http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/461043-18"-all-season-tyres

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/482767-new-tyre-recommendations-please

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/451662-wheels-and-tyres

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/456798-winter-tyres

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/483917-winter-wheel-size

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/456050-steel-rims-for-winter-tyres

 

1 hour ago, Seymansey said:

 

 

Where is any of this enforced in the UK? It simply isn't. Where have insurance claims failed as a result not using homologated tyres? Certainly it's possible for EU countries, and I agree inspection is tougher (especially TuV) but not in the UK.

 

You go to your local tyre place, they look at the sidewall, they tell you the prices for the budget, medium and high brands and thats that. 

 

In an MOT, tyre condition is checked, but you'll only get an advisories or fails is the tyre is aged or in an unaccepable condition. 

 

To be clear, I do tend to stick with whatever the OE tyre is for my cars - Continentals for my Mercedes and the Karoq (should it ever get built) will get the same Michelins that it came with for as long as possible, but if people think that we get penalised for using non manufacturer recommended tyres in the UK, then they are clearly mistaken. The majority of the UK population simply don't have tyre choices top of mind when it comes to ratings, seasons etc because there isn't the focus nor legal obligation for people to care, other than keep them pumped up and free of dangerous wear.

 

I believe JR was actually referring to homologated rim diameter and width and tyre width / profile and speed rating, as opposed to a specific manufacturer and tyre...

 

Edited 4 November, 20214 yr by skomaz

2 hours ago, Seymansey said:

 

 

Where is any of this enforced in the UK? It simply isn't. Where have insurance claims failed as a result not using homologated tyres? Certainly it's possible for EU countries, and I agree inspection is tougher (especially TuV) but not in the UK.

 

You go to your local tyre place, they look at the sidewall, they tell you the prices for the budget, medium and high brands and thats that. 

 

In an MOT, tyre condition is checked, but you'll only get an advisories or fails is the tyre is aged or in an unaccepable condition. 

 

To be clear, I do tend to stick with whatever the OE tyre is for my cars - Continentals for my Mercedes and the Karoq (should it ever get built) will get the same Michelins that it came with for as long as possible, but if people think that we get penalised for using non manufacturer recommended tyres in the UK, then they are clearly mistaken. The majority of the UK population simply don't have tyre choices top of mind when it comes to ratings, seasons etc because there isn't the focus nor legal obligation for people to care, other than keep them pumped up and free of dangerous wear.

 

I don't know which version you are buying, but my Edition has Bridgestone Turanzas. If the wear as badly as I have seen indicated, they will almost certainly be replaced by Michelin.

4 minutes ago, Routemaster1461 said:

 

I don't know which version you are buying, but my Edition has Bridgestone Turanzas. If the wear as badly as I have seen indicated, they will almost certainly be replaced by Michelin.

Exactly...   My car only has 8K on the clock and the front Turanza's are at 4mm already

They are noisy buggers too.

I expect its all that wheel spinning at take off that has led to the premature wear.

I am guessing I have about 3K left on them until 2mm (or even 1.6mm) is reached but I was looking to ditch them now as they are so keen to fire up and spin. I live in a hilly area and many junctions are uphill and damp (where I live) and I keep getting sideways glances from the wife when the wheels light up.  Im not even flooring it but the DSG isn't helping for sure.

 

I am pretty made up on the Michelin Primacy 4's but the only thing that is making me think twice (and keep looking) is that they don't seem to have any rim protection flange (which is a shame) - Unless anyone knows different.

They seem to do pretty well in most tests but I got a terrible case of wheel worm in my old car (due to alloy scuffing and the diamond cut) so I'm a bit paranoid about the rim protection flange.  I may have to stick with another set of Turanza's simply for that fact alone which irks me.

2 hours ago, smipx said:

 

I only need to replace the fronts at the moment so I assume if I did replace just two ...      then I assume they would be best on the front ...

 

cheers,

Paul

 

No.  While there are dozens of posts elsewhere on Briskoda about this, every garage I've spoken to over the years - and many manufacturers also say - new tyres go on the back.  Whether front wheel, rear wheel, or all wheel drive. On the back.  Yes, it seems to defy layman's logic, but that's what the professionals say.  I think it's somewhere in the handbook too.

 

It's not an issue about getting us to buy more tyres, the rubber still wears down at a given rate.

& the issue is the rear tyres with plenty tread that never were changed rear to front and have spent their life on the rear while the fronts were wearing can be total crap if moved to the front.

They look good but have take a shape that suits the rear.

 

Put them to the front and the steering feels crap because it is crap with these tyres that are fine while at the rear and ditch finder once doing steering and braking duties. 

 

The thing is that it is easy to find if this is my internet myth.  Just do it and see. 

 You find out if the case or not.

Edited 4 November, 20214 yr by roottoot

You been on the Sauce again Roottoot 🙂

ps.  Don't rise to it - I'm only pulling your leg mate.

@smipx  Actually no. 

 Seriously some of those fast foot fitters and dancing chancers would not put a year or 3 old rear tyres on to the front of their own pride and joy.

I have driven enough cars that were just terrible having had some muppet that says the new tyres must go on the rears.

