Tyres, cheap or expensive?

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Thu 5 Apr 2018 20:23
Tyres, cheap or expensive? - mikesbrother

I have a 2009 Hyundai i30 1.6 diesel.
I commute to work and back about 7 miles each way.

I have previously always fitted GoodYear Efficient grip tyres as they have a good balance of reasonable cost, fuel efficiency and low noise.
However, they don't seem to last as long as I think they should.
Am I better off going for really cheap tyres or something like Michelins that are reputed to last ages.
I certainly don't drive the car hard or fast so high speed cornering grip is not high on my list of requirements.

Thanks for any replies.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 5 Apr 2018 23:03
Tyres, cheap or expensive? - focussed

Ask yourself why cheap tyres are cheap and do you want to drive around on the cheapest tyre I can find?

Going from branded tyres toYing-Tong ditchfinders might be a bit scary, especially in the wet!

Edited by focussed on 05/04/2018 at 23:07

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 5 Apr 2018 23:57
Tyres, cheap or expensive? - Andrew-T

You are by no means the first person to ask this - try searching the site for a renge of answers.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 6 Apr 2018 00:09
Tyres, cheap or expensive? - focussed

A good independant tyre review website.

www.tyrereviews.co.uk/

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 6 Apr 2018 11:15
Tyres, cheap or expensive? - skidpan

Look at good mid range tyres. Uniroyals are often near the top of tests (they win the wet grip part normally) but are typically about 2/3 the oprice of Goodyears. Made by Continental.

Kumho and Hankook are 2 far eastern brands that are now as good as many European brands at lower prices.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 6 Apr 2018 11:33
Tyres, cheap or expensive? - Peter.N.

Even Michelins don't ride as well when they are worn. I go for the softest and quietest ride I can find, I don't drive fast enough to worry about anything else.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 6 Apr 2018 13:39
Tyres, cheap or expensive? - Chris Miller

Agree skidpan. Don't wait for tyres to become a distress purchase but keep your eyes open for offers on mid range tyres. Last year I got two Firestones for the wife's Panda from Tyresonthedrive cheaper than any ditch finders. First time I've found TOTD competitive.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 6 Apr 2018 22:41
Tyres, cheap or expensive? - galileo

Tyres for my i30 , all season Vredesteins were about £67, I see Mytyres are now offering them at £50.10 each, almost tempted to buy a set for when present set wear out, but haven't really space to store them.

Even at £67 each, well worth it when we had the last 3 lots of snow, I was able to get anywhere I needed to. Wouldn't have been possible on cheap ditchfinders (or the wide low profile stuff the neighbours found useless)

In the total cost of running a car, is it worth saving a hundred or two quid on tyres with the increased probability of not being able to stop in an emergency and the ensuing problems.?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 7 Apr 2018 13:40
Tyres, cheap or expensive? - craig-pd130

Look at good mid range tyres. Uniroyals are often near the top of tests (they win the wet grip part normally) but are typically about 2/3 the oprice of Goodyears. Made by Continental.

Kumho and Hankook are 2 far eastern brands that are now as good as many European brands at lower prices.

+1 to this. I've had Kumho Ecstas on two different cars (a Mondeo IV and a Volvo V60) replacing the OEM Michelins and ..... there was no discernible difference in handling, braking, traction, grip, road noise or ride comfort, and I do drive quite briskly. The only thing I can't comment on is their longevity, as both cars werre moved on before they were significantly worn. The Kumhos were MUCH cheaper than Michelin, Pirelli, Continental etc equivalents at the time.

We recently fitted Uniroyal Rainsports to my wife's and son's Corsas, and they're working just fine (replacing factory-fit Continentals). Neither has reported any issues in the recent bad weather. The Uniroyals were £60 fitted inc VAT each.

A poster mentioned Vredestein, I've had those and while they were good I found they wore out quite fast.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Looking for a garage you can trust? Honest John's Good Garage Guide has thousands of reader recommended garages, plus how-to guides and tips on servicing.

The Good Garage Guide

Our honest used car pricing is a little bit different to all the others. You can get to our values through make or model - you don’t have to follow a prescribed route. Plus, it’s live, which means we can react to changes in the market quicker than any printed price guide.

Honest Used Car Prices