New Tyres!

paul V5SE

Guest
Okay, this aint a question, more...advice to newer owners with cack tyres fitted.

Just had tyres changed on front of my Alhambra 130tdi from cheap & nasty "ling long" budget tyres to Goodyear Eagle F1 asymmetric 2's. I was a little reluctant at first to shell out on such a performance focused tyre but, thank god i did! The difference in handling and ride is phenomenal! I ended up paying £230 for them. Worth every penny!
Ive no doubt there will be a whole load of people who will say "what a waste of money on a people carrier" but, i totally disagree! I only average around 4000k a year mostly with family in car so in theory any mid range tyre would have done but, for the few miles im on my own, they are perfect!!!
All understeer on damp corners is gone! No more annoying wheel spin out of junctions when fitting into a small gap in traffic!
A great, great tyre! Highly recommended! 10/10!!!
 

matthewgdavies

Guest
As always with Alhambra tyres as long as Goodyear Eagle F1 asymmetric 2 has the correct load rating as shown on your car's tyre label then it's always worth the extra for premium tyres.

Many, many 'premium' tyres don't have a high enough load rating and could invalidate your insurance
 

paul V5SE

Guest
True! They are extra load tyres......94W XL.
I think the guys at the tyre fitters got a little peed off with me by the end coz i wanted to see the the tyre markings for myself before they went on, i also asked them to show me where the "inside" marking was. Then, when they were inflating them, i asked them to put them dead on 42psig.
(please dont tell me this is the minimum rating.....i know this! Only ever have kids n wife in car, seats 6 n 7 stored away in garage!)
When it came to fitting time, i got them to torque the wheels up after the initial air gun rape on me nuts! (air guns should be banned for life! Lol!) Yes i know.......cars going back tomorrow to get nuts checked again!
To be fair to the guys and garage (King David Tyres, Risca, South Wales) they deserve top marks all round. I found a cheap price on-line, told them what it was n they matched it.(no proof or print out needed) Just be honest with them, they aint stupid at the end of the day!
Oh......and no, i dont work for them!Lol!
 

plugcoupler

Guest
I have always been led to believe that their is only one make of tyre to go on my 05 SXTDI, at least by the few suppliers I have used.

Bridgestone ER30C 205/55 R16 98/96 H

I know others will fit, but the insurance is invalid without the correct load rating, I asked my insurer.
 
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matthewgdavies

Guest
That's exactly what I understand as well, the SX was fitted with 98/96H tyres for reasons best known to SEAT and Bridgestone (the factory supplier) are the only people who make them - they are not cheap but do last well and also give a decent ride
 

plugcoupler

Guest
113.99 each inc VAT and fitting.

Great North Tyres

Gateshead
 

G.P

Active Member
Sep 3, 2011
1,241
38
Worcestershire
I have always been led to believe that their is only one make of tyre to go on my 05 SXTDI, at least by the few suppliers I have used.

Bridgestone ER30C 205/55 R16 98/96 H

I know others will fit, but the insurance is invalid without the correct load rating, I asked my insurer.

Did you ask them what load rating they should be for you car?
 

plugcoupler

Guest
These are the tyres it came with from new and every tyre dealer I have been too has looked at cheaper tyres for me. They have came back with the same answer. This is the only tyre recommended for this car.
 
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G.P

Active Member
Sep 3, 2011
1,241
38
Worcestershire
These are the tyres it came with from new and every tyre dealer I have been too has looked at cheaper tyres for me. They have came back with the same answer. This is the only tyre recommended for this car.

Wonder were they get the informaction from to recommend, I'm sure you can fit other makes like the Goodyear as menctioned above. You can also fit a tyre with a higher load rating if you wanted. . .
 

matthewgdavies

Guest
Tyre spec, including load rating and pressures, is on the sticker inside the filler flap - deviate from the given spec at your peril as you will invalidate your insurance with most insurers
 

TheShaggyDA

Guest
Rather than create a new thread, I'll add my question here. I'm looking at getting new tyres this weekend on the front, when I first got the car, I put Firestones on for just over £101 each. The fronts lasted 20900 miles, so 206 miles per pound.

The next lot were Uncle Wu's Bicycle and Tyre Emporium specials, for £64 each. These
lasted 16234 miles - 254 miles per pound. The set I've got on now are Marshalls which cost £75 each, and have lasted 20800 on the front, giving 276 miles per pound - the best value so far.

I fancy getting Michelin Primacy 3's, but at £148 each and only "up to 25%" longer lasting, they just don't make sense on a mile per pound basis compared to what I have now.

