are my new cheap tyres safe

Ultrasonic

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.

That just has to be absolute nonsense, because if nothing else there would be absolutely no reason whatsoever for a tyre company to do that. If they wanted to rip off another tyre manufacturer's tread pattern why on earth would they not do so from a brand new tyre???

Tread pattern is not the only factor affecting tyre performance of course, the rubber compound is very important.

Imp

Going to a dealer's web site, which is required to show the EU tyre performance rating, HiFlys are E for ecconomy, C for wet grip and B for noise.

A Pirelli P4 Cinturtato is an F for ecconomy and E for wet grip but is a well known brand and more expensive.

worried123

Imp hi

That is reassuring. I suppose the bottom line is they are budget tyres and will probably behave as such but they will not land me in a ditch either if I drive sensibly....

From what others have said, I think i did the right thing buying four new budget tyres - all tracked and balanced.....than buying partly worn branded quality ones......I suppose that like everything in life you get what you pay for..

Thank you to everyone again...

forgotmyname

arcon5 wrote: »

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

Cheeky sod :rotfl:

No, I can minimise wheelspin if i want. Just emphasising the fact of the lower amount of grip with the budget tyres.
I fitted the Khumo's and i did wonder if my car had lost power. You had to provoke wheelspin after.

Go and fix yer mondeo :T

OddballJamie

Imp wrote: »

Going to a dealer's web site, which is required to show the EU tyre performance rating, HiFlys are E for ecconomy, C for wet grip and B for noise.

A Pirelli P4 Cinturtato is an F for ecconomy and E for wet grip but is a well known brand and more expensive.

Problem with the 'EU rating' is that the tyre companies self rate their tyres.

It's the equivalent of the 'claimed' mpg figures that car manufacturers seem to produce from running a stripped out car down a hill.

worried123

I must admit that these tyres seem more `plasticky` than rubbery if that makes sense.......I know that i will be nervous driving in icy conditions.....

photome

worried123 wrote: »

I must admit that these tyres seem more `plasticky` than rubbery if that makes sense.......I know that i will be nervous driving in icy conditions.....

unless you fit winter tyres or studs/chains for extreme conditions it wont make the slightest difference what tyres you have on in icy conditions

gilbert_and_sullivan

Ultrasonic wrote: »

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

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).

.

That just shows how a tyre can be excellent on one car and hopeless on another.

I had P6000's on a very fast Mercedes estate, they were a superb tyre on that car, soft riding and stuck to the road like the proverbial regardless of conditions, you couldn't unstick it.

306chris

photome wrote: »

unless you fit winter tyres or studs/chains for extreme conditions it wont make the slightest difference what tyres you have on in icy conditions

Echo this. I had mucho fun trying to drive a FWD hatch with goodyear eagle F1's in the snow. Brilliant tyres in every other sense though.

nickj_2

if the cost you paid was "a deal" then it doesn't sound like much of a deal for cheap branded tyres , you haven't said what size tyres you got but for Tyre Size 175/65T14 , you could get goodyear, dunlop or continental for around the same price from kwik fit. , unless your car is a ferarri or range rover i don't think it's much of a deal