Daft Q Time: Budget Tires?

Can't type for toffee
Don
Joined
14 Jun 2004
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Location
Newcastle U/T
This i my first car so expect daft questions from time to time.
Tread on this one is pretty much shot now was flagged on MOT also so need a replacement.

For some reason the last owner replaced 3 but not the 4th one.
Im assuming the ones on there atm are budget poo, Triangle Talon ?
The one Im replacing is a Michelin Energy, looks well hammered :(
local place has advised £40 fitted and balanced on a firestone, that sound right or expensive?

At the lower budget am I better looking at a part worn with a decent amount of tread left? whats a decent amount?

Size is a 195/60 r15

All help appreciated :) /i honestly dont have a clue what Im looking at.
Cars a 2l diesel focus 53plate if that makes any difference.
 
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Just buy a pair of whatever they have got on special offer (new branded) dont go and buy used tyres.

That will get rid of the ****ed tyre and one of the rubbish ones.
 
Keep to the main brands (Avon, Bridgestone, Goodyear, Michelin etc - basically nothing Chinese!) and go for a mid range tyre from them. Best to change both ones on the same axle.


It makes a bit of difference, seeing as a 2 litre MK1/1.5 Focus diesel doesn't exist?

Was that really needed?
 
Keep to the main brands (Avon, Bridgestone, Goodyear, Michelin etc - basically nothing Chinese!) and go for a mid range tyre from them. Best to change both ones on the same axle.
Was that really needed?

K mate thanks, will look at replacing both.
And I had hoped my initial post would avoid posts like that from the "high and mighty" on here ;)
Only reason I put that there is I saw a bunch of posts along the lines of
might help if we know wtf it was going on

But yes its a 1.8 sorry just woken up :P
Wasnt far off with my post reply guess tho lol

Just buy a pair of whatever they have got on special offer (new branded) dont go and buy used tyres.

That will get rid of the ****ed tyre and one of the rubbish ones.


lol so they are junk then ?
 
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Yea Triangle are rubbish, as someone said above just buy 2 decent branded tyres.
 
I had triangle talons on my car briefly, they were rubbish verging on dangerous. I'd replace all 4 with a branded set.
 
Triangle Talons are THE worst tyres I've ever experienced, my old Vectra was shod with a new set, grip was attrocious in all conditions.
 
This i my first car so expect daft questions from time to time.
Tread on this one is pretty much shot now was flagged on MOT also so need a replacement.

For some reason the last owner replaced 3 but not the 4th one.
Im assuming the ones on there atm are budget poo, Triangle Talon ?
The one Im replacing is a Michelin Energy, looks well hammered :(
local place has advised £40 fitted and balanced on a firestone, that sound right or expensive?

At the lower budget am I better looking at a part worn with a decent amount of tread left? whats a decent amount?

Size is a 195/60 r15

All help appreciated :) /i honestly dont have a clue what Im looking at.
Cars a 2l diesel focus 53plate if that makes any difference.

Do not get budget tyres unless you absolutely cannot afford to get better ones.

I bought some budget 16" on my Astra Sri for the front replacements earlier this year and in the dry they are ok but in the wet they may as well be slicks to the point I can't get round an average roundabout without underteering and loosing traction even at normal speeds. This is not even an exaggeration they are seriously that bad in the wet.

The other day when it was raining and roads were pretty slippy, I has the TC control light come on and the front end go loose on the dual carriageway during my 2 to 3rd gear shift. This is on a lowly 123 bhp Astra MK4 so it shows how bad the tyres are. Performance under braking is ok in the dry and debatable in the wet.

If I could afford to replace I would. I have had budgets and mid range before which have been ok and much better than I have at the moment.

#edited as I fail
 
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Go for the cheapest tyres of a known brand with positiv reviews, though look into what's available, as some of these are shocking too. Check blackcircles for what's available in your size.
 
Cheap but OK tyres:-

Falken 452 or 912
Toyo T1R
Hankook S1 EVO or V12 EVO
Kumho KU whatever it is

The above are all OK tyres and a damnsite better than some linglong ditch finders and probably not a whole lot more cash.
 
Those Falken 912 have become the tyre of choice of older Jag drivers sick of Pirelli P6000's, iv seen a lot of praise for them.
 
Get shot of them all. Tyres are far too important to take chances with, even more so as winter is coming up.
 
I bought some budget 16" on my Astra Sri for the front replacements earlier this year and in the dry they are ok but in the wet they may as well be slicks to the point I can't get round an average roundabout without over steering and loosing traction even at normal speeds. This is not even an exaggeration they are seriously that bad in the wet.

You mean understeering... right?
 
Get shot of them all. Tyres are far too important to take chances with, even more so as winter is coming up.

I can see the point somewhat, but I never agree fully on this.

Yes tyres are important, but what about brakes? There's no point in the OP spending all his available cash on 4 new tyres, when he has 3 nearly new ones already, and not replacing at least his brake pads all round!

Granted, brakes wont help you through cornering but I think a sensible balance should be struck somewhere.

It's a 1.8TDi with ~90BHP, make sure the tyres on the front axle match, and have mismatched rear tyres if you're really short on cash. Otherwise, if you get 2 'better' tyres put them on the front, and leave the Triangle's on the back. IMO.
 
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