Tyre recommendations

[Blackeunos]

So I've realised that the OEM Bridgestones are really bad in even the slightest of wintry weather, so on the lookout for some decent tyres, any recommendations?

[Deleted User 192]

A lot of folks recommend Michelin Cross Climate 2

[Utumno]

Michelin. That is all.

[TheJimster]

My ID3 has got the stock tyres on, but I commute to an area which sees a lot of snow (by UK standards, anyway) so have always had winter or all season tyres on our previous cars (and still on our current A3, which is now the designated snow car). I settled on Goodyear vector 4 seasons. Apparently most of the other all season tyres are essentially 'summer tyres with enhanced winter performance' whereas the vectors are more like 'winter tyres with enhanced summer performance', which is what I was looking for.

[MotMot]

I’ve regular CrossClimates (cc2 aren’t available yet for 18” wheels) and they’ve been superb. No probs at all in the snow / slush yesterday. Just as quiet (quieter?) and more compliant than the Bridgestones. No idea how they affect economy as it’s winter now so hard to compare!

[Blackeunos]

Has anyone got recommendations on where to buy and price also?

Currently erring towards Michelin efficient grips for £100.99 fitted each at Costco.

[monkeyhanger]

Has anyone got recommendations on where to buy and price also?

Currently erring towards Michelin efficient grips for £100.99 fitted each at Costco.

Are you sure they're not Goodyear efficient grip at £100.99 a piece? I only get 2 types of tyre on the Costco website and they're both Goodyear.

Costco tyre offers should be cycling along to Goodyear shortly (Michelin right now and I think the last cycle was Bridgestone), which will mean an extra £20 off each if you buy 2 or 4.

They're good Summer tyres that'll perform fine for winter weather above freezing and be a hell of a lot better than the Bridgestones.

[Blackeunos]

Are you sure they're not Goodyear efficient grip at £100.99 a piece? I only get 2 types of tyre on the Costco website and they're both Goodyear.

Costco tyre offers should be cycling along to Goodyear shortly (Michelin right now and I think the last cycle was Bridgestone), which will mean an extra £20 off each if you buy 2 or 4.

They're good Summer tyres that'll perform fine for winter weather above freezing and be a hell of a lot better than the Bridgestones.

Sorry, yeah, Goodyear, got that many names flying around in my head!

I'm hoping any more snow/ice holds off until the Costco offer changes.

[3twins]

I fitted Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons (Ver2) to my Ioniq PHEV last winter as the Michelin Energy Saver tyres that the car came with were truly awful in cold wet conditions. They were astonishingly good during a couple of snowfalls last winter and in the cold and wet. They were also fine last summer with little drop in efficency. I would fit them to my ID.3 when it arrives in a heartbeat and may keep a set of wheels with them on for winter use only.

[Slathe]

What is wrong with the tyres that come with the car? How bad are they?

[Blackeunos]

What is wrong with the tyres that come with the car? How bad are they?

As I put in my blog post... they're terrible!

I parked on my drive on boxing day following a light snowfall. When I came back out to the car to put some bags in the boot, I touched the hatch release and the car slid forward in to our other car.

Baring in mind I had a Leaf for 6 years prior to this, and other cars in the 11 years we've lived here, it's never happened before. Same slightly sloped drive, a lot of mich worse snow and ice, etc, it's got to be down to the contact with the ground, I.e. the tyres.

It's probably a combination of the hard compound, and the shallower than normal tread of the bridgestones.

[Slathe]

Are we stuck with these when we buy the car? Or can we request different tyres?

I have summer tyres on my BMW 1 series atm and apart from in bad snow it’s always been ok (live near Birmingham so don’t really get too much snow)

[tomstring]

If it’s any help I run with Dunlop winter sports on my current SEAT Ateca and did so on my previous Mercedes. When my ID.3 arrives I’ll run with the same winter tyres next winter too. Very pleased with grip in the wet, cold and noise levels.

[monkeyhanger]

If it’s any help I run with Dunlop winter sports on my current SEAT Ateca and did so on my previous Mercedes. When my ID.3 arrives I’ll run with the same winter tyres next winter too. Very pleased with grip in the wet, cold and noise levels.

The ID3 tyre sizes are pretty niche right now - you might not have that option to pick Dumlop Winter Sports.

[monkeyhanger]

What is wrong with the tyres that come with the car? How bad are they?

I call them "Flintstones", because they're rock hard. The compound is so hard, I suspect they're only really going to be any use on the track, with the amount of warming hard track driving entails.

