Mondeo Tyres

[Clifford_374377114]

I have been towing for 21 years with various cars with various tyres. However, since I got my 55 reg Mondeo estate (2.0 diesel) about a year ago I have had the worst traction ever. We always stay on CL's and even on damp grass the grip is poor. I am using Pirelli P6000. I have amended the tyre pressures slightly without any difference. When driving solo the tyres stop OK but don't grip very well on acceleration. I need to replace them soon. Can anyone suggest a good alternative please?

 

[Royston]

Hi Clifford, I have a Vectra 2.2 dti diesel with the same tyres as yourself.

Never been stuck always select first gear slowly let the clutch out no throttle the engine torque just pulls us off the grass towing the van.

Royston

 

[David_374384526]

I have towed with a 05 Mondeo estate (2.0 diesel) for 3 years without any problems, our van weighs in at 1450kg approx. I now tow with a 08 Mondeo estate (2.0 diesel) again without any problems, we usually only rally with the van spending a lot of time in fields etc. I would suggest you check the van loading and nose weight too much weight on the back end will lift the front of the car giving less traction.

 

[rob_jax]

Hi Clifford,

Pirelli P6000 - is a very practical and popular tyre, used by Ford, GM and others, and has a good life expectancy (low wear - hard rubber). But it's at the budget end of the Pirelli product range - and the long life comes at the expense of grip.

The downside of fitting a more expensive tyre, with superior grip - like Continental SportContact or Michelin Pilot or Pirelli Nero - is that they will wear out quicker, much quicker in fact...

Robert

 

[Richard_Willis]

I have a 56 plate 2.2.TDCi Mondeo Hatchback with 17" Alloy Wheels and caravan all year round. It came factory fitted with Michelin Pilots which I cannot recommend highly enough, good grip and the wear rate is the best I have experienced.

I am fortunate it is a fully serviced company car so I don't pay for the tyres but I managed to get over 30,000 miles out of both of sets it has had on the front. Just had a new set on the front at 61,000 two weeks ago, rear tyres replaced at 48,000.

Dunlops fitted this time no where near the amount of grip even without the Caravan, will find out next weekend what its like with the van

 

[Garfield]

Robert,

What is there that wears out slower than Conti Sportcontact 2's? we replaced Goodyear excellence's on our S-max after just 14k front 25k rear with sc2's which lasted 20k front and showing little sign of wear after 11k on the rear.

We recently were on the bonfire rally at Catterick on the football field which was well rained on, so many front wheel drive cars with lots of revs and no traction, most thought we had no chance of easily getting our large T/A off but once we got the van out of the holes it had sank into without touching the accelerator pedal I just very slowly let out the clutch on tickover, letting the engine management do it's job of controlling tickover and off we rolled

 

[rob_jax]

Hi Garfield,

Continental PremiumContact2 are the MO tyre on my Mercedes E-class - typical life expectancy on the rear is around 10k miles - which is exactly what I'd expect from a performance orientated tyre on a car with 220+ bhp.

Longer life means a harder tyre compound or a less grippy tyre pattern or an engine detune. So if you are looking for long life I'd suggest reading up on tyres specifically designed to improve fuel consumption with a lower rolling resistance

Robert

 

[RayS]

I'm very surprised - and a little apprehensive - about the low mileages being quoted. My MB 270 is on 16" Continental 4x4 tyres. The originals did 40K miles and the replacements look like they are going to match this. Have been considereing changing to E class but did't realise tyre wear might be so different. Nearly half my mileage is towing.

 

[rob_jax]

Hi Ray,

There is a considerable power and torque difference between a ML270 and an E320 - the current E320 produces close to 550NM compared to around 400NM for the 5 cylinder 270. The E-class takes a fraction over 6 seconds for the 0 to 60 - and the tyres fitted reflect this - and these don't last as well as the M+S style tyres on the ML

My E320 is just 3 years old - it's done 38000 miles - and it's had three sets of rear tyres (last set for the MOT) and one set of fronts.

The best (or is that worst) tyre wear I've experienced was in a new Honda NSX - just run in then driven to Spain (Granada - Seville - Merida) and Portugal (Grand Prix) then back to the UK - around 4000 miles and four new tyres... The rough roads just stripped the rubber off.

Robert