Nankang vs Starmaxx tyres

CiniO

I'm just shopping for set of tyres in size 225/45 R17.
I was to one of local tyre dealers in March, and he was genuinely advising Nankang tyres. I though they were cheap Chinese rubbish, but he was genuinely convincing that they are good Taiwanese brand. That they provide fairly good traction on wet and wear down slowly.
I didn't listen to him and decided to go for Riken Maystorm 2 B2, but now I regret that. They provided good grip, but wore down in no time. 10k kilometres and they are completely gone so I need to get new set.

Now I went to the same garage and the same guy advised me Nankangs again, but said that he's got Starmaxx now, which are way superior to Nankangs. However 15 quid more expensive per tyre.

I looked online, and I can get Starmaxx Novaro at the same price as Nankang NS20. Both much cheaper than at this guys garage.


EU rating has those Starmaxx fairly high - Fuel Efficiency - C, Wet Grip - B.
That's better than many premium brands.
Nankangs have it worse - Fuel Efficiency - E, Wet Grip - C.

I was nearly ready to buy Nankangs, but now I wonder if possibly those Starmaxx wouldn't be a better choice.

What do you think?

dgt

How much for each

CiniO

dgt wrote: »

How much for each

68 online - both Nankang and Starmaxx.
In the garage 85 for Nankang and 100 for Starmaxx (with fitting and balancing).

ION08

What the hell are Starmaxxx and Riken Maystorm?

Sounds more like Transformers than tyres!

dgt

CiniO wrote: »

68 online - both Nankang and Starmaxx.
In the garage 85 for Nankang and 100 for Starmaxx (with fitting and balancing).

That is quite cheap alright :eek:

I have had NS2's before and can confirm that it was very nerve racking in wet conditions, the car would shimmy about and I got a few small skids (understeering on approaching a corner). Tyre size was 205/40R17. Having said that they were okay in the dry and even wasn't too bad in the snow (within reason). Replaced with Acceleras and noticed a significant improvement in the wet.

I don't know anything about the other brand you mentioned.

Personally, I'd look at other brands and see if you can stretch to them. Last time I looked online, Vredestein in that size was €105, excluding fitting so about €120 a corner fitted and balanced

CiniO

ION08 wrote: »

What the hell are Starmaxxx and Riken Maystorm?

Well very hard to find any opinions about Starmaxx.
Seems to be a fairly new brand, so very little review online.

Riken Maystorm is a brand owned by Michelin, just producing budget tyres.
IMO very good grip, but incredible quick wear.

ofcork

That's cheap I was paying over 110 for average brands 7 years ago for a laguna.

CiniO

dgt wrote: »

That is quite cheap alright :eek:

I have had NS2's before and can confirm that it was very nerve racking in wet conditions, the car would shimmy about and I got a few small skids (understeering on approaching a corner). Tyre size was 205/40R17. Having said that they were okay in the dry and even wasn't too bad in the snow (within reason).

Well nearly every tyre will be OK in the dry so that's not any good. If they are crap on wet then I might not go for them. But after reading reviews people seem to suggest they should be fairly all-right on wet.
I'm not interested in snow grip, as I have a set of winter tyres for winter conditions

Replaced with Acceleras and noticed a significant improvement in the wet.

Hmm. Acceleras are even cheaper. On oponeo I can get them for 60 quid, compared to 68 for nankangs. However I had them once in a car I bought and I though they were really crap. No grip at all in wet.
If you say they are better than Nankangs, then I'm confused now.

I don't know anything about the other brand you mentioned.

