War of tyres, G-III, S-Drive and PP2s

throttleking · 11th February 2009, 12:35

Lot has been discussed about Bridgestone Potenza G-III, Yokohama S-Drives and Michelin Pilot Preceda 2. However there are no concrete views about these 3 tyres, everyone has different opinions.

One of the tyres which is highly recommended is Michelin PP2, they are very comfortable, ride is good in wet and dry conditions, however it is said that they tend bulge up on side walls, plus they have very short life, many people have said that they did not last beyond 20k and the most common feedback is that they are very expensive aroung 6k each.

Yokohama S-drive seems to be making good numbers and has become a very popular tyre in a very short span of time, however a recent detail report about S-Drice on Elantra has revealed some of the very suprizing factors, so much so that people have changed their minds about buyig S-drive, it looses traction and breaking at high speed seems to be a big problem. Except that people like the desing of S-Drive and it is said that the Tyre is reliable but inconsistency in tyre quality seems to be an issue. It is cheaper option available in market around 4.7k each.

The 3rd one from well rated tyre company in India Bridgestone Potenza GIII. There have been no detail review reports on GIII on t-bhp after 2005, and there are very mixed feedbacks, some say it is a very good tyre, high performance, no noise, great breaking capabilities and long life. However some recommended to stay away from GIII but they did not justfy the reason, some said it is just fancy tyre and nothing else. Also the controversy about where they are being manufactured in India or Japan. Each will cost you 4.8k.

I feel anybody going for 205/55 or 60/15 these 3 tyres seems to be very obvious choice for them. so can we have first hand experiece of these 3 tyres, can we have some detail reports. Should we consider any other tyre apart from these 3 which is substantially better?

Please vote your opinion

reignofchaos · 11th February 2009, 12:42

If you want grip and pure performance, S-Drives don't come close to PP2s as tadu mentioned in his long thread. Infact it doesn't come close to even the michelin comfort patterns. Potenza GIII is not in the same class either. Its just too old a design now. Of course spend a bit more and get the boss of all of these in performance - the advan neovas.

About PP2s bubbling - I've done 22000 km on them and they haven't bubbled. They have atleast 7-8000km in them before I need to change. Bubbling probably depends on the profile of the tyre too. The lower profile ones bubble much sooner than the higher profile ones.

Let me tell you though the tread of the tyre is soft, the side wall is incredibly hard. If it were not, it would not give that kind of cornering performance.

Tejas@perioimpl · 11th February 2009, 15:57

Since you mentioned the 205 width, i think the dunlop SP9000s are also brilliant in that category. Good ride.
Other than that, my friend was very dissatisfied with the Bridgestone Potenza GIII. He said the ride quality and braking effficiency deteriorated very quickly after using for 5000kms.

Ardy · 11th February 2009, 16:16

While on this thread, can someone suggest the best tyres for 215/55R16 91V?

I am currently looking at replacing my Octavia tyres which are Bridgestone POTENZA GIII. Should I go for GIII again?

throttleking · 11th February 2009, 16:31

See thats the problem, no concrete reports on these tyres, even the poll is equally rated, may i should wait for some more time for people to vote.

reignofchaos,

advan neova can be a great option even advan sport for that matter, but then you have to upgrade to 17 inchers which is not really a feasible option.

reignofchaos · 11th February 2009, 16:43

^^Neovas are available in 15" too. Advan Sports I don't really know about.

Nikhilb2008 · 11th February 2009, 16:44

Advan Neovas are available from 14" onwards

205/55-15 is also available. 195/55-15 is also available.

I dont recommend it for day to day use though. They are very expensive and wont last too long.

I would vote for either the PP2s or the S drives. The S drives are very good tyres. Tadu's driving(as someone on the other thread mentioned) is what tyres are tested at.

Doesnt mean S drives are bad. There are tons of good reviews abt S drives on this forum, but you remember the one bad review?

Since you have an Optra Magnum which is quite a heavy car, I guess you can play safe and go for the PP2s.

Advan Sports in India is available from 17" onwards.

Fountainheader · 11th February 2009, 16:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikhilb2008

Doesnt mean S drives are bad. There are tons of good reviews abt S drives on this forum, but you remember the one bad review?

+1

I dont know why everyone goes ga-ga over that one bad review. There are lots of other TBhpians - noidaboy, vikram_d, s0uljah, nikhilv and a few more who have posted excellent reviews about the S-Drives.

I guess at that price point, they are truly VFM. And I believe the PP2s dont really command the extra 1200 bucks for adding nothing significant!

PAVAN KADAM · 11th February 2009, 17:01

G-III Potenza's are the best set of tyres i've ever driven.

Have a Second set of their 12 inchers from Japan on my M-800, My VW Beetle runs on their 15 inchers.

Excellent road grip on all conditions.Sad to know they've been discontinued.

By default apart from our two 2-wheelers, all our cars run on Bridgestone, and 2 of them on G-III. Never felt a need to test other tyres.

