Just thought it would be worth making people aware of Audi TT sensitivity to different tyres on the front. In a nutshell 2005, TT 190
fitted originally with Michelin Pilots all round. After about 13,000 miles ( but only nomimal wear), suffered a punture in front offside. Tyre couldn't be repaired and Pilots no longer available - alternative Primacy.(This was confirmed with several tyre suppliers) After a week or so, driver said car felt skittish and unstable, pulling to the left , but as very poor a road (tramlines) thought it could be imagination. After another couple of weeks still a "problem" so changed the tyres both sides fronts to backs and vice versa, so both Pilots on fronts.- Instant cure. I dare say that some of the more experienced among you are muttering " Thats Obvious", but I'd never experienced it to such an extent with the same make, and supposed replacement tyre. - Hope that helps someone - Very good Jack on the TT though!
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Similar experience with an '02 TT 180 quattro, fitted with some crapola budget tyres, the car sounded awful, thought it could be knackered bearings / driveshafts but realised the noise changed over different road textures. out of curiosity then swapped over the two front alloys with two 18's same profile (but slightly less awful brand) from a friends golf gti, bam noise gone. put on some pilots and all was quiet again! never known this issue on another car though, and i've had a few with rubbish tyres (although i do tend to buy goodies come replacement time)
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JC did you replace both tyres or the popped one?
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Just happened to me with the C5, except it was a rear tyre. I couldn't get a Pilot Primacy, so had a Primacy HP instead. I was told it was OK to mix different tread patterns on rear wheels but not advised to do so on the front. The Pilot Primacy has quite a different tread pattern to the HP and so was probably the cause of your problem.
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Just the popped one, as the originals had no appreciable wear. I suppose I should have suspected something could happen as the Pilot/Primacy tread patterns are very different but in my ignorance, and as all the tyre dealers said that Primacy's were the Pilots replacement, I'd ass_ u _me d they'd be compatible and as I mentioned I'd never had an issue with any previous cars. This wasn't a moan, just an observation and a warning to others. Iit may be a case to try to ensure that tyres on the front of TTs want to be as near equal as possible, eg wear patterns etc.
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If it spoils the car, could you get a matching one and keep the old removed one as a spare in case a rear one gets damaged or sell it on ebay (people really do buy old tyres on there!)
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I recently replaced both front tyres on my Mondeo TDCi, which were Pilots, with HPs and imediately noticed they had a softer ride ( I though the pressures were out at first), they did seem a bit skittish until I'd done about 400 miles and they bedded in, then they were just as grippy as the Pilots. I've just swapped the HPs to the back and put the two remaining Pilots to the front, the road noise is significantly less with the HPs and the Pilots feel harder. The HPs ride speed humps better though. Personally I prefer the softer ride of the HPs and can't wait until the Pilots at the front wear out so I can replace them with HPs. When you push it, you're always going to get some difference in grip with a new tyre and an old tyre on the same axle even with similar tread depths and patterns, due to the fact that the new tyre has to bed in. Under normal driving it's not really noticable.
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I wouldn't say there's a significant difference in the tread pattern though, they look very similar to me.
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I once replaced Dunlop SPs by Avon CR338s on an Accord 4WS (as recommend by the late great LJKS in a letter to me!) and the car was transformed from a noisy, poorly riding, skittish thing into a smooth, quiet, beautifully driving car.
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I wouldn't say there's a significant difference in the tread pattern though, they look very similar to me.
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They look quite different to me.
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I recently replaced both front tyres on my Mondeo TDCi, which were Pilots, with HPs and imediately noticed they had a softer ride ( I though the pressures were out at first), they did seem a bit skittish until I'd done about 400 miles and they bedded in, then they were just as grippy as the Pilots. I've just swapped the HPs to the back and put the two remaining Pilots to the front, the road noise is significantly less with the HPs and the Pilots feel harder.
I agree about the softer and quieter ride.
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A friend has just bought a used Avensis 2.2 diesel from a Toyota dealer. He likes the car very much, but there is not much headroom in the back IMO.
The tyres on the front are a cheapo brand made in China, the tyres on the rear are a cheapo brand made in Russia. The tread patterns are compleatly different, on the rear they are directional ones, on the front they look normal.
If I had bought this car, I would have insisted that the tyres were replaced with 4 proper ones. Does anyone agree with me, or am I a just too fussy?
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