What tyres do shiters recommend (budget-mid-range) ?

[scdan4]

I think it depends on how "fingertippy" you are as a driver and if you like "feel" the road when you drive or not.

Does that make any sense?

 

its the braking to a halt for me. especially say up to a big roundabout so you're shedding some speed and usually on a curved 'slip'. You (i) can really feel rubbish stuff grip, slip, grip, slip. And then have the steering go all light on the way out.

 

And I drive like miss daisy generally.

 

got falkens on the volvo at the moment. They're confidence inspiring and cost 50 quid a corner. Decent tyres is money well spent imho.

[dieselnutjob]

I had Nexens on the 607 and on SWMBOs Freelander and I think that they are ok.  They lasted ages on the 607.

 

The Jag has Avons and despite big power and torque, RWD and an open diff the traction control doesn't do anything on full bore acceleration in the dry (obviously wet is a different matter) so guess that they are good.

[rml2345]

For the money I found Landsails pretty good but they're a bit squeaky bum in the wet. Barums Brauvis on the 740 was a good combo but it was a bit slow so wasn't exactly pushing the outer reaches of grip performance. I fitted Yokohama Bluearths to the back of the AX and it resolutely refused to let go no matter how hard you pushed but maximum velocity was never extreme thanks to 50 rampant kittenpowers attempting to overcome weight a fat Scotsman. I really rated the Yokohamas though, money well spent.

[John F]

Whatever you do, don't buy "Accelera" tyres from Indonesia.

 

I had to fit a set to my Calibra a few years ago as my usual place had run out of Nankangs, the laser tracking place I use could not get them to track up properly – the steering wheel was always off centre while driving. In the end I had to swap the back tyres (Nankangs) onto the front to sort out the tracking.

[Rave]

I don't know if I'm a good enough driver to tell the difference between different tyres; I don't do enough miles or change cars often enough to have changed more than a handful of them. But I do read Auto Express's tyre tests every year where almost without fail the token 'budget' tyre they include turns out to have massively inferior wet braking performance, whereas 'midrange' tyres like Kumhos are never more than 5-10% off the market leader. For the sake of saving a tenner a corner it's just not worth taking the risk, as far as I'm concerned. I rarely drive quickly, and always drive defensively, but that doesn't mean that I'll never have to perform an emergency stop in the wet due to another driver's idiocy, or just sheer bad luck. Even if I'm not hurt in the crash and it's 100% not my fault, it would still probably be a major arse-ache.

[sierraman]

Avons or Barums for me. I drive slow as shit though.

[paulscavalier]

The blue cav has nexens all round, very quiet road noise and haven't had any rain grip issues with them, but to be fair it isnt a quick car. The burgundy cd came fitted with some wanli tyres and it still has these. Depending on how long I use it for they may get replaced. The accord has Michelin all round but I think the fronts will need to replaced within the next year

[Sigmund Fraud]

I don't think there's much real-life difference in performance between premium and midrange tyres nowadays - I've driven on Michelins, Goodyears and Continentals which were excellent, but so were Falkens, Yokohamas, Kumhos, Toyos and Uniroyals.

 

"Budget" tyres are a bit of a lottery. For instance, I've found "Rapid" to be pretty good but "Arrowspeed" and "Nexen" were pretty poor, especially in the wet.

[r.welfare]

Just ordered a set of Kumhos from Tyreleader for my Espace at £55 a corner to replace the Avons and Uniroyals it currently wears. "Proper" brand tyres (Continental, Michelin, Pirelli, Goodyear etc) are £100 a pop which is more than I can stomach on a car of this age and value, but neither do I wish to fit a tyre from a manufacturer I've never heard of (which start around £45).

[Isaac Hunt]

Falkens, Ive always found them to be good,  They are not the longest lasting tyre, but grip is good

[Lankytim]

Another vote for Nexens, I haven't had any problems with cracking and they all seem to behave very well on the road, although none of my fleet are high performance so I've never driven them hard.

 

I get them from tyreleader.com and have them fitted locally.

 

It's a good website but it's possible to order tyres that aren't legal in the EU and stuff like Chinese remoulds.

