2021 VW GLI-Need some expert help!

Joined
Oct 23, 2006
Messages
1,684
Location
Illinois
Picked up a new GLI a couple of weeks ago and had read the stock hankooks were pretty crummy. I tend to agree.

While new tires aren’t an immediate need, I do want to start looking.

I work remote about 75 percent of the time, but do need an all season tire for the few times a year I’ll drive in the snow, as I live in the Chicago area. I don’t drive like a maniac, so looking for a balanced tire.

Here is what I am considering:
Pilot sport a/s 4
Pirelli P7-I know this is a grand touring tire, but it gets good reviews
Conti dws
Pirelli Pzero all season

Don’t have experience with any of them. Again, looking for a well rounded tire as I will not have a dedicated winter setup. Also open to other suggestions! Thanks!
 
Picked up a new GLI a couple of weeks ago and had read the stock hankooks were pretty crummy. I tend to agree.

While new tires aren’t an immediate need, I do want to start looking.

I work remote about 75 percent of the time, but do need an all season tire for the few times a year I’ll drive in the snow, as I live in the Chicago area. I don’t drive like a maniac, so looking for a balanced tire.

Here is what I am considering:
Pilot sport a/s 4
Pirelli P7-I know this is a grand touring tire, but it gets good reviews
Conti dws
Pirelli Pzero all season

Don’t have experience with any of them. Again, looking for a well rounded tire as I will not have a dedicated winter setup. Also open to other suggestions! Thanks!
I did exactly the same thing to my 21' GLI. Sold crappy Hankooks and bought proper summer tire. I would still recommend a dedicated winter tire if you live in Chicago and daily drive it in winter.

My setup is I run Pirelli Ice Zero FR winter tires with OEM rims, and bought OEM 18" Pretorias from the dealer and installed Bridgestone Potenza Sport summer tires as I may take it to track few times a year.

Though I hate the factory tires, I think it's not worth upgrading all season tire with another all season tire, even though it is more performance oriented, it's just not worth the trouble for a daily driver. I'd replace them when they're worn.
 
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Was also looking at the vredestine quatrac as an alternative to the cc2. Any thoughts or experiences?
 
Was also looking at the vredestine quatrac as an alternative to the cc2. Any thoughts or experiences?
They seem to be a solid tire as well, more wet focused than anything else, and has the same treadwear warranty as the Hypertrac.
 
If you drive your vehicle like Toyota Corolla (which begs the question why GLI?) then I agree with @UG_Passat , go CC2.
If you care about performance, well, Michelin A/S 4 but then snow might be an issue considering how Chicago can get. IMO, two sets, proper summer shoes, proper winter shoes.
 
IMO, two sets, proper summer shoes, proper winter shoes.
That's an interesting point. I considered buying high performance summer tires and best available winter tires for my BMW. But the problem is that the cross overs between seasons in my area are not clean. I was caught in the mountains twice by unexpected snow storms and had to drive home on the original summer tires.

So my final plan was high performance all season radials for the summer and shoulder seasons, and winter tires for winter. Not ideal but still pretty good.

If you never go far from home (so you can't get caught while away from home by unexpected snow) and change over your wheels yourself (so you don't ever have to wait for a shop), pure summer and pure winter tires might be better. But that wouldn't have worked for me.
 
That's an interesting point. I considered buying high performance summer tires and best available winter tires for my BMW. But the problem is that the cross overs between seasons in my area are not clean. I was caught in the mountains twice by unexpected snow storms and had to drive home on the original summer tires.

So my final plan was high performance all season radials for the summer and shoulder seasons, and winter tires for winter. Not ideal but still pretty good.

If you never go far from home (so you can't get caught while away from home by unexpected snow) and change over your wheels yourself (so you don't ever have to wait for a shop), pure summer and pure winter tires might be better. But that wouldn't have worked for me.
I have winter set and all-season set bcs,. these season changes in Colorado, which are really brutal in spring and fall. I do have a third set for the track too.
But for OP in Chicago it is easier. No up and down configuration.
 
I have winter set and all-season set bcs,. these season changes in Colorado, which are really brutal in spring and fall. I do have a third set for the track too.
But for OP in Chicago it is easier. No up and down configuration.
Sounds like your shoulder seasons are as unpredictable as Alberta's. It's hot one day and snowing the next. And the mountains add an additional layer of unpredictability, if you're spending a few days in the mountains or crossing the mountains, by the time you want to go home, pretty much anything can have happened.
 
I am looking to replace the awful and dangerous stock tires on my 2019 GLI as well. I "think" I am going with the General GMAX AS-05 tires. I posted a thread here about the General's and most people generally had positive reviews.
 
I've had the P7s as well as currently have the PS4 all seasons on my Sportwagen. The P7 was a nice riding grand touring all season. It seemed to handle well enough or me at the time. Used it in the snow a few times without issue. I wouldn't bother replacing the stockers with this as they are v. similar. The PS4 all season is a phenomenal tire and does ok in light/sporadic snows we get here in central VA - got to try it a few times this winter on my Sportwagen and it worked well. It's a firm riding tire (to me) vs. the Conti Control Contact Sports I had previously (Discount Tire only model that would be similar to the previous generation DWS06). From what I gather from others I know with MQB VWs, if you favor better snow traction, the Conti DW06 Plus is better than the Michelin and still handles v. well in the dry. It really comes down to how much snow driving you plan on doing and whether you want to run dedicated winters and a second set of wheels.
 
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I work remote about 75 percent of the time, but do need an all season tire for the few times a year I’ll drive in the snow, as I live in the Chicago area.

Chicago area > two sets of wheels. One with summer tires, another one with winter tires.
I do live in a much milder climate area and wouldn't even consider running A/S all year.
.
 
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