Tyres, recommendations please

[timbo343]

Its time to get some new tyres fitted to my fiesta 1.4 titanium. The wheel size is 195 45 r16. Ive been offered some mohawks but after looking at the reviews it turns out these are generally rubbish tyres. I was wondering what people's recommendations are. Im after something mid range, not too cheap not too expensive.

[SYNACK]

TBH I always go for higher end tires as I find it much more comfortable being an extra $80 less embedded into the idiot in front of me that breaked for a phantom cat. I tend to go for the high speed rating not because I ever go that fast but because they are quieted and last longer. NZ roads are certainly different, I use Bridgestone here as they are decent at the top end without costing that much.

[pantscat]

Don't skimp too much on tyres... if you want to save some dosh consider brands like Cooper, Falken, Kumho or you might even get a good deal on some Toyos...

 

I was pretty skeptical as to whether cheaper tyres actually made any difference until I got myself a set of LingLong Ditchfinders (or some such nonsense)... I took them off the car within a month. Complete waste of money.

[Arthur]

My favourite tyres so far are the Goodyear Eagle F1's. They are expensive, but as @SYNACK mentioned, it is worth paying more because they are the only thing between the car and the road. Unfortunately they don't make them in the size you need.

 

The Toyo Proxes T1-R's are well regarded and would be a good alternative that's not too expensive.

[Guest Guest]

^ I always buy T1-Rs. Very sticky tyre in the dry, not too bad in the wet. TBH though I wouldn't waste my money on that standard of tyre for a Fiesta. I would most likely look at Maxxis with their free guaranty. Not bad grip either. Lifetime Guarantee | Tyre Guarantee | Maxxis Tyres - Ultimate Control | Maxxis Tyres

[Achandler]

My girlfiends mazda has some expensive tyres on it, but it still skids everywhere, so expensive tyres doesn't always mean you'll stick to the road, some cars simply don't stick to the road very well.

 

Although personally I think it might be her "driving style", but lets keep that bit quiet

[markcuk]

Just put some Kumho Solus KH17 on mine... I would of gone with HANKOOK's if the alloy wheel place had them in my size.

 

Had HANKOOK's fitted on my NZ car and were great in wet and dry!

 

My in-laws had Continental Premium Contact 2 fitted and managed to get 2 punctures in a month (low profile not so good)

Edited August 2, 2013 by markcuk

[Seb1780]

My girlfiends mazda has some expensive tyres on it, but it still skids everywhere, so expensive tyres doesn't always mean you'll stick to the road, some cars simply don't stick to the road very well.

 

Although personally I think it might be her "driving style", but lets keep that bit quiet

 

Get the tracking and alignment seen to; if it's an MX5 it should stick to the road like the proverbial.

[Miscbrah]

Got Yokohamas on the rear of mine, part-worns on the front. The torque from it means it just noms through tyres constantly, so budget counts.

 

Gotta say the Yokos are awesome and weren't TOO expensive...

 

EDIT - but just checked and they cost about £200 each. Sod that for a laugh.

Edited August 2, 2013 by Miscbrah

[mdench]

I was pretty skeptical as to whether cheaper tyres actually made any difference until I got myself a set of LingLong Ditchfinders (or some such nonsense)... I took them off the car within a month. Complete waste of money.

 

 

Surely the clue was in the name? Ditchfinders...

[teejay]

Any of the well known brands are fine, if you haven't heard of it or they seem too cheap then avoid. Also avoid 'own brand' stuff from big tyre fitter chains, they're real ditch finders.

[Ant]

Can only echo what's already been said. Stick to a good well known make and you should be fine, avoid cheap tyres, they are the only thing between your car and the road. Another thing to ask yourself is, do you go for a summer tyre, or winter, or may an all season type?

 

Depending on the type of driving you do, I've gone through a few sets of Toyo T1-Rs and have been very impressed. Now on my 2nd set of Vredestein Ultrac Sessantas and am equally as happy with them too. Stick to the road quite nicely during enthusiastic driving.