Personally, I'd look at other brands and see if you can stretch to them. Last time I looked online, Vredestein in that size was €105, excluding fitting so about €120 a corner fitted and balanced

That's the problem - it's too costly, and I drive on roads where I need to change tyres every 15k kilometres anyway, as tread wear is so quick. Can't really afford more expensive stuff.

dgt

CiniO wrote: »

Well nearly every tyre will be OK in the dry so that's not any good. If they are crap on wet then I might not go for them. But after reading reviews people seem to suggest they should be fairly all-right on wet.
I'm not interested in snow grip, as I have a set of winter tyres for winter conditions

Trust me, I have had some tyres that were useless in the dry, without mentioning the wet! :eek:

CiniO wrote: »

Hmm. Acceleras are even cheaper. On oponeo I can get them for 60 quid, compared to 68 for nankangs. However I had them once in a car I bought and I though they were really crap. No grip at all in wet.
If you say they are better than Nankangs, then I'm confused now.

Hand on heart, they were £60 at the time compared to £65 for NS2's and I was surprised how well they were in the wet. Those were new, naturally when they were well worn down they were far from great. Personally if I had the choice I'd have them over the NS2

CiniO wrote: »

That's the problem - it's too costly, and I drive on roads where I need to change tyres every 15k kilometers anyway, as tread wear is so quick. Can't really afford more expensive stuff.

Twisty roads/bumpy/uneven surface? Whilst not applicable to yourself but the Daily van here had Tigars, which wore away in a flash. Replaced with Michelin Agilis all round. Since then it has covered 15k miles/24k kms on bumpy potholes, twists and rough surfaces. The thread is still like new, circa 7mm all round.

It may be worthwhile to invest in a premium brand, 15k kilometers for a set of tyres would set alarm bells with the car and maybe the driving style too.

Just my 2 cents

YbFocus

Starmaxx's on the Astra since I got it and like the Nankangs they are lethal in the wet.
From understeer to being able to provoke liftoff oversteer on roundabouts!
Fun if you're ready for it but if you're not into it then they're just plain lethal.

mickdw

dgt wrote: »

That is quite cheap alright :eek:

I have had NS2's before and can confirm that it was very nerve racking in wet conditions, the car would shimmy about and I got a few small skids (understeering on approaching a corner). Tyre size was 205/40R17. Having said that they were okay in the dry and even wasn't too bad in the snow (within reason). Replaced with Acceleras and noticed a significant improvement in the wet.

I don't know anything about the other brand you mentioned.

Personally, I'd look at other brands and see if you can stretch to them. Last time I looked online, Vredestein in that size was €105, excluding fitting so about €120 a corner fitted and balanced

I've found accelera to be a danger personally so much so ive a perfectly good one on adverts for sale. The back of the car stepped out abit too easily for my liking so it was time to call it a day.

Love Vredestein sessantas. They are crazy good in the wet. In my experience better than factory fitted Michelin pilot sport

bazz26

Imo I'd rather spend a bit extra on these:

http://www.oponeo.ie/details-tyre/hankook-ventus-v12-evo2-k120-225-45-r17-94-y-zr-xl#72616830

http://www.oponeo.ie/details-tyre/uniroyal-rainsport-2-225-45-r17-94-y-xl-fr#71324310

dar83

This topic gives me shudders. :P

dgt

mickdw wrote: »

I've found accelera to be a danger personally so much so ive a perfectly good one on adverts for sale. The back of the car stepped out abit too easily for my liking so it was time to call it a day.

Love Vredestein sessantas. They are crazy good in the wet. In my experience better than factory fitted Michelin pilot sport

If I had the choice of those or say Uniroyals then naturally I'd go for the well known brand. I found the set I had not too bad in the wet when new.

I can see where the OP is coming from with tyres lasting for such little time, but that would beg the question as to why that happens and how it can be possibly rectified?

dar83 wrote: »

This topic gives me shudders. :P

If you think that's bad, I won't mention what quality tyres I currently have on my car :eek:

YbFocus

dar83 wrote: »

This topic gives me shudders. :P

Really? Are they any good? Just looking for a good budget tyre :pac:

Special Circumstances

mickdw wrote: »

I've found accelera to be a danger personally so much so ive a perfectly good one on adverts for sale. The back of the car stepped out abit too easily for my liking so it was time to call it a day

Frightening yokes. Ditched a set myself with many miles left on them. These were accelera alphas, allegedly the phi is ok. Even the dirt cheap price of the alphas couldn't make up for the shocking unpredictability of braking and turning, noise and quare wear on the extreme edges.
They were on it when I got btw.

