Hi everyone,

I had a puncture in my rear driverside tyre a few days ago. The cause of the puncture was a screw in the side wall of tyre so it can't be fixed! :( Went to Kwik Fit online to book for a new tyre to be fitted, the tyre I went for is a Michelin sport 3 tyre fully fitted and ballanced for £133. Is this a good price? Some friends have suggested buying 2nd hand tyres as they are half the price of new tyres, but i'm sceptical about buying 2nd hand especially tyres! Any thoughts on this?

IMO it is never a good idea to buy second hand tyres - you never know how they've been treated, especially for a VRS!

What size tyre is it?

Just got two budget tyres fitted on my vRS £60 each all inclusive, I know people are scared to drive with cheap tyres but I don't drive on the Autobahn or take regular trips to Silverstone so it's ok.

225/40R18 Y 92.

Seems a good price to me. I found it only a few quid cheaper...

http://www.blackcircles.com/catalogue/michelin/pilot-sport-3/225/40/R18/Y/92/f?returnurl=%2forder%2ftyres%3f&tyre=21574968

Have you tried a local non-branded tyre fitter? They will often undercut the big guys as they don't have shiny waiting rooms, coffee or free wi-fi.

Just got two budget tyres fitted on my vRS £60 each all inclusive, I know people are scared to drive with cheap tyres but I don't drive on the Autobahn or take regular trips to Silverstone so it's ok.

Tyre choice will alway be a personal and therefore very controversial subject, lets not turn this into another 'ditch-finder' thread. There are enough of those already!

I'm on my second full set of Evergreen tyres on my vRS and am very happy with them (hence the second set).

I also buy into most of the "why scrimp on tyres" arguments.

My own personal opinion is that a tyre doesn't have to be expensive or branded to be good.

Some friends have suggested buying 2nd hand tyres as they are half the price of new tyres, but i'm sceptical about buying 2nd hand especially tyres! Any thoughts on this?

If your choice is mainly influenced by price then I'd choose a lower cost brand new tyre over a second hand tyre.

For the reasons mentioned above you simply don't know how that tyre has been treated over its life.

I've seen tyres taken off a write-off that had rolled over a hedge into a field being sold before. Not for me.

^ What he said. I've bought cheap before but never second hand or remoulds (do such things still exist?).

Just gone from Michelin PS3's to the much cheaper but well reviewed Barum Bravuris and they're proving to be very good if a little louder. Unless they're almost new, I don't change a tyre by itself though, always in pairs.

National are still doing the bogof deal on 17's I used from a few months ago, quite surprisingly.

Edited 16 April, 201313 yr by blackspaven

Fit the best tyres your budget can afford.

The difference between a good tyre & a poor one is only ever seen when you really need them

Tyre choice will alway be a personal and therefore very controversial subject, lets not turn this into another 'ditch-finder' thread. There are enough of those already!

I'm on my second full set of Evergreen tyres on my vRS and am very happy with them (hence the second set).

I also buy into most of the "why scrimp on tyres" arguments.

My own personal opinion is that a tyre doesn't have to be expensive or branded to be good.

Very true, it's personal preference but before I zip it on this thread I will say that the tyres are only as good as the driver controlling the vehicle ;-)

Fit the best tyres your budget can afford.

The difference between a good tyre & a poor one is only ever seen when you really need them

The thing is, a good tyre isn't neccessarily always more expensive than a bad tyre.

It is a common misconception that the most expensive tyre has to be the best.

I'm not talking cheap Chinese vs. top of the range German but rather an £80 vs. a £130 tyre.

I know where this thread is heading so I'm out.

Second hand tyres? On a vRS? Eewww! Like buying a second hand toothbrush....................................

I'm pleased with my Vredesteins I must say. £75 bottom line, fitted balanced etc. But smaller tyre than for vRS of course.

Surely the new EU marking tell you what's important and the main difference between tyres and that's (for me) wet weather grip and then fuel efficiency and noise.

This makes it easier to compare £80 tyre with £120 tyre...

