215/65 R16 C 106/104/T Tyres for Multivan

[Diesel_vert]

Well, our 2011 Multivan have now done 24000km and the front tyres (OEM Dunlops 16"s) are 1mm above the legal limit and due for replacement

This has to be of the worst tyre performance I have ever seen on any of my cars ....

Seems like an abnormal wear rate.

Have you checked the pressures? Assuming you're talking about the Dunlop SP LT30-6, IIRC they should inflated to around 3.3 bar (48 psi) for 'normal loads' or something like that - higher if you're carrying heavier loads.

[Transporter]

Well, our 2011 Multivan have now done 24000km and the front tyres (OEM Dunlops 16"s) are 1mm above the legal limit and due for replacement

This has to be of the worst tyre performance I have ever seen on any of my cars ....

It could be much worst. I've done 19,000km on Kumho Solus KH15 (235/55/17) and they're less than 1mm from the TWI. The worst tyre I ever had in regards of mileage.

[BrianJ]

I can report back that my MAXXIS vanpro UE-103 have now done 80,000km and the backs have about 1mm (was front up to 50,000km), and the fronts have about 4mm. I am going to try for 100,000 out of the 4, the spare has never been used.

These are 8ply, does anyone know what ply the Federals are?

[aSimpleLife]

On my T5 LWB I've currently got the original tyres - Continental VancoContact 205/65 R 16 C 107/105 T
I have been happy with them and should have replaced them at 55,000km
First 40,000 was mainly highway driving so I would have liked to get km's more out of them.
But I do drive fairly hard around corners and roundabouts.
Now half of the time I am doing shorter local distances...and it is usually mostly unloaded.
With tyre pressure I have always followed the VW label inside the drivers door which I interpret as being 57psi front and 51psi rear for light loads for 205's.

From most of what I have read here 215's seem more popular than 205.
Is there a reason of this?

And I am trying to decide on my replacement tyres.
I like to have tyres that ride and handle well on bitumen (1) with good grip in the dry and wet (2) but are value for money (3). I don't need to have (and pay for) the best of the best.
I am knew to where I now live and don't have my usual tyre supplier available anymore.
From this forum it seems for me the best choice would be - Maxxi's (VanPro?) UE103 (my local shop says $181 each)
When I asked for their suggestion it was - Hankook RA14 107/105 - ($175 ea)
I was hoping for some comments about that choice or if I have missed a better alternative.

Thanks in advance for any guidance.

[duaned]

My T5 also has the OEM Continental VancoContacts and I hate the damn things! Noisy as and in the wet my traction control light occasionally illuminates due to wheel spin even in 3rd at times! Mine is a 5 speed manual with a bluFin tune which probably doesn't help but I will be glad to get these continentals off and something better.

[aSimpleLife]

Can't say I have been unhappy with the Continentals. But it's the first tyres on my first van so I haven't yet got anything to compare them to.

[Silver Caravelle]

The Toyos I replaced with are doing great so far. Quite and slow wear.

Regards,

Scott

[aSimpleLife]

Thanks for that Scott.
They would be the - Toyo H08 215/65R16 106/104T ?

My current Continentals are load rated 107/105T
Mine is used as a commercial vehicle but rarely carries alot of weight.
I've never had a commercial vehicle before so I am unsure about these load ratings.
I suppose I'll ask the supplier if they have the next higher rating?

I also see you are running 215's
Mine came with 205's
Are there any pro's and con's between them?

[Silver Caravelle]

Thanks for that Scott.
They would be the - Toyo H08 215/65R16 106/104T ?

My current Continentals are load rated 107/105T
Mine is used as a commercial vehicle but rarely carries alot of weight.
I've never had a commercial vehicle before so I am unsure about these load ratings.
I suppose I'll ask the supplier if they have the next higher rating?

I also see you are running 215's
Mine came with 205's
Are there any pro's and con's between them?

That's correct; Toyo H08 215/65R16C 106/104T

Regards,

Scott

[Silver Caravelle]

That's correct; Toyo H08 215/65R16C 106/104T

Regards,

Scott

Sorry, I also meant to say this size and load rating (215/65R16C 106/104T) is what came as original on my 2008 Multivan (OEM Dunlop tires).

[aSimpleLife]

OK, I went with the Hankook RA14 205/65R16C 107/105T
Cost $175 each from a local place Widetread - decided to go with them as I'm new to the area and I like to try and buy locally.
This was their recommendation - they say they are independent of any brand - I couldn't find much feedback on the RA14s but the bit I found seemed positive.
My preference was the Maxxis UE103 for $181 each - I liked the reported longer wear - but didn't like the reported less grip in the wet - I allowed the suppliers recommendation to sway me in the end.
I was also tempted by the Toyo H08 but they were going to be dearer (didn't get a price) and they weren't in stock and I would have had to come back in a day or two.

I stayed with the 205's when I felt like changing to 215's which seem to be more common on this forum.
But when I asked for a price on the RA14 215's they said $20 per tyre extra. When I expressed surprise they dropped this to $15. I still thought this was too much and stayed with the 205's. I had never felt I had an issue with this anyway and it is what came OEM.

I also ummm'ed and ahhh'ed about a wheel alignment. My Continentals didn't seem to have any uneven wear. But in the end I decided I was investing $55 in the longevity of my $700 tyres. The supplier advised me I should have it done every 55,000km or so. I was a bit disappointed when I paid and found it was now $69. They told me it needed to be a 4 wheel alignment for my front wheel drive transporter. I said they had quoted me $55 but they insisted. I wouldn't bother antagonising a new customer for $14 over my own mistake. To make matters worse they forgot to invoice me for the wheel alignment at all originally and rang me up after and asked me to come back and pay for it. All in all not sure how keen I will be to try local again with this supplier. They didn't do anything wrong as such, but I've got my nose out of joint now.

