Empfehlung fuer TDI-geeignete 185/55/15-Reifen gesucht | Posts 32+

Hi,

That's what the tire dealer said, and he seemed very knowledgeable; he also used to race cars himself.

Best regards,

Jan.

Hi,

*a huge cloud of dust*

I replaced the tires discussed in this thread with winter tires at approximately 82,000 km (less than 40,000 km per set) in November (which was quite pointless... they've only seen snow three or four times here in Berlin), which will then soon be replaced by a new set of summer tires and used alternately.

The Conti tires had almost 40,000 km on them and were nearly bald by the end (the outer edges were more worn down, possibly due to a pressure that was 0.3 bar too high). I swapped the front and rear tires at halfway, so all four were equally worn out in the end.

At the workshop where I bought my winter tires (Goodyear Ultragrip 7), the master mechanic (who is quite experienced) mentioned that he uses the same UG7s on his A3 TDI in the winter and finds that Continental tires are too soft for summer use, as they don't last very long. His recommendation was Pirelli, which he claims are harder and more durable.

What do you think?

I would be happy if this set of tires lasted longer than 40,000 km with the same driving style (sometimes I use the full 235 Nm of torque and occasionally drive faster on the highway... but otherwise, I tend to drive in a way that preserves tire life). However, the 6K is extremely heavy at the front – 800 kg versus 400 kg at the rear.

Best regards,

Jan.

Quote:

...looked more extreme on the outside... this was possibly due to a pressure that was 0.3 bar too high...

If you're driving with 0.3 bar more pressure than usual, it's even stranger that the outer edges of the tires are wearing out more... this is more likely a sign of too low tire pressure.

Hi,

Quote:

If you're driving with 0.3 bar more pressure than usual, it's even stranger that the tires are wearing out more on the outside... this is more likely a sign of too low tire pressure.

Hmm... doesn't that also depend on the suspension geometry?

Low tire pressure has been ruled out; I check it approximately every 2 to 3 tankfuls of fuel and have never had less than 2.3 bar in the Contis. I drove them with 2.6 bar.

Actually, I intended to have the rear tires measured when I switched them out, but it wasn't possible due to timing constraints. I've been driving on the rear tires for the last 3000 km (or so) with normal pressure (2.2 to 2.3... which is suitable for a somewhat loaded car, if I remember correctly), and I can't see any signs of uneven wear. Therefore, it might really be related to that.

I definitely want to continue using the overpressure strategy even with the new summer tires, because the increased (or uneven) wear that results from it is not worth the 0.2 liters per 100 kilometers that it saves.

Best regards,

Jan.

Hier meine Erlebnisse... 2004 kaufte ich den nebenstehend abgebildeten Suzuki Ignis. Im Vergleich zum Benziner hat er durch den erheblich schwereren Dieselmotor eine um 120 kg (!) höhere Achslast vorn. Dadurch verschiebt sich auch die Gewichtsverteilung stark nach vorn. Was angstfreien Langzeitfahrern vielleicht Spaß bereitet könnte auf regennasser Fahrbahn z. B. in einer nur geringfügig zu schnell gefahrenen Autobahnabfahrt für einen unvorbereiteten Fahranfänger schon den Abflug bedeuten. DaheI've always considered tires with good wet grip performance to be quite important.

The car was originally equipped with 175/65 R14 Conti EcoContact tires on rims measuring 5.5 x 14 inches with an offset of 49. The tires were quiet and unremarkable; I found them to be slightly imprecise in steering, but otherwise they provided good grip and felt relatively safe. The rubber compound is quite soft (presumably intentionally), which likely contributes to the good grip.

Rund 15 Tkm brauchte ich, um die Reifen der Vorderachse auf der Außenkante fast abzufahren. Ich bemängelte das bei meinem Händler, der eine Achsvermessung vornehmen ließ. Alle Werte waren innerhalb der Vorgaben des Fahrzeugherstellers. Man schob das Problem auf meine angeblich reifenmordende Fahrweise. Ich habe dafür keine Erklärung - abgesehen davon, daß der Wagen selbst in der Stadt beim Abbiegen oder Wenden recht schnell über die Vorderachse schob. Ich fahre aber eher ruhig und defensiv. Der Wechsel zwischen Vorder- und Hinterachse verlagerte das Problem und ermöglichte mir, mit den Reifen bis km-Stand 22 000 zu kommen. ISo, I needed a replacement!

Der gutgemeinte Hinweis eines örtlichen Reifenhändlers nach einer kurzen Probefahrt, mich von den für meinen Wagen zu schmalen Reifen zu trennen und 185er oder 195er auf anderen Felgen zu fahren, wurde dann umgesetzt. In meinem Freundeskreis konnte ich 4 Rondell-Billigfelgen (6 x 14 mit ET 30) erwerben, die optisch gut erhalten waren und auch auf der Wuchtmaschine rund liefen. Montiert waren völlig poröse 195/60 R14. Ich fuhr damit einen Tag später zu "meinem" Dekra-Prüfer, um seine Meinung über den geplanten Umbau zu hören. Etwa 30 minutes later, I received a positive review.