 

Have a look on Camskill too for good prices, just requires a local garage to fit them for you which should still work out cheaper. I've bought most of mine from them.

[john]

I used to always have Cooper tyres on the Golf's I had and now with the new Tiguan it came with the Goodyear Eagle F1s and they are really good bits of kit but are ouchey per corner for my car

 

Find a good local non-chain tyre place and ask them for advice they usually want you to be a happy chappy and come back to them for more in a sensible time frame so will usually be supportive and find you something that will fit the purse.

[Gibbo]

Also avoid 'own brand' stuff from big tyre fitter chains, they're real ditch finders.

 

Not always. A few years ago a car magazine reviewed tyres and said that Kwik Fit's Arrowspeed tyre was close to many well known brands for stopping in the wet.

 

More here:

 

Analysis: Saying All Budget Tyres are Lethal is an Unfair Generalisation

http://www.tyrepress.com/News/20243.html

 

And there's at least one tyre company which manufactures an "own brand".

 

Personally I'd check Asda Tyres and Blackcircles. Its only a few quid difference between their cheapest brands and popular make.

Edited August 2, 2013 by Gibbo

[teejay]

Not always. A few years ago a car magazine reviewed tyres and said that Kwik Fit's Arrowspeed tyre was close to many well known brands for stopping in the wet.

 

More here:

 

Analysis: Saying All Budget Tyres are Lethal is an Unfair Generalisation

Analysis: Saying All Budget Tyres are Lethal is an Unfair Generalisation

 

And there's at least one tyre company which manufactures an "own brand".

 

Personally I'd check Asda Tyres and Blackcircles. Its only a few quid difference between their cheapest brands and popular make.

 

Erm, from personal experience, no thanks.

[Trapper]

Goodyear on my Focus. Worth the money. Much better at *cough*70*cough* on the motorway and within a fortnight of having them replaced I had a taxi in front of me decide to turn right into my path. Old tyres would have failed to brake in time, the new ones stopped me within a hair or totaling the fucker.

[Sirbendy]

On the Astra, in winter I run Insa Turbo T2 remould snow tyres on 15" steelies, and for the rest of the year I'm currently running around on a set of ex-scrapyard SXI 15" alloys that came with new tyres (from a rolled Corsa) that cost me £40 all in.

 

Those are also Insa Turbo..T1's IIRC. All remould budgets. BUT, they handle fine, and anyone who knows me knows I don't baby the Astra..40+ on roundabouts at times with tyres scrabbling and occasionally screeching, and just generally driven in what I suppose could be classed as a "spirited" manner. Never had any issues. I know the Astra platform in general handles well (one of the reasons I love them - Zaf next, and that's the same platform!), but the tyres seem quite capable. The winters handle in a totally different way, as you would expect..heh.

 

V, V sticky. Threw it into a corner after I changed over last year, expecting to have to compensate a little on the steering, and it held so well I whacked my head on the window..heh.

[MatthewL]

All I use is Kumho, mid range type from my local tyre dealer, cannot fault them and they are just as good as the big brands and at half the price cannot complain. Wouldn't recommend anything else to anyone.

[pcstru]

Its time to get some new tyres fitted to my fiesta 1.4 titanium. The wheel size is 195 45 r16. Ive been offered some mohawks but after looking at the reviews it turns out these are generally rubbish tyres. I was wondering what people's recommendations are. Im after something mid range, not too cheap not too expensive.

 

These days new tyres should be labelled in accordance with EU Tyre labelling law. The will be marked for performance in three areas; fuel consumption, wet weather and noise. As a general rule, the worse they are for fuel and the better they are in the wet, the gripper they will be, the nosier they will be and the quicker they will wear out. If you are driving on the roads and day after day need the difference in grip between the most grippy normal tyre and the next one down, you are just driving too fast for public roads.

