Tyres <£100 Each

[iceland_potter]

Hi all,

I need 2 new tyres (205/45/17 W) for my Gen 7 140, I've heard some good things about Falken tyres on here, they're weighing in at £68/tyre at a place local to me, but they also do Toyo Proxes for £89.

What do you recommend please? The tyre place who just quoted me said Falkens will last longer but toyos will give better grip as they use a softer compound.

[Fidgits]

Tyres are the most important piece of your car.

they connect your car to the ground, and while 'handling' is nice to have - think about simple things like braking - good tyres can save your life.

[iceland_potter]

Tyres are the most important piece of your car.

they connect your car to the ground, and while 'handling' is nice to have - think about simple things like braking - good tyres can save your life.

Any kind you recommend for my 205/45/17s then please Fidgits?

I didn't think <£100 was being too cheapskate on tyres though considering there are some budgets around for ~£40!

[Fidgits]

it depends on your car - your location and your driving style.

If you want long life, I'd reccomend Pirelli's - they do last a reasonable distance and can be good for most weathers.

Dunlop can be good (depending on the model), but tend to suffer in wet weather.

Toyo's are probably the best 'budget' tyre.

I currently have bridgestones on my car, i'm not that impressed in the dry, but bad weather they are amazing - I was on an autobahn in torrential rain at a speed that even the PZero's would've fallen over and put me in the dirt and apart from the odd aquaplaning they went really sticky..

[iceland_potter]

it depends on your car - your location and your driving style.

If you want long life, I'd reccomend Pirelli's - they do last a reasonable distance and can be good for most weathers.

Dunlop can be good (depending on the model), but tend to suffer in wet weather.

Toyo's are probably the best 'budget' tyre.

I currently have bridgestones on my car, i'm not that impressed in the dry, but bad weather they are amazing - I was on an autobahn in torrential rain at a speed that even the PZero's would've fallen over and put me in the dirt and apart from the odd aquaplaning they went really sticky..

So you'd choose Toyo T1R's for grip over Falkens ?

[Fidgits]

yes.

[iceland_potter]

Thanks.

do you have any idea how much difference there is likely to be in longetivity between the Toyos and the Falkens in terms of miles at all?

[Fidgits]

It will depend on how you drive.

Take it easy on them and the Toyo's should last a fair amount of time - screech around roundabouts and you'll wear them down very quickly.

[iceland_potter]

Suppose if I get the Toyos I can do a bit of both, and being able to go round corners feeling a little safer.

thank you for your help.

[Scarlett Arrow]

I'd recommend the T1R's too. Best price I've found online is always camskill, their delivery times are pretty rapid too. BTW, an alternative to the 205/45/17 is 215/45/17, they're sometimes cheaper as it's a more common size. I'd also recommend fitting the new Tyres on the REAR of your Gen 7.

[iceland_potter]

I'd also recommend fitting the new Tyres on the REAR of your Gen 7.

How come? funnily enough my boss said that he was advised to do that on his Mondeo.

Also - will 215's fit a 205 45 17 wheel though?

[Scarlett Arrow]

Why the back?, the answer is a little complicated so I suggest you check out michelin.co.uk. Click on "Tyre usage" on the bottom of the page...all will be explained.

215/45/17 will fit fine, they will also give your alloys a little more protection from kerbing. I'm currently running 205's on the front and 215's on the rear.

[edwardio]

You're meant to put new tyres or the back wheels of your car because, it's the rear of the car that normally gives way should you take a corner too quickly etc. So the better amount of tread you have on your rear tyres the better.

As for which tyres too choose, I've never had Toyo's. Pirelli's I found where rubbish for the money. I've had Ventus which are ok and I've had/got Falken's. Out of those tyres I've used, I'd take Falkens again any time.

At the end of the day choose which ever tyres you feel comfortable getting for your budget. If you got a cheap tyre you know you can't push it too much. If you get a mid-range tyre, you know you can have some fun and know when to stop pushing them. If you get an expensive tyre, you'd expect to be able to really push them! Though I'd keep that style of driving to the track, so for the driving I'm happy doing on the road I'll stick to mid-range tyres. It's up to you though at the end of the day.

[Fidgits]

You're meant to put new tyres or the back wheels of your car because, it's the rear of the car that normally gives way should you take a corner too quickly etc. So the better amount of tread you have on your rear tyres the better.

Your talking nonsense there.

Though, in his defence - he's close, just wrong.

You should always have the 'best' tyres on the driven wheels - so in the case of your celica - the front.