In den Folgetagen kaufte ich auf Empfehlung des Reifenhändlers Marangoni Vanto in den gleichen Maßen. Ausgesprochene Billigreifen mit breiten Wasserablaufrillen. Sie wurden montiert und waren auch einwandfrei zu wuchten. Inzwischen sind sie gut 40 Tkm gelaufen und haben etwa 6 mm Profiltiefe. Ich habe keinerlei Bedenken bei regennasser Fahrbahn und auch das Lenkverhalten sowie die Straßenlage sind insbesondere durch die ordentlich breitere Spur deutlich entspannter geworden. Dafür litt der Federungskomfort etwas, was ich aber verschmerzen konnte. Die Gummimischung der Marangoni ist allerdings auch recht hart. Man sollte also unbedingt Winterreifen haben, da sie Bereich unter 5 Grad dann doch spürbar an Haftung verlieren. I"Especially pushing over the Vo..."With this wheel and tire combination, the need for a spare tire is a thing of the past. Perhaps that's also why Suzuki switched to using 185/55 R15 tires as standard equipment starting in early 2005?

Leider habe ich da noch die zum Autokauf ausgehandelten Winterräder mit 165/70 R14 (Semperit WinterGrip) auf Stahlfelgen (4,5 x 14, ET 49), die dagegen spürbar herumeiern. Man merkt deutliches Kippen in den Flanken, wenn man Kurven fährt. Abgesehen davon sind die Semperit zwar recht laut, greifen dafür auch anständig. Und leider habe ich damit das Schieben in Kurven oder beim Abbiegen wieder. Zum Glück sind unsere ohnehin recht schneearmen Winter in den letzten Jahren nicht sehr lang gewesen. I have always tried to switch to winter tires as late as possible and to put the summer tires back on in the spring as early as possible.

My conclusion: These inexpensive Marangoni Vanto tires might actually be a good option, even for vehicles with aggressive axle designs. They offer reliable performance and have a sufficiently hard rubber compound that could potentially lead to a longer lifespan. You can find them with pictures in the product range at Reifendirekt.

Hi,

At least with the 6K, the tires are wide enough with a size of 185... but I definitely agree with your other points. Since we both use the winter tire set as a backup for the colder months (which you can hardly call "winter" anymore), summer tires with a corresponding change in October/April might indeed be a way to significantly extend their lifespan.

I'll take a look at the Marangoni Vanto tires... although I'm a bit skeptical about brands I haven't heard of, especially when it comes to tires. How do they perform in terms of braking, particularly on wet roads? One of the major advantages of the Contis was (logically, because they were quite soft) their extremely short braking distances on both dry and wet surfaces.

Does anyone know of similarly tough tires from more well-known brands that could be an alternative?

Best regards,

Jan.

Michelin tires typically last a relatively long time. I had 205/xx R16 tires on my A3 (something like the Michelin MX series, they were original equipment, probably HX-MXM). They had about 50,000 km on them when I sold the car and still had some tread left. For comparison (driving style), my current Michelin PS2 tires have lasted about 25,000 km, with wear down to the carcass.

The tires didn't have the optimal characteristics when paired with the PS2, and they weren't designed as performance tires, so you can't expect them to be. They were quite hard, not offering the best grip in wet conditions (although they were wider than yours), but they were quiet, fuel-efficient, and extremely durable. However, according to Michelin, they are no longer available.

So, I'm leaning towards Michelin. If it were me, I would go with the Energy tires, or the more expensive option if your budget allows (but definitely not a PS2, as those probably aren't available in that size). Check out reifendirekt; they have test reports for each of the tire models.

Hello Jan!

Well, how are registered 1095 kg (measured at 1130 kg) supposed to brake? The standard ATE braking system with Bosch calipers was already struggling to keep up with the car at highway speeds. TAROX discs and (the evil) EBC pads bite much better. With a registered top speed of 155 km/h, you can take some things a little easier. Emergency braking from 250 km/h is just something that happens less often...

You just can't be afraid of my car. The car is quite tall, has a perceived center of gravity above the rearview mirror, a front-heavy weight distribution (and thus an almost "light" rear axle), and incredibly long suspension travel, which are naturally fully utilized during strong braking. Anyone who knows what it's like to have a stiff telescopic fork on a motorcycle will understand what I mean.
The Marangoni tires translated the braking performance of the then-current ATE brakes to the road just as well as the standard Conti tires. The Contis performed well on wet roads, and in my opinion, the Marangonis are not worse. Moreover, due to their tire width and wider track, the Marangonis offer better straight-line stability.

