[Fryzie i30 SR]

Just curious on what you would do. My tyres are very warn and I need new ones fairly soon. I've researched a lot but just not sure on what direction to go in. I still have my spare Hankook OPTIMO K415H which would be a shame to go to waste. But at the same time It would be nice to experience a different tyre to see the difference.

The alternatives I like are Potenza RE002 and Pilot Sport 3 (both performance tyres) and cost would be around $1000 AUD for 4 new tyres. Or alternately I can just get 3 x new Hankook OPTIMO K415H for around $600 and get the brand new spare put on at the same. Then I can keep the best 'used' tyre as my spare for an emergency.

What would you do?

[AlanHo]

If you are concerned about excessive road noise with the 17" rims - see my thread of a few months ago

https://www.i30ownersclub.com/forum/index.php?topic=8315.msg98496#msg98496

If noise does not bother you - I would go the less expensive route and stay with the same tyres.

[asathorny]

If you are concerned about excessive road noise with the 17" rims - see my thread of a few months ago

https://www.i30ownersclub.com/forum/index.php?topic=8315.msg98496#msg98496

If noise does not bother you - I would go the less expensive route and stay with the same tyres.

Me too, go for the less expensive ones I mean, unless your anticipating getting involved in lots of police chases and other high speed with with hand brake turns and so on...    If money is absolutly no object, well, the skies the limit Pireli maybe....  Although this is an i30 so maybe just ordinary tyres will do untill you get the Aston Martin 

[Dazzler]

Hi Fryzie..

It depends on your budget and how long you intend keeping your i30. If you can afford it and believe you will pretty much keep your i30 for another 50,000kms or more then I'd go the dearer performance tyres of one brand or another.

I guess it also depends on whether you have been happy with the OEM tyres or not.. Have you found them noisy? are you happy with the level of grip, steering feel etc...

[Asterix]

If you have been happy with the Hankook tyres, save the money and buy 3 new tyres, if you can still get the exact same kind of tyre.

What do you need a brand new sparetyre for..?

On the other hand. If money if no object, and you have not been satisfied with the Hankook, you would propably regret if you don't try another brand.

[Surferdude]

If you have been happy with the Hankook tyres, save the money and buy 3 new tyres, if you can still get the exact same kind of tyre.

What do you need a brand new sparetyre for..?

On the other hand. If money if no object, and you have not been satisfied with the Hankook, you would propably regret if you don't try another brand.

Fryzie,
Let me answer Asterix's question first. He's in a much smaller country (Denmark I think).
We travel much longer distances in Australia, away from service stations, and often without mobile phone coverage. So, my advice is your spare should be equal to, or better than the best tyre on the car. Because, when you have to fit it, you have nothing else to help if it then fails. If you use an older tyre it is more likely to fail too.
And I haven't yet mentioned the condition of our country roads.
As to what to do, Dazz is in the money. Go with the best option you can afford.
There is a wealth of information in our Tyres  & Wheels section https://www.i30ownersclub.com/forum/index.php?board=58.0
A lot depends on what you expect out of your car. If you really enjoy driving, the better tyres will enhance that experience.
Shop around on those prices though.

[Asterix]

Given the conditions in your country you could be right.

Maybe we are just being spoiled here in DK with the short distances, 98 % of the country covered by mobile network.

[Ultralights]

not sure about everyone else, but at every 7500km service, i ask the dealer to rotate all the tyres for me, so all 5 have pretty even wear. and when they are due to be replaced, it will be all 5.
As for brand, in the past i have been very happy with Bridgestone adrenalin tyres, very sticky, grip extremely well, and lasted about 80,000km on my old Subaru forester. 
i wont skimp on tyre quality, as no matter how many traction aids you have, stability control, ABS etc, all of it is only as good as the grip the tyres have on the road.

[Seoul-mate]

Hi  Fryzie,
I put Pirelli P7 tyres on my SR wheels after doing 65 000 km on the noisy originals.
Now at 110 000km and they show little if any signs of wear. The ride is far quieter
and the car handles a heck of a lot better. Spend the money........it's worth it.

[Dazzler]

Hi  Fryzie,
I put Pirelli P7 tyres on my SR wheels after doing 65 000 km on the noisy originals.
Now at 110 000km and they show little if any signs of wear. The ride is far quieter
and the car handles a heck of a lot better. Spend the money........it's worth it.

 

[constipated]

Surferdude and others I would love to hear your opinions.

I've often wondered about the recommendations we are given in tyre shops particularly if you are looking to change brands. Depending on whether I trust the guy our not, I've wondered if the recommended tyre had more to do with profit margin per tyre than any real benefit of 1 brand over another. Call me cynical.

Anyway I do appreciate that you should buy the best you can afford, but above a certain level, are all tyres fairly equivalent?

