Disappointed with Conti sport contact 5

[leonatlarge]

Hello
I have done a search and not found anyone on here that has had the same experience as me.

From the start...

The car came with Conti SC 5's on; I didn't have them on long they seemed ok didn't really pay particular attention to the tread depth when I bought the car.

I then fitted the Conti SC 6's they had plenty of grip in all conditions but didn't like getting hot as it would seem they melt (tread disappears) when pushed gently as the car there on is my daily so I don't push hard.

After about 14k the Conti SC 6's where dead barely legal all round apart from being slighty more worn on the outer edges of the front tyres.

I was disappointed; I dont expect to pay over 750 quid for a set of tyre's with mediocre grip and for them to last 6k less than the AA recommended guidelines (20k).

I then thought "I know I will put on what was on before" so I fitted the Continental SP 5
what a load of s### the grip is mediocre the road noise is horrendous and after 5k miles I have about 4mm all-around I do not drive the car hard I do mostly motorway with some A roads so to me that sort of mileage from a premium tyre is not acceptable.
I plan to complain to Continental I know I wont get my money back but looking online most have had the same results so at least we can make people aware not to buy continental tyres .

I have had BMW's daily's in the past and have fitted Bridgestone or Goodyear and have found them far superior to the Continental S## in Grip, road noise and wear.

If I wanted chocolate tyres with mediocre grip I would buy some cheap Chinese tyres that would cost half as much as that Continental S####.
With that said what tyres would you recommend someone has mentioned the Michelins but I have the 19's and when I looked on Black Circles they where out of stock.
For me the majority of premium tyres will have a sufficient level of grip for my daily I just expect to be getting around 15 -20k and not between 5 -10 because at 5k the tyre cost is approaching a similar cost per mile as the fuel !

 

[Will]

Strange, I’ve had Continental Sport Contact tyres (3s) on both of my E55s and driven other cars with 5Ps and they have worn incredibly well with very decent levels of grip in dry and wet conditions, even acceptable in the winter (I’ve used them all year round)

In fact I like them so much I’ve just bought a full new set of MO 5Ps for the E63.

Perhaps driving style/journey types must be influencing the wear? I’d not expect 20k miles though from tyres on an E350 CDI unless driven like a nun on a motorway

My only criticism would be they’re not the quietest tyres but I’m sure you’d have seen that when comparing the EU tyre label
info?

 

[PobodY]

I haven't tried the Continentals, but I've very happy with my Michelin Pilot Sport 4s. - The car came with PS3s on it, and although I could probably have still found some when it was time to replace them I opted for the PS4.

It's too early to comment on their wear, but the grip is a huge improvement and has given me a great deal more confidence on turn-in.
Road noise seems about the same.

 

[John N]

Hello
I have done a search and not found anyone on here that has had the same experience as me.

From the start...

The car came with Conti SC 5's on; I didn't have them on long they seemed ok didn't really pay particular attention to the tread depth when I bought the car.

I then fitted the Conti SC 6's they had plenty of grip in all conditions but didn't like getting hot as it would seem they melt (tread disappears) when pushed gently as the car there on is my daily so I don't push hard.

After about 14k the Conti SC 6's where dead barely legal all round apart from being slighty more worn on the outer edges of the front tyres.

I was disappointed; I dont expect to pay over 750 quid for a set of tyre's with mediocre grip and for them to last 6k less than the AA recommended guidelines (20k).

I then thought "I know I will put on what was on before" so I fitted the Continental SP 5
what a load of s### the grip is mediocre the road noise is horrendous and after 5k miles I have about 4mm all-around I do not drive the car hard I do mostly motorway with some A roads so to me that sort of mileage from a premium tyre is not acceptable.
I plan to complain to Continental I know I wont get my money back but looking online most have had the same results so at least we can make people aware not to buy continental tyres .

I have had BMW's daily's in the past and have fitted Bridgestone or Goodyear and have found them far superior to the Continental S## in Grip, road noise and wear.

If I wanted chocolate tyres with mediocre grip I would buy some cheap Chinese tyres that would cost half as much as that Continental S####.
With that said what tyres would you recommend someone has mentioned the Michelins but I have the 19's and when I looked on Black Circles they where out of stock.
For me the majority of premium tyres will have a sufficient level of grip for my daily I just expect to be getting around 15 -20k and not between 5 -10 because at 5k the tyre cost is approaching a similar cost per mile as the fuel !

