Best tyres for VRS

[Graeme279]

Hi, 

 

I'm looking to replace the front tyres on my 2017 VRS Estate. Its currently got Bridgestone Potenza S001 on. 

 

I can't decide between Goodyear F1 Asymmetric 5 or Michelin Pilot Sport 4s. I keep reading great reviews on both but also some bad ones aswell. 

 

Any information would be appreciated. 

 

Cheers 

 

Graeme

[Gaz]

 

[Graeme279]

11 minutes ago, Gaz_ said:

 

Cheers mate 👍🏻

[weyland]

What's it got in the rear?

 

The MP4S is a fantastic high performance tyre, but I'd only fit them all around due to the different in tyre characteristics. They will generate a lot more grip and have higher cornering abilities than most other tyres

[Ecomatt]

I use Goodyear Asy 5. Never had an issue with them. Make sure you have the alignment done regularly. My rears have scrubbed down as clearly hit a pot hole(s) and knocked it out. Only checked the tread a month agonand all was good. The rear has now worn down to below the 1.6mm mark on the inside. Gutted as tyre has only been on the rear for a year. Fronts have been on the same time and down to 5mm wearing evenly. New rear tyres later today...again 😞

[Graeme279]

17 minutes ago, Ecomatt said:

I use Goodyear Asy 5. Never had an issue with them. Make sure you have the alignment done regularly. My rears have scrubbed down as clearly hit a pot hole(s) and knocked it out. Only checked the tread a month agonand all was good. The rear has now worn down to below the 1.6mm mark on the inside. Gutted as tyre has only been on the rear for a year. Fronts have been on the same time and down to 5mm wearing evenly. New rear tyres later today...again 😞

Yeah I think I'm going to go for the GY AS5, plus Kwik Fit have 10% off if you buy two 😁

[Graeme279]

10 hours ago, weyland said:

What's it got in the rear?

 

The MP4S is a fantastic high performance tyre, but I'd only fit them all around due to the different in tyre characteristics. They will generate a lot more grip and have higher cornering abilities than most other tyres

I've not long bought it so what's on the rears isn't my choice, they are some cheap 'Made in Serbia' tyres that just say Ultra High Performance. Will be changing them soon but they are brand new by the looks of it

[Ecomatt]

22 minutes ago, Graeme279 said:

I've not long bought it so what's on the rears isn't my choice, they are some cheap 'Made in Serbia' tyres that just say Ultra High Performance. Will be changing them soon but they are brand new by the looks of it

Do you mean 'Ultra High Performance ditch finders' 🤔

[ChoonDoode]

I've got Michelin PS4 on mine and I do think they're a vast improvement over the S001's. The main thing I've found with them is they always appear to be ready with the grip, but the Bridgestones needed to be warmed up before they fancied working.

 

I watched that video and I don't agree with the view of 'it pushes into understeer before you expect it to'. The Bridgestone's lost traction more often than not when giving it the beans, especially in the wet. But I can't fault the wet grip on the Michelins. The problem is a person's perception of something. My ol' fellas beemer has runflats and going over bumps I feel like my spine is going to shoot my skull, yet he doesn't notice them.

 

It just depends on how and when you're running your car. In an ideal world, I'd have 3 sets of tyres on 3 sets of wheels; Toyo R888R's for the dry and warmer weather, Michelin P4S for the wet periods and then some sort of colder weather tyres to ensure grip when the temperature drops.

[Towelie]

Michelin’s PS4S’s all the way; had them on past three cars not just the VR and for me they’re the best road tyre for UK driving. 

[roaddetective]

The same for me. I have the Michelin PS4S all round as well and they handle the extra mapped power of my VRS. It's only when the roads are very cold and damp that you get some wheel spin when pushed. 

[PetrolDave]

1 hour ago, Towelie said:

Michelin’s PS4S’s all the way; had them on past three cars not just the VR and for me they’re the best road tyre for UK driving. 

Same here. On my RS4 the PS4s were the only tyres that gave good wet & dry grip without a harsh ride and lasted more than 15,000 miles.

Edited 4 March, 2021 by PetrolDave

[Pilotguy]

I've got Michelin Pilot Sport 4 on mine, totally fine wet and dry conditions. Minimal alloy wheel rim protection though, just one thing to be aware of. It was the same with Continental PremiumContacts I had before. My 18" Geminis are a state!

 

Let us know how the Goodyear are.

[roaddetective]

1 minute ago, Pilotguy said:

I've got Michelin Pilot Sport 4 on mine, totally fine wet and dry conditions. Minimal alloy wheel rim protection though, just one thing to be aware of. It was the same with Continental PremiumContacts I had before. My 18" Geminis are a state!

 

Let us know how the Goodyear are.

I went from a tyre width of 225 to 235/35/19 to help protect my alloys. Still not great but better than before. The extra rubber on the road must help grip as well. 

