Motoring Discussion > Garage tyre advice Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Rudedog Replies: 16
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New Thu 13 Jun 24 14:05 
 Garage tyre advice - Rudedog
My wife's 2012 Polo has just passed it's MoT - although it had no official advisories the staff said that there were 'scuff' marks on both rear tyres and recommended they were changed fairly soon.

No idea what 'scuff' marks are regarding tyre wear - this was a new garage to us for her MoT and we went there as they were very good when we had an issue with the rear drums a few months ago.

But my real question was that when they recommended the new tyres they seemed to be saying hat she didn't need to run 'such expensive tyres' on a basic Polo (I've always fitted Michelin energy saver on it) and said a cheaper brand would do.

I've never skimped on tyres - I don't think paying £80-100 (depending on offers) is that bad for a tyre that will be safe and last for many years with her driving.

They implied that with such bad roads you may as well run a cheaper tyre in case it gets damaged - my reasoning to my wife is that it's 'because' she has good tyres that she hasn't had an issue in all of the driving she has done.
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New Thu 13 Jun 24 14:15 
 Garage tyre advice - VxFan
With tyres. Buy cheap. Buy twice.
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New Thu 13 Jun 24 15:07 
 Garage tyre advice - zippy
>> With tyres. Buy cheap. Buy twice.
>>

+1

Never skimp on rubber.

Anecdotally, I had an unpreparable puncture - screw where the tread met the side wall on a fairly good front near side about 9 months ago.

This week the same tyre had a rusty panel pin in the tread. I took it to the same place - Formula 1, they replaced the tyre with the same brand that was on it last time at a price that matched internet / main tyre sellers prices.

This week, I parked my car up at the depot and got out to look to see if I could see the damage. An oily mechanic walked up and asked if he could help and I explained what was wrong. He looked at the tyre for me and found the nail and confirmed it would be very likely fixable and booked me in.

Nice service and cost £23ish which is better than £170ish for a new tyre and even if it may not have been as cheap as a major tyre fitter, I didn't feel ripped off.
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New Thu 13 Jun 24 15:54 
 Garage tyre advice - Manatee
I tend to look at Costco first which is all Michelin/Goodyear/Conti.

I had some Vredestein Sportrac on my last MX-5 that were very good. Other than that it must be at least 4 decades since I bought any mid range or budget tyres.

The pothole point is a good one however. Village friend has written off 3 tyres on the same car this year. C3 Picasso with low profile tyres. He's ordered some smaller wheels he's so fed up with it. Problem here is narrow roads, potholes are mostly near the edge and we drive round them but when there's something coming the other way they can be diffcult to avoid. I now drive so slowly where I know the worst ones are so I can stop, then drive around them when the way is clear.

I've written off one tyre on the Roomster (45 profile) and was told the wheel is now out of round.
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New Thu 13 Jun 24 17:50 
 Garage tyre advice - Terry
Only once in 50 years have I lost tyre to a pothole - a hire car in Portugal on a track. Possibly low profile tyres with stiffer sidewalls and less compliance will be at greater risk - generally my cars have had a normal profile with a capacity to absorb impact of a pothole edge.

Putting good quality tyres on a car makes sense - it should give the best braking and grip in more demanding circumstances.

The additional cost should be minor for non-premium cars - if a set lasts (say) 30k and 3 years, and the premium for a set of quality tyres is (say) £150 the annual cost is £50 pa.

Much the same as one tank of fuel, and a lot less than the cost of an accident caused by a set of sub-optimal or cr4p tyres.
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New Thu 13 Jun 24 18:10 
 Garage tyre advice - Manatee
I think thin sidewalled touring tyres are probably the most vulnerable. The UHP tyres on the MX-5 have really thick solid sidewalls . The Goodyear Efficient Grip I wrecked on the Roomster just trapped the thin sidewall and cut it through.
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New Thu 13 Jun 24 18:12 
 Garage tyre advice - Bromptonaut
I lost one front tyre to a pothole very shortly after acquiring my 2011 Roomster in 2015.

The pothole was both deep and only visible shortly before I hit it. It's probable the tyre had a slow puncture which made the damage worse. Fitted mid market replacements, Firestones (?) for the dead tyre and the ditchfinder on the other side at the front.

