Rubbish Tyres
20 April 2014, 06:38 AM
#61
Stats cant really lie,as it's taken from road users the Consumer/General public.here is a good list of what the massive's think about certain makes of tyres for the Subaru after being driven for "X" amount of miles:http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyres_F...ru/Impreza.htm.SJ.
20 April 2014, 07:25 AM
#62
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I will disagree about the kumhos being borederline, ive had several sets and always found them to be exellent, and struggle to get them to break traction wet or dry, although only on a standard wrx. I believe mercedes fit them as standard although I dont know what model or what market.
Budget tyres on the other hand, my car was fitted with runways when we bought it and they were downright dangerous in the wet
Budget tyres on the other hand, my car was fitted with runways when we bought it and they were downright dangerous in the wet
They replaced toyos on the impreza and Michelin on the forester. For my driving ability I couldn't detect any difference.
20 April 2014, 08:36 AM
#63
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when i got my version 5 it had toyo t1rs then i changed to avon zz5s and only thing i noticed was a softer side wall ..now i got 18s on with toyos and they need changing soon was gonna go back to avons as i have coilovers on and want the softer side wall as the coilovers are hard evan on soft set up ..car is never tracked .
i had kumhos on my mondeo and are fine just changed all 4 to a budget tyre as car is hardly driven and can,t fault them either c for wet rating ,d for fuel,and 69decibels for noise
i had kumhos on my mondeo and are fine just changed all 4 to a budget tyre as car is hardly driven and can,t fault them either c for wet rating ,d for fuel,and 69decibels for noise
yep it's always been that way
20 April 2014, 11:51 AM
#68
I didnt even realise they were date stamped!
I wouldnt buy part worns, I did once not long after buying my first car. Went over a speed bump that had a cobbled ramp and front left tyre blow out, luckily at about 20mph and 1/4 mile from home . . . never again.
Slightly off topic, but I recently found out the red spot on the tyre wall is aparantly to mark the heaviest point on the tyre, and have just had some new tyres fitted and I looked to see if the fitter had placed the tyres with these marks oposite the valves to lessen the amount of balancing weights, but found they have just been chucked on in any random place.
Just wondered if this is true and if so how many tyre fitters actually take any notice of this.
I wouldnt buy part worns, I did once not long after buying my first car. Went over a speed bump that had a cobbled ramp and front left tyre blow out, luckily at about 20mph and 1/4 mile from home . . . never again.
Slightly off topic, but I recently found out the red spot on the tyre wall is aparantly to mark the heaviest point on the tyre, and have just had some new tyres fitted and I looked to see if the fitter had placed the tyres with these marks oposite the valves to lessen the amount of balancing weights, but found they have just been chucked on in any random place.
Just wondered if this is true and if so how many tyre fitters actually take any notice of this.
Yep, four digits in a oval...first two digits are teh week number, last two digits are the year, so for example; 1012 would mean 10th week in 2012.
Personally I'd say tyres over 5years old will have lost most of their cold/wet grip properties. A new set of Kumhos would be better (mid range budget...I never said they were the worst....just not suitable for a 500bhp RWD SL55 AMG which should really wear "MO" spec tyres
).The red dot is a balancing aid. But to properly balance the wheel to the tyre you need to put the wheel on the balancing machine first without a tyre fitted and mark it. The valve doesn't make much difference (5 to 10grams unless it has a pressure sensor), but deformities in the wheel and tyre do.
I've had to do this on odd occasions times with bent wheels where the machine has asked to fit over 200grams, I've broke the bead and rotated the tyre to suit as otherwise I'd be there wasting time chasing weights.
20 April 2014, 08:11 PM
#69
I think one or two people may have got a bit precious over my original post.
Whilst I understand that some older cars had wilder handling they still benefitted from having decent tyres fitted. If not they got wilder, the same goes for a Scoob, they make a bad car worse but also in equal measure made a good car better.
