Tyres/car

guitarman001

No main message here, general list of things:

a) the cost of tyres seems to have gone through the roof? I had Continentals on my car when I bought it which were great... last year (or maybe two years ago) I got Kumhos which are GUFF, but they were something like £55 a tyre. Now I'm looking at £550 to get 4 Continentals fitted via Blackcircle! Ridiculous cost!!

b) Considered getting it all done at Costco as I hear they do deals, but I'd have to be a chartered engineer to be a member - I'm senior as is, I don't know why they'd require me to be chartered. Don't know if it's worth speaking to them (only just looked at the website).

c) Car is an 07 plate, Ford Focus and done 47k miles. Always said I was going to run it into the ground. It's paid off. Maybe get 100k+ miles out of it? I always see people trading in every 3-4 years as after that time the value goes downhill (obviously goes down faster right away if it's a new car) - would I be best off trading in or just run it into the ground and try to save for another car in 6+ years' time. Tricky!

d) I also need wheel trims and a ford badge for the front of my car (yes, somebody stole it!) - any recommendations?

chris-j

Costco membership covers wide range of jobs and you can be retired, best to go into Warehouse and speak to staff at membership desk.
Costco tend to just do Michelin tyres and do 20% offers sometimes but not always.
Could try ASDA they now do tyres online using similar model as Black Circles.

McCoy

I think the price on most things has gone up in the last few years to be honest!

As for keeping the car, I'd keep it for as long as it's giving you good service. Buying a new car is a costly experience so I'd be inclined to advise anyone on a 'normal' budget to hang onto their car until it becomes unfeasible to keep it any longer.

Personally mine is a 54 on 84,000 miles that runs perfectly, and I have every intention of 'running it into the ground' as you say or at least keep it until circumstances require me to change it.

I tend to think people change their cars too early anyway if I'm honest.

forgotmyname

The value goes down a lot more in the 1st 3 years than it will after 3 years.

In 2009 i paid just over £2000 for a 2004 mondeo and its easily worth more than half what i paid.
I have Khumo's and they are good tyres. But i have the old models. Seems the newer 912's is it are not as good.

2007 with only 47k miles = risk of too many short journeys for me. Add 50,000 - 70,000 this year and i will give you £2000 for it...

But i bet you dont service it often enough for my liking either.

A._Badger

For the past seven or eight years I've found it cheaper to buy tyres online (usually from Camskill) and pay a local garage to fit them. I also find that, for me, premium brands like Continental and Michelin are not worth the premium prices.

IME good mid-range tyre (I've settled on Toyos for both mine - a Honda Accord and an MX-5) seem more than adequate too. £550 to re-shoe a Ford Focus strikes me as pretty bonkers.

guitarman001

I get a full service once a year.. not enough??
You reckon I've not driven enough to drive out all the kinks with the car?

I agree, I think it's an expensive process getting a new car - probably best keeping what I've got for as long as possible!

The Kumho's I've got (had them for about 18 months perhaps) are already worn down and with some cracks appearing in the rubber! I have A-one's on the back which seem to be lasting longer - so thankfully I only need two front tyres.

Thanks for the tyre recommendations!

£550 is a total rip-off... the price of things in general has definitely shot up..!

[Deleted User]

Op sounds like my grandad who thinks any car that has done more than 20K miles is on it's last legs and only fit for the scrapper. :rotfl:

He does less than 2K a year along the doors.

guitarman001

I think it'll be good up to 80-100k before I see anything big needing changed! Getting up to 150k would be most excellent..

Splott

guitarman001 wrote: »

Now I'm looking at £550 to get 4 Continentals fitted via Blackcircle! Ridiculous cost!!

£360 inc delivery for four 215/55 R16 93H tyres for my MK4 Mondeo for the Goodyear Efficientgrip which are what Ford now fit on Focuses. Or I could get four Vredestein Spotrac 5 for £300 inc delivery. Those tyres were first and second place in Auto Express's 2012 tyre tests.

Both of those are from Camskill. I would then have to pay a local tyre fitter chain £15 per wheel to fit and balance so £430 for the Goodyears, £360 for the Vredesteins in total delivered and fitted/balanced. Camskill have excellent customer service. My wife uses them a lot for her import car.

Those tyres were first and second place in Auto Express's 2012 tyre tests.

Gilbert2

Splott wrote: »

£360 inc delivery for four 215/55 R16 93H tyres for my MK4 Mondeo for the Goodyear Efficientgrip which are what Ford now fit on Focuses. Or I could get four Vredestein Spotrac 5 for £300 inc delivery. Those tyres were first and second place in Auto Express's 2012 tyre tests.

Both of those are from Camskill. I would then have to pay a local tyre fitter chain £15 per wheel to fit and balance so £430 for the Goodyears, £360 for the Vredesteins in total delivered and fitted/balanced. Camskill have excellent customer service. My wife uses them a lot for her import car.

Those tyres were first and second place in Auto Express's 2012 tyre tests.

£430! Wow, you got done!

I guess you're from Cardiff? Splott!

If so, your Goodyears would have been £330 all in at Windway, Grangetown.

Never mind!:D

Edit: Even Halfords Auto would have come in at £420 with discount code simply googled!!

forgotmyname

My car has a recommended service interval of 12,000 miles. Yet the previous owner had an oil change every 6000 - 8000 miles between the services.

Even though my yearly mileage is not as high i still get the oil changed every 4000 - 6000 miles.

The recommended interval is just that a recommendation for someone that cares little about what happens after the warranty expires.

Cars benefit from extra oil changes. Difference between some getting to 120k and are worn out and ones that hit 300k and still going strong.