There is plenty of evidence out there to indicate that the EU ratings are a waste of time - not accurate at all.

You also won't get good wet grip and good fuel economy - You need rolling resistance for the best stopping and at the same time you want as little resistance as possible for good fuel economy.

This is why your very best wet stopping tyres tend to have only average-poor fuel economy.

Personally I go for reviews and I'm sorry, it may go against what many have said here, time and time and time again independent tests show that in the majority of cases the more expensive/brand tyre will out-perform the no-brand/cheap one.

By the reviews out there the Continental tyres always perform well. The EU wet stopping rating of "A" on the SC5's is down to if you believe in the system or not, but its the reviews that made me spend £115 per corner for these tyres.

I will not touch no-brands. Thankfully I'll never find myself in the position where it's second hand or no-brand's - to be honest if I found myself in that position I wouldn't still be driving the vRS.

Don't forget to get a matching tyre for the other side. No good having different tyres on every corner

IMO it is never a good idea to buy second hand tyres - you never know how they've been treated, especially for a VRS!

Most used cars come with used tyres with an unknown history. Not many people put 4 new tyres on a car they have just bought.

Michelin is a good brand IMO, though not cheap! I had a couple of sets on mine and have been very impressed. I've just gone to bridgestone turanza t001's on all corners, and whilst on the backs you don't notice a difference I would say the Michelins were a better tyre on the fronts. They seemed more positive and they have grip right down to the limits.

The Bridgestones were half the price of the Michelins on the other hand, so guess you do pay your money and take your choice with tyres. My next set will be back to Michelin....maybe

I take it your NOT getting a Fabia now then?

By the way, check tyreshopper or blackcircles for fitted prices.

Edited 16 April, 201313 yr by Thehulkster

Most used cars come with used tyres with an unknown history. Not many people put 4 new tyres on a car they have just bought.

That's true but you have bought the tyres with the car - part of the package and hopefully part of the agreed price after haggling! That is a bit different from going out on a separate occasion to choose and buy a needed tyre, which personally I'd only buy new.

Just gone from Michelin PS3's to the much cheaper but well reviewed Barum Bravuris and they're proving to be very good if a little louder. Unless they're almost new, I don't change a tyre by itself though, always in pairs.

National are still doing the bogof deal on 17's I used from a few months ago, quite surprisingly.

You only need to do that on the front tyres not rear tyres. However, if the rear tyres are the same you could buy a cheaper tyre for the front and swap the wheels around so the rears are on the front and front on the rear.

I take it your NOT getting a Fabia now then?

By the way, check tyreshopper or blackcircles for fitted prices.

No Fabia because the dealer failed to tell me the cambelt was overdue by 1k miles and wanted me to pay an extra £320 to have the job done on top of my £795 for the Fabia. No chance i'm going to pay that because it should actually be included in the price as it needed doing anyway. I will keep an eye on another Fabia Vrs but probably a 07 limited edition.

Don't forget to get a matching tyre for the other side. No good having different tyres on every corner

All 4 of my tyres are Michelin's Sport 3 tyres As someone else said on here they have excellent grip on the tarmac including in the wet. The only enemy on the roads where i live are those damn potholes! :( They're everywhere these days!

Hi , Metblackrat , good posting , seemingly a lot of people forget when buying a used car , you are also buying used tyres .

All 4 of my tyres are Michelin's Sport 3 tyres As someone else said on here they have excellent grip on the tarmac including in the wet. The only enemy on the roads where i live are those damn potholes! :( They're everywhere these days!

Just replaced the OEM fit conti's with Michelin PS3's.........have used Micehlin Pilots on my cars for years.......my last 3 cars in fact and have seen them go from Pilots to PS2 and PS3.....have to admit though, I was well impressed with the Conti's that came on the car - but being a Costco member I can get the michelins with 20% off if I buy 4 at a time......and I can usually manage that by rotating the wheels (back to front swap anyway). Plus you don't have to get the tyres fitted at the time of purchase......which helps!