[weyland]

13 hours ago, Graeme279 said:

I've not long bought it so what's on the rears isn't my choice, they are some cheap 'Made in Serbia' tyres that just say Ultra High Performance. Will be changing them soon but they are brand new by the looks of it

 

I'd hang on and change all 4. You'll be getting way more grip from the front which isn't what you want this time of year unless taking it easy everywhere, not to say the rear is going to let go but it does catch the odd person out.

 

You can run mp4s' all year round and they'll perform great (not to be confused with MP4). I run them on my E46 M3 and my mate on his Porsche and lotus. We use them day to day and for light track use, can't beat them 

[Ecomatt]

23 minutes ago, weyland said:

 

I'd hang on and change all 4. You'll be getting way more grip from the front which isn't what you want this time of year unless taking it easy everywhere, not to say the rear is going to let go but it does catch the odd person out.

 

You can run mp4s' all year round and they'll perform great (not to be confused with MP4). I run them on my E46 M3 and my mate on his Porsche and lotus. We use them day to day and for light track use, can't beat them 

Between the Michelin and Goodyear performance wise there isnt a deal of difference. I used to run Michelin but switched to Goodyear about 5 years ago when my Focus ST came with the Asy 2 F1. Loved them and have had the 3s and now 5s. Mine is the diesel VRS and the Goodyears have done about 14,000 on the front and have 5mm left on them.

I find Michelin are just on the expensive side nowadays.

[Blairyc]

I had some random budget tyres on my '15 RS Wagon, they were shocking in the wet, so i put Goodyear Asymetric 5's all round and it's so much better. Like... a million times better! On my last car I had Potenza S003 and they were pretty good too.

[Liteboy]

I recently went from very worn PZeros to F1 Asymmetric 5s and the grip level is so much better. Had a full Hunter wheel alignment at the same time and was able to see how far out it had become. I went with Black circles who list two varieties of the Asymmetric 5s, one is Audi specific and one a general replacement tyre which is the one I went for. Goodyear technical said either would be fine though. 

[BATVANVRS]

Had PS4 on since 2017 or 2018 & still have plenty of life in them, the best tyre I've put on the vRS & won't put on anything else. You can get them cheaper from https://www.blackcircles.com/ use code flash15 for 15% off & select fitted, enter your postcode.

[FrankLK]

I also run on PS4, good tyre but  I would like a softer tyre with more grip, after three years they are noisy so planning to go on PS4S which are soon coming on sale in 225/40/18, that was not the case until now. 

[teamt84]

Diesel VRS 4x4 here and put PS4S’s on mine last year and have been extremely pleased. Great grip wet and dry and surprisingly good in the snow too 😂. done around 15,000 miles and wearing evenly.

[varaderoguy]

Agreed - a plus one here for the Michelin Pilot Sport tyres.  You could also consider Pirelli P-Zero tyres as well (although they still aren't as good as the Michelin's).

[FrankLK]

Somebody tried Uniroyal rainsport 5? 

I can find very different opinions from owners, from very bad to the best. Maybe it depends on HP and car weight?

Octavia as FWD and lightweight needs gripy tyres. By tests they have very bad braking results in dry. 

I want PS4S, for now not on stock yet in 225/40/18,only preorder. Waiting... 😩

 

[teamt84]

5 minutes ago, FrankLK said:

Somebody tried Uniroyal rainsport 5? 

I can find very different opinions from owners, from very bad to the best. Maybe it depends on HP and car weight?

Octavia as FWD and lightweight needs gripy tyres. By tests they have very bad braking results in dry. 

I want PS4S, for now not on stock yet in 225/40/18,only preorder. Waiting... 😩

 

I’ve always put Rainsports on my previous 3 cars prior to the Octavia.

I always found them to be a very good affordable tyre that performed well in both wet and dry,but they were previous versions of Rainsports not the 5’s.

[SurreyJohn]

Some of the tyres quoted above have been superceeded, and are performance summer tyres (so poor or useless in frost, cold rain, slush, sleet and snow, or a salted motorway).   Remember if salt has been put down, it’s too cold for a summer tyre to work well.

 

Bridgestone Potenza are now S001, SO07, Sport

https://www.bridgestone.co.uk/car-tyres
 

Michelin Pilot range (some older designs for some tyre sizes)

https://www.michelin.co.uk/auto/browse-tyres/by-family/pilot
 

Goodyear current range

https://www.goodyear.eu/en_gb/consumer/tires.html

 

Pirelli tyres currently made

https://www.pirelli.com/tyres/en-ww/car/homepage

 

Continental tyres 

https://www.continental-tyres.co.uk/car/tyres

 

For those that like to drive hard on winding roads in cold months there are some new performance all season and winter tyres available.  As an Example Pirelli has just launched a new all season (too new to be in any comparison test).  Vredestein is an all season test winner so linking it as well

 

https://www.vredestein.co.uk/car-suv-van/tyre-finder/