Tire Choice - Ford Focus

Kaise

Right then - advice required

Car: Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec 2002

What tyres do i go for?

I have used michellins for a while and the energy savers reportidly give a fuel saving of 80 liters over 28000 miles (according to TUV testing and compared to 12 others makes) but they are £74 each, fitted and my budgies are tight as budgies get.

or do i go for a Kumho mid ranger at £57.95, fitted?

80 litres at todays fuel cost is like £107.20 which is a fair fuel saving to be honest.

the choice is far too vast and i havent got a clue!

If i still had my type R this wouldnt be a problem as i knew which tyres to buy every time and the fuel savings wouldnt be an issue because i gave it beans everywhere i went!

HELP!!

Buckled_Rims

The reported savings are only attainable under controlled conditions. In the real world you'd never save that. You save more controlling your right foot then with expensive tyres.

BorisSpencer

Take the savings now with the cheaper tyre, they probably won't even do 28000 miles on the front of a Focus.

.blitz

Got through a load of tyres on my Focus in five years but tbh there wasn't a great deal of difference between any of them.

The OE Contis were probably the best in terms of comfort/grip/noise/durability but they were freakily expensive so they were replaced with some Mich Energy Savers which as tyres go were totally unobtrusive and lasted a long time but weren't cheap. Next were some Toyo Proxes (£50) which were super-quiet, comfortable and gripped like the proverbial but they wore out in a very short time. A puncture resulted in a cheap Barum going on. It looked naff and felt plasticky but it actually drove pretty good so I got another to go on the other side when it wore out. Last pair before I sold it were some inexpensive Hankooks again kindof plasticky but in practical terms they were fine.

I think out of all of them the Barums were the best - very cheap, grippy enough and lasted ages - and I don't think a Focus needs any kind of 'performance' tyre and providing they are round and hold air that's all they need to do.

cooldad

Whatever's cheap on Blackcirlces.com. Unless you drive at illegal speeds it makes little difference.

leaflite

etyres.com-cheaper than kwik fit etc and they come round to your house to fit them.

Energy saving tyres apparently give less grip so with them you are more likely to crash into a tree and have to pay your insurance excess.

Not cheap. but bridgestone potenza re050a 's seem to have the balance between grip and durability-the rear ones have lasted nearly 60k miles!

Northwind

I put Kumho KH17s on mine... Bit ropey in the wet tbh, fine in the dry though and surprisingly good on snow and mud if that matters. But I won't buy them again, not for the front at least.

Kaise

went for some Kleber tyres, distributed and owned by michellin and when i was at the tyre place i asked the guy to put it side by side with a mich energy saver

the tread was slightly different but they were the same weight and the same compound, not been in the wet yet but i am sure that wont be long, we have had summer by all accounts!