Tyres - Any opinions on these?

alias no.9

Hi Folks,

I need to replace all 4 tyres. Has anyone got any expreience of these, good, bad or indifferent?

Firestone 205/55/16/VR TZ200 91V
Dunlop 205/55/16/VR SP Sport 01 91V
Pirelli 205/55/16/VR P6000 (*) 91V
Dunlop 205/55/16/VR SP Sport 2000 E 91V

cheers,

Alias.

Anan1

Actually, I'm in the same position except that I'm looking for 205/60 15s. I had originally decided on Goodyear Eagle F1s, but they don't seem to be available in this size any more. If it's any help to you, I had Yokohama A539s before, and found them quite good. Ideas welcome.

Kersh

Pirellis are traditionally very soft, do you want performance or durabilty.
If its the latter go by the 'threadwear' number on the side of the tyre (in small letters), the higher the number the more durable the tyre. Typically 280 is very soft, 500 or so is hard.

Borzoi

Kersh wrote:

Pirellis are traditionally very soft, do you want performance or durabilty..

Not to mention being farily rubbish in the wet. Had Pirelli P-Zeros same size, very little life in them. Went to Goodyear Eagle NCT5 - excellent tire, though pricey. Much longer life though. Currently on Dunlops, not quite as good as the NCT5s

bennyx_o

Not big up on tyre knowlede tbh, but I've heard nothing but good things about the Dunlop SP9000s

Litcagral

Borzoi wrote:

Not to mention being farily rubbish in the wet. Had Pirelli P-Zeros same size, very little life in them. Went to Goodyear Eagle NCT5 - excellent tire, though pricey. Much longer life though. Currently on Dunlops, not quite as good as the NCT5s

Yes, I'd go along with that Borzoi. I have Goodyear Eagle NCT 5 (225/55/16) at the moment. Got them at a fairly reasonable price in Fast Fit Exhausts in Santry - €140 each I think.

The Dunlop SP Sports wear very quickly but the're known as "the chewing gum tyres" for their grip on the road.

crosstownk

I notice that all the tyres you list are V rated which is for speeds up to 240kp/h. As a result the compound is softer and will wear quicker. You might consider H rated tyres - good up to 210kp/h and somewhat harder compound affording better wear. So if your just using it for regular driving maybe a H rated tyre would do assuming H is available in the size required. H will also be a bit cheaper.

More info here http://www.blackcircles.com/general/speedrating

alias no.9

Cheers guys, the pirellis are out if they're **** in the wet. Edging towards the SP Sport 2000 based on this and the tyretest.com links from the eiretyres website. How about the firestones?

Alun

crosstownk wrote:

I notice that all the tyres you list are V rated which is for speeds up to 240kp/h. As a result the compound is softer and will wear quicker. You might consider H rated tyres - good up to 210kp/h and somewhat harder compound affording better wear. So if your just using it for regular driving maybe a H rated tyre would do assuming H is available in the size required. H will also be a bit cheaper.

I'm a bit puzzled regarding these speed ratings. My car which is on it's original factory fitted tyres (205/55 16's) have a V rating, despite the fact that it'd struggle to make it's rated top speed of 185km/h, let alone 240km/h, so H rated tyres would be more than sufficient I'd think.

alias no.9

crosstownk wrote:

I notice that all the tyres you list are V rated which is for speeds up to 240kp/h. As a result the compound is softer and will wear quicker. You might consider H rated tyres - good up to 210kp/h and somewhat harder compound affording better wear. So if your just using it for regular driving maybe a H rated tyre would do assuming H is available in the size required. H will also be a bit cheaper.

Cheers, I was just basing that on what was on the car already. It is overkill. Just checked out the fastfit website and they're doing the H rated goodyear eagle NCT5's for €114 a corner including delivery and fitting. Problem solved.

crosstownk

Alun wrote:

I'm a bit puzzled regarding these speed ratings. My car which is on it's original factory fitted tyres (205/55 16's) have a V rating, despite the fact that it'd struggle to make it's rated top speed of 185km/h, let alone 240km/h, so H rated tyres would be more than sufficient I'd think.

