Rubbish tyres on the majority of cars

Atlantic Dawn

Was having a look at car tyre brands recently on both cars I was looking to buy and cars parked up. I would say on cars not on their original factory fitted sets that not even 1 in 3 cars have any decent quality brand on them, just the cheapest rubbish possible to purchase. This is not limited to your average car it's on high end stuff too, some people just don't put a value on their safety.

ION08

It's not that people dont put value on their safety. It's just ignorance pure and simple.

If its being sold in a garage and passes the NCT there cant be much wrong with them.

Voodoomelon

I remember when I started driving (when i was 24), I didn't know a bloody thing about tyres and safety/handling never even crossed my mind. Tyres were a pain in the arse, along with tax and insurance. I'm the polar opposite now and spend far too much on tyres.

So it would be a bit two faced to give out about people who don't think/realise what they're doing, but a Government initiative like the RSA's see and be seen campaign should be setup to inform about tyres. The huge majority of people, even those into their cars, go with the cheapest tyre available.

Tails142

I was in Atlas tyres in Blanchardstown the other day. Was getting two front tyres fitted, Bridgestones costing €235 a corner. A girl came in with a puncture and wanted a new tyre because it was worn anyway. So the guy gives her a few prices and she decided on a €60 tyre, didnt overhear the brand but it was a Ford Focus she was driving so seems reasonable enough price for an economy brand. I wouldn't think you would be getting anything for less than €50 on a focus, even a ling lang.

Anyway she is on the phone to her dad a few minutes later and he obviously tells her she is being ripped off. So she goes up to the desk demanding they stop work and give her the car back. So the fitter comes out and says he already has the new tyre on the rim. She starts kicking up about it and the guy behind the desk is like ok, I can take the new tyre off the rim again and put the punctured tyre back on but it is going to cost €15 as that is our standard fitting charge and we have used a valve plus wasted our time etc etc. She starts kicking off even worse saying how they are ripping her off etc and eventually they just give her the keys to her car back and she drives off with the spare wheel on and the punctured wheel back on the rim in her boot. All the hassle for what, at most ten euro!! And all the while I'm sitting there like a spa paying for one tyre what she would pay for four. Some people....

Voodoomelon

^^ Unreal. My sister recently got basic-mid range tyres for her Focus and they were €90 a corner. Was a few months back so can't remember exactly what they were.

bazz26

There are two sides to this story.

1. The first thing most people ask when buying tyres is "What's the cheapest tyres you have in xx size?". Recommend a decent brand and same people think they are being fleeced.

2. Cheapest never heard of branded tyres usually give the tyre centre their biggest margin so combined with no 1 above they try and push the sale of these as this is what the average punter wants. There also can be a lot of cobblers being spouted about unknown cheap ditch finders being cheaper tyres made by premium tyre companies for the lower end of the market. You will be buying a good tyre for a fraction of the price of a great tyre.

Generally though on cars for sale by garages if the cars come in with tyres that need replacing then chances are they will replace them at the lowest cost to them as part of the sale. This usually transpires into unknown branded but "new" tyres.

Kenny Logins

Some people will spend more on their Nike trainers than their tyres.

NCT won't tell you that your shiny new Chinese tyres can be lethal in the wet. This is part of the problem IMHO - the aul NCT false sense of security.

joolsveer

What tyre brands and types would you recommend as acceptable?

Kenny Logins

LIGHTNING wrote: »

I agree to a certain point, I think spending 250e per corner is far too much to expect the average punter to pay. I got two Kumho's for the TT and I find them an excellent tyre and they were pretty cheap to boot.

I've had Kumhos before and found them OK. There are some decent mid-range tyres. My current Falkens were pretty cheap too, without sacrificing safety.

Voodoomelon

Kumhos have to be one of the best brands for performance at a decent price.

BigEejit

When I had to change the 4 tyres on the Mrs's car I went to tyrereviews.co.uk who did a summary of the german Auto Bild all season tests and ended up getting the number 2 in the list, Falken Euroall Season AS200's, 4 of them fitted for 200 stg at mrtyres.

Our local national tyres place was looking for 230 stg for 4 utter ****e chinese tyres.

It pays to do a bit of research.

CiniO

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Was having a look at car tyre brands recently on both cars I was looking to buy and cars parked up. I would say on cars not on their original factory fitted sets that not even 1 in 3 cars have any decent quality brand on them, just the cheapest rubbish possible to purchase. This is not limited to your average car it's on high end stuff too, some people just don't put a value on their safety.

