Bridgestones - what's actually wrong with them?

[I wanted a GTi]

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Another good way of testing a tyre is to hit the brakes hard and see not just how quick it stops but also how often the abs kicks in, the more it kicks in the less grip the tyres have.

I'm not sure that's a recommendation I would use to assess the overall ability of a tyre... how about lateral grip.

I have reasonably extensive experience of these tyres on a BMW 120d. They are more sensitive to temperature than almost any other road tyre I have experienced. With the BMW if it was cool, even on cool spring/autumn mornings, if you were not careful it was very easy to spin up the rears for the first few miles and the steering felt fairly wooden for longer. If it was warm or you got the tyres up to temperature there were no issues. In the wet, generating temperature, especially if it it cool/cold either never happens or takes a long time. Two likely suspects, firstly compound and secondly stiffness of the sidewalls. The sidewall stiffness effects the warmup because there is much less sidewall flex.

There is a potential positive, once warm the stiff sidewalls can give a more precise steering feel on ititial turn-in, tyres with softer side walls e.g. Goodyear Asymmetric (I'm not saying that these are bad tyres but have a different construction) to me tend to feel a little less precise on initial turn in... Of course, the downside of this on a front wheel drive car would be the lack of temperature in the rears.

Back to the Bridgestones, they are at least adequate and better than reasonable in warm weather. I'm sure that, if I bought a new car with them on, I wouldn't go out immediately and replace them but I would change to something with a wider operating range when the time to change them came along. In the meantime I would learn their limitations and attempt to dive accordingly...

I have a Jaguar 5.0 XKR with Michelin Pilot SuperSports all round... widely regarded as a very good tyre... but for the first few miles - until they have a bit of temperature - if you're not careful... the rears will spin up with (including lots of popping and banging as the traction control cuts in) only light application of the throttle... I just (try) drive accordingly...

I didn't say it was the only way of testing a tyre. I will ask this though, if a child ran out in front of your car which would you rather the car have tyres best suited for, lateral grip or stopping grip? I know which I would prefer the driver to have. For normal driving the latter would also be best.

[I wanted a GTi]

Well after a few days with the car with bridgestones I can see why people don't like them. They are so noisy compared to the Pirelli tyres on the other GTD

Grip wise I'm sure they are fine on an non performance golf. I tried hitting the brakes hard and the amount of times the abs kicked in was a surprise considering I wasn't expecting them to be that good. Where I noticed them the most was accelerating while turning, anything much more than half throttle in 2nd gear they will just break traction.

It is quite easy to drive the car without the wheels spinning by using less power but it I was prepared to do that then why not just buy a slower car. I like to be able to use the power in a car when it is needed on the odd occasion. I'm not into traffic light drag races but trying a quick getaway with the bridgestones is not fun. I'm sure the axle tramp could be helped with a dogbone bush but they will cause a fair bit of vibration in a diesel.

If I decide to keep the standard wheel on the car then I will definitely be getting some Michelin tyres.

[Daz Auto]

I'm hoping that the facelift GTI PP does not come with Bridgestones. If it does, I will have to give them a try. However, I would seriously consider replacing the front tyres ASAP with PS4s. After all the front tyres are responsible for all of the traction, most of the cornering and most of the braking.

New tyres might be the best performance upgrade available!

[SRGTD]

I'm hoping that the facelift GTI PP does not come with Bridgestones.

I suspect it'll still be one of the tyre brands that VW will use on performance Golfs. VW will no doubt have negotiated with Bridgestone a 'good price' for supplying tyres for whatever the duration of the contract is that VW have with Bridgestone. If VW can get cheap tyres from Bridgestone, then they'll no doubt continue to use them.

I've had new 'warm' or 'hot' VW's since 2002 and they've all come from the factory with Bridgestones.

[fredgroves]

I'm sure the axle tramp could be helped with a dogbone bush but they will cause a fair bit of vibration in a diesel.

No, you don't want to do that on an oil burner!!!

On the GTI, no problem, although then your overall ride starts to become "sub premium"

[mcmaddy]

You might end up with Hankooks on the facelift as they already supply other golfs and Audi's. I've just had a noisy front wheel bearing replaced last week and now that the noise is back to normal I'm now hearing how noisy the Bridgestones are.

[I wanted a GTi]

You might end up with Hankooks on the facelift as they already supply other golfs and Audi's. I've just had a noisy front wheel bearing replaced last week and now that the noise is back to normal I'm now hearing how noisy the Bridgestones are.

What are hankooks like, I'd hope they are better than the bridgestones. I haven't driven the car in the wet yet, I'm sure they will be interesting when I do

[mcmaddy]

Once warmed up the Bridgestones are a good tyre but it's getting then warm in the first place that's an issue for everyday use.
By all accounts the Hankooks don't seem to be a bad tyre but I'm sure some people will get a bit sniffy as they aren't a premium brand, whatever difference that makes

[Exonian]

Once warmed up the Bridgestones are a good tyre but it's getting then warm in the first place that's an issue for everyday use.
By all accounts the Hankooks don't seem to be a bad tyre but I'm sure some people will get a bit sniffy as they aren't a premium brand, whatever difference that makes

Just do a few wheelspins and zig zag down the road to get some heat into them! 

Hankooks are used by Audi quite a bit and also MINI JCW so won't be too terrible. In fact quite the reverse. I do have a set in the garage that I've not used yet so can't report on progress 
When nosing through the row of cars awaiting delivery in a VW dealer last summer there was a whole line of UP!'s all wearing natty Hankooks (I think that's what they were) with a dainty little flower logo on the sidewall

[adekil]

Just had one rear Tyre replaced on the R due to a puncture and I spoke to the Tyre fit guy and he chuckled when I told him how poor the Bridgestones grip was in my old GTD and now in the R as he has heard the same story from his friends who have golfs and from other customers running with Bridgestones. Its not as bad in the R as it was in the GTD but pulling away and cornering does limit how much throttle you can use compared to full power I was able to put down once I had Conti 5s fitted (on the GTD) replacing the Bridgestones.