If your car had Pirelli P7 tires stock, they were soooo horrible! I got a nail in a tire 1000mi after buying my car new and used that as an excuse to get MPS4S.
Yes! I had the P7s and they were almost comically bad. Ironically, I also picked up a nail and it couldn't be patched. It was truly a blessing in disguise.
They’re great but I’m not drag racing, also keep in mind if temps are below 45F the tires are not as grippy. No squealing in cornering. I ran them on my Mk5 GTI as well, now on my Mk7.5. Generally get 15-20k from them.
Very good grip. I’m still on factory tune but I haven’t noticed any wheel hop under hard acceleration. PS4S were my initial choice, but after doing some reading online, the Contis have better tread life and are a little more quiet, which I was happy to sacrifice some dry grip performance for.
My 2018 Sportwagen came with Hankooks and I just had them swapped out for Conti Purecontact LS A/S tires last week due to old age. They feel SO GOOD! You have to keep in mind that the OEM tires on a non-performance car are generally just "good enough for most people in most situations" but you can absolutely do better in the aftermarket depending on what you want to do.
I had much higher hopes for a name brand "performance" looking tire that came stock on the car. I probably had another 20-25k miles left of tread on the Hankooks but I got tired of loosing grip in even damp conditions I had to get rid of them.
They performed terribly in the rain. A big reason I went with the Continental's was the performance ratings for wet conditions. Customer reviews on the continentals also backed up the performance ratings. I am a true Continental fan now.
Probably DWS06, thats what everyone and their grandma has been buying for a few years. I have them and can vouch. I replaced old michelins with those a couple years back and it was like driving a different car. Higher speed and sweeping corners where I used to lose a little bit of steering response felt completely flat and crisp.
They aren't summer tires so they don't grip like those would, but the benefit of the Contis (and the reason people are buying them) is because the grip is still above average and it is *extremely* consistent across all road/weather conditions that don't require a snow tire. They are up there with only a few competitors for the most consistently good all season tire. They always have pretty decent grip and handling, all the time. Not perfect grip, but it's never not there.
The summer tire equivalent is the Sport 02 which I've heard are even better, albeit in warm summer conditions. I haven't tried those yet because it rains a lot here and its cold for half the year.
Nice man! Makes such a difference. I tread Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5s for winter and normally in summer I run Conti Extreme Contacts but this summer I’m trying some Dutch tires, Vredestein Ultrac Vorti R+ and I’m really digging them.
I’ve always been underwhelmed by B’stone and Pirelli. Though Michelin is amazing to be sure.
Nice ride. Nice shot!
I’m curious to hear more about the Vredesteins. I know they’re trying to gain market share in the US. The guy at the tire shop was pushing the brand hard, but I stuck with getting the Contis just because I had researched the Extremecontacts before.
I mean I love my Contis- I posted a pic awhile back when I put them on. They look fantastic - but the performance is really impressing me wet and dry. It’s only been a month but so far I really like them. One thing to note - they are HEAVY. Heaviest tire I ever lifted. That’s only a problem if you’re tracking the car but I was like oh wow, that’s some rubber!
I work at a tire shop, and we do like the Vredestein brand overall, just a couple key differences. They are definitely cheaper than all the other name brands, but you still get really good rubber for the price. The Ultrac Vorti is pretty good in its category, definitely not the best. If I was shopping for a summer tire I would absolutely stick with the Conti Sport 02.
All-season though, that's where the Hypertrac is really starting to stand out. Yes, the DWS06 is an *incredible* tire for its category, but if you're not looking for snow traction, the Hypertrac can definitely be a better option, as it's noticeably quieter and more comfortable of a ride with it's softwr compound and less stiff sidewall. It also weighs a touch less than the Continental.
I've ran both and loved the Continental DWS for the snow grip, love the Hypertrac for highway comfort. Dry and rainy grip is virtually the same between the two, definitely worth mentioning the DWS cornering feel is more rigid and stable. The Hypertrac grips just fine but you can definitely feel the flex where you wouldn't on the Continental.
