My 2006 XK8 has only 26K miles and has gone through two sets of Pirelli P-Zero tires. 10K for P-Zeros is not unusual, but 'way-too-pricey. I seldom push the car to it's limit, but want a good blend of performance, long life, good looks, and quiet ride. Southern California car, and if it is raining I drive my truck, so wet traction is low on the list. I never go over 100 mph.

Currently: Front 245/40 ZR 19 98Y, Rear 255/40 ZR 19 100Y

Please share any advice on tires for the XK8.

 

I have put nearly 10,000 miles on my Michelin Pilot Sport tires with very little sign of tread wear. I am very happy with them. They run quietly and are good looking tires. I don't really push my car around curves very hard very often, but I have no complaints about the traction they provide.

Michelin Pilot Sport Tire Reviews

 

May the Mods have mercy and deliver us from the flame war that inevitably results from any discussion about best oil, best gas or best tire.

Now that is out of the way...

I have had Continental Extreme Contact DW for about 10k miles and find them a reasonable balance of sticky but compliant. One other thing I like is that they are asymmetric, but not directional, so can be cross rotated.

 

Well, I won't get involved in any sort of flame war because I was just trying to do the guy a favor by replying to him and I don't pretend to know everything about every tire on the market.

If others want to flame, then flame away.

 

I was hoping to diffuse it at the start with a little humor. I profess no knowledge of tires beyond their being round and generally made of rubber.

Perhaps this article will be helpful (or amusing): Jeremy Clarkson on: modern tyres - BBC Top Gear

 

I run Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS. Got no complaints at this time. Probably put 10-12K on them but know the exact mileage. Hope this is helpful.

 

My wife's XK8 front tires are Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus. Great tire, came with the vehicle, but very, very pricey....

Pirelli P-Zero Rosso rear tires also came with the vehicle but they were close to worn out by 20,000 miles (as expected with Pirelli tires in general). I did a great deal of tire research between late November 2011 and late March 2012, and replaced the rear Pirellis in mid-April 2012 with two Yokohama YK580 tires available only from Discount Tire. Great wet performance, absolutely no hydroplaning, very quiet, very smooth, a 60,000-mile treadwear warranty, and very affordable. They did have to be Hunter Road Force Balanced to get them right....

When the Michelins wear out up front, I'll replace them with two more Yokohama YK580s. I think they are a fantastic tire value with one of the best warranties you'll find for the low-profile sizes these later-model XK8s unfortunately always require....

 

Thumbs Up on the Michelin Pilot Sports, I replaced my Pirellis much better tire.

 

When I bought my 2000 XKR a few months ago, it already had these tires installed. The miles on them is unknown, but they are like new.

I recently finished a 3000 mile tour from Southern Arizona to Boulder, Colorado, to Kansas City, Missouri, then back to Tucson, Arizona. I am a spirited driver and push my cars.

I have a brand new suspension in my car with new CATS, bushings and even one new control arm.

This XKR has also been pushed to the limit of drifting in corners up our local mountain pass.

This set of tires has performed incredibly well. Very quiet. No vibration at 115 mph (that obviously was off-road). Superior stopping ability. No slipping or weird hydroplaning in deep rainwater (we've had monsoons here, lately).

These are rated as a 60,000 mile tire.

My fiancee curbed my right front tire last week (saw her do it) and I realized the next day that a small cut in the sidewall was allowing for slow air leakage. I also did not trust seeing that she had cut through cord!

I replaced that tire a few days ago at a cost of $206 installed. The front tires are slightly smaller than the rear tires. The front tire is 245/45ZR18. The rear is 255/45ZR18.

The photo of this asymmetrical tread design tire is the brand new front right tire. The tread depth on the other older tires is close to that of the new one.

As a 48 year old that likes his smooth riding Jag, I really do push this thing hard in the corners. I will probably buy these tires again after they wear out.

This YouTube video compares it with other tires:
Manufacturer's PDF

 

Unusually high for a performance-type tire. I'll have to see if they're made in the size for my XJR. I downsized wheels and tires because I was tired of buying tires every 11 months !

Cheers
DD

 

Hi All,
I'm not happy with the ride I get with the 17" low profile tires. Is it possible to go down to a 15" or 16" "regular" full wall tire? If so, are wheels available in these sizes which will fit on the X-Type? Perhaps the wheels from a Lincoln or Caddy? Any help is appreciated!

 

I have a feeling that your problem may not be your tires. I have the normal low profile tires and the ride in my car is very smooth and gentle.

 

Dave, if you're still shopping tires, I recommend the Hancook Ventus V12 EVO...I'm on my third set of these, getting 30k on my rears, and about 50k from the fronts. Alignment goes a long way in seeing these mileage returns, however. Pricing is very competitive (always in the top 3 'cheapest' when I do a search on Tire Rack for 19-inch tires) and they get good reviews too...I like them in dry and wet weather...snow not so good though.

 

I also have the Hancooks and love them. What is snow?

 

I have cooper xeons. They seem nice and were about 30% less than the P zeros. I don't drive hard and I can't say how long they will last, although they have a 40000 mile warranty.

 

Get the 2012 Aug "Car & Driver". It addresses every thing you need to know about tire rating and selecting the Summer tire for you. But you must read it carefully. The "devil is in the details".

 

30 years ago when I was racing motorcycles, I never liked Pirelli tires. Not much has changed.
I bought a '99 xk8 that had Pirelli's on it and they sucked. You could drive over a dime and tell whether it was heads or tails, when wet, I was actually afraid of the car. Put the Michelin Pilot Sports on it and it was as if I bought a new car. The ride was as good as any car I have owned, in the rain, it felt like it was on rails. I've never gotton so much for so little.
Bought my current '06 xk8 in need of tires, had Michelins on it in less than 24 hours.
Very happy with them but I must admit that the '99 full wall tires did ride a little smoother than the 19" low profiles.
2x

 

I have the Kumho's too. Only put about 4-5K on them, but they seem to be holding up well. They feel pretty decent during acceleration and cornering, but not quite as good as the pirellis, but I dont' think they're meant to go head to head with those anyway.

 

Rotated the rear Yokohama YK580 tires this morning as part of my oil & filter change routine, so had a chance to really inspect every inch of them while they were off the car. Right at 7,000 miles on them and they still look brand new. I don't expect them to go the full 60,000 miles they are treadwear-warranteed for, but it will be interesting to see just how far they can go on this car. Great in the rain, absolutely no hydroplaning, smooth ride, very quiet, and a low rolling resistance. When the front Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus tires are done in perhaps another 10,000 to 12,000 miles, I'll replace them with two Yokohama YK580 front tires. I really do believe that the Yokohamas are better than the Michelins. We'll see....

 

I have the Kumhos on both of my cars. I've installed them on quite a few customer's cars also and have yet to receive a complaint. What I like most about them is they remain round throughout their life. Nothing sucks like buying expensive 60k tires and have them develop lumpiness/noise in 10-12k miles.