I have a 'V' reg 1700cc diesel corsa (bought last September), which is used as a cheap to run motor. It now needs a pair of front tyres. Now, ordinarily I would go to my local fitter & buy the cheapest they have, but I am wondering if this is false economy in the long run? What us the general concensus of opinion regarding tyre life of budget tyres to branded?
(Being a non-turbo diesel, I don't drive too quickly, so am not overly worried about increased grip etc).
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If you are going to keep the car I would fit the best you can. I am sick and tired of budget tyres. They do not offer a comfortable ride and can deform more quickly. Also the steel bracing does not extend into the sidewall as on a branded tyre and they this makes them less robust. In the past I have had trouble getting them to balance properly. When I changed to a well known brand my wheel balancing problems went away. I suppose if you are just going round town and not doing motorway journeys then so called budget tyres may be ok. Mike
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As someone who has very often bought budget tyres (from the days when John Bull etc were cheaper alternatives to the main brand, yet essentially the same tyre) I've no qualms about using them.
I've not needed to buy such tyres for a couple of years or so through a change of car, but the Sava brand from Hi-Q proved great value and there are many similar examples.
However, if you have a performance vehicle, spend a lot of time on the motorway or similar high tyre stress levels, then I would go for the best quality.
Outlets such as www.blackcircles.com/ will probably deliver the best prices.
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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My father has owned his 1998 Volvo S80 from new, and has used Kwik Fit's own brand (Centaur?) tyres since the factory fitted ones wore out. No problems with durability or anything else, and I can vouch that the terrific ride quality (he has 16" wheels and high profile tyres) remains intact.
The car gets used for everything from trips in to town from their countryside home to pan European jaunts of considerable distance.
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I would go for a branded. I found that the Kormoran (sp?) budgets we got from costoc for our Galant, ruined the car's cold and wet weather handling, to the point at which when we took it up to scotland understeer was the only way the car went round roundabouts (and once or twice off them if there was a camber). I belive that this was due to the very hard compound of the tyre compared to premium brands. So I would say shop around for a cheaper good make e.g. bridgestone etc etc, budgets are only a little cheaper than main brands if you shop around and life was about the same for both, so for safetly i would spend a little moreand get branded.
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>>I belive that this was due to the very hard compound of the tyre compared to premium brands.
Michelin are famous for not wearing out owing to the hard rubber they use, and similarly famous for falling slightly short in their performance. Personally, I prefer my tyres to stick themselves to the road rather than to themselves.
Funnily enough, I was contemplating this same question very recently. I have charge over a Hilux. Over 2 Hiluxes in succession, we had done about 100k miles without a puncture on fairly decent tyres. When the wheels wore out (rust meant that they didn't hold air any longer), we bought some budget wheels, with budget tyres attached. They seem very susceptible to picking up nails - 3 have died within probably 10k miles. Is this bad luck, or lower quality tyres? The tread on the budget tyres is notably finer than that on the old ones (which almost look more like tractor tyres) I sense that may have had a greater effect.
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I'd definitely go branded and shop around. Buy off the web and pay your local fitter to fit them or give him the chance to match or get close to the price. I found mytyres.co.uk to be the cheapest for quality branded tyres and a local fitter wants £6 a tyre to fit.
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I would go for well known reputable brands though nowdays that includes the likes of Hancook (spelling?), there is also one brand made by Continental begging with "M", can't think of the name, lastly Firestone tyres are good value in the range of sizes that are likely to fit an Astra.
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Always amazed really when people talk about budget tyres I wonder if the boeing 737 that ferries people on holiday uses them!! I hope there using the best afte all when that plane touches down the stresses are tremendous ( wouldn't like a blow out )
Its the same with your car BY THE BEST BRANDED TYRE YOU CAN AFFORD! its the only thing keeping you on the road and is false economy not only in your pocket but more with the risks to your life as other posters have pointed out a budget tyre is budget because they aren't as good inferrior in most ways so if you can afford them by the best MIchelin Goodyear Continental Dunlop Pirelli ETC.
I've now got Goodyear FI GS D3's on my laguna at £125 for 225/45 zr17 's there not cheap but they drive sublime
You only get what you pay for you can still get a good branded tyre for reasonable money for your van haggle with your local Kwik FIT man he will discount if you only ask.
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The 737 that takes you on holiday probably does use remoulds. Most, if not all, airlines use remould tyres.
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>>budget tyre is budget because they aren't as good inferrior in most ways
xxx, do you have any evidence for any of your assertions? Please would you let us know what ways you refer to when you write 'inferior in most ways'.
My earlier comment about Michelins was that they're not that good at keeping you on the road, despite being branded!
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My earlier comment about Michelins was that they're not that good at keeping you on the road, despite being branded!