Well surely not too many cars have premium brands like Michelin, Pirelli, Goodyear, etc..

But also not that many cars have the real ditch finders like Triangle, Wanli, Infinity, etc..

I see plenty people put fairly reasonable tyres...

I have Hankook on car my wife drives, and Nankang on my car. I'm happy with both.

danger_mouse_tm

I thought all tyres had to have met a certain safety standard and carry an "E" mark to prove that they had passed this standard. I have four 14 inch tyres of different names on my 206. It's not though I asked for any particular tyre at the tyre centre when I needed one - I just took what I was given. One of the tyres that came with the car is a Pirelli, the other is a Michelen and the other two, I can't remember. There's great thread on all of them. Could the less expensive chinese tyre be every bit as good as the Pirelli? I have a silvercrest Microwave and it's a damn site better than the Samsung it replaced?

porsche boy

I was asked if I sell second hand tyres by a guy in an M3, when I told him I didn't he asked for whatever the cheapest was. We put Landsail tyres on an M3. There's just no explaining to some people.

Bpmull

I remember being in a tyre place last year getting tyres and I really only buy Goodyear and bridgestones as I prefer them. But a guy came in with an a6 only about a year old s line kit all that so a fairly decent expensive car. Firstly the 4 tyres were well below the 1.6mm and I heard him saying it was his wife's car and they had two young kids yet still worn tyres.

I was paying at the time for mine and a fitter was giving him his options so he started listing the high end stuff 150 euro ish Goodyears michelin then he started dropping down the list got to the lassa, nankangs them kind of brands then he was down to the absolute sh!t unprononcable Chinese crap he lists of one for 70 quid the guy says I'll take that one. What is the point of spending 40k plus euro on a car and then putting your family in it and then turning around and buy the cheapest tyres you can literally get.

YouTookMyName

CiniO wrote: »

Well surely not too many cars have premium brands like Michelin, Pirelli, Goodyear, etc..

But also not that many cars have the real ditch finders like Triangle, Wanli, Infinity, etc..

I see plenty people put fairly reasonable tyres...

I have Hankook on car my wife drives, and Nankang on my car. I'm happy with both.

9/10 cars around the country that roll on 17's 18's & 19's have a cheap chinese tyre on them.

I'd put on money on it.

Darwin

Just got 2 new Bridgetone's fitted at 200 euro a pop (18's), It wasn't nice handing over that kind of money but I do a fair bit of driving and with winter coming want something decent on the front to replace the Conti's. I got 45K out of the original tyres so not bad going.

danger_mouse_tm

YouTookMyName wrote: »

9/10 cars around the country that roll on 17's 18's & 19's have a cheap chinese tyre on them.

I'd put on money on it.

Hands up! I put two of the cheapest tyres money could buy on the front of my 407 SV (17inch tyres standard) before I sold it. I will be selling on my 206 soon so I just spent €45 on a tyre - probably the cheapest tyre I ever bought. I suppose I could have gone for a part worn @€;30!

YouTookMyName

I have maxxis victra ma-z3 on the front and is Victra Z4s on the back at £65 a corner.

I did have Uniroyal Rainsport 2 on the front, but they were way too soft a sidewall and kept rubbing over bumps.

Shame because they grip was brilliant from them.


The lack of tyre education is unreal. Cheap & Cheerful seems to be the common theme.

Bpmull

YouTookMyName wrote: »

9/10 cars around the country that roll on 17's 18's & 19's have a cheap chinese tyre on them.

I'd put on money on it.

There's plenty of cars with 15's and 16's going around with absolute crap on them. In this case it makes even less as you can get premium tyres for 80 quid in them size yet people still go for the 60 euro crap. Tyres like many things are a case of you get what you pay for. It's actually getting to a stage where it's rare to see Michelins, Goodyears, bridgestones etc on a car.

Jesus.

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

some people just don't put a value on their safety.

But aren't all tyres sold required to be of a minimum safety standard? And all tyres are not permitted to wear past a certain level. I'm not sure you can say that people aren't putting a value on their safety.

If somebody has difficulty controlling their car or stopping in time, even on tyres at the lower end of the price range, then I'd be more inclined to think that they're driving too fast or not as good a driver as perhaps they should be. I've driven on all kinds of tyres for years and while yes, some are better than others, I've never skidded or slid dangerously that wasn't my own fault.