CiniO

dgt wrote: »

T


Twisty roads/bumpy/uneven surface? Whilst not applicable to yourself but the Daily van here had Tigars, which wore away in a flash. Replaced with Michelin Agilis all round. Since then it has covered 15k miles/24k kms on bumpy potholes, twists and rough surfaces. The thread is still like new, circa 7mm all round.

So you say by this that Michelin Agilis last much longer?

It may be worthwhile to invest in a premium brand, 15k kilometers for a set of tyres would set alarm bells with the car and maybe the driving style too.

Just my 2 cents

dgt wrote: »

I can see where the OP is coming from with tyres lasting for such little time, but that would beg the question as to why that happens and how it can be possibly rectified?

Well I drive on very rough surface roads. These are typical West of Ireland country roads, where they makes surface and then just lay it with loose chippings without using the roller on it.
Loose chippings are loose for next few months, they fly all over the place with all the cars driving causing thousands of broken windscreens, and eventually they settle, making extremelly rough surface. I tried walking barefoot on it few times, and it hurts a lot - nearly causing bleeding. No wonder that tyres don't last long.
Also most roads in my region are really bendy, so for 50% of my travel I might be actually turning left or right, and only remaining 50% travelling with my steering wheel straight ahead.
And on top of that I don't drive slow, so this surely doesn't help tyres to last.

Everything OK though with my car

Usually 15k kilometres is OK on set of 4 (with swapping front to rear at some stage). As I mentioned Riken Maystorm lasted 10k, and IMHO that's way to low.

CiniO

Special Circumstances wrote: »

Frightening yokes. Ditched a set myself with many miles left on them. These were accelera alphas, allegedly the phi is ok. Even the dirt cheap price of the alphas couldn't make up for the shocking unpredictability of braking and turning, noise and quare wear on the extreme edges.
They were on it when I got btw.

I had nearly the same experience with Accelera Alphas. I wouldn't put them on.
But dgt is suggesting they are much better than Nankangs, which is suprising me as Nankangs get fairly good reviews.

bazz26

Why not look at a set of part worn premium tyres so.

quadrifoglio verde

From experience the people who have good things to say about nangkangs are the same people who crawl along in the wet and know no different.

dgt

CiniO wrote: »

So you say by this that Michelin Agilis last much longer?
.

They are a commercial van tyre so are designed to take much more of a hammering.

CiniO wrote: »

Well I drive on very rough surface roads. These are typical West of Ireland country roads, where they makes surface and then just lay it with loose chippings without using the roller on it.
Loose chippings are loose for next few months, they fly all over the place with all the cars driving causing thousands of broken windscreens, and eventually they settle, making extremelly rough surface. I tried walking barefoot on it few times, and it hurts a lot - nearly causing bleeding. No wonder that tyres don't last long.
Also most roads in my region are really bendy, so for 50% of my travel I might be actually turning left or right, and only remaining 50% travelling with my steering wheel straight ahead.
And on top of that I don't drive slow, so this surely doesn't help tyres to last.

Everything OK though with my car

Usually 15k kilometres is OK on set of 4 (with swapping front to rear at some stage). As I mentioned Riken Maystorm lasted 10k, and IMHO that's way to low.

The roads over here are even worse I'd say. Between loose chippings and sheer neglect I often wonder how I haven't smashed more windscreens/blown shocks etc. I did have a thread on potholes once. Roads have sharp bumps, subsiding surfaces and rough surfaces, yet we can have tyres lasting a lot longer than 15k kilometers (all of us like to drive spiritedly too)

That mileage is seriously too low for normal car tyres....

