Punto Mk3 (`54) 1242/8v
*Current tyres: Firestone F590 165/70 R14 presumably OE given the rear tyres are dated 2704 (i.e. wk27/2004) & now perishing after some 4 years &/or 54K miles. The front tyres are replacement F590s at 24K miles & consequently now in need of replacement after 30K miles.

I planned to replace with the Continental Eco Contact 3, consistently a Which? `Best Buy’ over the past few years - but on re-examination today of the March 2008 report, I find that there is a negative element … high fuel consumption.

I’m now considering the Fulda EcoControl – also labelled a `Best Buy’ & “exceptional value” but not widely available.

To come to the point - on the element of size, I want to move from my existing 165/70 R14 to the more common 175/65 R14. Effectively I gain a larger footprint for the same price. Any `informed comment’ on this topic welcome. For example, is there anything to be gained by considering another size? (see table) … given that I’m looking for a reasonable balance between stopping v’s rolling & don’t want to mess with structural mods.

Tyre Size Comparison
Spec wall r d circ revs/ml var*165/70R14 4.5” 11.5” 23.1” 72.6” 873 0.0%
175/65R14 4.5” 11.5” 23.0” 72.1” 879 (0.6)%
175/70R14 4.8” 11.8” 23.6” 74.3” 853 2.4%
185/65R14 4.7” 11.7” 23.5” 73.7” 859 1.6%
185/60R14 4.4” 11.4” 22.7” 71.4” 887 (1.5)%

3w.which.co.uk/files/application/pdf/p50-53_tyres-445-132885.pdf

I have no idea how readily available they are in your area.. but get some Toyo Proxes T1-R's. Great value too.

I think you're looking into things a little too much.

Got michelin energy E3As on mine in 165/65 R14 not the grippiest tire until you've warmed them up, but last for ages (23k on the front without a swap) get excellent fuel consumption and are good in the wet

StevenRB45 said:

Got michelin energy E3As on mine in 165/65 R14 not the grippiest tire until you've warmed them up, but last for ages (23k on the front without a swap) get excellent fuel consumption and are good in the wet

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i have E3A's on my mk2b and i find them much much better than the continentals that were origionally on the back and the firestones that were on the front.

Does this help at all:

https://www.fiatforum.com/leisure-lounge/125752-latest-tyre-test-autoexpress.html

I've used Continental Eco Contact 3's in 185/60 R14 H and they are quite good. They are obiviously related to the original version of the Premium Contact (see below).

One of the problems with comparison tests is they limit the selection. I didn't see Uniroyal R550, but they quite good and excellent for the price. The same could be said for others, but you would never know.

Even if you don't speak German, the website of ADAC (like the AA) has a lot of tyre info. Look for Reiffen Test and click on it. ATTENTION; The tyre with the LOWEST score is the winner and not this highest, which is the worst.

Another place with a wide range of comparisons and great prices is www.mytyres.co.uk. They are part of the Delticom Group from Hannover and sell tyres online across Europe. I've dealt with the Belgian arm and no problems at all. The difference on their comparisons is that they are done by people who have bought the tyres from them rather than being measured by a common standard. The survey results cover all sizes of the particular tread design and there sometimes differences in performance between the different sizes in the same range. Here again, the lower the score, the better the tyre. Their website seems to have a problem at the moment, but have a look when you can.

Guaje7 said:

I have no idea how readily available they are in your area.. but get some Toyo Proxes T1-R's. Great value too.

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:yeahthat: wet or dry they hold the road really well. and dont wear quick either

I love the Goodyear Eagle F1. Really grippy, not relatively that expensive any more and great in the wet!

Badpoints: Pointless having them in snow, and they are soft rubber so do wear quite quickly!

Tyre Size Comparison
Spec wall r d circ revs/ml var
165/70R14 4.5” 11.5” 23.1” 72.6” 873 0.0%
175/65R14 4.5” 11.5” 23.0” 72.1” 879 (0.6)%

Thanks for the `informed comment’ guys – given it’s Friday I earlier today committed to 4 x Fulda EcoControl 175/65 R14 82T @ £29 ea plus £9 ea (+/- £1) fitting etc. next week.

