Hi Folks, and don't laugh.

I've been on the hunt for new tyres and had a choice at my size (275x45xR20 110XL) of Pirelli or Good Years, both road biased tread patterns.

These were between 260-300 pounds each (AU$600ea).

Then the young lady said they also sold LingLong (never heard of them) in my size, 275x45xR20 L689 110XL. 125 pounds each (AU$250).

So I did some research and first off found they are sold in the UK and US, so they are not some Chinese special for Africa.

Then read some reviews. Mixed feedback but on the large L689 generally okay. Yokohama copies basically but the important feedback was, yes people would buy them again.

I went back to the tyre place and asked to see them side by side with Pirelli, and immediately saw and liked the chunkier tread pattern.

So I bought them as you can see:



Tyres are only good for between 25-30,000klms here (18,000miles)ish. So my logic is that even if I go through two sets of these, I'm ahead.

Ride is good. Road noise yes but on our roads that's not an issue!! Fuel economy, early days but no noticeable difference but as said too early.

I'll keep updating this with my views over the next few months.

Anybody else tried these?

Cheers, Jerry

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I had Linglongs on a car I bought. Absolutely horrific in the wet, and were promptly disposed of shortly afterwards

I presume it doesn't rain in Uganda? as Mike says Ling Long are just like Autogrip ok in the dry but widow makers in the rain......Be careful  The forums premier drug dealer and human trafficking consultant


Range Rover Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8, Range Rover Sport HSE 3.6TDV8, Audi S8 V10, Jaguar XKR Conv, Jaguar XJS V12 Conv, Land Rover Disco 3, Lexus LS 400 MkIV, Lexus LS400 Mk III.

Good point.

Its the dry season here so I dont know! Thanks for the warning.

Cheers, Jerry

If we don't hear back from you......

Indeed!

From what I've read, a lot of the lesser known brands tyres tend to have compounds which are more suited to warmer climates than the UK, so their softness /grip trends to be best at those higher temps. In the UK with our lower climate, the rubber becomes a little harder, as a result that translates into poorer grip, esp in the wet.

Another consequence is that people then imply that by default the tyres are poor all round when in reality, they simply might just not be suited to a particular climate like the UK, but could be great else where.

This bore out for me a little with a set of Accelera Iotas on a previous car. Their grip was less than a premium brand in the wet, but in the warmer days, their grip was as good as anything else I've had. That being said, it wasn't so bad that it was undrivable by any means.

I do like the look of the tread pattern on then. Be interested to hear how you get in with them. V8 or else ...

Iotas are another tyre I can't get along with. Had them on the back of my D3 in the past (I bought it with them fitted) and under anything other than very, very gentle driving, the car would try and oversteer on almost every corner. In the wet again, they were absolutely horrendous

All that said, I hadn't considered them for use in other climates, where they may well be a decent tyre. Not in this country though

I had mine on the freelander with 20" Alloys, I found the iota led to understeer on that. Could always feel the fronts starting to let slip. Don't remember the backs stepping out at all. V8 or else ...

fisha wrote:

From what I've read, a lot of the lesser known brands tyres tend to have compounds which are more suited to warmer climates than the UK, so their softness /grip trends to be best at those higher temps. In the UK with our lower climate, the rubber becomes a little harder, ......................................

Gday Jerry.
I'm still running 19" wheels, while I wait to afford some Compomotive 18" wheels.

I needed new tyres but didn't want to spend a bomb on a set if I was changing wheels.

I ended up with Chinese Winrun tyres, which look similar to a Bridgestone HT pattern, for about $135 AUD each fitted. On road they were a noticible improvement dry & wet. I just took them over about 100km of dirt road at HW speed with no sign for chips or slices.

So I'm very happy.
Pete ______________________________
Vogue tdv8 08MY poverty pack - wow

G'day Pete,

Interesting...........and encouraging!!

All okay with me at the moment but waiting for a long drive.

Cheers, Jerry

Had Linglong tyres on an Astra turbo coupe many years ago, worst tyre I've ever had. No grip at all and even worse in the wet, compound was so hard they didn't even wear out. The worst thing about them though was the safety issue, started to bulge and when checked the insides has started cracking even with 5mm tread left so they got binned and I never fitted cheap Chinese crap again! Two things you really can't go too cheap on is tyres and brakes. 2004 RR 4.4 V8 Autobiography

My main observation 5 months in, is they seem to struggle to hold the pressure for a long period of time.

I seemed to be pumping one of them up every couple of weeks.

Can't comment on what they are like in the wet, as believe it or not, have not driven it at speed in the wet as yet over a long distance

Cheers Jerry THIS WRECKAGE