Cheap Car Tyres any good ?

mr_eddy

We have a 64 plate Toyota Aygo and it takes a strange size tyre (165/60/15), The 2 front tyres are due for replacement. I have found some Nankang Eco 2 tyres for £50 each compared to over £70 for the Conti's that came with the car.

My question is that given the Nankang have the same grip rating (both is there going to be any real difference ?

FYI - The car is only used for a daily commute. Very rarely goes over 40 mph and our annual mileage is around 6k a year so the difference in fuel economy of the two tyres is not a concern.

Are the cheaper non mainstream brands safe ? I get that they still have to pass the safety tests etc but just wondering if its all just brand snobbery. I also get that if I had a sports car etc then maybe more expensive tyres would make sense but for my situation surely the cheaper tyres are going to be fine ?

Advice please ?

tangled_metal

I went through a spell of using cheaper tyres. They work but IMHO there is a difference between cheap and high end. I found some cheaper tyres wore out rather too quickly and became a little poor for grip well before the tread depth reached recommended replacement levels (above legal minimum).

Personally I go for whatever mid range has decent grip rating and are on offer. This usually means £70 or even more.

keef66

+1 - my experience with cheap tyres to keep son's car on the road on a shoestring budget was not good. The wear rate seemed inversely proportional to the price, so they turned out to be a false economy . Now when I'm tyre shopping I go for a known brand; Conti, Dunlop, Avon, Michelin, Pirelli etc.

And since they are going on the front, doubly so...

andcp

mr_eddy wrote:

My question is that given the Nankang have the same grip rating (both is there going to be any real difference ?

I've got it into my head (and I'm happy to be told I'm wrong) that ratings for tyres are supplied by the manufacturer and not an independent body. So a grip rating for Nankang might not necessarily be the same grip rating as for, say, Continentals.

Try Blackcircles for price comparisons: http://www.blackcircles.com/?gclid=Cj0K ... AkXz8P8HAQ

They are mail order but you can elect to have them fitted locally to you - I've used them several times and it works well.

eta: this may be of interest - http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Nankang/Eco-2.htm

tangled_metal

Missed the front bit. Always good tyres on front, drive wheels. They wear out a lot quicker than rear tyres. Generally I get twice the life out of rear tyres so I have mixed cheaper to the rear with better ones to the front. Generally, if I'm starting to skid it's been mainly the front end that goes first.

Be wary of one's marketed as having a high fuel.efficiency. IME the Michelin ones I have on my front wheels were good for that (noticeable anyway) but did not grip well on snow or ice. Indeed grip was compromised with them. I'll be glad to change to something different when they eventually wear out.

tangled_metal

I was on Asda website the other day. They had a link to car tyres. They apparently settle them too! Probably thorough some commercial tie in with the big tyre and exhaust companies.

secretsam

Consider:

1. Tyres for your bike: cheap sh17 or something decent?
2. It's your life, that of your passengers, and of all other road users'...
3. Tyre places always, ALWAYS do a deal. ALWAYS. So get prices from half a dozen, then go round and match them - ring the tyre places, get best price for size, promise to ring them back. They will always offer to match a better price. I once halved the price of a set of 4 for my car by doing this. The guy admitted he didn't make a penny on them - but sales are also important to them (volume)!
4. CostCo do cheap tyres, decent quality

tangled_metal

Look online. There's companies that do amazing deals. You find the tyres you want, put in your location and pay. Then print off the receipt and go to the local tyre shop they did the deal with. These online companies don't put them on only act as middle men but still get better deals. My dad used to do that then go to kwikfit to get them fitted. Cheaper than kwikfit could offer, he gave them the price and they wouldn't even match the online price.

Tashman

For the type of driving you described then mid-price should be absolutely fine. You're not ragging it at all so they should last you forever

daniel_b

I used to have a Primera estate that was used purely for commuting, 15" wheels, and went for some no name, cheap as chips £50 a corner tyres from a local supplier.

No issues, punctures, or loss of grip, and that car got ragged about - 40,000 miles from the rear set, and 30,000 from the front.

Having said that, I now have a much heavier and more powerful Volvo T5, and cheap tyres ARE a false economy on that, punctures, and faster wearing mean I tend to go for a higher spec tyre now, aside from the fact it needs a reasonable spec due to it's speed rating etc of course.

For your Toyota, personally I would have thought basic tyres they would be perfectly acceptable.

mouth

If this were your bicycle, would you be putting a cheap no name tyre on it or would you be looking at a Conti, Michelin or Schwalbe. That Kenda is cheap tho.............

The lower priced tyres have been made saving money somewhere.

I put a couple of Lakeland (it's not here right now so can't go check) tyres on my Juke last year cos I was skint, but will certainly be going back to the OE soon as I can.

As for the whole "better tyres on the front, doesn't matter about the rear brigade", Michelin have a few videos which show a different way of thinking, mostly involving wet braking in corners.