None of us will likely have had the chance to test more than about 2 - 3 sets on our 1 car. Often previously tried tyres were on previous cars. Obviously this makes it hard to make direct comparisons. It's possible the tyre shop owner has had a chance to sample a few more on the same vehicle. But what do they base assessment that a tyre is better on?

Last time I bought tyres I took the recommendation of Choice magazine (consumer magazine). I ended up buying bf goodrich sport t/a tyres based on the fact that they came near the top in 3 choice tyre tests. These tests make assessment on objective measurements including dry and wet maximal speed around a corner and max and min braking distance. I thought that if a tyre scored consistently well across several of the choice tests of different sizes, again this was an indication that it was a good performer.

Road noise is often quoted as a reason for choosing a tyre but in Choice's testing there was minimal difference between different brands. I often wonder if the reason so many people think a different brand of tyre is quieter is because a new tyre might have less tread in contact with the road than one which is worn.

Should people rely on objective tests such as this to help choose tyres?

[Asterix]

I often read those tests before buying new tyres.

It's the only way to find out which tyre is best in the braketest on dry/wet surface, how much noise etc.

I don't have to buy the absolute best tyre from the test, but I also use the test to find out which brands NOT to buy.

We had an issue with the Golf/Jetta/Octavia - same platform and suspension - where people had bought  Bridgestone xxxxxx ( don't remember exact type) and the tyre was very noisy on those particular cars.

If the same tyre was mounted on another car there was no problem. This was due to the toe on the rear axle, the tyre formed "heel & toe" and therefor was very noisy.

Bottom line is, if one tyre works good on one car, doesn't mean it is good on another car.

[Dazzler]

Hi Con... You didn't say whether Choice's recommendation worked for you.. Are the BF goodrich tyres as good as they said?

Soon as I read your comments I thought 2 things.. One has already been commented on, the fact that you can only take these tests as an indicator because tyre performance varies depending on the vehicle it is fitted to.

The other thing I do with nearly everything is search the Web for reviews or problems. It is such an amazing resource that was not so much available 10 years ago... I am researching Solar panels for our house again (will post more in the solar thread later) but what the salesman are saying is mostly debunked on the net.

I think Tyre places are generally pretty straight talking with a slight bias towards their "own" in house brands but searching the net for tests/ forum feedback usually paints a more unbiased opinion.

[constipated]

Hi Con... You didn't say whether Choice's recommendation worked for you.. Are the BF goodrich tyres as good as they said?

I must admit I am a conservative driver most of the time, and as such, the 2 tyres I have gotten to fit on my Toyota Aurion have been great. No complaints at all and they were about $30 cheaper than Dunlop or Goodyear replacements. The salesperson was doing his best to tell me Pirelli were much better but I stuck to the evidence I had with the choice tests.

Soon as I read your comments I thought 2 things.. One has already been commented on, the fact that you can only take these tests as an indicator because tyre performance varies depending on the vehicle it is fitted to.

The other thing I do with nearly everything is search the Web for reviews or problems. It is such an amazing resource that was not so much available 10 years ago... I am researching Solar panels for our house again (will post more in the solar thread later) but what the salesman are saying is mostly debunked on the net.

I think Tyre places are generally pretty straight talking with a slight bias towards their "own" in house brands but searching the net for tests/ forum feedback usually paints a more unbiased opinion.

The question I have about forum feedback is that as you know people compare things best back to back. Sure you might be able to compare to your last set of tyres as you leave the tyre shop, but I'm sure you wouldn't make a good comparison to tyres you used 2 years ago. Also you are comparing worn tyres which may be noisier and as soon as you get the new ones you may think they are much better.

It's very hard as a consumer to compare objectively rather than subjectively.

Also you are then comparing 2 models of tyres amongst the many tens to hundreds available.

True tyre tests with objective measurements are very rare on the web.

[Dazzler]

Very true Con.. Before we had google and forums I used to get face to face opinions on stuff from people I valued the opinions of or ask several different sellers about the same product and go with the majority..I do the same thing now with tyre tests and/or forum opinions..

If 80% of the feedback says a tyre is noisy then it probably is. Likewise if 80% of users rave about a tyre then it must be better than average.

[ElleB]

Well, I decided to be the "Guinea Pig" and have fitted a set of Mastercraft Avenger tyres. These are made in North America, not a copy or chinese factory import. Stuck to the standard size for the 15 " rims, which are now a set of "Performance Australia" alloys, made for Hyundai.

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 These tyres have a 70,000Km warranty, I need to have a wheel alignment check  and have the card signed every 10,000 K, But we all should do that anyway...
 I also fitted a camber kit for the front, just to give more adjustment . ( $79 plus post from Whiteline Industries, but you need to go to their "online shop",   normally they only sell through the auto store outlets... no doubt at a higher price....

