Kumho KU39 Tyres

[bobak]

Hi,
Firstly, apologies - I know there are a number of tyre threads already on here and yes, I've read through them in full. My query is slightly different and please, if you could, give me some advice based on your personal experience / industry experience.
Much appreciated.

So, I have a mk2 Leon TDI (PD140) with the BTCC kit, so 225/40 18 tyres.
I currently have Michelin Pilot Sport 3 on the back and they're fine - decent tyres, happy with them, but expensive.
I have Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 on the front and they've been pretty good. Great progressive wear, very good grip etc - we all know they're good.

Anyway, i'll cut to the chase. I need two new front tyres but i am on more of a tight budget now. I decided on some Vredsteins, but the local tyre shop said he had them and when they start to wear they're noisy and very very bad. I'm looking to save some money and try and get near £100 a corner, but I want decent tyres.

A friend who works with the pit crew in BTCC has strongly recommended Kumho's saying the touring car guys all love them and he has them on his 911. I have a quote for 2x Kumho KU39 on the front at £105 each, which is about the right mark.

Can anyone tell me if they are any good? How will they compare the Goodyears or the Michelins?

My summary from experience and reviews is:
Goodyear F1 ASY2 - very good - expensive
Michelin PS3 - very good - expensive
Dunlop Sport Maxx - not bad - undecided
Toyo T1R - good comfort, decent grip - nothing special
Goodyear F1 GSD3 - fantastic - but back breaking and expensive
Vredstein Ultac - great reviews - have been strongly recommended to steer clear
Kumho KU39 - decent reviews - not enough info to make an informed decision
Yokohoma - (can't remember which ones I had) - incredibly good, lasted about 5 minutes

 

[p11lkw]

I have kumho ecsta le sport 225/40/18 on the fronts paid £95 each thru work. I'm happy with them very grippy done 5000 miles so far. Previously had Pirelli pzero on the front still running them on the back. But I shall be fitting kumho's on the rear eventually.

 

[bobak]

Ok, great - how's the wear / grip / ride ?
£105 is mobile fitting - they're charging £10 a tyre to come out, so I can get them down to about what you paid.

 

[Cuprarob112]

They are ok-ish in the dry but they wear fast. In the rain there is no grip at all (I had them for a week and found these on parr with crap tyres from nankang and other cheap knockoffs). On the plus these are not expensive but I woud safe you money for a decent tire (especially when you're used to the pilot sports).
P.s. don't know how experienced your tyre centre is but it's the first time I hear this about Vredestein (and if so they will do this a long time after the kumho's have been replaced, over here all the less good tyre centers advice kumho's for the sole reason that they can make a better profit on these).

 

[bobak]

ok, interesting feedback. what would you suggest as an alternative? pilot sports are out of my price range now. goodyears would be a huge stretch, dunlop maxx rt would be a stretch...

 

[p11lkw]

So far wear and ride is good and they aren't bad in the wet either. They don't appear to be wearing fast.

 

[bobak]

see, this is the feedback i'm getting everywhere i look. one person thinks they're great, the next doesnt like them. tough decision.

 

[p11lkw]

One not got the ku39 tyres. Everyone likes different tyres and the only real way to if they are any good for yourself is to try some.

 

[Jarre]

I've heard uniroyal rainsport 2 tyres are good!

 

[robdf2]

They are ok-ish in the dry but they wear fast. In the rain there is no grip at all (I had them for a week and found these on parr with crap tyres from nankang and other cheap knockoffs). On the plus these are not expensive but I woud safe you money for a decent tire (especially when you're used to the pilot sports).
P.s. don't know how experienced your tyre centre is but it's the first time I hear this about Vredestein (and if so they will do this a long time after the kumho's have been replaced, over here all the less good tyre centers advice kumho's for the sole reason that they can make a better profit on these).

Tbh I have nankangs on my Cupra and they just grip even in the wet , there is a lot of rubber snobbery on forums.
The nankangs were easily as good as the sessantas I had before an I got them for £65 each

The thing is the compounds are constantly being changed by the manufactures that's why people get mixed reviews , also just because a tyre is good as an 18" it might not perform so well as a 17 " or 19"
Have you tried tyre review ? People rate the tyre by size and car so at least you get real world comments.

