[atlantis0965]

hello all
After having gone through the thread a bit i am a bit confused between 195/60R15 & 205/55R15.
In fact I almost put in a set of Continental MC5 195/60R15 on my vento TSI today but did not do it after a few doubts regarding the proper functioning of the ABS and ESP were thrown up.
My basic requisite is to increase the ride height as much possible without much compromise on the ride quality.
So I don’t mind even changing my wheels to 16”.
Would love to hear from you all !
Thanks

[shibujp]

Originally Posted by printh

Going by the previous post, here's how the grey colour contrasts with the black colour!
Attachment 1531267
Attachment 1531269
Needing your valuable suggestions. Thanks in advance.

That looks normal to me. I use 205/55 Yoko S drives on my GT too and they look similar as well. I maintain 34 PSI as well. I get the ideal ride handling balance with that. Given that the Vento suspension is a bit softer you might get away with a higher PSI.

Drive on,
Shibu.

[printh]

Thanks for the suggestion guys. I did WA & WB yesterday due to steering wobbling and noise complaints too. I have decided to maintain 34 PSI all around till I calculate FE, and then maybe increase by 2 PSI.

[Guite]

I would like 205/55 R15 but my first choice Michelin P3 ST is not available in this size. My first criteria is quietness / low noise, and then durability. What are the other options available?

There is been an on / off concern about warranty. Has anybody faced warranty issues with VW due to tyre upsize?

[graaja]

Originally Posted by Guite

I would like 205/55 R15 but my first choice Michelin P3 ST is not available in this size. My first criteria is quietness / low noise, and then durability. What are the other options available?

There is been an on / off concern about warranty. Has anybody faced warranty issues with VW due to tyre upsize?

Go for Continental MC5, which is a comfort oriented tire similar to P3ST. I have this on my GT TSi and it is very comfortable and silent. It also provides very good grip and cornering ability.

As for warranty, there are a couple of things to consider. If you go with a tire that has the same sidewall and has very little error in circumference (I think if it is less than 2%), it should not affect warranty. Any warranty issues arising out of tire upsizing would be on the suspensions which anyway I think is limited to 10000 kms. So, if your car has run more than 10000 kms and this is a replacement to the original tires, you do not have to worry about warranty. But let others comment on this aspect as well.

[MavericK46]

Originally Posted by graaja

Go for Continental MC5, which is a comfort oriented tire similar to P3ST. I have this on my GT TSi and it is very comfortable and silent. It also provides very good grip and cornering ability.
....

graaja, would you recommend the MC5s over the S-drives on a Polo GT TDi?
What if I were to throw in a rider that the S-drives were available at roughly INR 500/- less than the Contis?

Cheers !

Sundar

[graaja]

Originally Posted by MavericK46

graaja, would you recommend the MC5s over the S-drives on a Polo GT TDi?
What if I were to throw in a rider that the S-drives were available at roughly INR 500/- less than the Contis?

Cheers !

Sundar

The MC5s and S Drives are two different types of tires. MC5s are comfort oriented which have less road noise, smooth ride etc.

On the other hand, S Drives are more performance oriented. They offer excellent dry grip, better cornering etc, but on the downside may not have a comfortable ride and higher road noise. They also do not have a good wet grip.

So, I would suggest you to choose between them based on your requirement. If you are looking for a comfortable, silent ride, choose MC5s. If you are looking for a sporty drive with high speed cornering abilities etc, but can live with a little harsh ride and road noise, go for the S drives. If you are looking for sporty drive, you could also consider Yokohama Advan Sport.

[Guite]

Originally Posted by graaja

Go for Continental MC5, which is a comfort oriented tire similar to P3ST. I have this on my GT TSi and it is very comfortable and silent. It also provides very good grip and cornering ability.

Thanks a lot for the feedback. This is for a new car, tyre will be changed right out of the showroom.

There is a review of the MC5 in this forum by Nikhilb2008 wherein he mentioned that the life of this tyre is low. So the choice remains P ST3 in 195 size or MC5 in 205 size.

[graaja]

Originally Posted by Guite

Thanks a lot for the feedback. This is for a new car, tyre will be changed right out of the showroom.

There is a review of the MC5 in this forum by Nikhilb2008 wherein he mentioned that the life of this tyre is low. So the choice remains P ST3 in 195 size or MC5 in 205 size.

