Wanli S1088 Reviews - Page 4

Given 33% while driving a BMW E38 7 Series (255/45 R18 W) on a combination of roads for 2,000 average miles
These came with the 7 Series when I bought it, the first time I took the car out in the wet I lost the rear on a roundabout and ever since then I have been scared of these tires.

They are frightening on wet roads, I've managed to recover some rear end slides at very low speeds but that is how I have had to drive my car with them. Any quicker i'd be a goner. In the dry they are fine, but I have no clue why anyone would buy these tires for a RWD car considering the lack of grip they provide.

I have now replaced these tires.
Helpful 13 - tire reviewed on May 17, 2013
Given 31% while driving a Peugeot 106 gti (195/45 R15) on mostly country roads for 5,000 average miles
The noise is LOUD. Really LOUD. The grip in the dry is good. In the wet plain dangerous. Gave them back after a few miles and bought TOYO again.
Avoid... The worse tires I ever bought.
Helpful 12 - tire reviewed on May 17, 2013
Given 27% while driving a Subaru 04 WRX (225/45 R17) on a combination of roads for 100 average miles
Had 4 of these on a 2004 WRX, they came on a set of mags from a mate, he bought them but wouldn't fit due to the brembo brakes. The noise of these tires drove me insane the whole car was buzzing. Broke out on me twice on a trip to work. Put the spare wheels back on with Bridgestone Potenza's and back to sticking like glue and quiet ride.
Helpful 12 - tire reviewed on March 4, 2013
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Given 21% while driving a Ford Fiesta Zetec S (195/50 R15) on a combination of roads for 15,000 average miles
Scrap! absolute scrap, look horendous too, bulge out over the rim ... only thing good for these are burnouts!!!
Helpful 13 - tire reviewed on January 30, 2013
Given 10% while driving a Saab Automobile 9 3 Aero HOT (225/45 R17) on mostly country roads for 200 average miles
I bought a second hand Saab 93 recently, There was a horrendous noise coming from the rear. I assumed it was a wheel bearing as I’ve had bearings gone before and the noise was the same. As bearings came as one hub assembly which are pricey for these cars (£300 for genuine part + fitting + VAT!!!), I negotiated a handsome discount on the car. The drive home was partially bad, freezing temperatures and heavy downpours for 150 miles on A roads. It didn’t feel great driving home. The front branded tires were shot and were to be replaced anyway, but I decided to do some research on these wanli s-1088 on the rear that had loads of tread left. As I’d never heard of them.

First of all I couldn’t believe how cheap they were. Furthermore what I read on hear was shocking, all these people talking about the same noises from these cheap tires, couldn’t be? Could it? I didn’t want tires that cheap on a 210bhp car anyway. So it was worth a punt. A few days later a tire fitter got me a good deal on a set of 4 Avon zv5’s. Completely changed the handling of the car, brilliant in the wet, and most important thing? Noise completely gone! Thank you tire-reviews, it pays to do your research.

Please don’t waste your money on cheap rubbish. False economy.

However, I would have paid a lot more for my car if wanli’s weren’t fitted.
Helpful 12 - tire reviewed on January 23, 2013
Given 70% while driving a Land Rover Range Rover Sport (275/40 R20 W) on a combination of roads for 30,000 easy going miles
These tires come in for a lot of criticism, but when used on the right kind of car they are amazing value. I use them on a Range Rover Sport. Perhaps it is because my vehicle is 4wd and I tend to plod along in it at the speed limit without pushing the limits, but I have noticed none of the issues that many reviews mention about poor grip in the wet. Also, I have noticed none of the road noise that many reviews complain about, for me they are perfectly quiet - again, this may be because I am in a well insulated Range Rover.

