[Surferdude]

Hi,
Thought it might be worthwhile to offer some suggestions as to what to look for when choosing new tyres for your car.
Before making any decisions it's important to realise that the design of every tyre requires compromise on th epart of the manufacturer.
In other words, the things which make a tyre hang on better work against it in the amount of tread life you can expect. Features which provide better steering response generally produce more road noise.
There are certain things a designer can do to maximise one of other of the above desirables without having a noticeable effect on others but in general, you need to work out what is most important to you and then consider what the downsides to that is and if you can live with them.
A good tyre sales person will do two things.
Firstly they will look at your old tyres (they are like a diary of your driving habits and your car's strengths and weaknesses (to someone who knows what to look for).
Secondly, they should ask you some questions about how happy you've been with your existing tyres, any special needs you might have, your expectations from your car for the future and so on.
If the salesperson is any good, the questioning process will be more like a conversation than  and inquisition.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, if they don't ask questions, just launch into, "this is the best etc etc...". Leave and find another outlet.
And be prepared to invest some time in the process yourself. You can't do it over the phone.
If all goes well, you'll live with your choice for the next 40 - 60 thousand klms. It can be a pleasant experience or a nightmare.

Consider the following..........

Have you been happy with your existing tyres?
Expected tread life?
Dry weather handling?
Wet weather handling?
Steering reponse?
Road feel (feedback on road surfaces etc)?
Road noise?
Cost (or rather a price range you would be happy within)?
Brand reputation?
Warranty?
After Sales Service?
Road Hazard Warranty availability?
Are you a fast driver (around corners or on the highway - 2 different things)?
Any current or planned vehicle modifications?
Towbar and what are you towing?

That's probably enough for now.

[Dazzler]

Great thread Trev (thanks...) 

[Myowni30]

A good tyre sales person will do two things.
Firstly they will look at your old tyres (they are like a diary of your driving habits and your car's strengths and weaknesses (to someone who knows what to look for).
Secondly, they should ask you some questions about how happy you've been with your existing tyres, any special needs you might have, your expectations from your car for the future and so on.

Well it must be a lot different in Australia compared to the UK. I have driven over 1.8 Million miles in about 40 years of driving and must have bought a few tyres in that time, never once have I been asked any questions at all.

[eye30]

My experience of tyre buying is

Unless I have a tyre brand in mind the chap will ask

What type - cheap and cheerful or something with rubber on 

[Surferdude]

A good tyre sales person will do two things.
Firstly they will look at your old tyres (they are like a diary of your driving habits and your car's strengths and weaknesses (to someone who knows what to look for).
Secondly, they should ask you some questions about how happy you've been with your existing tyres, any special needs you might have, your expectations from your car for the future and so on.

Well it must be a lot different in Australia compared to the UK. I have driven over 1.8 Million miles in about 40 years of driving and must have bought a few tyres in that time, never once have I been asked any questions at all.

A good salesperson will soon suss out if you know what you are about and leave you to it.
I've had some experience in the UK as a visitor to stores and found questions being asked in some stores, esp that big chain (Kwik Fit?)
Also (was it?), Tyre Services (or is that the same one?). Pretty sure Goodyear owned it back in the day. God my memory is hazy this morning. I'll come back to this when the names come back to me.
Also, Maybe your driving conditions are less varied than ours here???

All in all, I still think it's important for some questions to be asked, regardless of where you are. After all, many people develop their options based on the feedback of mates, relatives, neighbours etc and often those people have different requirements, thus the tyre which suits them may be totally unsuited to someone else.
How often have you heard someone talk about an unpleasant experience with a tyre and their attitude is, "i'll never buy another Bridgestone/ Dunlop/ Goodyear/ Yokohama (insert brand name here)". More often than not the problem relates to a wrong selection of tyre for their use. Most major manufacturers have several totally different tread and carcass designs available in each of the common sizes. There's a good reason for this and choosing which one to fit should not be based soley on price or how much the dealer stands to make from that particular tyre (or he's aiming to win a trip to somewhere bases on how he performs against some arbitrary target set by the tyre wholesaler).
Having said that, it may well come down to price but unless you ask a few questions you won't know if that's all that's important for a particular customer.

The next stage in the process, after determining which tyre (or maybe a couple of options) is right for you is to chase price and that CAN be done on the phone if you want to. Although, you may find if you go with the cheapest, when you arrive on site you aren't prepared to subject your pride and joy to this particular workshop and its workers.