Even I had to choose between 195/60/r15 and 205/55/r15. With the 195/60, there was a 5mm increase in sidewall height (which will increase the ground clearance as well) and 2.1% error in circumference. Whereas with 205/55/r15, there was no change in sidewall height and a -1.3% error in circumference. So, I chose 205/55 to keep the error minimum. My first choice was Michelin P3ST, but P3ST was not available in 205/55, so went for Conti MC5. Also 205s give a better stance to the car.

Regarding life, P3ST or MC5, they are made of softer compound giving more importance to grip, comfort and braking distance etc., and hence will definitely wear out faster than OE tires which are tuned more for life. So, if you get 50,000 kms from OE tires, these performance tires would give you maybe 35000 to 40000 kms depending on driving style, roads driven etc.

[printh]

Overall as far as I heard and browsed, Continental tyres have relatively lesser life and their performance is also nothing to brag about. They offer the lowest warranty period of all. Yoko s drive's wet grip disadvantage may not be deal breaker for all practical purpose unless on track rides. They offer good traction on day to day basis but noisy.
Are they still supplying new MC5? When I enquired 2 weeks back, many dealers told they are having only old stock as they are manufactured in Thailand and imported.

[BigBrad]

Originally Posted by graaja

With the 195/60, there was a 5mm increase in sidewall hfeight (which will increase the ground clearance as well) and 2.1% error in circumference. Whereas with 205/55/r15, there was no change in sidewall height and a -1.3% error in circumference.

I think the figures are different from what you have quoted.

Please have a look:

Originally Posted by Guite

So the choice remains P ST3 in 195 size or MC5 in 205 size.

My Polo is running 205/55 S drives on stock alloys. The steering feels a little heavy at parking speeds & the tyres are a bit noisy too, but is more than compensated by the much improved grip, handling and shorter braking distances. I love the tread pattern and the stance so much that I removed the rear mudflaps which were an eyesore.

Another point to consider when choosing between MC5 & S drives is the tread pattern. MC5 has asymmetric pattern which means you can do cross rotation (swap from left to right & vice versa) which is not possible with S drives which are unidirectional. With S drives, you can only move the front tyre to the rear & vice versa within the same side. I'm not sure of the advantages of doing cross rotation vs the same side rotation. As graaja suggested, pick one based on your priorities. P3ST will surely give you the best comfort, S drives would have the best performance & MC5 would be a blend of both I think.

Originally Posted by printh

When I enquired 2 weeks back, many dealers told they are having only old stock as they are manufactured in Thailand and imported.

AFAIK, MC5 is Made in India and not imported. P3ST is imported from Thailand.

[daniel990]

Thanks for the reply StarScream, I agree that the TSI engine is wonderful, power and mileage, now the grip of the MRF's stock is hopeless, turnings that I would nonchalantly take in my old Baleno at triple-digit speeds, my Vento with MRF'S max out at 85-90.
Could the experts here suggest any tyre (same size), purely from handling and grip point of view.

[MavericK46]

Originally Posted by daniel990

Thanks for the reply StarScream, I agree that the TSI engine is wonderful, power and mileage, now the grip of the MRF's stock is hopeless, turnings that I would nonchalantly take in my old Baleno at triple-digit speeds, my Vento with MRF'S max out at 85-90.
Could the experts here suggest any tyre (same size), purely from handling and grip point of view.

I'm running 205/55 S drives for the last two weeks and I'm chuffed to bits about how the car feels to drive.
The S drives were put through a long stretch of dry NH, slick to wet roads and even a little bit of slush; and they took all these conditions in their stride without any issues.
The ride quality hasn't really suffered nor is there any tyre roar in the cabin (none above the TDi's din ).

Hence purely from a handling and grip standpoint, I'd highly recommend you switch to the S drives in 205/55. There are plenty of BHPians who have upsized on their Polos and Ventos with a good number who are already on a second set !

If you want an alternative to the S drives albeit at a few hundred bucks more per tyre, do take a look at the Continental MaxContact 5 a.k.a MC5.

Cheers !

Sundar

[halfbytecode]

Anybody try the Goodyear Assurance Triplemax tyres? I'm looking for tyres in 195/60 R15 size.

Would like to know how are they in terms of wet grip, aqua planing, cornering, dry grip.

[Guite]

Upgraded my new Vento tyres to Michelin P3 ST 195/60 R15. Paid Rs.2,600 per tyre after exchanging it with OEM Apollo Alnac tryes. Ride is now quieter and more comfortable, albeit still a bit too firm for my liking. Pressure is 34 psi on all tyres.