CiniO wrote: »

I had nearly the same experience with Accelera Alphas. I wouldn't put them on.
But dgt is suggesting they are much better than Nankangs, which is suprising me as Nankangs get fairly good reviews.

Only telling you about my experience with both, in the real world, not online and from someone you'd kinda recognize. You can take it or leave what I'm saying

CiniO

dgt wrote: »

They are a commercial van tyre so are designed to take much more of a hammering.



The roads over here are even worse I'd say. Between loose chippings and sheer neglect I often wonder how I haven't smashed more windscreens/blown shocks etc. I did have a thread on potholes once. Roads have sharp bumps, subsiding surfaces and rough surfaces, yet we can have tyres lasting a lot longer than 15k kilometers (all of us like to drive spiritedly too)

That mileage is seriously too low for normal car tyres....

Well so what could be the cause then?
It's not just happening on this particular car, but on any car I had which I drove in those regions.
F.e. for comparison I've bought Debica Frigo HP for this car last winter, and travelled on them nearly 10k kilometres mostly in Poland but also including trip from Poland to Ireland. I didn't drive on them here in Mayo locally. After those 10k kilometres tread is gone down from 8mm to about 7.5mm.
So it's definitely not a car and not my driving style that's causing this excessive tyre wear.

Only telling you about my experience with both, in the real world, not online and from someone you'd kinda recognize. You can take it or leave what I'm saying

So if you experience is that Nankangs are worse than Acceleras, and my own experience tells me that Acceleras are really crap, then I shouldn't really be going for Nankangs then.

ba_barabus

Cino, I'm getting Avon ZV5's fitted in that size tomorrow for 125 a corner. By all accounts a good mix of everything at the price

CiniO

bazz26 wrote: »

Why not look at a set of part worn premium tyres so.

What good part worn tyres are for me, if they'll be worn in few months here where I drive. I need tyres with as much tread as possible, and hard-wearing.

Stinicker

Don't bother with cheap Chinese ditchfinders. I just replaced my two rear BFGoodrich tyres with two more of the same BFGoodrich. Got 55,000 kms out of these rear tyres which are the RWD drive wheels. Drive a mixture of Rural & N Roads with a few thousand motorway miles each year also.

CiniO

ba_barabus wrote: »

Cino, I'm getting Avon ZV5's fitted in that size tomorrow for 125 a corner. By all accounts a good mix of everything at the price

125? Are they good tyres?
You can get plenty of premium brands for under a 100 from oponeo.ie including Bridgestone, BF goodrich, Pirelli, Dunlop, etc...

George Dalton

Do yourself a favour and spend the extra few quid on decent tyres. You will never buy cheap crap again.

Bridgestone ER300
Bridgestone T001
Goodyear Efficient Grip Performance

All excellent tyres. The ER300 is probably the best for wear.

I have had a set of T001s on my E Class for the last 2 years and 66k kms. Two are now just above 3mm, 2 are just below. Most of my driving is done in straight lines on good roads though.

dgt

CiniO wrote: »

Well so what could be the cause then?
It's not just happening on this particular car, but on any car I had which I drove in those regions.
F.e. for comparison I've bought Debica Frigo HP for this car last winter, and travelled on them nearly 10k kilometres mostly in Poland but also including trip from Poland to Ireland. I didn't drive on them here in Mayo locally. After those 10k kilometres tread is gone down from 8mm to about 7.5mm.
So it's definitely not a car and not my driving style that's causing this excessive tyre wear.
.

I can't tell you what is causing your excessive tyre wear. The worst I ever got myself out of new tyres was 20k kilometers, on Uniroyals. Parents cars don't wear tyres excessively and generally a set of tyres will easily do over 30k kilometers, despite our sub standard roads

CiniO wrote: »

So if you experience is that Nankangs are worse than Acceleras, and my own experience tells me that Acceleras are really crap, then I shouldn't really be going for Nankangs then.

