Tyre choices

[Konan555]

If they regulated these better, maybe they'd not have had to make ESP mandatory....

I don't have traction control on my car, I have traction

[roachcoach]

I was looking for something else and stumbled on this and thought it might be of use to folks:

http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/tyre...duction/251766

If you can ignore the hyperbolic headline, it is interesting reading if you're unfamiliar with the topic.

[peterb]

To paraphrase the last paragraph in the article 'those four patches of rubber are your contact with the road'.

I don't think I have ever bought a really budget tyre for that reason, even in a relatively low performance car, and I certainly wouldn't now with something with a bit more umph.

A short 0>60 time might be good for the ego, but a short 60>0 time/distance is better for the health when some turkey pulls out in front of you in the wet.

[abaxas]

To paraphrase the last paragraph in the article 'those four patches of rubber are your contact with the road'.

I don't think I have ever bought a really budget tyre for that reason, even in a relatively low performance car, and I certainly wouldn't now with something with a bit more umph.

A short 0>60 time might be good for the ego, but a short 60>0 time/distance is better for the health when some turkey pulls out in front of you in the wet.

No-one tests with standing water. That is by far the worst thing you can come across in the wrong tyre.

It is impossible to build a tyre with great dry/wet and good standing water perf. As a tyre's ability to move water is improved via a smaller contact patch, hence worse dry/damp perf.

Then you can factor in snow/ice performance and it there is another 2 axis on the graph.

Get a good allrounder, cover for all situations.

[kalniel]

No-one tests with standing water. That is by far the worst thing you can come across in the wrong tyre.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/product...test_2011.html
- see the aquaplaning results. Most of the reviews I linked to earlier also tested aquaplaning. You do understand that that's the same thing as the problems with standing water right?

Get a good allrounder, cover for all situations.

Nope. Get a good performer in the conditions likely to expose the differences. As already mentioned several time - best to worst in dry is nothing like as significant as best to worst in wet. That means for safety you should concentrate on tyres that perform well in the wet.

[abaxas]

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/product...test_2011.html
- see the aquaplaning results. Most of the reviews I linked to earlier also tested aquaplaning. You do understand that that's the same thing as the problems with standing water right?


Nope. Get a good performer in the conditions likely to expose the differences. As already mentioned several time - best to worst in dry is nothing like as significant as best to worst in wet. That means for safety you should concentrate on tyres that perform well in the wet.

The problem is that aquaplaning if a function of car weight.

Ie a 1.5 ton golf is different from a 1 ton small car. Also it is a function relative to tyre size/weight.

Eg a 175 'width' should be better than a 225 'width' on the same car.

[kalniel]

The problem is that aquaplaning if a function of car weight.

Ie a 1.5 ton golf is different from a 1 ton small car. Also it is a function relative to tyre size/weight.

Eg a 175 'width' should be better than a 225 'width' on the same car.

Yes, so if you standardise car and tyre width, and in fact most other variables, which is the point of a test, then you can find out which are inherently the best tyres. I don't know about you, but I'm not in the position of being able to swap out cars based on whether it's raining or not.

[[GSV]Myocardial]

And insurance (invalidated) if the combo isn't something the OEM would supply.

This is incorrect!

But if you move away from OEM standards in relation to size then you should inform your insurer and they will adjust your premium or note it on your file. Otherwise just changing to a non OEM tyre brand would invalidate you insurance which it doesn't.

Otherwise how would I be able to fit 305/70/R16's to my defender?

[dave87]

Changing brand but same size is a maintenance question - not an insurance one. You don't phone them each time you change the oil, etc?

Changing wheel size is a modification - so you need to inform your insurer.

[Konan555]

This is incorrect!

But if you move away from OEM standards in relation to size then you should inform your insurer and they will adjust your premium or note it on your file. Otherwise just changing to a non OEM tyre brand would invalidate you insurance which it doesn't.

So you've managed to state that it's incorrect then go on to point it that it is, in fact, correct.

Changeing from a Ford Fiesta to a Vauxhall Astra invalidate your insurance if you don't inform them. Crazy, eh?

Of course you can notify your insurance about it. They're also quite entitled to tell you they won't cover it or charge you an additional premirum.

Otherwise how would I be able to fit 305/70/R16's to my defender?

