New tyres, bumpy driving!

DrPhilG

Got 4 new tyres a few weeks ago, and since then my driving experience has been pretty crap. Feels like I'm driving on a bumpy road een when it's smooth. Plus my fuel economy has nose dived, from about 50pmg down to 42/43. Car is a 12 reg 308.

Are these just cheap crap tyres? They are Constancy tyres. Took them on the recommendation of the fella in the tyre place but I fear they may be cheap crap. Not sure if there's much I can do now.

MuppetCheck

Have you checked your tyre pressures?

Possibly a weight has fallen off the wheel?

What tyres did you get? Factory fitment on Pugs tends to be Michelin with good economy ratings.

dgt

Oh my goodness, constancy....

Theres your problem right there

The fella who recommended those conned you good...!

cletus

Plenty of tyre places out there will recommend the tyre they have the greatest margin on. It pays to do a little homework

DrPhilG

dgt wrote: »

Oh my goodness, constancy....

Theres your problem right there

The fella who recommended those conned you good...!

That's my thinking.

He said I could get cheap tyres for £30 each, but he recommended the constancy ones at £45.

Just called the place, they said that constancy are budget tyres. I told them I wasn't given any other prices or options apart from the £30 ones which he says are remoulds.

One the one hand it's my fault for not checking it out, on the other hand these things are not fit for purpose. Feels like I'm driving on rumble strips.

He told me to call in tomorrow. The place has a good reputation so hopefully they'll sort me out.

secman

Can never understand people putting cheap tyres on cars....... decent tyres can save your life

Atlantic Dawn

I'd increase your life insurance policy if I was you.

Special Circumstances

dgt wrote: »

The fella who recommended those conned you good...!

Bonus points if the conversation involved "All de taximen use em" :pac:

DrPhilG

secman wrote: »

Can never understand people putting cheap tyres on cars....... decent tyres can save your life

I'll be honest, I'm a dumbo when it comes to cars. It's been probably 4 years since I changed a set, this is a fairly new car and I've had it a year. Before that I had a car for a few years that had new tyres when I got it.

I should have known that £45 a tyre = cheap crap. But I didn't.

I'm just wondering what my comeback is now with the place. I'm happy to pay the extra for better tyres, but what about the ones I have on now? At the end of the day they're rubbish.

If they tell me it's £65 per tyre for good ones, so give us £20 per tyre and we'll change them, no problem.

But if they say it's £65 per tyre for good ones, that'll be £260... Then we have a problem.

secman

Go back to the tyre depot and convey your disappointment with the tyres, bring him for a spin, probably rubbish grip in the wet, it's been mostly dry since you got them. Get decent ones on and haggle like fck. Worth it for sure....

DrPhilG

secman wrote: »

Go back to the tyre depot and convey your disappointment with the tyres, bring him for a spin, probably rubbish grip in the wet, it's been mostly dry since you got them. Get decent ones on and haggle like fck. Worth it for sure....

Father in law knows the owner too. I'll be asking to speak to him.

DrPhilG

What should I be looking for and how much should I be expecting to pay?

walus

I would start with checking the tyre pressure first. Personally I would not put an unknown make tyres on my car even if they were given for free.

Go back to the place and tell them you are very unhappy with the tyres and want to swap for mid-range to a premium type of rubber. This way they still get a business and you learn something from this lesson too. On top of that your car will be fitted with decent tyres.

Personally I can recommend Goodyear, Dunlop, Vredestein as those that perform very well (in wet too) and do not cost an arm an a leg. You should be able to get very good tyre for less than 95 euro per wheel fitted.

Atlantic Dawn

DrPhilG wrote: »

What should I be looking for and how much should I be expecting to pay?

A known brand name like Semperit, Michelin, Goodyear, Dunlop, Continental, Pirelli etc. Ideally if you got the same tyres that originally came with the car they will likely give best overall performance. Could be looking around €80 a piece.

bazz26

DrPhilG wrote: »

What should I be looking for and how much should I be expecting to pay?

Your money back for a start.

