R129 AMG Tire choices ?

[alabbasi]

I don't think those AMG alloys were ever a factory option for the R129 here (that was always a multi-piece design), but they'd have been available to order as an 'accessory' (like the AMG back box). Or somebody fitted a set later in the car's life. I agree they are good-looking wheels!

Sport models here in the US got 18" monoblock wheels. There were two styles available with the later style design to accommodate the big brakes in the 99+ cars

 

[BigJase88]

This marketing BS that was consumed to produce this type of statement must have been by the bucket load

For the OP: There are plenty of decent budget brand tires available from brands originating from the far east like Nexen and Khumo. The only one that I've had horrible experience with in Sunny which is truly junk.

Nexen and Kumho are mid range

Sunny are budget. All budget tyres should be avoided.

Mid range Kumho / Falken / Toyo etc are fine on a normal car. You want performance and grip you really want a premium brand. Just check out tyre tests.

 

[alabbasi]

You want performance and grip you really want a premium brand. Just check out tyre tests.

Given that China sells more tires than anybody else, i'd be interested in seeing say, 10 articles showing accidents determined to be caused by defectlvly made Chinese tires. I suspect that you'll have to search long and hard to find 10, even though 800 million Chinese tires are made each year.

Like anything else. I'm sure that there are good and bad. For the most part, I've had no problems with the exception of those Sunny tires and I'm happy to call them out.

Performance is one of those things that's often bought up, but in reality, unless you're planning on driving well beyond the legal limits, most budget will be just fine. If it's V or W rated, you or the vehicle or the road will likely reach the limits before the tires do, and age and wear will affect performance more than the brand.

My daily driver E320CDI runs a turkish brand tire that has given me no problems what so ever. I have tires made in Thailand on my S55K and tires made in China on my Ford F350 which I use for towing. In reality, if the tire is at fault, It's probably because it was under inflated, or worn, or it was overloaded or too old. Not because of where it was made.

I used to buy exclusivly brand name tires until I put a set of Continental tires on a Mercedes 450SEL 6.9 that would cause it to go **** backwards every time it rained and the final straw came with a set of Michelins that I bought from Costco for a 450SLC 5.0 which started to dry rot after 6 months. When I took the car back, they at first didnt believe that they the same tires they sold me until they checked the SN# . Then they had to spend 2 days arguing with the Michelin rep who didnt want to replace them because 'cracks on the sidewall do not mean the tires are unsafe' and that 'it's probably because I parked my car outside'.

Premium brand tires make sense if you only have one car do a lot miles in it. If I owned a camry and put 20k miles / year on the factory 205/60R16's. I can probaly count on a set of Michelins to last 80,000 miles and that would be my choice. Given the miles that I do on most of my cars, the tires will dry rot before they wear out.

Anyone running 35 profile tires on 18 or 19" wheels will be lucky to get 15k miles out of any tire so pick what you like, but leave I value my life garbage out of the conversation. I value my time, but that doesnt mean that Rolex as my only watch choice.

 

[Wearsthefoxhat]

I'd go for a pair of mid price Falken FK510's if they make that size.

I have these fitted on our SL too.

 

[AMGeed]

^ Had them on my 55 too.
Very good tyre for the price.

 

[Gazwould]

Nexen and Kumho are mid range

Sunny are budget. All budget tyres should be avoided.

Mid range Kumho / Falken / Toyo etc are fine on a normal car. You want performance and grip you really want a premium brand. Just check out tyre tests.

Kumnoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

 

[BigJase88]

Given that China sells more tires than anybody else, i'd be interested in seeing say, 10 articles showing accidents determined to be caused by defectlvly made Chinese tires. I suspect that you'll have to search long and hard to find 10, even though 800 million Chinese tires are made each year.

Like anything else. I'm sure that there are good and bad. For the most part, I've had no problems with the exception of those Sunny tires and I'm happy to call them out.