I’d have run with the Conti Eco Contact 3 but the price was significantly higher & also that `negative wave’ on fuel consumption. As someone pointed out, tyres giving a good fuel return effectively pay for your next set.

In the 175/65 R14 category the Which? top-of-the-league placings are …

1. Pirelli Cinturato P4 (est. £48)
2. Continental Eco Contact 3 (est. £50)
3. Fulda EcoControl (est. £40)
4. Yokohama C.drive (est. £49)

More: 3w.which.co.uk/files/application/pdf/p50-53_tyres-445-132885.pdf

Ciao

£29 tyres?

Cant remember the last time I paid anything like that for tyres! Maybe going back 10 years and those would have been remoulds! :lol:

But i suppose if you are more concerned about fuel consumption than performance and sliding off the road in the wet, then fair enough!

Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill
Have you heard the one about the old green-grocer and his new lad? The green-grocer ran out of tomatoes, and the first task for his new lad was to go to the wholesale market for two boxes of tomatoes. When the lad returned he told him to ticket price one box cheap and one box dear. Puzzled by this, the lad queried the price variation - given that both batches of tomatoes were exactly the same quality. The old green-grocer smiled and replied: “Because I like to keep my customers happy - and some are happy to buy cheap tomatoes, and some are happy to buy dear tomatoes.”

Dj_Doogz said:

£29 tyres?

Cant remember the last time I paid anything like that for tyres! Maybe going back 10 years and those would have been remoulds! :lol:

But i suppose if you are more concerned about fuel consumption than performance and sliding off the road in the wet, then fair enough!

Click to expand...

Regarding the question “£29 tyres?” – I can advise that the answer is in my previous posting. However readers should carefully take note of all the elements and not just focus on the £29. I will add that my invoice actually reads £26 ea for the tyres – but the total price for 4 including delivery via carrier is £115. But wait dear readers there’s more. Some of you will be surprised to learn I intend fitting these to my Punto – and hence a further £10 a corner (as they say) will be required. Perhaps some readers will be happier with a price of (say) £39 with all other elements described as “free.”

Regarding the comment “if you are more concerned about fuel consumption than performance and sliding off the road in the wet” – I can advise there is no evidence I made that comment. However there is clear evidence of the author and that it is a presumption or supposition.

What I am `concerned’ about is the performance of all elements of a tyre including rolling resistance and wet grip – and more specifically in the 175/65 R14 category. The `answer’ regarding performance in the wet is well covered in the Which? report – providing 40% of the marking scheme, with tests being carried out in up to 7mm of standing water on the straight and curve.

My initial first choice tyre, the Conti Eco Contact 3, had the “highest fuel consumption of any tyre in the test” and consequently that (& the price) influenced me to go for the “excellent all-round performance” of the Fulda Eco Control.

http://www.which.co.uk/files/application/pdf/p50-53_tyres-445-132885.pdf

FORUM WARNING:
What was it Dirty Harry said about opinions?

Ciao

don't get goodyear eagle nct3, no grip and they screech at anything above a crawl when cornering

Costco are the cheapest for tyres. I have Michelin 165/70 R14's and they cost 40£. Sadly the membership costs £25.

AutoCar (2007) tyre test video here ...

http://www.autocar.co.uk/VideosWallpapers/Videos.aspx?AR=228551&CT=V

... but limited (6?) options against the 17-175/65R14 & 18-195/65R15 tested by Which?

What do people think of Avon ZZ-3's?

I have them in the rear but I got some cheap Wanli crap in the front and they make horrible road noise. It sounds like the bearings in the front have gone but they are fine. So therefore, it has to be the tyres. I am counting the miles down until they are worn enough so I can bloody replace them - finally!

antc101 said:

What do people think of Avon ZZ-3's?

I have them in the rear but I got some cheap Wanli crap in the front and they make horrible road noise. It sounds like the bearings in the front have gone but they are fine. So therefore, it has to be the tyres. I am counting the miles down until they are worn enough so I can bloody replace them - finally!