I am not telling people they should not buy "a performance car" because they cannot afford decent parts or the ability to run it, what I am saying is that you should consider how much it would cost. You can then consider how much you want to be safe or dangerous.
Whilst I understand that some older cars had wilder handling they still benefitted from having decent tyres fitted. If not they got wilder, the same goes for a Scoob, they make a bad car worse but also in equal measure made a good car better.
I am not telling people they should not buy "a performance car" because they cannot afford decent parts or the ability to run it, what I am saying is that you should consider how much it would cost. You can then consider how much you want to be safe or dangerous.
20 April 2014, 11:51 PM
#70
IMO its not just performance cars; I will never forget the Roadchamps fitted to both my 1984 VW polo and 1986 Sunny (already fitted when I bought them).
On both occasions the meer hint of a wet road would turn them into barely controllable death traps. The Polo just flatly refused to turn into junctions if driven over 15mph and just sailed straight on as if I hadn't turned the steering wheel. The handling was like Bambi on ice.
The Nissan would wheelspin in 3rd gear (pretty epic for 60bhp) and lock the front brakes up at the slight touch of the pedal (the Polo had no assisted brakes, so it didn't stop anyway
).
I've driven outdoor karts on full slicks in the pouring rain that had more grip.
Both cars had those tyres binned pretty sharpish: best money I ever spent on those cars (both £250 workhorses, I drove 15K a year in each whilst my Scoob was kept as a weekend car), I driven other cars since with tyres just as bad. Some just aren't fit for use in the UK's climate or road/traffic conditions. The EU grip ratings system is bit dodgy too, I swear the Chinese are faking their ratings (i.e submitting good batches for testing and selling poorer batches mass market)
On both occasions the meer hint of a wet road would turn them into barely controllable death traps. The Polo just flatly refused to turn into junctions if driven over 15mph and just sailed straight on as if I hadn't turned the steering wheel. The handling was like Bambi on ice.
The Nissan would wheelspin in 3rd gear (pretty epic for 60bhp) and lock the front brakes up at the slight touch of the pedal (the Polo had no assisted brakes, so it didn't stop anyway
).I've driven outdoor karts on full slicks in the pouring rain that had more grip.
Both cars had those tyres binned pretty sharpish: best money I ever spent on those cars (both £250 workhorses, I drove 15K a year in each whilst my Scoob was kept as a weekend car), I driven other cars since with tyres just as bad. Some just aren't fit for use in the UK's climate or road/traffic conditions. The EU grip ratings system is bit dodgy too, I swear the Chinese are faking their ratings (i.e submitting good batches for testing and selling poorer batches mass market)
Last edited by ALi-B; 20 April 2014 at 11:56 PM.
21 April 2014, 01:28 AM
#71
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I think one or two people may have got a bit precious over my original post.
Whilst I understand that some older cars had wilder handling they still benefitted from having decent tyres fitted. If not they got wilder, the same goes for a Scoob, they make a bad car worse but also in equal measure made a good car better.
I am not telling people they should not buy "a performance car" because they cannot afford decent parts or the ability to run it, what I am saying is that you should consider how much it would cost. You can then consider how much you want to be safe or dangerous.
Whilst I understand that some older cars had wilder handling they still benefitted from having decent tyres fitted. If not they got wilder, the same goes for a Scoob, they make a bad car worse but also in equal measure made a good car better.
I am not telling people they should not buy "a performance car" because they cannot afford decent parts or the ability to run it, what I am saying is that you should consider how much it would cost. You can then consider how much you want to be safe or dangerous.
lol
21 April 2014, 09:47 AM
#72
Stats cant really lie,as it's taken from road users the Consumer/General public.here is a good list of what the massive's think about certain makes of tyres for the Subaru after being driven for "X" amount of miles:http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyres_F...ru/Impreza.htm.SJ.
Interesting.
I think sometimes with these reviews it depends on what the driver had used before.
But why has someone (2 people actually) fitted RE070 RFT (runflats) to their Impreza?
