Replacement tyre options

[Swampy]

There was a previous thread for replacement tyres but I can't find it.

Previously my RS wagon had Conti tyres from new, and they would be completely stuffed by 30,000km. Most of the 'premium' tyres for the Octavia RS' start well into the $300 each. I know the last set of Contis were on 'special' at $475.

I have found a new tyre option which are much cheaper, handle as well (if not better) and cost much less than the Conti's. They are GT Radials Champiro HPY tyres and cost about $210 each. I had all my tyres replaced in early February and I have since driven to Bathurst as well as up and down the concrete Pacific Motorway in Queensland's recent cyclonic weather. The tyres are showing no signs of wear (The 2,400Km Bathurst trip would mark-up the Conti's for certain), are really quiet and grip like nothing in the wet.

Unless you are a premium tyre snob, these tyres are good and should last longer than 18 months.

[Martin]

Was that 30,000km with tire rotations? (Rears last longer otherwise)

Sydney tyre shops openning Conti price for people who have not done their homework is $300
In reality they are a $200 per corner tyre:
Contact Sport 3 $208
CONTINENTAL 225/40R18 92W SPORTS CONTACT 3
Contact Sport 5 $213
CONTINENTAL 225/40R18 92Y SPORTS CONTACT 5

Another option is the Pirelli PZero (not the NERO) $199
PIRELLI 225/40R18 92Y PZERO

I have the Michelin Pilot Sport 3, they sell for $300~$320 per corner
They are a wonderful tyre (better than the Conti) but not good enough to justify the price
I would like to try the Goodyear Asymmetric 2 but again they are well over $300 per corner (hard to justify)

[woofy]

My oem tyres are at 55k and still tonnes of tread. My mate has done way more than me with the same tyres and still has them. Pity they don't make the pe2s anymore but I wold think the ps3s should be similar.

[Tigger]

I just got the Continental Contact sport5 put on mine.

I love Continentals! Yes, they dont last quite as long, but they handle so well, are quiet, and chosen as OEM fitment for a reason.

I never compromise on tyres. As Fifth Gear once showed, tyres are the single most important performance upgrade you can do for your car. Remember that at each moment in time, there are only 8 inches conecting your car to the road...better make sure they are the best they possibly can be!

Also,the old catch phrase is true..."Price is forgotten, long after quality is remembered"
So, when you are enjoying a great drive, or on the flip side, when you lose grip, the price you saved 18 months ago will be completely irrelevant!

[sir_camel]

I picked up a full set of ContiSportContact5's in OEM size for a shade under $900 fitted and balanced a few weeks ago. If you shop around you can get some great deals on great rubber.

[roshea]

What tyres would people suggest for the stock wheels (6.5J x 16) on a TSI? The ones mentioned in this thread don't seem to be available in the size mine currently has (205/55 R16 91V).

[Martin]

What tyres would people suggest for the stock wheels (6.5J x 16) on a TSI? The ones mentioned in this thread don't seem to be available in the size mine currently has (205/55 R16 91V).

The Conti Sport Contact 5 is available in that size $135
CONTINENTAL 205/55R16 91W PREMIUM CONTACT 5

Dunlop Sport Maxx $130
DUNLOP 205/55R16 91W SPT MAX

Falken $120
FALKEN 205/55R16 91V ZE912

MaxTrex $69
MAXTREK 205/55R16 94V MAXIMUS M1

[roshea]

The Conti Sport Contact 5 is available in that size $135
CONTINENTAL 205/55R16 91W PREMIUM CONTACT 5

Dunlop Sport Maxx $130
DUNLOP 205/55R16 91W SPT MAX

Falken $120
FALKEN 205/55R16 91V ZE912

MaxTrex $69
MAXTREK 205/55R16 94V MAXIMUS M1

Thanks for that. Is the Conti Premium Contact the same as the Sport Contact?

[Diesel_vert]

Thanks for that. Is the Conti Premium Contact the same as the Sport Contact?

No, the PremiumContact 5 is (in their words), "a premium all-rounder that boasts extremely short braking distances on dry and wet roads, low rolling resistance, safe driving properties and comfortable handling characteristics".

As it's a relatively fresh design (released only last year), you can't go wrong with the PC5 in 205/55 R16, especially at that price.

In comparison, the SportContact range generally has a stronger emphasis on performance, handling and grip. Generally speaking, the lower the profile of a tyre, the more emphasis is put on these characteristics (at the cost of noise & wear). It partly explains why the SportContact 5 range is only available in sizes 17" or above.

[roshea]

No, the PremiumContact 5 is (in their words), "a premium all-rounder that boasts extremely short braking distances on dry and wet roads, low rolling resistance, safe driving properties and comfortable handling characteristics".

As it's a relatively fresh design (released only last year), you can't go wrong with the PC5 in 205/55 R16, especially at that price.

