I thought 5 years was the limit?
Chat Forum
[closed]
How much do you pay for car tyres?
-
Posted 1 year ago #
-
We paid £170 for a pair of Vredestein Hi-tracs including alignment and VAT for a ford focus
Posted 1 year ago # -
Just bought two rear tyres for my car. Pirelli PZero in 255/35/18 and they were £230 each
Posted 1 year ago # -
coffeeking - Member
I could drop down to 195/50/15 for about £30-35 each but I prefer the ride of 55's.
I have to say there's no discernable difference between 55s and 50s on my 306, and I'm fairly "in tune" with the feel of cars. Certainly there's more difference from tyre model to tyre model than the switch in profile gave me. Does bugger up your speedo a bit though.Been driving hatchback 306's for 13 years with lots of tyres and suspension set ups and I can honestly say there is a definite difference of 55 to 50 profile. So much so I would rather spend more for the 55 profile. 50 is a lot more agile but 55 does ride better.
50's are also rated a bit low for the 306 when you have it quite highly loaded.
I've run dunlops, falkens, toyos, goodyears, michelin primacy, nokians and budget ones that came on wheels. Always 55 profile for me and XL for winter tyres (extra load) for a stiffer side wall.
If anyone wonders why I have a had 306s for so long it is because I can fix them with my eyes closed so when at Uni I needed cars that I don't need to take to a garage and that I have spares for.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Maybe we're after different things from our cars then, but I definitely could hardly tell the difference, 'cept possibly slightly faster turn-in, but the difference between a cheap tyre and something like a rainsport in the same size is vast. (Also a long-term pug owner here, cracking cheap cars to run, easy and cheap to fix!).
The difference between the ride of a new tyre and a worn out tyre is vast too.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I have always given my cars a very hard time on country lanes, especially ones with poor surfaces and bumps as I enjoy getting the car to float and kick about. 55s hold the road better while smoothing out the ride a touch. On smooth roads 55s can feel a bit floaty and 50s are definitely a lot more agile.
But I also find 50 profile tyres with the 82 load rating have just got too much give in the side wall. This also leads to a lot of edge wear, even with correct pressures. Even the 14" tyres (185/65/14) have an 86 load rating. Too low load rating can also void your insurance as it is a safety issue.
TBH the OEM 15" pug alloys are also a bit narrow for 195 tyres and used to come with 185/55/15 before the GTI-6 came out. The 185 actually gives a flatter tyre profile and can give better grip and sharper handling. 185/50/15 (if you can get them) might be quite nice but the diameter will be smaller again and I would want an XL load rating.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Hmmm never suffered edge wear either.
Load index of 82 = 475kg per tyre, unless you're carrying an elephant they're within requirements, you'd be needing 950kg+ on the front axle to be out of spec.
Which alloys are you thinking?
Cyclones are 7J. My celicas are 7J and more than happily carry 225s without any distortion or odd wear.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Always 55 profile for me and XL for winter tyres (extra load) for a stiffer side wall
Why stiffer sidewalls for winter tyres?
I've got XL on summer and winter.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Think I'm just about to stray into some Toyos for the first time, seem to be best bang for buck. Both XLs, 195 50 15s for the 306, 215 40 17s for the GT4. Thats 220 quid down the drain, before fitting! Damn potholes!!!
Posted 1 year ago # -
I've never payed anything for car tyres preferring the old 'Plymouth Discount'
Posted 1 year ago # -
Land Rover 110 V8 on 7.50R16 Michelin XZL 10 ply radials, previously on Michelin XCL 8 ply radials.
I bought a set of brand new cross plies about 20 years ago for my old Series 2.
Ever since then I'v accumulated second hand tyres whenever I see them at the right price. I've got about a dozen spares at the moment.
The most I paid was £280 for 5 brand new XZLs on rims. I bought 6 part worns for £50 recently.
I fit my own tyres and don't bother getting them balanced. I've only ever had a couple cause vibration on the front, Swapping them to the back cured that.Just another example of the low overall running costs of a Land Rover making up for the poor fuel economy.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Just had a new set fitted (BMW E46 M3) went for Goodyear eagle f1's.
2x 235/35/19 at £209 each
2x 265/30/19 at £258 eachBloomin makes me cry when I think what I could of bought for the bike for that..
Posted 1 year ago # -
I fit my own tyres and don't bother getting them balanced. I've only ever had a couple cause vibration on the front, Swapping them to the back cured that.
You got split rims? If not, how do you fit them? Nearly bought part worns as I have a suspension issue to diagnose/locate but I suspect I won't be treating the car well while diagnosing it so I'd rather ensure I have full tread and known-good carcass
Posted 1 year ago # -
Just had a major result with a complete set of wheels (original for my car) including tyres. Nearly new Firestone Firehawks on the front and Pirelli 6000 on the back which have 2-3000 miles left on them 225x50x16. Total delivered £160!
Was going to keep the winter tyres on all year round but at that price the swap had to be done
Have only had them fitted for a few days but I can feel very little difference between these and the winter tyres. Possibly very slightly quieter and mpg up to 37.5 from 36'ish but not enough miles in yet to make a true comparison.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I fit them the old fashioned way with two levers, a hammer and plenty of tyre soap. OK for steel Land Rover wheels, but I wouldn't want to try it on expensive alloys.