Take a decent Summer tyre and run it at 0C and they're nowhere near their best - that's how Bridgestones feel in the Summer! In the Winter they're woeful.

I've had these tyres on 6 of my last 12 VWs bought new. On a torquey FWD ICE perfornance VW, you're spinning up the front wheels with more than 30% throttle. The RWD of the ID3 saves us from that, but turn In grip in all conditions is well below par.

[mez]

I am also after recommendations as the original rear Bridgestones only lasted 7500 miles on my ID3. Dealer marked them down as “red - worn down - replace immediately” on a vehicle check report. I was astonished. They could not explain why the rear tyres lasted barely half a year. Certainly not due to the daily school run!

[Smitten]

I am also after recommendations as the original rear Bridgestones only lasted 7500 miles on my ID3. Dealer marked them down as “red - worn down - replace immediately” on a vehicle check report. I was astonished. They could not explain why the rear tyres lasted barely half a year. Certainly not due to the daily school run!

Acceleration is the answer. Lots and lots of torque through the drive wheels. Loads of fun pulling away from traffic lights but it doesnt half wear the tyres. My partners e208 is front wheel drive and front tyres were half worn at 4000 miles (Michelin Primacy) and will need replacing by 1st service at 8000.

[monkeyhanger]

I am also after recommendations as the original rear Bridgestones only lasted 7500 miles on my ID3. Dealer marked them down as “red - worn down - replace immediately” on a vehicle check report. I was astonished. They could not explain why the rear tyres lasted barely half a year. Certainly not due to the daily school run!

Acceleration is the answer. Lots and lots of torque through the drive wheels. Loads of fun pulling away from traffic lights but it doesnt half wear the tyres. My partners e208 is front wheel drive and front tyres were half worn at 4000 miles (Michelin Primacy) and will need replacing by 1st service at 8000.

There's a bit more to it than that - consider that the ID3 weight is almost 500kg heavier than the equivalent Golf. Also, the Bridgestones fitted only come with 5.9mm tread new (7.4 - 8.0mm is typical new tread depth for other brands) and the VW garage will be trying to get you to replace them at 3.0mm, so only 2.9mm scrubbed away.

The front tyres of an e208 are going to get scrubbed quicker than the rear of a RWD ID3, with plenty of tramping that the ID3 doesn't suffer from (the FWD e-Golf is horrendous for tramping).

I'd expect Michelin/Goodyears to last 20k miles on the rears and 30k miles on the fronts if you take them down from 8mm to 1.6mm on the ID3.

[Smitten]

I am also after recommendations as the original rear Bridgestones only lasted 7500 miles on my ID3. Dealer marked them down as “red - worn down - replace immediately” on a vehicle check report. I was astonished. They could not explain why the rear tyres lasted barely half a year. Certainly not due to the daily school run!

Acceleration is the answer. Lots and lots of torque through the drive wheels. Loads of fun pulling away from traffic lights but it doesnt half wear the tyres. My partners e208 is front wheel drive and front tyres were half worn at 4000 miles (Michelin Primacy) and will need replacing by 1st service at 8000.

There's a bit more to it than that - consider that the ID3 weight is almost 500kg heavier than the equivalent Golf. Also, the Bridgestones fitted only come with 5.9mm tread new (7.4 - 8.0mm is typical new tread depth for other brands) and the VW garage will be trying to get you to replace them at 3.0mm, so only 2.9mm scrubbed away.

The front tyres of an e208 are going to get scrubbed quicker than the rear of a RWD ID3, with plenty of tramping that the ID3 doesn't suffer from (the FWD e-Golf is horrendous for tramping).

I'd expect Michelin/Goodyears to last 20k miles on the rears and 30k miles on the fronts if you take them down from 8mm to 1.6mm on the ID3.

The e208 certainly eats front tyres.

Not familiar with the tread depth on Bridgestone tyres. How can they get away with so little tread on a new tyre?

[Utumno]

How can they get away with so little tread on a new tyre?

I’ve heard it said that that it’s because their compound is so hard that it’s supposed to last just as long as softer tyres with a proper tread depth.

My own personal opinion is that any car equipped with Bridgestones is likely to kill its owner before they wear out, and dead men famously tell no tales…

If mine comes with Bridgestones, first thing I’ll be doing is putting Michelins on each corner, and hang the additional expense. And if I can’t get Michelins, it’ll be Goodyears. Fingers crossed for Contis as OEM fit though, to save me a few quid. I’ll tolerate Contis until they wear