Bridgestones, whats the problem?

[kalimon]

My 2013 Transit van was supplied with Continentals.

[Booth11]

If VW said up front "you can have Bridgestones, or for an extra £100 we can make sure you get Michelin PSS, I would be more than happy to tick that box.

So would I provided the premium was not silly money.

[monkeyhanger]

My front Bridgestones are getting low now. What do people recommend to replace with?

Almost anything else that isn't a Chinese/Indian/Korean no make will be an improvement.

Cost vs Performance I would go Michelin PS3 on 18"ers, they offer great grip and are relatively hardwearing relative to their grip and perform well right down to 2mm left.

On 19" I would go Michelin PSS if you want outright performance or Uniroyal Rainsport 3 if on a budget (they were very cheap somewhere recently).

Contis, Pirellis, Dunlops will all do you a better job than Bridgestones.

[robtt]

Quite a few years ago met a lovely old gentleman who worked for Dunlop tyres in the 60's and 70's . He was in sales and high up. When He met Honda executives about supplying tyres for the then new Triumph Acclaim they were aghast the equipment used to make the tyres was pre WW2 vintage ! He did not dare tell them that the mounds used for the tyres for the Allego meant the tyres were not even properly round .But BL would take any old rubbish as long as it was cheap.As in very very cheap. Dunlop took the view they would make plenty on replacement tyres . Hopefully VW check to make sure they get round tyres and I am certain they screw Bridgestone on price just as BL did .

[chazzypuk]

My front Bridgestones are getting low now. What do people recommend to replace with?

Almost anything else that isn't a Chinese/Indian/Korean no make will be an improvement.

Cost vs Performance I would go Michelin PS3 on 18"ers, they offer great grip and are relatively hardwearing relative to their grip and perform well right down to 2mm left.

On 19" I would go Michelin PSS if you want outright performance or Uniroyal Rainsport 3 if on a budget (they were very cheap somewhere recently).

Contis, Pirellis, Dunlops will all do you a better job than Bridgestones.

Thanks for this. That other thread is a minefield of information! Yeah it appears the Contis are the best overall if your looking for performance but not if you want durability too. I rarely drive like I've stolen it so not really after the best performance all the time. Maybe I'll give the Michelin PSS a go! :-)

[CarbonGTD]

If you rarely drive it like you've stolen it and you have the standard 18 inch alloys you don't need Michelin Pilot Super Sports - it's overkill.  Michelin Pilot Sport 3's are considerably cheaper than the Super Sports and are the best all round value/compound/wearing Michelin tyre for the Mk 7 GTD in standard guise.  Job done.

[kalimon]

I was just about to ask the same thing but regarding the Pilot Sport 2.
Is anybody using these on their GTI ?

[p3asa]

it appears the Contis are the best overall if your looking for performance but not if you want durability too.

You mean you want your cake and eat it 
It tends to be the better the performance, the softer the tyre and the quicker they wear.
If you want durability you won't get high performance. Hence Bridgestones.

[Jackie Treehorn]

Quite a few years ago met a lovely old gentleman who worked for Dunlop tyres in the 60's and 70's . He was in sales and high up. When He met Honda executives about supplying tyres for the then new Triumph Acclaim they were aghast the equipment used to make the tyres was pre WW2 vintage ! He did not dare tell them that the mounds used for the tyres for the Allego meant the tyres were not even properly round .But BL would take any old rubbish as long as it was cheap.As in very very cheap. Dunlop took the view they would make plenty on replacement tyres . Hopefully VW check to make sure they get round tyres and I am certain they screw Bridgestone on price just as BL did .

Yeah I bet they did too.

Pretty much everything fitted in ANY car is a contract won by the lowest bidder. The GTi and possible the R of 2014 and beyond is fitted with a Wix filter from the factory,  Would you use a Wix air filter? Or like me rather fit a more premuim brand Mahle or Mann?  I know I would but again the lowest bidder won the contract.  Happens in every area of business from road construction, to aerospace, and even military procurement, the automotive industry is no different, even if they are our pride and joy unfortunately

[phope]

Quite a few years ago met a lovely old gentleman who worked for Dunlop tyres in the 60's and 70's . He was in sales and high up. When He met Honda executives about supplying tyres for the then new Triumph Acclaim they were aghast the equipment used to make the tyres was pre WW2 vintage ! He did not dare tell them that the mounds used for the tyres for the Allego meant the tyres were not even properly round .But BL would take any old rubbish as long as it was cheap.As in very very cheap. Dunlop took the view they would make plenty on replacement tyres . Hopefully VW check to make sure they get round tyres and I am certain they screw Bridgestone on price just as BL did .

Yeah I bet they did too.

Pretty much everything fitted in ANY car is won by the lowest bidder. The GTi and possible the R of 2014 and beyond is fitted with a Wix filter from the factory,  Would you use a Wix air filter? Or like me rather fit a more premuim brand Mahle or Mann?  I know I would but again the lowest bidder won the contract.  Happens in every area of business from road construction, to aerospace, and even military procurement, the automotive industry is no different, even if they are our pride and joy unfortunately

The flip side is that often the difference in quality is negligible with no tangible benefit from the consumer just to have a brand, and for a consumable item like an air filter that will be replaced regularly, it make no commercial sense to spec a 'premium brand', if a comparable item does exactly the same job to the same standard especially when you multiply even a few pence by several million cars per year