Personally, no. Last Nankang I had was on my old 406, on the rear. It would step out on wet roads

ba_barabus

CiniO wrote: »

125? Are they good tyres?
You can get plenty of premium brands for under a 100 from oponeo.ie including Bridgestone, BF goodrich, Pirelli, Dunlop, etc...

Cheaper Aaron's are available but I don't want asymmetric tyres. I've spoken to a few people I know who have had them and all were positive. I can't comment myself until I've fitted them

christy02

I have toyo proxes on both mine and the missus car. Find them a good Tyre in wet at reasonable price.

Bpmull

George Dalton wrote: »

Do yourself a favour and spend the extra few quid on decent tyres. You will never buy cheap crap again.

Bridgestone ER300
Bridgestone T001
Goodyear Efficient Grip Performance

All excellent tyres. The ER300 is probably the best for wear.

I have had a set of T001s on my E Class for the last 2 years and 66k kms. Two are now just above 3mm, 2 are just below. Most of my driving is done in straight lines on good roads though.

+1 on this I have Bridgestone T001's on my golf and they are really good. Great wet grip. Had Goodyears before and I thought they were good. My parents octavia came with nankangs and they were poor no matter what way you look at it. Driving home today you appreciate the good tyres in the terrible rain that was failing.

mickdw

ba_barabus wrote: »

Cheaper Aaron's are available but I don't want asymmetric tyres. I've spoken to a few people I know who have had them and all were positive. I can't comment myself until I've fitted them

Why do you not want asymmetric?

ba_barabus

mickdw wrote: »

Why do you not want asymmetric?

They wear on the inner edge and I want to flip them on the rim once I notice it happening to have even wear.

Can't do that with asymmetric.

George Dalton

mickdw wrote: »

Why do you not want asymmetric?

Because Alfa Romeo :pac:

ba_barabus

George Dalton wrote: »

Because Alfa Romeo :pac:

What he said.

CiniO

George Dalton wrote: »

Do yourself a favour and spend the extra few quid on decent tyres. You will never buy cheap crap again.

Bridgestone ER300
Bridgestone T001
Goodyear Efficient Grip Performance

All excellent tyres. The ER300 is probably the best for wear.

I have had a set of T001s on my E Class for the last 2 years and 66k kms. Two are now just above 3mm, 2 are just below. Most of my driving is done in straight lines on good roads though.

But I'm not looking for cheap crap.
I had Bridgestones ER300 on previous car and they were good.
But my current Riken Maystorm 2 B2 were not much worse grip. They just last really short that's why I wouldn't buy them again.
I thought Nankang were reasonable midrange tyres but was told that Starmaxx were better, that's why I ask here.

On second car which my wife drives mostly we have set of Hankooks Ventus Prime, and they are good as well.

bazz26

CiniO wrote: »

What good part worn tyres are for me, if they'll be worn in few months here where I drive. I need tyres with as much tread as possible, and hard-wearing.

Because spending €40 or €50 on part worn premium tyres with 5mm or 6mm of thread might actually wear and perform better than new cheap tyres.

lomb

I have a 231 bhp 500 SEC bought with 11 year old Chinese unistar tyres with good tread on them and the back end stepped out numerous times in the wet some intentional a few not which scary.
Replaced with 4 new Nankangs and the car is totally planted wet and dry.
So impressed was I with Nankang that I bought 2 for my 225bhp TT that I had Uniroyals rainsports on. Uniroyal jacked up their prices and come replacement time bought the Nankangs rated to 186mph, B or C wet grip and on driving can confirm the car felt much worse ,terrible as if driving a boat as if there was sidewall play. Adding an extra 6psi to tyre pressure to 42psi still well below the 51 max sorted it and the handling wet and dry is glued to the road.
They have been making tyres since 1955 so Im sure they know something about it. I wouldn't touch Acceleras, triangles, federals, starmaxx or any other rubbish.