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Switch them front to back and see if that solves the noise problem. Some tyres are pretty noisy this may be one of them. If it does not solve the problem, put the Wanlis back up front so they will wear out faster. Or sell them on ebay.

antc101 said:

What do people think of Avon ... Wanli ... crap?

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The Which? report includes a specific warning regarding the Avon CR322, Tigar TG621, Trayal T400 & Wanli S109 tyres.

Read p51 and view table p53 here ...

http://www.which.co.uk/files/application/pdf/p50-53_tyres-445-132885.pdf

I’ve had another look at some of the alternatives (like you do) - and it appears that moving outside the common choice of 175/65 R14 shifts the price level some 9% (+/-3%). For example - staying with the OE size of 165/70 R14 would have added 6% to the price level, and going up to 185/60 R14 would add 12%. (Before the flak starts arriving - I recognise that some readers wouldn’t want to be caught dead in their Punto with anything classed as `common’).

raton_laveur said:

Even if you don't speak German, the website of ADAC (like the AA) has a lot of tyre info. Look for Reiffen Test and click on it. ATTENTION; The tyre with the LOWEST score is the winner and not this highest, which is the worst.

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Also had another squint at the ADAC site recommended by raton-lavteur. The results (at my interest level: 175/65 R14) are pretty much the same as the Which? report. But the results are somewhat size specific – so if your interest lies with another size, you will have to refer to the site …

http://www.adac.de/Tests/Reifentest...b.asp?ComponentID=209310&SourcePageID=209307#

ADAC 175/65 R14 results
Highly recommended (Besonders empfehlenswert)
Pirelli Cinturato P4
Continental Eco Contact 3
Fulda Eco Control
Kumho Solus KH17
Not recommended (Nicht empfehlenswert)
Sava Perfecta
Tigar TG621
Avon CR322 Enviro
Trayal T400

The 4x Fulda Eco Control 175/65 R14 ordered on Friday were delivered yesterday and were fitted this morning (Wednesday). The overall on-the-road price came out at £40 ea within a few pennies – that compares well with the guide price given in the Which? (Mar 2008) report with prices reviewed in Dec 2007 (+/- 2month).

I’d heard somewhere (but can’t cite a reference) that Fulda tyres were using obsolete designs from parent Goodyear-Dunlop Group. But I believe they claim the Eco Control is new and includes latest silica compound design.

ERROR

Caravadossi said:

Also had another squint at the ADAC site recommended by raton-lavteur. The results (at my interest level: 175/65 R14) are pretty much the same as the Which? report. But the results are somewhat size specific – so if your interest lies with another size, you will have to refer to the site …

Click to expand...

Apologies are due – as I made an error re the ADAC sub link accessing the result tables for sizes other than 175/65 R14. So I’ll attempt to correct matters by trying again (below) for each size tested …

155/70 R13 (Test 03/2007)
http://www.adac.de/Tests/Reifentest...ab.asp?ComponentID=173975&SourcePageID=173977

175/65 R14 (2008)
http://www.adac.de/Tests/Reifentest...ab.asp?ComponentID=209310&SourcePageID=209307

185/60 R14 (Test 03/2006)
http://www.adac.de/Tests/Reifentest...ab.asp?ComponentID=139634&SourcePageID=139645

195/65 R15 (Test 2008)
http://www.adac.de/Tests/Reifentest...ab.asp?ComponentID=209311&SourcePageID=209308

205/55 R16 (Test 03/2007)
http://www.adac.de/Tests/Reifentest...ab.asp?ComponentID=174024&SourcePageID=174023

225/45 R17 (Test 03/2006)
http://www.adac.de/Tests/Reifentest...ab.asp?ComponentID=139640&SourcePageID=139680

Just thought that the following summary of the best (& worst) comments from the Which? reports (2007 & 2008) would be of interest to readers ...