Can anyone recommend any tyres (215/55/r16 97W) that are good value for money?
 

matthewgdavies

Guest
Frankly I think miles per pound is not a relevant factor as so much depends on driving style, road conditions etc. Longevity is irrelevant if they act like banana skins in the wet or snow. I prefer to go for "inches to back of stationery artic" when assessing tyres. In this respect I have found Michelin Primacy HP (obsolete but still available)or Primacy 3 (HP replacement) both excellent for good wear, ride comfort and grip in both rain and snow. Just make sure you get the 97 load rated version as the Primacy 3 is available non-reinforced with 93 rating - they would invalidate your insurance.
"Uncle Wu's Bicycle and Tyre Emporium specials" are best reserved for the Beijing bypass where traffic speeds rarely rise above 10mph
 

TheShaggyDA

Guest
Frankly I think miles per pound is not a relevant factor as so much depends on driving style, road conditions etc. Longevity is irrelevant if they act like banana skins in the wet or snow.

Miles per pound and longevity is both relevant to me, hence my query. I'm happy with the performance of the tyres I've had - I'd like them to last longer.
 

Viking

Insurance co's are crap.
May 19, 2007
2,317
4
Near Richmond, North Yorks
These are the cheapest 97 load rated tyres I could find on a quick search. Link.

Add in some cash to have them fitted and away you go. I wouldn't be taking corners in the wet at any speed, and I'd be leaving a large gap between me and the car in front all the time, but if you really want cheap you have to put up with crap.
 

TheShaggyDA

Guest
It's not cheap I'm after - it's value for money. The £65 tyres I had only lasted 3/4 of the life of the £75 ones, which lasted the same as the £100 set. So far, I'm leaning towards getting the Marshals again because of that, but I'm interested to hear real world results of paying more for premium tyres regarding longevity.

As I said, the Michelin Primacy 3's are quoted at "up to 25%" longer lasting, but at twice the price it's not worth it.
 

Viking

Insurance co's are crap.
May 19, 2007
2,317
4
Near Richmond, North Yorks
Well, value for money doesn't mean the same to all drivers. I value my ability to corner and stop safely. I also value wet weather grip. I don't rate or buy tyres based on how many miles they can travel before I need to replace them so much, but based on that premise, my own experience is that I rate Michelins better than Continentals.

If you're basing your purchase decision on how far you can travel for as little money as possible, then I'd start at the lowest cost of tyres and see where I end up. One non-reparable puncture will skew your results in favour of the cheapest tyres you can buy. £100 for a punctured brand new Michelin against £60 for a punctured brand new ditchfinder will result in you buying another ditchfinder and me buying another Michelin I'm afraid.
 

TheShaggyDA

Guest
Well, value for money doesn't mean the same to all drivers. I value my ability to corner and stop safely. I also value wet weather grip.

But that's not value for money in terms of longevity - which is what my question was.

I don't rate or buy tyres based on how many miles they can travel before I need to replace them so much, but based on that premise, my own experience is that I rate Michelins better than Continentals.

Indeed, I've heard Michelins are better. In the case of the Primacy 3s though, 25% longer isn't enough to justify twice the price. Performance wise, I'm happy to adjust my driving to suit - 60,000 miles in this Alhambra alone, and a Galaxy, Alhambra, Sharan prior to that in all driving conditions without incident, I must be doing something right.

If you're basing your purchase decision on how far you can travel for as little money as possible, then I'd start at the lowest cost of tyres and see where I end up.

I have done, and I've assumed others would have too - hence asking for recommendations.

One non-repairable puncture will skew your results in favour of the cheapest tyres you can buy. £100 for a punctured brand new Michelin against £60 for a punctured brand new ditchfinder will result in you buying another ditchfinder and me buying another Michelin I'm afraid.

Over the life of the car, any abnormal cost incurring incident like an unrepairable puncture is going to skew cost of ownership. Again, this isn't about price of the tyre - I'd pay £300 a corner if the long term cost was worth it.
 

Viking

Insurance co's are crap.
May 19, 2007
2,317
4
Near Richmond, North Yorks
Non-repairable punctures will destroy your miles per pound calculations though. If you're entirely interested in as many miles as possible from the money you spend, then you have to base your calculation over the full length of the tyre life. If that length gets cut short half a mile after you fit a £100 Michelin, then you end up buying another Michelin at £100, so you now have spent £200 and still only traveled 1000yds. If you manage to travel 20000 miles on that tyre then it's still cost you £200 for those miles. If you'd bought £50 tyres in the same scenario then you'd have paid £100 for those miles. In that situation the cheapest tyres possible are going to give you the most miles per pound. Every time.

As regards value for money, and whether anything I value is worth anything, then consider this. I spend £400 a set on good tyres, and I send the wife and kids out every day on those tyres in the car. Having seen a family member write off her car (and the car she hit) on cheap Nankangs, I think paying more for good tyres is better value for money than any miles per pound calculation. As I said, what you class as value for money and what others class as value for money may not be the same thing.

