General Tures

[oscar52]

How long would it be reasonable for a set of tyres (budget) to last?


I had some put on in September. Just taken one to have a puncture fixed, and been told the tyre looks like its starting to perish!!


They haven't done a hell of a lot of miles, maybe 3000/3500, but the car hasn't been standing idle either.


Going to dig out the receipt and go back with them (puncture being repaired at another garage) and see what they say, so just looking for opinions and points of view

 

[flisko]

some people change them every 5 years regardless of driven kilometers, i dont drive on highway with punto so i change them when they got no thread left

 

[Brendan W]

Depends on what's perishing. Cracks deep in the tread is one thing. Cracking or bubbling of sidewalls could be down to the few hundred metres after the puncture or running under inflated for a time before the leak became obvious. In my experience some budget tyres are more susceptible to sidewall damage after a flat that what you might expect of a branded tyre and end up unrepairable more often for that reason. I would expect at least 20k miles of tyres on a Punto driven halfway sensibly.

 

[flisko]

sensibly?

found another way to remove wing fast

 

[bluejohn125]

They generally last longer than you should want them to... after you have a few scares on cold greasy roads etc...

False economy to go for cheapo Chinese tat etc. IMO...

However if they've perished they may be old ones that have been sitting around for years... look on the sidewall for the date stamp should say somewhere e.g. DOT 4112 which means week 41 2012.

But anyway they should last 8 or even 10 years before they perish, and it would generally be the outer side to go first with the sun's UV effect etc.

On a light fun car like a Punto with smallish tyres in common sizes it seems stupid to skimp a few quid on tyres.. wouldn't you rather shop around and enjoy good roadholding with some Dunlop, Firestone, Barum, even Nexen or Hankook?

 

[oscar52]

Thanks all.


At the time, I couldn't afford "decent" ones, and had to get help to buy these ones. Appreciate that cheaper ones are not always what they are cracked up to be, but the ones that were on it could have gone on Jenson Buttons F1 car!


The cracks, of what I saw, were deep in the actual tread. I am hoping its not serious - as I said, the only done 3500 miles and less than 6 months old!


Will have a look for that date stamp, but don't think they were old tyres.

 

[Brendan W]

Cracks in the tread are often a manufacturing problem. I would make a fuss.

 

[oscar52]

Cracks in the tread are often a manufacturing problem. I would make a fuss.

When I collect tomorrow, will ask the bloke (old school mate) to have a quick glance at the others before I go up.
Just spotted these on ebay ..... pity they weren't available when I was looking before!
4x NEW 165 70 14 UNIROYAL RAINEXPERT 3 81T (4 TYRES) 165/70/14 'A' WET GRIP
£130

 

[Brendan W]

I have nothing but good things to say about the Uniroyal Rainxxxxx tyres.

 

[Ziggy122]

I have nothing but good things to say about the Uniroyal Rainxxxxx tyres.

Nothing wrong with them
Partner has rain experts old style on, getting a little worn though

Other familys have the new rain experts, no issues

Ive got rain sports for summer, there fine
Ive got ms plus 77 on steel wheels right now

I have no issues with them
There an intermediate branddd tyre is good for value
On big heavy cars u may destroy them cause there a little soft
But I keel going back to uniroyals

Ziggy

 

[Scudmonkey]

when i got my Punto it had been fitted with 4 brand new Accelera tyres (Budget)...they were actually pretty good for grip (even in the wet). Downside was front lasted 10,000 miles before being shot the rear tyres seem to have hardly worn at all (yes i know FWD is harder on front tyre wear, but i still expected a lot more wear on the rears than has happened) . I now have decent tyres fitted that should get more mileage before needing replacement, basically I always hold the opinion you get what you pay for with tyres,

 