I'm picking up a theme here, you don't think much of Continental Tyre's then!

 

[renault12ts]

You like Bridgestone and Goodyear...why are you not considering them?

 

[Will]

I haven't tried the Continentals, but I've very happy with my Michelin Pilot Sport 4s. - The car came with PS3s on it, and although I could probably have still found some when it was time to replace them I opted for the PS4.

It's too early to comment on their wear, but the grip is a huge improvement and has given me a great deal more confidence on turn-in.
Road noise seems about the same.

PS3s were not a great tyre, PS2s were excellent and the PSS was the successor to those, PS4s get great feedback too (but unfortunately seem a bit limited in sizes/fitment)

 

[Doodle]

AA recommended guidelines? Do you mean the treadwear numbers on the sidewall?

 

[st13phil]

I've run Conti 5P's on my E63's and they grip well in both wet and dry, last reasonably (circa 13k miles on the rear, a little further on the front, and I change my tyres when they're down to 2.5mm - 3mm of tread), but are a bit noisy. My wife's SLK55 is on 5P's too and the fronts last about 20k, the rears 12k - 13k.

Are you running MO-spec tyres or the generic version? This can have a significant effect on life expectancy.

FWIW, I'm now running Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3's on my E63. They grip as well as, if not better than, the 5P's and are noticeably quieter. I've got 11.5k miles on the current set and they still have a good 5mm of tread remaining, so I anticipate that they will run to at least 14k miles.

 

[markjay]

To the OP, with respect, I think you got the wrong end of the stick in this one...

When it comes to tyre life, the thread compound is only one factor of many. And mileage is not a liniar measure of a tyre's service life.

Obviously, there's always a trade-off between grip and longevity, as you rightly say. Sport tyres will have softer compound so will grip better, but won't last as long as comfort or eco tyres.

But again this is only one element, and not the most crucial one at that.

Other major factors are:

Air pressure - driving at the high end of the permitted pressure range will see the tyre last longer and wear less than driving with the tyres inflated to the lower figure within the pressure range.

Road surface - rough road surface will cause more tyre wear than smooth surface.

Urban driving vs Motorway driving - the majority of tyre wear actually occurs when the tyre's rotating speed increases or decreases, and not at constant cruising speed. So a tyre that will last (say) 25k miles of motorway driving will only last for around (say) 15k miles if driven only in town. This is because urban driving involves frequent acceleration and braking. Acceleration causes rear tyre wear (of RWD cars), and braking causes front tyre wear. This is due to the centre of gravity shifting when accelerating or braking, puting pressures on the rear and front wheels respectively.

Driving style: acceleration and braking, harsh vs mild - if you always drive-off very very gently, and then plan well ahead so that you come to a stop gradually, your tyres will last much longer.

Weight - of the car itself, and its payload (occupants and luggage).

Tyre width - wider tyres will wear less compared to narrower tyres (assuming they are inflated to the correct pressures).

Suspension geometry - incorrect suspension alignment, especially thrust angle, can cause the tyres to 'drag' as the car travels forward resulting in accelerated tyre wear.

So in summary... everything else being equal - same car, same tyre size, same pressures, same roads/journeys, same driver and driving style, same weight... then the difference in tyre life can be attributed to the inherent discrepancy between the make and model of both tyres (still not 100% scientific, but as an approximation).

Even so: Tyre thread pattern is an additional factor. Due to the water drainage gaps, only a certain percentage of the tyre's thread is actually in contact with the road surface. A tyre with larger gaps will have less rubber in contact with the road, offering less grip (in the dry) and rapid wear.


As for grip... again this is not dictated purely by the tyre compound, although in this case the compound is in fact the dominant factor. If the car's wheel alignment is out (which I suspect might be the case given the uneven wear patterns you mentioned), then the car just won't feel as sure-footed which can easily be mistaken for poor tyre grip.

I suggest that you buy new tyres (different brand, if you wish), then take the car immediately to WIM in Chesham (or to someone local to you) and have a full-geometry alignment carried-out.

