New tyres time..

[pitch3110]

My 2.0TDI S-line A4 was delivered new with conti's. Swapping them round managed 14k for the set.
Fitted GY F1 Asseys on, same again managed 16k.
Last June put 4 Kumho Ecsta KU31's, done 12.5k on the fronts alone and no where near the blocks yet.
Performance..................on par with conti's & asseys in dry, but a tad skittier in the wet, but nothing mad.

Tyres are really a model type thing IMO, some perform better than others on certain cars & power deliveries.
KU31's work well on an oil-burning A4, not sure what they will be like on the wifes Ed30, but I will give them ago.

I do agree with the brand snobbery on tyres though, lots of money does not=best tyres.

ta

[Egbutt Wash]

The only really significant thing to out of the EVO tyre test was the difference between 17" and 18" wheels.
The 17" went round the test track 2.5 seconds faster than the 18".  Both with the same tyre and oem wheels.

Kumho for me next time.  I hate following the herd.

[keyser]

I have vredestein sessantas on mine and think they are great.  Fantastic grip and quiet.

[DJGTi]

Just had some GY asymmetrics fitted. Too early to comment on grip, but happy to report that:

1) Tread wear rating is 240, compared to the old Bridgestones 140, which means they should last 70% longer .

2) Traction rating AA, rather than A. Only the top 3% of tyres have AA rating. More wet grip .

3) Made in Germany . My hubby's GSD3s were made in China :sick:as he was told that production had just moved there from Germany. He can't wait to wear his out now.

[R32UK]

Popped back down to tyre place and was told that the ones they had lined up were the GY Excellence which apparently are assymetric...

But told them I wanted the F1 assyms... so they will be fitted tomorrow
Looking forward to having 4 new boots without the sportmaxx stepping out at the back every now and then... proper pooop your pants moment

[Teutonic_Tamer]

TBH never really noticed much on my run down south on the A1 Friday evening... but didnt really venture over 70-80 (well ok maybe just for a short blast ) So didnt notice much. Spent nearly all day Saturday driving round N.London which was stop start at best so didnt notice anything either.


Did spot the bluge on Sunday morning, drove round N.London again and didnt really notice anything. However I did decide to play it safe on my journey up the M1, sticking to 70mpg (with a great 32mpg average too ). This is where it felt very slightly shaky compared to normal... it was only then thinking back that it was probably the same on the way down where the car felt a little unstable but I put it down to probably the incorrect tyre pressure which I was meant to check (but was running slightly late as usual )


Was told by tyre guy it could pop at anytime!! He was supposed to pick up the car this morning... but forgot Not sure what to make of the GSD2's now as he told me they were the newer version of the F1's.... Is he telling porkies???

Like I said earlier these must be very VERY old stock, because they were discontinued light-years ago.  Avoid.

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Used both the Assys and PS2's. I feel from my experience that the Assy is a better wet tyre without doubt, equal dry tyre and longer treadlife.

Had 3 PS2's suffer sidewall damage in the form of cuts from potholes, particularly when it was wet, and for this reason I would not purchase again.

So my vote is with the Assys. 

For those who are sick and tired (no pun) at premium brand tyre prices, the Kumho Ecsta KU31's are worth looking at. I have run them on my M3, along with PS1 and PS2 and now Assys, and without doubt the only thing budget about them is the price, they display better wet grip than both the Mich and Goodyears, similar dry grip and good treadlife, most people just will not try becuase of the name. But loads of EVO/Scooby/M3 drivers have switched and rave over them.

Not really heard much about the kumhos tbh.. would be interesting to have a read if you have a link.

Good to know that its not just the assyms that have a problem with the side wall. Would definately agree with the fact that the assyms seem to last alot longer than the PS2's which seem to be a softer compound. Will just have to remember that the Assyms seem to take a few thousand miles to wear in

Who says PS2s have a softer compound than the F1 Asymmetrics? 

ME!!  Well by my own experience anyway. PS2 as good as they are, seem to wear much quicker than the F1's.... not by much but a noticeable amount.

Ahh, OK.  So you have actually used PS2s before? 

Anyhow, when you get a mo, look on the sidewall of your Eagle F1s, and write down and post the following three readings - 'treadwear', 'traction' and 'temperature'.  I'll try and do the same with the PS2s and we can compare. 

[Teutonic_Tamer]

The doubters and 'will not touch with a barge pole brigade' are often flushed out, when they admit to never trying a tyre, rather they just go on brand snobbery and price, but those who have treid the tyres, I have seen a very high satisfaction level, 9 out of 10 saying they are very happy, and this mirrors my findings, I got my friend to switch from PS2's to Kumhos on his M3 before Christmas, and he is very pleased, and he really rags it, and his overall view is fantastic wet weather performance, not had enough warm days yet to form much else of an opinion.

I agree there are some peeps who may have their own prejudices, and who never actually try out a tyre (but that doesn't apply to me).

But one thing is absolutely certain, IF tyres like Kumhos or Eagle F1 Asymmetrics were as good as a few minor individuals 'claim' - then why are they not offered as standard OEM equipment on high performance cars such as the Bugatti Veyron, Audi RS models, or Porsches (which ALL have the PS2 as OEM standard fitments)?    Both Porsche and Audi RS cars make no compromises - particularly in 'handling' where tyres are without doubt THE most crucial component.

