General Tyres - thoughts please

[Muz R]

I have just bought a 2009 1.4 Sport and the last MOT advisory from November shows one tyre is at the limit and all four are showing signs of cracking.

I was aware of this when I bought the car and as it’s only going to be used for local low speed trips I was going to leave it a bit, but I am old school about tyres and am investigating changing them.

I am quite surprised by the prices as I thought they’d be quite cheap, which they’re not unless I go for what are probably “ditch finders”, so some advice please.

I have fitted Michelins to my cars for years but I am not paying around £117 fitted for tyres on this car! It seems that Taurus are highly rated and about £65 fitted. I think that they are connected to Michelin so I am leaning towards buying them.

Anyone on here have experience on them?

Thanks

 

[Muz R]

In spite of people here rubbishing Taurus, I have some on our Seat and they are OK on that car. The comments on here concerned me so I took the car out on wet roads and hammered it and the brakes including on corners and it is indeed as the very least safe. Not is good as genuine Michelins but far from awful. I would buy again.

I have plumped for all weather Kumhos. As my 500 is a second car for local trips to the shops and town and taking the dog for a walk and will not venture anywhere near a motorway I refuse to pay what I would need to to put Michelins on it! The advice on here has been interesting and it was because the Kumhos are all weather that swung me against Taurus, who do have very good reviews.

 

[John202020]

I've use Kumho in the past on the 500 and the Mazda, used in every type of driving never let me down and are generally quiet the only thing I noticed was the wear rate was "quite high"

 

[chris3234]

Definitely a good budget choice in kumhos better then many cheep tyres and perfectly safe even if not quite as good as the high end brands

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Definitely a good budget choice in kumhos better then many cheep tyres and perfectly safe even if not quite as good as the high end brands

...and a better choice than the premiums c4 months a year because AS tyres perform better than premium summers in cold conditions.

 

[Derbyfella]

That just for example of price

An it's not black circle's that have put the price up it's everyone

got some michelin energy saver+ last year for the mrs 500c for £50 each (not fitted). they are more than that now.......Not sure how though have my suspicion, one split across the tire wall last week apparently in a pot hole.... although closer inspection reveals that half the imprinted stuff on the side had rubbed off (probably on a kerb somewhere).
this has meant moving a continental off the new project on to the 500c.....

Need to sort out the alloys i need to refurb

 

[DaveMcT]

I had a set of General Tyre sports boots on the Panda 100HP. Good grip, minimal road noise for a good price. Sadly, they are no longer made as they were better than Continental brand tyres and they own the General Brand. I have no idea what's on now but they are round and black and I've not spun the car yet.

 

[The Panda Nut]

I have plumped for all weather Kumhos. As my 500 is a second car for local trips to the shops and town and taking the dog for a walk and will not venture anywhere near a motorway I refuse to pay what I would need to to put Michelins on it! The advice on here has been interesting and it was because the Kumhos are all weather that swung me against Taurus, who do have very good reviews.

Kuhmo is a big step up from Taurus without a doubt and were used by Smart as original fit tyres. Worth a few extra pounds as they compete with main stream makes. MY Smart car was faultless on Kuhmos in all conditions..

 

[Jodsclass]

Kuhmo is a big step up from Taurus without a doubt and were used by Smart as original fit tyres. Worth a few extra pounds as they compete with main stream makes. MY Smart car was faultless on Kuhmos in all conditions..

Thanks for that. I’ve tried & failed to find a specialist in my neck of the woods. Just can't find any. You seem to have much more sensible quotes than the local ones in Cornwall. I had the panda done a few years ago for £280 so can't understand such a massive increase.

 

[MN500]

I'm in, or very soon to be in, a similar position - needing new tyres for the 500, same size at 185/55r15. I too am shocked at the prices. In the past I've always gone premium but will be upset at losing circa £450 on a full set.

The original Bridgestones have worn out very quickly in my opinion, in comparison the current Michelins on my Seat (that I got for a bargain £265 for four 225/45r17 from Costco in their Black Friday deal back in 2020) have done double the mileage and still have more tread than the 500. I wasn't impressed with the original Bridgestone on the Seat neither, they suffered from bad sidewall cracking within 3yrs and was glad to get rid.

