Bridgestone Potenza RE050A Reviews - Page 9

Given 70% while driving a Mazda Mazda 3, 2.3 (215/45 R18 W) on a combination of roads for 6,000 average miles
A very hard tyre and it feels it especially at low speed bumps/ridges. The toughness means its long lasting and great at high speeds. Wet weather grip and traction on even lightly damp roads is quite disappointing- i got wheel spin at 40mph! The road noise is also excessive at low speeds. Mazda fit these as standard and the driving experience is arguably ruined because of them; continental or kumho greatly improve wet weather grip, ride and refinement even though they wear out ever so slightly quicker.
Helpful 8 - tyre reviewed on February 26, 2012
Given 49% while driving a BMW 330d M Sport (255/55 R19) on mostly motorways for 15,000 average miles
If you like noisy, hard, expensive tyres which cost the earth & shatter a vertebrae with every bump in the road, buy these and you wont be disappointed! :-)

For me, grip is not all that, especially in the wet, and if there was more of a choice over and above the 2 or 3 tyre types I can use would look to change them like a shot!
Helpful 8 - tyre reviewed on February 22, 2012
Given 84% while driving a Lexus IS 220D (225/45 R17 W) on mostly motorways for 20,000 average miles
Is my second set of these tyres, and they have covered about 20k so far with more than 50% of tread left.
In the dry they grip amazingly, and still very well in the wet.
They give a firmer ride than most but this explains the grip as the push harder to squash the tread and grip firmer.
My driving is mainly motorways and A roads but I drive in all weathers and have these on a Lexus IS220d with rear-wheel drive and 180bhp. As the cars suspension isnt setup as hard as the average BMW it can cope in the snow, a little weight in the boot doesn't hurt to carry to push down on the drive wheels and my snow socks have never been out of their packets and live in the boot :)
My rear tyres are 245/45/17 the front are the 225/45/17 which may explain the snow driving being ok as the rear tyres footprint can overcome the rolling resistance (footrpint) of the front when moving off easier as the fronts would be larger due to the engine weight above.

...anyhow, great tyres all round and great price..will be buying again :)
Helpful 8 - tyre reviewed on February 4, 2012
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Given 86% while driving a Fiat Grande Punto 1.9 sporting (205/45 R17 V) on a combination of roads for 14,000 average miles
Good grip in the dry and wet, average road noise and after 14k nearly out on the front. Would def buy again
Helpful 8 - tyre reviewed on January 23, 2012
Given 51% while driving a Mazda Mazda3 MPS Aero (225/45 R17) on a combination of roads for 18,000 spirited miles
had these on the mps since new, they have done 27k miles which i think is pretty good, but after this time one had started to degrade quite badly and the metal band was showing and the tyre grip was lifting. i was glad to get them off the car. the ride in comparison to their replacements (goodyear asymmetric 2's) was very harsh, spine shatteringly stiff over bumps, they would follow the lines in the road, when pushed though, they would perform well, but would understeer on corners and roundabouts. overall i would class them at a hard/harsh tyre, non compliant, uncomfortable, and most definitely not to be bought, unless thats what you are looking for.
Helpful 8 - tyre reviewed on January 22, 2012
Given 77% while driving a Honda Civic FD1 1.8 i Vtec (205/55 R16 W) on mostly town for 21,000 average miles
Good tyres. They did very good job till 21k miles when started to lose grip. Quick warming. To much noise after 15k miles.
Helpful 8 - tyre reviewed on January 19, 2012
Given 49% while driving a Volkswagen Golf GT TDI 140 (225/45 R17) on mostly town for 39,000 average miles
Good handling abilities in most normal conditions but they lose grip in the wet with occaisional wheel tramping when accelerating from a standing start.( they spin in second gear when driven hard) Noisy, noisy tyres after about 35000 kms. They drone excessively and they look as though they are only 50% worn. I expected better. Won't replace with same.
Helpful 8 - tyre reviewed on December 31, 2011
Given 40% while driving a Mitsubishi Evolution (245/40 R18 W) on mostly country roads for 800 spirited miles
The worst tyre I have ever had on a car. I have had yokohama parada spec 2s, toyo t1r and a few other tyres on high powerd AWD car and these have got to be the worst. They have rubbish feed back and a 8k they only hav 2.5mm left
Helpful 8 - tyre reviewed on December 31, 2011
Given 73% while driving a Volkswagen Golf Mk6 (225/45 R17) on mostly town for 56 average miles
i HAVE THESE TYRES ON MY 2009 gOLF WHICH AS THE SPROT SUSPENSION.i HAVE NOW DONE 56,345KMS WITH TYRE LIFE REMAINING. i HAVE THEN ROTATED EVERY 5000 AND AN ALIGNMENT AT SAME TIME. i ALWAYS THINK THAT THIS IS CHEAPER THAN REPLACING TYRES. hOWEVER THEY BEGAN TO GET NOISY AT ABOUT 30,000 AND HAD SOME FEATHERING AT THE EDGES. oN A REGULAR DRIVE FROM nEWCASTLE, aUSTRALIA TO sYDNEY ON THE NOT SO GREAT 'EXPRESSWAY' THEY CAN BE DOWNRIGHT ANNOYING.tHE SPORT SUSPENSION IS ALSO A VERY THUMPY ON THIS ROAD BUT i THINK ALL CARS USFFER ON THE WORST SECTIONS.
wHAT TO BUY NEXT? dO WANT GOOD WEAR, NOT TOO NOISY AND WET WEATHER ABILITY AS WE DO GET SUMMER STORMS AND ROADS CAN BE EASILY FILLED WITH WATER.
Helpful 8 - tyre reviewed on December 30, 2011
Given 37% while driving a Mitsubishi Evolution FQ330 (235/45 R17 V) on a combination of roads for 1,000 spirited miles
Put these tyres few months back. I was persuded by local tyre fitters to go for these, they could couldn't recommend them enough. Worst decision I have ever made. Having a 300+bhp car with tyres has made me lose confidence in driving. Terrible!!!
Helpful 8 - tyre reviewed on December 29, 2011
Given 91% while driving a Honda Civic Type R (225/40 R18 W) on mostly country roads for 21,000 spirited miles
I have just replaced the front tyres after 21k miles from new. The outer edges are worn away, mostly due to being under inflated for a long period, otherwise I would still have several thousand miles left. Fantastic tyre with excellent grip and quite quiet. The car has been driven quite hard at times.
Helpful 7 - tyre reviewed on November 5, 2011
Given 87% while driving a Subaru Legacy (225/45 R17) on a combination of roads for 16,000 spirited miles
The RE50A is the asymmetric version of the RE50. Some tyre sizes are only available as RE50A - e.g. 205/45/17, other sizes are only available as RE50. Other sizes have different speed ratings - e.g. 215/45/17 RE50A is available as W or Y, the same size RE50 is V or W.
My first Legacy was a 2.0 petrol with the original RE50As still fitted (going by the datestamp on the tyres). I had to replace the tyres when they got to 5 years old due to severe cracking. They had done 34,000 miles and still had plenty of tread.
My second Legacy, a 2.0D, has the original two year old RE50As and are already cracking but have a few years left in them. They have 15,000 miles on them with plenty of tread in the middle, but are badly worn at the edges so could have been run under-inflated by previous owner. Probably not helped by my enthusiastic cornering!
These tyres are fantastic in the dry & unbelievable in the wet. Never got close to getting stuck in the snow (car is 4wd), but had to pussy foot down steep hills in first gear.
Helpful 8 - tyre reviewed on October 1, 2011