Cheap tyres VS premium brand tyres
Discussion
M4cruiser said:
It really has to be unbelievable stupidity (sorry if that offends you) to save a few quid a year, on a major safety item, on a car that costs maybe £2,000 a year to run. I don't know how much yours costs, but add up Depreciation, Tax, Insurance, Servicing and Fuel and see if it's worth it.
It is as daft as the seemingly millions of people who pay for premium tyres for the performance and safety and then run them right down to the last legal bit of tread and spend months driving around with a highly underperforming set of tyres. It does amaze me at Sunday Services the number of cars with very little tread remaining yet the owner has seemingly invested in high end tyres for some form of performance or safety purpose?Long before concerning myself over the true brand I’d be focusing on binning tyres once they get down to around 3mm. To me, worn tyres pose a far bigger hazard than cheap tyres and a sane person would avoid both.
Buy what you can afford to run. Run it properly and don’t skimp when it comes to yours and the safety of others. It’s not a third world country and the choice to buy rubbish tyres or overly worn one is purely personal and not forced on anyone.
DonkeyApple said:
To me, worn tyres pose a far bigger hazard than cheap tyres
Many, many moons ago, I was running a CX as my nice sensible daily. The Michelins on it were getting somewhat threadbare. BUT... in the lock-up, I had a set of near-new tread Kumhos on rims. On they went. First roundabout, and (at a perfectly sensible speed) I just went straight on in a cloud of squeeling. I put the near-bald Michies back on until I could get a new set arranged. DonkeyApple said:
and a sane person would avoid both.
Agreed.DonkeyApple said:
Buy what you can afford to run. Run it properly and don’t skimp when it comes to yours and the safety of others. It’s not a third world country and the choice to buy rubbish tyres or overly worn one is purely personal and not forced on anyone.
<applause>Especially on those arguing over £30/corner whilst running £10k-ish of petrol E-class.
I've seen a few people put up links to Tyre Reviews, but I'm not sure anyone's posted this somewhat relevant video from the YouTube channel:
https://youtu.be/xTcxNw3raNE
My two pence is that ultra cheap tyres are a bit of a liability, but I'll not turn my nose up at a lower end brand if enough people whose opinion seems valid say "actually, these are bloody good for the money"
Also, I bloody hate it when a used car has a fresh set of crap tyres, particularly when it's made out to be a selling point that it has new rubber. Much prefer they just left whatever was on there, or stick the cheapest part worn available on if it's to the point of being illegal.
If someone raises the point of it needing new tyres, you can have the discussion then and offer to fit the cheap tat new ones as part of the sale.
https://youtu.be/xTcxNw3raNE
My two pence is that ultra cheap tyres are a bit of a liability, but I'll not turn my nose up at a lower end brand if enough people whose opinion seems valid say "actually, these are bloody good for the money"
Also, I bloody hate it when a used car has a fresh set of crap tyres, particularly when it's made out to be a selling point that it has new rubber. Much prefer they just left whatever was on there, or stick the cheapest part worn available on if it's to the point of being illegal.
If someone raises the point of it needing new tyres, you can have the discussion then and offer to fit the cheap tat new ones as part of the sale.
greysquirrel said:
So you actually only save 25% due to increased wear rate? I wouldnt risk cheap tyres or brakes for the sake of £100 or so....
It may be even less, if he has bought from Blackcircles and had mail order, then paid £10 a tyre for fitting, he's "saved" even less.As for saying "I do not hammer my car in the wet", well may as well drive on illegal well worn with the canvas showing!
As others say, you can get some excellent tyres for decent money, I am not sure what the cheapest option was, but i'd bet it wasn't the "best" option considering performance vs price.
trilla said:
What awful advice. If you don't want to stick with the premium Michelin/Pirelli/Goodyear/Conti/Bridgestone set then I can understand, but at least go mid-range with something like Toyo/Kumho/Yokohama, they'll be much better tyres than anything Chinese made and are barely any more £
Agreed, especially on non high performance cars.I dont need Pirelli P-zero rossa Corsa's on my modest hatchback, but spending 20 bucks more to get regular pirellis rather then Rotalla Setula E-pace ditchfinders seems worthwhile.
WarrenB said:
TheGuru said:
What grinds my gears even more is seeing 1-2 year old family SUV’s that are worth £60k new with cheap Chinese types on. You wonder what goes on in these peoples heads.
You'll be seeing this more and more as more people get cars on PCP/PHP/Lease whatever. All people seem to be bothered about is how they look in the car. Couldn't care less about what tyres it has on it, or even servicing it or looking after it.
A family member has an AMG Merc A Class thing. Had it just over two years, 30-ish-k on the clock. Never once opened the bonnet to check the oil, never had it serviced and is currently rolling on the cheapest tyres available.
