Just want to ask if anbody has tried any tyres outside the main brands such as Dunlop, conti, pirelli. As a weekender car do I really need to spend 200gbp+ to stay on the road. I won't be taking it to a track. Just the odd blast here and there but in no way pushing the envelope as they say. Thoughts or experiences please

 

Vredestein Ultrac Vorti are apparently VERY good

 

when i bought my XK it had ultrac vorti's on it, they were well-worn if not already shredded. the previous owner clearly had a lot of fun with them and thereafter so did i. when i finally got them replaced 200-500 miles later, there were large flaps of tread coming off the edges on both front tires. one was about 5 inches long and 2 inches wide. i never noticed a single performance issue and just shrugged when my tire guys showed me how bad they were. needless to say, i could highly recommend the run-flats. i don't know if they have a non-run-flat option but whatever people say the cons of run-flats are, unless you track your car, i don't think you'll notice. well worth it. even the flaps gripped the road.

i replaced those with a new set of four continental extremecontact dws. this is, as far as i know, not a tire worthy of tire snobbery.

 

Of all the parts that go into manufacturing a car, the single, most important one is the tire (regardless of how you spell it). Your life and the lives of your passengers, pedestrians, and other drivers depend on your tires. That small contact patch between your car and the road can be the difference between life and death.

Cheap tires are cheap for a reason; they cost less to make. They use cheaper materials and manufacturing processes that can affect the braking distance, the handling, and the overall longevity. That makes them more prone to fishtailing, skidding, and hydroplaning.

Don't be a "Tyre snob" cheapskate. Be safe, not sorry.

 

My XK came with Hankook Ventus installed by the Jag dealer, also used as OEM tire for other Euro brands. Been very happy with them.

There are many who love Kumho and have used them on Porsche, BMW, Mercedes, with no issue. Don't know of anyone who has bought Kumho and subsequently died or suffered harm because of them.

 

On our Infiniti Q50 hybrid daily driver which has the same amount of torque as the XKR 550Nm and as quick as the XKR. I run Falken Azenis FK510 on the hybrid. Dry and wet grip are fantastic with very little road noise. the instant torque of the electric motor tends to chew up rear tyres at an alarming rate. However Falken does not do the Azenis FK510 in 20inch size. I go through 2 rear tyres to 1 front tyres.

Initially I wanted the Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersports but they were out of stock in the country when I was changing tyres at that time. The Falkens are about 1/2 the price as the Michelins Pilot Sports 4S.

You need to consider the type of driving you intend to use the car for? Do you drive in the snow or only for summer, or all season or track only? Example putting R compound tyres on a car that you only use to go to your local coffee shop is a waste of money and potentially dangerous as R compound tyres needs a lot of heat and only work in a small temperature range.

 

I am from Akron, Ohio. Tires are in my blood.
Tires are the only part of the car that touches the road.
Why buy a £75,000 car and put anything less than the best rubber on it you can afford?

 

Scott, respect your opinion, but don't agree on that mentality one bit. Car is a car, Stuart had a better argument that you put the tire (tyre) for safety reasons. And from what the OP posted I get the impression his car is not getting any more work than any other car, cruising around like a Camry. Not riding the Nuremburg track.

Feeling you owe the car and brand your max wallet is just not in my DNA. You buy the tires based on how you use the car, not on a curve derived from MSRP.

 

My opinion: Buy the best tires you can get. On a rainy day it might make a difference. Do you drive your beloved(?) wife and kids(!) in it? And btw, any tire over 10 years has to be replaced. Bought a Pantera once with old Michelins, absolutely scary on the way home (600 HP), put new tires on, same brand, what a difference

If I look at used cars and see e.g. a rather expensive enthusiast car with cheapo tires on it, I ask about it, and often walk away, this guy apparently couldn't afford to service it properly.

Sorry, but this is about safety, so I couldn't shut up

 

You misinterpret, and I could have worded it better. I meant, and should have said, "buy the best tire you can afford for the style of driving you do."

 

I have had many sets of tires on my XKR, after all I have ove 180,000 miles on her and enjoy going to the track on occasion. The Hankook Ventus were so road noisy, I couldn't stand them and took them off the car. I've been happy for the most part with Nexens and Michelins though I was surprised that when the Michelins were about half worn, on the rear, they lost an awful lot of traction, way more than I would have expected. The Nexens are a very inexpensive tire and a softer compound so the ride is a bit more comfortable.

 

I have the hankook ventus v12 evo2 And LOVE THEM. They aren't cheap tires necessarily, but they are good tires! Very fun to drive on the. I have a 2011 XK convertible, so road noise is really irrelevant and I couldn't even tell you if they were noisy at all, because I pretty much only drive with the top down. just a note

 

My personal path is to do a lot of reading on tire rack.
Lots of useful info there.

 

OK, so we agree. I can only interpret what you originally wrote, not read deeper into your mind to know you silently added "for the style of driving you do."
Your revised statement is spot on! Cheers.

 

Andy,

Your IP Address indicates you are in the UK so one factor regarding tyre choice is beyond your personal preference. This is SPEED RATING. It doesn't matter how fast you (intend to) drive - the tyre must be rated for the maximum speed of the vehicle.

The relevant regulations are:

The Motor Vehicles (Approval) Regulations 2001
SCHEDULE: 3
Regulation: 5(1)(a)
Section 16: Tyres
Sub section 7: The speed capability of all tyres fitted shall be not less than the maximum design speed of the vehicle.

For your 155 mph XK, the minimum required tyre SPEED RATING is Z (149mph to 167mph). The BRAND is entirely up to you.

Graham

 

Guess since my XKR is good at 225 I need (Y) - rated.

 

I also had the Hankook Ventus V12 on my XK and found them excellent: smooth and quiet - handsome too!

 

I'm on my second set of Hankook V12s. Much better than my previous tires. (yeah, you know which ones).

 

I'm another Hankook Ventus V12 Evo owner and have had no problems with them on my XKR. Same for the Continental DWS-06 that I have on my XJ.

 

GGG, totally understand the requirement for Z rated tyres. I don't need tyres just yet I was looking to see if anyone had tried the cheaper branded varieties such as Nankang AS-2. Big price difference, as I said I am not trying to push this car to it's limits that is not what I bought it for, it will be driven with respect to laws and the odd blast coming down the slip road. It is just a pleasurable vehicle to drive and be in. Which is why most of us here have purchased one.