[Honey Badger]

Hankooks get my vote, I've used them on RWD S2000, pick ups, 4x4 and FWD V6 and never had an issue with them, decent ride, good grip and quiet as well.

 

I was worried when I fitted Hankook Ventus V12 to the S2000 however they were miles better than the OEM fitment Bridgestone RE050S giving a better ride without seeming to handle any worse, good in the wet as well. Last time I talked to my local fitter they were having problems sourcing Hankooks as the demand has gone up.

[The Moog]

Don't buy Forcems. Got them fitted to vel satis and they have no grip in the wet .

[solid61]

Ive had uniroyal rain sports/experts on my cars for a good few years,cheap to buy,good grip in the dry,amazing grip in the wet but high wear rate,as little as 10k on the front of my stilo but worth it,you can chuck it into roundabouts as fast as you dare and it just grips and goes round when its pissing down with rain.

[bunglebus]

 Chinese remoulds.

 

How tight (or lacking in care about your personal safety) do you need to be to buy Chinese remoulds?

[95 quid Peugeot]

How tight (or lacking in care about your personal safety) do you need to be to buy Chinese remoulds?

Part worn Chinese remoulds for me

[myglaren]

I am far from the Oracle when it comes to tyres and usually just sling on some mid-priced shite but on the C5s have tried Vredestien,  Michelin, Continental, Goodyear and cheap shit.

 

Te Goodyear ones were about the best.

 

None last me more than a year.  Tracking and balancing always checked.

 

I have wanted to try Sailun winter tyres for a while but it is still on the todo list.

 

Last year though I bought Sailun Atrezzas from Camskill,  worked out at £190 delivered (for 4)

 

The Polish place I take it to to have oily bits done fitted them but couldn't balance them.

Fitter said to take them and have them balanced ASAP.

 

Drove them around town for a month, they did feel better than it had previously and seem to stick well.

 

Then drove to MK and realised that there was no longer any shake at 68~70mph - it had always done this previously and nothing would cure it, tried all sorts and was going to fit new bearings.

 

The only tyres I haven't had balanced and they don't need it!

Quite happy with them and while I probably don't exert them as much as most folks would I do get some stick for cornering and negotiating roundabouts too quickly (usually leave the rest of them way behind) they seem to do the trick for me.

 

There are a heap of Youtube videos concerning them.

I realise they wouldn't show anything detrimental as their aim is to sell them but still.

[stripped fred]

The sharan has infinity ecomax xl tyres on the front and they seem quite good although I'd never heard of them before. Seem to get quite good reviews. I think some people use van tyres on large mpv's as they need an extra load tyre. There's a part worn on the back and a mud and snow tyre which both have reasonable tread but some fine cracks appearing. I think I'll order another pair of ecomax's and swap them front to back, when funds allow.

 

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Infinity/Ecomax.htm

[gordonbennet]

I've got several makes i usually buy, in no particular order Vredestein Uniroyal Nokian though am prepared to try anything reasonable.

 

I've removed almost new tyres which were lethal in the wet on vehicles that i and family have had many times, including Michelin (twice) Pirelli Federal Sumitomo Yokohama Firestone.

 

Mich's replaced with Vredestein and Goodyear on C2VTS and Ventora respectively.

Pirellis replaced with Yokohama which turned out to be shit and themselves replaced by Generals on Hilux.

Sumitomo replaced by Vredestein on BMW compact.

Firestones replaced by Goodyears on the W124 coupe following both rear wheels spinning up fully in kickdown at about 60mph on a wet road.

Federals (bought as an experiment many years later to see if my prejudices were still valid, they are) replaced by Uniroyal Rainsports on the W124, those Feds put the willies up me with two unprovoked oversteers in the wet, the Uniroyals won't budge.

 

No doubt the tyres replaced would have been fine on other cars, and all brands have many models of tyre so other models might have been fine, i've heard people slate Pirelli 6000's but they stick like shit to a blanket on Merc 124's.

Nokians fitted to the Scooby are wearing fast, though grip remarkably well.

