Tyres - Advice needed

I've become a bit disillusioned with my garage recently and have checked the tyre depths they've provided during my annual MOTs.

At my last service & MOT they advised I should have two new front tyres - the depths given were: 4.5.5. and 5.5.5.
Seems to me there's lots of life left in those....... They are Falken tyres fitting in June 2018 and had done around 12,000 to the latest MOT.

Falken tyres are (I think) budget tyres. In the past I've had Kumjo tyres which lasted between 30,000 and 13,000 miles!! The Falken tyres I'm now being recommended by the garage are £60 fitted.

I've looked up recommendations for tyres and have found Bridgestone Turanzo Eco for £68.47.

So I'm thinking I should go to a different garage - a tyre specialist - for all tyres and just get the servicing done by my usual garage and ask them to check the tracking at every service.

Any ideas/recommendations?

Just to add that driving here, the roads are full of pot holes. There are no long straight roads - apart from one - there is one dual carriageway (know as "The Motorway" which is less than half a mile long!!

Re: Tyres - Advice needed

I always replace my tyres with the manufacturers recommendation brand Lindy, the ones that came with the motor when it was new.
I consider the tyres to be the main safety feature of any vehicle. You wouldn't buy cheap walking shoes would you...And you don't go as fast as a car.....Do You?..
I've had over 50,000 miles out of a decent tyre.
False economy to buy cheap....

Re: Tyres - Advice needed

Thanks OGF. I phoned my local garage and asked which tyre would they recommend and was told the Falken tyres were premium grade and very suitable for that age of car!!! When I mentioned there was only an £8 difference between those and the Bridgestone tyres, he suggested I might get a few more miles from the Bridgestone!

I've just received my new digital tyre gauge and there's significant wear on the front tyres, but they're still legal, so I'm going to hang on for another couple of months then check them again. Thanks for your help (again).

Re: Tyres - Advice needed

OGF is right in saying that it's false economy to buy cheap tyres, hence the derogatory use of "ditchfinders" as a common name to describe them.

For the past good few years I've used Blackcircles to find tyres & they give a list of fitters nearby, all of which is included in the price.
My "regular" garage couldn't usually compete on price for tyres, probably the result of scale and that's why I buy elsewhere.

Talking of potholes though, everywhere seems the same nowadays, namely bally awful!
Which means no matter what tyres you buy, IMHO they don't last as long as usual because of the poor state of our roads.

As far as your own tyres go, personally I've found Bridgestone Turanza's suit the car I have now and TBH for under a tenner difference over Falkens that I personally have never found to be much good I wouldn't hesitate.


ETA
Having read your reply to OGF I would add that the Turanzas will most likely be better in the wet and more quiet that Falkens too.
There's a grading system for new tyres that will show you, if you can find exactly which tyres are being proposed of course.


https://www.blackcircles.com/

Re: Tyres - Advice needed

If you have a look at a site like blackcircles you can input your car reg and list tyres available for your car with ratings for grip, noise etc. Falken and Kumho are Korean makers I think and well regarded these days.


Snap(ish)

Re: Tyres - Advice needed

Thank you both for your replies. That website Blackcircles is excellent and recommends the Bridgestone Turanza.

I've just found the list of fitters. Does the website direct you a fitter when the tyres are purchased?

I'll certainly use that when I go ahead and buy new tyres.

Thanks very much!

Re: Tyres - Advice needed

No problem Lindy...

Re: Tyres - Advice needed

I have to declare an interest here as I worked directly in the tyre industry for over 30 years - all in the technical side of the industry too. I worked for Goodyear and, latterly for Firestone (Bridgestone/Firestone) Technical Center Europe based in Rome, Italy.

The first thing all motorists should do is regularly (once/month-ish) monitor the tyre pressures with an accurate gauge. Do NOT trust those on the garage airlines, they used to be notoriously inaccurate. Buy your own, preferably digital, pressure gauge as Lindy has already done. I still use the older style of stick gauge but it was checked against a standard pressure gauge and I know it is no more than 1psi out at 35psi so I compensate for this when inflating my cars tyres. Properly inflated tyres help with reducing your fuel consumption as well as braking and steering.

Secondly, find the Tread Wear Indicators that are moulded into the grooves of the treads. Their positions are usually marked on the upper sidewall of the tyres (Michelin, usefully, moulds a little Michelin man to indicate where they are). Take a 2p coin and place it edge on, on top of the TWI. If you can see the ring of dots just inside the outer circumference of the coin then CHANGE THE TYRE ASAP because you have less than the 1.6mm tread depth the law allows. In any case, I change my tyres at 2.5mm remaining tread depth in order to preserve wet braking distances.

Thirdly, if you find that your front tyres are wearing unevenly, get the tracking and suspension checked asap.

Fourth, never, ever use back street tyre places that sell cheap part worn tyres. The tyres could be killers!!!

Fifth, use a reputable tyre company like Black Circles (used them myself), Kwikfit (good for tyres and batteries but not much else), Hi-Q (Goodyear/Dunlop's trade outlet), Halfords, etc.

Re: Tyres - Advice needed

Yes indeed it does and usually it gives you the choice between a number of different fitters.

Re: Tyres - Advice needed

I have fitted all Falken tyres on one car as I am fed up paying out Continental prices and have not noticed any difference. Plus Falken are taking on the "Big Boys" in competition and quality. Otherwise, I use Michelin Primacy.
Tracking and Camber Angle, never let garages near the job unless it needs doing, just an add on bonus job for tyre fitters. Mine stay fine for years on factory settings and only play up if touched by garages.