George Dalton

CiniO wrote: »

But I'm not looking for cheap crap.

Then forget brands like Riken, Nankang and Starmaxx.

Cheap tyres either give good wear and poor grip or vice versa. In fact in some cases they give neither. You have had the good grip and poor wear experience with the Rikens. Learn the lesson and buy a decent brand.

mickdw

ba_barabus wrote: »

They wear on the inner edge and I want to flip them on the rim once I notice it happening to have even wear.

Can't do that with asymmetric.

True enough but driving on a tyre that had been swapped around resulting in worn outer edge couldn't feel great to drive I'd say.

lomb

George Dalton wrote: »

Then forget brands like Riken, Nankang and Starmaxx.

Cheap tyres either give good wear and poor grip or vice versa. In fact in some cases they give neither. You have had the good grip and poor wear experience with the Rikens. Learn the lesson and buy a decent brand.

Wear is the unknown but my Uniroyals lasted less than 18000 miles on the front. In fairness I use the car:D
Nankang are a very good tyre wrt to grip wet/dry though so at half the price absolutely Id prefer them over anything else.. but opinions vary. Tyres aren't dear compared to overall motoring costs and they are the only thing in contact with the road so makes sense to buy well.

ba_barabus

mickdw wrote: »

True enough but driving on a tyre that had been swapped around resulting in worn outer edge couldn't feel great to drive I'd say.

I'll let you know in a few months.

quadrifoglio verde

ba_barabus wrote: »

What he said.

Powerflex and getting the tracking done on the fronts sorts this. I know of a 159 that doesn't do this, but it's on 16s, which look a bit crap on the 159.

JohnBoy26

bazz26 wrote: »

Because spending €40 or €50 on part worn premium tyres with 5mm or 6mm of thread might actually wear and perform better than new cheap tyres.

How easy is it to get a good set of part worns though?, there's a lot of rubbish out there when it comes to them.

quadrifoglio verde

christy02 wrote: »

I have toyo proxes on both mine and the missus car. Find them a good Tyre in wet at reasonable price.

I have them (t1r) on my gtv and find them crap. Can't wait to change them. They've great thread as well and unreal grip in the dry but in the wet they're cat.
They're not cheap either when you consider they're around the same price as good years or Bridgestone

ba_barabus

quadrifoglio verde wrote: »

Powerflex and getting the tracking done on the fronts sorts this. I know of a 159 that doesn't do this, but it's on 16s, which look a bit crap on the 159.

Tracking has been done to death as has trips to the dealer. As the suspension is currently clunk free I'm leaving that alone. I'll consider power flex when the time comes.

I have the steel wheels for it but I'll never remove my alloys.

George Dalton

quadrifoglio verde wrote: »

Powerflex and getting the tracking done on the fronts sorts this. I know of a 159 that doesn't do this, but it's on 16s, which look a bit crap on the 159.

Agreed. Powerflex wishbone bushes transform those 159s. I would expect pred racer to be along any minute now to confirm

ba_barabus

George Dalton wrote: »

Agreed. Powerflex wishbone bushes transform those 159s. I would expect pred racer to be along any minute now to confirm

Surely it's expensive to do?

Zimmerframe

The only thing I would put Nankangs on, is the 'auld fella's silage cover.

ianobrien

I had Nankang's under a Citroen AX GT. This was a 1.4 8 valve engines so hadn't crazy horsepower. I could spin the front tyres in the wet in third. I know French hot hatch's are known for their unique handling but I could get liftoff oversteer at stupid low speeds. Swapping to Firestone's transformed the car and actually gave grip in the wet.

CiniO

ba_barabus wrote: »

Cino, I'm getting Avon ZV5's fitted in that size tomorrow for 125 a corner. By all accounts a good mix of everything at the price

I just looked up, and Avon ZV5 cost €87 per tyre on oponeo.ie
So considering you could get fitting and balancing of 4 for €50, you are overpaying about €100 with price you are paying.