2.5 hour anticipated wait in Costco for reshoeing the R 
Are they doing it blindfolded? Not quite F1 standard lol
1.5 hour wait in a queue there and an hour to do the job. Apparently they have to clean up around the hubs and brake disks/calipers as part of the service - so they told me when dropping the car off (why then have they managed to leave all the toothpaste-like lubricant for tyre mounting all over the wheel rims?).
They were very thorough about avoiding blame for any marks on the wheels, five minutes after I left them they sent me pics of some tiny stone chips on my wheels and a pic to show the wheels were still on the car. I had told them that the wheels were free of any damage (meaning scrapes, not tiny stone chips). Presumably that means they take a lot of care to avoid damage (as i've always been given the impression at Costco
- never had damage i've attributed to their fitting service).
At pick-up I was chatting with one of the lads - he wanted to buy my Bridgestones for £90 the set. I declined as they're worth more than that to me to put back on the car when I come to sell it if the good set fitted at the time are getting a bit low. He said he knew they were crap in the wet, but he wanted them for his step Dad's Jag so he could get his inheritance a bit quicker!
He said that about 6 people a week swap barely worn in Bridgestones for Michelins at the Costco Gateshead branch - most of them VWs and Seats.
On the drive home I noticed straight away that the twitchiness has gone and the ride is noticeably more comfortable - that could just be tyre pressures, but I check mine weekly and stick to VW's recommendations, Costco looked up the "correct" pressures on their database when I was paying up prior to fitment. I doubt it's the "miracle" of Nitrogen filling vs dry air (wet air is bad though).
The car seems to react a little quicker when you put you foot down too (I put my foot down a few times on a straight run) - less assistance from the rear wheels needed? Maybe that's a bit of placebo effect considering how cautious i've been with the Bridgestones this past week.
Couldn't really comment on road noise - the car was very noisy, but the back seats were down to accommodate the 4 Bridgestones in the back, it's amazing how noisy a hatchback is from the back without the parcel shelf in place. Nice amount of sidewall rim protection overhang.
I asked about the wheel condition specifically for any signs of buckling (always a worry for 19" wheels) and I have a confirmed clean bill of health for them.