I run them tubed as a lot of them are on the old riveted rims, which are supposedly not air tight. I keep wondering if I ought to sort out 5 welded rims and make up a tubeless set.
A lot of Land Rover owners "upgrade" to wider tyres, which means there's a fairly constant supply of part worn, unfashionable 7.50R16s around.Posted 1 year ago # -
Price - but I'm tight fisted when it comes to something I don't think I'm getting value for money from...
Fiat Bravo - 225/18/45's and last price was £82 per corner, but those tyres no longer available so it'll be £100 a tyre. I'm finding Khumo's (or Kumho's or however they are spelt!) are very good in terms of grip and durability - perhaps not as good as the 'premier' manufacturers but I get a decent length of time out the tyres (about the same as the P-Zero's that the car came with).
Posted 1 year ago # -
coffeeking - Member
Hmmm never suffered edge wear either.Load index of 82 = 475kg per tyre, unless you're carrying an elephant they're within requirements, you'd be needing 950kg+ on the front axle to be out of spec.
Which alloys are you thinking?
Cyclones are 7J. My celicas are 7J and more than happily carry 225s without any distortion or odd wear.
Cyclones are definitely not 7J. They are 6J - check out servicebox or the GTI forum if you don't believe me.
A 225 wide tyre will definitely not be safe. 205 is your absolute limit. 185 is ideal. 195 is okay and standard fit after 1997.
As for load factors - fully loaded car with 4 adults and luggage = 1300 + 4 x 80 + 100kg luggage = 1720kg = 860kg per axle assuming 50:50 split.
When you corner, brake etc then you get weight shift which can take you over 475kg on a tyre quite easily which is why the 306 tyres should be 85 or higher. Any less and your insurance company could say "no" to a claim.
Posted 1 year ago # -
When you corner, brake etc then you get weight shift which can take you over 475kg on a tyre quite easily
Surely the load rating takes that into account?
Posted 1 year ago # -
I go for Grip first - £140 a corner for Michelin Pilot Sport II (255/45/17) for a Golf V6 4Motion.
Posted 1 year ago # -
molgrips - Member
When you corner, brake etc then you get weight shift which can take you over 475kg on a tyre quite easily
Surely the load rating takes that into account?not sure but running a lower rating that specified for the car is not the best idea.
I used to run 50 profiles with 82 load rating and most of the time they are fine. I just prefer sticking to the correct profile and rating these days.
Oh as for higher load rating on winter tyres - stiffer sidewall helps offset some of the extra give in the tread. I did choose normal load rating but they delivered the XL version which turned out okay in the end as I normally have a lot more load in the car during the Xmas holidays when i do most of my winter mileage.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Not balancing wheels is a flase economy as suspension parts will wear faster. You'll lose high-speed grip too.
You can't buy high speed rated winter tyres so nobody is going to worry about you fitting lower rated ones than normally demanded for a car.
I can't see why you'd want a stiffer sidewall unless you regualarly run the vehicle at near its maximum load limit.
Well worn tyres grip better in the dry.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Edukator, my winter tyres are V rated, 149mph!
Posted 1 year ago # -
So are mine, and that's as high as you'll find AFAIK.
Posted 1 year ago # -
So in what sense is 149mph not fast?
EDIT the Nokians are also available in W which is 168mph
Posted 1 year ago # -
That still leaves Y. (add smiley to choice) Michelin Alpins only go to V but you'll have no trouble persuading a normally fussy tyre fitter to put them on a car that demands a higher rating IME.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Renault Traffic 6 seater crew van.
Tried 70 euro budgets but they split apart on the side wall in less than a year. Scary!! Fuel economy was also pretty bad.
Sticking with michelins from now on. 140 euros a corner.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Checking (French) law you can legally fit winter tyres of one speed rating lower than normally specified. As this sort of thing is European defined I can't imagine British law being any different.
Where the higher ratings of winter tyre are not available in a dimension to fit your car you can legally fit a tyre at the highest rating available (often V).
Posted 1 year ago # -
Where are you going to exceed 168mph anyway? Not really even possible on the Autobahn.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Molgrips, you're being picky again. You pick me up on a point where I'm right from both a practical and legal point of view and then take it to the nth degree. In fact you just end up digging a bigger hole for yourself because my original off-the-top-of-my-head statement prompted by an earlier post on the thread is correct and good advice. I'll repeat it:
"You can't buy high speed rated winter tyres so nobody is going to worry about you fitting lower rated ones than normally demanded for a car."
The obligatory sticker on the dash would remind you not to go over lower speed rating of the tyres.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I just found it bizarre that someone would think tyres rated for 149mph weren't 'high speed'!
Not questioning whether or not you're right on some point or other - don't even know what that would be tbh
Posted 1 year ago # -
The fact you can fit lower speed rated winter tyres.
That we have different perceptions of what is fast doesn't change that.
Posted 1 year ago #
Topic Closed
This topic has been closed to new replies.
