Tyre help please - what should I get?

[cjb]

Budgets all the way. Unless you're doing track days every week and want a perfectly silent car, (you own a diesel!) stick budgets on it. You cannot buy a rubbish/dangerous tyre these days. Plus, with the state of our roads there is no way I would spend out on a tyre that from the word go was living on borrowed time. Just my opinion.

WRONG.

Just google for "Wanli" or "Linglong" tyres and you'll hear of people ditching brand new ones because they're that bad.

If money is tight, the mid-range ones like Uniroyal, Falken or Kumho make sense. Personally, I'd buy the Continentals, but there's nothing wrong with the others.

[Dr Zoidberg]

Budgets all the way. Unless you're doing track days every week and want a perfectly silent car, (you own a diesel!) stick budgets on it. You cannot buy a rubbish/dangerous tyre these days. Plus, with the state of our roads there is no way I would spend out on a tyre that from the word go was living on borrowed time. Just my opinion.

Your opinion sucks.

Budget tyres can be dangerous crap.

For more sensible advice, I bought some Dunlop Sport blue response recently and can recommend them. Great in wet or dry and sensibly priced.

[Loz]

As I say, I COULD buy contis, but I'd rather save my money for other things if I can and it makes little difference..... still not sure what to do. Hmm.

[Mike Wrightson]

I had Kumhos on my Hyundai Coupe. They were not so good in the wet. Replaced them with my old favourites, Toyo T1-R... sorted.

Personally I'd go for Toyos or the Falkens, since Ian has had only good things to say about his.

[Guest BigJase88]

I had Kumhos on my Hyundai Coupe. They were not so good in the wet. Replaced them with my old favourites, Toyo T1-R... sorted.

Personally I'd go for Toyos or the Falkens, since Ian has had only good things to say about his.

Then again ppl say t1-r's are useless in the wet

Im running kumho le sports and they are very good in the wet

[Loz]

Falkens are sounding a fair option then. Is that particular 'model' ok? I assume they make better and worse ones?

[lol-lol]

Are national ok then? Know what they are doing etc?Found one on speed rating w, is that ok?

National are fine, used them for company car tyres and personal. They also own/run the Tyre-shopper network."W" is plenty for a Mk1 1 Fabia VRS as "V" is the minimum rating requirement.

Rating/MPH/KPH

N 87 140

U 120 200

P 93 150

H 130 210

Q 99 160

V 149 240

R 106 170

Z 150+ 240+

S 112 180

W 168 270

T 118 190

Y 186 300

[Loz]

Ok. Not sure what mine are that are on - is it ok to 'mix' ratings?

[Mike Wrightson]

Probably either V or W. It's printed on the tyre itself beside the dimensions. Best to keep all 4 the same.

Edited 12 May, 2013 by Mike Wrightson

[Guest BigJase88]

Falkens are sounding a fair option then. Is that particular 'model' ok? I assume they make better and worse ones?

The ze914's are the latest ones

Assymetric tread!

The other half uses them on her golf gt 170 and they are lasting well and give good grip

[lol-lol]

Ok. Not sure what mine are that are on - is it ok to 'mix' ratings?

Never preferable to mix any two different tyres, even the same ones with different amounts of wear/treads left.

Not illegal if they are the same size unless radial/crossply but that is not a worry anymore as crossplys are not made for modern cars. It is what the R stands for in the code description.

[Jim H]

A pair of these: http://www.camskill.co.uk/m62b0s344p97600/Uniroyal_Tyres_Car_Uniroyal_RainSport2_Uniroyal_RainSport_2_-_205_45_R16_83W_FR_TL_Fuel_Eff_%3A_F_Wet_Grip%3A_B_NoiseClass%3A_2_Noise%3A_71dB

Simples.

I believe they are owned by Continental and the 9 mm of tread you get when new does help in the wet. I'm onto my second pair now.

I believe W rated tyres are standard for the vRS.

[Loz]

I think my front two are w now I think about it. Not sure what the current back 2 are, would have to check.

