Tyres

Wig

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

Now roughly speaking the ONLY contact between youselves and the road is an area about the size of a dinner plate (all 4 tyre footprints).

And some are prepared to risk all in the wet and ice cold streets and open roads by saving ten or twenty quid per tyre between carefully puchased quality tyres and Chinese ditchfinders ...........amazes the hell out of me.

And some people over react, and believe everything the brandname sheep tell them.

Some people try out cheaper tyres, find them to be no different even in hard braking.

Some people don't drive like nutters, so ditches remain on the side of the road not underneath the car.

Some people who drive 50K+ miles a year do try cheaper tyres and are in a position to do a mileage comparison, because they keep tyre fitting reciepts and can check all the data, and low and behold there is no difference between brand name and cheap in terms of mileage gained.

Some people trust the new tyre regulations of safety type approval for all tyres on sale. <<< imagine that! What a crazy idea.

Some people realise that Hankook used to be viewed in the same way as the Chinese brands are today, and are now one of the most respected brands on the market.

(thread bumped for other user)

gilbert_and_sullivan

Wig wrote: »

And some people over react, and believe everything the brandname sheep tell them.

Some people try out cheaper tyres, find them to be no different even in hard braking.

Some people don't drive like nutters, so ditches remain on the side of the road not underneath the car.

Some people who drive 50K+ miles a year do try cheaper tyres and are in a position to do a mileage comparison, because they keep tyre fitting reciepts and can check all the data, and low and behold there is no difference between brand name and cheap in terms of mileage gained.

Some people trust the new tyre regulations of safety type approval for all tyres on sale. <<< imagine that! What a crazy idea.

Some people realise that Hankook used to be viewed in the same way as the Chinese brands are today, and are now one of the most respected brands on the market.

Strangely enough when it comes to something our lives depend on us sheep tend to have trust in companies that have been making these things for generations,we're not talking about a t shirt with somebody else's name on.


Good luck to people who have tried out other makes of consumables and found them as good, however it doesn't follow that everything made in the same part of the world will be as good.

Utopia is a wonderful place to live where you never have to brake hard on a salted freezing road because no one else uses the roads
, 'nutters' (as you call them) behind the wheel exist and sometimes we all have to take evasive action, thats when we find out just how good things are.

Still for the time being we still have choice, so for some people it will be cheapest is always best and there is nothing wrong that.

However for some people the choice is to buy cheap for some products, and to buy trusted and proven products that are important safety items, and in my opinion tyres and brakes are the most important safety items on a vehicle.

Oddly enough put a bit of effort into searching and quality products can be found at very little extra cost.

Lifeis2Short

I am really struggling with what I have just read.

I accept that we buy cars today based on what we can afford. The reason we all look on this website is to save money, there is no denying that. However, there is saving money and there are making poor financial decisions that you may regret for a long time.

I am not for a minute going to suggest that you must buy the most expensive tyre for your car but, I will say that you should always buy the best tyre for your budget. I say this because our lifes' and that of our loved ones are too precious.

These 'expensive' car tyres do not cost alot because the companies want to make a stupid amount of profit, they cost alot because they spend a lot of money on research and development. This means that we get a safer tyre (in terms of grip, performance and puncture resistance) that provides a longer life span and sometimes, increased fuel efficiency which is very important to us all at the moment. They also want you to continue to purchase their brand because you believe that you have gained the best value for money.

I have run Michelin tyres on my car for years and I would never turn back. The reason? Because in 104,000miles, I have changed 4 tyres and they still have plenty of life left in them, they provide excellent grip and I have not had any issues with them, not so much as a puncture. I have used the same make and model car (hire car) on another make of tyre and I could not believe the difference in stopping distances and grip, lets just say its the first time I saw my life flash in front of my eyes.

Take it from someone who does a lot of miles, go for the best tyre you can afford. I don't mean just Michelin, do some research. All the major brands have websites, they can not legally claim anything, such as fuel efficiency or braking distances, without the backing research. Speak to a major tyre supplier such as ATS as discuss your needs and budget with them.

I good tyre supplier will recommend a tyre for more than its price. They will also recommend that you change your tyres in axle sets and replace the rear tyres in order to obtain the best grip. Call the tyre manufacture for more advise on this.

Look at Which magazine, they will have completed surveys on car tyres and all their research is completly independent.

When you have found the right tyre for you, then go and neogtiate the price with as many companies as you can. Take out the extras that you don't need such as valves, that will always save you a few £'s. If your tyres don't loose pressure per say then your valve doesn't need replacing.

Check out the correct running pressure for your tyres with the manufacturer. If you do choose a Chinese brand, good luck with calling the manufacture for basic running requirements for their tyres!!! Avoid buying part worns, there is a reason why people have taken these tyres off there car and as for scrap yard, why do you think the car is in the scrap yard in the first place?? Also, you should not be able to buy car remoulds as they are not legal in the UK.

Finally, the legal limit for car tyres is 1.6mm. So check this out before you consider changing your tyres. If you feel you have to change them prior to 2mm due to the wear or safety of the tyre, then perhaps you should consider another brand in the future.

Hope this helps.:j

Wig

Lifeis2Short wrote: »

Check out the correct running pressure for your tyres with the manufacturer. If you do choose a Chinese brand, good luck with calling the manufacture for basic running requirements for their tyres!!!

Or look in your vehicle handbook for tyre pressure they're all going to be the same no matter what the brand.

Avoid buying part worns, there is a reason why people have taken these tyres off there car and as for scrap yard, why do you think the car is in the scrap yard in the first place?? Also, you should not be able to buy car remoulds as they are not legal in the UK

Part worns are rare these days, but as long as you check them before fitting, they may have no faults at all, because they might have been part of a fleet company tyre change, tyres changed even though still good tread remains, it doesn't happen as much today as it used to. If you do look inside the tyre and see a repair if the repair is on the tread face then ther'es nothing to worry about. If you needed a puncture repair on your Michelins would you get it done or throw the tyre away? If you would get a puncture repair done then a part worn with a puncture repair should not cause you any concern. If the repair is on the the tyre wall then it should not be sold and not accepted. Scrap yard cars are quite often in a scrap yard because it failed it's MOT. Nothing wrong with those tyres.... also many scrap cars have had minimal damage that put them beyond cost effective repair. again nothing wrong with the tyres. Whether the tyre is on or off the scrapped car inspect the wheel rim for dents and the condition of the tyre walls and make an educated assessment of the tyres likely condition.

At the end of the day people are free to choose whatever tyres suit them. And when someone says they use remoulds, part worns, scrap yard sourced tyres or budget tyres they should not be met with a load of people giving it the old story "only 4 points contacting the roads, trusting your lives to cheap tyres" etc If people want expensive tyres that's their choice, if people want cheap tyres that's their choice.

I have always used cheap tyres and have never found them to be a problem in performance, but I always drive to be inside my capabilities and don't drive like an idiot. Horses for courses.

sturll

Ask for part worns - £15 a corner.