ChannelZ

Just put a pair of these (Hankook Optimo 4S) on the front of the OH's i30. 185-65/15 88H. Must say they seem very good, a little quieter than the factory fit Optimo K415, and seem to have at least as much grip in the dry. Wet seems very similar too, so assuming they're better than the K415 in the ice/snow, they seem a very good replacement for the standard tyre on the i30. They're also a lot more comfortable, the car is much nicer over bumps at the front, leaving the Barney Rubble stone K415 tyres on the back. Noticed no reduction in handling either - the i30 handles very well, far better than my Mk5 Astra, and very similar to the Mk3 Mondeo I had before. No hesitation in recommending them, there's no down sides compared to the K415, and may be an up side of being able to move when it's icy or snowy. I paid £149 for the pair, fitted through Tesco Tyres (Black Circles), fitted by Philip Whyte tyres in Saintfield N. Ireland, who did a fantastic job, and a brilliant job of balancing (not a shake at 90mph on my private test track).

I prefer the "proper" knock-on weights, those sticky one are a disaster, they either fall off, or the sticky stuff is on there for eternity.

Bit like the Pirelli P6000. There's hundreds of different versions, some work well on light cars, some are horrendous on the same car. Others work well on heavy cars. Some have sidewalls that bulge on the first stone you hit, and some will take a hell of a beating with no issues. I think if you have a car that needs a specific tyre (Porsche N, Bmw RFT, etc), then get that tyre. If it doesn't, then go for the generic tyre.

White truck cuts up Royal Mail truck, making Royal Mail truck swerve to avoid collision. Royal Mail truck takes it thick and gets road rage.

Nope, strut with a flange. Easy job to change the shocks on an Astra, I've done them myself in a little over an hour with a spanner, a socket set and a pair of borrowed spring compressors. Don't even need to compress the srpings on the back, just two bolts each side. Brilliant. Ordered KYBs off Camskill. Also got oil, filters etc, total £250. Less than half what ECP were looking for the Bilstein B6 dampers on their own! When are you opening a store over here in N. Ireland, then Tony? I'd be your best customer, between my motor, the OH's motor and the parent's motor.

Had Monroes on the Mondeo. Junk. Rusted like nothing I've ever seen before. Not convinced they worked very well either.

Wow, B6 Bilsteins are dear. £550-odd for the set. Er...stuff that lol Think I'll go with the KYB gas ones, less than £200 for the set. More like it.

Mondeo is gone. Astra is here. Astra has 70k on the clock and the factory dampers are....soggy to say the least. After the crap Monroe Reflex things I put on the Mondeo which rusted within a week and looked like crap after a month, and Im convinced were worse than the Ford ones I took off, I was hoping for a recommendation for the Astra. I think I've it rounded down to Bilstein or KYB. Both the standard gas-filled OE replacements. Which would you folks recommend? Or something else? As I said, just looking something to replace the non-sport dampers I have.

This just means that Whooflugdung Tire Copr, China will just fix their tyres to a certain level in those three catagories. They'll still be s***e in everything else. Or they'll just make it up and put whatever they want on there.

Crashes are so common, that's why so many people have the cameras in their cars. They're fitted by the insurance companies. Must say I was literally crying with laughter at some of those crashes. Especially the one where the MPV hits the little truck once, went off road, back on, had another go at the truck, before they both went off.

Fuel to the left. Oil's getting back in to the fuel system, so you've got a leaky injector by the looks of it...

Got all 4 wheels balanced yesterday, car is much quieter. Fronts were "out 5-10g each" and rears were "so wildly out it wasn't funny" (direct quote from the place I got to balance them). So, thanks to Central Tyre Services in Belfast for fixing the cockup of the other place which will remain nameless, to protect the stupid. Nice to see a proper family run business doing things right.

Long story short, got tyres changed on the new motor, "nah mate you don't balance rear tyres". I swear I can feel something wrong at the back. What say WIM? Pirelli P7 on rear of a Mk5 Astra, so no fancy multilink suspension or anything.

Dealer photos, it hasn't stopped raining since I got it, so no proper pics. Will update when I get some.

Acceleras are going on Saturday morning, on close inspection the tread is all cracked, so sod that. The almost new Pirelli P7's off the Mondeo will be going on. Still impressed by the Matadors, though.

Chequered past, Tony? Do tell. I'd never heard or seen them before, and I'm a bit of a tyre anorak. Fully expected them to be rubbish, and going on the spare rims on Saturday ready to be sold, but I think I'll leave them be. Yeah, I only run 205-55/16, which I guess is probably one of the most popular sizes on the road (as fitted to Mondeos, Focus, Astras, i30s, Meganes). Will be interesting to see how well they last. I notice they have a tread depth marker on them showing how many mm you have left, I think they same as Nokian? The number is on the tread, and as it wears down the number changes.

Just picked up my new motor, and the dealer fitted new tyres to the front. They're Matador MT44 Elite3, and I have to say they're really very good. Quiet, really good grip in both wet and dry. I was all ready to get my Pirelli P7 from the last car that I'd kept, moved to the new car, but I think these are just about as good as the P7, and I'll run them until they're done. Although maybe I'll get the rear tyres swapped, they're Accelera Alpha with 6mm tread on them, and they don't inspire anywhere near as much confidence as the Matadors.

1.2 16v Corsa should be 5W30 or 0W30 - 10W40 is just plain wrong. Last Vauxhalls to use 10W40 are the old 8v engines from the 90s.

Nothing very exciting - a Mk5 Astra. 5 door in Elite spec, so electric everything, auto everything else, climate, leather seats, etc. Only the 1.7CDTI, though, but should be cheaper to run than the Mondeo. Having had 4 Astras (3 Mk4s, 1 Mk5) before, I know them like the back of my hand. Kept the better of the tyres off the Mondeo, putting them on the Astra, dealer has fitted FateO and Accelera budgets on the car, so keeping my Pirellis and selling the car with the Dunlop winters I don't like.

Someone else's problem now, traded it in yesterday. Collecting the new motor next Monday.

I'm starting to think about pulling the subframe (and the rest of the car) over a very high cliff.

Tyres are brand new Pirelli P7, replacing the worn Uniroyals.

No idea mate, I'd assume the shocks are OK as they're new last year (Monroe Reflex). No knocks or big potholes hit, so I'm at a loss. Maybe just a bad wishbone?

Standard Mk3 Mondeo ones, I think they're round.

New top mounts and ARB links all round. The old top mounts were totally and utterly shot (bearings fell out).