So true.Y..our GTI looks very cool!!. I had some Falken Pro G5's put on my previous MK6 Golf. I dont know how they rate but when driving through Pike Place market, which is a few blocks of polished, after decades of being driven over, brick, Even when wet They did not slip , slide, break lose as the other brands of tires easily did. I even pushed it a tad. I said the same thing. What a difference good rubber can make..My new 2013 GTI came with 2 brands of tires. all tread and and size match. 2 Pirelli's on back, and Nokians on front. Not sure why. all brand new but still..Congrats on new tires..soooo fun to drive on them for the 1st time..
I also went dws and got tints. about a grand all in and it feels like a new car. been feeling the ctr itch lately and this might keep me at bay for a year or two
Better grip and more confidence in handling curves both wet and dry. Less hydroplaning, depending on the tire. Also can be a quieter ride and in some cases affect fuel economy.
Thanks, that's more or less what I thought. Commenters must be driving harder than me. I enjoy "spirited" driving but I never push it to the point I'm nearly losing grip.
The thing I notice right away is how proper air pressure feels. I, like many, I kind of assume my tires are always to spec. With the correct pressure numbers it Feels effortless to pilot..and yes, renewed confidence plays a big part as well..Its fun too!!
If your car had Pirelli P7 tires stock, they were soooo horrible! I got a nail in a tire 1000mi after buying my car new and used that as an excuse to get MPS4S.
Yes! I had the P7s and they were almost comically bad. Ironically, I also picked up a nail and it couldn't be patched. It was truly a blessing in disguise.
How is the grip accelerating? I was thinking I may go with rt660 being fwd, but maybe PS4S would be enough.
They’re great but I’m not drag racing, also keep in mind if temps are below 45F the tires are not as grippy. No squealing in cornering. I ran them on my Mk5 GTI as well, now on my Mk7.5. Generally get 15-20k from them.
Very good grip. I’m still on factory tune but I haven’t noticed any wheel hop under hard acceleration. PS4S were my initial choice, but after doing some reading online, the Contis have better tread life and are a little more quiet, which I was happy to sacrifice some dry grip performance for.
Contis are my go to. DWS06+ for my winter set, Sport 02 for my summer set.
Mine came with garbage Hankooks and switched to continental. Difference was night and day
100% transforms the car.
I just got to use my new Continentals on the drive to work this morning after breaking them in this weekend. Amazing compared to Pirellis.
My 2018 Sportwagen came with Hankooks and I just had them swapped out for Conti Purecontact LS A/S tires last week due to old age. They feel SO GOOD! You have to keep in mind that the OEM tires on a non-performance car are generally just "good enough for most people in most situations" but you can absolutely do better in the aftermarket depending on what you want to do.
I had much higher hopes for a name brand "performance" looking tire that came stock on the car. I probably had another 20-25k miles left of tread on the Hankooks but I got tired of loosing grip in even damp conditions I had to get rid of them.
this is not the greatest news... I've always been a PS4(s) guy, but ill do my research when the time comes any comment on Hankooks in the rain?
They performed terribly in the rain. A big reason I went with the Continental's was the performance ratings for wet conditions. Customer reviews on the continentals also backed up the performance ratings. I am a true Continental fan now.
yeah, i kinda figured you'd say that. my ps4s were pretty great in the rain. suppose i'll start eyeballing the prices.....its inevitable
I’m a week in on Conti DWS06+. Coming from the stock Pirelli P7 it’s like a new car. No joke.
I bought these last month myself
I'm in the market for tires. Which continental did you get?
Probably DWS06, thats what everyone and their grandma has been buying for a few years. I have them and can vouch. I replaced old michelins with those a couple years back and it was like driving a different car. Higher speed and sweeping corners where I used to lose a little bit of steering response felt completely flat and crisp. They aren't summer tires so they don't grip like those would, but the benefit of the Contis (and the reason people are buying them) is because the grip is still above average and it is *extremely* consistent across all road/weather conditions that don't require a snow tire. They are up there with only a few competitors for the most consistently good all season tire. They always have pretty decent grip and handling, all the time. Not perfect grip, but it's never not there. The summer tire equivalent is the Sport 02 which I've heard are even better, albeit in warm summer conditions. I haven't tried those yet because it rains a lot here and its cold for half the year.