 

But then i have driven FWD cars lots over periods of winter with just the All Seasons or Winters on the front while a good tread summer tyre was still on the rear.

I do not care what 'apparently' others say.  It is easy enough when you are driving long enough where there is winter conditions to know what does work or what does not.

 

There can be times when it is enough that the tyres are good at both ends. 

 Some are OK with getting traction, steering, braking and full control.

 

Matching tyres is sensible, but then plenty cars and especially RWD's might not have matching widths / sizes front and rear,

Even some FWD's or AWD's like Audi. 

@smipx if you still have 4mm of tread on the front, then do a front-back swap.  That way you won’t need to change any yet, and when you do you will have 4 with about same tread, so changing to all seasons becomes easier.

 

You will encounter comments about rears should have more tread, the theory being back could lose grip and slide out sideways.  However a tyre with 4mm at the back is not same as putting heavily worn tyres on the back.  (I wouldn’t suggest moving tyres with under 3mm tread to back either for same reason).

 

So swap them around now, then wait until first one approaches 3mm tread.   Although legal limit is only 1.6mm, I always suggest 3mm is minimum if you drive in the rain.  Anything less in the wet could mean losing grip with road.

 

I swap mine front to rear every time I put the winter wheels on or take them off. Balances out wear and I will change all 4 at the same time

Light blue touchpaper and step well back...

For many years I used to have a spare set of wheels with ‘proper’ winter tyres on. Changing them over twice a year became a pain (especially my knees!).

We used to live in the country, where road gritting was non existent and snow was more frequent than it should have been.

The winters were so much better in terms of grip and road noise (being a softer compound).

 

Then I had a revelation, I sold the second set of wheels and used the revenue to fund a set of Michelin Cross climates.

On that vehicle I was running 16” rims so the cost of the replacement tyres was less than £100 a corner.

 

These tyres were superb, I even got a set for the Citigo!.

 

Now... Our long awaited Karoq appeared at the end of September. It is running a set of Michelin Primacy’s on 17” rims.

They are HORRIBLE. They feel wooden underfoot, noisy and of course are prone to spinning when pulling away at an upward sloping junction.

The DSG box seems to be incapable of putting the right amount of energy down in these circumstances.

 

I fully appreciate that All season tyres are a compromise, having said that (given my age and driving experience) I am unlikely to push these to their limits of adhesion.

 

I now have a quandary, do I flog this nice brand new set of 17’s and replace with 16’s and Cross climates?

I suspect a few more chilly mornings will provide me with the answer....

1 hour ago, vegit8 said:

For many years I used to have a spare set of wheels with ‘proper’ winter tyres on. Changing them over twice a year became a pain (especially my knees!).

We used to live in the country, where road gritting was non existent and snow was more frequent than it should have been.

The winters were so much better in terms of grip and road noise (being a softer compound).

 

Then I had a revelation, I sold the second set of wheels and used the revenue to fund a set of Michelin Cross climates.

On that vehicle I was running 16” rims so the cost of the replacement tyres was less than £100 a corner.

 

These tyres were superb, I even got a set for the Citigo!.

 

Now... Our long awaited Karoq appeared at the end of September. It is running a set of Michelin Primacy’s on 17” rims.

They are HORRIBLE. They feel wooden underfoot, noisy and of course are prone to spinning when pulling away at an upward sloping junction.

The DSG box seems to be incapable of putting the right amount of energy down in these circumstances.

 

I fully appreciate that All season tyres are a compromise, having said that (given my age and driving experience) I am unlikely to push these to their limits of adhesion.

 

I now have a quandary, do I flog this nice brand new set of 17’s and replace with 16’s and Cross climates?

I suspect a few more chilly mornings will provide me with the answer....

Interesting what you say about the Michelin Primacy tyres.  I thought they were meant to be the crem del la crem of tyres?  They can't be worse than the Turanza's surely?

1 hour ago, vegit8 said:

 

Then I had a revelation, I sold the second set of wheels and used the revenue to fund a set of Michelin Cross climates.

On that vehicle I was running 16” rims so the cost of the replacement tyres was less than £100 a corner.

 

These tyres were superb, I even got a set for the Citigo!.

 

Now... Our long awaited Karoq appeared at the end of September. It is running a set of Michelin Primacy’s on 17” rims.

They are HORRIBLE. They feel wooden underfoot, noisy and of course are prone to spinning when pulling away at an upward sloping junction.

The DSG box seems to be incapable of putting the right amount of energy down in these circumstances.

 

I fully appreciate that All season tyres are a compromise, having said that (given my age and driving experience) I am unlikely to push these to their limits of adhesion.

 

I now have a quandary, do I flog this nice brand new set of 17’s and replace with 16’s and Cross climates?

I suspect a few more chilly mornings will provide me with the answer....

 

I think you already have an answer...   

