Tyres

[Hully]

Of that list, the only one worth considering would be the Conti SportContact2.  However, the Conti SportContact3 has been out for quite a while now, so someone is trying to flog you old stock.  The SportContact3 seems to have a slightly softer compound than the CSC2, and so might address some of the low speed ride harshess.

My cars only a few weeks old and they came with Conti Sport Contact2s. Does this mean VW have a stock pile of old tyres that they're fitting to new cars? Or are Continental still producing the SC2 as well as the SC3?

[Teutonic_Tamer]

....Bridgestone Potenza = leave it in the garage when it rains!....

I've read some reviews and they do not seem to indicate very bad performance in wet.
Have you tried them yourself, TT? On what car?
I think mine will come with Potenzas.

Trust me, they are shocking.

I've used S-03 PolePosition on a Vectra-B GSI - not as good as either Yoko AVS Sport nor Mich Pilot Sport (original directional tread), loads of wheelspin in the wet.

I've also used the RE040 and RE050 on a variety of other cars, including VX220, Vectra-C GSI 3.2, Vectra-C 2.0 TDI, Vectra-C 2.2 petrol, Peugeot 407, Mazda 6 - and probably some others too.  The biggest problem with these, irrespective of the type of car, the engine, the driving style - was just a horrendous lack of cornering grip in the wet.  No amount of experimenting with tyre pressures would lead to any kind of improvement.

I personally haven't used them on the GTI, but another poster here, Schrodingers Cat <sp?> also complained of utter shytness from his Bridgestones.

Oh, another snippet of info - don't believe any of Bridgestones advertising drivel, regarding F1 technology!  An F1 tyre is a quantum leap away from high performance road tyres.  How many high performance 13" road tyres, with side walls as tall as a small volcano, have you seen?   

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Of that list, the only one worth considering would be the Conti SportContact2.  However, the Conti SportContact3 has been out for quite a while now, so someone is trying to flog you old stock.  The SportContact3 seems to have a slightly softer compound than the CSC2, and so might address some of the low speed ride harshess.

My cars only a few weeks old and they came with Conti Sport Contact2s. Does this mean VW have a stock pile of old tyres that they're fitting to new cars? Or are Continental still producing the SC2 as well as the SC3?

Hmmm, dunno??  The SportContact 2s haven't been viewable on the official Continental website for months (Nov 06 was when I first viewed the SportContact3s - http://www.contisportcontact3.co.uk/).

Do you know how to check the exact age of your tyres?

[Dan-Brown]

I've had my gti 3 weeks and its already picked up a slow (2-3 days to go down) puncture in the front nearside, bugger.

Had it checked at my local tyre dealer who said go to volkswagen and check it has actually seated to the rim as its a new car.

VW claim it has a small slit where a stone has gone in and out which could be the problem and I need a new tyre, which naturally isnt warranteed.

Maybe i'll take it off and put it in a water tank and find the bloody problem myself.....

[Creepy Coupe]

Intereting Michelin UK recommend a lower pressure for the 18" PS2 than they do for the 17"

http://tinyurl.com/37q5fq

Strange thing, I bought a second hand mint genuine R32 wheel from an eabay seller, whenI picked the wheel up it was fitted with a near new Michelin Pilot Exalto tyre. 

[Teutonic_Tamer]

I've had my gti 3 weeks and its already picked up a slow (2-3 days to go down) puncture in the front nearside, bugger.

Had it checked at my local tyre dealer who said go to volkswagen and check it has actually seated to the rim as its a new car.

Huh - shyte, and horse!  All tyres are seated to the rim - if they wern't, they'd be as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike.  Me suggests you find a tyre fitter with even a basic level of competence (and avoid ThikFit while you are at it).

VW claim it has a small slit where a stone has gone in and out which could be the problem and I need a new tyre, which naturally isnt warranteed.

Maybe i'll take it off and put it in a water tank and find the bloody problem myself.....

Check your valve.  If it is the bendy rubber type, run some soapy water (tap water {or Perrier if you are really posh} mixed with a small amount of fairy liquid) around the rubber-to-rim interface, and gentally flex the rubber valve, looking for bubbles.  If you have the rigid metal clamp-in valves, scrub that last suggestion.  Remove the valve cap, and trickle some soapy water over the valve core.  If you have any of those stoooopid traffic light caps with sensors in them - BIN them - they are shyte, and are well known to leak!

If no joy with the valve, remove wheel, and carefully lay it on a flat surface, and trickle some more soapy water in the bead area.  Leaks here can be very slow, so leave the water on for about half an hour before checking.  Do the other side too.  Then do the same on any noticeable cuts in tread, or indeed sidewall damage.

If still no joy, find nearest duck pond, lob combined tyre and rim into said duck pond, and bury head in hands in frustration! 

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Intereting Michelin UK recommend a lower pressure for the 18" PS2 than they do for the 17"

http://tinyurl.com/37q5fq

Hmmm, tyre manufacturers pressure charts are sommat I never trust - they all have errors in them.  Afterall, they even list the MkV GTI has having 16" as standard!! 

The different pressures are due to the different load indexes of the different tyres. 

Actually, the only one I've found to be accurate, is the one from the German manufacturer, Fulda - linky: http://fulda.tiremanager.com/

Strange thing, I bought a second hand mint genuine R32 wheel from an eabay seller, whenI picked the wheel up it was fitted with a near new Michelin Pilot Exalto tyre. 

Yeah, I've seen brand new showroom R32s with Exaltos on too.  There isn't a great deal of difference between the PS2 and the Exalto.

[Dan-Brown]

Cheers tt am just going outside to try your suggestions!

[Dan-Brown]

Ok tried the soapy water method and didnt find anything and no noticable damage.

So....

Used the typical farmer method and threw the tyre into a water tank, found a tiny pinprick on the top of the sidewall where it meets the tread, I seem to remember having a sidewall puncture before and the tyre place refusing to mend it saying it was too dangerous 

So given i'll probably have to shell out for a new tyre after only 3 weeks, shall i stick with the dunlop sportmax's or go for one of the more highly recommended ones? given that after 1200 miles i wont be swapping in an axle pair!

[wellsy]

You should really keep to the same tyres.

I'd put one of the same on and they should wear the uniformly.

Give it some beans and after about 10000 miles you should be in the market for some new ones of your choice.  (Mich PS2  )