A question about tyres

[acprc]

Hi all,

Getting close to the wear indicators on the Audi now so starting to think about tyres. I will be looking to change all 4 tyres at once and need some advice from long term owners of cars like mine(2.0tdi 170 Avant Quattro).

The car currently has fitted Continental Sport Contact 2's size 235 40 ZR 18 and I believe these to be the original tyres. To be honest the tyres have been good, no problems and coupled with the Quattro system we have never felt unsafe, even when pushing it in all conditions.

Has anybody here tried the newer Sport Contact 3's? I know tyre choice is very much a personal thing but any advice is useful.

Also can anybody advise on the 4 wheel alignment requirements on this model? I was tempted to get a mobile fitter at work but not sure if anything above the normal is reqd.

Thanks for your help folks.

Adam

 

[s-line stu]

Adam,

The best tyres I have ever had were Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymetrics which I had on my last car. They gripped almost as well in the wet as in the dry and seemed to wear quite well. I read a few reviews before I bought them and they came out on top almost every time.

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2007-evo-tyre-test.htm

My current car has the Conti's on and they're not a patch on the Goodyears in my opinion.

The guys on the forums seem to rate the Vredestein Ultracs as well and these also came 1st or 2nd on most of the tests I read.

I paid £118 each fitted from Jeffries Tyres Bromsgrove (01527 831 829) for the Goodyears and I had laser tracking done there as well.

It wasn't particularly cheap (I think around £100) but it's a comprehensive bit of kit they've got and it took them over an hour. Glad I had it done as it was way out which they told me is very common even in new cars!

This is what they use http://www.hunter.com/HAWKEYE/

Hope this helps.

Stu

 

[johnnythepie]

I had sportcontact 2's on my B7 2ltr tdi, and whilst i found them to be great in the wet and dry, i was only getting 8000 on the front.So when it came to changing, i put the goodyear f1 eagles on.Brilliant.Cant wait for my current crappy bridgestones on my B8 to wear out.Ill be putting the eagles on without question.Sounds like you like your contis though

 

[acprc]

Thanks for the comments so far.

The Vredestein Ultracs do seem to be popular but there is, or appears to be a real reluctance or lack of any wet or winter reviews. Not just here but on other forums as well. Plenty people have them on their Imprezas etc but generally say haven't tried them in the wet/ice/snow yet.

Haven't looked at the revies for the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymetrics but you both seem to like them. I will check them out.

Yes I guess I do like the Conti's, had them on my Mondeo ST with no probs so I guess thats why but always open to improvement!

Thanks so far.

Adam

 

[johnnythepie]

Its not the easiest advice to give, what i like others dont.And yes, finding reviews is not easy.Official for example auto express tests are not imo straight.It all depends on whose taking bungs.I remember researching for a new crt tv, all the reviewers rated this particular panny as the dogs.So **** head bought one, and it was back in the store the next day...total crap.So how the hell do you decide??I was always brought up on uniroyals, so when my first b7 arrived with conti's, i was a tadge wary.But they were really good, but dont last long.So i took a works mondeo st out that has eagles on...brilliant so i changed to eagles.Then i changed the car to a B8, that arrived with bridgestones that i just dont trust.But theyre rated as 10/10 on some reviews, but id give them 6.And at over 200 a pop on my 19" rims, it aint funny if you dont like them.Cos they wont take them back!People are raving about the ultracs, but call me a snob....