The only reason that Goodyears, and the majority of the other tyres mentioned in this thread are cheaper than the PS2s - is simply because they are not as good as the PS2.  And I am not just talking about actual 'performance' of the tyre, but also about the 'aftercare' of the actual tyre companies.  The 'customer service' from both Michelin and Continental is light-years better than other 'premium' brand companies, including Goodyear-Dunlop!

As always though, ETTO.

Didnt your RS4 come with pirelli p-zeros

Yes, it did have the Sh!trelli P-Zero Rossos - but the PS2 and CSC3 were also standard OEM fit too - but no Goodyears on the list.  Just (bad) luck of the draw that I got those crap! 

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Ok we get TT's drift, he's a Mich b!tch,

LOL.

but I'll take you to task here, the PS2 is past its sell by date,

You have got to be joking - seriously!  The PS2 has only been out about 5/6 years, and is still up there with current technology.  In fact, the PS2 technology is still so good - that Goodyear had to copy its fundamentals for its own Eagle F1 Asymmetric! 

the F1 Assys is a better tyre,

Sorry, but I strongly disagree.  And so do Porsche and quattro GmbH.

ETTO though.

a lot of models were developed when the PS2 was king, and thats why manufacturers recommend them, then they do not change that through the life cycle, plus they are tied in with longterm contracts.

Wrong.  The vast majority of car makers, including all mainstream VAG marques and Porsche, do NOT have a single contract for tyre suppliers.  It would breach EU anti-competition laws!    Look at my previous post - and the OEM tyre suppliers just for the B7 RS4 include Pirelli, Michelin, Continental and Dunlop - quite a variety of makes - yet no Goodyear!

Lets be honest, Porsche is up the a*se of Conti cos its a German company and they work hand in hand, and no one thinks the Sport Contact 2 or 3 is as good as a PS2, F1 Assy.

Huh, wtf are you on about?  OEM tyres on Porkers include Dunlop, Michelin and Continental - so how can you state they just use a 'German' company?    And for the record, the CSC3 (and the older CSC2) are excellent tyres - though they do perform differently compared to the PS2.

Also from product design to model run out covers anything upto 8-10 years, and no way on earth is tyre technology standing still, so although the manufacturers tweak the brew over the life cycle of the tyre, like most things, the game is moved on, and eventually better products come to market. The PS3 has gone very quiet, maybe the economic situation, maybe its not performing, so the old PS2 soldiers on, with large rim selection getting harder to find and more expensive.

Huh - been fiddling with your playstation? 

And '8-10' years is way off the mark - both for cars and tyres! 

On the Kumho front, yep would agree some of their stuff was weak, but I'd be surprised if your Polo was running KU31's, cos if it was then your findings are at odds with most high performance car drivers views who use them, to label all their tyres as dangerous was like Clarkson saying all lorry drivers are rapists, cheap laugh but ridiculous.

I really don't know which Kumhos were on the Polo - they had big 'fuel saver' lettering (or sommat like that) round the sidewalls.  But the Tiguan had different non-fuel saver tyres.  But these were both lethal - IMVHO.

I can't really comment on their 'high performance' tyres - however, what concerns me is that some kumhos most definataly are fookin shyte - whereas with Michelin, their entire range are truely superb.

Lastly  I stand corrected I did not mean bead, but carcass plies, well spotted.   

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Until I bought the ED30 which came with Conti Sport Contact 2s, I have been running my VW's with Michelin Tyres for the last 14 years. Yup, thats 14 years of VW's and Michelins (apart from a short spell with a set of Yokohamas on the MKII GTI). I have been more than happy with Michelin. However, after reading the EVO 2007 tyre test I replaced the Contis with Goodyear F1 Asymmetrics. They have been quieter than the Contis, have improved wet weather grip and have lasted better as well. The only negative is the tread pattern on Conti's was nicer to look at.........

The Goodyears came out top overall with the Vredesteins second (but top for feel) the Kumhos came 7th and Michelin 5th. With regards to wet weather braking, Goodyear 1st, Kumho 5th and Michelin 7th.

Without being a tyre snob, I choose the winning tyre. I don't want to pay my hard earned money and get some mediocre tyre or have the time to try a range of different tyres. ( I might get my rims damaged by the fitters again  ) Evo mag mag have the time and facilities to try a range of tyres and cut out the hard work for us drivers.

But as I have repeatedly pointed out - that Evo tyre test was blatantly biased against the Michelins.  I'm sure that most of us on this forum, who take the slightest interest in tyres for the GTI (and the Ed30 and R32  ) categorically know that the GTI must have 'eXtra Load' tyres.  Yet in that Evo tyre test, which used a Mk5 GTI - the vast majority of tyres they tested correctly had the XL rating - but the PS2 and one other make did NOT have the XL rated tyres.  Did Evo drop the pressures in the other XL tyres by about 10psi to counteract the non-XL PS2s?  Nope.  A clear bias, and clearly disadvantage against the PS2s.