Performance is one of those things that's often bought up, but in reality, unless you're planning on driving well beyond the legal limits, most budget will be just fine. If it's V or W rated, you or the vehicle or the road will likely reach the limits before the tires do, and age and wear will affect performance more than the brand.

My daily driver E320CDI runs a turkish brand tire that has given me no problems what so ever. I have tires made in Thailand on my S55K and tires made in China on my Ford F350 which I use for towing. In reality, if the tire is at fault, It's probably because it was under inflated, or worn, or it was overloaded or too old. Not because of where it was made.

I used to buy exclusivly brand name tires until I put a set of Continental tires on a Mercedes 450SEL 6.9 that would cause it to go **** backwards every time it rained and the final straw came with a set of Michelins that I bought from Costco for a 450SLC 5.0 which started to dry rot after 6 months. When I took the car back, they at first didnt believe that they the same tires they sold me until they checked the SN# . Then they had to spend 2 days arguing with the Michelin rep who didnt want to replace them because 'cracks on the sidewall do not mean the tires are unsafe' and that 'it's probably because I parked my car outside'.

Premium brand tires make sense if you only have one car do a lot miles in it. If I owned a camry and put 20k miles / year on the factory 205/60R16's. I can probaly count on a set of Michelins to last 80,000 miles and that would be my choice. Given the miles that I do on most of my cars, the tires will dry rot before they wear out.

Anyone running 35 profile tires on 18 or 19" wheels will be lucky to get 15k miles out of any tire so pick what you like, but leave I value my life garbage out of the conversation. I value my time, but that doesnt mean that Rolex as my only watch choice.

You have to remember the only part of your car that is in contact with the road is the tyres.

Budget tyres from my experience last a lifetime as they offer zero grip.

I live in scotland and it rains most of the time. Yeah budgets are grand in the summer but run a set of linglongs or any other equally as rubbish tyre in the wet and they are downright dangerous.


Please watch this video namely the Altenzo budget tyres results.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

2021 Tyre Reviews UHP Summer Tyre Test - Tyre reviews and ratings

We've taken 14 of the best ultra high performance summer tyres in the very popular 225/40 R18 tyre size, and we've tested the dry and wet handling, the dry and wet braking ability, aquaplaning ...

www.tyrereviews.com

Screenshotted the results

Top 6 are premium. The middle is midrange and the budget is in last place strange that

 

[alabbasi]

You can buy budget summer tires, winter tires and all season tires. They have degrees of performance in wet and dry that best suite your needs.

Did you notice that the wet handling lap time between the goodyear and the worse performing tire is only 2.8 second? If that's all the difference on a track lap, it will be neglagible in the real world and the quality of your brake pads, your ability to react, shock absorbers etc will have a bigger impact.

I understand that premium tires perform better then a budget brand. My point is that the price differential has a lot less to do with performance then it does with labor and manufacturing costs, and that new tires are better than old tires. Other than the Firestone and Ford Explorer incident, I've really not heard of any reporting of tires being cosidered as dangerous.

 

[BigJase88]

You can buy budget summer tires, winter tires and all season tires. They have degrees of performance in wet and dry that best suite your needs.

Did you notice that the wet handling lap time between the goodyear and the worse performing tire is only 2.8 second? If that's all the difference on a track lap, it will be neglagible in the real world and the quality of your brake pads, your ability to react, shock absorbers etc will have a bigger impact.

I understand that premium tires perform better then a budget brand. My point is that the price differential has a lot less to do with performance then it does with labor and manufacturing costs, and that new tires are better than old tires. Other than the Firestone and Ford Explorer incident, I've really not heard of any reporting of tires being cosidered as dangerous.


View attachment 123271

2.8 seconds over 65 second lap is a lifetime

 

[alabbasi]

2.8 seconds over 65 second lap is a lifetime

Yeah on a track maybe but unless you're planning on going racing, it makes very little difference in the real world. I pulled my old Silver Shadow using my Ford F350 from Memphis to Dallas on budget tires without any issues. I can guarantee you that if some idiot pulled out in front without warning, I would have flattened them and the tire brand would have made no difference.

