Buying Tyres

Briksins

Hello everyone!

I heard that synoptics predict very cold winter this year, possible with a lot of snow (as it was ~3 years ago), so it is time to think about new shoos for a car

I would be glad if you could share some good online shops, where you buy tyres

Also I have few other questions:
1) is it worth to buy winter tyres? or because snow is very rare thing in Ireland it would better to go for all season tyres?
2) How much matter ratings? for example all "all season" tyres i found has rating "E" for fuel consumption. how bad is that? what would be difference with "A" rating for 100km / liters
if difference is really big, it might worth to buy winter and summer tyres separately instead of 12 month driving on "E" rating of "All season"

Please share your thoughts

Volvoair

eiretyres.com have a massive selection of winter tyres,will deliver to your door.

joujoujou

eiretyres.com

oponeo.ie

camskill.co.uk

Is it worth? Many opinions here. IMO - it is worth if you travel outside town frequently. If you gonna do just city driving - winter tyres are not necessary in this country.

Also, if you'll buy a set of winters, consider to buy a set of steelies to put them winters on.

Briksins

Thank you guys for replay
I'm doing only city driving M1 to M50 to Ext11 so i would think im fine with "all season"
I will check those web sites, thanks once again

VeVeX

Briksins wrote: »

Thank you guys for replay
I'm doing only city driving M1 to M50 to Ext11 so i would think im fine with "all season"
I will check those web sites, thanks once again

Don't bother with all season tyres. Summer tyres are all that's needed in Ireland. Have a read of this recent thread where it was discussed - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=92519165

Also depending on your tyre size don't assume buying online will be cheaper.

Briksins

VeVeX wrote: »

Don't bother with all season tyres. Summer tyres are all that's needed in Ireland.

Well... im not gonna argue, you possible right to some degree, however i seen recently funny picture:

Congress of summer tires lovers

hahaha

I know we don't have that much snow in Ireland, but I still remember from my childhood the fun of drifting on summer tyres in snow (back in my country)

Briksins

I was chatting there with one of my friend and he also mention that instead of buying "All Season" tyres i would better invest in good summer tyres with "A-class" for Wet grip. he said that "A Class" for wet grip would be equal to all season tyres.

what do you think?

Also I find that there are no good ratings for my tyres size - which is 215/45/17
however there are few good for 215/50/17

I'm wondering will 50 fit into my car? (Toyota Prius 2010)

VeVeX

Briksins wrote: »

I was chatting there with one of my friend and he also mention that instead of buying "All Season" tyres i would better invest in good summer tyres with "A-class" for Wet grip. he said that "A Class" for wet grip would be equal to all season tyres.

what do you think?

Also I find that there are no good ratings for my tyres size - which is 215/45/17
however there are few good for 215/50/17

I'm wondering will 50 fit into my car? (Toyota Prius 2010)

All season tyres are not as good as Summer tyres in the wet.

If you plan to change the size the only size I'd consider compatible is 225/45R17. You can buy 225/45R17 "A" rated wet weather grip Uniroyal Rainsport 3 for just over €100 fully fitted here in Dublin.

CiniO

Briksins wrote: »

Hello everyone!

I heard that synoptics predict very cold winter this year, possible with a lot of snow (as it was ~3 years ago), so it is time to think about new shoos for a car

I would be glad if you could share some good online shops, where you buy tyres

Also I have few other questions:
1) is it worth to buy winter tyres? or because snow is very rare thing in Ireland it would better to go for all season tyres?
2) How much matter ratings? for example all "all season" tyres i found has rating "E" for fuel consumption. how bad is that? what would be difference with "A" rating for 100km / liters
if difference is really big, it might worth to buy winter and summer tyres separately instead of 12 month driving on "E" rating of "All season"

Please share your thoughts

Out of online tyre suppliers listed few posts above, oponeo is usually the cheapest, but check all three.
Also when buying online make sure first you can find a garage willing to fit and balance them for you at reasonable price.

Winter tyres - if winter is really going to be harsh with lots of snow then definitely do get a set of them.
If theres not going to be any snow, then hardly any point in getting winter tyres.

Briksins

VeVeX wrote: »

If you plan to change the size the only size I'd consider compatible is 225/45R17. You can buy 225/45R17

but as fars as i understand 1st digit 215 or 225 (suggested) is width of the wheel. different width would require different size disc itself, also thinner wheels are better for winter. So going from 215 to 225 especially for winter is not right i think?

the second digit 45 or 50 (i was asking) is high of the wheel from disc - that could be low profile or high - not sure how does it impact actual staring a specially in winter time but on low profile it feels bumps more harshly.
So if 50 physically fit into the wheel gap - it should be fine i think?

3d param 17 - that's just diameter of the wheel, i think I can play with it?
like take for example wheel 16. but put higher tyre (50+ instead of 45) but that would also require disc change

Regarding garage - i have friend mechanic, so i think changing tyres and re-balancing would be sorted as cheap as possible

joujoujou

AFAIK Prii were also fitted with 15inch rims, just check how big are brake calipers, maybe smaller rim would fit.

Narrower tyres are better for winter. To keep overall wheel size use widely available online tyre calculators.

VeVeX

Briksins wrote: »

but as fars as i understand 1st digit 215 or 225 (suggested) is width of the wheel. different width would require different size disc itself, also thinner wheels are better for winter. So going from 215 to 225 especially for winter is not right i think?

the second digit 45 or 50 (i was asking) is high of the wheel from disc - that could be low profile or high - not sure how does it impact actual staring a specially in winter time but on low profile it feels bumps more harshly.
So if 50 physically fit into the wheel gap - it should be fine i think?