In comparison, the SportContact range generally has a stronger emphasis on performance, handling and grip. Generally speaking, the lower the profile of a tyre, the more emphasis is put on these characteristics (at the cost of noise & wear). It partly explains why the SportContact 5 range is only available in sizes 17" or above.

Great - thanks for your explanation!

[Swampy]

Sydney tyre shops openning Conti price for people who have not done their homework is $300
In reality they are a $200 per corner tyre:
Contact Sport 3 $208
CONTINENTAL 225/40R18 92W SPORTS CONTACT 3
Contact Sport 5 $213
CONTINENTAL 225/40R18 92Y SPORTS CONTACT 5

Another option is the Pirelli PZero (not the NERO) $199
PIRELLI 225/40R18 92Y PZERO

Obviously I can't trust Queensland Conti dealers - even when I get to see the computer screen prices! The previous tyres were completely bald at 34K and had been rotated & regularly aligned. As to the quality, I'll find out in about 18 months (the previous tyre life). If they aren't any good, I'll junk them and look for something different.

[bobski]

Yeah some good deals on contis going around. I was looking before Christmas and couldn't get them at a reasonable price. Ended up with PZero Neros. Brilliant grip wet and dry (I think better than the OEM). However, they are a fair bit noisier than the contis.

[2009fsi]

I've just bought 5 x Conti Sports Contact 3s online from the same ITT mob. $208/tyre, delivered free. Ordered at 9pm Wednesday, delivered 3pm Thursday. Mine are 225/40/18s for a Superb Elegance V6 sedan. I had the tyre fitted & balanced today & they balanced up with minimal weights. The local BP where I buy my juice has tyre fitting & balancing gear & did the job for $22/wheel. All up, that's saved me $925 for the complete job, compared with best quote I'd had from various traditional tyre suppliers around me.

I'd previously fitted Dunlop Sports Maxx TTs on the car, performed well on Australian roads, but they are just too hard a compound for the Superb, plus I think the tread block design on bands 2 & 4 caused a lot of noise. A mate of mine has a similar Superb fitted with Conti SC5s & they have proved to be noisy on road too, hence the reason I decided to go for the Conti SC3s with their basically blockless tread bands. The car originally had Conti SC2s on it, but they lasted no time. Conti 3s seem to be a longer life tyre more suited on the Superb 4x4s, so not sure they're of relevance to 2x4 Superb or Octavia owners as the noise is particularly generated from the rear wheels when decelerating in particular. I've immediately noted the absence of this noise with the Conti 3s on. Really, going down somewhere like Bulli pass or Mt Ousley near Wollongong the tyre noise was so bad, truck drivers would hear it over their engine back pressure braking!! After I put the Dunlops on, I read on Briskoda exactly the same comments about V6 Superbs on the same tyres over there. Pity I didn't know about the various Skoda forums earlier.

The other tyre I considered was the Michelin PS3s which this same online mob are selling for $320. Whether they are worth 50% more per tyre than Conti 3s is for someone with more money then me to find out.

[rc_vRS]

If looking for a quiet tyre, the PS3 is pretty good. I had them on my last car for about 10k kms before I sold it and they were still pretty good then, maybe would have got around 35-40k from them mostly hwy driving. I found them a lot softer in the sidewall than the previous Pzero's I had, didn't give quite as much feedback and felt like they understeered a bit more, comfortable ride though. In 235's they are around $265 ea, unfortunately the octy rims aren't wide enough for them though, the 225's are retailing for much more.

ContiSC2's were pretty good all round, good life, reasonable noise, pretty good turn in and grip on takeoff from cold. Got 42k from these. For ~$200 ea these or maybe CS3's would be hard to beat, I was quoted $535ea by my lease company last time, hence I ended up with Pzero's next.

The Pzero's - only get these if you like a lot of tyre noise and very short life. When pushing them they felt pretty good, but overall I was disappointed with noise/life vs performance, got <30,000km out of a set, this was with many rotations and wheel alignments done. Paid around $300ea at the time.

[Martin]

I was going to use an old set of Conti Sport Contact 2 for the Marulan track day to save my lovely and expensive Michellin PS3's
After putting the CSC2's on the front, first time I used the car I realised this would make the track day very disappointing, the turn-in was noticably inferior to the Michellin even at 50km/h
So I rushed to a local tire dealed and slapped two semi slicks on the front

At the track the motorsport instructors (people who have in years gone by have raced at Bathurst) had nothing good to say about Conti's - from a high performance point of view

One instructor drove Tigger's car with Conti CSC5's - on exit of the hair pin the inside front could not hang on and spun badly
My car has 60kw more and did not do that - thanks to the semi slicks

The Conti's took a real beating on the outside edge of the tyre at the track day - more than expected

I agree Conti's have pretty good grip and last well - not much else to write home about in my view (good price)