[Chillie]

Go for the Falkens over the RainSport2, yea the RS2 are a good tire but iv heard they wear out a little quicker due to the softer compound, the Falkens last longer and have just as good wet grip, quieter and are cheaper per corner, as well as slightly better fuel economy

Think people just go for RS2 because its a safe bet from a forum recommendation without actually shopping around

Falken

http://www.blackcircles.com/catalogue/falken/ziex-ze-914/205/45/R16/V/87/f?returnurl=%2forder%2ftyres%3f%26width%3d205%26profile%3d45%26rim%3d16%26speed%3dV&tyre=31746582

Uniroyal

http://www.blackcircles.com/catalogue/uniroyal/rainsport-2/205/45/R16/V/83/f?returnurl=%2forder%2ftyres%3f&tyre=18407274

Make sure whatever new tires your choose that the newer ones go on the back

[Loz]

Just seen that the Falkens are V rated, but I think my continentals on the front are w rated. So does that mean I should get another w rated one?

[Chillie]

No, unless your driving a 170mph sports car there is no point in W rating, its just there for showing how much speed they can handle

[FlintstoneR1]

My experience running several sets of Kumho KH17s on both a Renault Grand Scenic at 205/60 16 size and on a BMW 323 at 205/60 15, was that they are excellent in all conditions, including snow. Very predicatble handling + good grip in both dry AND WET. Can't understand the post that said bad in the wet. They do need a few miles "breaking in" though, as not normal to get them with the mould release compound removed when new. Hence if used in the wet straight out of the box / fitting bay, then I could understand the "poor in the wet" criticism.

On the Scenic (FWD hence closest comparison I've got to a Skody) I used to find they did 25-30k on the front, typically. 50-70+k on the rear, depending how good the rear tracking was set. Yes wear rates are higher than for Michelin. Typically those might do 25-30% more. But cost up to 35 to 50% more - so the maths is still in favour of the Kumhos. Depends on the deals you can get at the time.

Had a set of Falkens on the Scenic at one point. "ZIEX something"? Very little to choose between them and the Kumhos on price or performance. But I switched back to Kumhos based on wear rate. For the back of your Fab Loz, I would have said the Kumhos would be just fine? OEM tyres on a lot of Korean built cars. Try www.ears.co.uk for a comparative quote to black circles. Or Camskill as mentioned in an earlier post.

Agree with earlier posters about ultra budget for a all but a "never used over 30mph" car? E.G. Linyangwong or whatever? Trust them with your life if you dare? That 4" oval patch of rubber is all that's between you and being wrapped round a tree?

[FlintstoneR1]

Just seen that the Falkens are V rated, but I think my continentals on the front are w rated. So does that mean I should get another w rated one?

I'd agree W a bit OTT for a Fabi, even a vRS? What's the top speed rated at? Check here:

http://www.blackcircles.com/general/speedrating

I would have guessed V more than adequate. Or even H for Winter Tyres?

[Loz]

Only wanted to check if it was ok to mix. Seems they were already mixed! Front on v back were w!

[littleade]

I'd check what the car had as OE, just in case- If they had w rated tyres you might have problems if you ever claimed on your insurance. Not sure what the implications are the other way round so you could ask your MOT station if there's any requirement that the front/back must be the same rating, otherwise it could work out expensive

cheers

[Guest BigJase88]

My leon tdi recommends Y rated tyres

As if! Went with W's as they are cheaper

[Jim H]

I hope it's OK to mix. I run 'W' and 'H' rated tyres on mine.

I think as long as the max speed of tyre matches or exceeds the max speed of car it will be OK.

[gadgetman]

I hope it's OK to mix. I run 'W' and 'H' rated tyres on mine.

I think as long as the max speed of tyre matches or exceeds the max speed of car it will be OK.

Insurance might not pay if you have a lower rating than it left the factory with. Going up isn't an issue.

Didn't someone post recently about a claim being refused because they dropped ratings?

[Jim H]

The 'H' rated tyres are Winters if you hadn't guessed. November to April/May I run winters on front, (RS2s on rear) then when it gets warmer swap them round to have summers on front.

Edited 13 May, 2013 by Jim H

[KenONeill]

I'd not fit the Contis because I find the round shoulders give a lot of steering pull when you're running right on the edge of the road (and I do this a lot up here).