LOL
Mikebentley said:
Just fitted 4 new 205/60 R16 96V XL wait for it .....Mohawks to my 2015 Transit Connect Limited. I have used Continental since new but now done 34k and this is the 4th set for the front. It’s the first time I’ve needed rears so they’ve been brilliant being dragged behind. Cost £240 fitted and Contis were anything between £420 and £500 before fitting. I am fed up of my vans tyres lasting 11.5k miles on average. I drive steady and don’t carry anything in van so just trying to economise. I suppose the problem is that for looks the manufacturer fits big shiny alloys and really stupid tyre size for a van which the PAS just scrub away.
I am doing this as an experiment basically to see what they are like and will hold my hands up if they are a false economy.
I will though drive with extra caution.
Just checked the tyres on my Connect, I've got about 6mm on all four original tyres and I've done 16,000 miles, I carry about 150kg of tools all the time. Have you had the geometry checked, because your wear rate is about six times what mine is...I am doing this as an experiment basically to see what they are like and will hold my hands up if they are a false economy.
I will though drive with extra caution.
Edited by gazza285 on Monday 26th February 12:51
Mr2Mike said:
Yipper said:
The biggest problem with cheap tyres is, your mates will see the cr*p brand on the tyrewall and point and laugh at you. It's like wearing a jumper from Tescos and stuff like that.
Perhaps you could explain what it feels like to be an object of ridicule?dommyem said:
.
The differences are very slight, the cost savings aren’t - therefore worthwhile (in my opinion).
Don’t knock it til you’ve tried it. I’m not a racing driver and don’t plan on doing any track days, I’m just trying to save a few fellow petrol heads a couple of quid based on my recent experience of pretty average driving (with a few foot to the floor moments).
Yet you say you like to have the rear end coming out??? I think your reasoning for buying budget tyres is complete nonsense, especially for a heavy 300hp car. As has already been mentioned, just hope that you never have to brake in an emergency or hit a load of standing water / mud around a blind corner while trying to get your back end out. Good luck.The differences are very slight, the cost savings aren’t - therefore worthwhile (in my opinion).
Don’t knock it til you’ve tried it. I’m not a racing driver and don’t plan on doing any track days, I’m just trying to save a few fellow petrol heads a couple of quid based on my recent experience of pretty average driving (with a few foot to the floor moments).
Edited by thiscocks on Monday 26th February 13:02
Funkstar De Luxe said:
Of course I can’t speak for anyone else - but when buying a car first thing I check is tire brand. Why? Because if the owner is willing that cheap out on the single most important component on a car then the chance of them having done good quality maintenance is zero.
I think it’s a really stupid thing to do. If I couldn’t afford the best tires for my car, I’d sell it and really consider what the f
k I had been doing.
Compromise my cars handling and safety for the next 20,000 miles to save a couple hundred quid? Not a chance
Exactly this.I think it’s a really stupid thing to do. If I couldn’t afford the best tires for my car, I’d sell it and really consider what the f
k I had been doing. Compromise my cars handling and safety for the next 20,000 miles to save a couple hundred quid? Not a chance
Patrick Bateman said:
Mr2Mike said:
Yipper said:
The biggest problem with cheap tyres is, your mates will see the cr*p brand on the tyrewall and point and laugh at you. It's like wearing a jumper from Tescos and stuff like that.
Perhaps you could explain what it feels like to be an object of ridicule?If Nankang made a tyre that genuinely performed better than a Michelin do you not think people would buy them?
Nothing to do with vanity, everything to do with safety.
WarrenB said:
Car-Matt said:
probably broken the terms of their lease/pcp/pch/whatever thing then
LOL
Definitely. But it's not due to go back yet, so that isn't a problem! Thats the logic of these people. LOL
Heaven forbid they may be an enthusiast who has worked out a more financially efficient of running their dream car.
Bloody idiots
You must feel so superior and clever having bought your own car outright. Enjoy that feeling
Car-Matt said:
Enjoy that feeling
Of course. And I’m sure you enjoy the feeling you get doing it your way. However, I suspect neither you or I skimp on tyres or run them much below 3mm as we are car enthusiasts. I suspect the earlier post was not aimed at such people but clearly at those who are renting a badge for the purpose of self promotion and don’t have sufficient funds to run that product safely or sensibly.
thiscocks said:
Funkstar De Luxe said:
Of course I can’t speak for anyone else - but when buying a car first thing I check is tire brand. Why? Because if the owner is willing that cheap out on the single most important component on a car then the chance of them having done good quality maintenance is zero.
I think it’s a really stupid thing to do. If I couldn’t afford the best tires for my car, I’d sell it and really consider what the fk I had been doing.
Compromise my cars handling and safety for the next 20,000 miles to save a couple hundred quid? Not a chance
Exactly this.I think it’s a really stupid thing to do. If I couldn’t afford the best tires for my car, I’d sell it and really consider what the f
k I had been doing. Compromise my cars handling and safety for the next 20,000 miles to save a couple hundred quid? Not a chance
There is a budget tyre called Autogrip. I once made the mistake of putting them on a car "because they were cheap"
I drove out the tyre depot the traction light flickered. It didn't with the worn out Continentals driving in.
Next day I lost the back end in the wet driving slowly to work.
