Cheap tyres VS premium brand tyres
Discussion
A little over a year ago I was left with the decision of; should I get good premium brand tyres which offer better braking, handling, noise, economy, etc... at twice the price of the cheap nasty ones. OR should I get the cheapest brand I can find - which are supposedly inferior in most ways?
I drive a 2011 C350 (Petrol) Auto - completely standard and around 300bhp.
For years I had always purchased premium brands and never had issue (aside from them being expensive), so I made the decision a little over a year ago to try the cheapest tyres Black Circles had to offer. I think my rears were about £60 a corner, and fronts were just under that price - so I changed the full set. My other option - the premium tyres, were about £120 a corner, so double the cost.
Like most people; I drive to and from work at all times of the year come rain or shine. I occasionally need to put my foot down to get out onto a busy roundabout, or to pass on a motorway. I also like the occasional squirt on a quite open road when it's safe to do so. My days of driving a car to my skill limits are long gone.
Now, my verdict:
Wear - The cheaper tyres seem to wear around 25% faster which I can live with since they're half the cost.
In the wet - I don't hammer my cars so no issue there.
Cornering - I actually love my slightly less grippy tyres, it's made the rear of the car so much more fun! and the best part is that I am not constantly thinking about the cost of my tyres. The fronts seem the same as premium brand tyres, the rears are where the differences lie. The back end is definitely looser under full power so you don't have to go super fast to enjoy yourself - MX5 / GT86 ethos.
I don't notice any extra road noise.
So really I am very pleased with my decision and it's an added bonus that I've saved some money. So the next time you need tyres, just ask yourself if it's going to be worth it because theres pros and cons to each decision.
Drive safe
I drive a 2011 C350 (Petrol) Auto - completely standard and around 300bhp.
For years I had always purchased premium brands and never had issue (aside from them being expensive), so I made the decision a little over a year ago to try the cheapest tyres Black Circles had to offer. I think my rears were about £60 a corner, and fronts were just under that price - so I changed the full set. My other option - the premium tyres, were about £120 a corner, so double the cost.
Like most people; I drive to and from work at all times of the year come rain or shine. I occasionally need to put my foot down to get out onto a busy roundabout, or to pass on a motorway. I also like the occasional squirt on a quite open road when it's safe to do so. My days of driving a car to my skill limits are long gone.
Now, my verdict:
Wear - The cheaper tyres seem to wear around 25% faster which I can live with since they're half the cost.
In the wet - I don't hammer my cars so no issue there.
Cornering - I actually love my slightly less grippy tyres, it's made the rear of the car so much more fun! and the best part is that I am not constantly thinking about the cost of my tyres. The fronts seem the same as premium brand tyres, the rears are where the differences lie. The back end is definitely looser under full power so you don't have to go super fast to enjoy yourself - MX5 / GT86 ethos.
I don't notice any extra road noise.
So really I am very pleased with my decision and it's an added bonus that I've saved some money. So the next time you need tyres, just ask yourself if it's going to be worth it because theres pros and cons to each decision.
Drive safe
I'm sorry but its no excuse to put some cheap ling longs on a nice car like that. I'm assuming it has 18's? I bought a set of Goodyear Eagle F1's for £440 fitted my CLK. The extra grip in the dry and wet, less road noise and a better ride makes it worth. Plus seeing a nice and looking down to see its been fitted with some cheap tyres just screams council.
Nope, plenty of mid range brands that offer 90% of the performance of the premium brands, but for only a hair over the Chinese prices. Really don't know why you would subject yourself to dubious build quality and, by your own admittance worse performance, when you could've picked up a set of Falkens, or Toyo's, or Kumhos, or Yokohamas etc etc. For really not a lot more cash, than having the unknown quantity of just telling black circles to give you whatever cheap crap they have bulk bought in that month.
I've had the displeasure of having some of the Chinese brands on cars I've bought (Duro, Nexen (not Chinese, but still awful) , Roadwins) and they quality and performance really is shocking considering your really only saving £5-10/corner over a set of T1Rs or RS3s, which are very effective tyres.
If you want to slide the arse end about just put your tyre pressures up on the rear.
I've had the displeasure of having some of the Chinese brands on cars I've bought (Duro, Nexen (not Chinese, but still awful) , Roadwins) and they quality and performance really is shocking considering your really only saving £5-10/corner over a set of T1Rs or RS3s, which are very effective tyres.
If you want to slide the arse end about just put your tyre pressures up on the rear.
Edited by caelite on Sunday 25th February 12:20
I did once run Accelera’s which were an odd size and they were £80each when the next nearest was £240.00.
My independent tyre fitter, who is not a tyre snob at all, did point out that the side walls o them are not as strong as the Conti/Pirelli’s I had been using and to be super careful at inspecting them as cheap (Low profile) tyres are quite prone to getting an ‘egg’ from kerbs or potholes.