GTO - Touring · 11th February 2009, 19:25

Based on Iraghavas recommendation, I got a set of PP2s for the C220 and haven't looked back. About 18000 kms of running, including high (I mean very high) speed driving, cornering and a ton of broken highway patches, the tyres are performing just as well. This at a mileage point where my Goodyear F1 D3s had given up completely! I love the outright grip, yes the ride is a little firmer but that's a small payoff for the performance on tap. Still a healthy amount of treat depth in them. Forget bulging et all, I still haven't had a single puncture!

The only two downsides : Firmer ride & premium price. But I do believe they are amongst the best tyres one can buy.

RX135 · 11th February 2009, 20:37

I have mixed feeling for PP2.

As a tyre, it is absolutely fantastic. It grips road really, and I mean really really, well. Even the ride quality is fantastic. It is not much noisy either.

However, I suspect it has tendency to get damaged easily. I got one tyre replaced since it got a sidewall bulge within 2000 kms. Reason? It met an impact. I had been using the car only in city drive, where you hardly go beyond 50-60 km. If it gets damaged on decent Pune roads at such low speeds, I am worried how it fares at high speeds.

shuvd · 11th February 2009, 22:53

I would say PP2s followed by S.Drives. G3s don't even come close IMHO. Instead, you could add BFG G Force Sports.

PP2s are phenomenal. Period!
S Drives I used for a very short time but they did change the whole feel of a Magnum.
g Force Sports I'm using on my Civic and they are behaving quite well. Bit noisy though.

v1p3r · 11th February 2009, 23:22

PP2s are the best in terms of performance, but S.drives are better VFM.

Stay away from G-IIIs.

binz · 11th February 2009, 23:36

These three tires have some major fan following!The Hankook Ventus RS-2 is another VFM option aimed squarely at the s-drives.Very very nice tires , but then I've said that a little to often.

The Best?Read my signature!

noidaboy · 11th February 2009, 23:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by v1p3r

PP2s are the best in terms of performance, but S.drives are better VFM. .

^^ +1

If you can afford PP2's nothing like it,Else S-Drive's will make you happy.Most of the tyre's feel good but the difference lie's when you face a situation,When you hit the brake's as a part of your reflex action.

I have done all sort of driving on them. 160 to 20kmh while braking hard(due to a sudden change of lane by a truck),No screech,minor squealing and the car stopped like anything.
3 lane changing at very high speeds.Cornering down fly over's at 75-80.Its fun taking risk's

.Caution advised tough!

Tyres do make a difference.And good one's even more! Its worth spending on good tyres for safety .

View Poll Results: Which of the following is cheaper, better and reliable Tyre
Bridgestone Potenza G-III	30	34.09%
Michelin Pilot Preceda 2	34	38.64%
Yokohama S-Drive	24	27.27%
Voters: 88. You may not vote on this poll

11th February 2009, 12:35	#1
throttleking BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Pune Posts: 804 Thanked: 447 Times	War of tyres, G-III, S-Drive and PP2s Lot has been discussed about Bridgestone Potenza G-III, Yokohama S-Drives and Michelin Pilot Preceda 2. However there are no concrete views about these 3 tyres, everyone has different opinions. One of the tyres which is highly recommended is Michelin PP2, they are very comfortable, ride is good in wet and dry conditions, however it is said that they tend bulge up on side walls, plus they have very short life, many people have said that they did not last beyond 20k and the most common feedback is that they are very expensive aroung 6k each. Yokohama S-drive seems to be making good numbers and has become a very popular tyre in a very short span of time, however a recent detail report about S-Drice on Elantra has revealed some of the very suprizing factors, so much so that people have changed their minds about buyig S-drive, it looses traction and breaking at high speed seems to be a big problem. Except that people like the desing of S-Drive and it is said that the Tyre is reliable but inconsistency in tyre quality seems to be an issue. It is cheaper option available in market around 4.7k each. The 3rd one from well rated tyre company in India Bridgestone Potenza GIII. There have been no detail review reports on GIII on t-bhp after 2005, and there are very mixed feedbacks, some say it is a very good tyre, high performance, no noise, great breaking capabilities and long life. However some recommended to stay away from GIII but they did not justfy the reason, some said it is just fancy tyre and nothing else. Also the controversy about where they are being manufactured in India or Japan. Each will cost you 4.8k. I feel anybody going for 205/55 or 60/15 these 3 tyres seems to be very obvious choice for them. so can we have first hand experiece of these 3 tyres, can we have some detail reports. Should we consider any other tyre apart from these 3 which is substantially better? Please vote your opinion Last edited by throttleking : 11th February 2009 at 12:37. Reason: Poll added
	() Thanks

11th February 2009, 12:42	#2
reignofchaos Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,549 Thanked: 2,494 Times View My Garage	If you want grip and pure performance, S-Drives don't come close to PP2s as tadu mentioned in his long thread. Infact it doesn't come close to even the michelin comfort patterns. Potenza GIII is not in the same class either. Its just too old a design now. Of course spend a bit more and get the boss of all of these in performance - the advan neovas. About PP2s bubbling - I've done 22000 km on them and they haven't bubbled. They have atleast 7-8000km in them before I need to change. Bubbling probably depends on the profile of the tyre too. The lower profile ones bubble much sooner than the higher profile ones. Let me tell you though the tread of the tyre is soft, the side wall is incredibly hard. If it were not, it would not give that kind of cornering performance.
	() Thanks