[snowcherry]

couple of times i've bought tyres in the past i have been asked along the lines of 'am i happy with what i have' and did want similar or maybe softer/harder etc. they usually pick up straight away i have no clue about tyres, then ask what price range i'm looking in. and that would be it, i guess for me (and with the little hatch i had) that was really all that was needed

anyway good thread, few things there to consider i hadn't thought of. i am quite unimpressed with the kumho's so will be looking to upgrade to something better when the time is right

[agentr31]

the stock kumho's are HORRID... but i think the steel wheels are compounding it too feels like the rims and tyres are going to roll off the car if you corner at any speed over 2 kph

[Dazzler]

I believe the 15" Kumhos on the base model (SX) are fairly ordinary but I found the 16" ones on the the SLX at least acceptable.. Suprised to hear you say the 17" ones on the top model SR are sub standard snowcherry

What is wrong with them apart from some tyre noise?

[Surferdude]

I believe the 15" Kumhos on the base model (SX) are fairly ordinary but I found the 16" ones on the the SLX at least acceptable.. Suprised to hear you say the 17" ones on the top model SR are sub standard snowcherry

What is wrong with them apart from some tyre noise?

Some good points here as examples.
As I said, you can't write off a brand because of one bad experience.
If the 16" Kumhos are OK and the 15" ones aren't that's a classic example of the need to choose carefully. And if the 17' ones aren't any good - why? If they are noisy that's a negative but they may also be very good in the wet and on windy roads. So some drivers are prepared to put up with some noise as a trade off for the grip and handling ability.
BTW. My 15" tyres are Hankook, not Kumho.
I would rate them as "adequate". They are a bit noisy on the open road but it's bearable. I can feel them at their limit when I push the car in corners and the limit ie, IMO, too low. But they are predictable. Some tyres will let go more quickly at the front or the back whereas these tend to let go evnely F & R, so you don't upset your line and you can just back off a little bit and the car will tuck back in nicely.
I'd like to be able to justify the cost of some 17" rims and tyres but you must expect 17" tyres will always be more harsh to ride on than 15" or 16" and they can "tramline" a bit more on uneven road surfaces.

[Dazzler]

Trev.. I was told Kumho and Hankook are basically the same tyre coming out of different doors of the same Korean Manufacturer....Does that fit with what you know..

[agentr31]

17's!! 18's and up is where its all at man! i personally wouldnt put anything less than a 18'' on an i30 it will look silly and small or have too much sidewall

[eye30]

When my originals had to be replace, see posting elsewhere on site, they were replaced with the same - Hanook Optima 415's

Now the originals where made in Korea whereas the new ones are made in Hungary.

I think my replaced one are better than the originals and they are an exact replacement.

[agentr31]

yer that has happened here with dads work truck... the factory fitted tyres are made in japan! the replacements are exactly the same, same brand, same model just made here and he says they make the car wonder, are noisier and handle worse... and the other guys with the utes say the same thing

[diablo]

When my originals had to be replace, see posting elsewhere on site, they were replaced with the same - Hanook Optima 415's

Now the originals where made in Korea whereas the new ones are made in Hungary.

I think my replaced one are better than the originals and they are an exact replacement.

They probably use a different formulation for Europe. I've got the Hungarian ones and not really found any fault with them yet.

Due to the number of puntures I had in my last car I had to get whatever was available some times so sometimes had a mix, though ended up with Firestones all round. They weren't too good for grip in the wet and were very noisy as well.

[Surferdude]

Trev.. I was told Kumho and Hankook are basically the same tyre coming out of different doors of the same Korean Manufacturer....Does that fit with what you know..

I've mentioned this elsewher.
Pretty sure they're sister companies.

[Surferdude]

17's!! 18's and up is where its all at man! i personally wouldnt put anything less than a 18'' on an i30 it will look silly and small or have too much sidewall

Mine's on 15s. Don't think it looks silly. 8)

[Surferdude]

yer that has happened here with dads work truck... the factory fitted tyres are made in japan! the replacements are exactly the same, same brand, same model just made here and he says they make the car wonder, are noisier and handle worse... and the other guys with the utes say the same thing

Must have had them for a while. Goodyear closed its last Oz factory some years ago and Bridgestone's gone now too.
No tyres made in Oz at all these days.
On the other side of that story we had Asian made Goodyears coming in through the back door some while ago purporting to be the same as the OE Falcon tyres made in Australia. Not only were they a different tread pattern (basically like a light truck pattern) but had a lower load rating than was allowed on the Falcon.

