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Hankook tyres - original fitting?

DW58

Go Kart Champion

Gerry

Ready to race!
Location
London
Budget Hankook's are adequate for run of the Mill cars but I would have a preference for the tyres you mentioned Rob.......Hankook's wouldn't be worth a carrot under a GTI/GTD....traction isn't good enough....albeit Hankook do make performance tyres :

http://www.roadandtrack.com/special-reports/hankook-tires

I can honestly say my Mk6 under steered less than the MK 7.....I can only presume it's the rubbish tyres my Mk7 sports ?

I no longer ask cars to perform close to their limit so in truth....I'm not all that bothered about my tyre performance.....handling is adequate but nothing like it could be.
 
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MisterB

Ready to race!
Location
Singapore
Just to show how rubbish the wear rate on the Hankooks are. My car has clocked some 10500 kilometres. Look at the wear, and the scrubbing on the outside shoulder. I don't even drive the car hard!

Not only that, the soft sidewalls are a constant puncture worry and IMO the main culprit for the bump-thump ride.

These rubbers by the way are Hankook Ventus Prime2. I am assuming that all Hankooks on the MK7s are the same...

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Hankook/Ventus-Prime2.htm

The only good thing out of this? I get to change them out soon.
 

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Mark V1

Go Kart Champion
Location
Herts, UK
I'm not sure if VW sales can actually influence this in any way
I suspect VWUK have zero influence over the selection of tyres fitted in the foreign factories.
 

DW58

Go Kart Champion
I'm pretty sure you are correct.

When I took delivery of my Golf Mk7, my salesman was off sick I was forced to deal with one of his colleagues I'd always tried to avoid. The level of BS was ridiculous, and any question he couldn't answer (most) was dealt with my a made-up answer.

For example, he tried to justify the lack of iPhone 5/5S Lightning cable by saying that Apple had refused to sign over the lightning technology to Volkswagen which I know to be utter rot. Hence I suspect the promise made the poster JCJ that he won't get Hankook tyres is utter rubbish, and the result is probably down to the sheer unlikelihood of a GT coming fitted with Hankook tyres in the first place.

It's sad that the general quality of service offered by Volkswagen UK and their dealers falls so far short of that of the cars they sell/support.
 

Sootchucker

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Cheshire, UK
Car(s)
MK7.5 GTI (2018)
Funnily enough, I've only had once experience of Hankook tyres and that was on my wife's old 9N3 Polo SEL (we bought new in 2006) fitted with the optional 16" Alloys.

Whilst they were nothing special, they weren't total crap either. The wife always commented that they were very quiet and good in the wet or dry. We got over 21k miles out of the fronts, and when they were due replacements, she wanted the same. Unfortunately all local tyre dealers didn't stock them so we ended up going with Continentals. Although these were considered a much more premium tyre than the Hankook's the wife said she always preferred the handling when fitted with the Hankook's over the Conti's - go figure ?

Obviously the Golf is a bigger and heavier car so maybe they are not as well suited. Just thought I'd give an opposite option to most here (as I like to be different :))
 

DW58

Go Kart Champion
It's always good to have views from all opinions - I've no personal experience of Hankooks, just (perhaps stupid) prejudices. Call me old fashioned/bigoted etc. (but you know that already), but IMO a quality European-built car ought to have quality European tyres, and to me that means Continental/Michelin/Pirelli etc., not a budget Far-Eastern brand.
 

MisterB

Ready to race!
Location
Singapore
I am from Asia, and I don't think it's ok to have budget local brands on our cars. It just seems, wrong... I'm not being bigoted (obviously) but probably just fussy and have more sensitive ears/bottom to poor tyres.

On my previous Fiat Grande Punto, I had Bridgestones, Yokohamas and Goodyears. Two of which are Japanese brands but reputable companies nonetheless.

To be fair, Hankook isn't exactly a budget brand as they have R&D facilties in Germany and a large presence in Europe and European motorsports (DTM, WRC come to mind). The ones on my MK7 are made in Hungary too. But somehow they just don't work for me...
 

Sootchucker

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Cheshire, UK
Car(s)
MK7.5 GTI (2018)
And don't forget, whilst most of the big boys (Pirelli, Michelin, Goodyear etc) have R&D centres in Europe, they do have manufacturing facilities all over the world.

I once bought Goodyear Eagle F1 Assymetricals for my old MK5 Golf, and whilst they were great, I was a little surprised to see they were made in Malaysia. Just goes to show, having a European brand name doesn't mean they are actually manufactured in Europe !
 

DW58

Go Kart Champion
I am from Asia, and I don't think it's ok to have budget local brands on our cars. It just seems, wrong... I'm not being bigoted (obviously) but probably just fussy and have more sensitive ears/bottom to poor tyres.

On my previous Fiat Grande Punto, I had Bridgestones, Yokohamas and Goodyears. Two of which are Japanese brands but reputable companies nonetheless.

To be fair, Hankook isn't exactly a budget brand as they have R&D facilties in Germany and a large presence in Europe and European motorsports (DTM, WRC come to mind). The ones on my MK7 are made in Hungary too. But somehow they just don't work for me...

And don't forget, whilst most of the big boys (Pirelli, Michelin, Goodyear etc) have R&D centres in Europe, they do have manufacturing facilities all over the world.

I once bought Goodyear Eagle F1 Assymetricals for my old MK5 Golf, and whilst they were great, I was a little surprised to see they were made in Malaysia. Just goes to show, having a European brand name doesn't mean they are actually manufactured in Europe !

Perhaps (most certainly) it's brand snobbery on my part (although others seem not to like them either), but surely Hankook aren't on a par with Conti/Michelin/Pirelli?
 

MisterB

Ready to race!
Location
Singapore
but surely Hankook aren't on a par with Conti/Michelin/Pirelli?
I'm with you on this one Rob. It might take a few more years and some more experience for them to get to that level but don't bet against them on catching up sometime in the near future.

I am honest in my assessment on my Hankooks. I don't like them and as you might know, it's probably my biggest and only whinge about the car.
 

DW58

Go Kart Champion
Well I bow to your experience as I've never tried them nor do I want to.
 

MisterB

Ready to race!
Location
Singapore
I will be happy to cease experiencing them, very soon.

Hopefully I am making a good choice in the Dunlops as replacements having read good reviews about them, and the next time you hear from me it will be nothing but praise about them.
 

LeonMKVII

Passed Driver's Ed
Sigh...! It is so disconcerting to read all the posts saying Hankook tyres are crap! I have Ventus Prime2 16" on my SE/Comfortline. In normal conditions I haven't had any issues, smooth, comfortable and traction is ok. But it's when I want to have some fun and push it at the lights with my manual transmission and especially on corners it does slip and traction is lost a little. I expected continentals However when I picked it up on delivery I just wanted to get the hell out of there and drive! hopefully my general observations help a little. Cheers
 
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