tyre advice please

MikeHiow · 8 Jan 2011 at 20:20

Conti CS3s are probably the worst wearing tyre out there. They are probably the best all-rounder performance tyre as well, though.

You can't have your cake and eat it with tyres I'm afraid.

CaptainRAVE · 8 Jan 2011 at 20:30

MikeHiow said:
Conti CS3s are probably the worst wearing tyre out there. They are probably the best all-rounder performance tyre as well, though.

You can't have your cake and eat it with tyres I'm afraid.

Luckily I will see how they wear by the time the fronts need changing. If they don't last long I may well just end up getting the budget tyres next time. Saying that, I doubt I do more than 5000 miles a year anyway (maybe even 4000).

[TW]Fox · 8 Jan 2011 at 20:36

MikeHiow said:
Conti CS3s are probably the worst wearing tyre out there. They are probably the best all-rounder performance tyre as well, though.

You can't have your cake and eat it with tyres I'm afraid.

Not finding the wear rate that bad?

Paul. W · 8 Jan 2011 at 20:39

Sadly I can see more and more people choosing to go for budget options even though they have previously used premium brands, with the prices of fuel going up, car tax, insurance etc.

If I had it my way I would get Conti PC2's everytime. However I simply cant afford it. I do 18000 a year. Big difference between £80 a wheel and £50. That difference pays for my road tax for the year, or two tanks of fuel

CaptainRAVE · 8 Jan 2011 at 21:14

[TW]Fox;18178490 said:
Not finding the wear rate that bad?

You have them too? Glad some people are reporting good wear rates

- seems a mixed bag from what I read around the net.

[TW]Fox · 8 Jan 2011 at 21:30

Yea, I have them all round.

MikeHiow · 8 Jan 2011 at 22:17

[TW]Fox;18178490 said:
Not finding the wear rate that bad?

If you just pootle around town, I can see them wearing a little better.

I did a pair down to 3mm (albeit fronts) on the VXR in about 6k miles though iirc :/

Lopéz · 8 Jan 2011 at 22:37

ashrobbo said:
a +1 for Kumho KU31, feel a lot better in the wet that my old bridgestone potenza.

great budget performance tyre. i had 2 x at £120 fitted.

We've found the wear rate to be pretty bad on these.

CaptainRAVE · 8 Jan 2011 at 22:44

MikeHiow said:
If you just pootle around town, I can see them wearing a little better.

I did a pair down to 3mm (albeit fronts) on the VXR in about 6k miles though iirc :/

That brings up an interesting question - at what point do you change your tyres. 3mm, the legal limit, when you start to lose grip? For me it was 3mm - 4mm across the tyre and loss of grip.

MikeHiow · 8 Jan 2011 at 22:48

I generally change at 3mm, but if I observed grip dropping off significantly then I'd go sooner. The opposite is also true - if they are still performing ok at <3mm and its dry, I'll probably aim to get a little more life out of them.

Dandle · 8 Jan 2011 at 22:49

[TW]Fox;18178490 said:
Not finding the wear rate that bad?

I don't find it that bad either I think I got about 11k out of the rears on my car in the end and they don't get a really easy life. Got about 17k out of NCT5s and they aren't as performance orientated.

Tute · 12 Jan 2011 at 14:06

Small bump as i've just had ContactSport 3s fitted all round. We got a blowout on one of the P6000s last night so I decided to just get it done today. Upon checking, both the backs were under 3mm so got them all done at once.

Also I drove the A38 in the pouring rain and the P6000s were all over the place in terms of grip.

Cost me £400 fitted for the CS3s.

To summarise, stay well clear of the P6000. I found it average in the dry but bad in the wet.

CaptainRAVE · 12 Jan 2011 at 14:11

Tute said:
To summarise, stay well clear of the P6000. I found it average in the dry but bad in the wet.

+1

Loving my Contact 3s on the rear, lots of grip even in the wet. Just wish they hadn't been so expensive!

MikeHiow · 12 Jan 2011 at 14:19

Tute said:
Small bump as i've just had ContactSport 3s fitted all round. We got a blowout on one of the P6000s last night so I decided to just get it done today. Upon checking, both the backs were under 3mm so got them all done at once.

Also I drove the A38 in the pouring rain and the P6000s were all over the place in terms of grip.

Cost me £400 fitted for the CS3s.

To summarise, stay well clear of the P6000. I found it average in the dry but bad in the wet.

£400 all round, fitted for CS3s? What size?

VTR · 12 Jan 2011 at 14:23

MikeHiow said:
If you just pootle around town, I can see them wearing a little better.

I did a pair down to 3mm (albeit fronts) on the VXR in about 6k miles though iirc :/

My fronts were under 3mm in under 6k miles, replaced them for £293 fitted though as I know the guy at kwik fit, would have been £458 otherwise from them.

Really reccommend the Contis, even if they are expensive.

Tute · 12 Jan 2011 at 14:37

MikeHiow said:
£400 all round, fitted for CS3s? What size?

225/45 Y 17.

MikeHiow · 12 Jan 2011 at 15:41

That is incredible value.

I once paid £160 for a CS3 in 225/35/18 when I needed on desperately, and that was with discount!

Tute · 12 Jan 2011 at 17:35

Well I knew those were what I wanted. I phoned around Exeter and found a place called Save on Tyres - who offered to do the lot for that price.

I thought it might have been a half good deal because when I looked on blackcircles they were a bit higher than that.

CaptainRAVE · 12 Jan 2011 at 17:52

Cost me £290 for 2 CS3 in 245/40Z17 :s - should have shopped around a bit more!

bigjimmyauk · 19 Jan 2011 at 18:05

Update to this thread

I ended up getting the MAXXIS MAP-1 and to be honest they are leagues ahead of the firestones i had before

much less road noise superior wet and dry handling even on the ice this morning they were very grippy. Gonna see how they go over the coming months but up to now they seem really good. And yes i've done some heavy braking in them and harsh cornering and they hold really well. My old Firestones just seemed to let go all of a sudden with these there is a lot more feel before the loss of traction which gives you some time to recover or ease off.