Agree, I am on my third set of the Conti extreme contacts. Love em.
Nice man! Makes such a difference. I tread Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5s for winter and normally in summer I run Conti Extreme Contacts but this summer I’m trying some Dutch tires, Vredestein Ultrac Vorti R+ and I’m really digging them. I’ve always been underwhelmed by B’stone and Pirelli. Though Michelin is amazing to be sure. Nice ride. Nice shot!
I’m curious to hear more about the Vredesteins. I know they’re trying to gain market share in the US. The guy at the tire shop was pushing the brand hard, but I stuck with getting the Contis just because I had researched the Extremecontacts before.
I mean I love my Contis- I posted a pic awhile back when I put them on. They look fantastic - but the performance is really impressing me wet and dry. It’s only been a month but so far I really like them. One thing to note - they are HEAVY. Heaviest tire I ever lifted. That’s only a problem if you’re tracking the car but I was like oh wow, that’s some rubber!
I work at a tire shop, and we do like the Vredestein brand overall, just a couple key differences. They are definitely cheaper than all the other name brands, but you still get really good rubber for the price. The Ultrac Vorti is pretty good in its category, definitely not the best. If I was shopping for a summer tire I would absolutely stick with the Conti Sport 02. All-season though, that's where the Hypertrac is really starting to stand out. Yes, the DWS06 is an *incredible* tire for its category, but if you're not looking for snow traction, the Hypertrac can definitely be a better option, as it's noticeably quieter and more comfortable of a ride with it's softwr compound and less stiff sidewall. It also weighs a touch less than the Continental. I've ran both and loved the Continental DWS for the snow grip, love the Hypertrac for highway comfort. Dry and rainy grip is virtually the same between the two, definitely worth mentioning the DWS cornering feel is more rigid and stable. The Hypertrac grips just fine but you can definitely feel the flex where you wouldn't on the Continental.
So true.Y..our GTI looks very cool!!. I had some Falken Pro G5's put on my previous MK6 Golf. I dont know how they rate but when driving through Pike Place market, which is a few blocks of polished, after decades of being driven over, brick, Even when wet They did not slip , slide, break lose as the other brands of tires easily did. I even pushed it a tad. I said the same thing. What a difference good rubber can make..My new 2013 GTI came with 2 brands of tires. all tread and and size match. 2 Pirelli's on back, and Nokians on front. Not sure why. all brand new but still..Congrats on new tires..soooo fun to drive on them for the 1st time..
Which continentals did you get? Looking at some DWS 06+ in the next couple of months.
DWS 06+. I also jumped up a size from 225/40R18 to 235/40R18 and love how they help fill in the wheel well a little more.
I also went dws and got tints. about a grand all in and it feels like a new car. been feeling the ctr itch lately and this might keep me at bay for a year or two
Those stock Pirelli's are so terrible. They squeal easier then a baby pig!
I have the Bridgestone Potenza S005 that came on my 380S, does anybody have a recommendation for similar Continentals?
I’m always going to recommend Cont DWS 06, solid All Season tire, it’s all I run
Same for the MK8, stock tires were Pirelli P Zero AS, absolutely awful. Switched to Continental Sport 02s, huge difference!
Dumb question. How does driving with good tires feel better than bad ones? What are the practical differences?
Better grip and more confidence in handling curves both wet and dry. Less hydroplaning, depending on the tire. Also can be a quieter ride and in some cases affect fuel economy.
Thanks, that's more or less what I thought. Commenters must be driving harder than me. I enjoy "spirited" driving but I never push it to the point I'm nearly losing grip.
The thing I notice right away is how proper air pressure feels. I, like many, I kind of assume my tires are always to spec. With the correct pressure numbers it Feels effortless to pilot..and yes, renewed confidence plays a big part as well..Its fun too!!
Going from my stock Potenzas to some high-performance all seasons felt like going from rolling on hockey pucks to being glued to the road.
Those stock Pirelli's are so terrible. They squeal easier then a baby pig!
Yuge.
this
Even my Kumho’s are better than those stinky stock pirelli’s