Member Since: 31 Dec 2005
Location: South West
Posts: 23833
cammackmartin wrote:
Just spoken to AJS and they say the General AT2 beat the ATR hands down and don't use anything else. Going down there today to get some fitted.
There are some members here who would probably disagree with the above.
(quote DSL) "Forgot to say I run ATRs on SWMBO's D3 in winter, were great in the light dusting of snow we had in the Heelands last winter!! Also just been with 2 ATR shod D3s in Tunisia and they were fantastic on that trip, had no issues whatsoever, those if us on road tyres had a handful of punctures between us. No-one had AT2s this year but they had big time puncture problems last year with them"
Personally I've never owned a set of GG tyres, so can't really comment. But I've read on this forum a number of concerns over the strength of the sidewalls on the GG AT2. I have extensively tested a set of ATR's though and am delighted with them.
26th Oct 2010 1:09 pm
cammackmartin
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: london
Posts: 41
I wouldn't pick a disagreement with anyone over tyres for the D3 seeing as I am pretty green when it comes to owning and running a 4x4. I expect there are pros and cons for all the tyres and it depends what you are going to use your car for. My use is pretty sterile and my main interest is getting great grip on the road particularly in the wet. I can only repeat what AJS said and that was that the AT2 was better in the wet than the ATR but I am sure this would be marginal and not necessarily anything the average user would notice. I am sure going off road through rough terrain will certainly test your side-walls both in strength and flexibility. The most hostile things my tyre walls are likely to encounter are some hoodies with a pocket knife (fortunately not where I live).
On the drive back the grip was excellent in poring rain and road noise the same as with the Scorpion zeros. I hope it isn't a reflection on comfort that I was unable to assess but my son who gets car sick chucked twice on the way back!!
Just finished sponging down the front passenger area to remove that lovely mixture of blueberry smoothie, chocolate and cheese sandwiches - mmmmhhhh - nice!
Price for 4 tyres all in - £587.50 inc vat and balancing etc
cheers
Rich
26th Oct 2010 3:09 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 73100
You'll enjoy them!! Now you've got to get them muddy!!
Click image to enlarge
26th Oct 2010 3:18 pm
LT
Member Since: 31 Dec 2005
Location: South West
Posts: 23833
cammackmartin, apologies if I appeared confrontational. Didn't mean to. The AT2 has numerous loyal fans, search the internet, as well as here. I'm sure you'll be delighted with them and as DSL says do get them muddy
I'm just a little tired of recent posts suggesting that GG AT and AT2 tyres are superior to the Pirelli ATR. Perhaps they are, but until I see a real comparison test I'll remain open minded. It would be shame if potential buyers dismissed the ATR as a result of reading those posts!
Both the AT2 and the ATR have been extensively trialled by members of this forum and both are well respected, although as I said before some members have reported issues over the strength of the AT2 sidewall.
From my own experience of using ATR's for over a year and some 25k odd miles on all different types of terrain (except sand, although DSL and others will vouch for their performance in the desert), I really can't fault them. I'm amazed how Pirelli have developed a tyre that performs so well across the board.
The Pirelli ATR has won various awards since it was launched:
It won the Tire Technology Internationational Award 2009.
consumersearch.com awarded it the best AT tyre in 2009.
It has also been named the best performing All-Terrain tyre by the highly respected Consumer Reports. "Following on from its earlier success in the European summer tyre tests, ConsumerReports.org rated the Scorpion highest among all tyres tested, based primarily on impressive grip in both dry and wet conditions, excellent dry braking and hydroplaning resistance."
The German motoring magazine Auto Bild Allrad determined the Scorpion ATR to be the leader in its class, stating “Pirelli gets the highest average score for off-road tyres’ quality, demonstrating a very good off-road grip, relative low noise, and street performance with good handling characteristics."
Perhaps the ATR was compared to the AT2 in the above , I don't know. I'm certainly not going to say one is better than other. I'm just delighted that we have an ever increasing choice of tyres for our vehicles. But let's be constructive about reviewing them.
26th Oct 2010 5:08 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 73100
I'll take my Mr Grumpy hat off as well, as long as the buyer is happy all is well with the world. SWMBO's ATRs go back on in 3 weeks ready for the mother of all winters the Siberian Swans are promising!