I went back and threw them away and drove out with Michelin on. No problems.
I just picked up a Vectra SRI 2.2 as a runabout. It came with dreaded Autogrips, and it has absoloutly no grip accelerating in the wet/ damp. Needless to say I will get new tyres soon.
I don't always buy top brand tyres, but am weary of budgets. They are not made to the same standards.
I often buy Falken, General, BF Goodrich, Hankook, Maxxi, Marshall which are not top end tyres and reasonably priced, but in my experience far more capable than the cheapy budgets.
It depends what you are putting them on. My Subaru WRX STI only gets Dunlop RT, and My M3 only had Continental M3.
I drove out the tyre depot the traction light flickered. It didn't with the worn out Continentals driving in.
Next day I lost the back end in the wet driving slowly to work.
I went back and threw them away and drove out with Michelin on. No problems.
I just picked up a Vectra SRI 2.2 as a runabout. It came with dreaded Autogrips, and it has absoloutly no grip accelerating in the wet/ damp. Needless to say I will get new tyres soon.
I don't always buy top brand tyres, but am weary of budgets. They are not made to the same standards.
I often buy Falken, General, BF Goodrich, Hankook, Maxxi, Marshall which are not top end tyres and reasonably priced, but in my experience far more capable than the cheapy budgets.
It depends what you are putting them on. My Subaru WRX STI only gets Dunlop RT, and My M3 only had Continental M3.
It's always a case of you get what you pay for. You can expect premium level performance, from budget options, in anything.
I bought my old Megane 250 on Conti SC5's, which were worn, but were legal and came with the car. They weren't bad, but I could get wheelspin in second on partial power in the wet. They had to go.
I bought a set of Federal 595 RSR's. Known to be a pretty good semi slick tyre all round, and not bad in the wet. I thought they were pretty good considering the semi slick aspect and carried on in the wet, albeit at reduced speed. I still could get wheelspin occasionally at full throttle in 2nd. The tyres cost me aboout £70 a corner.
I then upgraded the wheels, and covered them in Yokohama Advan Neova AD0R (which were 225, rather than the 235 the Federals were) Considered to be a much better all round tyre than the 595's. Wheelspin in 2nd stopped completely, wet traction and overall grip improved in every corner, road noise was about the same, and they wore much, much better than both.
The 595's were fked after 1td and 1000 road miles. The AD08rs did a much harder, longer track day and still had plenty of meat left on them, and did about 3500 road miles when I sold the car, the worst tyre had about 2.5mm left, the others were still near new.
The AD08r's cost £100 a corner, so for £30, to me it's a false economy.
The Mrs Fiat 500 has Contis on, and although the car is pretty rolly-polly it handles well enough and the tyres do hold on well. Replacements are about £60 a corner roughly, whereas budgets are £40. Mrs has said (who's not all the PH minded) for £20, and considering it's the only part that touches the road, £20 for peace of mind knowing the car has been designed to work with those tyres, is worth it to her, and to be fair, I agree.
Buying cheap to me is a false economy. I do, however understand that there is a happy medium, inwhich the likes of Hankook, Toyo etc thrive, as they do offer 90% of the performance, for 60% of the price, and it does make sense to a lot of people who aren't out chasing tiny amounts of grip, and want something decent and safe to carry them about.
I bought my old Megane 250 on Conti SC5's, which were worn, but were legal and came with the car. They weren't bad, but I could get wheelspin in second on partial power in the wet. They had to go.
I bought a set of Federal 595 RSR's. Known to be a pretty good semi slick tyre all round, and not bad in the wet. I thought they were pretty good considering the semi slick aspect and carried on in the wet, albeit at reduced speed. I still could get wheelspin occasionally at full throttle in 2nd. The tyres cost me aboout £70 a corner.
I then upgraded the wheels, and covered them in Yokohama Advan Neova AD0R (which were 225, rather than the 235 the Federals were) Considered to be a much better all round tyre than the 595's. Wheelspin in 2nd stopped completely, wet traction and overall grip improved in every corner, road noise was about the same, and they wore much, much better than both.
The 595's were f
ked after 1td and 1000 road miles. The AD08rs did a much harder, longer track day and still had plenty of meat left on them, and did about 3500 road miles when I sold the car, the worst tyre had about 2.5mm left, the others were still near new. The AD08r's cost £100 a corner, so for £30, to me it's a false economy.
The Mrs Fiat 500 has Contis on, and although the car is pretty rolly-polly it handles well enough and the tyres do hold on well. Replacements are about £60 a corner roughly, whereas budgets are £40. Mrs has said (who's not all the PH minded) for £20, and considering it's the only part that touches the road, £20 for peace of mind knowing the car has been designed to work with those tyres, is worth it to her, and to be fair, I agree.
Buying cheap to me is a false economy. I do, however understand that there is a happy medium, inwhich the likes of Hankook, Toyo etc thrive, as they do offer 90% of the performance, for 60% of the price, and it does make sense to a lot of people who aren't out chasing tiny amounts of grip, and want something decent and safe to carry them about.
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