Are Nankang tyres really that bad?
Discussion
I used NS2s on a Rover 600. They were what the garage that sold the car fitted. I had Pirelli P6000s afterwards which seemed great by comparison.
I do not like sharing the roads with budget tyre users but I can't help that. I wouldn't let my wife and kids out on budget tyres though which is something I can control.
I do not like sharing the roads with budget tyre users but I can't help that. I wouldn't let my wife and kids out on budget tyres though which is something I can control.
HaloGen8 said:
Not that I've tried them but they seem to get a bad reputation and yet they're advertising all over and currently offering their NS-2R tyre aimed at track and competition usage as well as road compounds.
Are they upping their game or are they just on a major media splurge?
I'm sure many PHers will have driven numerous different cars of various quality, ranging from "Showroom" to "Only just road legal and Fit for scrappy". And if you've driven in Asia/Africa/Eastern Europe then chances are that .many cars will not have been UK-legal,Are they upping their game or are they just on a major media splurge?
As long as you drive within your ability and the car's ability you'll be fine. There are numerous factors affecting safety - tyres, brakes, suspension, steering etc. The biggest factor is the nut behind the steering wheel
Food from ASDA
Clothes from Matalan
Flight by Ryanair
Car from Vauxhall
Tyres from Nankang
Cheap, serviceable, fine in every day use.
Obviously you can buy
Food from Waitrose
Clothes from Marks and Spencer
Fly with Emirates
Car by Audi
Tyres from Pirelli
More expensive, better quality, fine in every day use.
Clothes from Matalan
Flight by Ryanair
Car from Vauxhall
Tyres from Nankang
Cheap, serviceable, fine in every day use.
Obviously you can buy
Food from Waitrose
Clothes from Marks and Spencer
Fly with Emirates
Car by Audi
Tyres from Pirelli
More expensive, better quality, fine in every day use.
I had some on my 172 Cup a few years back. I thought they were fine.
You couldn't tell the difference unless you looked at the name on the sidewall and for those who say they're able tell the difference just from driving, I find that very very hard to believe unless you were sticking them on a Formula 1 car.
People seem to think that slagging off budget tyres earns some sort of kudos but I think the opposite.
You couldn't tell the difference unless you looked at the name on the sidewall and for those who say they're able tell the difference just from driving, I find that very very hard to believe unless you were sticking them on a Formula 1 car.
People seem to think that slagging off budget tyres earns some sort of kudos but I think the opposite.
HaloGen8 said:
Test driver said:
Utter crap used by skinflints.
This is the sort of comment I mean. Is this based on experience or a comment on the back of forums and other media where folk are quick to condemn a product because it's not a branded item?
.This is in danger of getting into a "budget tyres" thread when the OP specifically asked about nankang.
I've had them on a couple of sheds (fitted by previous owners) can't comment on what model of nankang they were but fine in the dry, not amazing in the wet - I think very hard rubber compound?
Either way branded part worns are better if on a budget IMO
I've had them on a couple of sheds (fitted by previous owners) can't comment on what model of nankang they were but fine in the dry, not amazing in the wet - I think very hard rubber compound?
Either way branded part worns are better if on a budget IMO
In dry they are serviceable.
In the wet at average speeds they are average.
When it comes to damp/wet weather emergency stop/manoeuvre they are bad. Like most budgets. You can all sit there calling people tyre snobs etc but if your inexperienced kid misjudges a corner on a wet night, the difference between budget and good midrange tyres is big, let alone premiums. I'm sure you would want them to come to no harm and good quality tyres could prevent that. I know that because a good friend had a very lucky escape after his budget tyred Clio caused him to flip 5 times as he misjudged a corner in the wet. He literally had no control and the car snapped and flipped before he had chance to even try to correct it.
In the wet at average speeds they are average.
When it comes to damp/wet weather emergency stop/manoeuvre they are bad. Like most budgets. You can all sit there calling people tyre snobs etc but if your inexperienced kid misjudges a corner on a wet night, the difference between budget and good midrange tyres is big, let alone premiums. I'm sure you would want them to come to no harm and good quality tyres could prevent that. I know that because a good friend had a very lucky escape after his budget tyred Clio caused him to flip 5 times as he misjudged a corner in the wet. He literally had no control and the car snapped and flipped before he had chance to even try to correct it.
