national tyre offer

This is the Forum for all your Citroen Technical Questions, Problems or Advice.

Moderator: RichardW

tomsheppard
Posts: 1801
Joined: 19 Dec 2002, 14:46
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:

Post by tomsheppard »

Michelins for a BX are about £50 a corner. Rarely. Money well spent in my opinion. If the budget really is that tight, I'd go for Falken but it is all a matter of how you drive.
leonard1
Posts: 26
Joined: 08 Nov 2004, 18:17
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:

Post by leonard1 »

I've been recommened E-tyres.com for discount tyres.
My Ax has a combination of Ceats and some other which is fine as car not used that much, while my Saxo has Avons which are great.
pete_wood_uk
Posts: 180
Joined: 22 Apr 2004, 13:08
Location: Cambs, United Kingdom
My Cars:

Post by pete_wood_uk »

I'd happily recommend etyres.co.uk (which may be whom you meant, there is no e-tyres.com, at least not today from my desk) - they turned up when they said they would and supplied what they said they would.
It's not entirely fair to write off tyre brands in general. For example, after years of Michelin Energys (MXV3A, XH1, EA3, courtesy of contract hire companies) I'd have happily subscribed to the theory that "Michelins are expensive rock-hard crap". And then I bought a Xantia with a pair of Michelin Pilot Primacys on it - a revelation, so much so that I rapidly put a pair on the other end as well, to replace the Enerygys. It depends on whether you want grip or mileage. My other Xantia wears Goodyear NCT5 and loves 'em, though it doesn't look like they're wearing too well :-).
Cheers
Pete
User avatar
Kowalski
Posts: 2557
Joined: 15 Oct 2003, 17:41
Location: North East, United Kingdom
My Cars: Ex 05 C5 2.0 HDI Exclusive 145k
Ex 97 Xantia 1.9TD SX 144k
Ex 94 Xantia Dimension 1.9TD 199k

Post by Kowalski »

Just to be different, I put some Uniroyal Ralley 550s on the rear of my Xantia. My thinking behind this was that I've got plenty of grip on the dry but rarely enough in the wet, I get wheelspin and the ABS
working without driving hard in the wet, but it takes effort in the dry. I've sacrificed a little dry grip to get good wet weather grip. Rolling resistance came in to it too, I wanted tyres that won't consume excessive fuel, and the Uniroyals fit the bill according to the reviews I've seen.
Wookey
(Donor 2019)
Posts: 255
Joined: 28 Dec 2004, 08:43
Location: Cambridge, United Kingdom
My Cars: Peugeot Expert 1.9D (Camper conversion) (2003-now)
x 12
Contact:

Post by Wookey »

As pete says - tyres have to trade off wear rate against grip against cost. I drive like a complete flat cap and want maximum efficiency for minimum cost - grip is unimportant, beyond basic functionality. I don't care at all if I have to spend more up front for better overall cost. But I've found it impossible to get any useful figures for comparison except for a few expensive brands that make a point of it (e.g. michelin).
So the question is, are there any cheaper tyres which are formulated for long life/efficiency?
I've generally had remoulds or whatever was cheapest for the least 20 years. No complaints, but I would like to maximise efficiency if possible. Now that etyres exists you can actually get some choice at the low end (until then you tended to get whatever the tyre place had in stock). I used etyres last time and it worked fine.
Do I understand from the above that the way tyre places always give youa new valve every time is just them making money - I don't really need one (it did seem odd that they would wear out every time). Or is it just that you might as well spend the quid and change them every time because if one goes duff it anoying and relatively expensive (taking the tyre on and off seems to cost at least a fiver).
stubbsy
Posts: 54
Joined: 02 Feb 2005, 22:57
Location:
My Cars:

Post by stubbsy »

ive bin useing yokahama 195/55/15 (i think they are A509s ,not sure need to check) ive got over a full year out of these,WITH BOOST ON ALL THE TIME.yoks always had the reputation of being a very soft tyre,and crap in the wet..but these babies are the dogs!even the wifes td escort has got a year out of them(same size) and escort diesels dont wear front tyres very well!!!im getting them for £36 a corner.(honestly).just about due a front set now.not bad for about 14months HARD driving.will check 2morrow for type.
ghostrider
Posts: 360
Joined: 05 Jan 2002, 01:10
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:
Contact:

Post by ghostrider »

I'd go with the views on Yokahamas, I had a set on my BX 17TZD (195/60s on alloys off a zx I think) and I have to say that it was the best handling BX I have ever owned, they were quiet, wet grip was great, and they lasted for something like 40K on the front, backs never seemed to wear at all. I expected them to be dubious in the wet, as an ex motorcyclist I experienced more uncalled for adrenalin rushes with bridgestones than your average pair of brown trousers can support [:D] [:D] [:D] [:D] [:D] [:D] [:D] [:D]
Pete
________
Strain Index
Last edited by ghostrider on 22 Feb 2011, 05:58, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Kowalski
Posts: 2557
Joined: 15 Oct 2003, 17:41
Location: North East, United Kingdom
My Cars: Ex 05 C5 2.0 HDI Exclusive 145k
Ex 97 Xantia 1.9TD SX 144k
Ex 94 Xantia Dimension 1.9TD 199k