They won't work without runflat rims. And they ruin the BMWs they were intended for anyway!
21 April 2014, 09:51 AM
#73
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When I picked my car up from Mercedes of Ashford from a service they made a comment about how I fitted budget tyres to a Mercedes. The tyres were Falken 452s, replacing the OE Continental Sport Contact 2. As far as I could tell there was absolutely no discernible difference except the Falkens had greater road roar.
When I came to replace them I could go back to the Contis at £160 each, the Falkens for £88 each or try something new. I went for Vredestein Centos. Again very little difference in performance but the ride comfort knocks spots off the Contis and Falkens. This comes at the expense of economy, which is around 10% lower.
On my Impreza I've had Micheline Primacy, Bridgestene RE50 and Vredestein Sessantas. All seemed to perform very similarly but the Vredesteins trumped them, offering ever so slightly less understeer.
When I came to replace them I could go back to the Contis at £160 each, the Falkens for £88 each or try something new. I went for Vredestein Centos. Again very little difference in performance but the ride comfort knocks spots off the Contis and Falkens. This comes at the expense of economy, which is around 10% lower.
On my Impreza I've had Micheline Primacy, Bridgestene RE50 and Vredestein Sessantas. All seemed to perform very similarly but the Vredesteins trumped them, offering ever so slightly less understeer.
21 April 2014, 10:42 AM
#74
Interesting.
I think sometimes with these reviews it depends on what the driver had used before.
But why has someone (2 people actually) fitted RE070 RFT (runflats) to their Impreza? They won't work without runflat rims. And they ruin the BMWs they were intended for anyway!
I think sometimes with these reviews it depends on what the driver had used before.
But why has someone (2 people actually) fitted RE070 RFT (runflats) to their Impreza?
They won't work without runflat rims. And they ruin the BMWs they were intended for anyway! 
the reviews are not perfect and I agree that without knowing how the tyres was use it's not as transparent as it should be,but it's still a quite good indicator about what certain tyre manufacturer that Subaru Impreza drivers use on average and there thoughts.SJ.
21 April 2014, 11:12 AM
#75
NANKANG NS-2R
NANKANG NS-2R I was going to start a thread about these tyres but thought I would stick it on here as it's already discussing tyres
.After forking out just under a Grand for my AD08R rubber for my car just to add they are Superb,A Good friend of mine has just popped around and I have driven his car with the Nankang tyres on and they are excellent where I live has quite a few roundabouts and his Impreza (500+bhp) made the 360deg turn around them look easy with no tyre squeal just pure grip.I am glad for him as they came in at half the price that I paid for my YOKO'S,and had I driven his car before I would of definitely purchased them,He has done a couple of track days already and he said that they performed brilliantly,and one of the sessions the track was wet.So it's just a heads up for anyone in the market for tyres and contemplating getting a road track tyre the Nankang tyres are up to the job
.SJ.
.After forking out just under a Grand for my AD08R rubber for my car just to add they are Superb,A Good friend of mine has just popped around and I have driven his car with the Nankang tyres on and they are excellent where I live has quite a few roundabouts and his Impreza (500+bhp) made the 360deg turn around them look easy with no tyre squeal just pure grip.I am glad for him as they came in at half the price that I paid for my YOKO'S,and had I driven his car before I would of definitely purchased them,He has done a couple of track days already and he said that they performed brilliantly,and one of the sessions the track was wet.So it's just a heads up for anyone in the market for tyres and contemplating getting a road track tyre the Nankang tyres are up to the job.SJ.
24 April 2014, 09:23 PM
#79
IMO its not just performance cars; I will never forget the Roadchamps fitted to both my 1984 VW polo and 1986 Sunny (already fitted when I bought them).
On both occasions the meer hint of a wet road would turn them into barely controllable death traps. The Polo just flatly refused to turn into junctions if driven over 15mph and just sailed straight on as if I hadn't turned the steering wheel. The handling was like Bambi on ice.