WHICH? (Mar 2008) Best Buys
FOR SUPERMINIS (175/65 R14T)
(1) The Pirelli Cinturato P4 did well in all tests. It was also the most durable in our wear test, so the £48 guide price represents pretty good value for money.
(2) The Continental Eco Contact 3 was the best on wet roads and also the quietest. However, its Eco name is a misnomer, as it returned the highest fuel consumption of any tyre in the test.
(3) The Fulda Eco Control matches the top premium brands for grip and gave excellent all-round performance at a fantastic guide price of £40.
Don’t Buy
We found the Avon CR322 Enviro was particularly poor in wet conditions. A key weakness appeared to be braking and gripping on a bend in wet conditions.
Even though The Tigar TG621 was the cheapest tyre we tested, we certainly don’t think it is a bargain. We found that the tyre gave unsatisfactory wet grip and poor wet braking performance.
At around £35, the Trayal T400 might seem like a bargain. But we don’t think it is. We found it was the absolute worst of all the 175/65 R14T tyres that we tested for gripping both in wet and dry conditions.
FOR MEDIUM CARS (195/65 R15V)
(1) The Bridgestone Turanza ER300 gripped well in dry conditions and gave a well-balanced, all-round drive.
(2) The Pirelli P6 was very safe and was the best tyre in this size for wet braking in a straight line.
(3) The Continental Premium Contact 2 offers a solid drive in all conditions and is particularly good for wet grip.
(4) The Dunlop SP Sport Fastresponse was the quietest tyre in this size. It’s great for wet grip on bends.
(5) The Vredestein Sportrac 3 had the best overall wet grip. However, it’s scarcer than other Best Buys, so you may have to shop around.
Don’t Buy
We found the Wanli S1095 was so bad at braking in the wet that it travelled nearly 20m further before stopping than the best tyre on test. It was also poor for dry grip on both the straight and bends.

WHICH? (Mar 2007) Best Buys
FOR SUPERMINIS/CITY CARS (155/70 R13T)
(1) The Conti Eco Contact is the best in this size. It has four-star ratings in every category apart from noise, even here it doesn’t disgrace. It’s widely available, so shop round for the best price.
(2) The long life and low price of the Hankook Optimo K715 make it the best-value tyre in this size. It can’t match the grip of the Conti Eco Contact, but it’s a good all-round performer. You may need to search to find it.
(3) The Pirelli P3000 Energy is another high performer with sound handling, good wet grip and pretty reasonable wear. It’s also widely available.
(4) The Bridgestone B250 does as well as the best on test in the dry, but not for wet braking. It won’t give you as many miles as the best, either, but overall performance is still good.
(5) The Dunlop SP 30 was the quietest in this size. It wears well but has a weak grip in bends.
Don’t buy
Our testers felt two 155/70 R13 tyres, the Goodrich Touring and the Matador Stella MP15 were unacceptably poor when braking in wet conditions. On a wet concrete road, they took about 6.7m further to stop than best performers (5.3m on asphalt).
FOR MEDIUM LARGE/FAMILY CARS (205/55 R16V)
(1) The Michelin Primacy HP hugs the road, wears well and has a long life but it’s not cheap.
(2) You may have to search for the Pirelli P7, but you’ll get a hard-wearing tyre with great performance on wet roads. While dry braking isn’t the best on test, it does stop you effectively.
(3) The Bridgestone Turanza ER300 is a balanced performer that wears quite well but is noisy. It may take some searching to find.
(4) Conti Premium Contact 2 tyres are available at more than 80 per cent of retailers, so it’s worth trying to play them off against each other on price. They grip really well, though the straight-line grip isn’t quite so good in the wet.
(5) The Fulda Carat Progresso doesn’t match the best on test for grip but is none the less a reasonable tyre. It wears very well and this, combined with it’s ultra-low price, makes it the best-value tyre in this size. You’re most likely to find it in the larger chains.
(6) The Vredestein Sportrac 3 has no major weaknesses – apart from the fact that we found no national retailer stocking it. It’s slightly noisier than the best in the batch.
(7) You will really have to search to find the Hankook Prime K105 – in fact we didn’t find it in any of the national chains, only in some of the regional and local independent shops. That said, it does perform competitively, although it won’t give the mileage of the best players.
Don’t buy
Three 205/55 R16 Vs fall short of standards we think acceptable: the Marangoni Vanto; the Nankang Ultra Sport NS-2; and, worst, the Falken Zlex ZE512 which needs 12.3m more to stop than the best in this size.