TT 3.2

"philliej" wrote

I'll assume you mean "summer tire" category. If so, I can recommend ContiSportContact2 or Dunlop SP Maxx.

Pete

I have to disagree strongly with both recommendations. Firstly, the ContiSportContact2 is a good tyre, but compared to *my* recommendation, based on the OPs requirements, the Conti can be less than ideal in the comfort department on GB roads (I am assuming the OP is in Blighty from his spelling of *tyres*). Secondly, the Dunlop SP SportMaxx is an awful tyre, squealing

*very* loudly under hard braking, loosing grip very easily under moderate braking, and suffering terrible aquaplaning when the tread still has 5mm left. I have these awful boots on the Wifes' 3month old Mk5 GTI, and will be changing them in the new year for something fit for the purpose, i.e. a high performance tyre on a high performance car!

My ultimate recommendation would have to be the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2, with the asymmetric tread pattern - much more comfortable than the Conti, and simply miles better in all areas than the Dunlop. The Mich boots may be a few quid more than the other two, but if the OP is after a set of 4 boots, then he could fone around for some competitive quotes (and avoid Thik-Fit at all costs).

Rgds, Sean

I have the Dunlop SP Maxx on my Boxster S and it sure outperforms the Michelins I had on it before. I did my homework before I picked the Dunlop this summer; I think it's one of the best summer tires on the market.

Tony

"Tony" wrote

Any issues with flat-spotting? That is actually my only gripe about them, but I seem to be isolated in it. I haven't found a single review mentioning high succeptibility to flat-spotting when I was doing my research. I have them on an e39 in size 235/45/17, and after the car sits for a few hours, the first few miles of driving I can detect vibration in the steering wheel. It always goes away within 5 miles though.

Thanks, Pete

Your obs are correct. I take the Boxster out only on w/e and days off; and after the car been sitting for a few days the first 5 minutes you can detect slight vibration that goes away after that. The tire is great otherwise; taken it to 118+ mph multiple times and the Dunlop hanging tough (West Virginia; Volentine 1 sitting high).

I'm now shopping for All season tires for the A6Q and I'm inclined to get the Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S 205/55/16 ( not sure if I'll get the H or V).

Best,

Tony

Good Year Excellence come out well in reviews by users. I've just fitted a set to my A4 and they seem to be better than the Conti SC2s in all respects (so far)

MyTyres.co.uk has them at £100 per tyre.

Erm - *which* Michelins?

As the OP is based in GB, then GB or European recommendations would be more suitable don't you think! In the UK, we don't use

*summer tyres*, we use all-seasons tyres, 'cause we tend to get a lot of that wet stuff. Quite frankly, the Dunlop SP SportMaxx is fu*king awful in the rain, that is why VAG have now STOPPED using them, and have gone back to either Conti SportContact2, or Michelin Pilot Sport PS2.

"LeakiestWink" wrote in message news:5 snipped-for-privacy@bt.com...

Oh - one other thing (bad form to reply to ones own posts, but you can't edit on Usenet), do a search for the wholly independent ADAC tests, they will confirm the Mich PS2 is the best high performance tyre on the market.

Fuc*kin' hell, a tyre flat spotting after resting for a few hours, that simply proves the tyre carcass is clearly not sufficient to support the weight of the car. How the heck can you even contemplate recommending such a s**te tyre.

Wrong.

Most cars in the UK come fitted with what the tyre manufacturers would call "summer" tyres. A summer tyre still needs to be able to deal with rain etc but will be s**te in snow/ice.

Take a look at the tyre manufacturers sites to see the difference between summer, all-season and winter tyres.

"LeakiestWink" wrote

And since when is "summer" considered dry pavement only? Summer tires are meant to handle wet pavement as well.

Pete

Clean your mouth and welcome to my kill file.

Ohhhh dear . . .

Did you spit out your dummy, or throw your teddy out of your cot. Someone really does have a very delicate constitution. Did mummy raise her voice at you this morning - perhaps you spilled your coco-pops from your high chair, or drooled over that fresh bib she just tied around you. You just cover your ears now, afterall, you clearly are not able to deal with anything so strong as *truth*, are you. You'd better let mummy put you to bed for the rest of the day. Will you want a sick-note for tomorrows' kindergarten too???

Get real you dick-head - tyres are, without any doubt whatsoever,

*the* most important safety critical component on a motor vehicle. A tyre, any tyre, whoever made it, which (providing it is correctly specced {size, and load / speed index}, and is correctly inflated) deforms after standing for a while, and transfers the feel/effect of that deformity to the driver, in any reasonable persons understanding is clearly not fit for its purpose.

Given the fact that posters are discussing its' *merits* on heavy, high performance, high value vehicles, such as the TT, Boxster, & E39, it seems utterly ludicrous to me that anyone would consider fitting a product on their car which would compromise safety, when there is a wide choice of alternative products from alternative manufacturers, which would perform in a similar matter regarding say grip, but much much better in terms of safety.

If my brief profanity offended you, then I offer you my apologies, (even though no one else seems to have taken any offence). However, I vehemently stand by my opinion where I consider the inherent behaviour of a tyre which deforms at rest to be dangerous and unsafe, and I shall not be silenced in voicing my said concerns.

You have my kindest regards, Sean

I'm afraid *you* are wrong.

Unless you have a very specific, non-standard requirement (for something like a road-legal dry weather track-day tyre, or for rallying), UK tyres are supplied as an all seasons tyre and NOT a summer only tyre. Just because they don't have the words "all seasons" written on the sidewall, it doesn't mean they are not all seasons. In the UK we can get so called *winter* tyres, but their correct designation is "Mud and Snow", as indicated by "M&S" on the sidewall.

I have worked with, and had close links with the tyre industry to know what I'm talking about on this particular subject. If you have any doubts, phone directly any of the UK official tyre importers or companies, and speak to their technical department. In all my experience, they are (usually) only too glad to offer detailed help and assistance, and surprisingly, they are also highly knowledgeable on products from their competitors too.

Rgds

Exactly - they are actually "all seasons" tyres. It wasn't me who bought the "summer" tyre issue into the melting pot, it was others.

Rgds

The why is it that all the tyres fitted to my cars (from new) and replacements I have bought have come from the "summer tyre" section of their catalogues? It's actually quite hard to buy what the tyre companies would call an "all-season tyre" in the UK.

Are you running slicks? What makes and type of tyre do you class as a "summer" tyre which you have fitted (now or in the past)? Please provide a URL for this so called catalogue!

Maybe you should try somewhere like ATS, Kwik-Fit (spit), Hi-Q, National, Black Circles, MyTyres, Stapletons, for starters.

I have just fitted a set of Good Year Excellence to my A4. Good Year website has these as summer tyres. When shopping for tyres, Michelin Pilot Sport is classed as a summer tyre by Michelin, Bridgestone RE050 is classed as a summer tyre by Bridgestone. We had Continental SportContact 2s fitted to the A4. Conti do call it an all-season tyre but it would be crap in snow so the designation is misleading.

We used Bridgestone RE720s on our Bora - Bridgestone class it as a summer tyre.

Feel free to browse any of the manufacturers websites. I'm not making this up

As has already been stated, a summer tyre is not a slick as it still needs to handle wet roads. Summer tyres give poorer performance in COLD conditions e.g. < 5C than Winter tyres. They also give very poor performance in snow due to their tread pattern designs.