Most manufacturers put overrated tyres on cars. My VW Bora 1.4 came with W rated tyres(270kp/h) but the underpowered Bora only managed 175kp/h on the German autobahn. I have H rated on now and tbh I haven't noticed any difference.

ianobrien

In my opinion, the main thing to worry about with tyres is their wet weather performance. Most tyres have adequate grip in the dry.

In my experience, Pirelli P6000 are dangerous in the wet. If the road is slippy at all, the Pirellis gave zero grip. I was getting understeer, lift off oversteer with pirelli P6000 in the wet. Pirelli P-zeros were much better, but then they were much more expensive.

I currently have Firestones under the car. The car now has brillant handling in the wet, with the understeer & oversteer gone. But, they are slightly noiser and have fractionally less grip in the dry when on the limit. The less grip was noticed with the car being driven at full tilt down a private road!

A harder tyre will last longer, but will have less grip when up to full operating temp.

Bluehair

ianobrien wrote:

In my opinion, the main thing to worry about with tyres is their wet weather performance. Most tyres have adequate grip in the dry.

Exactly, from experience i'll never again skim on tyres. Had a set of Tornados (think they're called Milleniums now) on my bmw and while dry grip felt like it was on rails wet grip resulted in me literally drifting around a roundabout one wet afternoon :eek:

Find the Kumhos (KL31s) much much better and the KH11s are supposed to be quite decent too while still being around €120 a corner.

Goodyear F1s seem to get good reviews too but i've heard a lot of people say they're overrated. Like Ianobrien i'd avoid the Pirellis in this country too they're woeful in the wet.

Depends a lot on what you're driving too though.

RobAMerc

Generally I would think the manufactures of cars actually spend a bit of time matching the tyres to the cars so you are probably better off going with the original kit, particulary on cars where the manufacturers have put thought into the rest of the car setup and would obviously do likewise for the tyres, (bmw porsche etc - not pissan almera btw) this only applies where you have not put new wheels , lowering kit etc.

ZENER

Of all the tyres I've had I prefer the grip of the Goodyear F1s although they do seem to wear fairly quick. It seems to be a tradeoff with tyres though - long lasting but poor wet grip or visa versa.

ZEN

Litcagral

RobAMerc wrote:

Generally I would think the manufactures of cars actually spend a bit of time matching the tyres to the cars so you are probably better off going with the original kit, particulary on cars where the manufacturers have put thought into the rest of the car setup and would obviously do likewise for the tyres, (bmw porsche etc - not pissan almera btw) this only applies where you have not put new wheels , lowering kit etc.

A relative of mine drives a car transporter delivering new cars to garages around the country. Although many car handbooks advise the owner to stick to the brand and type of tyre originally supplied with the car, he tells me that quite often the same make and models of new cars on his truck often have different brands and types of tyre fitted. The cars he delivers would generally be 'ordinary' family cars. It would probably be a different story with sporty or top marques.

furtzy

Highly recommend Goodyear NCT 5's. Got 2 X 215/55 R16's for €109 each balnced and fitted. Got 37k miles out of the old ones. excellent tyre

Litcagral

furtzy wrote:

Highly recommend Goodyear NCT 5's. Got 2 X 215/55 R16's for €109 each balnced and fitted. Got 37k miles out of the old ones. excellent tyre

Where did you get them for that price furtzy? I paid €140 for 225/55/16 and I thought that was good at the time. 37k is incredible. I have 15k on mine and the rear (RWD) are near the limit.

furtzy

Got them in Mc Quaids Tyres in Monaghan. Was quoted €180 each in Dublin. everythings cheaper in the country!!

Litcagral

furtzy wrote:

Got them in Mc Quaids Tyres in Monaghan. Was quoted €180 each in Dublin. everythings cheaper in the country!!

Thanks furtzy. Must remember that as I be up that way quite often. Monaghan Town I presume?

furtzy

Yip Monaghan town right beside Gortakeegan park the monaghan United ground. Its a big operation and he has a huge range of tyres