Hi everyone,

 

The time has come to take the Hankook 310 winters off, as my old Dunlop Sport Response were down to 2mm these were binned (and suffering from the dreaded sawtoothing on the rear (even after Hunter alignment), does anyone have suggestions on what to fit. As money is tight i am tempted by any of the mass of Chinese tyres that are out there with (relatively) decent Fuel/Wet-Grip/noise ratings, i can get my size (205/60/15 91H) for around £40 a corner. i am aware that they will not be as good as a new set of Michelin/Goodyear etc... but are they that bad?? The Hankooks were a revelation in comparison to the Dunlops; much quieter and an instant 4 MPG improvement.

 

So can i have your thoughts please?! 

 

My driving is very mixed, but with only 105 bhp can it be that bad??

 

Thanks!

I have a set of accelera alphas, and they're crap. They started off noisy and just got louder. But the tread pattern seems reasonable on unpaved surfaces. Got a set of vredestein sportrac 5 on our Leon but I have doubts as to whether they would be any good on dirt tracks, wet grassy fields etc. given their radial tread pattern. Otherwise they are very good.

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thanks, it never ventures off the beaten track - i'll cross out the "Acceleras" then!

If cheap Chinese tyres were that good, the main competitors would soon be out of business due to everyone buying them.

Go online and look at the tyre reviews in the car mags (Auto Express have ran several cold weather and summer tyre tests) without fail cheap Chinese tyres have all ranked near the bottom.

I am looking to replace my Dunlop SP01's next month. I'm on a tight budget, but I'm going to replace them with Goodyear Efficient Grip, I've got the extra expense of the unusual size of the Scouts tyre, but in the long run I think it is a false economy buying cheap tyres.

Fin

Last summer I replaced my worn out Nokian WR G2 winters with a set of Nokian WR D3, and my (summer) set of Dunlop SP01's need replacing now therefore I'm looking at the Dunlop Sport BluResponse, which are about £67 ea. from Pneus online.

 

Question is, how much life do you have left in your Hankook 310 winters?

 

The reason I ask is that I now wish I hadn't bothered with replacing the Nokians with like for like; given that both the Nokian WR G2 and Dunlop SP01 sets were both on minimum tread, as I wish I'd bought all-season tyres instead to replace both sets.

 

I'm currently running Vredestein Quatrac Lite all-seasons on my Fabia (they are winter rated) and I'm really impressed with them.

 

Given that your summer weather isn't much better than that 200 miles further north, high summer temps are not likely to be an issue for you either should you go for an all-season instead.

 

Just something to consider if you've not got much life left on the Hankooks.

 

PS I get a laser geometry 4-wheel allignment every time I change sets over and have never had any saw-toothing issues.

Edited 8 March, 201511 yr by Rab-k

I think I'll be sticking some Barum bravuris on my combi when they need changing. I had a set of Bravuris 2 on my Fabia and they always performed well. For the price they're excellent.

I second the opinion that Acellera alpha are awful. They gave up gripping far too soon and were terrible in standing water.

Hi I recently purchased an Octavia and have just replaced my cheap chinese tyres (HiFli) with Goodyear efficient grips. Remarkable difference, better handling, better economy, quieter.  

 

Was told a few years ago by a traffic cop friend that you should never ever put cheap tyres on the front of a front-wheel drive car, and I guess the same would hold true for all wheels on a 4x4.

Goodyear Efficient Grip Performance or Uniroyal Rainsport 3s would be what I'd put on.

 

you should never ever put cheap tyres on

 

That's all that needs to be said on that subject They're the only thing holding you to the ground.

Thanks for the replies, I'm usually the first to say always buy the best you can afford, but cash is tight and a wet grip C rated tyre, is surely going to be the same ball park whatever the make? I may just wear the winters out they have only done about 6k miles and have about 6mm left, maybe I'll be "Flusher" when they are due to be replaced!

+ on the Goodyear efficient grip tyres. Worth a few quid extra.