Under normal driving conditions, it also made no difference, other than that my wallet would have been $1000 lighter if I bought a set of Michelins.

 

[BRN9121]

I have Hankook Ventus EVO2 tires on all my cars. Best bang for the buck and they last.

 

[suty455]

paid too much

Michelin Tyres / Car / Michelin SuperSport Pilot Michelin Super Sport - 275/35 R18 (99Y) XL (TPC) TL Fuel Eff.: E Wet Grip: B NoiseClass: 2 Noise: 71dB Car Tyres - MPV Tyres - People Carrier Tyres - 18" R18" - 275/35/18, 275/35R18

Buy online cheap Michelin Tyres / Car / Michelin SuperSport Pilot Michelin Super Sport - 275/35 R18 (99Y) XL (TPC) TL Fuel Eff.: E Wet Grip: B NoiseClass: 2 Noise: 71dB

www.camskill.co.uk

 

[Pcn1]

You pays your money, you takes your choice they say ! Falkens are fitted and I'm sure they'll do the job for me.

Track days, yep buy best performance tire you can.
Road driven car, a mid price tire will be just fine.
I bought cheap tires once from Kwik fit, on my Saab 9000, and they wore out very quickly. Not saying they were dangerous, but buy cheap, buy twice as they say.

 

[suty455]

You pays your money, you takes your choice they say ! Falkens are fitted and I'm sure they'll do the job for me.

Track days, yep buy best performance tire you can.
Road driven car, a mid price tire will be just fine.
I bought cheap tires once from Kwik fit, on my Saab 9000, and they wore out very quickly. Not saying they were dangerous, but buy cheap, buy twice as they say.

The point I was making was the Michelins were in fact cheaper than the Falkens, given the choice at the same price I would opt for the Michelin but at a cheaper price its a no contest

 

[Gazwould]

The point I was making was the Michelins were in fact cheaper than the Falkens, given the choice at the same price I would opt for the Michelin but at a cheaper price its a no contest

Always a contest....

Michelin Pilot Super Sport is an 11 year old design that takes time to 'switch on' over Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S.
Hardly a touring tyre as per OP brief .

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S is according to Michelin out performed by the very new Michelin Pilot Sport 5 .

Falken Azenis FK510 is a 5 year old design that has just been superceded by the FK520.

 

[Spider10]

Michelin pilot sport 5 is the replacement for pilot sport 4 NOT 4s

 

[Gazwould]

Michelin pilot sport 5 is the replacement for pilot sport 4 NOT 4s

Did I say that... no !

"Out performed"..

 

[Spider10]

My mistake they out performed ps4 NOT ps4s

 

[suty455]

Always a contest....

Michelin Pilot Super Sport is an 11 year old design that takes time to 'switch on' over Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S.
Hardly a touring tyre as per OP brief .

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S is according to Michelin out performed by the very new Michelin Pilot Sport 5 .

Falken Azenis FK510 is a 5 year old design that has just been superceded by the FK520.

View attachment 123591

I dont think we need to get into a long drawn out debate over this, if you believe a tyre design is made and then all work stops so be it but shown below is a table comparing the 2 products from a wide range of tests by testers and the general public etc, I would still use the Michelin at that price, the Falken if it is newer and therefore better has some catching up to do, the fact the Michelin may be a 10 year old design shows how far in front it was when launched

Michelin Pilot Super Sport vs Falken Azenis FK510

Which tire is better: compare Falken Azenis FK510 vs Michelin Pilot Super Sport

tirewheelguide.com

 

[Gazwould]

My mistake they out performed ps4 NOT ps4s

No mate it's actually the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S that is out performed by the new Michelin Pilot Sport 5 , according to Michelin !!