11th February 2009, 15:57	#3
Tejas@perioimpl Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bombay Posts: 4,428 Thanked: 9,690 Times View My Garage	Since you mentioned the 205 width, i think the dunlop SP9000s are also brilliant in that category. Good ride. Other than that, my friend was very dissatisfied with the Bridgestone Potenza GIII. He said the ride quality and braking effficiency deteriorated very quickly after using for 5000kms.
	() Thanks

11th February 2009, 16:16	#4
Ardy BHPian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 614 Thanked: 87 Times View My Garage	While on this thread, can someone suggest the best tyres for 215/55R16 91V? I am currently looking at replacing my Octavia tyres which are Bridgestone POTENZA GIII. Should I go for GIII again?
	() Thanks

11th February 2009, 16:31	#5
throttleking BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Pune Posts: 804 Thanked: 447 Times	See thats the problem, no concrete reports on these tyres, even the poll is equally rated, may i should wait for some more time for people to vote. reignofchaos, advan neova can be a great option even advan sport for that matter, but then you have to upgrade to 17 inchers which is not really a feasible option.
	() Thanks

11th February 2009, 16:43	#6
reignofchaos Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,549 Thanked: 2,494 Times View My Garage	^^Neovas are available in 15" too. Advan Sports I don't really know about.
	() Thanks

11th February 2009, 16:44	#7
Nikhilb2008 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 5,198 Thanked: 10,152 Times	Advan Neovas are available from 14" onwards 205/55-15 is also available. 195/55-15 is also available. I dont recommend it for day to day use though. They are very expensive and wont last too long. I would vote for either the PP2s or the S drives. The S drives are very good tyres. Tadu's driving(as someone on the other thread mentioned) is what tyres are tested at. Doesnt mean S drives are bad. There are tons of good reviews abt S drives on this forum, but you remember the one bad review? Since you have an Optra Magnum which is quite a heavy car, I guess you can play safe and go for the PP2s. Advan Sports in India is available from 17" onwards.
	() Thanks

11th February 2009, 17:01	#9
PAVAN KADAM BANNED Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NAMMA BENGALURU Posts: 5,602 Thanked: 2,552 Times	G-III Potenza's are the best set of tyres i've ever driven. Have a Second set of their 12 inchers from Japan on my M-800, My VW Beetle runs on their 15 inchers. Excellent road grip on all conditions.Sad to know they've been discontinued. By default apart from our two 2-wheelers, all our cars run on Bridgestone, and 2 of them on G-III. Never felt a need to test other tyres.
	() Thanks

11th February 2009, 19:25	#10
GTO - Touring BHPian Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 710 Thanked: 56 Times	Based on Iraghavas recommendation, I got a set of PP2s for the C220 and haven't looked back. About 18000 kms of running, including high (I mean very high) speed driving, cornering and a ton of broken highway patches, the tyres are performing just as well. This at a mileage point where my Goodyear F1 D3s had given up completely! I love the outright grip, yes the ride is a little firmer but that's a small payoff for the performance on tap. Still a healthy amount of treat depth in them. Forget bulging et all, I still haven't had a single puncture! The only two downsides : Firmer ride & premium price. But I do believe they are amongst the best tyres one can buy.
	() Thanks

11th February 2009, 20:37	#11
RX135 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: pune Posts: 2,106 Thanked: 75 Times	I have mixed feeling for PP2. As a tyre, it is absolutely fantastic. It grips road really, and I mean really really, well. Even the ride quality is fantastic. It is not much noisy either. However, I suspect it has tendency to get damaged easily. I got one tyre replaced since it got a sidewall bulge within 2000 kms. Reason? It met an impact. I had been using the car only in city drive, where you hardly go beyond 50-60 km. If it gets damaged on decent Pune roads at such low speeds, I am worried how it fares at high speeds.
	() Thanks

11th February 2009, 22:53	#12
shuvd Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Calcutta Posts: 1,081 Thanked: 8 Times View My Garage	I would say PP2s followed by S.Drives. G3s don't even come close IMHO. Instead, you could add BFG G Force Sports. PP2s are phenomenal. Period! S Drives I used for a very short time but they did change the whole feel of a Magnum. g Force Sports I'm using on my Civic and they are behaving quite well. Bit noisy though.
	() Thanks

11th February 2009, 23:22	#13
v1p3r Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: BLR / DXB / LON Posts: 5,353 Thanked: 7,091 Times View My Garage	PP2s are the best in terms of performance, but S.drives are better VFM. Stay away from G-IIIs.
	() Thanks

11th February 2009, 23:36	#14
binz Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,306 Thanked: 431 Times View My Garage	These three tires have some major fan following!The Hankook Ventus RS-2 is another VFM option aimed squarely at the s-drives.Very very nice tires , but then I've said that a little to often. The Best?Read my signature!
	() Thanks