Since we're making ridiculous statements based on someone not stating the frikking obvious...I'm pretty sure that fitting them has nothing to do with your car insurance. You need to be covered if you drive on the road with them fitted.

[SHare]

I've had Hankook v12 evos all round for the past year or so now and been very pleased with them, previous to that I've had Toyo proxes and Falken 912s and I find the Hankooks outperform those in every way and only now starting to loose some of their wet grip at about 10k miles of often brisk driving. I got them from camskill when they were about £60 a corner which was an absolute bargian but I have noticed they seem to have hiked the price of them recently but I'd still definitely consider them ever at the ~£80-90 bracket.

[peterb]

So you've managed to state that it's incorrect then go on to point it that it is, in fact, correct.

No, his point. Was that changing from the OEM tyre size specification might require insurance notification, changing brand fitted by the OEM would not, provided it met that size specification.

Car handbooks I have read specify a tyre size, but make no mention of the brand.

[KidChameleon]

I've been driving a rental car for a while with some appallingly cheap Chinese plastic on the wheels. It was spinning up in second gear with less than full throttle. One day, someone came flying out of a side road onto a notoriously bad roundabout as I was doing 30kmh across it. I jammed the brakes on and felt the ABS rumbling like I was on ice. I got so close that I thought I'd actually hit them. They sped off with a finger or two in the air while I recomposed and contemplated the safety of cheap tyres.

In my opinion, the difference between "top end" tyres is mostly irrelevant unless you often drive near the physical limit, which you can't really do on public roads. All "top end" tyres would be perfectly adequate for road use. However, cheap tyres shouldn't even be considered, especially from unknown Chinese brands. While you might not be zipping around country lanes at 130mph and pulling 1G around corners in your 1.0L Corsa, you will still need to stop.

I've been happy with Toyo T1-Rs on a BMW 320d. They were around £60 for 16", so pretty low cost. I think they lost about 3mm after 10-15,000 motorway miles, so they lasted well. I recently got some mid-range Falken's for my sister's Corsa, but I can't remember the model number. I think they were £50 for 14".

Not many people use enough different tyres to come up with a balanced decision on what to stick with, so it's hard to say what's better while it's easy to say you've been happy.

[Sputnik]

Car handbooks I have read specify a tyre size, but make no mention of the brand.

And also Speed and Load ratings.

[Konan555]

No, his point. Was that changing from the OEM tyre size specification might require insurance notification, changing brand fitted by the OEM would not, provided it met that size specification.

Yes, but my original statement was that changing tyre size to something that wasn't in the book was going to invalidate your insurance. Not incorrect. In fact, after saying 'This is Incorrect!' he goes on to say 'if you move away from OEM standards in relation to size then you should inform your insurer'

Although, to be fair, it may be a little incorrect. Since the book will have specs for different models. I'm not sure how the insurance would look on someone trying to run their 200bhp sports version on the wheel and tyre combo from the 1.4 LX variant.

Of course, he goes on to mention 'just changing to a non OEM tyre brand would invalidate you insurance which it doesn't' but I must admit that I failed to see the logic in bringing this point to the table. I suppose I could mention that listening to Radio 4 even if it's not a preset on the Radio won't invalidate insurance either

[DanceswithUnix]

Yes, but my original statement was that changing tyre size to something that wasn't in the book was going to invalidate your insurance. Not incorrect. In fact, after saying 'This is Incorrect!' he goes on to say 'if you move away from OEM standards in relation to size then you should inform your insurer'

Although, to be fair, it may be a little incorrect. Since the book will have specs for different models. I'm not sure how the insurance would look on someone trying to run their 200bhp sports version on the wheel and tyre combo from the 1.4 LX variant.

Of course, he goes on to mention 'just changing to a non OEM tyre brand would invalidate you insurance which it doesn't' but I must admit that I failed to see the logic in bringing this point to the table. I suppose I could mention that listening to Radio 4 even if it's not a preset on the Radio won't invalidate insurance either

Well in my case the book specifies dimensions and speed ratings, got me wondering what it says about make now (I think there is a recommendation, but don't think it is in the specifications table).

Not sure why I would need such high speed ratings on a car that will never see a track, I'm sure the same as the 2.0l engine would do. Still I buy the higher rating to make sure the insurance company don't have anything to complain about should the worst happen.