The Nissan would wheelspin in 3rd gear (pretty epic for 60bhp) and lock the front brakes up at the slight touch of the pedal (the Polo had no assisted brakes, so it didn't stop anyway ).
I've driven outdoor karts on full slicks in the pouring rain that had more grip.
Both cars had those tyres binned pretty sharpish: best money I ever spent on those cars (both £250 workhorses, I drove 15K a year in each whilst my Scoob was kept as a weekend car), I driven other cars since with tyres just as bad. Some just aren't fit for use in the UK's climate or road/traffic conditions. The EU grip ratings system is bit dodgy too, I swear the Chinese are faking their ratings (i.e submitting good batches for testing and selling poorer batches mass market)
On both occasions the meer hint of a wet road would turn them into barely controllable death traps. The Polo just flatly refused to turn into junctions if driven over 15mph and just sailed straight on as if I hadn't turned the steering wheel. The handling was like Bambi on ice.
The Nissan would wheelspin in 3rd gear (pretty epic for 60bhp) and lock the front brakes up at the slight touch of the pedal (the Polo had no assisted brakes, so it didn't stop anyway
).I've driven outdoor karts on full slicks in the pouring rain that had more grip.
Both cars had those tyres binned pretty sharpish: best money I ever spent on those cars (both £250 workhorses, I drove 15K a year in each whilst my Scoob was kept as a weekend car), I driven other cars since with tyres just as bad. Some just aren't fit for use in the UK's climate or road/traffic conditions. The EU grip ratings system is bit dodgy too, I swear the Chinese are faking their ratings (i.e submitting good batches for testing and selling poorer batches mass market)
How long ago did you have the Polo and Sunny?
24 April 2014, 09:57 PM
#80
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I did Blyton on linglongs.... they weren't grippy and I slid around all over the place, ( great fun - not quick ), but there was little wear visible..... on the road they were lethal, terminal under-steer on anything but dry warm tarmac. Replaced with Toyo T1S for a whole week, way to flimsy for a heavy Newage STI... so bought a set of Vredys.
I'm running Vredys on my Golf TDi and love the wet weather grip.
To make a passenger really scream requires R888's and large cahoneys - I came out of Squires and onto the old A1, at the roundabout I signalled left and changed up a gear and kept accelerating....
my passenger dived for the grab handle and screamed like a girl, well she would wouldn't she ?
dunx
P.S. I used to fool around in a seriously tuned-up Imp with Yoko A008's on now that did both grip and handle superbly.
P.P.S. I'd recommend a Golf IV GT TDi ( six speed) as a work horse, my car is at 140,000 and goes like stink and does 50+ mpg.
I'm running Vredys on my Golf TDi and love the wet weather grip.
To make a passenger really scream requires R888's and large cahoneys - I came out of Squires and onto the old A1, at the roundabout I signalled left and changed up a gear and kept accelerating....
my passenger dived for the grab handle and screamed like a girl, well she would wouldn't she ?
dunx
P.S. I used to fool around in a seriously tuned-up Imp with Yoko A008's on now that did both grip and handle superbly.
P.P.S. I'd recommend a Golf IV GT TDi ( six speed) as a work horse, my car is at 140,000 and goes like stink and does 50+ mpg.
Last edited by dunx; 24 April 2014 at 10:00 PM.
25 April 2014, 08:34 AM
#81
Sunny was but more of a shed lasted about three years, some wiring issues, but of brake work and the rocker shaft on the engine kept working loose (variable valve lift- its not supposed to do that lol ). But it handled ace (good suspension), and cruised nicely (not as powerful as the polo). However after several years of rush hour abuse the gearbox decided it had enough.It sounded like a straight cut gearbox before I scrapped it
Had a Rover 216gsi auto after. Sold it after 4 months as it was shyte - slower than the sunny and did 28mpg
the Scoob did 24mpg so I started using that again
Last edited by ALi-B; 25 April 2014 at 08:35 AM.