The tyres aren't really the issue IMO, unless they're selling stuff that's illegal and hasn't passed the safety tests.

catallus

Ah jesus, are ye saying "triangles" are ****e? Got 2 fronts yesterday, 70 quid a pop?

"ditch-finders"? Say it aint so :mad::mad:

Bpmull

catallus wrote: »

Ah jesus, are ye saying "triangles" are ****e? Got 2 fronts yesterday, 70 quid a pop?

"ditch-finders"? Say it aint so :mad::mad:

Yep there fairly sh!t you could get worse but not much worse.

Special Circumstances

porsche boy wrote: »

I was asked if I sell second hand tyres by a guy in an M3, when I told him I didn't he asked for whatever the cheapest was. We put Landsail tyres on an M3. There's just no explaining to some people.

Did ye at least throw in a fresh pair of jocks for him? Little note on em "you'll be needing these soon"

YouTookMyName

catallus wrote: »

Ah jesus, are ye saying "triangles" are ****e? Got 2 fronts yesterday, 70 quid a pop?

"ditch-finders"? Say it aint so :mad::mad:

What size?

YouTookMyName

porsche boy wrote: »

I was asked if I sell second hand tyres by a guy in an M3, when I told him I didn't he asked for whatever the cheapest was. We put Landsail tyres on an M3. There's just no explaining to some people.

Landsail? That a acronym for "aquaplane"

Atlantic Dawn

Jesus. wrote: »

But aren't all tyres sold required to be of a minimum safety standard? And all tyres are not permitted to wear past a certain level. I'm not sure you can say that people aren't putting a value on their safety..

Here's some tests...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_j-2W2uZ8c

catallus

Bpmull wrote: »

Yep there fairly sh!t you could get worse but not much worse.

Ok, I'm not going to be going to Nurburgring on these yokes but are you saying I should watch out for quick excessive wear in one spot, or is the rubber so crap that it might just go bald after a thousand miles? Should I be looking out for surprises? FML

Jesus.

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Here's some tests...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_j-2W2uZ8c

I don't know what's on that video but unless it proves the cheaper tyres have failed to make the minimum grade as set out by the safety bodies, then its not really relevant to what I said.

Special Circumstances

catallus wrote: »

Ok, I'm not going to be going to Nurburgring on these yokes but are you saying I should watch out for quick excessive wear in one spot, or is the rubber so crap that it might just go bald after a thousand miles? Should I be looking out for surprises? FML

If you are a sensible steady driver in a low to medium powered vehicle probably be fine until you really need to emergency stop.

Voodoomelon

Bpmull wrote: »

What is the point of spending 40k plus euro on a car and then putting your family in it and then turning around and buy the cheapest tyres you can literally get.

A prime example of owners budgeting for the cost and/or repayments of a car, and f*** the rest.

Bpmull

catallus wrote: »

Ok, I'm not going to be going to Nurburgring on these yokes but are you saying I should watch out for quick excessive wear in one spot, or is the rubber so crap that it might just go bald after a thousand miles? Should I be looking out for surprises? FML

I'm too sure what there actually like. Infairness they've been around a good while and are well known so there probably not dangerous bad and should be fine until they wear down to about 50% they could start getting dodgy then. Maybe someone who's had experience with them would know more. Just watch them in the rain until you get a feel for what there like.

trapattack

I drive 500 KM a week and got four new tyres on my car for 200 around three months. They are perfect tyres and only a fool pays for more expensive ones!

MuppetCheck

trapattack wrote: »

I drive 500 KM a week and got four new tyres on my car for 200 around three months. They are perfect tyres and only a fool pays for more expensive ones!

Good one.

Bpmull

trapattack wrote: »

I drive 500 KM a week and got four new tyres on my car for 200 around three months. They are perfect tyres and only a fool pays for more expensive ones!

There fine until you have to make an emergency stop in the wet and then suddenly it's the difference between you hitting the thing your trying to avoid and not hitting it. You get what you pay for.

catallus

YouTookMyName wrote: »

What size?

225/15/16

I guess I'll just have to keep an eye them, see if they wear badly.

trapattack

MuppetCheck wrote: »

Good one.

LIGHTNING wrote: »

And you will be the type of person trying to sue your local tire company/car company when you car looses control for "no reason" at all in the rain and fires you into a ditch.

Some weeks it can be 800KM depending if they need me in the office all week.

