Summer tyres - what are we using these days?

[mikeloadsasaabs]

In three weeks it will be time to put the summer tyres back on - the front two need replacing. Having a look round reifen.at (the Austrian site of mytyres.co.uk, which are German just to confuse things  ), looks like the choice might be between the following:

• Goodyear Eagle Asymetric 2
• Michelin Primacy 3 (which are what I'm replacing)
• Dunlop Sport BluResponse
• Dunlop Sport Max RL

They're all about the same price here, between €100 and €110 each, so price isn't a factor. For some reason, certain tyres seem to perform better on certain cars, and wear differently. The Michelins are supposed to be energy efficient, but I haven't noticed any change in fuel consumption. And the wear rate isn't brilliant. Any comments on what others have chosen, and whether they would recommend them?

N.B. All in 225/45 x 17 XL (94), rated W or Y for speed

[sgould]

When the price of Goodyear Assymetrics went up last year, I got some Nokian zLine tyres. I was happy with their winter tyres, so I took a punt.  I'm quite happy with them.  I had them on the car last year in the Pyrenees and they were fine.  On the hairpins I found it difficult to spin the inside tyre.  I would buy them again.  Possibly a tiny bit soft, but they aren't worn out yet.

Others who use them are very happy too.

Some of the other guys like the Uniroyal Rainsport3.

I have been told by an engineer at Ford that both the Nokian and Uniroyal tyres are based on the carcass of major manufacturers.  I think it was Continental and Goodyear, but I can't be sure which way round...

[mikeloadsasaabs]

I looked at the zLines, but the EU rating for noise seemed pretty high. I know that it's drive-by noise that's rated, but I'm thinking it must have some impact inside the car. Have you found them particularly noisy?

[sgould]

Not desperately.  Maybe a bit more as they wear.  But then my Michelins were really noisy when then they got below 50%.

But somewhat oddly the Nokian A3 winters are a bit quieter than the summer ones.

I'm a bit sceptical of the ratings.  There is only about 10% difference between A and E.  The noise gives db rating, but it doesn't say what the road surface is!

[jmblack]

I've been a fan of the Goodyear assymetrics. Last buy however were the rainsport3 which I found nearly as good in the dry and, as you'd expect, very good in the wet. You seem to be able to get the rain sports quite a bit cheaper so in that case I'd have no hesitation with them. I certainly prefer them to continentals and dunlops I've had.

I would however also consider the nokians based on experience of their winter tyres.

J

[collywobble]

Currently running Falken Ziex 914 as summer tyres and Maloya Davos as winter tyres.  Not that happy with the 914's - the old version Ziex 912's were very good but the 914's are very noisy.
When replacement time comes around I am thinking of trying Nokian Line - they have good reports on other makes forums, especially Audi. Unlike Will, my 120 bhp 2.2 TiD isn't much of a tyre spinning car, so wear shouldn't be too much of a problem!

[Max Headroom]

Always had Continental Contiisports - not had a problem with them, but open minded to try other recomendations

[jmblack]

I've found contis a really good tyre but high wear.

Rain sports only £60 ea on love-tyres!

[Norfolk Jim]

Mine has Primacy 3 all round and I've found them great so far and in the 18 months I've had car and done around 15k they've gone down from 6 to 4.5 at front and 5 at rear so not bad but when changing I had a look at the Falken All Season AS200 which did well in reports all except bit more than normal understeer in dry conditions.

[Mark B]

I'd be looking at Michelin Pilot Sport 3 rather than the Primacy 3.

[Max Headroom]

I'll never buy Michelin again after losing control in cold wet weather many years ago (Once bitten...) It was very definitely the tyre that caused that incident and Michelin aircraft tyres have always been problematic too, so I now have a naturally inbuilt dislike of that brand.

I'll likely look at Goodyear or Dunlop at my next tyre replacement and consider others mentioned here

[Geoff1951]

Michelins.

On the occasions when a car has come with something else, I've replaced then with Michelins when the time came. I've tried Firestone, Bridgestone, Dunlop, Goodyear, Viking, and in over 700k miles in 43 years have preferred the company of Mr Bibendum every time.

IMHO Primacy 3s are a better choice for the 9-5 than the PS3, so I disagree with Mark B there. Tried both for over 40k each on my 9-5, but each to his own.

One characteristic - good or bad, depending on your point of view, is there's a rapid fall-off in ride comfort as Michelins get near the end of their life. A warning that it'll be time to change soon.

[Audax]

Not that happy with the 914's - the old version Ziex 912's were very good but the 914's are very noisy.
When replacement time comes around I am thinking of trying Nokian Line

I agree that the Ziex 914 are rubbish, on the plus side you probably won't have to wait very long to replace them given how the ones I have are wearing.

I'm also kind of considering Nokian winter tyres for use all year around as the Nokian WR-G2 tyres I have were fitted to the car at 128k and it's now done 162k. Around 24k of this has been on these Nokians which were also used for a couple of summers when I couldn't be bothered to arrange some summer tyres and they are are now just below 4mm on the front and are still at 6mm on the back.

[mikeloadsasaabs]

Decided to go with the Primacy 3s in the end, so now on order so that they're fitted and ready when I swop the winters and summers, hopefully this coming weekend. They were a little more than expected, the original quote was for 91-rated although I'd said I needed 94s - it seems there was a misunderstanding, not uncommon when I try and explain things in German 

[Norfolk Jim]

I'm sure your German is just as good as my English at times!!!!!!!!