Ditch stock Pirelli Cinturato P7s w/ 35k? 1 has bubble, 1 is flat...

[SAABTurboGuy]

hey guys,

2015 GTI here. It still has the stock 225/40 R18 Pirelli P7 Cinturatos. Yesterday on the way to work I hit a moderate pothole, and it created a small sidewall bubble in my right front tire. On the way home, I get the tire pressure light for the LEFT REAR tire...it was flat. So I'm changing that tire in the rain, and then have to hope the bubbled tire makes it home. Talk about a coincidence.

Least year I tore open the sidewall of one of these tires on another pothole and replaced it.

Do these tires have really weak sidewalls? I'm thinking yes, as they are a touring tire. I had 215/45 R17 tires on my SAAB for over a decade, and hit massive potholes and never ruined a tire. But, they were typically sportier tires...and 45% of 215 results in a slightly taller profile than 40 of 225...but not by much.

The Pirellis have plenty of tread on them at 35k...and 1 of them has only 10k on them. Would you replace the bubbled one, and repair the flat one, and just keep going? I'm thinking it may be a good time to just get a whole new set of tires. It sucks because if it wasn't for these incidents, I could see these tires lasting 60k, easily.

I'm thinking General G-Max AS-05s... I had the predecessors on the SAAB and enjoyed them. I'm not interested in separate summer/winter tires...so performance all season would be the category.

Thanks guys!

Alex

 

[mesaboogie18]

I recommend Continental DWS06’s. I’m gonna get a set after my stock Pirelli’s are worn out.

 

[TQ_MKVII]

I recommend Continental DWS06’s. I’m gonna get a set after my stock Pirelli’s are worn out.

Agreed. I ran those on my GTO and loved them.

 

[Shane_Anigans]

I recommend Continental DWS06’s. I’m gonna get a set after my stock Pirelli’s are worn out.

If you have to get A/S tires, DWS are the way to go. I know a guy who drove his Z3 in the snow with those tires, and he's remarkably still alive.

 

[gtiscott]

They are not great tires but I have brand new stock bridgestone re97as tires if you want all 4 for $200 I'm in Mass

 

[Cjburn]

I can also vouch formthe dws06s. I had them on my 2015 mustang GT amd they were just fine in anything under 4 inches.

 

[SAABTurboGuy]

Thanks for all the feedback, guys.

Those Continentals get pretty amazing reviews. I little more $$ than I wanted to spend, especially since I thought I had another 2 years or so on these Pirellis based on how they were wearing. But, I know spread out over the life of the tire, its not a big deal.

I had I guess what were the equivalent Continental ultra high performance all season tire on my SAAB, back from maybe 2006-2008 or so, and the treadware was astonishingly poor and the sidewalls were really soft (but never damaged one). So that kind of scarred me. I know these new ones are probably totally different. I also know that Continental owns General, which it markets as its budget brand...so makes sense those Contis are a better performing tire than the General GMax AS05s I was considering.

 

[Sandman GTI]

Had General tires OE on my truck long ago.
Sad tire. Spin on any surface. Terrible in rain.

I would suggest another brand to get but no one buys it so I am sure others will suggest their best choice.

 

[itsstan]

Would you replace the bubbled one, and repair the flat one, and just keep going? I'm thinking it may be a good time to just get a whole new set of tires.

If you haven't curbed your rims yet and regularly parallel park, I would change out the P7's for that reason alone. They offer zero rim protection. With the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+, it seems like I can't curb the rim.

I drove on bubbled P7's, but felt like a real dumb ass while doing it. Think of how many lives could be affected if it were to blow at an inopportune time. I also can't seem to bubble the Michelin's either, but I dented a rim on a pothole. Others weren't so lucky, saw several cars on the roadside with flats after hitting that pothole.

 

[BxGTI]

DWS are great. Also I hit a pothole with the Pirellis that bent the rim but no damage to the tire go figure.



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[SpaceGhost]

If you haven't curbed your rims yet and regularly parallel park, I would change out the P7's for that reason alone. They offer zero rim protection. With the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+, it seems like I can't curb the rim.

I drove on bubbled P7's, but felt like a real dumb ass while doing it. Think of how many lives could be affected if it were to blow at an inopportune time. I also can't seem to bubble the Michelin's either, but I dented a rim on a pothole. Others weren't so lucky, saw several cars on the roadside with flats after hitting that pothole.

I was looking at those tires but there are complaints about noise? Do you find them noticeably louder?

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[avenali312]

If you haven't curbed your rims yet and regularly parallel park, I would change out the P7's for that reason alone. They offer zero rim protection. With the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+, it seems like I can't curb the rim.

My P-Zero Nero A/S that came stock on my 2015 are the same way. Zero rim protection. The Austins are thoroughly curbed (they were that way when I bought them and then added a couple slight marks myself), so I'm hoping to do wheels and tires altogether when these tires are worn. I'll definitely be choosing tires with better wheel protection built in.

 

[jeffkro]

I have damaged two tires and one rim from potholes. I don't think the problem is the tires , I think the problem is low profile tires. I've been thinking about going down to 17" wheels.

 

[Jose_Gti]

I got 2 pirellis with bubbles and 1 flat. Since I bought a different tire brand I haven’t had any more problems. Also the low profile tire is a PITA

 

[itsstan]

I was looking at those tires but there are complaints about noise? Do you find them noticeably louder?

I read those reviews too and I don't find them noticeable louder than the P7's which I thought were quiet. This surprises me since I'm anal when it comes to noise. Maybe I'm getting old and am suffering from hearing loss? I have about 10K miles on them so far.