From all the input here on this thread, it seems that those drivers that are "aggressive" in their driving habits, all brand tires, are wearing quickly.

Why spend twice the price for tires that need to be replaced at 12,000 to 15,000 miles, when you can spend $750 for a set of the Hankooks that will last the same.

If any driver who is experiencing heavy wear on the Hankooks at 5,000 miles you must be driving very hard and aggressive on this brand.

It appears those that have choosen the Hankooks like them and the ride.

My suggestion to Ryan, would be buy a set of the Hankooks Ventus V12's for the $742. See how you like them and how long they last depending on your driving habits. I think you would be quite surprised.

But everyone has a different opinion which is fine. These tires have been discussed here at length on other threads. Since opinion varies, the only person who can make the determination will be Ryan if he decides to purchase this brand.

 

I've followed a lot of these tire threads so far, but reviews on all these tires are so mixed that I've remained unconvinced. Then another member mentioned Nitto Vitos (sp?) somewhere. I had never even heard of the brand before, but the reviews look very promising. Has anyone else had any experience with these?

 

I personally do not have experience with Nittos (tirerack does not sell them, that is where I get all my tires) but many friends use them on their track tires for cross events. So my assumption is that they are sticky, soft and wear quickly. The Hankock for a street tire for a daily driver is certainly sufficient and will last longer than Michelins.

 

I hope you didn't think I was making negative comments regarding the V12s. They do perform better than others I have had and I am not ready to toss them away but I will probably be going back to Michelins that I can get 30-40K miles out of, that are quieter and with better traction.

I think tire choice comes down to preferences. How you drive, when you drive, where you drive and what your expectations are. But you still get what you pay for.

 

I guess I'm the only person running Sumitomos! If you search around the web, they are a very popular HPDE tire due to their excellent grip and price point.

Tire Rack did a comparison between budget high performance summer tires on a BMW 3-Series. I think it was between Kumho Ecsta, Hankook V12s, Sumitomo HTR Z IIIs and one other tire (I forgot which). Try to find the test on Youtube... I would but I'm posting from my smartphone which is a bear to use...

 

I have the Hankook Evo V12 Ventus tires on my XK: they are smooth, quiet, and have good traction - and they look great. I have about 3500 kms on them, zero apparent wear. I would definitely buy them again.

 

[QUOTE=jahummer;936816] ... I will probably be going back to Michelins that I can get 30-40K miles out of, that are quieter and with better traction. ...

If you have staggered wheels with directional tires that can't be rotated (like I do), you probably won't get any where near 30K miles out of the Michelin PSS. Not being able to rotate means you'll get half the rated miles. I figure I'll get maybe 20K miles out of my Hankook V12 Evos and if they last longer I'll be overjoyed.

 

Watch this!

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...y.jsp?ttid=149

The Hankooks did not fare as well as the others.

 

I wanted to say thanks to everyone in this thread. I need to replace the Dunlops that came on my 2008 XK. I've been reading everything I can and the replies here have helped. I was leaning towards the Michelins and looks like that's the way I'll go.

 

I just turned 25,000 miles on the Hankooks and still have 6 & 5/32 left. I am more than pleased with the tire's ride, quietness and handling. Replacement coming soon and I do believe I'll stay with the same. The price point ain't too shabby...

Best,

 

Nope, I have a pair on the rear of my XKR. It came from a dealer with an almost new set of Hankooks on the front and a fairly worn set of (noisy!) Dunlops on the rear. When replacement time came I went for what research said was the nicer riding tyre. The roads in the desert SW vary from excellent to Moon buggy test tracks, so I went for ride quality to save my fillings. I think the Sumitomos work quite well.

One thing my tyre guy told me, stay off the high end Michelins if you live where it is very hot and dry. They just cannot take the heat and low humidity and they crack at the sidewall/tread interface rather quickly.

 

Should be safe enough here, then

Annoyingly, I just picked up a slow puncture in one of my front Pirellis, right on the edge of the tread so not repairable. I wanted to go to Michelins, but I don't want mismatched fronts and the other side was only lightly worn, so I ended up with another P-Zero (£251 - ouch). However, definitely planning to go to 305/30 Michelin PSS on the rear when the Pirellis wear out (about 1.5mm to go). Eventually, 265/35 MPSS on the front, too.

 

I just replaced the Dunlops that were on my 08 convertible XK with the Michelin PSS all around. Went out on the freeway last night with them for the first time. With the top down, the decrease in noise is incredible. Traction and handling is fine, was unable to get them to slip no matter how hard I tried. I thought the Dunlops handled fine but they were noisy on almost any surface..

 

Sheesh, those Dunlops must be super loud if you can hear them with the top down!

 

Yes the Dunlops are loud, especially when slowing down to a stop. Before purchasing my XK I test drove many XK,XKRs, and did not find one that had "quiet" tires. Some might be a little quieter, but because the cabin of my Coupe is so tight and quiet, road noise is magnified that much more.

 

Wonder why Jag made Dunlops the standard fit in the US but Pirellis over here? All three of my Jags have had Pirellis as their standard tyre - P4000s on the XJ-S and P-Zeros on the XK8 and XKR.

 

Ngarara-Actually, I think that depending on the luck of the draw in the US you can get either Dunlops, Pirellis or Continental when your new vehicle is delivered. I base this statement on the fact that in each of the last 3 - 4 new Jaguars I have bought there are warranty cards for each of the three brands in the new vehicle info package.

 

I've had Hankooks on my '01 XK8, '07 XK and now on my 2010XK. Can't beat them for the price.

 

Kinda weird. Maybe they select them based on destination state (since every car is built to order). I know they fit Dunlops on cars sent to hot climates like the Middle East, South Africa and Mexico. They use Contis and Pirelli Rossos as well, but not at the 20" sizes.

 

The last couple I've seen at the dealer here in New Mexico had Dunlops and Contis fitted stock. All of the Porches at the local dealer have Contis fitted as well.