Tyres

[jaytee]

I need to replace the front tyres on my 850 Tdi, The current Michelin Pilot Sports are past their best after about 11000 miles. To be fair there is a bit of depth left but the inner 1/4 of each is a bit scrubbed. I'll get the alignment set up first, as it appears to be a bit out.

Does anyone have any particular recommendations regarding which brand to fit?? I quite fancy Continentals, but wonder how they fare in the wear versus grip stakes??

Thanks all

Jim

[cootuk]

I put Conti EcoContacts on my 2.5l 10v 850....grip really well, stop great in the wet, not much wear (maybe 2-3mm wear?)after a year and about 8k.

[Simon Linton]

In other tyre threads, the Pilot Sports come out very well and my own experience would confirm that.

As far as wear goes, I'm not typical in that I run a 850R fairly enthusiastically; so I'm more concerned with grip and ride.

Both are excellent with this tyre - far superior to the Kumhos I had on before (though of course they were half the price).

Continentals did not find favour with some members who had high levels of wear and less than satisfactory performance, though of course there are lots of different Continentals and the ones I had on the previous 850, a 2.5 GLT, were fine on that car.

However, wear is much more a function of driving style than anything else, so I would take anyone's view of wear as a purely individual experience and no guide to anything you should expect.

I've just had a pair of Toyo T1-S's on the front of my TDi (205/16). So far they have been superb. Very good ride on a run from Wolverhampton to Paris and back, superb cornering and great in the wet, quiet too. I can recommend them, they'd probably suit a T5 well. At about £80 each they're not bad value for Z rated (over specced for a TDi, I know...)

Alastair

[jaytee]

Thanks Alastair, I checked these out at the nearest stockist, and they look good and were recommended by someone else as well. The local distributor wants £95.00 each inc. fitting and balance. Was your price inclusive of this? a bit of a difference! still good though compared with Michelin Pilots @ about £130.00 each.

I'll look further this week.

regards

Jim

Yes, £80 each all in. This was a tyre fitter in Cannock (Bridgetown, on the A5). Also had a quote of £82 from a place in Telford. Others quoted around £100+, so it pays to phone around. I can dig out the contacts for you if you are based in this area. Pilots quoted around £110 locally (I think). Toyo may have a distributor/fitter list on their UK web site.

Alastair

[liuleichan]

>Yes, £80 each all in. This was a tyre fitter in Cannock
>(Bridgetown, on the A5). Also had a quote of £82 from a place
>in Telford. Others quoted around £100+, so it pays to phone
>around. I can dig out the contacts for you if you are based in
>this area. Pilots quoted around £110 locally (I think). Toyo
>may have a distributor/fitter list on their UK web site.

I just had two P6000s fitted - actually the cheapest price I could find was at a Volvo dealers - £70.98 all-in, per tyre.

V rated, which is stock and sufficient for mine, and probably the original poster (TDI driver).

Lei Chan

P6000's in the standard 195's will be just fine for a TDi. I've got 205/16's on my TDi, so decided to go for the Toyo's as the price difference was minimal and I find the P6000's a bit 'hard'. I do a lot of miles as well, average about 35k per year since new. It's all down to personal preference and local prices. I should think that you could find V rated P6000's for a good price.

BTW, www.toyo.co.uk does have a UK fitter list, although the two places I got good quotes from aren't on it, hmmm...

Alastair

[jaytee]

Hi all, thanks for the info, finally had some spare time today and got a pair of Toyo T1-S fitted @ £84.00 each, all in. They certainly look serious tyres, and initial impressions are good, but I've only gone 30 miles so far. There is a slightly different (better) feel about them. I'll let you know if I have any further comments.

Jim