new tyres - advice

mikey72

Nankangs aren't bad tyres normally.

My daughter has a pair of Nankangs, and a pair of Federals on her classic mini. The Nankang (summer) tyres weren't good on the ice and slow last year though, despite being good in the wet and dry.
The Federals were a lot better for grip, on sheet ice and loose snow. Still only summer tyres though.
(Nothing like throwing a new driver of 4 months in at the deep end, digging the car out, de-icing the inside as well a the outside, while trying to go in a direction of her choice)

grizzly1911

mikey72 wrote: »

Nothing like throwing a new driver of 4 months in at the deep end, digging the car out, de-icing the inside as well a the outside....

I was expecting you to say you then got in a drove it off;)

property.advert

nomobel wrote: »

I would recommend Michelin Energy Saving Tyres, according to WHICH you save the tyres cost in petrol.

Utter rubbish tyres. I bought a car with them on and threw them away after a month or so. They are now glorified vegetable pots in a greenhouse and doing a far better job there than on the car.

No transmission of feel from these tyres, poor road holding and a skittish drive. Worse in the wet. I would not dare think about winter and snow etc.

I went to Uniroyal Rainsport 2 on 205/55/R16 and got them balanced and fitted with valves etc. for about £260 for 4 from Best Buy tyres, fitted through Merityres.

I wanted tyres good for difficult conditions such as wet, shingle etc. and these just glue to the road. They are on a 2007 Astra.

As for which tyres, I would buy the best you can. You won't miss an extra tenner or twenty a corner over the years you will keep them but you will miss their traction when you go spinning into the wall / other car etc. because you bought crap cheap tyres.

andygb

property.advert wrote: »

As for which tyres, I would buy the best you can. You won't miss an extra tenner or twenty a corner over the years you will keep them but you will miss their traction when you go spinning into the wall / other car etc. because you bought crap cheap tyres.

I really wonder how you people drive, that makes you believe that a reputable tyre from a top manufacturer will have you flying off the road. I have driven on race tracks including a nice, long, testing circuit in Germany, well known for occassional showers;), and although I have had a few "moments", they were as a result of taking the car to the absolute limit, in the knowledge that if anything went wrong, it was down to me, and would probably not involve anyone else.
I am not a slow driver on the road, but I am not reckless, and I have used all major tyre brands, and can honestly say, that for the last twenty years have not had a seriously scary moment on the road which was down to me.
I use Pirelli 6000 at the moment (have done for the last 90K miles on this car), and they seem to be the subject of criticism and urban mythology.
I suggest that in 99% of cases it is the driver to blame, for failing to drive in accordance with the conditions at the time.

mikey72

grizzly1911 wrote: »

I was expecting you to say you then got in a drove it off;)

She did, every day.
Scuffed one rim with the Nanknag on when it slid into a pavement, she touched the brakes and the front went, then we swopped the federals to the front and she was fine. She was doing a walking pace at the time, it was just the ice and the camber of the road. Best grip on the front works for us.

property.advert wrote: »

Utter rubbish tyres. I bought a car with them on and threw them away after a month or so. They are now glorified vegetable pots in a greenhouse and doing a far better job there than on the car..........................As for which tyres, I would buy the best you can. You won't miss an extra tenner or twenty a corner over the years you will keep them but you will miss their traction when you go spinning into the wall / other car etc. because you bought crap cheap tyres.

I have a Zafira with Michelin Energy 3 on.
They seem as good as any tyre after 20, 000 miles, and I always drive with the car full, and like I stole it.
Never had a problem wet or dry, the only thing they don't like is the ice, but that's comparing them to the Nokians I have for winter, so they probably are as good as any in reallity.

flyingscotno1

ailuro2 wrote: »

I don't understand how a company can make all weather tyres - since it's not just the tread pattern but the compounds used that make a winter tyre stop sooner and grip better in cold weather. Thsoe same compoiunds would work differently in summer temperatures, so I'm dubious.

I've got all seasons. They will run out of grip at the limit in the summer if you hoon around the roads, and again, on snow a winter tyre can go a lot faster, but they'll grip where as a summer tyre is all at sea. They might not be a master of anything but they are a decent compromise in my experience of using Nokians. Most of them will use a silica compound (I guess slightly harder to not wear during summer) and have a tread pattern that deals with snow conditions on one part of the tyre and summer/ water on others. Hankook did a good video at one time showing how the tread on their all season works but I can't find it.

As an aside I dislike low rolling resistance 'save fuel' tyres. Always found them quicker to lose grip in the wet.