New tyres

joey54

Hi all,

Need your advice as I haven't got a clue about cars.

I think my 99 Punto needs new tyres, they're looking a bit worn.
Generally how often should tyres be changed? I bought the car about a year ago, it may be that the original tyres are still on the car.

It's alloy wheels that I have, I presume this doesn't make it any more awkward.

How much can I expect to pay?

Many thanks.

Joey

Seth Brundle

Have a look at www.eiretyres.net/start.html - it will give you an idea of where prices start from.

peasant

Legally tyres need to be changed when the thread depth is below 1.6 mm at the lowest point.

The recommendation by automobile clubs and other institutions that regularly test tyres is to change at a thread depth of 4 mm ...especially when driving in the rain a lot.

Bulges in the side wall (after kerbing for example) also mean that the tyre should be changed.

joey54

Cheers, I reckon I'll be changing them.

cantdecide

There's a little lump in the tread that I think is 1.6mm tall that show you when they're worn out.


Is this right or is supposed to be 1.6mm above the lump??

TychoCaine

peasant wrote: »

Legally tyres need to be changed when the thread depth is below 1.6 mm at the lowest point.

Sorry to be a pedant, but Wrong! The law states that the tyres are illegal if the tread depth is less than 1.6mm over 75% of the width of the tyre at any point in the circumference. You could have a badly tracked car with the tyre nearly down to the carcase on one side and they could still be legal.... but wet weather performance is degraded even when you have twice the legal depth left, so you should never wait until you hit 1.6mm.

colm_mcm

cantdecide wrote: »

There's a little lump in the tread that I think is 1.6mm tall that show you when they're worn out.


Is this right or is supposed to be 1.6mm above the lump??

I think once the surface is flush with the indicator, it's time to change. usually the indicator is more than 1.6mm though

TychoCaine

colm_mcm wrote: »

I think once the surface is flush with the indicator, it's time to change. usually the indicator is more than 1.6mm though

Depends where the tyres come from. The tyres you buy from Eiretyres.com are sourced in Germany, so the wear indicator is flush with the tread when there's 3mm left, as per German road law. The last pair of (Irish sourced) Firestones I changed on the wife's car had a 1.6mm (-ish) wear indicator.

colm_mcm

either way, it's time to change them at that stage.