Further, not all tyres are created equal. Extensive tests of wheel / tyre combinations have revealed that a quality, well made tyre is much lighter in construction and as well as reducing unsprung weight it also drastically reduces fuel consumption when you factor in tread design, construction, and materials. So a better tyre will save you money on fuel over the life of the tyre. I could also add that road noise levels will be different for all tyre makes, and some might value this highly. Removing a set of cheap tyres from my daughters car stopped a nasty wheel bearing type rumbling noise at the rear.

Finally, the cheapest place to buy tyres may not be the best. I had an expensive set of alloys destroyed by a monkey with a tyre iron. Had I paid extra and bought from a place who were more careful but charged a little more for the tyres it wouldn't have cost me the agro of having to have my wheels refurbed. A set of genuine alloys is worth more than a set of refurbed alloys every day.


So, in summary. The best value for money in my experience is a tyre which gives the best performance, the best ride, the best fuel economy, and the safest drive. After that it's simply a matter of buying Michelins at the cheapest price I can without getting my wheels scrapped. I use Halls Autos.
 

G.P

Active Member
Sep 3, 2011
1,241
38
Worcestershire
These are the cheapest 97 load rated tyres I could find on a quick search. Link.

Add in some cash to have them fitted and away you go. I wouldn't be taking corners in the wet at any speed, and I'd be leaving a large gap between me and the car in front all the time, but if you really want cheap you have to put up with crap.

Nope, sorry your wrong, you have just cost an extra £1.57/tyre, you should be ashamed. . .:D

http://www.tyretraders.com/tyreInformation|ItemID|EVE21555R1697WWL905.html
 
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TheShaggyDA

Guest
Non-repairable punctures will destroy your miles per pound calculations though. If you're entirely interested in as many miles as possible from the money you spend, then you have to base your calculation over the full length of the tyre life. If that length gets cut short half a mile after you fit a £100 Michelin, then you end up buying another Michelin at £100, so you now have spent £200 and still only traveled 1000yds. If you manage to travel 20000 miles on that tyre then it's still cost you £200 for those miles. If you'd bought £50 tyres in the same scenario then you'd have paid £100 for those miles. In that situation the cheapest tyres possible are going to give you the most miles per pound. Every time.

I've had 2 punctures in 30 years of driving and one of those was repairable, so as far as I'm concerned a puncture is an unforeseeable event, it can be omitted from my calculation. So can being written off by an artic whilst nipping to the shops, or being stolen from outside my house.

As regards value for money, and whether anything I value is worth anything, then consider this. I spend £400 a set on good tyres, and I send the wife and kids out every day on those tyres in the car. Having seen a family member write off her car (and the car she hit) on cheap Nankangs, I think paying more for good tyres is better value for money than any miles per pound calculation. As I said, what you class as value for money and what others class as value for money may not be the same thing.

Yet again, this has nothing to do with longevity of tyres. I don't rely on just my tyres to avoid accidents, and I drive within the capabilities of the tyres I have fitted.

Further, not all tyres are created equal. Extensive tests of wheel / tyre combinations have revealed that a quality, well made tyre is much lighter in construction and as well as reducing unsprung weight it also drastically reduces fuel consumption when you factor in tread design, construction, and materials. So a better tyre will save you money on fuel over the life of the tyre.

I've also read this, and agree it *could* save money. What I haven't seen is any real claim for how much. Of course the manufacturer would prattle on about driving style and quote from a series of rolling resistance tests and then mention the "70 litres fuel saving on a Peugeot 308 over the life of the tyres (but fail to mention the estimated life of the tyres, and compared to what tyre), but this means nothing on an Alhambra.

I could also add that road noise levels will be different for all tyre makes, and some might value this highly. Removing a set of cheap tyres from my daughters car stopped a nasty wheel bearing type rumbling noise at the rear.

You'll have to get away from the concept of "value", as the definition I'm asking about is longevity. I'm not asking what tyre gives the best value for money for wet braking, road holding, noise levels or best looking tread pattern. Just longevity. Let me worry about how I drive the car, and how loud I have my CD player.

Finally, the cheapest place to buy tyres may not be the best. I had an expensive set of alloys destroyed by a monkey with a tyre iron. Had I paid extra and bought from a place who were more careful but charged a little more for the tyres it wouldn't have cost me the agro of having to have my wheels refurbed. A set of genuine alloys is worth more than a set of refurbed alloys every day.

Agreed. But I'd ensure the company paying the monkey would also be paying for replacements, so that still doesn't affect the miles per pound.


So, in summary. The best value for money in my experience is a tyre which gives the best performance, the best ride, the best fuel economy, and the safest drive. After that it's simply a matter of buying Michelins at the cheapest price I can without getting my wheels scrapped. I use Halls Autos.

Which Michelins? How much did you pay and how long did your last set last?