 

Personally I stick cheapo part worn tyres on my VW Polo. I'm quite happy finding the level of grip on a tyre and if I ran into the back of someone - it's not the tyres fault - no matter how bad it is. If one does deflate even when I'm driving, at least I'm not going to fall off. I stick 'decent' tyres on my motorbike because mundane things like a slowly deflating tyre tend to turn to hurt.

[SYNACK]

Personally I stick cheapo part worn tyres on my VW Polo. I'm quite happy finding the level of grip on a tyre and if I ran into the back of someone - it's not the tyres fault - no matter how bad it is. If one does deflate even when I'm driving, at least I'm not going to fall off. I stick 'decent' tyres on my motorbike because mundane things like a slowly deflating tyre tend to turn to hurt.

 

So glad you're not in a car behind me, there are all sorts of conditions that better tires can save you from, someone pulling out in front of you, unforeseen dodgy Road conditions like hidden surface water. Even a damp Road with a little oil on that silicon tires with good tread can vent quickly rather than be bound to cheaper more rubber tires. You don't need to go all out but after a certain quality cut off you're probably more dangerous than someone who moderately speeds on decent tires.

[pcstru]

So glad you're not in a car behind me, there are all sorts of conditions that better tires can save you from, someone pulling out in front of you, unforeseen dodgy Road conditions like hidden surface water. Even a damp Road with a little oil on that silicon tires with good tread can vent quickly rather than be bound to cheaper more rubber tires.

How do you know I'm not in a car behind you?

You don't need to go all out but after a certain quality cut off you're probably more dangerous than someone who moderately speeds on decent tires.

"more dangerous" seems like a strange way to think about it. If I get into a different car with slightly different limits do I suddenly become more dangerous? Are you today more dangerous than you were yesterday because your tyres are slightly more worn?

 

One of the things you (hope to) learn as a motorbike rider is that saying "it was their fault" is not a hugely satisfying thing to have written on your gravestone. You learn (hope to) to be entirely responsible for your own safety - whatever the condition of the road or the other drivers on it (damp oil, people pulling out on you etc). What always surprises me about debates on tyres and the claimed additional safety factor of "good tyres" is they seem to ignore any ability of the driver to compensate for the conditions and to take responsibility for their own safety. The biggest difference you can make to the safety of your vehicle is the way you drive it.

 

If you were offered a drive in a vintage sports car with tyres typical for that vintage would you characterise yourself as more dangerous? Would you say "well I'm glad I'm not driving behind me" simply because that configuration has less traction than a modern car - or do you think you would find the comment slight offensive and think you were quite capable of taking charge of such a vehicle and being characterised as "more dangerous than someone who speeds moderately" was just ... hot air and rhetoric.

[synaesthesia]

I shall be blunt. I will not pay more than £50 a corner for my tyres, because you can put the hottest things on the market on your car, they will not protect you from driving like a moron or being hit by someone else. Drive to the limits of your vehicle's current attributes AND your own attributes and you'll be as safe as you can possibly be, driving round in a ton and a half of metal.

 

edit: after having just checked mine out of interesting, they're Enduro Runways.

Edited August 5, 2013 by synaesthesia

[Andrew_C]

I suffered from a lot of noise in my Honda Jazz. After a bit of trawling, I had Michelins fitted, and it made a huge difference. Not too expensive, and ATS will sell you for a small fee (I wangled it free, having 4 fitted in one go) a guarantee. Trash one in the first 25% of wear and they replace it free, first 50% and you pay half, etc.

 

Well worth it as I picked up two punctures within 6 months!

[Arthur]

Fifth Gear had an interesting tyre test last series. Nothing too surprising, but worth a watch. The relevant part starts at 13:39.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pj2lRCblz8&hd=1

[synaesthesia]

Complete rollocks! I'm sure the tests are reasonably decent but in a brand new car with systems that'll do it all for you anyway.... Can't help but want to scream at mr needell for such shoddy reporting. The important bit is the driver. Wouldn't recommend part worns regardless..