Bridgestone Potenza RE050A Reviews - Page 10

Given 53% while driving a Audi A4 2.0 TDi 170 S Line (225/55 R17 R) on mostly country roads for 6,000 average miles
As a retired male of 72 and driving pretty steady, i bought the car new last year,having the car in for its winter check, i was aghast to find that the front tyers were worn down to 3mm after only doing 6000 miles on town and country roads,on my previous Audi A4 i could get 17000/18000 out of Michelin Premacy tires. Needless to say when i replace them,it will not be with Bidgestone Potenzas
Helpful 8 - tire reviewed on October 1, 2011
Given 81% while driving a Volvo C30 D5 (225/40 R18) on a combination of roads for 15,000 spirited miles
Much better than my previous tires which were Pirelli P Zero's and Toyo T1-R's. Decent all rounder, no real complaints, just terrible in snow, which to be fair is the car in general and the fact they're high performance SUMMER tires. Otherwise I've been very happy, bought them again and I think they're decent value (£100-£110 a corner with hunting around online) plus the wear rate is good. Lasting longer than my P Zeros and the Toyo's..
Helpful 8 - tire reviewed on September 15, 2011
Given 83% while driving a Audi A3 2.0 TDI 140 (225/45 R18 W) on mostly motorways for 17,000 average miles
Had these tires factory fitted on my A3 Black Edition with 18'' wheels and very impressed with the overall level of grip in both dry and wet conditions. They are very quiet tires with no sign of whine and very little road noise. I know some people have had problems with these tires wearing out quickly but i've covered nearly 17k and still got around 4mm of tread left, although the majority of my driving is motorway and A roads i'm happy with the wear rate for a premium tire.
Helpful 8 - tire reviewed on August 24, 2011
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Given 39% while driving a Hyundai Genesis Coupe V6 (245/40 R19) on a combination of roads for 10,500 spirited miles
Have these on my V6 Genesis Coupe. Dry grip is good. The winter gets really wet here and although i haven't had any major problems, it can get pretty scary sometimes. These tires reach their top performance at 15% of their lifespan then it's all downhill after that. Wear is HORRIBLE, i've only done 17000 Km on them and i don't have ANY tread left. Comfort is bad but i guess that's because of the 19" rims.
Helpful 8 - tire reviewed on August 24, 2011
Given 93% while driving a SEAT Leon FR tdi (225/45 R17 W) on mostly town for 21,000 average miles
Ive had these on my seat leon tdi fr, i got 21kmiles out of the rears and only just 10kmiles on the fronts, they done well for me but I prob wouldnt buy again due to the fact that they have gone up to £140 a corner and I think theres other tires out there that can do similar mileage for less money.
Helpful 8 - tire reviewed on August 16, 2011
Given 64% while driving a Ford Mondeo (235/45 R17 W) on a combination of roads for 10,000 average miles
Very disappointing. Factory fit was the Potenza so I opted for these last time. I managed to get 10k miles of of a front set. The rear set are still going with 5mm remaining after 32000 miles, but Potenza RE050 on the front of a 58 Plate Mondeo last no time at all.
I'm giving Michelin Pilot Sport 3 a try as they're supposed to last longer and give better wet/dry grip.
I won't be buying Potenza RE050 again soon.
Helpful 8 - tire reviewed on July 29, 2011
Given 76% while driving a Ford Fiesta Zetec S (205/35 R17) on mostly town for 16,000 easy going miles
I have these tires on our Zectec S Fiesta TDI fitted OE with the bigger wheels on the street pack.They are a bit noisey and a fairly hard ride but any tire with 35 aspect ratio will be a hard ride.We had the car from 4500 miles from a dealer previously a demo and I had to put front to rear at around 14k to get a longer life from them.My wife does the miles in the car and does drive it sensibly.We did wreck one tire due to a nail I put that down to unlucky, I would say these are good tires.This car comes a live when its wet.Its a TDI so not that quick,I am a wet weather driver used to race and a car technician so do know my stuff and the chassis is obviously the main reason its so good but it would slide all of the place if the tires werent any good.I can honestly say it one of he best cars in wet I have ever driven and that is down to these tires,the paqckage is right.
Helpful 8 - tire reviewed on June 27, 2011
Given 61% while driving a Vauxhall Insignia CDTI 160 (245/45 R18 W) on a combination of roads for 15,000 easy going miles
Had these tires as OE on my Vauxhall Insignia, good comfort and road holding, but cant believe that they have only lasted for about 15K miles as i drive carefully to watch my MPG . very poor wear !!!
Helpful 8 - tire reviewed on June 18, 2011
Given 51% while driving a Volkswagen Passat 2.0TDI (235/45 R17 W) on a combination of roads for 18,000 average miles
This is the second set of RE040s we have had on the car after replacing the OEM fit Conti SportContact2s. Initially the tires were fine but over time we have both found that any form of 'spirited' input into the car leaves you feeling very vague behind the wheel. The set on the car were fitted last may and up to this morning had covered a little over 18000 miles of regular to-work-and-back kind of driving along with the odd motor way run. In my opinion the wear rate is poor on these tires. 18000 miles of normal driving shouldn't have these down to the wear markers on the fronts already. Wet weather driving is also not very good and like other reviews on here you can forget about having any form of winter grip. Yes I know these are classed as 'summer' tire's but seeing as I am not Lewis Hamilton I don't have the convenience of pitting to change my rubber when the winter season starts. Overall a costly tire with an average performance and I wont be buying another set.
Helpful 8 - tire reviewed on June 1, 2011
Given 30% while driving a BMW 520d (225/40 R18) on a combination of roads for 0 spirited miles
Fairly good in dry but absolutely awful in the wet
Helpful 7 - tire reviewed on May 24, 2011
Given 53% while driving a Hyundai Genesis Coupe V6 (245/45 R19 W) on a combination of roads for 7,000 spirited miles
Granted i do drive aggresively on some really beat up roads and yes, i do like the weekly drift session but to have the side of the tires (front+rear) wearing out and have chunks missing (rear) at 7000 miles is ridiculous...

