The Tyre Discussion Thread - please read 1st post

[millerman 0]

well i got the kumho ku31's on today and well i have to say they arnt too bad so far quite a positive feel

no were near the gripp of the r888's but i knew that and they are nice and quite which is nice as r888 humm like a bugger

[Guest]

I have just fitted 4 kuhmo ecsta sport ku31`s to my car, and they are a superb tyre for the money they are, especially when they have been recieving better reviews than Dunlops :shock:

 

even pushing them when they are new they dont squeel or try to break away, fine in the wet too so far cant fault them as yet, they also have a nice low side wall that sits nice and square even with a little bit of stretch on a 9j rim

 

Camskill, £52 english pounds per corner for 215 40 16`s cant argue with that price

[Toad 0]

Here's the difference in the tread pattern of Rainsport 1 and 2s...

[Kevin Bacon 5]

So then, tyres. I put more research into them this year as I'm trying to economise a bit (hard for me!) and I settled on the Hankook V12 Evo due to good reviews and a personal recommendation.

 

I had to buy 4 tyres, two 40/17s for mine, and two 45/16s for the missus's Polo, but there was only one 17" at the supplier at the time of ordering. Great :?

 

The tyre bloke said that this is the problem with Hankook. Very good tyres, one of the largest tyre makers in the world, but just not known / popular over here and supplies are patchy. So Hankook were binned off cause if I ever get a puncture, replacement could be time consuming. Shame, I was looking forward to trying them :(

 

The tyre man offered me four Kumho KU31s instead as they're on promotion, for £250 all in. My 17s were only £60 each all in, fitted and balanced. Less than half the price of the Contisport 2/3 I usually go for!! You guys recommended them and with christmas / car insurance renewal / MOT coming up, I thought why not, let's give the budget tyres a whirl and shun the over priced premium brands!!

 

So, on the Polo GTI then, yeah they work reasonably well for the way my missus drives (i.e. not very quickly) but initial impression is they're not as good as the conti sport2s they replaced, which we got 32,000 miles out of!! I'm hoping more miles and the Polo's more forgiving chassis will show some improvements from them.

 

On my Corrado then, I'm a little dissapointed after 200 miles bedding in tbh.

There's nothing drastically wrong with them, grip is good and there's no nasty surprises. It's just the turn-in, it's soggy as fook and there's practically no feel at all, to the point of spoiling the crisp steering I spent a lot of effort engineering into my car . My 2 year old shagged conti 3s with completely bald shoulders felt better than these :shrug: With 200 miles under their belts, I can't see them getting any better tbh. This is confusing because the Kumhos have a stiffer sidewall than the Contis. Bizarre.

 

I was totally expecting polarised views on them because the Polo is a factory standard car and will work well with any tyre (except ling longs, or something equally pants) but the Rado's state of tune requires a MUCH better tyre to work at it's best and I should have trusted my instincts.

 

Oh well. When these are bald, my usual Bridgestones or Contis will be going back on and my advice for what it's worth, if you value turn-in and sharp steering, is to take internet reviews with a pinch of salt and avoid Kumhos. The KU31 is a budget tyre with budget performance, end of!

[millerman 0]

interesting points there kev but do you think the fact that your now using a harder compound tyre in colder weather will somewot effect your findings

i think perhaps if you had the kumho's put on the the slightly warmer weather i think you may have been a little happier.

and as far as running in the wet with them i thought they were quite good (i have had a lot worse) and quite predictable as long as they were not pushed past their limit but this would be the same for most tyres in the wet

[Kevin Bacon 5]

They are not as good as my old bridgestone SO2's but you get what you pay for.

 

One of my favourite tyres of all time :notworthy: And yes, you DO get what you pay for, but this year I was looking for a half decent budget job.

 

interesting points there kev but do you think the fact that your now using a harder compound tyre in colder weather will somewot effect your findings

i think perhaps if you had the kumho's put on the the slightly warmer weather i think you may have been a little happier.

and as far as running in the wet with them i thought they were quite good (i have had a lot worse) and quite predictable as long as they were not pushed past their limit but this would be the same for most tyres in the wet

 

Difficult one to judge that. Over summer, not only is the rubber compound softer, but also the damper oil is less viscose and the chassis bushings soggier.

The strange thing about the Kumho as I said, is the tread is softer than the old Conti's, but the sidewall is stiffer, and yet the turn-in is so much slower.

 

At the end of the day, all that means is having to give the steering more lock than before to get the nose to turn-in the same. As I say, the grip is there, that's not a problem, it's just the feel for me. It's too soft and feels weird because of the soft tread / hard side wall combo. Maybe they'll get better when half worn as there'll be less flex in the tread blocks.

 

Anyway, the weather's been the same here since binning the Contis and getting 200 miles onto the Kumhos, so I don't think the conditions are affecting anything tbh.