[oscar52]

when i got my Punto it had been fitted with 4 brand new Accelera tyres (Budget)...they were actually pretty good for grip (even in the wet). Downside was front lasted 10,000 miles before being shot the rear tyres seem to have hardly worn at all (yes i know FWD is harder on front tyre wear, but i still expected a lot more wear on the rears than has happened) . I now have decent tyres fitted that should get more mileage before needing replacement, basically I always hold the opinion you get what you pay for with tyres,

Swap them over - front to back after about 5,000

 

[Lightning]

when i got my Punto it had been fitted with 4 brand new Accelera tyres (Budget)...they were actually pretty good for grip (even in the wet). Downside was front lasted 10,000 miles before being shot the rear tyres seem to have hardly worn at all (yes i know FWD is harder on front tyre wear, but i still expected a lot more wear on the rears than has happened) . I now have decent tyres fitted that should get more mileage before needing replacement, basically I always hold the opinion you get what you pay for with tyres,

Swap them over - front to back after about 5,000

I don't like the idea of swapping tyres because it leads to the fact you will have to change the 4 tyres at the same time instead of only the 2 that are dead.

Another reason is that you should always wear good tyres at the back because you don't want those to loose grip.
(The loss of grip is easy to control when it comes from the front tyres : just release the gas pedal. The loss of grip of the rear tyres is more dangerous as your reflex will still to release the gas pedal then increasing the problem).

So the only moment you swap tyres is when you buy two new tyres when the front ones are dead : you put the back ones (used but not dead) on the front and put the new ones at back.

This "strategy" is for FWD only.

 

[Ziggy122]

I don't like the idea of swapping tyres because it leads to the fact you will have to change the 4 tyres at the same time instead of only the 2 that are dead.

Another reason is that you should always wear good tyres at the back because you don't want those to loose grip.
(The loss of grip is easy to control when it comes from the front tyres : just release the gas pedal. The loss of grip of the rear tyres is more dangerous as your reflex will still to release the gas pedal then increasing the problem).

So the only moment you swap tyres is when you buy two new tyres when the front ones are dead : you put the back ones (used but not dead) on the front and put the new ones at back.

This "strategy" is for FWD only.

Agree'd HANDS DOWN
Also say you loose hydraulic brakes - you've gotta rely on that trusty handbrake, handbrakes and good tyres will be better, less chance of a lock up when trying to stop


I fit new tyres ALWAYS to the Rear
Then when the fronts are worn, the rears go to the front and then the new tyres again sit on the rear

10K miles is acceptable from tyres
It depends on the compound - some tyres are soft and last little time
Espically if tracking isn't spot on, and if you drive like a div, and dont regulate the tyre pressures either

Ziggy

 

[Scudmonkey]

Agree'd HANDS DOWN
Also say you loose hydraulic brakes - you've gotta rely on that trusty handbrake, handbrakes and good tyres will be better, less chance of a lock up when trying to stop


I fit new tyres ALWAYS to the Rear
Then when the fronts are worn, the rears go to the front and then the new tyres again sit on the rear

10K miles is acceptable from tyres
It depends on the compound - some tyres are soft and last little time
Espically if tracking isn't spot on, and if you drive like a div, and dont regulate the tyre pressures either

Ziggy

Having had many FWD over the years i agree entirely about swapping the tyres...like i said the car came with Budget tyres on, and although grip was ok, it wasnt as good as decent tyres. Although the Accelera werent ditch finders, they did lose traction a few times on some of the roads i have to drive on, and TBH i wanted to swap them since i got the car, but thought i might as well get use of what was on it first. Funnily enough tho, I never had any issue with the Accelera under braking, even harsh braking. Thats one thing they were good at.
10K is acceptable from tyres, but decent ones you get more than that from...

 

[Ziggy122]

Other issue you get it tyre wall fatigue

had a family member who had new tyres on front and like 8+ year old tyres on rear

They were seriously cracked and fatigued
She went into a carpark (not going fast)
and just brush a kerb - BANG!

Tyre let go
Because the tyre wall had worn out and couldnt cope
if it was a new tyre, she'd of probably been fine

Ziggy