OT - daily driver tyre options
Turbo Mini Forums

I'm shortly needing 4 tyres on the daily driver and the wifey needs 2 on hers - both cars run 225/40R18s. I've recently always run with Dunlops and she has had Michelins up till now. Given I'm about to spend a significant chunk of money, I thought I'd see what other options there are.

My thoughts on the dunlops are that they are a bit soft and easily damaged by pot holes (i've had to replace 4 in the past few years with little wear on them due to damage). The Michelins are a bit more durable but they seem to get about 12k out an axle set (dunlops around 20K).

I had nexans on mine for a short while but couldn't wait to get rid of them. Ran Avon ZZ1s on an old golf a few years ago and were ok.

I tend to replace the tyres every 9-10 months so am looking for a bit of value but not at the expense of grip and safety

any ideas or recomendations?

I'm quite a fan of Goodyear tyres- had them on a few things now with good results. My current Audi came with Bridgestone Turanzas on which I'm also quite impressed with and seem to be lasting well mileage wise.

I'm on my second set of verdsteins on my a4. Front's did 32-33k and rears did 38k. Gripped really well all the time I've had them. Less expensive than goodyears etc. Had pirellis before that and they where crap after 5k or so.

IMO Avons are just cheap tyres...nothiong nice at all.
But for a daily driver, what is needed ?

The ampunt of offerings in that size and prices from Camskill is unreal !!!

http://www.camskill.co.uk/products.php?plid=m61b0s134p0

There are Federal, Marshal or Falken starting at the "branded" cheaper end from around £60.

The cheapest offerings are £41 each !!!

9.85 @ 145mph
202mph standing mile
speed didn't kill me, but taxation probably will

Bridgstones get my vote, had goodyears on the porsche and allthough good the rears only managed 5k, but the front with no weight on it still looked new after 12k.

Allways had good results with toyos aswell, they may lack a little grip and wear rate is adaquate but very perdictable.

Rick

ps, get the tyres from camskill aswell, very cheap and next day

Once you get down to the seriously low profiles (like 40 or less) it's more down to how long you want them to last on current UK roads rather than their performance. Potholes kill low profile tyres a lot more easily than a high profile one.

But Toyos get my vote, I've used them on my Cossie for as long as I can remember and they are very predictable, especially in the wet.

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

Minis, land rovers and a cossie Rod? Any pic's of the cossie?

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

twin my... bottom!

If something is worth doing, it's worth doing half of.

I used contact geat grip and reasonable life on a couple of cars now.

using ZZ3 at the mo seem ok Falken 452's get good reviews.

I run a supercharger and I don't care the TB is on the wrong side.
VEMS + 12 PSI + Liquid Intercooler = Small Bore FUN!

continentals for me too, paired fairly evenly with dunlops. have never used a pirelli tyre and liked it. Currently the daily has avons all round, and there not the best.. but were cheap ish lol

turbo 16v k-series 11.9@118.9 :)

Denis O'Brien.

Toyo proxies get my vote

Thats not a cossie rod.lol just a saph with a cossier engine.lol

rick

ps toyos were very predictable on mine aswell

Conti's for durability, 35-40k, and Mich's for a comprimise on durability with a little more grip, 30-35k.

It alldepends on mileage

Personaly, i would go for Conti's

Cheers guys

if i could get 30-35k from a set of tyres I'd be delighted - the quattro seems to tear through them on ours

I'll look into the contis and bridgestones then - camskill prices are good but it looked like supply only? all the local guys aren't interested in fitting something they haven't supplied

I used to have the conti sports 2s and 3s on my old st and they didn't last at. At 140 a tyre and barely lasting 10k I won't be getting them again.

I put Falkens on everything and i'm happy with them.

But, I don't think they grip as well as the premium brands, although they are lasting well.

I would recommend for a daily drive, but not for performance.

Saul Bellow - "A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep."
Stephen Hawking - "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge."

I had some firestone's on my old astra and the fronts managed about 42k of abuse. Backs were still good

If something is worth doing, it's worth doing half of.

both cars get a bit of abuse - mine more so. While I rate falkens, I'd be prepared to spend a little extra for the grip

So no consensus then!!

I have RE050 Bridestones on the Legacy, lasted 20k, good grip and feel too.

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

Perhaps quite a bit is down to driving style, suspension setup on car etc?

If something is worth doing, it's worth doing half of.

and wheel/tyre size.

In my case it's mainly motorway driving

Saul Bellow - "A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep."
Stephen Hawking - "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge."