Just getting the early signs of wet grip problems as my Michelins hit 3mm or a bit less.
Been offered a very cheap set of Goodyear Venturas in the 185/65x14HR size I need. Now I know a lot about the Michelin, Pirelli, Bridgestone, Continental, Hankook and Kuhmo options...but very little about these Goodyears.
Opinion on the 'net in general seems good... and actually very very good in the wet.
Any experiences here?
Thanks.
MM
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They were a Which? 'Best Buy' a year or so ago - so should be OK.
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MM,
I put a set of these (185/65/15) on the front of my Xantia TD 3 weeks ago, to replace a set of Tigar (eh?) tyres. They seem to be pretty quiet, and offer plenty of grip, even in the dry - the car feels like it is running on rails now. In the wet the grip is unbelieveable - last weekend going down the M74 in heavy rain they really felt no different to in the dry, even when one wheel was passing through quite deep standing water, and I would have expected a kick from the steering wheel - nothing, just ploughed straight on through. I can't comment on the wear rate yet though!
It does look like the car is shod with tractor tyres now though!
Richard
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I'd tried to find that Which test on-line (without subscribing) but no luck. Any idea where the other brands came?
I bet you guessed they are for my TD Xantia Richard, and strangely I've gone off Michelins for the moment.
I did get it three years ago with a set of brilliant Michelin Classic HRs (sort of X-section to the blocks) but they were a tyre of the 1990s and I've not been able to get them for over a year. They were as you describe the Venturas, almost no difference if it was raining given sensible driving limits.
Would have given the P6000s a go but for the consistant opinion they wear very quickly and puncture/damage easily on rough tracks.
MM
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I've had two sets of the venturas in the 185/60 r14 setup on all four corners on my zx volcane and i really rate them. Great grip in wet and dry.
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just got two for my mazda.185/60 /14.grip very well wet or dry.at£35 each inc valve vat balance you cant go wrong!tyres just seem so cheap now,every tyre ive baught over the last 5 years seems to be better and cheaper than the one its replacing.cant say that about much these days.....
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I put a set of these on my last car (Nissan Primera), and they were a huge improvement in the wet over the Dunlop SP Sport 200's
that were supplied with the car.
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I'm so glad everybody likes these, I've just ordered a set of 4 NCT5s to be fitted tomorrow. The reason I declined the Venturas was solely because the are directional, in the event of a puncture you have a 50% chance of ending up with one tyre rotating the wrong way.
I've tried Pirelli, Michelin, Yokos and Uniroyals in the last few years, but I always end up with Goodyears. Quiet and comfy, just like me.
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The Venturas came top for wet grip in the 2002 (might have been 2001) Auto Express tyre test. My brother fitted a set of four to his Accord on this basis and has been very pleased with them.
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Update.
Set of four Venturas fitted and run in for a few hundred miles. Last couple of days rain have completed the test conditions.
Bearing in mind they replaced some Michelins...
The Venturas ride a little softer and they are quieter in normal use. In some grip/loading conditions they can be noisy for a few seconds as that coarse tread is pushed onto the road (like landing after a jump and going straight into a gentle bend). The dry turn-in response is a few percent less that the Michelins, dry grip level may be similar but with a more progressive sideslip. In the wet the Venturas are excellent for grip and braking.
It is obvious they are based towards wet grip and there are small losses in dry road performance to achieve this. Quite reasonable because wet roads are possibly the only time anyone should be anywhere near needing the last few percent of a tyre's performance.
M.M
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MM
Landing after a jump??!!
I thought the fens were flat!
Regards
John S
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>>Landing after a jump??!! I thought the fens were flat!
Well they are overall but the roads are very lumpy and suspension testing. And often the roads subside but the dyke bridges stay up in the air...hence the "jumping" possibility.
M.M
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Discussion on "Speedy" tyres elsewhere has reminded me to do a 6mth update on the Venturas.
My initial impression of a less sharp dry road turn-in remains but the wet road performance is really impressive now I've been able to test them in all sorts of slippery conditions.
They are simply the best tyre I've ever driven for greasy town roads and roundabouts, it is quite noticeable the ABS doesn't cut in these days because of the high wet grip.
An unexpected and interesting benefit of their very open tread pattern is amazing performance on mud and wet grass. Several times a week I have to tow a heavy trailer onto a grass field, the exit being muddy and rising a few feet. They are the best road tyre I've ever used in these circumstances, the self-cleaning ability of the tread in mud would do justice to an expensive all-terrain tyre. I seem to remember Richard W said they looked like tractor tyres on his Xantia! This ability is enabling me to use a FWD car when many would say only a 4WD would do the job.
I do have a feeling they will wear out quickly though.
M.M
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I do have a feeling they will wear out quickly though. M.M
I have had a set on my C-class for the best part of two years - they seem to be wearing very slowly! I agree with your comments about wet/greasy grip - they are excellent.
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>>I thought the fens were flat!
Hah! The roads around M.M.'s way may be "flat" in that there are no hills, but the surface is virtually corrugated. Depending on your car at the wrong speed you either get motion sickness or lose a few teeth.
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Blimey, looks like I put my Venturas on at the beginning of May. That means they will have done about 15k miles now, and they were both still at about 5mm when I checked them last week. Should last about 30k - good oh! Must get another set to replace the rears soon...
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RichardW
Is it illogical? It must be Citroen....
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I have had 2 sets of Ventura's but the tyre dealers I use don't seem to be able to get them any more, they fitted Fulda last and these are worse in the wet and wear out in 10k on the front and the same price as Ventura, they last fitted Goodyear F1 but these are Z rated instead of V so doubt whether they will last as long they are £15 more. Let me know if anyone gets Ventura's in the glos Avon or South Wales areas.
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The Police often leave their engines running and doors unlocked, while they chase on foor, or attend a crime, but take their keys with them, they have an ignition hold device fitted. If an attempt is made to drive the car without the key in, the engine cuts..
Would we be able to fit one of these <£100 last time I looked and not get done?
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In 185/60 R14 H on the mk2, they're marvellous. Infinitely better than the scary Matadors and slippery Kumhos I started with. Steering feel a joy with them on the front (compared with the woolly P6000 'powergy' now on the rears).
Wet grip fantastic. Passenger threatens to be sick long before dry grip threshold.
Relatively low contact area seems to make steering feel lighter -very useful without PAS. £37 quid each, too.
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