Steady on, you'll be worrying all the Citroen owners. If I'm not mistaken Citroen have some sort of financial interest in Michelin and consequently all Citroens come fitted with Michelins. That's if I'm not mistaken, of course.
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L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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This was a generalisation from my 25 years of driving all soughts of cars on many different quality tyres.
I'm not an expert just a consumer and high milage driver who if given the choice and can afford would always put the best tyres i could afford.
Now if a budget brand and were talking own branded or cheaper far eastern tyres are as good as the top branded makes then all car manufacturers would be using them as standard.
Look at independant consumer tests on line at various tyre suppliers and consumer surveys and the branded tyre always comes up trumps.
Its my opinion and experiance that I would choose a branded make over a budget everytime.
If people disagree good it would be boring if we all thought the same
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I have just had 2 new "Own Brand" tyres fitted on the front of a Laguna, and I have to say they are better then the Pirelli (sp) they have replaced. The ride is alot better and they grip better. I am sure that they wont last as long but then the car only does 7k a year so that is not a major concern. They were less the £30 each. I suppose it is personal choice but if your car is not a performance based car then why pay through the nose. As long as you check them regulary then they should be no more of a danger then any other make of tyre.
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I've been very happy with a pair of Kleber Dynaxer on the rear of my Passat. Kleber are a subsidiary brand of Michelin & are a bit cheaper.
Got a pair of Vredestein Quatrac 2 on the front and looks like they will wear as well as anything I've had as well as giving good grip at low temperatures/in snow.
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I wasna fu but just had plenty.
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Re "ordinarily I would go to my local fitter & buy the cheapest they have"
this is not the way to do it in my experience
phone round a dozen places, pricing exact tyre make and size, ask for fitted with valves and balancing price
you are then comparing like with like
if you do not want a decent tyre do the same but ask for the cheapest tyre they have, beware that you are not then comparing like with like
in my experience price this way is always a lot cheaper than turning up at exactly the same places - they know you are already there and the odds are much better you will buy regardless
i would guess you can get good brand tyres for much the same price as buying budget tyres the wrong way
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"a budget tyre is budget because they aren't as good inferior in most ways"
Yes, I always thought that about those horrible little cheap unknown brands of far eastern cars. Funny names too - Honda, Toyota etc. Still, some people obviously think they are good value, they seem to be catching on! And the same goes for in car entertainment- Sony, Panasonic pah! Stick to Murphy and Bush, that's what I say!
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I have been running my two diesel corsa's on Bridgestone B330 evo tyres for sometime now and they have proved a reasonable all round compromise. The last time though, I fitted Firestone F590, they appear to be showing less wear and I have not noticed any less roadholding ( its pretty poor anyway!) They were slightly cheaper. Agree about phoning around but don't forget the 'tyre carcass disposal' cost in the equation. I now ask an absolutely everything, total, nothing else to pay, price.
I believe its the increased weight of the diesel engine in this car that leads to a fairly high wear rate rather than the way its driven which is the more significant factor.
pafos
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Recently i did a post about which tyres to fit on my Ford Ka, i did eventually have Continental T3 at the fronts as i believe they came with Conti's when they were new! Despite this many Ka's came with Michelin or Kieber as the Cityka's did when new, but overall, i would always stick with OE rubber personally!
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Its not what you drive, its how you drive it! :-)
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Put a pair of budget tyres on the back of my Sierra many years ago. Drove up the motorway and the car nearly shook to bits. I took the car straight back to the tyre place and they said they were balanced and there was nothing more they could do. I told them to take them off and I'd pay extra for decent tyres - I've never touched a budget tyre since and always insist on a known brand.
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I replaced the budget tyres on my Escort with Pirelli P6000's - shopped around and got them for £44 each fitted (185/60/R14) - the difference to the handling was astonishing!
The biggest change was that where previously the car would have extreme understeer in the wet, now it was comparatively glued to the ground - convinced me that buying brand name tyres is well worth it for both driver enjoyment and safety.
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Cars come from the factory fitted with tyres. These tyres are not necessarily what the car manufacturer thinks are the best, but what he can get for the cheapest unit cost.
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Actually i believe that some tyres are developed in conjunction with the manufacturers, and so some cars - mainly prestige/sports - perform best on the factory fit tyres
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I would avoid far eastern cheapies of unknown brand as some of them are dire in the wet even if you do drive carefully. Try national tyres two for the price of one offer. You have to add balancing and valves to the price but its still good value.
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I would avoid far eastern cheapies of unknown brand as some of them are dire in the wet even if you do drive carefully. Try national tyres two for the price of one offer. You have to add balancing and valves to the price but its still good value.
www.safercars.gov/tires/pages/tireratings.cfm
is worth looking at. It's an American government site (I think) but it has just about every tyre you have ever heard of. It includes Traction rating, Temperature rating and wear rating.
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