Assuming I do not want to pay the current high price for the OE 225/45/17W Michelin Pilot Primacy, what decent cheaper tyres also have the rim protector? Avon ZV5 seems to be a good tyre at a much lower price. I fancied some Barum Bravuris but no rim protectors are obvious. SWMBO and step son had good service out of that brand. A colleague is also happy with them on a diesel V**tra.

I have the Dunlop Sport 01's fitted, which are available with the optional rim protector.

Assuming I do not want to pay the current high price for the OE 225/45/17W Michelin Pilot Primacy, what decent cheaper tyres also have the rim protector? Avon ZV5 seems to be a good tyre at a much lower price. I fancied some Barum Bravuris but no rim protectors are obvious. SWMBO and step son had good service out of that brand. A colleague is also happy with them on a diesel V**tra.

Falken FK452......£65 for 225/40/18

Falken FK452......£65 for 225/40/18

I'll second the Falken FK452, very good and very cheap, i used to swear by Toyo T1R on all the cars ive owned but these Falkens are as good!!!!!!! between 60-70 quid from Camskill i believe and get them fitted by your local Hi-Q Jobs done

Ross

I have got Barum Bravuris 2 225/45/17 fitted on my mk1 Superb,The rubber rim stands proud off the alloy by about 2mm. I got them from National tyres for £75 per corner fitted,Good tyres for the price.

Edited 15 September, 201015 yr by roman.w

I have the Dunlop Sport 01's fitted, which are available with the optional rim protector.

For your own safety check them for circumferential cracking between the tread blocks - it's a know problem with those tyres and many on here have experienced it. I had all four tyres suffer and as a result won't use Dunlop again (they also seem expensive!)

Assuming I do not want to pay the current high price for the OE 225/45/17W Michelin Pilot Primacy, what decent cheaper tyres also have the rim protector? Avon ZV5 seems to be a good tyre at a much lower price. I fancied some Barum Bravuris but no rim protectors are obvious. SWMBO and step son had good service out of that brand. A colleague is also happy with them on a diesel V**tra.

Have you looked at Vredestein Sportrac 3? I have them on our 4x4. They have a rim protector, are a good tyre with good test results and worked out about £70 per corner (albeit for 16"s)

Roman,

Thanks. That price I guess is viaTyre Shopper which is cheaper than going direct to National.

The photo of the tyre shows about the same degreee of rim protection that my Michelins give. At that price I'd save £100 over the OE tyres. I know and like Barum so no worries there.

For your own safety check them for circumferential cracking between the tread blocks - it's a know problem with those tyres and many on here have experienced it. I had all four tyres suffer and as a result won't use Dunlop again (they also seem expensive!)

All 6 of mine (the front pair were replaced around 17K miles old) are and have been perfect, the rears are about 30K old now and still no signs of cracking. When I replaced the fronts they were also the best priced tyre from the big manufacturers. (Michelin, Pirelli, Goodyear, Dunlop etc)

Gregoir, i looked at Tyre shopper's prices but bought online from National tyres,They have a promotion on at the moment,buy 1 get the 2nd half price which works out similar to Tyre shopper's price.

Found a recommended local garage who would undercut the internet tyre places for Michelin Pilot Primacy. Great I thought. Unfortunately the fitters were like juvenile monkeys, little apparent care in fitting the jacks, and no obvious care with rim protection. When I got home, noticed some wheel paint had been damaged on the visible paintwork, never mind that hidden by the tyre.

Very upset, however, the owner says to bring it back for FOC refurbishment. Unfortunately it may be those same primates that carry out the work.

Various friends and colleagues recommend the place but some times you can’t win!

I still like the Falken 452's.

I had a pair on the rear of my car with Bridgestones on the front (less than impressed with those).

Just replaced the Bridgestone's with 2 more 452's - so I've got them all around.

They do seem to be a nice qulaity tyre for a more sensible price.

I recently changed my Vredesteins for some Khumo Escta KU31s. They are a lot quieter and I have been impressed with the level of grip in both wet and dry. You'd have to drive like a complete tit to push them past their limit.

Another vote for the Falken 452. I ran these on my Focus ST and now have them on my VRs - paid about £84 a corner for 225/40/18 (fitted).

Another Barum vote, have these on my Scout, plenty of rim protection. Got them on TyreShopper and fitted at National.

Falken are the 'value brand' of Sumitomo Rubber. Sumitomo is a Japanese company which also owns the Dunlop brand. Dunlop is its premium brand. Most Falken tyres use obsolete Dunlop patterns and compounds (i.e. when a Dunlop tyre is dropped from the lineup the old moulds are used to make Falken tyres).

When I was in the motor business we used to sell tyres. My vote for a good-but-inexpensive tyre goes to Kumho. Very very seldom we had a problem with a Kumho tyre. Lots of repeat customers and very few defective tyres.

Damage to the rim was contracted out and a senior fitter did the sparewheel & back swap. Seems OK now. Cost me a lot of to-ing and fro-ing.

Those Michelin Primacy HP better be good to entice me back to that tyre depot again! Still payed a bit of a premium over the 'medium quality' tyres but if I get over 22,000 again it'll be worth it.

My vote for a good-but-inexpensive tyre goes to Kumho. Very very seldom we had a problem with a Kumho tyre. Lots of repeat customers and very few defective tyres.

Good, I've just bought KW-27 winter tyres. I'll say what they're like once they're on.

I've got the Kumho's on mine too, can highly reccomend them

I recently changed my Vredesteins for some Khumo Escta KU31s. They are a lot quieter and I have been impressed with the level of grip in both wet and dry. You'd have to drive like a complete tit to push them past their limit.

I have just changed my Continentals for the Kumho KU31s too. Very quiet on the motorway & impressed so far. Just over £360 for 4 18'' Vrs tyres fully fitted, cant be bad!

I used to run nexens on my pd vrs the also had rim protection good general tyre for most conditions about 75-80 quid a corner

I used to run nexens on my pd vrs the also had rim protection good general tyre for most conditions about 75-80 quid a corner