Just passed my first MOT but with "advisories" on some tyres.

They reckoned uneven wear on fronts suggests tracking not right. Is it best to get tracking done at Skoda dealer or a tyre fitting centre? What should they charge me roughly?

Want to get this done either before, or with, fitting new set (all 4 probably).

Any opinions on the Pirelli P6000 tyre (advised by MOT manager, although his quote was nearly 50% more than Tyre Shopper for same tyres - £96 a corner as against £67, that's bottom line prices incl. valve, balance etc.)

What model and what size tyre?

Size: 205/55VR16

I think you could do better and get better VFM.

Personally I like Vredestein SporTrac3s but Falken FK452s are highly rated as well.

A lot of forum members mention Falken but I can't locate a fitter round here.

A lot of forum members mention Falken but I can't locate a fitter round here.

Try these guys;- Tyres from Event Mobile Tyres - Mobile Tyre Fitting for Car, 4x4 and Run Flat Tyres

They were recommended to me on here a little over a year ago for my Octavia and I now use them for all my Company cars as well.

Alternatively, I too like the Vredesteins, which if you can't find a local supplier, get them from here;- Elite Direct.Com - Tyres, Alloy Wheels, Exhausts, Brakes, Suspension, MOT, Wheel Alignment, Wheel Balancing mail order and then get a local guy to fit them (usually £5 - £10 per wheel inc balancing etc.).

I hope that helps.

P6000 is nearly 15 years old now. Tyre technology has moved on considerably.

Best to get tracking done by someone actually competent. So I can't make a recommendation down your way.

As for Pirellis, they fulfill a vital role in tyre tests; propping up the bottom of the table.

I get all my tyres from Camskill, free delivery when you purchase 2 or more tyres and can agree with the people who recomend the Vredestein sportrack 3's. They punch well above their weight and outperform the Toyo T1-R by a good margin at track days. Found them for 57 quid a courner for you - you can't go wrong .

VREDESTEIN TYRES / CAR / VREDESTEIN SPORTRAC 3 - 205/55R16 91V : £57.00 : Car Tyres - MPV Tyres - People Carrier Tyres : R16" - 205/55/16, 205/55 R 16 -

I get all my tyres from Camskill, free delivery when you purchase 2 or more tyres and can agree with the people who recomend the Vredestein sportrack 3's. They punch well above their weight and outperform the Toyo T1-R by a good margin at track days. Found them for 57 quid a courner for you - you can't go wrong .

VREDESTEIN TYRES / CAR / VREDESTEIN SPORTRAC 3 - 205/55R16 91V : £57.00 : Car Tyres - MPV Tyres - People Carrier Tyres : R16" - 205/55/16, 205/55 R 16 -

Er, even the Elegance 110 uses a 93W in that size. I'd expect the weaker and lower speed rated Vredstein to be cheaper, but you have informed your insurance company that you've downrated the tyres?

Best to get tracking done by someone actually competent. So I can't make a recommendation down your way.

As for Pirellis, they fulfill a vital role in tyre tests; propping up the bottom of the table.

I'm going to my specialist dealer this pm to go on diagnostics about my air con having died. I'll ask him about tracking.

I quite like the sound of the Avons from Tyre Shopper - but people pooh-pooh them. I recall Avon always being well thought of? They get a high rating on Tyre-Shopper and I can get them fitted in Worthing.

Avons are also total rubbish. Run a search to see how many QC problems they throw up!

Er, even the Elegance 110 uses a 93W in that size. I'd expect the weaker and lower speed rated Vredstein to be cheaper, but you have informed your insurance company that you've downrated the tyres?

V rated at 149 MPH is more than enough. And just because a car comes with 93's does not mean you can't put lower on. Just consider axle weights. A 91V can support a load of 615 KG's. - HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK AN OCTAVIA WEIGHS!!!

Anyway an extra load sportrack 3 is available for £3 a courner extra.

Octy, kerb weight ~1500kg including driver, fuel and lumber (US colloquial defn).

Under hard braking the weight distn moves to about 90% front, giving 1350kg on the front axle, or 650kg on each front tyre.

Re-running that for a full load of 1800kg gives 810kg transitory load on each front tyre.

And you still haven't answered the really important question; have you informed the insurance that you've changed the car specification?

I'm going to my specialist dealer this pm to go on diagnostics about my air con having died. I'll ask him about tracking.

Service manager almost laughed when I told him about possible tracking problem commented on by the MOT people.

He said that, though it was worth checking when I got the new boots, there was no way it could be far out with my tyres looking (and feeling) still quite reasonable at over 25K.

Interestingly, he said they all exhibited slightly more wear on the inside edges, it was a known condition and not an abnormal one.

I'm pretty sure that almost every insurance company in the UK will either hang up, go "what?" or just plain laugh if you ring them with that sort of info.

Do you ring up your insurance to tell them you're putting BP Ultimate in your car, because you're changing it's specification by putting in premium fuel? Or perhaps that Magic Tree on the rear view mirror?

I'm pretty sure that almost every insurance company in the UK will either hang up, go "what?" or just plain laugh if you ring them with that sort of info.

Do you ring up your insurance to tell them you're putting BP Ultimate in your car, because you're changing it's specification by putting in premium fuel? Or perhaps that Magic Tree on the rear view mirror?

At last - someone with some sense. My MK1 (yes I did buy it new also) Octavia Vrs came with 89W Conti tyres on it so I have in fact kept the standard load capacity (because you fail to ralise that sportrac 3's in 205/50/17 are 89V rated). Ken stop talking absolute rubbish!

Octy, kerb weight ~1500kg including driver, fuel and lumber (US colloquial defn).

Under hard braking the weight distn moves to about 90% front, giving 1350kg on the front axle, or 650kg on each front tyre.

Re-running that for a full load of 1800kg gives 810kg transitory load on each front tyre.

And you still haven't answered the really important question; have you informed the insurance that you've changed the car specification?

For a load of 810Kg you'd need a tyre of a rating of 101 or higher. If your not running this Ken i hope you've informed your insurance company!

The only Vauxhall I know of that specifically NEEDS XL tyres is the Vectra 3.0 V6 CDTi and the Zafira 1.9CDTi on 19s. All the rest don't, but most of them come with XLs. It's just whatever they have in the factory.

All XL in general use does is make the ride bumpy.

I don't know how it's done in the UK but down here the tyre placard lists the minimum load & speed rating - you can go higher without problems but if you go lower you have to advise our Roads & Traffic Authority & they give you a sticker for the car to remind you that you have gone against the complied/recomended tyre. You also have to notify insurance & jump through a burning hoop.

Minimum speed rating for Octavia (non-vRS) is V. Minimum load rating is 615kg/91

Same ratings here. Although lesser tires are not tolerated in any way and if you are caught using them it instantly expires your MOT equivalent, your reg is confiscated and there's a heavy fine.

You get the papers back after a new MOT carried out at one of the handful designated stations in the district.