 

The cross climates are an excellent tyre and we used them for years on our Octavia 4x4.  The only reason we don't still have some on one of our cars is that the Octavia's replacement, a S/H Kodiaq, came with a new set of the Falken's I mentioned earlier fitted.  However the Swift we had is looking like it will need tyres very shortly and unfortunately the Michelins aren't available in the size needed.  Given this I'll probably be looking to use some Vredestein Quatracs which are, having had excellent experiences of the brand in the past.  They may be an option for you on your existing 17s as they tend to be a cheaper option than the Michelins, making up for the additional cost of the larger rim size

@smipx Primacy 4 can actually be worse than Turanza's.

The Mitchelin Primacy 4's are on EV's to help get range.  They are just garbage.

 

Which is why i have 4 take off's with less than 100 miles on them, they were removed the 2nd day i had my new car and on went CrossClimates.

Then when the proper snow came i put on Alpin6's which have stayed on ever since and have been great.

15 minutes ago, roottoot said:

@smipx Primacy 4 can actually be worse than Turanza's.

The Mitchelin Primacy 4's are on EV's to help get range.  They are just garbage.

 

Which is why i have 4 take off's with less than 100 miles on them, they were removed the 2nd day i had my new car and on went CrossClimates.

Then when the proper snow came i put on Alpin6's which have stayed on ever since and have been great.

Thanks for the heads-up. Its odd because they seem to come near to top in a lot of tests:

 

Bearing in mind I am only talking about soft "southern winters" and talking about comparing "Summer Tyres only" (not going down the road of "all season" at this point for the reasons I mentioned above).

There are hot days oop north and wet and hot or cold  and wet days.

 

Primacy 4 are not much better than Primacy 3.   There are people that say they have no issues.

 

I have driven with both on Hybrids & EV's and ICE vehicles with the tyres well scrubbed in and really they are garbage when moisture is on roads.

They are ECO tyres because the lack of Grip / Friction so that means traction.

 

You just have to see how often TC / ASR lights flash or power is cut with a car with these tyres, then not when they are changed.

 

Too many cars do have them at too high a pressure, like demonstrators / courtesy or hire cars.

 

PS

My CrossClimate SUV's  are crap on my Shogun, that is on wet, cold and snow.

I have liked CrossClimates and used them lots for putting them on was a mistake on it.  (CrossClimate 2's are VG.)

They are wide though even though narrower than the OEM size.  265/60 R 18 instead of 285's.  They are only for road & some farm / forest track use.

 I should have fitted BFG All Terrains.

Edited 5 November, 20214 yr by roottoot

Thanks Roottoot - so - for the average "jo" who shops online at the likes of Asda and MyTyres and such - the choices for Summer Tyres are basically the ones below for 215/50 18W:

 

Low and Mid range:

Nakang SP9

Rotalla RU01

Uniroyal Rainsport 5

Gooyear Eagle F1 5

Maxxis Premitra 5
Barum Bravuris 5HM
Vredestein Ultrac Satin

 

Premium

Bridgstone Turanza T001

Conti Eco Contact 5

Conti Sport Contact 5

Michelin Primacy 3

Michelin Primacy 4 

Pirelli Cinturato P7

 

Interested to gather thoughts on the best and worst.

 

I hear good things about the Maxxis on the budget end but little consensus on the premium choices.  The Uniroyal and Goodyear both come out distinctly average in the tests. the only contradiction is that the Michelin's seem to be unliked on the forums but come out tops in most online reviews.  Bit of a paradox on that front.

 

 

 

@smipx the quick answer to your question on the best of the premium summer tyres is any of them.

 

Depends on situation, some are better at some things than others.

 

It will depend on temperature (grip falls off on all of them below +10c), how wet it is, how hard you drive, how you like your tyres to feel (firm or very firm).  No one will be able to answer for you as it depends on your priorities 

 

 

Fair enough 🙂

 

 

 

I changed my 18s on the Karoq to the good years efficiency grip 2 as ome ones were worn after 11000 miles. The rear ones are starting to crack on 17000 miles car 3 years old.

7 minutes ago, Goldtw74 said:

I changed my 18s on the Karoq to the good years efficiency grip 2 as ome ones were worn after 11000 miles. The rear ones are starting to crack on 17000 miles car 3 years old.

Michelin 3 were ones fitted to car. Didn't rate them on wear.

1 hour ago, Goldtw74 said:

I changed my 18s on the Karoq to the good years efficiency grip 2 as ome ones were worn after 11000 miles. The rear ones are starting to crack on 17000 miles car 3 years old.

Which are V rated tyres and therefore not a supported tyre (as the Karoq in 18's are mandated to have W rated tyres in the "Type Approval".  If you have an accident and "if" the insurance company were minded to check yu could be in very sticky water.  I did want these myself (well rated and good price). You might want to call your insurers to check.

 

2 minutes ago, smipx said:

Which are V rated tyres and therefore not a supported tyre (as the Karoq in 18's are mandated to have W rated tyres in the "Type Approval".  If you have an accident and "if" the insurance company were minded to check yu could be in very sticky water.  I did want these myself (well rated and good price). You might want to call your insurers to check.

 

It's going next month in any event but did check all ok with insurance.

Just now, Goldtw74 said:

It's going next month in any event but did check all ok with insurance.

Cool.  It seems quite odd that an insurance company would allow you to fit a tyre that does not meet the car's type approval though.  Did you get it in writing?