So far the ones I've got fitted to the Alfa aren't that bad to be honest (AS1's) in the dry or wet. Certainly had worse (even when new, Hankook Ventus V12's on the Rover spring to mind) and they're far better than the Accelera's that came fitted to it, those things were a tad dodgy even in the mildly damp with plenty of tread depth. True they're more or less brand new so the proof of the pudding'll be when they're worn down to similar levels as the Accelera's.
The term budget is also rather car/wheel dependent (from a price perspective), on the Alfa yep they're the budgets at roughly £88-£110 each (depending on where you buy of course) any other tyre brand above that it's a minimum of £160 (something which I went in to ownership with full knowledge of, just didn't expect to have to change all four tyres a mere three months after purchase), makes the £55 I paid for Vredestein Sporttrac 3's for the Rover look cheap (and they were at the top end of the price scale
).
The term budget is also rather car/wheel dependent (from a price perspective), on the Alfa yep they're the budgets at roughly £88-£110 each (depending on where you buy of course) any other tyre brand above that it's a minimum of £160 (something which I went in to ownership with full knowledge of, just didn't expect to have to change all four tyres a mere three months after purchase), makes the £55 I paid for Vredestein Sporttrac 3's for the Rover look cheap (and they were at the top end of the price scale
).Bought an 03 1.6 Mazda 323F as a courtesy car and it had recent Nankang Toursport 611s all round. Over the dry summer they wheelspun at most junctions if you gave the car any beans to speak of and squealed around most corners. On the occasional day it rained, the car was skittish on twisty lanes - you did not dare drive with any enthusiasm.
Despite having 5mm all round, as soon as the weather changed we fitted Dunlop SP Fast Response all round and it transformed the car. You can now drive it with confidence in all conditions.
The irony is that the Dunlops probably didn't cost much more than the previous owner paid for 'budgets' - say a tenner extra per corner fitted. Mid range like a Firestone or Avon perhaps a fiver extra.
Googling the Nankangs now and one American wit says the Toursports should have been called Toursport 911.
Despite having 5mm all round, as soon as the weather changed we fitted Dunlop SP Fast Response all round and it transformed the car. You can now drive it with confidence in all conditions.
The irony is that the Dunlops probably didn't cost much more than the previous owner paid for 'budgets' - say a tenner extra per corner fitted. Mid range like a Firestone or Avon perhaps a fiver extra.
Googling the Nankangs now and one American wit says the Toursports should have been called Toursport 911.
A different way of looking at it, but exclusively from the "safety" point of view which is often cited.
All tyres have adhesion limits. All of them.
Better tyres generally have higher limits.
You can go faster in better tyres before they let go. But they will definitely still let go, at some point.
So you are having to adjust your speed to the tyres/conditions combo.
With less sticky tyres, you adjust your speed, but it just needs to be lower.
End result, sticky or less sticky tyres, you adjust your speed, and either are equally dangerous when that speed is exceeded, whatever it is, which will as previous depend on the conditions and also the vehicle and a multitude of other factors.
Quite simply, you can generally go faster with better tyres, if that is a consideration, or even desirable.
Some people actually prefer CARS with lower grip levels anyway (nothing to do with the tyres quality per se) as they are more fun at accessible speeds.
Some also argue that low levels of grip mean that cars start giving out messages at lower and hence safer speeds.
So really ultimate grip is not necessarily "better" let alone safer.
Ride comfort, road noise, economy, durability, all may vary and it's not always in any direct relationship to the price.
You buy tyres depending on what you expect from them, just as with anything else, already very well pointed out by one poster comparing supermarkets, airlines, etc...
All have their place.
All tyres have adhesion limits. All of them.
Better tyres generally have higher limits.
You can go faster in better tyres before they let go. But they will definitely still let go, at some point.
So you are having to adjust your speed to the tyres/conditions combo.
With less sticky tyres, you adjust your speed, but it just needs to be lower.
End result, sticky or less sticky tyres, you adjust your speed, and either are equally dangerous when that speed is exceeded, whatever it is, which will as previous depend on the conditions and also the vehicle and a multitude of other factors.
Quite simply, you can generally go faster with better tyres, if that is a consideration, or even desirable.
Some people actually prefer CARS with lower grip levels anyway (nothing to do with the tyres quality per se) as they are more fun at accessible speeds.
Some also argue that low levels of grip mean that cars start giving out messages at lower and hence safer speeds.
So really ultimate grip is not necessarily "better" let alone safer.
Ride comfort, road noise, economy, durability, all may vary and it's not always in any direct relationship to the price.
You buy tyres depending on what you expect from them, just as with anything else, already very well pointed out by one poster comparing supermarkets, airlines, etc...
All have their place.
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