26th Oct 2010 6:06 pm
cammackmartin
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: london
Posts: 41
LT wrote:
cammackmartin, apologies if I appeared confrontational
No offence taken at all. It is great that we get interested and feel passionate about some things. They make our lives a better place. In the past for me I was in to Porsche 928 stuff for about a year until my son turned up and made it completely impractical. (Hmmm - Made me get rid of the 928 and now vomits on the Landy - Maybe he is a tree hugger?!!!) There were similar conversations on the Porsche forums about tyres and oil. I guess we all get a sense of frustration in the absence of a definitive answer on these issues. I agree there should be a review on these tyres. Lets face it, it's not rocket science! Get a D3 or alternative a full set of the tyres to review and compare and just put the car through a standard set of tests.
I am sure at the end of this you would still get options depending on the use of the vehicle.
In the absence of these reviews we exchange ideas and views here which is invaluable. In my Porsche incarnation the online forum information allowed me to go from completely green to taking off the top of the V8 engine and refurbing it.
I doubt the AT2s superior to the ATRs. When I looked at the two treads next to each other there are far wider gaps between tread elements than on the ATR whereas the ATR had much more rubber that will contact the road. My guess is that the gaps will help with snow and mud and wet but like wet/slick tyres for motor racing, the ATRs will be superior in the dry and if they channel water well, equivalent in the wet depending on the compound.
For me, I went along and thought, If they put it on all their cars and my guess being there will be only marginal Real-World difference, then as Johnny new boy, my guess would be they have tried all the options and have an educated opinion. I'm sure they don't go trekking in Tunisia though!!
On a lighter note the car no longer smells of Puke - thanks Fairy liquid! The kids seat and matts are nearly dry. However the kids are still puking (N.B. Great!! Not a problem with the Tyres just a virus!!!).
I'm going to kill any chance of me getting it myself with some beer.
Cheers
Rich
26th Oct 2010 9:50 pm
cammackmartin
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: london
Posts: 41
Just one last bit of info I think is useful. General used to be an American company but now it is owned by Continental. For me this makes me feel a lot happier with the brand when compared to pirelli. They are both great companies that produce great tyres.
Rich
27th Oct 2010 8:33 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 73100
And I remember the days of buying remoulds and getting parts (incl tyres) from the local scrappie. Those were the days but glad no longer.
Your AT2s are just the start of your collecting, would post the pics of my tyre stash but these good peeps rise into a mob and riot on mass as the sight of so many wheels & tyres not alight is not right in their eyes!
27th Oct 2010 9:34 am
cammackmartin
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: london
Posts: 41
DSL wrote:
And I remember the days of buying remoulds and getting parts (incl tyres) from the local scrappie. Those were the days but glad no longer.
Your AT2s are just the start of your collecting, would post the pics of my tyre stash but these good peeps rise into a mob and riot on mass as the sight of so many wheels & tyres not alight is not right in their eyes!
Always good to hoard a stash! Go on post some pics. A bit of rioting is great once in a while!
27th Oct 2010 9:43 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 73100
OK if you absolutely insist!!
Click image to enlarge
That's for 2 D3s (mine & SWMBO's) and there were a couple of wheels & tyres that were elsewhere!
Had worked out there was 240,000 miles of tyre use there, used up 4 17" Contis since then but still 415k miles left (incl the 10 on/under the 2 cars).
27th Oct 2010 9:49 am
mattgreen
Member Since: 15 Sep 2009
Location: Worksop
Posts: 211
I think most "male dominated" hobbies or interests succumb to being an adult version of the Top Trumps game you played as a kid - "my tyre is better on type X snow", "your automatic gearbox is harder to fix in a desert than my manual", "your D3 if it goes wrong in Siberia can't be fixed with a whack from a lump hammer like my Defender"...
...I think we all spend a lot of money on things like vehicles, tyres and accessories and don't like to hear that someone else's kit might, just might, be better in any way, shape or form.
It starts at junior school in the playground!
Apparently, according to SWMBO, women-folk do not engage in this kind of "infantile one-up-man-ship" - instead I believe they bitch about each behind their backs....
27th Oct 2010 10:17 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 73100
They haven't discovered forums! When they do be afraid, be very afraid!!
27th Oct 2010 10:24 am
Ken
Member Since: 20 Feb 2006
Location: Here
Posts: 10865
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