My advice, if you are going to be putting them onto something thats fast / nippy or is rear wheel drive then stay away and put something well known on. But if you are looking for a cheap tire to put onto something big and slow with 4wd that you will never push to the limit, then look no further. They work very well. They grip well, they stop well, they wear pretty well and they are over a THIRD of the price of rubber that Land Rover recommend. I have had them for three years and 30,000 miles and they have done me proud in the best and worse that the UK weather throws at it - never let me down in the wet or snow. They were on my car when I bought it, and now they are looking like they should be replaced, I will be buying them again without a shadow of doubt...and I will save £500 in the process.
Helpful 17 - tire reviewed on January 20, 2013
Given 16% while driving a Holden commodore (225/45 R17) on mostly country roads for 100 average miles
Had 2 of these tires put on the back of my VT and they scared the s**** out of me and thats in the dry. when you go around a slow turning bend on the highway about half way round the side walls of the Tire collapse and though the back end of your car sideways. I Tried all different pressers and nothing help. I had to replace the tires before I let my wife drive the car it was that bad.
I have had alot of tires over the years and this one is the worse I have ever had.. STAY AWAY FROM THEM if you want to stay alive.
Helpful 13 - tire reviewed on January 2, 2013
Given 30% while driving a BMW 330d M Sport (225/45 R17) on mostly country roads for 4,000 easy going miles
Plain dangerous in the wet.......brand new fitted by garage selling the car for failed MOT purpose, removed after 4,000 miles and binned.........atrocious tire........was on the back of an E46 330D........AVOID.

As per previous post, gives out with NO warning at low speeds, luckily traction control prevents the tire sliding further
Helpful 14 - tire reviewed on November 20, 2012
Given 33% while driving a Lexus IS 220D (245/45 R17) on mostly country roads for 35,000 average miles
OK, so the car had a brand new set of these tires on the rear wheels when I bought it from the dealer. Apparently they had been put on because the previous set had failed the MOT and I'm guessing that they were the probably the cheapest tires the garage could get their hands on...

+ Points
They lasted over 30,000 miles of driving round many, many roundabouts on a rear wheel drive Lexus 220D.
They look OK.

- Points
They are noisy as hell, to the point where I thought it was a wheel bearing on the way out.
Although they grip OK in the dry, in the wet they are just plain dangerous; sliding out with no warning, at relatively low speed. It only really came to light how bad they were once I replaced them with some mid-range Avon ZV3's and managed to take a roundabout in the wet without the traction control kicking in.

If it wasn't for the traction control, who knows what would've happened. I thought it was the car until I changed the tires, and I would've done sooner had I known. These tires spoil the experience of driving in the wet and make driving on the motorway in wet conditions perilous and unnerving...

When all's said and done, I would never buy these again and had to learn the hard way how bad they are. Steer well clear!!


Helpful 11 - tire reviewed on September 24, 2012
Given 39% while driving a Ford Focus mk2 (225/45 R17) on a combination of roads for 3,000 average miles
Was u nlucky enouht ot buy my car with one of these abominations fitted. It was originally on the front. The noise was awful, I thought it was a bearing that had gone, took the car back twice convinced there was a bearing failure. Eventually swapped from front to rear, which reduced but did not eliminate the noise. Have finally swapped the tire and noise has gone. DO NOT TOUCH WITH A BARGE POLE!
Helpful 13 - tire reviewed on September 10, 2012
Given 50% while driving a Peugeot 308 1.6 e HDI (225/45 R17 W) on a combination of roads for 2,000 average miles
had these tires on peugeout 308 sport when i bought it,they had just been fitted before i bought it,after 500 miles they got very very noisy and sounded like wheel bearings gone,after researching on here found a few others moaning about how noisy they are,just had them chamged to match the fronts which are nexen n8000 and the noise is completely gone.
Helpful 13 - tire reviewed on August 10, 2012
Given 47% while driving a Mazda 3 Series (205/50 R17) on a combination of roads for 0 spirited miles
In the dry they are ok. However, in the wet they are lethal. Never ever buy again!
Helpful 13 - tire reviewed on May 3, 2012