How bad are budget tyres?

[Wench]

Car needs a bit of work doing on it.

 

budget tyres vs big brand would help save a bit of cash.

 

i don’t tend to drive very far, with long journey maybe two or three times a month.

[Ootohere]

Less expensive tyres from the not 'Major Brands'  or from Companies owned by Major Brands can be quite good.

Obviously you get ditch finders, 

but then Michelin, Dunlop, Pirelli, Continental, and others make ECO tyres which are not budget but still guff IMO.

 

I like TIGAR Tyres i get a ATS Euromaster.  Michelin own TIGAR Tyres.

But i like Goodride tyres as well, depending on which ones they are, i use the M+S marked ones, and TIGAR Winter tyres.

Edited 17 August, 2018 by Offski

[stevobeavo]

Some budgets can be ok, however I had some temporary and in the dry barely noticed much difference until I really pushed the car however in the wet it was a completely different story. Dramatically increased stopping distances, aqua planning at motorway speeds, and reduced grip in cornering all this driving normally too. 

 

As said above some can be rather good, it's all about researching. Barum are a mid range tyre owned by continental and I found them pretty good when I have my standard Fabia vRS. 

[KenONeill]

Barum Bravaris 3 are last generation Continental, and a 205/55R16V can be had for about £50 fitted, balanced and new valve. Or a same size and rating Toyo Proxes is a similar price.

 

OTOH there is a reason why the "Woosung Dark Horse" is nicknamed the "Dark Spin".

[CWARD]

Some budget tyres have poor grip and known as ditch finders. Others will wear much quicker, whilst some will increase your fuel consumption. 

Premium tyres tend to have a good blend of grip, economy whilst lasting longer too. Mid price you often have to compromise loosing some grip, economy but mainly wear. 

Your tyres are the only thing keeping you in contact with the road and take a lot of punishment in doing so. I value this more than saving a few quid so tend to get premium  brands. I have bought mid range before when money has been tight but always had to replace them sooner. 

[Wench]

Well so far I’ve wondered what the Kwik Fit cheapo ones are like.

 

not that I’m a fan of places like Kwik Fit but they should at least be better than a dodgy back street garage!

[Wench]

Just now, CWARD said:

Some budget tyres have poor grip and known as ditch finders. Others will wear much quicker, whilst some will increase your fuel consumption. 

Premium tyres tend to have a good blend of grip, economy whilst lasting longer too. Mid price you often have to compromise loosing some grip, economy but mainly wear. 

Your tyres are the only thing keeping you in contact with the road and take a lot of punishment in doing so. I value this more than saving a few quid so tend to get premium  brands. I have bought mid range before when money has been tight but always had to replace them sooner. 

 

Cant afford expensive ones, it’s a simple as that 

[CWARD]

Then at least go for mid range such Barum that Ken mentions above

[sepulchrave]

Try this:

 

https://www.blackcircles.com/

 

You'll get something decent for cheap there, budget tyres are nowhere near as bad as they used to be since EU standards were raised.

[Wench]

3 minutes ago, sepulchrave said:

Try this:

 

https://www.blackcircles.com/

 

You'll get something decent for cheap there, budget tyres are nowhere near as bad as they used to be since EU standards were raised.

Even their “own brand” budget ones?

[Ootohere]

When you see cars being lifted onto recovery trucks and removed from ditches oddly they might be performance cars or boy racer show and maybe or maybe no go cars.

Usually they are cars on Premium Tyres, Performance Tyres, not ditch finders, yet they found themselves in a ditch.

 

£60 each fitted gets you decent tyres in the UK. Pay £90 if you want or £120.  Horses for courses, rubber as needed for safety and vehicle.

[Breezy_Pete]

I bought four of these for £54 each fitted for the missus's Fabia a little while ago. Price still seems to be the same now. She seems perfectly happy with them.

[vrsdx57]

Budget can be very bad. So bad that they can be dangerous; I use to sell tyres so I know the importance of good rubber. The material itself can be very bad which means limited traction, long stopping distance etc...

but again it matters how you drive. If you re not a fast one the difference will not be as big. 

I ve got car mapped at its pretty fast and I drive fast also so what’s the point of having all that  power if you can put it down properly? 

I use only Dunlop or Michelin, but for a ‘normal ‘ car in normal driving conditions a Barum will be enough. 

Don't go Lower than that. Specially now  Cold weather coming, no name tyres go harder because of low quality components and you ll skid as a sledge in a hard braking situation.... not worth it. 