The rear of the car 'giving away' (known as oversteer) can happen in Front wheel drive cars - but is generally caused by whats called 'lift off oversteer' - where you enter a corner too fast and lift off the throttle, or worse, brake. This transfers the weight away from the rear of the car, and couple with strong lateral forces will mean the rear tyres lose grip. This has very little to do with the tread depth of the tyre - though of course, bald tyres can make this more likely.

However, in a front wheel drive car - understeer (the front giving away!) is much more common - and generaly caused by excessive control usage (steering and/or throttle), and you always want the best tyres on the front, simply because these tyres are having to put the power down and steer - the rear tyres are there simply to stop the boot dragging on the floor and making a mess..

[edwardio]

I got that information from a tyre suppliers as well as reading a poster while there issues by Michelin explaining it.

Here's a link that talks about it. They recommend new or less worn tyres on the rear.

http://www.michelin.co.uk/uk/auto/auto_cons_bib_pqr_neuf.jsp

[edwardio]

You could check out this site. http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/

It rates all the different tyres on the following: Dry, Wet, Road feedback, Progressiveness, Wear, Comfort & Buy again. You can check via brand on by car make to see which ones are best to buy.

[Fidgits]

I got that information from a tyre suppliers as well as reading a poster while there issues by Michelin explaining it.

Here's a link that talks about it. They recommend new or less worn tyres on the rear.

http://www.michelin.co.uk/uk/auto/auto_cons_bib_pqr_neuf.jsp

My god...

How can michelin put its name to something thats so obviously utter nonsense!

'even in front wheel drive cars the front wheels are easier to control' - thats rediculous!!!

You have no 'control' over the rear tyres in a FWD car, they are a fixed entity that are only effected by lateral forces...

Trust me when i say, in a FWD car, you want the newer tyres on the front - you really do.

[T600]

Sorry, but I disagree Fidgits.

If you lose control of the rear of any car - whether it be front, rear or four wheel drive, you have relatively little chance of recovering it, especially if it has poor tread, or has suffered a blow out.

Recovery of the front is relatively easy and more instinctive.

Consequently, it's much more important to be assured of grip on the rear wheels, whichever ones happen to be driven.

[Fidgits]

nah, completley disagree there T600..

I've done enough skid pans to know in a FWD car when the back goes its very easy to catch if you know what your doing up front..

Though I do agree that in mid engined, rear wheel drive cars specifically the rear tyres do need the best tyres due to the snap oversteer - but even then, once its gone, only the recovery of the attitude of the car and the velocity (lateral) will allow them to grip again.

I still stand by the fact, you want the best tyres on the driven wheels...

[T600]

We'll probably have to agree to disagree.

Though I will concede that a more experienced driver, especially one who has track or other off road experience such as the skid pan, may well know how to overcome such problems, and may be better off with the better tyres on the front of an FWD. But the average motorist (if such a beast exists) will usually do the wrong thing when the rear wheels loose grip, and therefore are better of with the new wheels on the rear.

Completely agree with regard to the mid-engined scenario, but unfortunately these are often the very cars where you often cannot swap fronts and rears.

Eyes lowish tread old rear tyres and pristine fronts on MR2

Re the original question - I have Toyo T1Rs on the front of the MR2 and I like them a lot. But can't really comment on their wet weather performance as I rarely drive it in wet weather unless I have to, and take extreme care in those conditions for obvious reasons.

[Fidgits]

Though - you have to admit - an inexperienced driver is much more likely to lose grip on the front end of a FWD car?

You need to know what your doing, or be pretty stupid to get oversteer in a FWD car - and lets face it - if someone takes a tight bend too fast and stomps on the brakes, the back's going regardless of the rubber on the end...

Though accepted, that scenario in the wet the better tyres on the rear would be safer - assuming the driver didn't get plough-on understeer or aquaplane the front tyres ;)

i think we'll just agree to disagree on this one mate...

[T600]

i think we'll just agree to disagree on this one mate...

Agreed :D

[edwardio]

Until I read about/told about new tyres on the rear, I always asked for the tyres to go on the front for better grip. So I've done so more digging and below is a handful of site that all agree, that new tyres are to go on the rear.

http://www.etyres.co.uk/flashmovies/new-ty...rear-etyres.htm

http://www.celtictyres.co.uk/front-rear.php

http://www.klebertyres.co.uk/KleberUK/fron...e=8032005184616

http://www.twtyres.com/pdf_files/newtyres.pdf

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/tec...e.jsp?techid=52

[Fidgits]

I've just had a nosey in my owners manual (because I recall reading it)...

and even though its 4WD (audi S3) - it says that if you replace only 2 tyres - you should always ensure the newer tyre is on the front...

So, perhaps this is a new school of thought? Though im still not convinced..

[edwardio]

It is something that's come around in the last 3 years I think, but I'm sure the big companies has done the testing to document it.