GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk6 => Topic started by: EliteBajan on 11 December 2012, 11:01
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Good evening folks,
I have had my GTI for about a month now and have been disappointed with the way it handles in damp, greasy condition. I have convinced myself its a tyre problem and not a handling issue. Has anyone else had experience of Bridgestone Turanza tyres?
Looking on the net I think I can answer my own question as it seems that they have had several bad reviews :angry: . Though I'm no Jason Plato or Tiff Needel I have had my share of hot hatches from Renault 5 Turbo to every Focus, bar the Rs's and this is the worst handling car in the wet I have driven!
I think what disappoints is why VW continue to put these under performing tyres on their vehicles. For me the tyres have taken away the initial enjoyment of owning a GTI.
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It is almost certainly the tyres. I'm in the same boat at the mo
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Dunlops on mine, no quibbles with the handling. Goodyear's are better though
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Cold weather and summer tyres.
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Definitely the tyres. :smiley:
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It is the horrible, plastic, hard, noisey Bridgestone tyres that come fitted to the car. :angry:
I'm getting some Goodyears for next summer. Can't wait :cool:
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Cold weather and summer tyres.
I have had Goodyear, Continental, Pirelli and even Firestone and never needed to change the tyre during the winter for fear of not being able to negotiate a bend a decent speed. The way in which the Bridgestone tyre gives up is quite alarming, no gentle understeer to warn you that your pushing too hard just sudden break away!
I have little to complain about in the dry but as soon as the surface becomes moist and you use any steering input more than about a quarter lock and with a bit of speed :whistle: the car goes looking for the nearest hedge :huh:
I was so looking forward to owning a GTI and can remember a friend bringing round a mk5 for me to drive. I was so impressed! It felt pointy and alert, it was so responsive when changing direction and to the throttle. Where now my mk6 feels a little dull and slow witted. The steering feels a bit too heavy and throw in the issue with the tyres and I find myself getting a bit frustrated. I've racked up 1300miles in 4 weeks really trying to get to know the character of the car, and I'd be lying if I said that for most of those miles I've not had a smile on my face but I'm having to rein in my exuberance! When I should be really revelling in all the car can do.
Anyway rant over :grin: I would like to change the wheels for Monza Shadows, so when funds permit I'll ditch these useless Bridgestone's for some Goodyears or Conti's.
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Welcome to the wonderful world of understeer.
I think what you are experiencing is called torque understeer. Too much power with too little grip on the drive wheels causes them to spin and the car to understeer. XDS is supposed to help with this and slow down the inside tyre. But I doubt if it will work with Bridgestone tyres :rolleyes:
They banned the use of Bridgestone tyres in our local zoo. Aparently the monkeys could not get the grip to swing from them :grin:
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Don't forget the micheln PS3's to love them.
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Don't forget the micheln PS3's to love them.
I must admit I was never a big Michelin lover but had them on the Focus I traded in to get the Golf and they handled really well and still had tread on them after 14000miles.
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Cold weather and summer tyres.
This.
You could also install an Anti Lift kit (Reasonable cost)
You could also install a mechanical LSD (Expensive - but I have read very good reports of the Quaife LSD and its improvements in handling on GTI's)
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the OEM bridgestones are pretty decent when theyre warm but when theyre cold theyre useless
plus they meant to be potenza not turanza on the GTI
not sure if you just made an error in your post or your car has the wrong tyre on
we had turanza;s on our last focus and now on our altea and theyre pretty good all round
the potenzas must be warm before they start working.
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the OEM bridgestones are pretty decent when theyre warm but when theyre cold theyre useless
plus they meant to be potenza not turanza on the GTI
not sure if you just made an error in your post or your car has the wrong tyre on
we had turanza;s on our last focus and now on our altea and theyre pretty good all round
the potenzas must be warm before they start working.
Turanza is what they say on the sidewall. Hot or cold, I'm not impressed! Like I said as soon as there is any water on the road you have to wait until the car straightens up before you can even think about pressing on. Even then wheel spin is but a moment away if you get too excited! :sad:
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if theyre turanza's theyre definately the wrong tyre for the car. they do a 91w and 91y 225/45/17 so theyre ok for speed/load rating but theyre not a sports tyre
im assuming you have 17's as they dont do an 225/40/18 in that tyre
this is what are on our altea and theyre very good but that only has 110bhp
http://www.bridgestone.co.uk/tyres/car-4x4-and-van/car/touring/turanza-er300
to be honest they will be better than potenzas in the cold/wet as theyre an all year tyre. the potenza is a summer tyre
if you want bridgestones they should have been these fitted
http://www.bridgestone.co.uk/tyres/car-4x4-and-van/car/sport/potenza-re050a
like others have said though you can do better by getting some goodyear eagle F1's or continental sportcontact 3 or 5
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if theyre turanza's theyre definately the wrong tyre for the car. they do a 91w and 91y 225/45/17 so theyre ok for speed/load rating but theyre not a sports tyre
im assuming you have 17's as they dont do an 225/40/18 in that tyre
this is what are on our altea and theyre very good but that only has 110bhp
http://www.bridgestone.co.uk/tyres/car-4x4-and-van/car/touring/turanza-er300
to be honest they will be better than potenzas in the cold/wet as theyre an all year tyre. the potenza is a summer tyre
if you want bridgestones they should have been these fitted
http://www.bridgestone.co.uk/tyres/car-4x4-and-van/car/sport/potenza-re050a
like others have said though you can do better by getting some goodyear eagle F1's or continental sportcontact 3 or 5
I do have the 17" wheels but after a conversation with VW customer services the tyres are the right one for the car. There are 5 possible tyres than can be fitted at the time of manufacture which are, the 2 Bridgestone's mentioned, Dunlop, Continental or Goodyear. Unfortunately I have ended up with the lemon amongst them!
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thats bad luck. theyre even sold and advertised as a touring tyre not a sports tyre so why they put them on the GTI is pretty bad.
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As per mkviken; Turanza's are the wrong tyre for a GTI, should be Potenza's. If you made an error and they are Potenza's I assume you've checked the pressures? If they are Turanza's get them changed asap.
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i would say for the winter turanza's would be better than potenza's as theyre a more year round tyre but theyre still not suited to a hot hatch though in general.
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Sell the tyres, buy some winters and then save for some Monza shadows with decent rubber.
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I've also noticed the grip I've been getting from my tyres has decreased during the last few months. The tyres on my car are totally to blame.
I have Falkens on the front and Arrowspeeds on the back :sick: To be fair they aren't much cop in the dry either! Was dry today and the fronts still span up under medium acceleration. I cant believe people spend circa £26k on a car an then penny pinch in tyres.
Needless to say the previous owner put these tyres on my car. She was a woman and clearly had no idea about how important tyres are! Unfortunately I can't afford to change the tyres at the mo what with Christmas. I've saved up £100 so far and hope to afford some Goodyear asymmetrics by the summer!