Last purchase I made was with Tyreshopper. Purchase online, have fitted at your convenience at National Auto centres. Cheapest I found across many brands.

capt_slog

Mouth wrote:

The lower priced tyres have been made saving money somewhere.

.

It could be that the saving was in NOT making a 30 second film to put on prime TV...



...not saying that's always the case, just a bit of devil's advocate

I can't say I ever felt less safe with budget tyres on my car, and I had plenty of them over the years.

I have a friendly tyre dealer that i go to locally, and he has a range to choose from and I've found him honest in his opinion*. I usually ask if they are any good, and would he put them on his car? He could easily sell me expensive stuff, but knows that the car doesn't need them. Likewise, I once asked about "rain tyres", he told me not to fit them as they wouldn't last ("they get chewed up in the dry")


*I once went in and asked if my tyres needed replacing and was told "No, come back in a few months". He could just have easily said yes.

mfin

Another online one, of all places Asda. You can order via them and have them fitted locally.

https://www.asdatyres.co.uk/

As for the premium tyre brands, some of the second tier ones like Vredestein are usually a match for anything like Michelin or Continental.

OP comparing £50 a tyre with over £70 a tyre doesn't seem that massive a difference, so it's not saving a fortune. That said, at 40mph commuting I wouldn't worry too much over tyre choice.

I had the same rear wheel drive car for 11 years and went from cheapest to best at various times and I get to drive roads where tyres can be pushed quite hard. I thought I'd have experienced ones that want to break away in the wet but found no real tangible difference in that regard, and that's driving when trying to find out in safe circumstances (like blind bends where cyclists are coming the other way that would help soften the blow if the back went out into a hedge where hard things like fence posts and walls are).

tangled_metal

Aren't some second tier made by the first tier brands anyway? It's like washing machines, sit outside the factory gate long enough and you'll see trucks from most of the brands come out. Got that from a truck driver for the haulage firm used by zanussi BTW. I reckon tyres are the same.

Anyway, it's your choice what you feel comfortable with. I've had good Pirelli tyres (bought because of an amazing deal) and budget tyres. Never had problem with either. All tyres get a bit iffy before the legal limit is reached though.

daniel_b

Tangled Metal wrote:

All tyres get a bit iffy before the legal limit is reached though.

That is very true, especially in adverse conditions like snow, or when aquaplaning comes into it.

mr_eddy

Ok I have read the opinions - I may go for some more expensive options then or possibly swap the back to the front ? The back tyres are Continentals and still have about 5mm of tread across the surface so would a compromise be to put the back on the front then use the 2 x nankang for my rear tyres ?

The car is a small front wheel drive car with rear drum brakes

drlodge

I would put the new tyres on the front since its the front wheels doing all the work (braking, and assuming its a front wheel drive, driving the car too).

tangled_metal

Daniel B wrote:

Tangled Metal wrote:

All tyres get a bit iffy before the legal limit is reached though.

That is very true, especially in adverse conditions like snow, or when aquaplaning comes into it.

Snow? I've found out there is a lot of variables over snow and tyre grip. My current car is useless even with good tyres on that were new, full tread. My old Astra estate with cheapo tyres getting towards the end of useable grip just shot up steep snow covered slopes. Miss that old car. It was just so sure footed when close to the limit of grip if that makes sense. Got me out of difficulties a lot despite cheap tyres.

There's something to be said about driver error if you skid out. Drive to the conditions taking into account car and tyre performance. If you don't and skid then your fault in a lot of cases.

pblakeney

Tangled Metal wrote:

Snow? I've found out there is a lot of variables over snow and tyre grip.

Tyre width is the one most often forgotten about these days with the trend being for low profile wide tyres cos they look good. Innit? Useless in the snow.

drlodge

PBlakeney wrote:

Tangled Metal wrote:

Snow? I've found out there is a lot of variables over snow and tyre grip.

Tyre width is the one most often forgotten about these days with the trend being for low profile wide tyres cos they look good. Innit? Useless in the snow.

Why would wide tyres be useless in the snow? They have a larger contact area and have lower pressures so would be an advantage.

wongataa

drlodge wrote:

PBlakeney wrote:

Tangled Metal wrote:

Snow? I've found out there is a lot of variables over snow and tyre grip.

Tyre width is the one most often forgotten about these days with the trend being for low profile wide tyres cos they look good. Innit? Useless in the snow.

Why would wide tyres be useless in the snow? They have a larger contact area and have lower pressures so would be an advantage.

Narrower tyres cut through the snow better. Ever notice that rally cars in snowy conditions have really narrow tyres? This is why.

mamba80

wongataa wrote:

drlodge wrote:

PBlakeney wrote:

Tangled Metal wrote:

Snow? I've found out there is a lot of variables over snow and tyre grip.

Tyre width is the one most often forgotten about these days with the trend being for low profile wide tyres cos they look good. Innit? Useless in the snow.