I must say I had no issues (I was selling the car in couple of months) during my short tenure, and they were 90% as good as the PZero in grip and water, and a little quieter.
As a comparison from premium to cheap, Ive massive grip issues on my SUV recently switching from Pirelli Scorpion Verde to Pirelli Scorpion Zero M&S, less than 80 % of the dry grip, about 60% of the damp grip, but just the same in actual wet conditions, thankfully its going back soon.
My independent tyre fitter, who is not a tyre snob at all, did point out that the side walls o them are not as strong as the Conti/Pirelli’s I had been using and to be super careful at inspecting them as cheap (Low profile) tyres are quite prone to getting an ‘egg’ from kerbs or potholes.
I must say I had no issues (I was selling the car in couple of months) during my short tenure, and they were 90% as good as the PZero in grip and water, and a little quieter.
As a comparison from premium to cheap, Ive massive grip issues on my SUV recently switching from Pirelli Scorpion Verde to Pirelli Scorpion Zero M&S, less than 80 % of the dry grip, about 60% of the damp grip, but just the same in actual wet conditions, thankfully its going back soon.
On a regular car (RAV4 / DS3) which has little power and is not driven like a nutter, I use mid range tyres rated A for wet performance. It is only motorway speed aquaplaning that bothers me on those cars and they perform fine against that driving style.
On the Vette, I would get very little choice given the size. The only make that did the rears last time I put a set on was Toyo, which frankly were like wood
On the Vette, I would get very little choice given the size. The only make that did the rears last time I put a set on was Toyo, which frankly were like wood
Ahbefive said:
So for a 25% saving, (£100 over 15k miles?) you are advocating having crappy chinese tyres that by your own admission offer a lot less grip? Riiiiight.
Lets hope you don't ever need that extra grip to say avoid an accident or stop aquaplaning or something.
Quite.Lets hope you don't ever need that extra grip to say avoid an accident or stop aquaplaning or something.
Let's be fair, tyres are bloody cheap. They're one of the cheapest aspects of a car's total running cost.
£120/corner for 15k miles = 4p/mile. Woo, we've saved a whole penny a mile by putting a set of JoyfulHappyDeath XYZ666 on instead. Wonder what the total running cost is, with fuel/depreciation/maintenance? 30p if it's a sub-five-grand shed, 45p if it's near-new and still depreciating heavily? But it's OK, there's less grip! Look, we can see how much less grip there is, because we've turned the back end into a Moggy Thou on crossplies! Wow! Wonderful!
Oh, wait. I bet they're higher rolling resistance, too, so there's more fuel being used...
And all so that we can prove an absolute false dichotomy, by ignoring all those perfectly good mid-range tyres that don't have the massive trade-off, and aren't actually that much more expensive. Bet a set of Avons or Vredesteins or Uniroyals would have been about £75 a corner, without the big life trade-off, so would be cheaper per mile...
What is it they say about people who know the price of everything and the value of nothing?
I'm no tyre expert and cannot tell you the difference between the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, the latest from Continental or Pirelli.
However I can say that there is a noticeable difference between the cheapest and the premium.
I'm currently running a full set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4S of the XFR, which set me back about £950 from a Costco deal. I believe they are more expensive than this though.
Great tyres, It gives me the confidence to progress on quiet roads, it doesn't just let go when pulling away (dry or wet, unless I'm being stupid) and they are really quiet. Pretty much ticks all the boxes from what I would expect for the cost. And appeasing to the tyre snob
At the other end of the scale, I bought the cheapest tyres possible over a year ago, just to get the car through an MOT, but ran them until I got the 4s.
On the rears were a couple Hi-Ways (yeah I never heard of the either), and on the front were a pair of something else.
All in, I had about £350 worth of unknown rubber on each corner.
For commuting in slow stop start traffic, the tyres were fine and they were cheap, so plus points.
However in damp/wet roads, I've got myself a traction control light flashing away, as if it was playing to Miami Sound Machines' Conga.
The back end like to step out on round-abouts, on any given chance. Overall travelling velocity is greatly reduced to compensate of the crap traction to the road.
Dry roads, although the traction control light doesn't flash away, I was more caution in my driving style.
No confidence to pull away as I knew the tyres would give up grip in someway.
I guess the crap tyres does force you to learn to be more patient on the roads, and you get to learn how your car feels when it looses traction.
Although, now that i'm used to the 4s, I doubt I will go back to the cheap tyres, unless it's an absolute emergency.
However I can say that there is a noticeable difference between the cheapest and the premium.
I'm currently running a full set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4S of the XFR, which set me back about £950 from a Costco deal. I believe they are more expensive than this though.
