Tyre Reviews

Gents

How about posting up our experiences with tyres so our librarian can collate them into a sensible 'average' score or table to aid in people deciding what rubber to put on next

I've thought of the following catagories as a starting point.
(all to be given marks out of 10! )

Dry grip
Wet grip
Tramlining
Noise

life expectancy ( K miles )
main use ( motorway, B road Hooning, Trackdays )
Price paid (each inc valve, balance etc)
overall owner value rating ( 1 poor VFM, 10 excellent VFM )


I'll respond with my current fitment

Nankang Ns2

Dry Grip - 8 ( seems to scrub a little when pushing on )
wet grip - 8 ( good confidence in heavy rain in them )
Tramlining - 7 ( can follow the surface occaionally )
Noise - 9 ( can't hear them with windows up, doesn't interfere with teh music with all windows down even at 60. )

Life - 25K
Main use Motorway
Price £85 fitted balanced etc
overall rating 8 - scrubs its shoulders on teh front easily but otherwise very happy. at this prioce point they are really good VFM.

[PsYcHe]

Runway Enduro 916

Dry Grip - 7 to 8
Wet Grip - 8 (though they were really bad for the first 1k)
Tramlining - 7, but not sure how much of that is the '8s suspension setup
Noise - 8

Life - Over 35k
Main use - Motorway/A-road, with plenty of hard work on the windy bits
Price - £80 each fitted
Overall 8 - Pretty good budget tyre, a little noisy and do need some time to bed in properly.

[A8_Tony]

Cooper Zeon 2XS

Dry Grip - 9
Wet Grip - 9
Tramlining - 10
Noise - 8

Life - over 45k (Actual)
Main Use - Motorway/Hooning around/Hard twisty-bit driving
Price - £120
Overall - an easy 9.5/10. This is my second set which is why I've been able to give a real expectation on the life of these tyres. My last lot did 2 trackdays as well as my normal 'enthusiastic' driving style. I cannot recommend these enough, and will continue to buy them as long as I can, as I find they meet my requirements with absolute ease

[billblank]

Goodyear eagle GSD3 - 225/55/17 on a D2 4.2

Dry Grip - 7
Wet Grip - 9
Tramlining - 8
Noise - 7

Life - 14k
Main Use - Motorway/suburban/trying very hard to get 20mpg
Price - £140 each fitted.
Overall - 4/10
Not a confidence inspiring tyre in the dry. Wet grip was astounding. Not predictable so I stopped pushing them after a while. Very sensitive to ambient temperature and tyre pressure. Slipperier than a weasels arse from oct through to april. The car just ate them. After 6000 miles I would have probably been told to replace them due to edge wear front and rear (yes I have had my alignment done)if I'd been tugged by plod. Noisier than the budget kuhmo s that the previous owner had fitted but better grip when warm. Never aquaplaned once, even when following Oli in a torrential rain storm on the way to the meet this year. Overall a waste of money and a cause of some minor ructions from Mrs. Blank at how long they lasted.

[Duffy]

Michelin Pilot Sport 2's (255/35/20's)

Dry Grip - 9
Wet Grip - 9
Tramlining - 8
Noise - 9

Absolutely brilliant tyres

Pirelli P Zero directionale

Dry Grip - 8
Wet Grip - 7
Tramlining - 8
Noise - 7

Not bad but nowhere near as good as the Michelins.

Falkens (were on the car when I got it)

Dry Grip - 5
Wet Grip - 2
Tramlining - 3
Noise - 5

Tried to kill me twice ended up taking them off within a fortnight (They were split new) and selling them to some BMW bod on fleabay. Doubt he's still with us.

[The_Laird]

Thought I'd bump this as I'm in the market for 4 new tyres. 255 35 20

Any thoughts on Dunlop SP Sport Maxx? Falkens? The Michelin SP2s are a little pricey I think.

I have Nankang Ultra Sport NS2s on at the minute and they are, without doubt, the noisiest tyres I have ever had fitted to a car. At 60mph on certain road surfaces, it sounds like a bearing has gone. The guy above who said thay were quiet must be deaf! And I know it's not the car 'cos I swapped the wheels when I had them refurbished and the second set were ultra quiet. But I can't remember what tyres were on them. P zeros I think.

[sloss]

Jim, with 20 inches at your disposal you are going to get noise, lots of it

[The_Laird]

Originally Posted by sloss

Jim, with 20 inches at your disposal you are going to get noise, lots of it

I'm on my second S8 and third '8 (counting the 2.8) and all have had 20" wheels on at some point. I know that the 18" wheels & tyres are quieter, but seriously, these Nankang tyres are really noisy, even by 20" standards!

[PsYcHe]

I've got Sport Maxx on the front at the minute, and they're OK for noise.