Tempted by cheap tyres?
Many thanks to The Insider for this article on the
perils of opting for cheap tyres...
Do cheap tyres represent good value?
Pretty much everybody hates buying tyres. Frankly, they're
all black and round and cost way too much money right?
To get them fitted, you've usually go into an unwelcoming
tyre store, face a surly branch manager who's sole purpose
in life seems to be to point out how much you don't
know about your car and its tyres and to cap it all,
you have to take out a second mortgage in order to pay
for the damn things.
So the whole objective is to spend as little as possible,
get your cheap tyres, get legal and get the hell out
of there.
That might not be the best way to go about it though.
Just because a tyre is cheap, doesn't mean it represents
the best value for money. I've produced a short guide
to the type of tyres you could buy, that will illustrate
this point.
You have a myriad of brands and options to choose from.
Firstly, you could pick a part worn tyre. That's one
that has been taken off another vehicle while it still
has legal tread on it. At the risk of losing my objectivity
here, I really wouldn't recommend it. You don't know
where it's been! You wouldn't put your child in a used
car seat, so why take that sort of risk with the only
thing on your vehicle actually touching the road?
Alternatively, there is the option of a remould tyre.
It's a tyre casing that basically has had a new tread
fixed to it. The advantage is that they are cheap. But
you get what you pay for, most tyre tests reveal they
don't perform at the level of a new tyre, either in
wet or dry.
New tyres can be segmented into three categories, you've
got economy or budget tyres, usually it's a brand you
don't know, or sometimes an "own brand" tyre, (meaning
it's exclusive to that tyre store, that way if you want
to match up the set at a later date, you've got to go
back). These are the type, most people think of as cheap
tyres. And usually they are, problem is they don't last
as long as a branded tyre, nor do they stop you as quickly
as a better known tyre such as a Pirelli or Michelin
would. However, if you're just about to put your vehicle
into Auto Trader, then it's not a bad idea to get cheap
new tyres on there, as it will help increase the value
you get for it. One thing to definetely watch out for
with cheap budget tyres is that some aren't actually
manufactured with 8mm of rubber....so obviously they
won't last as long!
There are mid range tyres brands like Toyo or Hankook
which whilst not representing the cutting edge of tyre
development offer a good product at a reasonable price.
Hankook in particular make a product that generally
performs well in tyre tests.
Finally, you could pick a premium brand like Pirelli
or Goodyear. They cost a little more usually but you
should get excellent wet and dry performance, along
with a longer lasting tyre. Generally, a premium tyre
will perform better for longer and thus represents better
value for money than a budget tyre that will wear faster
and increase your aquaplaning risk.
It's worth noting that you should never be tempted not
to fit new tyres. In the UK, four illegal tyres could
cost you up to 10k and 12 points on your license, that's
a pretty big hit to take!
To sum up, my advice would be that it's better to spend
a little time looking for a good deal on a premium tyre
than going straight away for a cheap "economy" product.
At the end of the day, paying that little bit extra
gets you a tyre that's likely to give you up to another
5000 miles and at the same time deliver a safer, quieter
and smoother ride.
The Insider is back with more tips from the popular
consumer advice site http://www.tyrereview.co.uk
As ever, he won't reveal his identity as he's a prominent
member of the tyre community.
If you found this article on cheap tyres useful, check
out our other articles, resources and news items on
all aspects of tyres and tyre maintenance.
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