Need new tyres - recommendations

[geoffp]

Hi,

Just had a service at 32k about a week ago.

Service guys said I had about 5k left in the front tyres, but when I dropped in today to pick up some wheel covers (the little VW branded clip on covers in the middle of the 18" rims), the service guy said "jeeez, you better change the front tyres, they aren't roadworthy - your insurance company wouldn't cover you if you had a accident"

The centre tread is good, but the outer edges look like they are down to the wear markers.

So, long story short - can anyone suggest suitable replacement tyres for the front rims.

I currently have Continental SportContact2 225/40 ZR 18 tyres.

I live in the Narre Warren area, so am after recommendations for tyre fitters/suppliers in the Dandenong area.

[KWICKS]

I bought Pirelli P-Zero Rosso's, and there is this little promo running Click

BTW you don't have top shop at JAX to enter. JAX price was $100 more a tyre than I paid.

[benough]

St George Tyres and Tempe Tyres in Sydney deliver and freight is pretty good.

I got a set of Pirelli P-Zero Rossos fitted for $1000.

They have the Goodyear Eagle F1's for like $200 a corner.

Conti's are hard to get cheap.

[gareth_oau]

Hi geoff.

biggest problem with asking others about their opinions is that these opinions are usually quite relative. Firsly, you might not now the person, hence you dont know how good his/her opinion is, and secondly, most people have only used one or two sets of tyres and are basing their recommendation on very limited experience.

also, you dont know whats more or less important to someone else, whether it be wet grip, dry grip, tyre noise, life, cost etc - al this offer different levels of merit which will bias their opinions

Can i suggest you look at www.tirerack.com - their offer a much more objective review of tyres and you can then choose one offering merits that are important to you.

[Maverick]

So, long story short - can anyone suggest suitable replacement tyres for the front rims.

I currently have Continental SportContact2 225/40 ZR 18 tyres.

I live in the Narre Warren area, so am after recommendations for tyre fitters/suppliers in the Dandenong area.

The CSC2's and CSC3's are both excellent tyres.

The Goodyear Eagle F1 Assym blitzed all the rest in a number of recent reviews. The best one was the EVO review which is 10 page review conducted on a purpose built track and they tested 10 tyres (the 17" versions) on a GTI.

If you PM me your email address I'll email you a copy of the review (7mb).

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2007-evo-tyre-test.htm

1) Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric
2) Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta
3) Continental Contisport Contact 3
4) Bridgestone Potenza RE050-A
5) Michelin Pilot Sport PS2
6) Pirelli PZero Nero
7) Kumho Ecsta STP KU31
Dunlop Sport Maxx
9) Yokohama S.Drive

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2007-autocar-tyre-test.htm

1) Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric
2) Michelin Pilot Sport PS2
3) Bridgestone Potenza RE050-A
4) Continental Contisport Contact 3
5) Pirelli PZero Nero / Rosso

Here are some prices that I obtained yesterday (I wasn't going to get prices on the CSC2 and CSC3's hence why no prices for the first few places).

Eagle F1 Assym CSC3 CSC2

Jax Quickfit Tyres
760 Fairfield Road, Yeerongpilly QLD 4105
3217 1188
$410 $x $x

Beaurepaires Rocklea
21 Sherwood Rd, ROCKLEA QLD 4106
3848 4191
$470 $x $x

Goodyear Sumner Park
Cnr Spine & Neon Sts, SUMNER PARK QLD 4074
3376 2000
(said goodyear had a 12.5% price rise at the start of the month)
$490 $x $x

Ian Boettcher Discount Tyres
6 Brisbane Rd, Bundamba QLD 4304
3816 2666
$465 $550 $x

Bridgestone Tyre Centre
Donnallans*the tyremen
237 High Street,Preston, VIC 3072
(03) 9480 0044
($70 to Brisbane - generally allow $20 per tyre)
$450 $475 $465

GoodYear Burleigh
67 Lower West Burleigh Rd, Burleigh Heads QLD 4220
5535 2288
$467.5 $532.5 $559

[Maverick]

St George Tyres and Tempe Tyres in Sydney deliver and freight is pretty good.

I got a set of Pirelli P-Zero Rossos fitted for $1000.

They have the Goodyear Eagle F1's for like $200 a corner.

But those are the old Australian made rubbish tyres and not the new Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric

Conti's are hard to get cheap.

If you want quality you have to pay.

[gareth_oau]

now, ignoring my earlier post!!! Ive got goodyear asymmetrics on my GT-P and they are a great tyre - specifically they are recognised as the world's best wet weather tyre

Motor magazine recently rated the The bridgestone RE050 as a slightly better tyre overall, but as per my earlier comment, you have to look at the individual characteristics to see whats important to you, e.g wet vs dry, cost vs life expectancy etc.

