Tyres Advice - Which ones to change

CrispyUK

Evening First time I've needed to worry about my tyres (aside from checking pressures) so hoping for some advice from those more experienced

I've got a Peugeot 307 which I've had for almost 2yrs and done 20k miles in, car is 4.5yrs old / 40k miles in total. Car has full set of Dunlop SP Sport 300 tyres which were on when I bought the car - I don't know if they're the factory original set or if they were changed in the hands of the original owner.

One front tyre was on the MOT advisory note as near legal limit in Sep 08 and both front tyres are now down to the wear indicators.

Have just checked rear tyres and they have around 3.5mm tread. Spare tyre is unused with 8mm of tread.

Fronts <2mm, Rears 3.5mm, Spare 8mm.

Fronts definitely need replacing, although I've read best tyres should go on the back so would I need to move the 3.5mm onto the front and get new on the rear? Or are the rears low enough that it would make more sense to just get them all changed together?

Should I rotate the spare into the mix somewhere or leave that be?

Looking at replacing with identical tyres, about £60/corner from blackcircles and the like, or Continental Premium Contact's are also on the recommended list on the car - pricing v. similar - any suggestions as to which are better?

Will also need to have the alignment/tracking checked out, left to it's own devices the car does pull to the left - anyone know how much the blackcircles fitting locations typically charge for this?

All hints/advice/suggestions gratefully received

hewhoisnotintheknow

always put new ones on the rear and rotate

get the dodgy ones replaced asap

Alias_Omega

I personally,

When putting new tyres on, take the rears and put them on the front, new tyres on the back.

And always try to keep the same tyres on the same axel if i have a miss match.

The car will pull to the left as the roads are shaped that way, otherwise rain water will not leave the road.

The choice is yours..

maniac886

CrispyUK wrote: »

Evening First time I've needed to worry about my tyres (aside from checking pressures) so hoping for some advice from those more experienced

I've got a Peugeot 307 which I've had for almost 2yrs and done 20k miles in, car is 4.5yrs old / 40k miles in total. Car has full set of Dunlop SP Sport 300 tyres which were on when I bought the car - I don't know if they're the factory original set or if they were changed in the hands of the original owner.

One front tyre was on the MOT advisory note as near legal limit in Sep 08 and both front tyres are now down to the wear indicators.

Have just checked rear tyres and they have around 3.5mm tread. Spare tyre is unused with 8mm of tread.

Fronts <2mm, Rears 3.5mm, Spare 8mm.

Fronts definitely need replacing, although I've read best tyres should go on the back so would I need to move the 3.5mm onto the front and get new on the rear? Or are the rears low enough that it would make more sense to just get them all changed together?

Should I rotate the spare into the mix somewhere or leave that be?

Looking at replacing with identical tyres, about £60/corner from blackcircles and the like, or Continental Premium Contact's are also on the recommended list on the car - pricing v. similar - any suggestions as to which are better?

Will also need to have the alignment/tracking checked out, left to it's own devices the car does pull to the left - anyone know how much the blackcircles fitting locations typically charge for this?

All hints/advice/suggestions gratefully received

You may be best getting the 4 wheel alignment done. Not all the fitting stations will have this service so it may be best to ring a few of the local fitting stations before you buy the tyres.

Or get a local fitting station not associated with BC who does 4 wheel tracking to price match or beat BC's price.

beaker141

I would get the spare into the mix somewhere, how about buying 3 new tyres, and putting your best 3.5mm one in as the spare and bringing the spare out as the 4th new one ?

I also always rotate and put the ones from the back onto the front, and new ones onto the back - If you don't then the ones on the rear tend to last forever and end up perishing more than wearing in my opinion.

mikey72

I would put the spare and a new tyre on the back, the old ones on the front, and keep the best of the old fronts as a spare.
If the tyres aren't worn unevenly I would then take the car for a drive and see if it still pulls before spending on the tracking.
Some pull to the left is normal, as the car follows the camber of the road.
Does it still pull if you drive down the centre of a road, (on a quiet road)?

fatbelly

CrispyUK wrote: »

Looking at replacing with identical tyres, about £60/corner from blackcircles and the like, or Continental Premium Contact's are also on the recommended list on the car - pricing v. similar - any suggestions as to which are better?

I used these on a Skoda Fabia and while they performed OK, they didn't last long.

Now using Michelin Energy

CrispyUK

Thanks all so far does the rotation just involve changing the whole wheels around (alloys + tyre) or do the alloys need to stay where they are and have the tyres moved between them? (cars are a black art to me give me a computer and I'm fine!)

Just wondering if the cost of the rotation and getting the spare changed onto a alloy will be a false economy with the rears approaching the recommended 3mm and having to do more juggling in a few months - over just getting them all changed now.

Regarding the alignment - car hasn't been used much over the past 2-3 months but I seem to recall it still doing it on flat / centre of the roads and needing to hold the wheel a little to the right to maintain a straight path.

Thanks for comments on the Conti. tyres - Bridgestone ER30's were also the recommended list but these look to be an extra £10/corner.

goldspanners

leave the spare where it is and ask for a discount on buying 4 tyres, much more of a chance than when only buying 2 or 3. get the quote from black circles fitted and then phone local garages and ask them to beat the price on a similar tyre.

Hintza

I would be tempted to use the spare before it gets too old (but is it on an alloy or a steel?). Goldie is correct 4 will probably work out cheaper.

But if money was really tight I might be tempted to get the spare out rotate the two rears to the front and buy 1 new tyre. But you will be back again for another 2 in a month or so and of course you will have reduced breaking in the wet and you run the danger of leaving to others too long and getting nicked.

Mark_Hewitt

CrispyUK wrote: »

I've got a Peugeot 307 which I've had for almost 2yrs and done 20k miles in, car is 4.5yrs old / 40k miles in total. Car has full set of Dunlop SP Sport 300 tyres which were on when I bought the car - I don't know if they're the factory original set or if they were changed in the hands of the original owner.

They would be pretty bad if they'd worn out in 20k. 40k seems about normal to need to change the tyres. My fronts on my fiesta lasted until 30k, but then I did drive it pretty hard.

One front tyre was on the MOT advisory note as near legal limit in Sep 08 and both front tyres are now down to the wear indicators.

Have just checked rear tyres and they have around 3.5mm tread. Spare tyre is unused with 8mm of tread.

Fronts <2mm, Rears 3.5mm, Spare 8mm.

Fronts definitely need replacing, although I've read best tyres should go on the back so would I need to move the 3.5mm onto the front and get new on the rear? Or are the rears low enough that it would make more sense to just get them all changed together?

tbh, yes. If you can possibly stretch to it, then get them all changed together, as you're going to have to get it done anyway, and as others have said you often get a discount if you're buying 4 tyres rather than 2.

But it depends on your personal circumstances. I just replaced 2 tyres because I was just working part time, but the rears really needed changing not long after that.

It bears repeating that the tyres are probably the most important safety aspect of the car, they are the only contact you have with the road after all.