 

I ran Maxxis on the VRS for a while, they were quite cheap and grippy (oddly good in snow) but very noisy.

Those 4 round bits of rubber are all that are between you and the road - if money is tight I'd rather fit a decent part-worn than a chinese ditch-finder.

The problem with part worn tyres is you have no way of knowing their previous history/use. Can't remember if it was Trading Standards or a magazine, but one of them conducted a sample of part worn tyres from various sellers across a number of locations. Over 90% shouldn't have been sold for various safety reasons.

If money is the issue, some of the tyre companies have their own store card so you can pay it up. That's what I had to do a few years back*.

I'd be seriously p33d off if I found the car that had hit me had cheap or part worn tyres on it.

Bottom line is its your choice, but if circumstances work against you, the consequences could affect a great many more.

* I'd just put about £500 of brand new tyres on my car, six months later some f##### thought it would be a good idea to slash the tyres of about 30 cars in my street.

Perhaps try to stretch to mid range tyres. I've used Falken, Nexen, Kumho,and  Hankook and they are all very good value for money. Hankook are Hyundia and supplied on their new cars offen.

The problem with part worn tyres is you have no way of knowing their previous history/use. Can't remember if it was Trading Standards or a magazine, but one of them conducted a sample of part worn tyres from various sellers across a number of locations. Over 90% shouldn't have been sold for various safety reasons.

If money is the issue, some of the tyre companies have their own store card so you can pay it up. That's what I had to do a few years back*.

I'd be seriously p33d off if I found the car that had hit me had cheap or part worn tyres on it.

You buy a secondhand car it's got 4 part worn's on it, do you fit 4 new tyres to every car you buy?

You buy a secondhand car it's got 4 part worn's on it, do you fit 4 new tyres to every car you buy?

I've done it as has someone I know, because they were ditch finders.

As have I - but I've bought second-hand with decent tyres and not changed them - the vRS was 2nd hand and 9 months old and I'm still running the factory fitted Continentals.

 

I'm currently running Vredestein Quatrac Lite all-seasons on my Fabia (they are winter rated) and I'm really impressed with them.

 

 

Interesting - I have Vred Sportrac3's on my 4x4 at the moment (3rd set) and they have been fantastic in all weathers but are no longer available so I've been contemplating Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons or the Vred Quatracs...   how did the latter cope with snow?...

You buy a secondhand car it's got 4 part worn's on it, do you fit 4 new tyres to every car you buy?

On my last two second hand cars, yes.

Either it is part of the deal along with a recent service, or I put them on and if possible, try and off set the cost when negotiating the price.

With my Honda Civic, AC agreed to new tyres and a service but refused to pay 6 months VED (approx £85) but fitted Honda OEM front and rear mudflaps which cost £100.

Interesting - I have Vred Sportrac3's on my 4x4 at the moment (3rd set) and they have been fantastic in all weathers but are no longer available so I've been contemplating Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons or the Vred Quatracs...   how did the latter cope with snow?...

 

Really well. I took a detour onto a v.minor road to avoid a stationary queue at a snow/ice blackspot (hill/bends) on way the way home, in 3" of snow, and the Fabia romped up an even steeper hill will hairpin bends - much to the amazement I'm sure of the Disco' driver who pulled over to let me pass before attempting the very same hill.

 

Will be replacing like-for-like on the Fabia, and when the Summer/Winters need replaced on the Octy I'll look to the Vredesteins again.

 

I had the Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons on my old Polo and was equally impressed with them, so take your pick.

Oponeo, have quality tyres at very reasonable prices, including Goodyear Efficient Grip Tyres..  Personally I rate the Nokian WRG3, good grip, hard wearing a good all rounder in all weather

I did close to 60,000 miles on two sets of cheap Chinese tyres... Evergreens.

 

They were a great tyre.

 

http://www.evergreentyres.co.uk/

 

Old Goodyear designs and tooling apparantly.