 Reviews from the States say they are great in the wet... and judging by the depth of tread and the pattern they seem as though they will clear the water away well.

So  I will keep the forum posted after each alignment check / rotation, take photos each time etc, so that we have a running commentary on these as an option...  Cost was just a touch over $100 fitted and balanced. Didnt opt for the nitrogen fill.   

Happy to assist with any queries... ( , you know what I mean !!!!)   

 Cheers

Elle B

[constipated]

These tyres have a 70,000Km warranty, I need to have a wheel alignment check  and have the card signed every 10,000 K, But we all should do that anyway...

What does the warranty cover exactly?

When you say wheel alignment check, do you mean like a $60 wheel alignment every 10,000km, because if so, the $420 you spend doing these, will have paid for 4 new tyres by that time, so you'd be no better off than if with other tyres that lasted only 35,000km.

Most tyres if looked after and not too soft would surely get to 35,000 km or so.

[Surferdude]

Thanks for the info ElleB.
I for one will look forward to the updates.

[Surferdude]

These tyres have a 70,000Km warranty, I need to have a wheel alignment check  and have the card signed every 10,000 K, But we all should do that anyway...

What does the warranty cover exactly?

When you say wheel alignment check, do you mean like a $60 wheel alignment every 10,000km, because if so, the $420 you spend doing these, will have paid for 4 new tyres by that time, so you'd be no better off than if with other tyres that lasted only 35,000km.

Most tyres if looked after and not too soft would surely get to 35,000 km or so.

What you say is correct except for the fact that, if the alignment gets out (say toe, which isn't readily obvious to the driver especially with power sterring), you can write off two front tyres in half that distance.

Plus, costwise, you have to take out the initial alignment because you would (surely) be getting that anyway, and the last one or maybe two once you can see clearly how the tyres are wearing.
As I understand the warranty on these tyres, as long as there is no misalignment wear on them they'll still warrant them for the mileage.

[ElleB]

I will dig out and post the warranty details  soon..  FYI   

[ElleB]

Warranty terms from the Aust website.
 
Mastercraft Tires Manufacturers Warranty    

What is covered and for how long?
Mastercraft Tires warrants to the original purchaser that if a Mastercraft tyre becomes unserviceable in private vehicle use as a result of a defect in workmanship or materials during the tread life (see definition), it will be replaced as defined below.

Tread Life
When the tread becomes worn down to 1.6mm (shown by tread wear indicators moulded into the tread grooves) the tyre is worn out and this warranty ends.

Replacement Charge
The replacement charge will be determined by multiplying the consumer’s original purchase price by the percentage of original tread depth worn from the tyre. The consumer must pay for mounting, balancing and any other additional charges, or the acceptance by the consumer of a higher priced replacement tyre.

What is not covered?
This warranty does not cover tyres that become unserviceable due to:

    Conditions resulting from road hazards, such as cuts, snags or punctures.
    Conditions resulting from improper installation, wheel misalignment, or tyre/wheel assembly imbalance. 
    Conditions resulting from consumer damage, such as improper tyre and vehicle maintenance, misuse, abuse, accident.
    Passenger car tyres used in any commercial application.
    Ride complaints after the first 1mm tread wear.
    Ozone or weather cracking on tyres over four (4) years from date of purchase OR tyres that are worn to 1.6mm tread depth or more than 72 months old (based on date of purchase) whichever comes first.


Features & Benefits

Ultra high performance handling
The newly formulated performance compounds are derived from Ultra High Performance (UHP) tyre technology for improved performance and enhanced vehicle Superior wet traction
The chemically coupled silica and carbon black compound allows for superior wet traction without sacrificing treadwear. An optimised polymer matrix allows the compound to remain pliable at lower temperatures while contributing to lower rolling resistance.

Excellent stability, traction and treadwear
The innovative 4-rib tread design incorporates numerous features to provide for excellent stability, traction and treadwear.

Quiet ride
The computer optimised pitch sequence reduces tread related tyre noise and helps resist irregular wear.

Touring LSR could give you 3 to 4 times more mileage
More proof that Mastercraft tyres will give you more mileage is on the sidewall of the tyre. Treadwear is one of three UTQG ratings for drivers to compare the quality of different tyres.  The higher the treadwear rating, the more mileage you could get from the tyre.

More at : http://www.mastercrafttires.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6&Itemid=38


The treadwear ratings of original tyres fitted to Australia’s top selling cars were compared to Mastercraft’s LSR.  For example, the original tyre (205/65R15 Dunlop SP Sport 300e) fitted to a Toyota Camry has a treadwear rating of 240, compared with 780 for Mastercraft’s Touring LSR. This indicates the Mastercraft tyre, which is guaranteed to last 80,000km, could give you up to 3.2 times more mileage.

Hope this is of assistance...