I'll probably go with Michelin, expensive but sometimes you get what you pay for, they last well in my experience so pence per mile still come out competitive.

 

[vexorg]

185/55/R15

I was the same, same sized tyre, and surprised most decent tyres were about £100 each.

 

[Muz R]

I'm in, or very soon to be in, a similar position - needing new tyres for the 500, same size at 185/55r15. I too am shocked at the prices. In the past I've always gone premium but will be upset at losing circa £450 on a full set.

The original Bridgestones have worn out very quickly in my opinion, in comparison the current Michelins on my Seat (that I got for a bargain £265 for four 225/45r17 from Costco in their Black Friday deal back in 2020) have done double the mileage and still have more tread than the 500. I wasn't impressed with the original Bridgestone on the Seat neither, they suffered from bad sidewall cracking within 3yrs and was glad to get rid.

I'll probably go with Michelin, expensive but sometimes you get what you pay for, they last well in my experience so pence per mile still come out competitive.

I doubt I’ll do the mileage in my 500 to warrant worrying about wear, more likely to reach 10 years and tyres cracking (and still be alive ) which is what happened on my Alfa GTV TS with loads of tread left. Michelins would be a no brainer if I was going to do high mileage. The 500 is going to be a local drives only car. He says…… with a trip from Worthing to Southampton and back next week for a cam belt change

 

[Piccolo Nero e Bella]

Likewise. My car's tyres are approaching the point, after ten years, where I'm going to have to replace them. They're the original fitment Potenza's and grip isn't what it was in the wet. I'd rather get something that grips and stops well than invest in long life...

 

[The Panda Nut]

I'm in, or very soon to be in, a similar position - needing new tyres for the 500, same size at 185/55r15. I too am shocked at the prices. In the past I've always gone premium but will be upset at losing circa £450 on a full set.

The original Bridgestones have worn out very quickly in my opinion, in comparison the current Michelins on my Seat (that I got for a bargain £265 for four 225/45r17 from Costco in their Black Friday deal back in 2020) have done double the mileage and still have more tread than the 500. I wasn't impressed with the original Bridgestone on the Seat neither, they suffered from bad sidewall cracking within 3yrs and was glad to get rid.

I'll probably go with Michelin, expensive but sometimes you get what you pay for, they last well in my experience so pence per mile still come out competitive.

I agree with tyres this seems to be the case. Check the date code on any new tyres at time of purchase. The good retailers wont sell tyres older than 6 months. Older tyres may well be sold by small and back street garages so dont get caught. Ive had mixed experience with Bridgestones. On the Micra we had they were awful, ditto on a Gold GTD, but successful on my company Vectra 65K front miles and 80K on the rear, OK on our Leon too. Continental are superb for grip and handling but not so good on wear. Michelin have been up there for the last 25 years. Before that they were diabolical.

 

[TrevC]

Kuhmos should be fine - never used them but I believe they are mid range rather than budget. I've had Falken, Nexen and Yokohama on various cars, all have been good. Since the "Beast from the East" a few years back Michelin Cross-Climates have been my tyre of choice. They perform superbly on the rare occasions we have snow, and are very good in summer too. Wear rate is also very low. Pricey though, I'd only put them on our primary car.

 

[Muz R]

Kuhmos should be fine - never used them but I believe they are mid range rather than budget. I've had Falken, Nexen and Yokohama on various cars, all have been good. Since the "Beast from the East" a few years back Michelin Cross-Climates have been my tyre of choice. They perform superbly on the rare occasions we have snow, and are very good in summer too. Wear rate is also very low. Pricey though, I'd only put them on our primary car.

Fitted today, before they went on I thought “bloody hell I’ve bought tractor tyres”

They are quieter than I thought they’d be which is nice. Running them in obviously but I think I’ll be happy with them, I am not doing a track day in them so I do not need performance tyres! I have an Alfa Giulia for being a hooligan in

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Check back in and update after you've run them for a while.