This is my first van and the Continental VancoContact 205/65 R16C 107/105T were my first tyres, so I am new to all this.
I was not unhappy with the Continentals, got 56,000km from them, but it seemed to me I could get better value for money tyres.
I will report back my comparison once I've had some time to get a feel for the Hankook RA14's.
Thanks again to those who helped and have provided their knowledge here.

[aSimpleLife]

Just a bit of an update on the Hankook RA14 205/65 R16C 107/105T at $175 each
I am happy with the tyres at this stage - although still not sure I am comfortable with the supplier.
I've got my grip back from standing stop acceleration which the Continentals had lost by about 45,000 - this was the only thing I was noticing - braking and grip in the wet had not been a problem but I was driving very cautiously by that stage.

For some reason they look smaller on the car than what they replaced - Continental VancoContact 205/65 R16C 107/105 T
When viewing side on - like lower profile - which they shouldn't be.

Had a slight shudder through the steering wheel that wasn't there before on highway driving.
Went back and they rebalanced the front tyres and told me they were both slightly out of balance.
They said this can be natural after fitting.
Seems strange to me as that would mean every tyre on every car should potentially be taken back?
Maybe they are not balancing correctly in the first place? Haven't tested them on the highway yet where I noticed the shudder.
But now I am thinking - if the front wheel balance can be out - why can't the back be out too?

EDIT - while it is still early days - and I must say it's hard now to accurately compare the old with the new - I think I preferred the Continentals more as a driving tyre - but I would not have paid the approx $50 per tyre premium for them.
In hindsight I think I should had gone with the Maxxi's EU103 which seemed to be the choice of this forum rather than listening to the dealer who I have now become skeptical about anyway.
It has meant though that with my other car I have gone with the forum choice rather than the dealer suggestion and in that instance I am much happier with my decision. Oh well, I live and learn...hopefully.

[NotVW]

Hello everyone,

I don't have a VW, I have a 2009 KDH201R Turbo Diesel Toyota Hiace and I found this thread when searching about Maxxis MALAS Vanpro tyres and I wanted to share my input about them.

I got em fitted about a month after buying my van new (2100kms) because the stock tyres were practically a knife to butter in the wet. I got 215/65/R16C fitted onto some 16" Speedy - Grande Hilux rims (all load rated and legit). I put 53 PSI in them (The plate says 51 psi but I allow a couple extra for un-calibrated servo air pumps).

At 61,000kms I am on to my second set, I deliberately got the MALAS again because I was impressed with the first set. I did notice after 2 years & 50,000 kms, the rubber seemed to start to "soften" and the tread started wearing fast after 2 years. I should have replaced them at 2.5 years (below legal wear limit) but I got 3 years and 4 months nearly to the day before set 2 were put on.

Make sure if you get Maxxis vanpro that you do get the MALAS ones Maxxis MALAS VANPRO - SUV & Recreational not those other UE-103 light commercial ones, the tread is much better suited for vans like mine decked out as a camper and does go on dirt roads.

I don't know if it is the region here or what but I seem to pay more for them than you guys! I payed $250 per tyre in March 2010 and I just bought the second set @ $270 per tyre today. Bobjane over the phone reckon they are $259 RRP, and the bloke where I bought them from even gave me a $60 discount (So I paid 4 x $270 = $1080 Balanced & Fitted AFTER the $60 discount.....) + $10 per tyre to dispose of the 3 tyres (used 1 as spare) so that comes to $277.50 per tyre and Bobjane is $259 for everything so I definitely overpaid by at least $74 it seems (Even with a $60 discount ... $10 per tyre disposal cost ... really? I don't mind paying a bit extra for local guys over Bobjane but I think $30 to chuck 3 tyres is a bit rich especially when paying more for just the tyre + B&F than Bobjane with everything!). I am interested tho if my region is paying more for tyres which will be the case if the quotes you guys have been talking about are for MALAS and Steptoe's quote @ $213 per MALAS is phenomenaly good for these tyres and if you can get em at that price in your region don't hesitate!

So just thought I would share my recommendation and confirm my good experience with the Maxxis MALAS Vanpro.

Cherio then!

[aSimpleLife]

Thanks very much for taking the time to provide that information.
Interesting what you say about the Maxxis MALAS Vanpro.
The talk on this thread I think was all about the UE-103.
I didn't get any pricing on the MALAS so can't help you there.
I'll be having a good look at both when the time comes, but that will be a while.
I have just gone with the Hankook RA14's and while they aren't bad, I probably wish I had tried the Maxxis.
I don't like the RA14's as much as the Continental Vanco's that came factory fitted - I feel like there is more roll around bends and roundabouts - and for some reason looking at the van from the side they look smaller inside the wheel arches.

You've reminded me that I am accumulating information I need to get round to posting on this forum.
Definitely this weekend
Thanks again.

[BrianJ]

I have four Maxxis VanPro's on mine, so far they have done 50,000km and look like they will do another 50k. I think they were $200 each at Bob Jane.


Brian

Today I replaced these with another new set of Maxxis VanPro's UE-103 type, I was aiming for 100,000km but only ended up getting 95,000km, the back two were down to the legal markers, and the front two still had a couple of mm, but unfortunately a chunk of rubber got cut out of one rear tyre making it unsafe.

I will try for 100,000km out of this new set.

Brian