 

Don't get me wrong, these aren't awful tyres by any means. Just not up to my impossibly high standards :D

 

Oh and I forgot to mention wet performance. They're not bad actually, I was pleasantly surprised. As with *all* tyres, damp & greasy roads need caution as they slip into understeer pretty easily, but soaking wet roads and standing water are no problem.

[dgtvr6 0]

I have Yokohama Parada on me vr and I love them to be honest. More grip than I need in wet and dry (although wet can be interesting) and they seem to be wearing well.

 

Still fairly new (only ca 3k) but no serious wear at all... Will monitor wear etc going fowards.

 

 

... OK as promised I have monitored the Paradas as they have bedded in and they are "interesting"...

 

I'd recommend em to anyone with a deathwish who wishes to drive fast in the wet! Fooking nightmare!!!

 

Great in the dry though, lots of grip and have scrubbed in well. Give lots of fun, good crisp feel with lots of feedback to loet me know when I am reaching the limits.

 

Bit of a conundrum given the great performance when dry and dangerous life threatening performance in the wet.... Having said that, if you don't try to drive over the top in the wet then it's all ok

[KADVR6 0]

i think Yokohama is japanese for only use in the dry if you want to live, if you think the Parada's are lethal in the wet you should try some A539's in the wet while going around a roundabout :nono:

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Did you ever try Yoko A509? Those things were absolutely lethal in the wet!!

 

The absolute worst all round tyre I've ever had was the Pirelli P6000! They were a hard compound, so needed a lot of weight on them to perform, probably why all the big Jags and things had them as standard back in the day. They lasted for ages though.

[KADVR6 0]

sorry but the worst tyre ever was the star performer :cuckoo: which is weird seeing there actually made by Avon.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I miss my old 325i :( It was a lovely 1991 Tourer (manual box) in diamond black metallic, a real peach of an example and that had P6000s on it when I bought it :nono: . They squealed negotiating roundabouts at pensioner speeds and in the wet, the car felt like it was on Tesco trolley wheels and could slide off the road at any moment....

 

sorry but the worst tyre ever was the star performer :cuckoo: which is weird seeing there actually made by Avon.

 

I've had some ZZ3s which weren't bad, but the ZV3 I rank as being almost as bad as a Yoko in the wet!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

LOL, this is clearly 'thread of the day' as you say Karl :lol:

 

Yeah I've heard the SO3s aren't all that (compared to the SO2), never tried them myself though.

 

Ryan, have you tried the SO1 'Expedia'? Looks quite nice, but I can't find much info on it?

 

The RE720 was another Bridgestone classic, but not available in 40 profile 17s :(

 

I love bridgestones. They seem to get the sidewall and tread compound balance c0ck on. Easily the best Jap tyre brand imo.... but also the most expensive!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

OK, I think I was being a little premature and harsh on the Kumhos initially. I've covered more miles (wet and dry) and once they get 200+ miles on them, they completely change character. Still a touch soft feeling, but my turn-in and feedback have improved a lot :clap: And when you really lean on them, the outright grip is comparable to much dearer tyres.

 

OK, they won't worry a Michelin PS2 or a Potenza at 9/10ths, but up to that point they are excellent value for money imo.

[The_Dude 0]

I have some 205/50/15 ContiPrem 2s and they are pretty good in this weather. fantastic in the dry and admirable in the wet.

[Dr Forinor 0]

I have had Conti SportContact2s on my front and Rainsport 2s on my rear (oo-er) for about a year now, maybe a little less and have to say, nice combo. The SportContacts2s are better than the Rainsport 2s (I had the 2s on the front before) but not really too sure whether or not they are worth the extra over the Rainsport 2s. Conti 2s better than Rainsports 2s in the wet, in the dry I would say probably about the same. The Conti 2s have a better feel to them, give more confidence.

 

The problem i have is I am comparing to driving the Rainsport 2s (when on the front) being in Manch, and the Conti 2s being on the front whilst living in Dundee. Now anyone who has driven in Dundee will tell you straightaway its not wet, its greasy, whereas the roads in manch majority of the tiem are only wet, no grease. Somewhat makes it harder to judge the wet capability.

 

One thing i am surprised about on the Conti 2s is they dont seem to have lasted even 8k, well ok they dont need changing right away but i dont reckon they will make it much past 10k. And they dont seem to be gripping as well now but then the cold roads dont help much.

 

I have 16s on right, the jump from 15s to 16s made a huge difference in terms of less tyre squeal and better turn-in, better feel. Cant wait to eventually get to 17s and see the difference.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Similar findings mate. The ContiSport2 is a great all rounder with no nasty surprises. My only complaint is a slight lack of turn-in feel compared to say a Bridgestone RE050 and some other tyres, but that's mainly because the Bridgee has a stiff side wall, so consequently the Conti rides a little better in return.

 

I wouldn't bother with the ContiSport3, the tiny improvements over the CS2 don't justify the huge price difference, and it wears out even quicker!

