Tyres For C5 Mk3 Tourer 160

[Sixchannel]

My  car is 2010 C5 2.0HDi Tourer 160.

The rears are a pair of Avon ZR5s 225/55/R17 101W and the fronts are a “Pace PC70” and a “Cardon Series”, both 225/55/ZR17 W101. All are also marked “Extra Load” apart from the Cardon.

It will be time to change the fronts after the Winter as a) there is appx 4 mm tread on them now and b) the grip in the wet is cr – er – poor.

I know original fit was Michelin Primacy but that may have had more to do with a Contract with Michelin and Citroen rather than them being the best tyre for the car. (I am fully aware of how it works between the tyre makers and the car manufacturers)

What does the Team think are good Aftermarket tyres for the C5 Mk3?

The various websites give too many subjective and/or confusing views. I am looking for a REASONABLY PRICED tyre that is quiet, that will give good wear AND have decent roadholding in the wet. AFAICT there is no correlation between the prices of mid-range and top range tyres and their performance.

Any thoughts?

 

[Johndouglas]

My C5 is the twin to yours - 2010 VTR+NAV Tourer.   I've just had replacements put on mine.   The old ones still had quite a bit of mileage left in them but I'm taking it across to Spain for a few months in a couple of weeks and I don't want to have to worry about replacements when I'm there.   They are hugely expensive with very little choice.

 

What I've put on my car are Nexen N6000.   I've used them on my previous C5 and also on the Xsara we had.   On both cars they did very well.   In the label ratings they get a C for economy; a C for grip and 73db for road noise.   In the AutoExpress tyre test for 2012, Nexen took 3rd overall place.   I also find they give a service life a bit longer than other makes I've used.   And at £74.51 per corner they are reasonably priced considering the size.

[paul.h]

On one of the front door pillars there will be a label with the tyre pressures and tyre size for your car so you can check if the 101 load rating is needed.

[Johndouglas]

The recommended tyres are 225/55x17 97W. However many tyre makers now make their W speed rated tyre with a 101 load rating, whilst the 97 tyres are only V speed rated. Question is - from a legal point of view, is it better to go with the correct load rating or the correct speed rating.

[Sixchannel]

V speed rating surely would be more than adequate for the car being 149mph, but W would then have a higher load rating too as construction would be more robust to cope with me running my C5 at 168mph. Lol!

[Parkesie]

Always got on with avon zv5's on other cars. Im on my 2nd set of continental contacts on my mk3 tourer plenty of grip even in the worst of conditions. Changed the fronts after 30k as they were down to 1.8mm and as winters aproaching best to change them.

[Johndouglas]

V speed rating surely would be more than adequate

You're probably right - but were you to make an insurance claim which included huge personal injury, your insurers could argue that you had contributed to the accident by modifying the tyre specification.

[Sixchannel]

For sure I would only ever go for the correct spec (W) tyre.

Come Spring I shall check on Nexen6000 and on the Avons ZV5's.

Is it still the right thing to do to to put the rears on the front and they new ones on the rear?

Thanks for the info. Much appreciated.

[paul.h]

Thinking about the insurance aspects and the door pillar sticker saying the original tyres were probably Michelin or Bridgestone, so there is the make as well as possibly a different rating and often the tyres supplied to the manufacturer are different to the ones you can buy. On our last C4 we had no choice when a new tyre was needed following a crash since Michelin stopped making the Exalto in the size needed and then the insurer would only pay for one tyre so it was different to the other 3 - it then pulled to one side but I do not know if it was the tyre or the repairs.

 

If the rears are worn, it is now usual to put the new ones on the rear with the aim of having the best grip at the rear to help avoid a rear wheel skid which is harder to control than a front one. Years ago the new ones would go on the front to give better steering.

[Mike O.]

Since the fronts do much more work than the rears, including the critical for safety things like steering and braking, I always put the new tyres at the front.

What brand? In Australia we have Toyo Teo Plus tyres that I have used on previous cars and was very happy with: quiet on the dreaded coarse chip surfaces passing for bitumen here, comfortable ride, reasonable in the wet, low fuel consumption, reasonable mileage, not too expensive...but they have to be "Made in Japan", not China, Thailand or Malaysia.

They beat the Michelins (price, noise) and various Malaysian made Continentals (wet braking, traction etc.) hands down. 

[Randombloke]

 

I know original fit was Michelin Primacy but that may have had more to do with a Contract with Michelin and Citroen rather than them being the best tyre for the car. (I am fully aware of how it works between the tyre makers and the car manufacturers)

What does the Team think are good Aftermarket tyres for the C5 Mk3?

 

 

Kumho Ecsta KU31, but the prices appear to have gone up. Black Circles no longer list it. 

[tangerinetractor]

I know this is late, but on my last three cars I've used a brand called Altenzo - tehy used to be available from Halfords, but now only though tyretraders.com. They're an Australian brand, not sure where they're made, but I just had 4 225/55/17s fitted for a total of £200! I've had them on other cars and they've been brilliant, they have an economy rating of B and a wet grip of B, and are as quiet as anything too. Maybe not as goot as a super premium, but well better than any budgets at less than budget prices.