GB wrote:wouldn't even bother with changing tyre pressures for French motorways.
Nothing special. Same around Europe really. However, once you cross the German border... OMG. Surely there are some sections of very old and crappy autobahns with 120kph speed limits, but most are just butter smooth with wide lanes and beautifully profiled bends. 90mph feels just sooo slow. You really have to watch your rear view mirrors for those 250kph BMWs/Audis/Mercs. And you don't watch the speedometer at all, just the fuel gauge.
Yes, little point in increasing the pressure for 'normal' speeds.
GB wrote:I think I have to make a move this week - had a look at the punctured tyre earlier today, looks like it is beyond repair as both rear tyres are now heavily worn out (almost at the tread marks). I find Primacy HPs wear out much faster in winter - they feel quite soft and fragile in low temperatures. On top of that both rear HPs had problems with loaded force balance and lateral runout for the past couple of years - both rear HPs were made in Spain, both front HPs were made in France and never had any problems.
I can't say ive noticed an increase in tyre wear during the winter when using Michelin HPs, They are ok to use through winter I find, though not as good as some Toyo T1-Rs the previous year on a C5, they were new though and the V groved tread no doubt helped grip the snow better than the plain looking Michelins.
I think all my HPs are ones made in Spain, maybe.
GB wrote:blackcircles.co.uk offer them fitted for £125 and £137 respectively, and I am sure they can be bought for less. I just can't be bothered with buying online and then taking them to my local garage for fitting - there are a couple of tyre places locally, but they are managed and run by some space cadets who charge £20-25 per wheel, and yet can't even attach a wheel properly (destroyed my wheel lock nuts with a rattle gun last year, still don't understand why they took the wheels off for MOT), and think that proper tyre balancing is a witchcraft. I also want to avoid a mobile fitter - they can never seem to balance wheels properly, either poorly calibrated equipment or just CBF.
Ive been very happy with using online tyre places. I have a local tyre place who happily fits and balances tyres for £5 per wheel. Though I don't like having garages jack up my car so I usually take the wheels down in another car. I don't mind doing this and then I know my car remains undamaged and gives me a chance to give the car a check over too.
C5 wheels do seem a bit hard to balance, ive had to get a few rebalanced striahgt away. Though I did use a different tyre place then, this one has been fine.
GB wrote:Goodyear Ultragrip 8 (front only) - no blizzards this winter, but I still reckon money well spent. Michelin HPs were simply useless in -2º and a bit of ice (almost a daily occurrence here in Henley-on-Thames during November and December).
We have had very little winter, its not been that cold but the road are very greasy - don't think the winter tyres I have are any better in these conditions here, in fact I think I prefer my summer tyres. The temperature is around 10+ during the days, so it is a big higher than recommended for winter tyres. I find tyre noise is very similar to the summer tyres, which is impressive. Im just dissapointed we have not had any snow
Good of Pirelli to get back to you, so I guess you won't be going for the extra load tyres now?
I tend to stick with softer brand tyres, especially on C5s, as ive driven a few with steering rattles. I had one like this and it occured over 3000 miles after using XL tyres. I replaced them with some Goodyears and the rattle went.
Then back to a much lower price, don't know how they manage to fluctuate so much.