 

One thing I have noticed about the ContiSports is they are lighter than other tyres! Seriously! Small things, but it all adds up :D

 

This year I had to make some cutbacks so got some cheapy Kumho KU-31s as a 'make do' tyre, which cost £60 a corner in 17". I tell you what though, they're bloody good actually! Obviously my engine is going break any tyre's traction, but in terms of 'normal' driving and cornering, the KU31s feel every bit as good as my old CS2/3s and they seem to be lasting well too. That applies in wet and dry conditions.

 

Yeah, that intermediate greasey, slimey, not quite wet road surface troubles ALL tyres mate. Most tyres are good at each end of the spectrum, but very, very few tyres are good on greasey roundabouts. I was following a 997 Porsche last year, just sauntering round a greasey roundabout, when it suddenly just had a complete loss of grip half way round and spun. We were only doing, 30-40ish on a large intersection. My front end suddenly went light too, so diesel perhaps? Just goes to show that a bang up to date car like that with up to the minute technology easily succumbs to the grease too :D

[millerman 0]

i had the kumhos on and i thought they were really good good grip in all weathers and i only paid £50 a corner fitted on 17's

however they were not so great untill they had done a couple of hundred miles like you have to run em in and then they are really good :D

[Jim 1]

Just a quick vote for Rainsports here.. I was running them on the front of my Corrado but bad alignment wore them out really quickly.. still have them on the rear tyres though - they're lasting forever!

 

Awesome tyres. A bit harder than tyres like the Toyo Proxes T1-S, but dry grip is excellent and wet weather grip is sensational! They really don't put a foot wrong, even in heavy rain. I'd buy them again without a doubt.

[Critical_Mass 10]

Had the Toyo Proxes TR-1s on the front and found they wore down quick, though grip in the wet and dry was pretty good.

[G-Lad 0]

Rainsport2 = brilliant. :clap:

 

like my old proper German-spec Goodyear Eagle F1 GSD3s (before they starting making them in China).

 

Perhaps a smidge more slippery than the F1s, but much more progressive and consistent than anything else I've had on the C VR6 or Golf2 16v. Should be able to get them for £60 per corner if looking for standard 205/50 R15 V

[millerman 0]

kumhos ku31's are good but only after they have done a couple of hundred miles break in but on an 8j rim a 205 will have a slightly streached look

i had em on a 7.5 j rim and they were just right

gotta say ive heard nothing good about pradas i currently am running bridgestone re050 but i think they are a bit over your budget but they are

blimmin good

if you want really good fill get your self some r888's they fill nicely and grip quite well too :D

[G-Lad 0]

Just been reading this tread as I'm looking to replace two tyres. I usually go for Goodyear F1's. Are these Kumho KU31s comparable?

 

Goodyear Eagle F1s are really low grade rubber now, since about 2008. If you can find older manufactured F1s made in Germany that's OK, but most are now made in China but still bear the E (euro safety OK) mark (technically ok for use but not up to the same standard of circa 4-5 years ago). If buying F1s also check they aren't from other far eastern countries with no E mark (ie Thailand), as these are much harder compound designed to work in hotter climates, and actually illegal for use in the UK / Europe (ie failed E testing).

 

Sorry, I've got no experience of the Kumho KU31s, I like my Rainsport2s :)

[coullstar 0]

Need some advice on 15" tyres please

 

I'm getting Kumho KU31 tyres for my new wheels but am torn between what aspect to get. The car came from the factory with 205/50/15 but would like something with less balloon without sacrificing handling.

 

Question is: Is there a noticeable (apart from visial and price) difference between 205/50 to either 195/50 - 195/45 when driving ?

I wouldnt go as low as 45 profile. Ive got 195's on my standard wheels and TBh I prefer the feel and look of 205's.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I've had the Kumho KU31's on all 4's for a few days now

 

Initial impressions are they are a decent tyre. Obviously not fully run in yet but even so, they feel good. My only gripe is that they have a fairly "mushy" feel on turning, which I dont like but apart from that, the grip I cant complain with yet and its only getting better.

 

They're not bad for the money are they? :D

 

They're certainly no Bridgestone S02s, Pilot Sports or even Conti CS3, but for the money they're not bad. The turn-in will improve with more miles mate. It's quite a hard compound so will take a good couple of hundred miles to scrub off the first mm.

 

Mine are down to 3/4 now and with shorter tread blocks the turn-in is pretty good and comparable to some more premium brands, but I'm finding they are pretty bad for tramlining now. The Conti's don't tram anything like as bad as these Kumhos. I won't be using them again, but for a budget choice you can't really go wrong/

[revilo 0]

Just in case anyones looking at Bridgestone Turanza ER30's. Dont bother, i only managed to get 4500 miles on a set of fronts.

Not a great feeling tyre either, never felt like they ever gave me a great feel of the road.