Post by Kowalski »

A year isn't a good life for tyres.
My Xantia had the original tyres on the rear when I bought it, that was at 55k miles. I put them on the front, so they'd wear faster (being the oldest tyres on the car) and they lasted until 78k miles or 7 years. Is 78k miles from a set of tyres a record?
citroennut
Posts: 41
Joined: 05 Feb 2005, 01:05
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:

Post by citroennut »

hi kowalski,
don't know whether 78k for tyres is a record but 7 years is really pushing it, 5-6yrs max is really the limit. the tyres start breaking up internally after that length of time, once had a pair of 6yr old tyres, looked perfect, neighbour told me i had a flat after i got home and had a cuppa, went and looked and thought i had driven over a patch of wire until i realised it was the casing coming out!! only been doing 70 well - ish, frightening to think what could have happened, by the way checked the other which wasn't flat and wires were beginning to poke out. better be safe than sorry in future.
cheers
User avatar
Kowalski
Posts: 2557
Joined: 15 Oct 2003, 17:41
Location: North East, United Kingdom
My Cars: Ex 05 C5 2.0 HDI Exclusive 145k
Ex 97 Xantia 1.9TD SX 144k
Ex 94 Xantia Dimension 1.9TD 199k

Post by Kowalski »

Tyres don't decay purely with age, they decay because of exposure to UV light, this is what produces surface crazing. Rubber is a very long lasting material if you keep it out of sunlight. Car tyres can be manufactured incorrectly, they can be damaged when they are installed. They can be physically damaged when they are driven into / onto something, they can be damaged by underinflation or overloading. There are many ways to shorten a tyres life. Having the cords come out of a tyre or the casing disintegrate is usually a sign that the tyre has been mis-manufactured, damaged or abused.
The two 7 year old tyres had surface crazing but no deep cracks or other problems, the spare tyre is the same sort of tyre, has never been used, still has the sticker on the tread and looks like a new tyre i.e. no discoloration.
I've seen tyres much older than 7 years, still in perfectly servicable condition. My Dad has a tractor and trailer with tyres on that are at least 15 years old. I can't say for certain what age they are they weren't bought new 15 years ago but they are in good condition.
citroennut
Posts: 41
Joined: 05 Feb 2005, 01:05
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:

Post by citroennut »

i appreciate the above comments, the tyres in question were on a caravan which was used regularly and the caravan club will tell you that tyres will start to deteriorate after six years. this is due usually to uv deterioration, or alternatively if the caravan is not used regularly, to jack up 'van and cover wheels to stop light reaching them. the tyres were of good make, always at the correct pressure and never abused. the michelan and pirelli tyres on my '50 traction (now dead!) were from '69 and visibly in very good condition but i wouldn't have trusted them!
martyhopkirk

Post by martyhopkirk »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by citroennut</i>

ior alternatively if the caravan is not used regularly, to jack up 'van and cover wheels to stop light reaching them. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
I still jack the 'van up and cover them with sacking every winter. Surprised not many other people do that - used to be a very common thing to do.
NiSk
Posts: 1422
Joined: 24 Jan 2002, 20:11
Location: Sweden
My Cars:
x 1

Post by NiSk »

I got a puncture on my trailer the other day - took the wheel off and took it into the local tyre shop - it turns out the tyre is a LEAST 20 years old! and the one on the other side is the same make and age. Admitidly they are reinforced commercial tyres (7.00 x 15 C) but they often pull a full load (1500Kg divided by two). They show no sign of untoward damage either. (either inside or out)
//NiSk
drpau
Posts: 330
Joined: 05 Oct 2004, 16:43
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:

Post by drpau »

Well, in the end I decided to go for the Avon ZV3's ( I think that was the name), they had conveniently ran out of the barum tyres. Ended up costing £82 total, they are 40quid a throw on mytyres.co.uk and I still would have had to get them fitted, and balanceed so not too bad.

When I said i would leave it after he told me they had no Barums in he started going on about speed ratings and how with the Barums (which were T rated) I wouldnt be insured properly anyway as the tyres on my car were H rated. What a load of bully. Ive checked on the web and T rated takes you up to 118mph- I certainly never reach those speeds in the HDi so if they had them in stock they would have been fine.
Once they get you in the door they try and sell you everything but thats what the offer is for i suppose.
Cheers
Paul
Mosser
Posts: 448
Joined: 21 Jun 2004, 01:52
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:

Post by Mosser »

They do an H rated Barum, i know because i got 4 of them fitted yesterday, first thing i noticed after having them fitted is how quiet my car has suddenly become, they seem like decent tyres to me, and for £100 for 4 you cant complain !
Post Reply