C30 Tyres/Wheels : What tyres do you recommend?

[Oldskool Andy]

Hi All,

I will need to change tyres soon and currently have Pirelli P7's on - they are starting to crack with age but still have good tread

I have found them to be quite noisy but that could be down to the age of them and the rubber not being as fresh as it once was!

I have had experience with Avon's but not on my Volvo so was curious as to what other users on the forum have fitted and how they perform?

Thanks for any pointers.
Andy

[FunkyMelon]

Uniroyal Rainsport 3 are very good and not too expensive. They do wear very quickly though due to the softer compound.

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 are currently the best in my opinion. They do cost a bit more though.

[domhart10]

+1 on the pilot sport 4s, have them all round and by far the best tire I have had and lasting pretty well. Use them day to day and track days.

[LizardOfBodom]

Goodyear Eagle F1's currently on mine. Also had them on my 1st gen S40, always performed great.

[dme123]

If you're covering high mileage and want a good touring tyre my experience of the Pirelli P7 Cinturato Blue has been extremely positive, they last 30k miles on the front of my C70 D5 when the best premium tyres I'd used before (micheln primacy 3 I think) lasted 15k. A friend has had similar experience on his C70 T5 and his S80 D5.

For a cheaper and more sports oriented tyre I've had nothing but great experiences with Goodyear Eagle F1 Assymetric 3 on several cars. They aren't as expensive as the other decent tyres but still offer great performance and lifespan. The Assymetric 5 is out now.

Uniroyal rain expert seems a great recommendation for a mid range tyre, although often the saving is only £10 a corner.

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/ is a great resource. Owner reviews are, as every, of very limited use but they do report on the results of profesionally undertaken reviews from the likes of Auto Bild in Germany.

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article...-Tyre-Test.htm

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article...g-Shootout.htm

Oh and for the budget tyre fans:

The best wet braking tyre, the new Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3, stopped the car in 28.7 meters from 80 kph (50 mph), and the worse tyre on test, the budget Star Performer TNG UHP1 in 39.4 meters, a difference of 10.6 meters.

Notice all the crap budget stuff internet experts recommend towards the bottom of the table.

That's the difference between a slightly firmer than usual stop and all is well, and an ABS kicking in smash into the unexpected incident on the road at a fair old speed, and this is just from 50mph. Of course people "drive to their tyres" right? They'd never do something mad like 50mph. If they did they are driving gods who never experience the unexpected on the roads

[Oldskool Andy]

Thanks everyone for your input - it's been very helpful!

My issue is lack of miles - I am having to replace tyres due to old age rather than being worn out. In this instance they have become very noisy and it's stating to get a tad annoying!

I average 4k a year in the Volvo as I ride my bike in the summer months too and we have an XC90 for all the family stuff.

Thanks again

Andy

[scout70]

Originally Posted by FunkyMelon

Uniroyal Rainsport 3 are very good and not too expensive. They do wear very quickly though due to the softer compound.

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 are currently the best in my opinion. They do cost a bit more though.

I have the Uniroyal's and great grip in the wet. Only thing is you notice is a bit of sidewall movement because of the compound.

[Markos01]

I had to change some Pirellis on my last car due to cracking, they seem to be susceptible to this (I bought the car with pirellis on it).

I too don't do many miles and generally have the best Michelins on my main car (PS2s and now PS4Ss) and thankfully I've never had to change those for due to noise or cracking.

[Mancuniandragon]

A big problem with the C30 is the size 215 as 225 are a lot cheaper however I use Falken 215/45R 18 ZE914 93W good tyres at a reasonable price.

[Markos01]

Originally Posted by Mancuniandragon

A big problem with the C30 is the size 215 as 225 are a lot cheaper however I use Falken 215/45R 18 ZE914 93W good tyres at a reasonable price.

A number on the C30crew facebook page use 225 width 18's as they're cheaper than 215s. Can't remember the profile they go with but the info is on the group.