 

[Flackadder]

I have Conti Contact 5 MO on front and rear. Super grip though a little noisy.. The rears are wearing evenly and lasting great. The fronts not so good wear wise, enough wear on nearside outer edge to make it now illegal even though the rest of the tyre is still absolutely fine...to be fair the inner edge of the offside tyre is showing a 'little' wear.

Maybe just me on roundabouts. But saying that, I am getting a new set for the front and going to up the pressure a little to see if that helps.

 

[leonatlarge]

Thanks for your replies.

I'm still undecided it's going to be the Goodyear A3 or the Michelin ps4.

As you may have already gathered I will not be buying anything Continental again; being ripped off twice is more than enough for me.

In my opinion Continental are a mediocre Tyre manufacturer mascurading as a premium one.

Their is a huge void in what their tyres offer compared to the real premium companys.

Budget tyre companys can make tyres that grip well the reason their budget is they are normally noisy and don't wear well; sound familiar?

As I have said already every real premium brand tyre I have tried in the past has had a sufficient level of grip they all break traction in a predictable manor all I'm concerned about is the wear rate as this to me is the only thing among the premium brands that can determine value for money.

I can understand that everyone's driving style is different and some people have had a reasonable amount of miles from the Continentals the general consensus from the individual reviews online is that these tyres don't wear well so I'm definitley not on my own in my opinion.

I have my wheel allignment checked every year and I have never had any problems.

I suppose it come downs to personal preference I personally can't see why anyone would choose the Continentals over a real premium brand.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Continentals get noisy when part worn.

 

[Gbrowncls55]

Goodyear AS3 are my current tyre of choice. Good grip but low noise level and good comfort. Perfect for a non boy racer daily.

 

[Trickythemerc]

I changed to Contis from Hankook, ERROR Even from new the noise was shocking to the point that I was convinced of wheel bearing failure. The fronts had wear pattern problems towards the end, now on Dunlop Sport Max RT2 and they are so much better all round.

 

[C43AMG]

I have Michelin 4s on the CL, i highly recommend them. I thought the PSS where the best which i had on the CL 55 Kompressor, the 4s are so much better

 

[markjay]

I have been using Dunlop Sport BluResponse on the W203 and the Kia and found them to be reasonably priced and good tyres all around.

The W204 is still on Bridgstones, the ride is too harsh but whether that's due to the tyres or the W204 suspension remains to be seen.

 

[Will]

One of the obvious things that people forget, is that the majority of new tyres feel better than whatever old ones they’re replacing - due to wear and age.

Budget tyres seem to wear okay, but are never usually the best choice for outright performance - wet/dry grip or braking etc.

Continental are considered amongst some of the very best tyres available, along with Michelin - any independent tyre test will show that and manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz wouldn’t fit them as original equipment on their high end cars if that wasn’t the case along with the MO approval.

To say you’ve been ripped off is a bit much, I think you’d have a hard time justifying that

Maybe have a good read of some of the independent tyre tests - Evo have the Goodyear 2nd from bottom in their 2018 test?

Best car tyres: evo performance tyre test

 

[leonatlarge]

Thanks for your replies.

I do not have any interest in financially motivated tests or reviews; from experience I have found them to be absolute nonsense the days of "The Expert" are finished.

I much prefer the opinions of real people who are not involved in the industry like these :

Continental Sport Contact 5

Which is why I posted here in the first place.

I have been using Good Year AS2's on my toy car for years and she sticks; with Evo as you say having Goodyear second from bottom just reinforces my opinion on these "Experts".

Any premium tyres that are made to fit a road car that do less than 10k in my opinion are a rip off if they last 5k I would say your tyres would be a similar cost to your fuel (obviously depending on the type of car) the AA say tyres should last 20k so at 5-10 k thats well under what the AA consider reasonable.

 

[Flackadder]

If yer want em' to 'stick', they are gonna be a soft compound....simple.

 

[Doodle]

Again, you mention "what the AA consider reasonable", I presume taken from this page: Tyre age | AA

Attempting to cover every possible type of car and usage in one single two-factor statement is so laughably generalised it's almost worthless. It does however explain some of the crazy notions people get in their heads.