On a differnt note, i recently read an article stating that tyres typically have an absolute shelf life of around 6 years at which point the rubber has deteriorated so much that they become unsafe, even if still new.

On the side of the tyre will be DOT code which shows you when they were manufactured

http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible.html

the tyre will have a 4 digit code on the side, for example 3008, which means they are manufactured in the 30th week of 2008.

therefore, when you finally decide, ask the retailer to show you the stock he is supplying and confirm that you are getting as new as possible, not some old shelf stock

[zz2]

Yokohama Advan Sport V103s. so much better than the CS2s. very quiet and they grip so much better. i had them fitted to my old GTI to replace the balding contis and i had them put on my sisters Mk5 GTI too last week. im waiting for my current factory conti CS2s to wear out so i can fit them on my GTI.

at around $300 per tyre for r17s 225/ 45s theyre seriously good value. i couldnt be happier with them and i recommend them to everyone who asks me about tyres.
there are lots of guys on golfmkv.com running them and they have nothing but praise.
seriously underrated tyre IMO

[geoffp]

Many thanks to everyone for your input.

I still have next week off on annual leave, so I will start hitting a few tyre installers.

I will take special care in viewing the DOT code - thanks gareth

zz2 - I had a look at the yokohama advan sport v103 - they do not come in a 225/40R 18 size - only the advan s drive has that size so i suppose i would have to get them (if i went with the yokohama's). am i right in saying this?

[Maverick]

zz2 - I had a look at the yokohama advan sport v103 - they do not come in a 225/40R 18 size - only the advan s drive has that size so i suppose i would have to get them (if i went with the yokohama's). am i right in saying this?

From the EVO review.

"Even less impressive was the Yokohama S.drive which was a woeful 7.5 seconds a lap slower then the Goodyear. No turn in, poor mid corner grip and hopeless traction. Without ESP it's be a liability."

"Astonishingly, on the Yokohama the Golf takes almost " Wet Braking, Goodyear 39.26 metres, CSC3 40.29 metres and wait for it Yokohama 51.78 metres!!!

Dry Braking the Yoko was LAST as well but the results were closer 28.06 was the best and Yoko on 30.51.

Final result was the Yokohama in 9th place. I'd be spending my money elsewhere if you want to stay on the road especially in the rain.

[brad]

The main problem that I've heard about with the Goodyear Assymetric appears to be that they wear quite quickly. I don't think there has been a single repeat purchaser over at BriSkoda.

Have you considered Bridgestone Adrenaline?

It's a bit hard to make a recommendation when you haven't really told us about your driving style & what you liked/disliked about your current CSC2 - 32,000km seems like good mileage so I assume you are fairly easy on your tyres?

[gareth_oau]

The asymmetrics on my GT-P have now done 13,000kms and they still have over 50% tread on them, and thats on a car who's power far out-performs its traction control capabilities.

I'm on my second set for a big V8 and i will continue to buy them as needed.

Previous yokohamas Ive run were lucky to get 15k by comparison

[geoffp]

My driving style...

Use the car mainly around the burbs and highway/freeway driving.

I'm not a throw the car into the corner flat out driver, however I do have sports suspension on the Jetta purely for the added stability, especially when cornering.

I certainly don't want tyres which will provide ultimate traction, etc but wear out in 10-15k kilometres.

Good traction, braking, wet handling but with good mileage is more what I am after.

Kinda like the CS2's I already have maybe - they have performed well with no obvious shortcomings based on my driving style.

[brad]

My driving style...

Use the car mainly around the burbs and highway/freeway driving.

I'm not a throw the car into the corner flat out driver, however I do have sports suspension on the Jetta purely for the added stability, especially when cornering.

I certainly don't want tyres which will provide ultimate traction, etc but wear out in 10-15k kilometres.

Good traction, braking, wet handling but with good mileage is more what I am after.

Kinda like the CS2's I already have maybe - they have performed well with no obvious shortcomings based on my driving style.

Bridgestone Adrenaline would do the job for a fair bit less $$$ & less noise too.
There are probably half a dozen other tyres that would fit the spec as well.

I think the CSC2 on my car are good but too noisy (and overpriced)

What about Pirelli? Same tread pattern as the limited edition Pirelli Golf? P-zero Rosso or Nero??

[Maverick]

The main problem that I've heard about with the Goodyear Assymetric appears to be that they wear quite quickly. I don't think there has been a single repeat purchaser over at BriSkoda.

How would they know? The tyre has only been out a few months!

They were launched at the end of October.

http://www.caradvice.com.au/18428/goodyear-eagle-f1-asymmetric-tyre-launch/