Any reviews of tyres to back up you claims or is it just these tyres or dearer so they must be better! I never ever had a problem with cheap tyres.

Jesus.

Bpmull wrote: »

There fine until you have to make an emergency stop in the wet and then suddenly it's the difference between you hitting the thing your trying to avoid and not hitting it. You get what you pay for.

Perhaps. But again, I think the real issue is the quality of the driving. I think its advisable for anyone who is reckless and drives too fast to buy the grippiest tyres they can because they'll need them. If you drive easy and are generally careful then I think most tyres that are sold are quite sufficient.

trapattack

Bpmull wrote: »

There fine until you have to make an emergency stop in the wet and then suddenly it's the difference between you hitting the thing your trying to avoid and not hitting it. You get what you pay for.

Any reviews of these better more expensive tyres. I would love to see them!

Atlantic Dawn

Jesus. wrote: »

I don't know what's on that video but unless it proves the cheaper tyres have failed to make the minimum grade as set out by the safety bodies, then its not really relevant to what I said.

Yes minimum being the keyword

Jesus.

Sorry for the curt reply there Atlantic. Wasn't intentional.

Interesting video and there's no doubting the added grip in the wet

MuppetCheck

trapattack wrote: »

Any reviews of these better more expensive tyres. I would love to see them!

What tyres have you got exactly?

trapattack

MuppetCheck wrote: »

What tyres have you got exactly?

Rubber ones.

Atlantic Dawn

Jesus. wrote: »

Sorry for the curt reply there Atlantic. Wasn't intentional.

Interesting video and there's no doubting the added grip in the wet

Yes all tyres with the E mark are fully road legal but for the money you save you would have to question is it worth it in an emergency stop if your looking at multiple car lengths in difference to stop.

ThisRegard

Bpmull wrote: »

I'm too sure what there actually like. Infairness they've been around a good while and are well known so there probably not dangerous bad and should be fine until they wear down to about 50% they could start getting dodgy then. Maybe someone who's had experience with them would know more. Just watch them in the rain until you get a feel for what there like.

When I picked up a used Octavia a few years ago the dealer had put a set of Wanlis on it. They're awful right from the start, like driving around on solid plastic wheels such was the lack of grip in any sort of dampness. Traction control and ABS constantly kicking in. Got rid of them after a couple of weeks.

Nothing to do with wearing quickly or anything like that.

Jesus.

Fair point mate

MuppetCheck

trapattack wrote: »

Rubber ones.

Thought as much.

Stepping Stone

People don't really get the whole tyre thing. I do an awful lot of driving in a pretty old car. Car is worth maybe €1k but I put contis on it again last spring. It cost me €620 but you can't put a price on the difference they make to driving. If I had a euro for everyone who told me I was mad to spend that amount of money on tyres for that car!
My SIL has a frightening love of part worns on her quite expensive car. People really do not get it. My OH used to do budget tyres til he realised the difference between our cars. He is fully converted now. If I had more spare cash, I would have bought better tyres by the way.

Bpmull

Jesus. wrote: »

Perhaps. But again, I think the real issue is the quality of the driving. I think its advisable for anyone who is reckless and drives too fast to buy the grippiest tyres they can because they'll need them. If you drive easy and are generally careful then I think most tyres that are sold are quite sufficient.

You don't have to be a reckless driver to need to buy decent tyres either. Sure tyres that meet the minimum safety standards are sufficient. But then being sufficient and decent are too different things. I've had Chinese stuff on cars too when they came with them. I had wanlis on my focus they were brand new so left them on it for a while and they were fine. But I got rid off them when they got to 50% and you could spin the wheels in second gear coming of a roundabout. The best driver in the world can't anticipate someone pulling out in front of them and needing to stop in a hurry and the premium tyres will bring you to a stop in a lot shorter distance than the likes of the cheap Chinese stuff and that's not me making it up or anything else it's fact you can look it up.

TrailerBob

I have Michelins on my landcruiser, cost €720 for the 4. Best money I have spent in a while. People forget that it's the only part of your vehicle that touches the road. In my case today, I was driving near Portlaise towing a large trailer and had to perform an emergency brake and avoid a van that pulled out in front of me. I was glad of the superb grip the tyres gave me to stop land change direction with over 4 tons of vehicle. Wet weather performance is the best indicator of quality tyres, and I despair for the amount of family cars with poor quality tyres to keep them "safe"

Titzon Toast

Two things in life I never scrimp on, tyres and teabags.
It's served me well so far.