I won't use cheap tyres of brands I don't know but until recently, when they were not available, I've found BF Goodrich a reasonable alternative to the OEM Michelins on the Berlingo.
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New Thu 13 Jun 24 18:14 
 Garage tyre advice - Zero
On the beemer, 90k miles 6.5 years had one puncture, and one wheel cracked by a pothole

The way I drive, I never skimp on tyres*, good brands, always go for A rated rain spec. Change them in pairs (changed both on the axle when one was punctured).

* Dont think runflat ditchfinders are easily obtainable
Last edited by: Zero on Thu 13 Jun 24 at 18:16
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New Thu 13 Jun 24 20:54 
 Garage tyre advice - zippy
>> The additional cost should be minor for non-premium cars - if a set lasts (say)
>> 30k and 3 years, and the premium for a set of quality tyres is (say)
>> £150 the annual cost is £50 pa.
>>

They may even save you the £50 a year in fuel if they are more efficient.
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New Thu 13 Jun 24 18:15 
 Garage tyre advice - CGNorwich
If you mainly use your car for local driving in town or to and form the supermarket and at moderate speeds then the cheaper tyres are fine. Any tyre sold will comply with UK safey regulations. They might wear out a bit quicker though. A lot of people buy more expensive rubber than they need
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New Thu 13 Jun 24 18:36 
 Garage tyre advice - Bromptonaut
>> Any tyre sold
>> will comply with UK safey regulations. They might wear out a bit quicker though. A
>> lot of people buy more expensive rubber than they need

That maybe so but I'm not convinced 'UK safety requirements' are good enough.

The Citroen BX estate we acquired in 1993 following the birth of our daughter had OEM Michelins at the rear and some Slovenian brand fitted by the previous company car user at the front. Driving from home to town on an unclassified county road with daughter in car seat and over surface water the front wheels very briefly lost contact with the tarmac.

Replaced them ASAP and in spite of passing same spot near daily for another 30 years I've not has the same experience since.

I'd also add that while what you normally do is a marker, the real issue is what might happen
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Thu 13 Jun 24 at 18:38
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New Thu 13 Jun 24 19:47 
 Garage tyre advice - CGNorwich
How many accidents are caused by not buying premium tyres but driving within the car and drivers capabilities?
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New Thu 13 Jun 24 20:39 
 Garage tyre advice - Bromptonaut
>> How many accidents are caused by not buying premium tyres but driving within the car
>> and drivers capabilities?

Assuming that car and driver capabilities are defined and known what about unknowns like a wet and or slippery road?
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New Thu 13 Jun 24 20:52 
 Garage tyre advice - Kevin
>How many accidents are caused by not buying premium tyres but driving within the car and drivers capabilities?

Is that the car's capabilities when fitted with decent rubber or with low budget specials?
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New Fri 14 Jun 24 17:03 
 Garage tyre advice - Boxsterboy
>> The Citroen BX estate we acquired in 1993 following the birth of our daughter had
>> OEM Michelins at the rear and some Slovenian brand fitted by the previous company car
>> user at the front. Driving from home to town on an unclassified county road with
>> daughter in car seat and over surface water the front wheels very briefly lost contact
>> with the tarmac.
>>

Funnily enough the only time I've ever aquaplaned was on a French autoroute in torrential rain, in my Mum's car that I borrowed for the trip, and I'm sure the car would have been on Michelin tyres (because that's what Dad always fitted). The car? A BX Estate!
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New Tue 18 Jun 24 14:46 
 Garage tyre advice - Zero
b*****.

TPWS bleated at me yesterday, L/H rear down 10psi. pumped it up last night, lost 4psi overnight. Wheel off this afternoon, and I have a screwdriver bit stuck in it. Rears down to 3.8mm so I'll have to change both so not to upset the 4x4. Cant get my favoured brand, but a 350 quid tripp booked to tyre fitter Thursday, away in the caravan next tuesday, so cant pontificate about it.
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New Thu 13 Jun 24 22:15 
 Garage tyre advice - Bill Payer
>> I've never skimped on tyres - I don't think paying £80-100 (depending on offers) is
>> that bad for a tyre that will be safe and last for many years with
>> her driving.
>>
Many tyres start to crack with age - indeed I changed the rear Michelin Energy X's on daughter's car as she'd had new fronts and the rears were 4yrs old, cracking but hardly worn. If she'd bought the tyres from Costco they'd have put the new ones on the back and she'd have worn the old rears out on the front.
Last edited by: Bill Payer on Thu 13 Jun 24 at 22:15
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