DrPhilG

205/55/R16 I think. From the picture I took on my phone this morning.

Can't upload it here for some reason.

DrPhilG

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

A known brand name like Semperit, Michelin, Goodyear, Dunlop, Continental, Pirelli etc. Ideally if you got the same tyres that originally came with the car they will likely give best overall performance. Could be looking around €80 a piece.

I have a suspicion that it's Michelin that was on before. And I don't think they were changed since new so they'd have done about 33k miles.

I'll check the spare, but I'm nearly sure it's Michelin.

DrPhilG

Just called to place.

Think I might have got someone in trouble. The owner said that they have not had any complaints about the Constancy tyres, and that of the budget tyres they have used, the constancy were the best.

That said, they are classed by them as budget tyres. The guy I spoke to should have offered remoulds, budget, medium range and premium. He didn't, so if they figure out who it was, he may get a smack on the wrist.

He's happy to change the tyres, and I'll just pay the difference for a better set.

He offered;

Altenzo - extra £5 per tyre
Silverstone - extra £10 per tyre
Hankook - extra £20 per tyre
Firestone - extra £25 per tyre

Thoughts?

PaulKK

DrPhilG wrote: »

Just called to place.

He offered;

Altenzo - extra £5 per tyre
Silverstone - extra £10 per tyre
Hancook - extra £20 per tyre
Firestone - extra £25 per tyre

Thoughts?

I put new firestone runflats on the back of mine a few weeks ago.. finding them very good so far, from the reviews I read they are well regarded. I also see hankooks recommended regularly also.

Bpmull

Hankook would be the best of a bad lot but even hankook is only a budget tyre not really premium

Alanstrainor

Hancook and Firestone are good brands.

I've had firestones in the past in a similar size to yours OP and found them good. Not sure on the pricing however.

But a good result thus far to be fair!

weisses

And let them balance the wheels this time ...

DrPhilG

PaulKK wrote: »

I put new firestone runflats on the back of mine a few weeks ago.. finding them very good so far, from the reviews I read they are well regarded.

I also see hankooks recommended regularly also.

Bpmull wrote: »

Hankook would be the best of a bad lot but even hankook is only a budget tyre not really premium

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Hancook and Firestone are good brands.

So Bpmull, you would say Hankook aren't great, but better than Firestone?

Alanstrainor and PaulKK, you'd say worth the extra £5 per tyre for Firestone?

I'm guessing the Silverstone and Altenzo are definitely not worth it?

In case the £ signs didn't give it away, I'm buying in the North.

curiosity

DrPhilG wrote: »

Just called to place.

Think I might have got someone in trouble. The owner said that they have not had any complaints about the Constancy tyres, and that of the budget tyres they have used, the constancy were the best.

That said, they are classed by them as budget tyres. The guy I spoke to should have offered remoulds, budget, medium range and premium. He didn't, so if they figure out who it was, he may get a smack on the wrist.

He's happy to change the tyres, and I'll just pay the difference for a better set.

He offered;

Altenzo - extra £5 per tyre
Silverstone - extra £10 per tyre
Hankook - extra £20 per tyre
Firestone - extra £25 per tyre

Thoughts?

To be fair to whoever sold you on the constancy tyres, I'd imagine a lot of people asking for new tyres will say "have you anything cheaper?" when the first price/make is given to them. Sounds like a good deal.

Renegade Mechanic

Silverstone aren't bad. As cheaper tyres go, they get the job done, just. Dunno anything about the first one. Hankook and Firestone are both good tyre brands. Both are made properly so with some balancing, wobbling won't be an issue.
Hankook are typically more efficient on the road
Firestone are more grippy and fare a bit better in the wet.

DrPhilG

curiosity wrote: »

To be fair to whoever sold you on the constancy tyres, I'd imagine a lot of people asking for new tyres will say "have you anything cheaper?" when the first price/make is given to them. Sounds like a good deal.

Maybe so, but I wasn't just looking for cheap. (Obviously I didn't have a clue what cheap was, but that's beside the point).

Their official policy is to offer something from each of the 4 levels - remould/budget/mid range/premium.