3d param 17 - that's just diameter of the wheel, i think I can play with it?
like take for example wheel 16. but put higher tyre (50+ instead of 45) but that would also require disc change

Regarding garage - i have friend mechanic, so i think changing tyres and re-balancing would be sorted as cheap as possible

225/45R17
The width (A) is 225mm
The profile is 45% or the width (B = 101mm)
The diameter (C) is 17"

Increasing or decreasing the tyre width within a tolerance will not require a different width wheel.

You will not notice a performance difference in snow conditions with a width increase from 215 to 225.

Because a 215/50R17 will physically fit doesn't mean its the right tyre for your car. If you are looking to change the size to a more popular tyre 225/45R17 or if you insist on having a narrower tyre 205/50R17 are the only sizes I'd consider within tolerance.

Briksins

Thank you!

it is just that I'm unable to find anything better then "C/A" for 215/45/17
However for 215/50/17 I can find "B/A"

Not sure how is big difference between "C/A" and "B/A" but if there are better avaliable and fit my size, then why not?

citroman

I am a firm believer in winter tyres, and for winter will put them on the front wheels of my fwd car.

A lot of folks seem to only associate winter tyres with snow, but one of the main features of winter tyres is that they continue to work @ -5° and below. Summer tyres (and a lot of all season tyres) can't cope with very cold temperatures and the rubber becomes hard and has all the grip of hard plastic.

When your trying to get out of your estate on a winters morning with even a light layer of frozen snow you'll need all the grip you can get.

On winter tyres, all those blocks of rubber, sipes, grooves etc of your tyre thread will continue to flex, distort, squeeze and squirm to get some grip on the road surface.

If I had a had a rwd car, then I would have them on all 4 wheels for the winter.

Citroman

slimjimmc

citroman wrote: »

I am a firm believer in winter tyres, and for winter will put them on the front wheels of my fwd car.

A lot of folks seem to only associate winter tyres with snow, but one of the main features of winter tyres is that they continue to work @ -5° and below. Summer tyres (and a lot of all season tyres) can't cope with very cold temperatures and the rubber becomes hard and has all the grip of hard plastic.

When your trying to get out of your estate on a winters morning with even a light layer of frozen snow you'll need all the grip you can get.

On winter tyres, all those blocks of rubber, sipes, grooves etc of your tyre thread will continue to flex, distort, squeeze and squirm to get some grip on the road surface.

If I had a had a rwd car, then I would have them on all 4 wheels for the winter.

Citroman

I agree on the difference in the grip offered by winter tyres, they're also very good in very wet weather, hail or slush.

Why only 2 on a fwd but 4 on rwd, and why only on front on a fwd? You should have 4 on but if you only put on 2 then it's recommended to put them on the rears regardless of which end is the driven axle. The reasoning is that having much grippier tyres up front could more easily lead to an uncontrolled tail slide in wet/slippy conditions especially under heavy braking. The same advice applies when replacing 2 tyres at anytime of the year. There are plenty of vids on youtube which demonstrate this effect.

nc19

Briksins wrote: »

Thank you!

it is just that I'm unable to find anything better then "C/A" for 215/45/17
However for 215/50/17 I can find "B/A"

Not sure how is big difference between "C/A" and "B/A" but if there are better avaliable and fit my size, then why not?

From what ive been told the grading is self regulated at the moment. Ive seen some no names with A/A ratings so I believe what ive been told.

A Law

What are people opinions of snow chains? I've 19inch 235s and was considering getting some in case it snows like 3 years ago.

CiniO

joefuss1986 wrote: »

What are people opinions of snow chains? I've 19inch 235s and was considering getting some in case it snows like 3 years ago.

What car is that?
Very often it's not possible to fit snow chains with larger size rims/tyres.

F.e. for my civic they allow two tyre sizes 205/55R16 or 225/45R17.
It clearly says in car instruction manual, that snow chains can be only fitter to former one, and can not be fitted to latter one.

Indeed I looked and with 225/45R17, there's nearly no space between tyre and shock absorber - you wouldn't really even put a finger there, so no chance snow chain could fit there.

So I've got set of 225/45R17 wheels with summer tyres, and 205/55R16 with winter tyres, and have snow chains for them.

A Law

Its an e46 '00 coupe. Never thought about it being a squash. Can't imagine there'd be enough room I'm thinking now. Have a Passat with 17's that I might put them on instead. Not to find out if I can for em on it! Thanks.

Briksins

I do agree that Snow tyres are much better, but still, they are used 1-2 week max in Ireland, also require huge storage space which i don't have.
I'm more and more considering to go for good summer tyres with "A/A" or close to it rating. and if it will be snowing just buy some of those:

Tyre socks:


or

Tyre chains:

Mar4ix

steely wheels with second hand proper winter tires - all in in about 200€ . only problem could be just to store set of wheels if you living in flat/apartment, if you living in house with shed, then fine. Steelies need to be kept in clean and dry place, as in case you will need to use them , will find rusty and flat.
I have wasted a lot of money last year for new steel wheels with good winter tires (from eiretyres.com) , as it was predicted a LOT of snow , but eventually send back to native country for my father to use, as snow there is common in wintertime.
dont waste your money (unless you have too much :pac: ) on all season tyres, no good any time of the year.