Da ich auf Winterräder zurückgreifen kann, brauche ich keinerlei Kompromisse einzugehen. Die Sommerräder kommen in der kleinen Werkstatt eines Freundes dann runter, wenn es sich abzeichnet, daß die Straßenverhältnisse winterlich werden. Ende 2005 bin ich z. B. bis kurz vor Weihnachten mit Sommerreifen gefahren, da das Wetter entsprechend war und ich wöchentlich nur Berlin <-> Münster über die Autobahn gependelt bin. Diese langen Autobahnstrecken sind nämlich mit den Winterrädern wegen des fehlenden Geradeauslaufs mehr als anstrengend! Da ich aber selbst in Berlin dank Schichtdienst zu Zeiten fahre, zu denen der Winterdienst noch nicht bzw. nicht mehr unterwegs ist, lege ich auf das bißchen zusätzliche Sicherheit natürlich Wert. Und That's all the more important.Sure, especially if you live in the northern outskirts like I do.

Since you're in Berlin, I could recommend "Auto-Tip" in Wedding (Reinickendorfer Straße). They often have the Marangoni Vanto in stock, and you can see them in person there. You'll notice the difference in the rubber compound compared to brands like Continental or Firestone by doing a simple fingernail test. You can buy them wherever you prefer, but even at Reifendirekt, they were cheaper.


Offenbar scheinen aber auch immer beschissene Achs- und Federungskonstruktionen extrem auf die Lebensdauer der Reifen zu gehen. Wenn ich mir ansehe, daß mein Bruder die erste Generation TOYO Proxes auf seinem Astra-F (1.8 16 V, 125 PS) den vierten Sommer fährt und sie trotz über 50 Tkm Laufleistung noch durchweg 6 mm Profilstärke haben, dann kann das Astra-F Fahrwerk nicht so schlecht sein. Er fährt gern und schnell, heizt aber nicht sinnlos durch Kurven. Er ist eher einer, der auf der Autobahn mit 180 - 210 seinen Spaß hat. UAnd at the time, everyone from TOYO had advised against it, because they are extremely soft and therefore likely to wear out quickly.

Best regards!


Janek.

Hi,

Quote:

Well, how are registered 1095 kg (measured at 1130 kg) supposed to brake?! The standard ATE braking system with Bosch calipers was already struggling to keep up with the car at highway speeds. TAROX discs and (the evil) EBC pads bite much better. With a registered top speed of 155 km/h, you can take some things a little easier. Emergency braking from 250 km/h is just something that happens less often...

Well... the Ibi is only about 100 kg heavier... and I'm also familiar with that "feather-light rear end" feeling. With the Contis, I've even done emergency braking from almost 200 km/h - it worked great, although subjectively, the rear brakes seemed to do absolutely nothing because of the unloaded axle. Since I usually drive around 170...190 km/h on the highway, as safely as possible, that's an important criterion.

I think I'm even familiar with "Auto-Tip," and since they probably also do the installation, a few extra euros are perfectly acceptable; it saves you the trouble of having to find somewhere else to take the wheels and tires.

The problem is something else: After you almost convinced me to buy the Marangoni Vanto tires, I checked them out on Reifendirekt... and they don't even exist in size 185/55/15 with a speed index of V (because the registered maximum speed of V is 193 km/h, which is too close for comfort for me, especially in summer during long drives at that speed).

Best regards,

Jan.

I'd also like to add my two cents.

My Ibiza came with standard Firestone Firehawk 700 tires (?), size 195/55 R15. They lasted about 40,000 km for me (used only in summer, with axle swap each season). It's no wonder, the tire was lightweight and hard as a rock, which resulted in very poor handling on wet roads; emergency braking in damp conditions was disastrous. I had two or three times where I was lucky that the road was clear, or I found a gap to complete the last few meters of full braking.

After that, I switched to the Uniroyal Rainsport 1, same size... so it's practically a pure rain tire. What can I say, the braking and handling are excellent in all weather conditions. However, after 15,000 km, the front tires were already down to 3mm of tread depth.

After that, I switched to Goodyear Hydragrip tires on the front axle. The tire's handling is almost as good as the Uniroyal, but unfortunately it's a bit noisy. This summer, I will switch back to Uniroyal Rainsport tires...

It seems excessive to buy summer rain tires, but it's purely a statistical matter: it rains in Germany for about 200 days a year, and since I usually drive with summer tires for 7-8 months, it's definitely worth it. The higher wear and tear and the higher costs are then offset by my increased life expectancy .

Hi,

Quote:

However, after 15,000 km, the front tire already had only 3 mm of tread remaining.

Given that the wear on the rear tires is close to zero and they can be swapped, perhaps a set will last for 30...35 thousand kilometers.

It's almost a little too low... 40 to 50 thousand kilometers would be better.

Regarding the rain, I agree with you... good braking performance on wet roads is also very important to me.

Best regards,

Jan.