He only offered me the 2 cheapos. At the end of the day my tyres were buggered. There was no harm in giving all the options.

Stallingrad

You'll have no trouble with Hankook.

dmc17

DrPhilG wrote: »

Just called to place.

Think I might have got someone in trouble. The owner said that they have not had any complaints about the Constancy tyres, and that of the budget tyres they have used, the constancy were the best.

That said, they are classed by them as budget tyres. The guy I spoke to should have offered remoulds, budget, medium range and premium. He didn't, so if they figure out who it was, he may get a smack on the wrist.

He's happy to change the tyres, and I'll just pay the difference for a better set.

He offered;

Altenzo - extra £5 per tyre
Silverstone - extra £10 per tyre
Hankook - extra £20 per tyre
Firestone - extra £25 per tyre

Thoughts?

I'd bet he'll say that to the next person who complains too. On the other hand, these may be the first set he sold!

DrPhilG

Got the models of both.

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Hankook/Ventus-S1-evo.htm

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Firestone/TZ300.htm

Seems to favour the Hankook, average review score of 76% vs 72%.

bazz26

Hancooks or Firestones in that order from that list. My father has Hancooks in that size on this Auris for the last 2 or 3 years without issue. They are a very good mid range tyre brand.

walus

None of the listed are premium brands. Hankook is a tyre that VW puts in on most of their vehicles this days and out of all mentioned the only decent one.

MuppetCheck

Bpmull wrote: »

Hankook would be the best of a bad lot but even hankook is only a budget tyre not really premium

Original fitment by a lot of car makes these days. They might be the preserve of the more plodding models in ranges but they are a premium tyre relative to most of what's available.

curiosity

DrPhilG wrote: »

Maybe so, but I wasn't just looking for cheap. (Obviously I didn't have a clue what cheap was, but that's beside the point).

Their official policy is to offer something from each of the 4 levels - remould/budget/mid range/premium.

He only offered me the 2 cheapos. At the end of the day my tyres were buggered. There was no harm in giving all the options.

I would be suprised if many get quoted for all four levels. I've never been offered remoulds in the half-dozen or so times I've purchased new tyres. Fwiw, my most recent purchase is on your list, Firestones (€390 for four, fitted,balanced, tracking), and they seem good.

ofcork

DrPhilG wrote: »

205/55/R16 I think. From the picture I took on my phone this morning.

Can't upload it here for some reason.

I had that size on my last avensis and good tyres were minimum 70 euro,had firestones and found them fine.

bazz26

My father paid €75 a tyre for Hankook in that size, including fitting and balancing.

Pov06

I use Hankooks myself and they are a great tyre.

Bpmull

MuppetCheck wrote: »

Original fitment by a lot of car makes these days. They might be the preserve of the more plodding models in ranges but they are a premium tyre relative to most of what's available.

I've only ever seen them on hyundai or kia when new. But maybe others use them too. There is nothing wrong with them and they are superior to alot of tyre brands on the road I had them on my astra. I just think goodyear or bridgestone are better tyres overall. Anyway op they will be infinitely better to what you have on it now and they will be a good safe tyre.

MuppetCheck

Bpmull wrote: »

I've only ever seen them on hyundai or kia when new. But maybe others use them too. There is nothing wrong with them and they are superior to alot of tyre brands on the road I had them on my astra. I just think goodyear or bridgestone are better tyres overall. Anyway op they will be infinitely better to what you have on it now and they will be a good safe tyre.

Mark VI Golf got them.

colm_mcm

Tyre stop are doing 205/55/16 michelins for €80 again. Might be useful to someone

DrPhilG

Got the Hankooks on today, £80 added to what I paid for the crappy ones.

Driving smooth again. Thanks to all for the advice.

Bongalongherb

Interesting read. I'll try the Hankook's myself in a month or two. The one's I have - have the same problem as the OP with bumpy driving and they are pressurised perfectly... 30 psi. For mitsubishi colt.

Great thread, cheers.

DraganGTD

It's very important to have a good shoes on car Saved me few times