How do I know if a tyre is good quality

RichardD1970

AdrianC wrote: »

Safe? Yes. So long as you drive accordingly. They will be relatively limited in grip, so don't corner hard, brake hard or accelerate hard. Especially if the road's wet.

All good advice regardless of the cost of tyres fitted, unless you're on a track day

oscarward

I bought a second hand Peugeot 406 some years ago; the dealer helpfully fitted new tyres on the front.

A couple of months later I was in a traffic queue on a downhill section in light rain. Car in front rolled forward, I followed then when he stopped I found I couldn’t brake. Abs came on and I slid forward at 5mph into the car in front.

Luckily no damage but yes the tyres were cheapest ditchfinders to be found.

Replaced with Pirelli 6000 and problem solved. They aren’t called ditchfinders for no reason.

facade

oscarward wrote: »

A couple of months later I was in a traffic queue on a downhill section in light rain. Car in front rolled forward, I followed then when he stopped I found I couldn’t brake. Abs came on and I slid forward at 5mph into the car in front..

Probably standing on a lake of diesel or it was the first light rain after a long dry spell, even the cheapest ditchfinder will stop a car doing 5mph on a damp road, no tyre in the world will grip on wet diesel.


They are called ditchfinders because some people who claim to have coached Lewis Hamilton find that their car mysteriously finds a roadside ditch when they are trying to demonstrate their "driving" ability in extremis.


Most people will never notice any difference.

BananaRepublic

AdrianC wrote: »

Safe? Yes. So long as you drive accordingly. They will be relatively limited in grip, so don't corner hard, brake hard or accelerate hard. Especially if the road's wet.

The tyres might be okay, but my experience with low end tyres from a mid range brand was not good:

https://youtu.be/BOj-ue1KIpU
https://youtu.be/cinw90htgYI

There is some swearing from me, so turn the sound down if that would offend you. Those tyres had no sideways grip.

These were almost brand new tyres, two skids on damp roads in the space of a few weeks, and the first skids on a wet road I’d ever had in 20 years of driving. The second skid was on a small roundabout at low speed, and I managed to recover from the skid using the steering wheel, having read about correcting skids after the first one. That first skid could have written off several cars, or even i jured/killed a motorcyclist. I replaced them, and I’ve not had any similar experience since. I now buy only well known brands such as Michelin.

Regarding EU tyre ratings, they are near worthless.The braking is straight line only. It’s self certified, so what was the road surface? And the car weight? The noise rating is from the side, not inside the car, using a car of the makers choosing. Pointless.

G_M

Surely the time to ask the question was before buying, not after?


There's so much information on the web comparing differnt manufacturers and the options for your paticular car that you can decide what tyres you want and then shop aound for th cheapest local installer....


If you just leave the decision to the garage, they're going to put on whatever gives them the best profit margin, or whatever they've had hanging around at the back of the workshop that nobody else wants......

vansboy

Some good info HERE
VB

oscarward

facade wrote: »

Probably standing on a lake of diesel or it was the first light rain after a long dry spell, even the cheapest ditchfinder will stop a car doing 5mph on a damp road, no tyre in the world will grip on wet diesel.


They are called ditchfinders because some people who claim to have coached Lewis Hamilton find that their car mysteriously finds a roadside ditch when they are trying to demonstrate their "driving" ability in extremis.


Most people will never notice any difference.

Ok so car in front stopped but I didn’t when abs came on. Same patch of diesel?

Tbh the 3 cars in front had no issue either, but then where you there to witness and check road conditions?