 

What has baffled me is how nice a drive the cheap as chips Nankangs are on my Landcruiser, ok it's got an all singing all dancing traction system which will make the best of whatever grip there is but i'm a bit surprised just how good they are in the wet.

[Lacquer Peel]

Nankang is a half decent brand.

The Inca has a mix of Joyroads and others tyres I forget the brand of, it seems okay but wet braking is a bit scary

[Richard]

.

[Ben_O]

I got my new tyres through work.

I just gave the size to our receptionist and asked her to order me 4 tyres.

 

Runways turned up and so I fitted them.

 

A year later and they are still absolutely fine and perform as well as i would expect a more expensive tyre to. At £30 a corner, I'm well happy.

[Junkman]

[clayts450]

Was given a nudge by a shiter over at MG-Rover to update you on the tyres situation. I've located some cheap but well-reviewed tyres which look like they will do the job, and National stock them for very minute lolly - these fellas:

 

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Sailun/Atrezzo-Elite.htm

 

[overrun]

Tbh, I've driven a lot of miles on a lot of tyres, expensive ones, cheap ones and everything in between.

You can beat me to death and I'd still be unable to tell a fucking difference.

A driver to what degree must one be in order to be able to tell?

Although, I used Goodyear Vector All Seasons for a while and despite I was still unable to notice a fucking difference

in the handling department, they were the quietest ones I ever had.

 

Not much of a degree. Try and pull away in the damp/off camber/with wheels on lock and if you light them up without trying it is a good indication.

Same goes for taking a smaller roundabout etc and the front end just washing out.

 

Cheap tyres.

[Guest]

This could go on and on

 

. I've worked for big tyre chains and advised many many people on what tyres to buy. Me? Don't really care. Always fitted cheap tyres and ran high pressures to my X1/9's so it'd "move around" Just back from "the continent" in a heatwave in me van fitted with Nankang winter tyres. They didn't disintegrate on the autobahn, I had neither oversteer,understeer or lack of traction. They didn't chuck me off a hairy hairpin on the Umbrail pass. Having failed many fairly new cars on "Premium" rubber for cracking and splits, I'd say they aren't worth it.It's a personal thing.

 

But I HATE Avon tyres...And Firestones. And Bridgestones.

 

My bikes get quality rubber, because it's near on impossible to get cheap bike tyres. Maxxis and now Nankang are "budget's" for bigger bike sizes. That's where my hate for Avons ( cracked to hell within 2000 miles) and Bridgestones (front tyre cupped and made it very dodgy to ride- many others had the same issue with that particular tyre)

 

Whatever "goodness" they have removed from rubber in the past 5 years I have no idea but something has changed.

[overrun]

Whatever you do, don't buy "Accelera" tyres from Indonesia.

 

I had to fit a set to my Calibra a few years ago as my usual place had run out of Nankangs, the laser tracking place I use could not get them to track up properly – the steering wheel was always off centre while driving. In the end I had to swap the back tyres (Nankangs) onto the front to sort out the tracking.

 

I have some basically new 17" Accelera Alpha things that were on an MR2 Turbo that I bought to repair and sell on. Clearly the car had been on better rims and tyres than the 'Dare' and plastic tyre combo it was shod with when sold.

It was raining heading back, and I am no stranger to these cars, but it was hilarious when it would just spin them up with only about a quarter throttle. Oversteer, understeer, the lot.

This was nursing it.

 

I plan to sell them and the shite wheels on Gumtree.

[Pete-M]

Landsails.... I post = therefore = I'm not dead [OK.. Yet!]

 

 

TS

I've just put a pair of sandnails on the Merc. Mainly because the fiscal haemorrhage last month putting a set of Pirelli P7s on the Golf hurt. P7s are bloody excellent, though.

[Pete-M]

This could go on and on

 

 

 

But I HATE Avon tyres...And Firestones. And Bridgestones.

 

 

I really like Avon car tyres. Don't rate Maxxis at all, had a new one disintegrate on a Jeep - sidewall failed, went to tyre place, checked the other three nigh-on new Maxxis and they were all showing signs of dodginess so I replaced the lot.

[twosmoke300]

Avon car tyres are twats to balance. Not a sign of a good quality tyre imo