What Tyres are quiet and not a hard ride ?

[sparky2]

Hi All, looks like I will be buying 3 tyres soon, tyres fitted at the moment are Dunlop SP Sport Maxx and there awfull with a hard ride and feeling every bump in the road, I'm after good mileage with a good ride as were in our 60s and not boy racers so any recommendations?

[Gymbro1976]

Just wondering what tyre size you have 

[BTandSid]

I swapped the awful oem Bridgestones that were on our Karoq within a few months of buying it for CrossClimates2 which I’d previously had on a LR Freelander and Subaru Forester. Totally different ride now, no longer feeling every bump or hole in the road and considerably quieter as a consequence, no longer the constant ‘thump thump’

[sparky2]

215/40R17 87V

[Ootohere]

I take it they are XL,s. 

Well the Low Profile tyres and the pressure you run is what it is.  As it is buying only 3 tyres and keeping 1 does not make sense.

You might get a deal on 4 anyway, better than a pair and a single. 

The Dunlops are not as hard as Pirelli Zero,s.

?

Why not get 4 All Season tyres fitted.  Maybe now as winter is almost over the prices might be sensible.

 

(Winter conditions not over here though at near freezing and potential of snow on high routes.)

[nta16]

My way of explaining things isn't for all but can as always be read or ignored.

 

24 minutes ago, sparky2 said:

215/40R17 87V

That's part of your problem the decades old fashion for oversized wheels with wide rubber band tyres, party frocks for often only going to work in.  Whatever tyres you get is restricted by this.  The 87V is as you may know weight loading and speed rating of the tyre, 545kg  and 149 mph.  So you have a tyre capable of 149 mph (for a while) on a car that shouldn't generally be doing more than 70mph here but is required as the car's top speed is 120+(?) mph.

 

Whatever tyres a set of four matching tyres makes more sense and as put correct tyre pressure is important, though some models get two pressures quoted the second being "Eco" which is at a higher pressure and generally gives more bumps but XL tyres run at higher pressure anyway.

 

If you're in your 60s you may remember 70 profile tyres were considered low profile tyres, yours are 40, and even on a sports saloon back then wheel size would be on 13"/14", possibly models that heavy and fast (as your model) 15".

 

Merely an example, 215/40R17 nominal sidewall size 3.4" (97mm) - 215/45R16 nominal sidewall size 3.8" (86mm) - 185/60R15 nominal sidewall size 4.4" (112mm) more 'rubber' and air gives more cushioning.  Not that 15" may fit over the macho brakes and I don't know if the 16" would still need to be XL (XL used to be for work vans).  With fashions you often have to suffer some discomfort and impracticability but you can look good, well at least until the next fashion.  😁

 

[Carlston]

215/40R17 is an expensive and hard riding tyre size.

 

15" wheels such as the standard 185/60R15 fitted to 6Jx15 ET38 rims would make a lot more sense. 15" tyre sizes in general are much cheaper than 17"...often less than half the price.

 

Here is just one example, and I've listed 5.5Jx15 ET40 rims from the Fabia MK4 rather than the standard Fabia MK3/Rapid 6Jx15 ET38 because the slightly narrower 5.5J rims not only helps to improve the ride even more compared to the wider 6J rims but the tyres' sidewalls will bulge out slightly more resulting in even better protection from kerbing damage.

 

Uniroyal RainExpert 5 185/60R15 84H (Euro label C A 70dB) (£58.60 each)

https://www.mytyres.co.uk/rshop/tyre/Uniroyal/RainExpert-5/185-60-R15-84H-EVc/D-124245

 

Alcar 4055 5.5Jx15 ET40 5/100 57.1 steel rim (from Fabia MK4) (£50.80 each)

https://www.mytyres.co.uk/rims/details?vehicleId=1360399348768339044&rimCode=ALCAR4055

 

Wheel trims for 5.5Jx15 ET40 steel rims (from Fabia MK4) 6VA071455 (1259CZK is about £42.48 for a set of four)

https://eshop.skoda-auto.cz/cs_CZ/sada-poklic-calisto-15/p/6VA071455

 

So based on these prices, the total for a set of four new tyres and rims including wheel trims would be £480.08. You would then have your old wheels to resell and recoup some of the cost. The UK price for the wheel trims might be a little more than the Czech price when ordered through a UK VAG parts department.

 

Although you can get 17" tyres that might be a small improvement over your current 17" tyres, these 15" tyres will put the car's ride in a completely different league.

 

For completeness, I've also provided links to the standard 6Jx15 ET38 rims below.

 

Alcar 7760 6Jx15 ET38 5/100 57.1 steel rim (from Fabia MK3, Rapid)

https://www.mytyres.co.uk/rims/details?vehicleId=799637973241959524&rimCode=ALCAR7760

 

Wheel trims for 6Jx15 ET38 steel rims (from Fabia MK3, Rapid)

https://eshop.skoda-auto.cz/cs_CZ/poklice-na-kola/c/fullWheelCovers?q=%3AscoreDesc%3ArimDiameter%3A15%3AcarType%3ARapid%2B%282012-2020%29&text=#

 

195/60R15 would provide even more protection from kerbing damage compared to the standard 185/60R15, and provide a wider looking tyre and slightly better ride comfort compared to the standard 185/60R15 tyre size...although even the standard 185/60R15 is in a different league compared to the really quite awful hard riding 215/40R17.

 

Uniroyal RainExpert 5 195/60R15 88H (Euro label C A 71dB)

https://www.mytyres.co.uk/rshop/tyre/Uniroyal/RainExpert-5/195-60-R15-88H-EVc/D-124243

 

Edited 16 April by Carlston

[camelspyyder]

I had 2 Rapids on those 215/40 17s.

and driven others as well.

It is possible to get comfort in that tyre size.

 

 

SO in this exact size and on Rapids,,,

I found the OEM Dunlop  SPORTMAX horrible & harsh though grippy

The newer OEM Bridgestone RE050A  is noisy and jiggly riding.

The Old OEM Conti PremiumContact 2 was quiet & smooth riding and nearly as grippy as the Dunlop.

Currently using on a Rapid 1.0TSi  Falken Ziex 914 ECORUN which are as good as the CONTIS were but much cheaper.

Edited Saturday at 09:56 by camelspyyder