Great tyres, It gives me the confidence to progress on quiet roads, it doesn't just let go when pulling away (dry or wet, unless I'm being stupid) and they are really quiet. Pretty much ticks all the boxes from what I would expect for the cost. And appeasing to the tyre snob
At the other end of the scale, I bought the cheapest tyres possible over a year ago, just to get the car through an MOT, but ran them until I got the 4s.
On the rears were a couple Hi-Ways (yeah I never heard of the either), and on the front were a pair of something else.
All in, I had about £350 worth of unknown rubber on each corner.
For commuting in slow stop start traffic, the tyres were fine and they were cheap, so plus points.
However in damp/wet roads, I've got myself a traction control light flashing away, as if it was playing to Miami Sound Machines' Conga.
The back end like to step out on round-abouts, on any given chance. Overall travelling velocity is greatly reduced to compensate of the crap traction to the road.
Dry roads, although the traction control light doesn't flash away, I was more caution in my driving style.
No confidence to pull away as I knew the tyres would give up grip in someway.
I guess the crap tyres does force you to learn to be more patient on the roads, and you get to learn how your car feels when it looses traction.
Although, now that i'm used to the 4s, I doubt I will go back to the cheap tyres, unless it's an absolute emergency.
Edited by XFRFred on Sunday 25th February 13:17
I've generally defaulted to Michelin, not least because I used to like getting them from Costco, although their rigid enforcement of policies has become unbearable, and they're not cheaper than everyone else any more.
I wanted to try All-Seasons on my old C270 but couldn't find a manufacturer who did both front and rear sizes so got Vredestein Quatrac for the front and Kumho KH21 for the rear. They were about 25% cheaper than Michelins.
Obviously it's not an ear-'holing car, and I can't tell any difference - ride, noise and handling seem just as good as the Michelin Primacy's that were on before. It feels very secure in the wet. Most remarkable thing is wear on the rears. Original Bridgestones lasted 18K, Michelin replacements did 27K. The Kumho's have been on for 23K and were reported at service a couple of weeks ago as 6mm
I wanted to try All-Seasons on my old C270 but couldn't find a manufacturer who did both front and rear sizes so got Vredestein Quatrac for the front and Kumho KH21 for the rear. They were about 25% cheaper than Michelins.
Obviously it's not an ear-'holing car, and I can't tell any difference - ride, noise and handling seem just as good as the Michelin Primacy's that were on before. It feels very secure in the wet. Most remarkable thing is wear on the rears. Original Bridgestones lasted 18K, Michelin replacements did 27K. The Kumho's have been on for 23K and were reported at service a couple of weeks ago as 6mm
I had a couple of cheap chinese tyres on the front of my Transit as I was having a pretty bleak month and it needed new tyres for an MOT.
Never again. Even going round a slightly damp roundabout at 20 mph they'd lose grip and traction control would cut in.
Replaced them with Michellins very soon afterwards.
I'd never go for cheap tyres again. If they can't handle a bit of a corner in the rain how will they stand up to long periods of high speed driving? Or how well will they hold together if you accidentally kerb them?
Never again. Even going round a slightly damp roundabout at 20 mph they'd lose grip and traction control would cut in.
Replaced them with Michellins very soon afterwards.
I'd never go for cheap tyres again. If they can't handle a bit of a corner in the rain how will they stand up to long periods of high speed driving? Or how well will they hold together if you accidentally kerb them?
XFRFred said:
I'm no tyre expert and cannot tell you the difference between the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, the latest from Continental or Pirelli.
However I can say that there is a noticeable difference between the cheapest and the premium.
I'm currently running a full set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4S of the XFR, which set me back about £950 from a Costco deal. I believe they are more expensive than this though.
Great tyres, It gives me the confidence to progress on quiet roads, it doesn't just let go when pulling away (dry or wet, unless I'm being stupid) and they are really quiet. Pretty much ticks all the boxes from what I would expect for the cost. And appeasing to the tyre snob
At the other end of the scale, I bought the cheapest tyres possible over a year ago, just to get the car through an MOT, but ran them until I got the 4s.
On the rears were a couple Hi-Ways (yeah I never heard of the either), and on the front were a pair of something else.
All in, I had about £350 worth of unknown rubber on each corner.
For commuting in slow stop start traffic, the tyres were fine and they were cheap, so plus points.
However in damp/wet roads, I've got myself a traction control light flashing away, as if it was playing to Miami Sound Machines' Conga.
The back end like to step out on round-abouts, on any given chance. Overall travelling velocity is greatly reduced to compensate of the crap traction to the road.
Dry roads, although the traction control light doesn't flash away, I was more caution in my driving style.
No confidence to pull away as I knew the tyres would give up grip in someway.
I guess the crap tyres does force you to learn to be more patient on the roads, and you get to learn how your car feels when it looses traction.
Although, now that i'm used to the 4s, I doubt I will go back to the cheap tyres, unless it's an absolute emergency.
