out last night, woke up to this...

 

bloody loud bang on a bridge near us, totally flat this am, even a twin pot air compressor lost!

 

car now on stands at the front due to the other front tyre (near side) - after an advisory @ MOT in April, how time flies! - looking like this...

 

 

so it's two loose wheels to do first then the rears which are saw-toothed and showing signs of cracking at the tread blocks.

a one hit expensive way of getting 4 matching tyres 😢    currently Conti Contact 3 front and Michelin Pilot 3's rear

 

i can also sense a full alignment coming to check the rear for the saw-toothing and the obvious issue with the fronts

 

now to cross everything and pray as it needs a service , cam belt etc  😓

Take this opportunity to change to smaller wheels. The 18" alloys are well documented as being susceptible to pothole damage.

 

Anything you can do in this day and age to protect against the only-ever deteriorating road conditions is going to be a bonus.

 

Smaller diameter wheels and higher profile tyres are the way to go.

 

The 17" Triffid's are a good compromise between comfort, protection and aesthetics. Loads cheap on eBay too, selling your 18's will more than pay for a set and a good chunk of a refurbishment if needed too...

 

 

 

time scale doesn't give me many options....

off to France for Xmas on the 18th so 4x 18" it is, just trying to decide on Summers or All Season, probably the latter given annual mileage is probably less than 6k pa so tyre wear / fuel isn't an issue as such

I feel your pain...

 

No brainer on the tyres. Go with the all seasons 100%.

Edited 2 December, 20196 yr by Gmac983

the first 2 tyres now ordered...

Goodyear Vector 4seasons  £178 for the pair, fitting on sat am

and £378 later we have new 'boots'

 

 

 

just a service, Cam belt etc, rear shocks and springs to do soon...

And centre caps, come on, they're less than a fiver for all four...

 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4X-SKODA-ALLOY-WHEEL-CENTRE-CAPS-BLACK-CHROME-56mm-FABIA-VRS-RS-OCTAVIA-VRS-RS/123954140544?_trkparms=aid%3D555018%26algo%3DPL.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D60712%26meid%3D88207b287ff74639867468751ebb03ca%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D12%26mehot%3Dlo%26sd%3D362776185295%26itm%3D123954140544%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

I am trying to tone down the Chrome strips around the windows and door strips etc, well when the weather improves so i don't know if i can convince myself to spend a Fiver!

Edited 6 December, 20196 yr by olduns

or for £6 how long before anyone noticed?   😀

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vauxhall-Hub-Alloy-Caps-Wheel-Centre-Cap-Set-of-4-Astra-Zafira-Corsa-Black-56mm/193147108471?hash=item2cf876fc77:g:TRkAAOSwaoBdnBn4

Same happened to me a few months ago

 

I made the switch to Nexen tyres from Contis; saved a fortune and the ride, handling and noise levels are equally goo.

finally a first quick run out on them.....to the filling station for £72 of fuel - range showing 0 miles!

quick blast on A roads - sooo much quieter than previous 'boots'  , empty so when loaded for France on Wednesday it may even get down to my old C5 levels.   probably not though  🙄

first long run yesterday/today 600 of miles fully loaded

Definitely quieter, not C5 levels but a lot better than saw tooth tyres/slicks.

lost 4 - 5 mpg on the maxidot at first look but grip levels come from somewhere,  right?

Got through 5 tyres in 7 years due to potholes 😠

I think I got through 5 tyres in 7months due to potholes during 2017/18 - thanks to many miles round Herefordshire/Worcs/Mid Wales.

 

Got me thinking of making the switch to smaller rims with more rubber, still haven't but really ought to. At the time I found a place that fabricate nice steelies but I forget who it was/whereabouts off the top of my head.

 

 

@olduns

I was having trouble with excessive wear on inner edge a while back and took it in to the nearest place with 4wheel alignment (kwik-fit) - they wanted £70-75 to do it (the alignment!) once or for £100 and a much better deal and you could have it done up to 8 times over 2 years.

Given the issues I was having with losing tyres to potholes and the impossibility of avoiding them all I figured I'd certainly make use of it at least twice. Think I got to 5 before it expired so £20 a go didn't feel so much of a sting. (limited to a single vehicle)