High Price vs Low Price Tyres, what's the difference?

Ultrasonic

Some info on EU standardised tests here:

http://www.blackcircles.com/general/tyre-labelling/tyre-testing

I'm inclined to trust them from major tyre manufacturers, but am more sceptical of ratings from low budget imports.

jase1

Ultrasonic wrote: »

I don't believe so. Yes, definitely look at independent tests as well, but when you do you'll find there is a pretty good correlation between these test results and the EU tyre label ratings.

With that being the case, can you explain why the Toyo T1-R is rated two grades lower than a cheap Goodride, as I mentioned in my thread of a couple of years ago linked above?

No system worth its salt would throw up such a ridiculous anomaly.

jase1

Ultrasonic wrote: »

As it happens I never used to pay any attention to tyres. When I bought my current car it had P6000s on the rear which changed all that. Scary tyres.

I have P6000s on the front of the Mondeo just now; I wouldn't call them scary particularly (in the sense that I've never had them lose grip) but the usual feedback from the steering wheel is curiously missing; it feels as if the tyres are underinflated when they aren't.

I don't like them, and they're going on the back as soon as I can justify buying a new pair for the front, but they're more 'meh' than actually scary IMO.

AdrianC

jase1 wrote: »

With that being the case, can you explain why the Toyo T1-R is rated two grades lower than a cheap Goodride, as I mentioned in my thread of a couple of years ago linked above?

No system worth its salt would throw up such a ridiculous anomaly.

I think Ultrasonic already did...

Ultrasonic wrote: »

I'm inclined to trust them from major tyre manufacturers, but am more sceptical of ratings from low budget imports.

Remember that these are self-certified tests, and need to be performed by every tyre manufacturer for every tyre model in every available size - with a few low-volume exceptions. Care to try to police that? No, nor me.

jase1

AdrianC wrote: »

I think Ultrasonic already did...

But then how can he disagree that the ratings are worthless?

As long as they are self-certified these ratings are nothing more than marketing BS.

Iceweasel

AdrianC wrote: »

Remember that these are self-certified tests, and need to be performed by every tyre manufacturer for every tyre model in every available size - with a few low-volume exceptions. Care to try to police that? No, nor me.

I think it would be best if some keen individual who is unhappy with the present/current/new labelling system were to contact all the different manufacturers and tyre factories - and just ask them straight -

"Exactly what tests do you perform and how do you evaluate them?"

Here's a list of factories to be going on with, shouldn't take too long.

http://www.carbibles.com/tyremanufacturercodes.html

AdrianC

jase1 wrote: »

As long as they are self-certified these ratings are nothing more than marketing BS.

It depends on how much you trust the manufacturers to conform to the legally defined testing regime. Personally, I think he has it about right. The bigger, reputable manufascturers will do so. Their reputation is too important and valuable. But the shonkier end of the market...? What reputation?

jase1

AdrianC wrote: »

It depends on how much you trust the manufacturers to conform to the legally defined testing regime. Personally, I think he has it about right. The bigger, reputable manufascturers will do so. Their reputation is too important and valuable. But the shonkier end of the market...? What reputation?

Given that this thread is discussing cheap vs premium tyres, I think the fact that the system is open to abuse is enough to discount the EU system when it comes to the specific comparison being discussed.

Even between (and within) quality brands, there will be marketing incentive to differentiate between different models from the same manufacturer. So no, I don't trust the big names either to put out ratings that can be compared with other manufacturers.

Ultrasonic

If I worked for say Bridgestone and thought that Dunlop were grossly overstating the performance of their tyres then I would buy some Dunlop tyres and repeat the tests to the agreed standards. If the results were confirmed to be wildly out then I would consider taking Dunlop to court. I would suggest that this sort of possibility will keep the major tyre manufacturers fairly honest.

As I posted earlier, the fact that tyre manufacturers do not all claim to produce AA rated tyres is also some evidence that they aren't completely fabricated. There are no tyres rated A for fuel economy for my car for instance.

jase1

I think we'll just have to agree that our respective positions on the ability of manufacturers to use self-certified 'standards' as marketing tools, are different and will not reconcile.