Edited 18 August, 2018 by vrsdx57

[SuperbTWM]

I have had lots of budget tyres in the past and never once have I thought they felt any different to some of the top brands during normal driving and braking.

 

Just be selective and try and get the better end of the budget range

 

 

[Breezy_Pete]

How can you skid under braking in a car with ABS?

[retro]

I wouldn't touch budget tyres ever! The only thing keeping you on the road is your tyres. I have found Bridgestone to be the best for me and so I never fit anything else. 

 

I have Bridgestone Turanza T001 Evo tyres on my VRS and have fitted them to my Volvo too. Price for the weird fabia size 205/45 R16 was about £350 fitted for four. Price for the Volvo 205/65 R16 £248 fitted. They are a performance summer tyre with an A wet grip rating and I feel barely any difference in handling wet or dry. They even gripped well on the snow we had in Winter.

 

Is yours a VRS or 14" wheel model? 

 

I have a set of Yokohama 14" winter tyres available with about 3-4mm tread left on them if you are interested. They have come off my wife's fabia I'm breaking.

Edited 17 August, 2018 by retro

[Ootohere]

^^^ Some would never touch with a barge pole even someone else's tyres that have been removed from rims, ie part worns. 

Some tyre fitters will not even fit them.

Unknown history.

[TMB]

6 hours ago, SuperbTWM said:

I have had lots of budget tyres in the past and never once have I thought they felt any different to some of the top brands during normal driving and braking.

 

Just be selective and try and get the better end of the budget range

 

 

 

Same here but I'm not a speed merchant.

[sepulchrave]

8 hours ago, Wench said:

Even their “own brand” budget ones?

 

The prices are so keen it isn't really necessary to head straight for the bottom, unless you like to take your holidays in Brighton or Blackpool if you know what I mean 

[Wench]

11 hours ago, sepulchrave said:

 

The prices are so keen it isn't really necessary to head straight for the bottom, unless you like to take your holidays in Brighton or Blackpool if you know what I mean 

Even Blackpool is out of my budget for a holiday!

[penguin17]

Take a look on eBay.  Not for used, part-worn etc but new tyres from European sellers. 

 

I was struggling to find UK stock of Vredestein all-season tyres which seemed to retail from £145-180 each.  I managed to get a set of 4, all new with, stickers etc from an alloy wheel shop in Slovenia.  £358 incl. shipping.   It cost me £30 to get the tyres fitted at a local fitter.   

 

I'll be messaging the guy again to see if he can source me some more.  

Edited 18 August, 2018 by penguin17

[ScoutCJB]

Budget tyres - avoid.

 

Years ago I ran LingLongs (I was really skint).  Within 3 months 2 were replaced under warranty as they started to crack.  a futher 2 months another started to crack.  From day one of fitting the car felt different and seemed to drift on corners in the wet without any form of abuse or Max Power style driving.

 

I binned the lot and went for Toyos.  The garage that fitted the Toyos for me (it wasnt the one who fitted the LingLongs) took me out back to a warehouse that was full of ****e cracked budget tyres - various brands.  

 

More recently my Wifes Cooper S which we brought had Hankooks on the back, a federal and someother ****e brand that I cant remember on the fronts.  The car drove appaulingly bearing in mind these are all run flats.  first thing I did was get 2 new Hankooks (same model) up front and that transformed the handling.  Never ceases to amaze me when i see badly mismatched tyres (like an A4 quattro i saw yesterday with summers on the front and winter on the back 

 

For me tyres, discs, pads are something you tend to spend more on.  Uniroyals & Hankook arent  bank breaker - shop around for good deals.  When we got my wifes done I used Asda Tyres who have an online site and then picked the locval Ford dealerto fit them and it worked out £40 cheaper than the next cheapest price.

[skomaz]

Even supposedly 'good' brands can be crap - I remember having four Dunlop SP01's crack between the tread blocks after a few thousand miles, and Goodyear NCT5's that were lethal in the wet!

 

Do your research and you can find good tyres on a budget...

[Babs]

Those four palm-sized rubber patches are all that separates you from being in control or not. It's always worth spending the extra. Especially if the car is transporting other people.

 

There are budget tyres that are "ok", but most are garbage. Of course the big companies have had bad tyres - Pirelli P6000 for example.

 

If being able to afford decent tyres is a problem, maybe car ownership isn’t the best idea?

 

[Ootohere]

Tyre snobbery is even funnier than manufacturer snobbery with cars. 

More nobbery than anything else.

Do not buy sh!te tyres, but do not believe that those that advertise more, sponsor motor sport and other sports and charge you more by a few quid are actually better products.