has them and they improved the ride no end! I think they are best on the arse end where the wear rate is not so much of an issue, they don't last that long on the front. I'm using Michelin Pilot Sport 4 on my MX-5 and really rate them. Let us know how you get on with the Rainsports, you may have to pop a little extra air in the fronts to firm them up a tad.

I'm running 40psi all round and I have definitely noticed the softer sidewall! They even feel soft to the touch! On turn in there is definitely more movement but there is also alot more grip!! But then again I was at the legal limit on the p zeros so the grip was awful anyway by that point.