Energy saving tyres

The_Deep

Yesterday the Memsahib had a brush with a kerb, a touch as light as a feather she assures me, and entirely the fault of the kerb. It is the second time in less than a year that an errant kerb has behaved thusly. The tyre cannot be repaired and a new one is required.

Apparently, these tyres increase one's fuel efficiency by a small amount, but are made of a very soft compound, and are as robust as the shell of a quail's egg.

I am puzzled, how do these tyres save energy when they need to be replaced each time you run over something thicker than an empty fag packet? Each tyre which is manufactured adds a little more pollution to the atmosphere above Clermont Ferrand.

Energy saving, my !!!!.

neilmcl

I'd be questioning your other half's driving skills rather than the robustness of the tyres.

Nodding_Donkey

I'd fit some van tyres, they are made to stand abuse.

Gloomendoom

The_Deep wrote: »

I am puzzled, how do these tyres save energy when they need to be replaced each time you run over something thicker than an empty fag packet? Each tyre which is manufactured adds a little more pollution to the atmosphere above Clermont Ferrand.

I think that they work on the same principle as modern energy saving condensing gas boilers.

OddballJamie

Put some Chinese ditchfinders on, they will be rock hard and last forever.

Although she may find the kerb more often with them on.

bod1467

The term you're looking for is Low Rolling Resistance, not Energy Efficient.

I have them on my Golf, and these are still the originals from when I got the car new (nearly 32K miles ago).

The_Deep

A former traffic cop has posted this on another forum


Low profile tyres and high performance tyres are the worst for side wall damage.
I once drove over a pen top and the metal clip went right through the tyre like a knife. Fuel saving tyres are only good value if you do mainly motorway driving, they start to work best, at speeds over 55 MPH They have very poor wear characteristics around town as the compound is prone to wear at low speed steering and parking. Fit an alternative if you can.

Quiet_Spark

The_Deep wrote: »

I am puzzled, how do these tyres save energy when they need to be replaced each time you run over something thicker than an empty fag packet?

They save energy by having a low rolling resistance (as already stated), but to achieve that they are made of rubber that is softer than an impotent males penis.
Consequently, if you catch something it does a lot more damage than something that can take abuse.

Tell your other half to either open their eyes or brush up on their special awareness skills if he/she keeps clouting something they should really be aware is there if you don't want to keep spending money (or buy them a £500 shed to drive around in).

Gloomendoom

I would have thought that a hard compound would offer the least rolling resistance. Like the steel tyre on a railway wagon, for example.

colino

Michelin energys used to be great tyres. Low rolling resistance and hard compound meant they lasted on the back of cooking hatchbacks for 40,000+ miles. Unfortunately with low profiles now getting silly, they aren't so good and in the wet you wish you weren't on such green tyres.

daveyjp

I have sensible sized Michelin Energy tyres on my MB. Wear rate of about 400 means they last 30,000 miles and no issues in the wet.