Tiny Tyre advice

LupoLover

LupoLover

LupoLover

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Joined
15 Jul 2008
Posts
1,225
Ok guys always a good set of views in here on stuff like this.
Daily drive is a Polo Blue motion 2 with 165/70/14 tyres! Yeap that small! Any advice on what to change them too? Happy to go down to 60 or 65 profiles as that opens up more options. And should make it feel more planted.

http://www.camskill.co.uk/m4b0s396p...yres_-_14_inch_R14_inch_-_165_60_14_165_60R14

http://www.camskill.co.uk/m4b0s392p...yres_-_14_inch_R14_inch_-_165_65_14_165_65R14

http://www.camskill.co.uk/m4b0s386p...yres_-_14_inch_R14_inch_-_165_70_14_165_70R14
 
Im floating around this size.
Continental EcoContact 5 on the rear 165/70R14, but I wasnt happy with the effect on gearing and weight so went for 165/65R14 Michelin Energy Saver + for the front as they are a good 800g a tyre lighter than the conti aswell :D Kwik Fit fitted a pair for £104 all in.
 
Im not that sad about loosing 1 or 2mpg. I found running 195/45/15 on her increased my mpg as I could corner at the speed limit rather then having to brake all the time. Shes back on stock wheels now tho hence this thread. I need something half decent though as she slides around far too much with cheap 165 tyres on. Sh averages 73-78mpg every tank using a spread sheet method! Very happy.
 
Similar sized tyre on the mrs silly little 107 - put two conti eco contact's on the front for circa £60 fitted from Kwik fit of all places recently. It has them on from factory, perfectly good little tyre and really hard to argue with the money!
 
Liquidfox said:
Does it really make any noticeable difference? Surely what you've had for dinner and how hard the wind blows would make a much more noticeable change in economy?
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Wind definately. Weight... No, it's a hybrid anyway which is less mass sensitive than other cars. On my car, yes rolling resistance matters to a noticeable degree. As it opens up the envelope the car can run lean burn which jumps efficiency massively. None OEM tyres are worth 5mpg. It's more the lack of pep aswell of the tyre gets heavier.

At the size you have a massive range of good tyres at good prices. Can't really go wrong.
 
I have a similar tyre size on the Smart and have tried various brands from the Bridgestone B250s that Smart factory fit, the Continental EcoContacts and a couple of others. Wear wise the B250s are great, but they are horribly noisy and very hard, the Contis are marginally better. Amazingly I find the Kumho KH17s pretty good, I would never normally suggest what I class as a 'mid range' tyre over the usual brands. But they came on a second set of wheels I bought for the Smart (I have winters on my first set) and I was mighty impressed, braking seems similar to the Eco hard tyres, but they are far softer so the ride and noise is massively improved. I have put on ~20k on them and they seem to be lasting pretty well, not as well as the Bridgestones but well enough!

Incidentally I found my best economy was from the B250s which have an F rating! Wouldn't buy them again though due to their firmness!
 
unrealrocks said:
I have a similar tyre size on the Smart and have tried various brands from the Bridgestone B250s that Smart factory fit, the Continental EcoContacts and a couple of others. Wear wise the B250s are great, but they are horribly noisy and very hard, the Contis are marginally better. Amazingly I find the Kumho KH17s pretty good, I would never normally suggest what I class as a 'mid range' tyre over the usual brands. But they came on a second set of wheels I bought for the Smart (I have winters on my first set) and I was mighty impressed, braking seems similar to the Eco hard tyres, but they are far softer so the ride and noise is massively improved. I have put on ~20k on them and they seem to be lasting pretty well, not as well as the Bridgestones but well enough!

Incidentally I found my best economy was from the B250s which have an F rating! Wouldn't buy them again though due to their firmness!
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This is very interesting as I'm currently looking to replace front and back tyres on my partner's Smart Fortwo. Specifically 175/55 R15 and 195/50 R15.

For the rears I was looking at either the Conti Eco Contact 5 or Goodyear Efficientgrip (both A-C on fuel and wet use). What's the longevity of the Ecto Contacts like on a Smart?

For the fronts probably Pirelli P1 Cinturato Verde. I can also find the B250's you liked unrealrocks, but as Jonnycoupe was saying, they have an F rating for fuel economy :eek: Are the ratings that unreliable??

She's mostly chewing up about 65 miles/day of motorway if it makes a difference.
 
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