What happened to cheap tyres?

mikey72

So how do you all rate CEAT tyres?
Biggest manufacturer in India.
Better or worse than chinese?

Since Toyo have been mentioned, they have a very big manufacturing presence in China, and own several chinese tyre companies.
They also have joint agreements with Continental, and Goodyear.
The chinese aren't a garden shed operation any more.

jase1

mikey72 wrote: »

So how do you all rate CEAT tyres?
Biggest manufacturer in India.
Better or worse than chinese?

Since Toyo have been mentioned, they have a very big manufacturing presence in China, and own several chinese tyre companies.
They also have joint agreements with Continental, and Goodyear.

Never used CEAT tyres so cannot really judge. However the Apollo Accelere seems to be a very good budget/mid-range tyre and I'd be inclined to give them a go at some point -- I believe they are also Indian (so are Vredestein these days aren't they?).

Just about everyone owns factories in China, but they are different to the private label products coming out of there.

I recently bought a cheap wheel from ebay that I am going to use as a "winter spare" (the illogic of running four winter tyres and having a summer spare isn't lost on me). But it came with an almost brand-new "Triangle" summer tyre on it (the bobbles are still visible in places so it looks like it was only run for a couple of hundred miles). I wouldn't normally use tyres like this but it seems a shame to waste this tyre so I was going to use it as a summer spare possibly. I might put it on the car for a while for a larf, and possibly experience what everyone is talking about with these "unsafe" "ditchfinders" lol.

mikey72

I have two cars with Hero on the back, chinese but owned by Federal of Taiwan, and a heavy tie in with Bridgestone, then Sumitomo so good technology as well.
.
Seem excellent tyres both in summer and winter.

Apollo bought Vredestein, so yes, instant access to one of the best tyre makers technolgy.

mikey72

Update on Ling Long test summer 2011.
Done by an independent test centre, not by continental.
I think we can put chinese budget tyres being rubbish to bed at last now.

http://www.tyrepress.com/News/51/China/22819.html

http://www.autoinfo.gov.cn/autoinfo_eng/latest/webinfo/2011/05/1304750113617334.htm

"Overall Linglong got 7.6 total, ranking fourth out of all the tested brands after Continental, Goodyear and Pirelli."

"China's Linglong Tyre scored 7.6 In Summer Tyre Test 2011 recently conducted by Test World Oy, Finland, winning out over international big names such as Dunlop, Michelin and Bridgestone with good comprehensive performance, according to a company statement."

"Generally speaking, Linglong tires were calm, comfort with impressive rolling-resistance, commented the Finnish testing company."

And before we accuse them of lieing, I think the other tyre manufacturers would have done by now if it wasn't a true test.

grizzly1911

jase1 wrote: »

There are still a lot of crappy tyres around, and the fact that most of these are Chinese (by virtue of the fact that most cheaper tyres are Chinese in general) the myth that *all* budget/Chinese tyres are useless continues.

As I said earlier, even on Continental's own figures, the Nankang tyre was less than 5% away from Continental's premium offering -- to be honest, at Nankang's prices, I'd quite happily take those figures on a second car.

If I could by a tyre shipped directly form China I might be worried.

On the basis I am buying from a longstanding local dealer or a major high street name i am happy to buy any tyre that meets the specification for the car.

My first car had cross plys:eek:

grizzly1911

jase1 wrote: »

What I've never been able to get with this "ditchfinder" debate, is that the sole piece of "evidence" people have is that the cheapest tyres don't perform as well as the best.

Well, is that surprising? At what point does a "ditchfinder" become a "decent" tyre? If a Dunlop SP FastResponse takes longer to stop in the wet than a Continental SportContact 2, does that make the Dunlop a ditchfinder? If said Continental with 1.8mm of tread is outperformed by a brand-new Nankang NS2 (and it probably would be), does that make the Conti a "ditchfinder"?

A dangerous product is not something with a relatively low specification, it's something that is likely to fail in a catastrophic way. I see no real evidence to suggest that this happens with any regularity.

If a less grippy tyre in 2mm of rain performs the same way as a better one with 4mm of rain, then the driver on the less grippy tyres simply needs to drive the car as the driver of the better tyres would in 4mm of rain. Job done.

IMO tyre is the scapegoat for the "ditchfinder".

I know my car will easily exceed the national speed limit it is designed to do so doesn't mean I have too. Sorry officer it was designed to do that.

Strider590

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2c9Ry0JfMw

Can we stop arguing now?

mikey72

Not exactly new, that's the report from post #38, now put into context by independent testing this year against other premium brands.

mikey72

Here in fact

mikey72 wrote: »

Update on Ling Long test summer 2011.
Done by an independent test centre, not by continental.
I think we can put chinese budget tyres being rubbish to bed at last now.

http://www.tyrepress.com/News/51/China/22819.html

http://www.autoinfo.gov.cn/autoinfo_eng/latest/webinfo/2011/05/1304750113617334.htm

"Overall Linglong got 7.6 total, ranking fourth out of all the tested brands after Continental, Goodyear and Pirelli."

"China's Linglong Tyre scored 7.6 In Summer Tyre Test 2011 recently conducted by Test World Oy, Finland, winning out over international big names such as Dunlop, Michelin and Bridgestone with good comprehensive performance, according to a company statement."

"Generally speaking, Linglong tires were calm, comfort with impressive rolling-resistance, commented the Finnish testing company."

And before we accuse them of lieing, I think the other tyre manufacturers would have done by now if it wasn't a true test.

flyingscotno1

What is confusing is that not all budget tyres are crap, not all premium tyres are good. Perhaps more chance of a lemon at the bottom end of the market, but sometimes even the premium brands have 'dodgy tyres'. For example Nankang's winter tyres were worse for grip in snow performance than Hankook and Vredesteins all seasons. It does make it tricky to compare brands and ultimately price is a big factor. (the new S Mark regs will help this however with wet grip A-G ratings)

Interesting that Linglong managed a good test result there because in Auto Bild's tests (and they are fairly decently performed too) they finished last with a do not buy recommendation! The winner of that test was out of interest Hankook- not the premiums! Perhaps a different type.

I like to check my tyres out since I got stung once for a set of budgets that were horrendous in the wet. Twice I nearly swapped ends on roundabouts at 20mph. I switched them to the front and it was no better- massive understeer. Loaned the car to my Dad to see what he thought and we realised the tyres were recycled rubber bands.

For my tyre size the budget Linglongs, Capitol, HiFly are usually around £45-50, Toyo, Hankook and Barum are £55-65 and Continental, Michelin are £80+. I prefer to go for middle of the road which for me I find an easier choice and the best balance of performance and price. I have Hankooks all round at the moment and they are excellent, no different from the manufacturers Continentals.