Looking forward to having some 4s’s on my F-Type next week.However I can say that there is a noticeable difference between the cheapest and the premium.
I'm currently running a full set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4S of the XFR, which set me back about £950 from a Costco deal. I believe they are more expensive than this though.
Great tyres, It gives me the confidence to progress on quiet roads, it doesn't just let go when pulling away (dry or wet, unless I'm being stupid) and they are really quiet. Pretty much ticks all the boxes from what I would expect for the cost. And appeasing to the tyre snob
At the other end of the scale, I bought the cheapest tyres possible over a year ago, just to get the car through an MOT, but ran them until I got the 4s.
On the rears were a couple Hi-Ways (yeah I never heard of the either), and on the front were a pair of something else.
All in, I had about £350 worth of unknown rubber on each corner.
For commuting in slow stop start traffic, the tyres were fine and they were cheap, so plus points.
However in damp/wet roads, I've got myself a traction control light flashing away, as if it was playing to Miami Sound Machines' Conga.
The back end like to step out on round-abouts, on any given chance. Overall travelling velocity is greatly reduced to compensate of the crap traction to the road.
Dry roads, although the traction control light doesn't flash away, I was more caution in my driving style.
No confidence to pull away as I knew the tyres would give up grip in someway.
I guess the crap tyres does force you to learn to be more patient on the roads, and you get to learn how your car feels when it looses traction.
Although, now that i'm used to the 4s, I doubt I will go back to the cheap tyres, unless it's an absolute emergency.
Edited by XFRFred on Sunday 25th February 13:17
The current Pirelli’s feel like cheap ditch finders.
Alucidnation said:
Yay, another tyre thread.
You didn't need to contribute toI know a guy who bought a Maserati Granturismo , the car was advertised as new tyres fitted, when he get there they were Talon Triangles, straight in the bin
I recently fitted a set of Yokohama ADVAN Neova AD08R to a 200bhp MX5 , when I bought it there were chinese tyres i'd never heard of on the back and nexen on the front , the handling of the car has been transformed with the new tyres on , I might put cheap tyres on a shopping trolley car that rarely goes out of town but not on a performance car
i am an advocate for good quality rubber but its easy to be when you can afford it. a lot of people live week to week and the prospect of keeping the car on the road for 40 quid a corner versus 80 quid a corner can be the difference between eating or not. for many of the reasons posted prior however, if you buy cheap tyres when you can afford good ones, it just doesnt make sense.
My Dad had a Honda Accord 2.0i Automatic as a spare car. Relatives over from abroad - use the Accord. Needed a larger car for the day - use the Accord. Car broken down - use the Accord.
It needed 4 new tyres and I found an offer from Kwik Fit for 4x 185/70/14 tyres from Kwik Fit for 100 notes. KF weren't able confirm the make that would be fitted - it depended on what the distribution centre supplied. £100 later it had four brand new Debica tyres on. From that day on everyone who drove the car said it felt weird and squirmy. We checked, my friendly local mechanic checked, tyre pressures, bushes, things that might be loose. Even my mum who is the opposite of PH said it was strange. There must have been 20+ drivers of the car over the year that said the same. Quite frankly the tyres were appalling in the wet. In the end, my brother and I took the car to a car park and spun the tyres out and to put new Dunlops on.
It needed 4 new tyres and I found an offer from Kwik Fit for 4x 185/70/14 tyres from Kwik Fit for 100 notes. KF weren't able confirm the make that would be fitted - it depended on what the distribution centre supplied. £100 later it had four brand new Debica tyres on. From that day on everyone who drove the car said it felt weird and squirmy. We checked, my friendly local mechanic checked, tyre pressures, bushes, things that might be loose. Even my mum who is the opposite of PH said it was strange. There must have been 20+ drivers of the car over the year that said the same. Quite frankly the tyres were appalling in the wet. In the end, my brother and I took the car to a car park and spun the tyres out and to put new Dunlops on.
On a big, powerful-ish rear wheel drive I'd stick to premium or mid range at minimum.
I usually maintain that midrange offer 90%+ of the performance for less money which is fine for the majority.
I run cheap old cars so my tyre choice is usually towards the cheaper end of the spectrum, currently using some persa's? They are better than the nearly bald tyres that were on there but not by much, it's very happy to wheel spin and doesn't corner that great. My solution? Chuck them on the back and get some mid range on the front, that's fine on a fwd.
I usually maintain that midrange offer 90%+ of the performance for less money which is fine for the majority.
I run cheap old cars so my tyre choice is usually towards the cheaper end of the spectrum, currently using some persa's? They are better than the nearly bald tyres that were on there but not by much, it's very happy to wheel spin and doesn't corner that great. My solution? Chuck them on the back and get some mid range on the front, that's fine on a fwd.
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