Re: CONTI CH95?

[Mark Badger <mark@steinberg.net>]

> as we move into the slush season, any Q listers out there who would
> care to comment on how their new tyres/tires/tars (as various have 
> so named them) are performing. 

our a4q (1.8t) has the goodyear rs-a tyres. in the wet they seem to be
well matched to the car's output though we haven't seen any emergency
manouvers yet (to our relief!).

in the dry, where i'm happier about experimenting, they do not perform
as well as the dunlop "d40 m2"s we have fitted to our other car (not an
audi). the "rs-a"s will drift, albeit predictably and safely, on hard
cornering where the dunlops are well glued. the "rsa-s" also have a
tendency to squeal (prior to drifting) where, again, the dunlops simply
take the car around the corner.

i suspect that the goodyears perform better in the snow however, but we
won't get a chance to find out until we drive to a snowy area.

the dunlops were fitted as replacements for some michelins (forget the
model# but very fancy tyres, many $$$s), which behaved similar to the
goodyear tyres. i highly recommend the dunlops (d40 m2, they are Z
rated, which is kind of over-the-top on a stock audi a4), at least for
dry weather. maybe another lister has xperience of these tyres in the
snow ?

consumer reports highly recommended the d60 a2, which is available as an
H rated tyre.

my feeling is that car manufacturers do deals with tyre companies and
the tyres fitted as shipped have more to do with $$$s than to do with
"perfect handling matches".

m