N.B.: Genesis Coupe 3.8L V6 is RWD
Helpful 8 - tire reviewed on April 19, 2011
Given 76% while driving a Mazda MX5 (205/45 R17 V) on a combination of roads for 19,700 average miles
These were OEM fit on my wife's MX5 NC 2.0 Sport. I was interested to see what they'd be like as I'd had Pole Positions on a previous car (good) and RE040s (horrid).

Overall I really like these on the Mazda. I have not tried it other tires yet so have nothing to compare with. It may give tires an easier tire de to being lighter than many cars. They gave plenty of grip in the dry and a good feel to the car. In wet weather they have been fine with no nasty moments either in corners or aquaplaning. The traction control light can get active on mini roundabouts and out of T junctions but that's just clumsy driving usually. ABS also activates a little sooner at times that I'd expect (not silly hard braking - just pulling up sensibly at give ways but perhaps with our crummy road surfaces this is not so surprising).

I see there are a lot of comments about poor performance in the snow. Well, I wouldn't have expected much on that score. Actually we haven't had any major issues but did just have to drive very carefully. When the roads were slush covered, I drove my wife to work and as long I drove to the conditions, we got through without issue. This is in surbuban Surrey however with no major hills. Not too bad for a light, rear drive car with summer tires. The other days we took the Golf which ploughed on through everything!

I recently did a limit handling day in the car on a runway surface. This basically did for the tires by taking all the shoulders off and taking the edge off the treads on the front. I dreaded the drive home but actually although the car had less turn in the tires are still OK in the dry. Time to change (not on the wear indicators yet but I like to change them a bit earlier as wet grip and aquaplane resistance disappears on most tires
Helpful 8 - tire reviewed on April 19, 2011