 

[10man]

I've just bought as in delivered yesterday 2 Goodyear assy 2's from camskill online for £99 a corner, try n get someone to fit em for you as cheap as pos!!

 

[G.P]

So, I have a mk2 Leon TDI (PD140) with the BTCC kit, so 225/40 18 tyres.
I currently have Michelin Pilot Sport 3 on the back and they're fine - decent tyres, happy with them, but expensive.
I have Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 on the front and they've been pretty good. Great progressive wear, very good grip etc - we all know they're good.

Anyway, i'll cut to the chase. I need two new front tyres but i am on more of a tight budget now. I decided on some Vredsteins, but the local tyre shop said he had them and when they start to wear they're noisy and very very bad. I'm looking to save some money and try and get near £100 a corner, but I want decent tyres.

A friend who works with the pit crew in BTCC has strongly recommended Kumho's saying the touring car guys all love them and he has them on his 911. I have a quote for 2x Kumho KU39 on the front at £105 each, which is about the right mark.

Can anyone tell me if they are any good? How will they compare the Goodyears or the Michelins?

All tyres as they wear produce more noise. I'm sure you need Y rated and XL tyre's. Your Goodyears are one of if not the best tyre's on the market at the moment, the PS3's are a comfort tyre that will cover many miles, on the back they could crack up before they wear, thats presuming they don't put into a spin first or go out of shape.

The company who own Verd. have just browed money to purchase Avon for their design department, so do consider Avon's ZZ5, should be around 100 fitted. Nothing wrong with the KU39's, both the ZZ5 and the KU39 are very preditable tyre's.

But, Dunlop have a fuel offer at some tyre shops (check on there site for your location) so you may just be able to get some Sportmaxx RT's, I've seen them advertised at 115. The RT's been near identiacal to the Goodyear's, or is that the other way around..

They are ok-ish in the dry but they wear fast. In the rain there is no grip at all (I had them for a week and found these on parr with crap tyres from nankang and other cheap knockoffs).

You may just have some oil left within them, or they just don't suit your driving style/suspension setup..

 

[Lee M]

Kumho's don't have rim protectors iirc?

 

[AndyG_TSi]

Move the Michelin ps3's to the front. Put the new tyres on the rear.

You should also add the Dunlop sport max rt's and Bridgestone potenza s001's to your choices

 

[G.P]

A friend who works with the pit crew in BTCC

I'd ask him for a price for some Dunlop's, he must know the Dunlop guy's. Might even get you into the pits to have them fitted...

 

[robdf2]

Kumho's don't have rim protectors iirc?

Rim protectors don't do bugger all if you have Cupra alloys anyway :-(

 

[bobak]

fantastic, thanks for all the replies guys. I thought I was gonna get hurled abuse for raising yet another tyre query.

Right, well... I sat and thought about it for a long time and decided I need peace of mind when it comes to tyres. No use cutting corners (excuse the pun) if it can be helped... so i searched online for a while and found a mobile tyre fitter that's coming tomorrow and fitting 2 new Goodyear Eagle F1 Asy2 for £114 each - fitted including everything, tomorrow.

That's £9 more per corner than the Kumho's and £11 cheaper than the Dunlops that I was offered... I figure ill be happiest with these. Always found Goodyears to be excellent.

With regards to rims... pah.. mine are half corroded as it is. They need a recon. That's the next thing I need to do.

As a side note - I love this forum. Part of the reason I stick to SEAT is the great feedback you get on here. Thanks guys.

 

[Cuprarob112]

For that price it would be the goodyears for me.
For me it would be a choice between Bridgestone, Michelin or Vredestein but as said they suit my driving style and someone else might hate them (my summer wheels had semi slicks and I really liked them but my cupra wasn't a daily so....)

 

[bobak]

can't really argue can i?

Looking forward to getting them on now.

The guy did say the Kumho's are very good and that I should consider Falkens too, but everywhere i've looked, in the industry and personal opinions, no-one faults the Goodyears

 

[lil3520]

Got kumho ku 39. Great tyre.