Why would wide tyres be useless in the snow? They have a larger contact area and have lower pressures so would be an advantage.

Narrower tyres cut through the snow better. Ever notice that rally cars in snowy conditions have really narrow tyres? This is why.

had some winter tires a while back, despite being just as wide as the normal ones, they had a different compound and wide tread block cut, they were almost as grippy as my ordinary ones with chains and far more user friendly.

normal tires in snow? narrow or wide, forget it.

meanredspider

Blimey - there's some confused thinking in this thread.

Firstly, fit the best tyres you can afford - tyres make all the difference. Cheap tyres are often really nasty.

I'm also rather worried about the talk of putting good tyres at the front. The reason why cars have less effective brakes at the rear is because losing grip at the rear loses your directional stability (i.e. Throw you backwards into a water-filled ditch). Cars for public road use are almost always designed to lose grip at the front first. Ultimately though, you should have equally good tyres all round: even the difference between Dunlop SP Sport and Goodyear Eagle NCT (both made by the same company and a similar price, BTW) transformed the handling of my Alfa 156 simply depending upon which brand was at which end of the car.

And, whilst I absolutely support the view that you should drive to the conditions and within the capability of the car and the driver, it's when that kid runs out in front of you or there's some other unforeseeable event happen that you'll be grateful you spent that bit extra to buy tyres that work.

pblakeney

mamba80 wrote:

normal tires in snow? narrow or wide, forget it.

Base model front wheel drive, any car, skinny normal tyres (@ 175/65 R14), up to 12" of snow.
Absolutely no problem. Had fun driving up here a few years ago on normal tyres. :P

meanredspider

PBlakeney wrote:

mamba80 wrote:

normal tires in snow? narrow or wide, forget it.

Base model front wheel drive, any car, skinny normal tyres (@ 175/65 R14), up to 12" of snow.
Absolutely no problem. Had fun driving up here a few years ago on normal tyres. :P

Gotta question the 12" of snow claim. There's rarely 6" of clearance under a car which makes you 6" of snow plough. You wouldn't get far. That's based upon 13 years of living in the Highlands. Beyond a certain depth of snow, it makes very little difference what tyres you have.

That said, winter tyres are fantastic. On regular tyres, my old Merc wouldn't shift off the drive in snow. With winter tyres it would go almost anywhere the roads were open never getting stuck once.

pblakeney

meanredspider wrote:

Gotta question the 12" of snow claim.

I told the wife that is what 12" looks like and she believes me. That's what counts.
I measured it out of curiosity. 9 1/4". Call it 9" to be safe. :P (And allow 3" for packed snow).

mamba80

That doesnt look like 12" of snow that you are actually driving through and its flat! with no skill and no 4 wheel drive, most people end up in a ditch.
i used to live in Sweden, a place that gets some snow and winter studded tires are are a must, plus everyone has to do ice skid pan training, still everyone drives incredible slowly, compacted snow is as slippery as ice.

MRS is correct, so you need decent tires all round and with such low mileage the op does and a potential saving of only £40, the savings per year are negligible.

tangled_metal

Rode through the centre of the lakes after a heavy snowfall. Got a bit worried walking back to the car as we didn't have a snow shovel. Kicked a way out of the layby and set off expecting to have to find somewhere to crash the night.

Three hours later we'd driven out of the blizzard and into very little snow where we lived. That route generally takes an hour. Entertaining watching a mx5 driver do everything wrong up a slight incline in Ambleside. We drove straight up it without any trouble.

There were quite a few idiots driving quickly in their immaculate, tricked out land rovers or big pickups. One guy had a double cab land rover that was black and privacy glass and chrome everywhere. Big knobbly tyres, one on the back and bonnet plus kit on a roof cage. They were all driving past the line of traffic driving south on the wrong side of the road showing off. The glossy land rover and a raised suspension pickup.went round the block at least 3 times in Ambleside,

It was a bit tricky going up the hill from Windermere and Plumgarth's roundabout. The section from Windermere had quite a few large 4x4 cars abandoned. Seriously! How could a Toyota Landcruiser Amazon well kitted out not getting up that hill but my Astra just cruised up with only one little wobble when my foot slipped a bit on the pedals?

I was very proud of my car and me for driving out of that heavy snowfall. Heavy for Cumbrian main road at least.

tangled_metal

PS that was on cheap, summer tyres near the end of their life, about 2mm tread on the front drive wheels.

pblakeney

mamba80 wrote:

That doesnt look like 12" of snow that you are actually driving through and its flat! with no skill and no 4 wheel drive, most people end up in a ditch.

Look at the side for depths that reports say "Stay at home unless absolutely necessary", and observe my comment about the packed snow. It is also most definitely uphill to the top right. Maximum of 10.2% according to my Garmin on today's pedal. Point being that I drove up it with a smile on my face and no issues on standard tyres.