hi all, just wondering what your preferences are in 165r15 tyres (on any car). I currently have 1 pair of Nankangs on my car which are nearly due for replacement, and 1 pair of near new Hankook Centrum K702's which are only a few months old. i really like the modern looking tread of the hankooks compared to some of the other tyres in this size range, but i was wondering what other peoples opinions and preferences were in tyres, keeping in mind i dont have a huge budget (the previous owner paid about $100 per tyre for the hankooks)
thanks all
Ryan

Continental 165/80 15 very grippy with a nice looking profile. About $100 each.

cheers hertz, will have to look into them. anyone else? are there tyres available that are maybe a touch wider at the same height, maybe 175? although on 4.5" rims i dont suppose i can really fit much more then 165s

Kumho Power Star 165/80 15 $80 each Seem OK on the Beetle, pretty soft compound. Maybe will wear a bit quicker than some others.

thanks peter, anyone else? anyone run the hankooks before?

Radials (all 80 or 78 profile):

1. Michelin XZX: 165 SR 15, steel (Italy). Excellent on bitumen, long-wearing, superb in wet, but now expensive! Can't find now for less than $215 each in Melb. outer east. Can anyone find them cheaper???

2. Yokohama Super Van 356: 165 R 15, steel 6PR LT (Japan). Excellent all round, possibly better on dirt/rough roads, but cannot get lately! Was $115 late last year. Possibly best for Kombi & type 3 ("LT" design).

3. Hankook Centum K702: 165 80R 15 steel (Korea). LOOK good, & slightly cheaper than 1 & 2. $105, actually kept IN STOCK in a FTG tire store on Burwood Hwy. I've only tried the older Hankooks ("884" type) and was not impressed (hard,poor grip in wet). Will try the Centums however. May be best for Beetles if Michelins remain at exhorbitant price?

4. Vredestein: 165 SR 15, steel (Germany?)

5. Goodrich 165 SR 15: 4-ply Polyester, with white-wall I think? (country?)

Steels should last longer & may carry more load than textile radials. More expensive may mean a better tire!When the tyre gets to 5+ years old, it may be worth replacing anyway, for safety (loses wet-grip). They all carry a Date of manufacture code...


[ Edited on 7-2-2007 by ACE_76 ]

I put a set of Hankooks on a beetle 15 years ago and then after driving on them
promised myself I'd never buy Hankooks again.
They were hopeless in the wet.
But I believe that their tyre compounds have improved since then. But I still havent bought any more Hankooks.
I buy my tyres for grip and performance, not looks.

hehe, seems a few people have misread me, when i said the tyres looked good, i meant they appeared to have a good modern tread, I havent driven this car long enough to get a good idea of how good or bad the tyres preform, so i was simply mentioning that they appeared as if they would be good tyres, as so many other 165s appear to have been using the same tread patterns for 20 years or more.

I've had those hankooks for about 8 months and i think they're pretty good. i don't have any problems in the wet, and i find them surprisingly grippy!

i'd buy them again.

edit: and they even seem to be wearing quite well with the stupid camber i have on the rear

[ Edited on 6-2-2007 by rupewrecht ]

Would Hertz & Hellbus be able to let us know where Continental or Kumho's can be ordered, or where they'er stocked? or what store-name you can order them through? Might try one of those instead of Hankook. Thanks!

I wouldn't worry about the tread pattern being old or not. May be that an "old" design outperforms a modern-looking one.

HELLO !

DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE

Yokohama Supervan 356 165 x 15 Radials can be bought in Victoria ???

These were advertsied as being available in VWMA last year for Kombi's, presumably Aust - wide.

ARE THEY STILL AVAILABLE IN AUSTRALIA ???

or victoria

Michelin XZX are defiinately the biz - pricey but you will definately feel and appreciate the difference. Also, Federal have finally introduced a more modern tread pattern to their 165 R 15 - much improved handling over the older style.

Federal? havent heard of them?

Okay
I have been looking at this as I need to get some tires as well. 165/80/R15s. So after a quick ring around I am buying some Kumhos in a few days time for $110 each, that was the best I could get them for. The Michelin XZXs I have in my shed for the oval are around $180 each now.

Bit of an old thread this I know, but I need to replace my Michelin XZX 165R15's asap (for roadworthy) and was wondering what recommendations people have these days. Something not too expensive (lots of other stuff needs doing) would be good, but am also tempted by some whitewalls if the performance/price is right...

Can't go wrong with Nankangs in my opinion.

Quote:

Originally posted by david777 I put a set of Hankooks on a beetle 15 years ago and then after driving on them promised myself I'd never buy Hankooks again. They were hopeless in the wet. But I believe that their tyre compounds have improved since then. But I still havent bought any more Hankooks. I buy my tyres for grip and performance, not looks.

Try taking you foot off the loud pedal, I'd reckon there isn't a tyre made that can't be kept spinning in the wet once you have it going, lift your foot and stop it spinning and you would have a chance of getting grip and moving forward. I have been using Bob Jane Allrounders for years and in my humble oppinion thats what they are ...allrounders, they do the job well for the average Joe. I supose you could always get two sets of tyres, one set for dry and one set for wet conditions, it'd be a bitch though if you were on a trip and the weather changed.

horrible tyres. can't wait to get rid of them. they are not even that good in the dry, chirping and carrying on all the time, not good with all the cops about these days.

they spin all the way to 4th 80km/h+ with minimal throttle on city polished greasy roads. Scary as f**k when I am turning or accelerating on wet road and hit a road marking( white road paint) They instantly light up

downright dangerous tyres. I highly recommend against buying them.

I have nearly lost it on round abouts every time it rains. going so slow people start getting angry coz i go so slow.


Another tyre I wouldn't recommend is kelly. they are just nasty rock hard compound. They get the silent slide/skid of death. They were bad in the rain too but no where near as bad as the bob janes.


One of the best tyres I have ever used for rain and also dirt roads is rather counter intuitive. made in china "hyfly" tyres. Especially on wet concrete. the grip on concrete when wet was phenomenal. Barely get any break in traction even when I dumped the clutch on wet concrete. otherwise they were very average as a daily comfort tyres. harsh road noise, always going out of ballance, straight like braking was dangerous too once down to 40% tread or less. Wheels just lock and you go sliding ina straight line for ages in a panic situation. Very handy to learn manual ABSing as an impulsive instinct, saved me earlier this year.


anyway I have bob jane Xenon tyres on my new car under construction currently. I have not tested them since I got the wheels which have virtually new Xenons on them. I am worried that they too will be dangerous, especially that they are 235 wide. Being wide they can act more unpredictable on wet roads I have noticed especially with light cars. My theory is light load + bigger tyre surface area + water= more aquaplane

I will test them out, if they fail I'll see that I get a set of something decent like bridgestones or similar.

I just fitted a set of these firestones http://www.antiquetyres.com.au/15165-0  very happy with them.

lol pizza cutters.