Am I going to end up in a ditch??

[R1 Indy]

Need a new set of rear tyres on the CLK55, as it seems to have eaten through a set of bridgestones in 6 months/10k miles

Don't really fancy paying £400 for another set for the greedy German to eat up!

So considering fitting a set of maxis MAZ1's, which I can get for under £200. Online reviews seem to show they may be decent?

I've got a good set of pirellis on the front, so front end will have plenty of grip.

So will this setup put me in a ditch? Or just give it a bit more liveliness?

[HustleRussell]

The main reason my cars get premium tyres is because cheap ones are noisy and ride poorly. Personally I'd be looking for something in the midrange like Hankooks, Kumhos, Uniroyals or Falkens

[james_gt3rs]

I would have thought that car has traction control? I think generally people only end up in ditches if they're pushing hard anyway.

[Jimbo.]

Maxxis are quite a big company, who dabble in most things black 'n' rubbery (f'nar!). IIRC they're only a recent entrant to the car tyre scene, but given their size/experience elsewhere, I'd happily give them a try.

The next Kumho/Falken/Toyo, p'haps?

[SMcP114]

No tyre on the market will put you in a ditch, only bad driving or not driving to the conditions or capabilities of the car.

[007 VXR]

OR,

Sell the car and get a bus pass, as the bus will probably have some decent tyres on it, so you should be safe.

[Geekman]

I'd never buy tyres from very low budget brands (had a nasty experience involving some Arrowspeed tyres in my first car), but tyres from companies like Kumho and Hankook seem pretty good. I had a set of Kumhos on my last car and they were brilliant - the car was pushed very hard in all conditions and they only lost traction once when it was very icy and I was going much too fast, which can't be blamed on the tyres.

[Froomee]

Cheaper tyres are likely to wear even quicker in my experience although its not always the case....

[Urban Sports]

Maxxis are crap, I wouldn't put them on any car.

[Countdown]

james_gt3rs said:

I think generally people only end up in ditches if they're pushing hard anyway.

I agree.

OP - It depends how hard you push your car on a day-to-day basis. If you're a "live fast die young" kind of driver I'd definitely consider in investing in something like Kumhos or better. OTOH if you're the kind of person who generally sticks to the speed limit and leaves a 315ft gap at 70mph then cheaper tyres should suffice.

[ClaphamGT3]

We've got Maxxis on Mrs C's E63 at the moment. They're fine; every bit as good as the Hankooks that were on it before and quiter than the Hankooks and the Continentals that were on it before.

We've driven it in the wet and everything and haven't been killed to death yet.

[TVR1]

R1 Indy said:

Don't really fancy paying £400 for another set for the greedy German to eat up!

To be honest, I think the issue is your lack of spending. £100 a corner for a fairly powerful car is a false economy.

Think of it like this;

You have a night to do anything you want with Bridget Moynihan. But she has bad AIDS. You only have cling film to hand. Do you bag up with that or wait an hour, pop over to the chemist and spend a bit more on proper johnnies.

Both will probably do the job. But one better than the other.

[A900ss]

I must admit I find it strange fitting economy tyres on a CLK 55.

It is your choice but if you want to save cash,I don't think things like tyres are the place to start.

Best of luck either way.

[ClaphamGT3]

I haven't bought a premium tyre for about 15 years. I tend to rely on things like my own experience and objective analysis rather than marketing hype when buying something that is both quite expensive and consumable. The difference between 'premium' brands and carefully chosen mid range/budgets is miniscule, with most of the difference found in noise and wear rates, not grip.

[DocArbathnot]

ClaphamGT3 said:

I haven't bought a premium tyre for about 15 years. I tend to rely on things like my own experience and objective analysis rather than marketing hype when buying something that is both quite expensive and consumable. The difference between 'premium' brands and carefully chosen mid range/budgets is miniscule, with most of the difference found in noise and wear rates, not grip.

Tis the same with most things, I'm fed up paying a premium price without an end benefit. Like the man say's choose carefully.

[eltax91]

Had 4 maxxis tyres in a bmw I bought in Jan. did 15k on them without falling off the road. A pair were worn out by mot time and I put two kumhos on it, they to me at least seemed no different

[TVR1]

Oh and OP, before this thread goes the way you may not like, I'm assuming that this is the car you use as part of your occupation? Hence 20k miles a year?

If so, £6500 a year fuel costs back from the taxman isn't a bad result. I'd suggest that moaning about £800 a year on tyres sounds like you doth protest too much.

Or am I incorrect?

[Incitatus]

I run Maxxis on my MTB and I got 7th in a race last weekend without ending up in the ditch

But joking aside Maxxis aren't such a small and budget company and make tyres for most things. In the MTB word they are up there with Continental and a couple of tubeless tyres for the bike cost half as much as two for the OP's Mercedes.

But of course we shouldn't mix up cost and quality, should we ?

[007 VXR]

ClaphamGT3 said:

The difference between 'premium' brands and carefully chosen mid range/budgets is miniscule, with most of the difference found in noise and wear rates, not grip.

[JD]

ClaphamGT3 said:

We've got Maxxis on Mrs C's E63 at the moment. They're fine; every bit as good as the Hankooks that were on it before and quiter than the Hankooks and the Continentals that were on it before.

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2012-Autobild-50-Tyre-Braking-Test.htm

Maxxis at Number 28