25 April 2014, 09:40 AM
#82
I use a 306d as a workhorse! Bought for nowt and costs sod all, it drinks the used oil out of the scoob! I change it every 2.5k on the scoob so there is always a large reserve. so the 306d runs on 10/50 nanotech I think I have spent more on cleaning products for the subaru in the last year than I have on the pug in total.
Tyre wise it lives on middle of the road budget stuff £50 quid a corner.. its not amazing but fine dry or wet as long as tread depth is ok. It has about 55bhp I recon supposed to be 70 but no way! so it can't pull the skin of a rice pudding! handling is still decent. It costs absolutely nothing to run 50mpg + all day long and spares are cheap as chips. I have covered 30k in the last 18months in it.
As for the scoob it lives its life on Eagle F1 asymetric 2's for the road /wet track, and R888's for dry track/scaring people
I think I have spent more on cleaning products for the subaru in the last year than I have on the pug in total.Tyre wise it lives on middle of the road budget stuff £50 quid a corner.. its not amazing but fine dry or wet as long as tread depth is ok. It has about 55bhp I recon supposed to be 70 but no way! so it can't pull the skin of a rice pudding! handling is still decent. It costs absolutely nothing to run 50mpg + all day long and spares are cheap as chips. I have covered 30k in the last 18months in it.
As for the scoob it lives its life on Eagle F1 asymetric 2's for the road /wet track, and R888's for dry track/scaring people
25 April 2014, 02:29 PM
#83
Scooby Senior
so is it better to go for a make you know then and pay the extra even though a 'cheaper' brand may have a better A-G rating for sound/wet grip?
25 April 2014, 06:17 PM
#85
I just ordered a new pair of tyres: 225/40/18 92Y XL....Michelin PS3...£100 each. No brainer.
Cheapest tyre in the same size is a "Westlake" at £44 (probably a lake finder....or a SIAL tyre )
Cheapest named/known brands, hovered around the £90 mark (Toyo, Kumho, Kleber, Hankook, Fulda, Falken, Avon etc) ...for the sakes of a tenner a tyre they aren't even worth considering.
Cheapest tyre in the same size is a "Westlake" at £44 (probably a lake finder....or a SIAL tyre
)Cheapest named/known brands, hovered around the £90 mark (Toyo, Kumho, Kleber, Hankook, Fulda, Falken, Avon etc) ...for the sakes of a tenner a tyre they aren't even worth considering.
Last edited by ALi-B; 25 April 2014 at 06:19 PM.
25 April 2014, 06:39 PM
#87
Making generalisations based on manufacturer only tells a small part of the story as individual tyre variants from the same brand can vary massively.
For example, Pirelli is generally accepted as a premium make, but the P6000 is complete rubbish. Conversely, Federal is seen by many to be a budget brand, but the 595-RSR is extremely well-reviewed as a high-performance option.
For example, Pirelli is generally accepted as a premium make, but the P6000 is complete rubbish. Conversely, Federal is seen by many to be a budget brand, but the 595-RSR is extremely well-reviewed as a high-performance option.
26 April 2014, 11:33 PM
#90
I just ordered a new pair of tyres: 225/40/18 92Y XL....Michelin PS3...£100 each. No brainer.
Cheapest tyre in the same size is a "Westlake" at £44 (probably a lake finder....or a SIAL tyre )
Cheapest named/known brands, hovered around the £90 mark (Toyo, Kumho, Kleber, Hankook, Fulda, Falken, Avon etc) ...for the sakes of a tenner a tyre they aren't even worth considering.
Cheapest tyre in the same size is a "Westlake" at £44 (probably a lake finder....or a SIAL tyre
)Cheapest named/known brands, hovered around the £90 mark (Toyo, Kumho, Kleber, Hankook, Fulda, Falken, Avon etc) ...for the sakes of a tenner a tyre they aren't even worth considering.
Anyway, £84.10 on my tyres, but got them for £52.21 from camskill