are my new cheap tyres safe

gilbert_and_sullivan

Its not as important as it used to be, in the days before ABS and when most cars were RWD then tyre choice was very important even if few seemed to bother at the time, mind you we didn't have the choice to fit Chinese tyres in those days.

forgotmyname

The issue i found was accelerating in the wet. A race away from the lights when raining and it was 50/50 between me and the double decker bus.

The bus pulls away and i sit there with the wheels spinning. Single decker not a chance they wont everytime.

They would slide on roundabouts also. But as most people have said its usually only when pushing it.

Not sure what the ABS has to do with it, If the ABS keeps kicking in because the cheap tyres keep losing grip the stopping distance can be huge.

Try using ABS in several inches of snow? It doesnt stop. Disable the ABS and lock the wheel and it stops in a shorter distance.

Totally the opposite on ice though.

Ultrasonic

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

Its not as important as it used to be, in the days before ABS and when most cars were RWD then tyre choice was very important even if few seemed to bother at the time, mind you we didn't have the choice to fit Chinese tyres in those days.

How long ago are we talking when most cars were rear wheel drive? I didn't realise there was a time when this was the case.

arcon5

forgotmyname wrote: »

The issue i found was accelerating in the wet. A race away from the lights when raining and it was 50/50 between me and the double decker bus.

The bus pulls away and i sit there with the wheels spinning. Single decker not a chance they wont everytime.

They would slide on roundabouts also. But as most people have said its usually only when pushing it.

You sure there's not an element of (lack of) skill there? :p

I do remember being alongside a young chap in a souped up car a while back, he kept glancing across and revving his engine ready to go. He was in the wrong lane and wanted to jump in front - until the lights turned amber and he stalled his car leaving all in the correct lane steadily progressing forward.

jase1

Ultrasonic wrote: »

How long ago are we talking when most cars were rear wheel drive? I didn't realise there was a time when this was the case.

In terms of "British" cars (i.e. British/Ford/Vauxhall), up to the early 1980s.

Most of the European manufacturers had moved to FWD about 10 years previously.

jase1

I'd still have budget tyres over old ones.

When I bought my Focus a few years back, it had an old spare wheel (with "new" Bridgestone tyres) on one corner, and a Triangle on the other (both front). One wheel was spinning in the wet; you'd think it'd be the budget tyre but no, it was the Bridgestone.

Overaged, and the rubber had hardened.

jase1

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

Its not as important as it used to be, in the days before ABS and when most cars were RWD then tyre choice was very important even if few seemed to bother at the time, mind you we didn't have the choice to fit Chinese tyres in those days.

True, but the remoulds of the time were orders of magnitude worse than any Chinese import!

londonTiger

I would personally be happier with branded part worns. I don't know anything about hifly but a lot of these unknown tyre brands are just re moulds of part worns.

Nothing wrong with part worns as long as they are sold legally, e. G. Stamped as part worns and supplied with receipt. A lot of illegal part worns are sold cash in hand without receipts, which means they're evading vat and you cannot go back to them if things go wrong.

photome

londonTiger wrote: »

I would personally be happier with branded part worns. I don't know anything about hifly but a lot of these unknown tyre brands are just re moulds of part worns.

Nothing wrong with part worns as long as they are sold legally, e. G. Stamped as part worns and supplied with receipt. A lot of illegal part worns are sold cash in hand without receipts, which means they're evading vat and you cannot go back to them if things go wrong.

where do you get your information from, or do you just make things up

Ultrasonic

jase1 wrote: »

In terms of "British" cars (i.e. British/Ford/Vauxhall), up to the early 1980s.

Most of the European manufacturers had moved to FWD about 10 years previously.

That's really interesting. I don't want to drag this thread violently off-topic, but any idea what caused the change?

Back on-topic, just thought I'd mention that the worst tyres I've ever had were branded. They were the pair of Pirelli P6000 tyres that were on the rear of my car when I bought it, and still with at least 6 mm of tread. I'd never had any views on tyres at all before these, but they were scary in the wet, most notably in terms of poor lateral grip. And I'm not talking when driving like a lunatic, I'm talking driving round a roundabout at speeds that would normally be no problem. I'm not alone in this view either (see here).

Those Pirellis were what made me start looking at tyre test results before buying tyres. Would I blindly by the cheapest tyres on sale? No. But then I wouldn't blindly buy branded tyres either.