Recommend me some tyres for the Aero...

[boomboompow]

I need a new set of front tyres for my '05 9-3 Aero; it currently has Pirelli P6000s from when I bought it not long ago and although I've had no problems with them, I've read some horror stories about wet weather handling and don't fancy bracing the Scottish winter with them.

What do you recommend? I'm looking to spend between £70-100 per corner; I've heard good things about Vredestein's; does anyone have experience of their Ultrac Sassanta?

Cheers

[aeropilot]

boomboompow said:

I've heard good things about Vredestein's; does anyone have experience of their Ultrac Sassanta?

Not the tread pattern I'd opt for for Scottish winters

[boomboompow]

I was thinking more along the lines of wet winter weather as opposed to snow-drift winter weather! I'd usually be in the "buy winter tyres" camp but given their price and the fact I travel on mainly urban roads for a relatively short distance, I began to query their viability given how much the cost and the fact that I'd still have to buy a normal set in a few months.

[RedLeicester]

P6000 are appalling for anything. Goodyear Eagle F1s or whatever they're called this week are all round good, personally on both my 01 and 03 Aeros I ended up with Toyo T1Rs which were excellent in the wet and incredible in the dry.

[JensenA]

I used to have Michelin XZS's om my Aero, and I rated them. I had a blowout yesterday. New Michelens were £120 each, did some research and Kumho's were getting some good reviews, the Tyre fitter also said they had had some very positive feedback on them, so had 2 Kumho KU31's fitted for £160. I've done about 200 miles on them, and I'm impressed, they seem just as good, good looking tyre too.

Edited by JensenA on Friday 11th December 16:22

[Prof Beard]

I've been runni g mine on Michelin Pilot Exaltos - I've found them good.

[m4tt]

Kumho KU31s on our 9-5 Aero. Have been very good, confidence inspiring, wear ok, although at £60 per corner its acceptable.

I've got Michellin Pilot Premacy's on my 9-3 and they don't seem any better for ~£120 a corner. I will definitely be putting Kumhos on when they are worn out.

[boomboompow]

Thanks guys; I finally went for some Falken FK452s after hearing promising things about them; fronts went on before the weekend, turns out the backs need changed as well so I've another two ordered to be fitted tomorrow. Looked at the Kumhos as well but the fitters had a deal on the Falkens which worked out better.

[m4tt]

Heard good things on those too, let us know how you get on with them.

[WildCards]

My 9-5 estate has no name budget tyres on it at the minute, they feel like a hard compound mile muncher tyre to me and as such don't enjoy being 'driven' too much, I was also looking at the Falkens as alot of folks I know who have Legnum VR4's really rate them. I'd be interested in hearing your feedback when you've done a few miles if you wouldn't mind.

[NST]

i'm currently running RE040 on my Aero. lasted 20K compared to 10K on the last Conti sport tyres.

needing to the replace the fronts and thinking of getting FK432 or ultracs.

cheers

[boomboompow]

Will do guys; only had them on for a few days and the harsh weather up here means no spirited driving yet, but first impressions are a) very quiet compared to the perellis and b) good grip in the snow. Will let you know more in a month or two

[NST]

i've just had fitted 225/45 r18 Ultrac Sassantas. so far so good. certainly a softer sidewall than the RE040 and alot quieter as well.

[Nick67]

Needing to replace the fronts on our Aero, it has Pirelli Pzero all round 225/45 R18.

Have always been a fan of the Goodyear F1s, but they do not come in this size, what effect would there be if I fitted 40 profile

[Mark in Ireland]

Ultrac Sassantas are not good on a 9000 aero, just replaced them with some uniroyal rainsport 2's and they are in a different league.... really good so far. Doubt they would last on the track though, deep wide grooves and lots of them...reckon the tread would just fold and tear off

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Uniroyal/Rainspo...

[boomboompow]

The Falkens are doing really well; done about 1k of snow and wet weather driving in the past 6 weeks and the grip has been excellent and aquaplaning is non-existent. I had originally thought they were quieter than the P6000s they replaced, however I think that was due to driving around at 15mph on freshly lain snow Now that I've done a fair few motorway and B-road miles I'd say they are maybe just a little bit noisier, but not by much.

Don't know if it's the car or the tyre, but during the recent snow storms the car hasn't struggled or got stuck on the snow once... if you don't count the over-enthusiastic exit from my dad's that resulted in spearing straight on into a snow bank

[Nick_F]

Mine has only ever had Pilots or GSD3s - the latter are utter garbage in the snow but grip well and last well.

[JensenA]

JensenA said:

I used to have Michelin XZS's om my Aero, and I rated them. I had a blowout yesterday. New Michelens were £120 each, did some research and Kumho's were getting some good reviews, the Tyre fitter also said they had had some very positive feedback on them, so had 2 Kumho KU31's fitted for £160. I've done about 200 miles on them, and I'm impressed, they seem just as good, good looking tyre too.

Edited by JensenA on Friday 11th December 16:22

Just an update - Had the Kumho's on for 3 months now, lots of snow and wet roads, and a couple of weeks of dry roads (at last). I'm pleased with them, they seem to be just as good as the 'twice the price' (but very good) Michelin's I had on before.
So a for Kumho KU31's.