Bridgestone Potenza s001 vs Continental Sport Contact 5 's tyres

[random_nickname]

Found it! One of the guys mentions the tyres 3 times.

At 2:35 mins, "com'on underseer really! It's not the car, it is the tires. I'm confident of that."

Then just after 4 minutes he said, "I hate these tires, they just give up!"

At 4:45 mins, "Tires gave up again!"

 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHXJR_Km0mA

It says in the description the tires are Bridgestone Potenza S0001s

This review says the car has Bridgestone Potenzas at 7:55 minutes in - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_AWLwGAVVs

And that is on a hot sunny day. Imagine in the cold wet months we get here.

All I can say drive the car with pretty much any premium tyre other than the Bridgestones and I cannot imagine anyone recommending the Bridgestones. I know 3 people personally who have changed them and for various different tyres and all have noticed a significant improvement. I also agree with the people who say it is towards the final 20% limit of the car that it is most noticeable as well as for me off the mark in dry or wet I always found the Bridgestones unbearable.

[Daz Auto]

To be honest if you watch the first video it's the same corner on both occasions and the same driver. I can't see the car twitch or anything, also weirdly look at the way they drive... What did my track day instructor tell me? Use all of the road

The editing is playing tricks with you. They probably only had a few external camera shots. I doubt that internal camera shots would be for the same corners or show understeer for that matter.

I had a quick scan through some of the comments. The reviewer commented, "The tires were Bridgestone S0001s, part of the performance package from the factory.  They had surprisingly low grip levels and as soon as they squealed at all they gave up."

There were a couple of interesting comments - "he hates the tires ? I hate his slicked back hair and red t-shirt.."

And - "The car CAME WITH THOSE TIRES. So, by definition, IT IS THE CAR...."

I wonder how many people didn't like the GTI, thinking 'IT IS THE CAR!' When it was actually the tyres.

True story - remember the really bad winter a few years ago - I know a woman who change her new Audi A4 for a 4x4, because the A4 was so bad in the winter. So she changed a car with summer tyres for a 4x4 which probably had all-season M+S (Mud and Snow) tyres. I pointed out to her that she should have just changed the tyres. She hadn't thought of that and said it would have been much cheaper.

People think 'IT IS THE CAR'. In reality it is just the tyres. Changing the tyres can make it feel like driving a better car. Or the car just handling the way it should.

[dfsGTD]

As I have to put two new tyres on the GTD soon has anyone seen any good deals for 19" tyres or is mytyres or black circles the best deals? I've got the P zeros at the moment and can't fault them but maybe a change would be good.

[Watts]

As I have to put two new tyres on the GTD soon has anyone seen any good deals for 19" tyres or is mytyres or black circles the best deals? I've got the P zeros at the moment and can't fault them but maybe a change would be good.

I've got P Zeros and will be looking to change soon. I'm sticking with them as in a recent test they did exceptionally well and it stated they were a new version much improved. They were second only to the Michelin PS4 but they seem to be quite a bit more expensive (especially when in my case you have to buy 4) and I suspect (hope) the Pirellis will last longer. Plus performance wise they weren't far off the top.

[Jim_mk7.5]

I've just come back today from a place called Resipole in Scotland and the rain was really belting down today. It's single track roads from where I stayed to the ferry to Corran and had quite a few stamps on the brakes for Johnny Foreigner coming the other way as they obviously don't understand how passing places work. No Abs, no skids no loss of traction so I'm still unsure as to how many people say the Bridgestones are dangerous. Soaking wet gready roads coming back down through Loch Lomond and still no loss of traction or dramas. I'm not saying they are the best tyre and I'm 100% certain Michelin and Continental will be a better tyre come change time but they are a decent tyre and I've had no issues at all. I'm wondering if the PP helps negate any issues that others may be having?

Guess it really depends on your driving as in were you pressing on or enjoying the scenery. I'm sure the PP is better due to the LSD but there is no denying that the S001 is an old tyre, it did not perform well in wet tests even back in 2011 and there are many better options now available.

[mcmaddy]

Pressing on in places but not dawdling anywhere as seen the scenery before. I'm not saying the Bridgestones will be replaced with another set, far from it I'll probably go down Michelin or Continental come change time but I've had no issues what so ever since new with mine.

[I wanted a GTi]

Pressing on in places but not dawdling anywhere as seen the scenery before. I'm not saying the Bridgestones will be replaced with another set, far from it I'll probably go down Michelin or Continental come change time but I've had no issues what so ever since new with mine.

Just as a side note Chris, you need to update your thingy below your posts. It still says you're waiting on your GTi

[mcmaddy]

Ah so it does. Totally forgot about that, cheers.

[Daz Auto]

I have had the new car a few weeks now. I am really surprised by how noisy it is. On any rough piece of road the tyre roar is really loud. The Mk6 was much, much quieter on Goodyear AS2. I wouldn't say the Mk7 was any better at smoothing out the bumps either Though I am wondering how much of this is being caused by the OEM Bridgestone tyres.

I'm torn between changing the tyres now or wait until it starts to get cold just to see what they are like. I will be changing them anyway.

[kalimon]

I have had the new car a few weeks now. I am really surprised by how noisy it is. On any rough piece of road the tyre roar is really loud. The Mk6 was much, much quieter on Goodyear AS2. I wouldn't say the Mk7 was any better at smoothing out the bumps either Though I am wondering how much of this is being caused by the OEM Bridgestone tyres.

I'm torn between changing the tyres now or wait until it starts to get cold just to see what they are like. I will be changing them anyway.

I know the Bridgestones are far from perfect but I'm generally happy with them for the type of driving I do.
They do tramp like a b!tch in damp conditions under hard acceleration though
I can't warrant chucking £400 away on a set of PS4's, plus running the considerable risk of alloy damage during fitting.