Maybe its because im so used to much heavier vehicles, but ive been totally amazed by how much affect the type of tire is having on the control of my 86 jetta, which I am dumping miles on since its fuel efficient.
The car is so light that im finding it very hard to control if I don't have the correct type of tire for the driving I anticipate. For example, I am an extremely experienced snow driver, but this last winter I already went flying into a ditch in this car because I didn't have 4 snow tires, only studded fronts. I rectified that immediately, but that was the first snow accident ive ever had, despite snow fleet service driving for years and years (driving out to semi's in light 2wd pickups for emergencies)
Yesterday, I was passing through PA mountain country with my 4 snow tires on, and it was a suddenly warm day, and there was suddenly a very heavy rain, (front tires are studded), and I dam near went off the road again, so now I need to immediately get some all weather tires on the car and put the studded snows away for this year.
(I was trying to push it until my stock teardrop rims were fully refinished and I could put new rubber on them, another two weeks)
This is pretty much the first one of these VWs ive ever had that ran consistent, mostly I was in 2 ton MBs and trucks, so this responsiveness to the right rubber is pretty surprising to me. Ive driven entire winters in heavy snow on 20% summer tires in heavier RWD cars with no problem, but with this thing, if its not correct, its hydroplaning or floating up on the snow so easily that its amazing.
This brings me to my question, whats a good service all weather tire thats good for a MK2? Normally I would go for middle of the road tires since I drive so much, but id like to see if anyone has any observations on whats really been working well for them.
wow i pretty much run mk1s... not had your bad luck ever... but ill admit.. i use nokia haccapletias (sp??) for snows and they work in all weather no issue.. cost more then race tires.. LOL.. but unless you drive them at 70mph on a 70*f day they will last years...
i like yokahama tires.. 1/2 the price of a michilin and good long life.. for a 14" tire... on 15" i am using kuhmo.. work really well in rain till the road temps are below 50*f then i have no traction... but same token thats on my toaster..
be carefull runnin your snows on the warm days... keeo the speed down... the reason snows work good in snow is the soft rubber.. sadly the soft rubber hates speed on warm days... like stated above.. the nokia tires are good till 70mph on a 70* day.. then they pop belts like its nothing.. and basically ruin a set of tires very quick..
I'm liking General tires.
Toyo used to have a tire called the Spectrum in our sizes. It was the best tire I ran, no longer available. A guy on the vortex right now has a used pair I am tempted to buy.
I currently have yokahama and *sorry chris* really don't like them. I can't use Michilin as the back roads will kill them instantly. I have never ran them on a VW but I have had excellent results with Goodyear-harder tire and Cooper-good all around tire, but they are too much for me to put on my VW last I checked.
i ran firestone winterforces this past year on my jetta they were great. only had one time when i couldn't make it up a hill in a really hilly area in 8+ inches of snow. Not sure what Im going to buy for the summer. Now that i live in the south Im not sure if i will even run snow tires anymore. Might get some continental contacts they're looking pretty good.
thanks for the replies guys! Im gonna surf tire rack and see whats available in those models. Maybe get them shipped home so they are there when I get back.
Im running a pair of firestone winterforce on the rear, and yeah, I love that winter tire too, but my studded tires up front Im not sure of the brand, they were on a parts car I had for a while out of new hampshire. Super knobby though, like mud tires, and nearly 100% so I should get at least a few more years out of those too