[agentr31]

i belive they have bridgestone on the new hilux's, i know they all complained about them... aussie tyres arent up to the same specs as the good japanese ones... and all the cheaper asian ones ive used are horrid... they put "corsa" on the maxima when i got the wheels (they didnt have anyother in stock at the time) and they handle terrible

personally i like the upper end falkens they seem very much up to the job...

[snowcherry]

I believe the 15" Kumhos on the base model (SX) are fairly ordinary but I found the 16" ones on the the SLX at least acceptable.. Suprised to hear you say the 17" ones on the top model SR are sub standard snowcherry

What is wrong with them apart from some tyre noise?

sorry for not replying sooner, haven't visited for a few weeks.

i didn't say the tyres were sub standard, i said i was unimpressed. they are 'adequate' and i'll use them a bit more yet to justify any price of buying new ones, but i really don't like them. the tyre noise is a major factor, i think it's more than what should be standard in a car, and the highways are quite bad up here so i need something better. at times i find the grip a little lacking i guess, i'm not an expert here so i'm not sure exactly how to explain this, whether its steering or softness or grip itself. i dunno. the front tyres 'look' like they get squishy easily with that little bulge - not sure if its common on 17's. i feel the potholes and bumps in the road a lot, this is more suspension related i guess (not talking about the hardness of the tyre inflation) but coupled with the road noise, after a long trip i can get a little grumpy. i need a better ride - quieter and more comfort and maybe better grip.

[Surferdude]

Snowcherry, some info which might help put things into perspective for you.
1/ All radials have the bulge at the bottom and it would be the same, regardless of brand, given the same tyre pressure. It's a design feature which helps give a better footprint (grip) on the road.
2/ 17" tyres will always be harsher to ride on than 16s or 15s, simply because there is less actual sidewall to absorb imperfections in the road surface. When you go to 18s, 19s or 20s, the sidewall becomes even less. I saw a Commodore in one of our stores yesterday being retrofitted from 20" rims and tyres, to 17s because the guy had just given up - preferring a better ride to go-kart handling.
3/ Within the 17" options, some brands do develop their tyres with a carcass which will ride a little bit better. However, most people buying 17s are looking for performance/ handling in preference to ride comfort.
4/ Some tread designs are noisier than others, sometimes because the manufacturer is giving the tyre a "performance" pattern, again without consideration for noise. Others are simply noisier because the manufacturer has spent less on testing. For instance, the company I used to work for ran a fleet of test vehicles (between 6 and 12) for almost every day of the year on all sorts of road conditions. If you think about the cost of the vehicles, maintenance, wages, accommodation, food and tyres (including pretty well every competitor's offering on the market), you can appreciate how big a financial commitment that was.

[Dazzler]

Hi Snowcherry...Have you got a note to explain your absence please  

The only thing I can add to what Trev says is that the i30 is better than the 2008 model Mazda 3 and Mitsubishi Lancer from my test driving experiences when buying my car (as far as tyre noise is concerned .. but even on 16" tyres it is still a bit noisy)

I wouldn't expect a huge improvement in ride or tyre noise from an upgrade of your tyres..

The i30 handles quite well for a car in its class but the ride can be a little on the harsh side..

The firm ride and tyre noise are the two main reasons I am considering going up to the next class of car..

[snowcherry]

1/ All radials have the bulge at the bottom and it would be the same, regardless of brand, given the same tyre pressure. It's a design feature which helps give a better footprint (grip) on the road.

i sort of knew that, it just seems more obvious on the 17's, and i have more bulge on the front than the back even though the pressure is the same. maybe because the weight is more in the front? i'm not sure it's because the car is heavier overall as i don't seem to notice it on my fathers XR6. i think he might have 16" or 17" as well.
cheers

Hi Snowcherry...Have you got a note to explain your absence please  

The only thing I can add to what Trev says is that the i30 is better than the 2008 model Mazda 3 and Mitsubishi Lancer .......

and no i don't have a note 
....well i was on hols in brissy for a bit and it was birthday in there somewhere, so that'll have to do

i do remember reading the mazda 3 was worse, and that the ford focus was worse as well. these were both on my short list with the i30.

[Surferdude]

1/ All radials have the bulge at the bottom and it would be the same, regardless of brand, given the same tyre pressure. It's a design feature which helps give a better footprint (grip) on the road.

i sort of knew that, it just seems more obvious on the 17's, and i have more bulge on the front than the back even though the pressure is the same. maybe because the weight is more in the front? i'm not sure it's because the car is heavier overall as i don't seem to notice it on my fathers XR6. i think he might have 16" or 17" as well.
cheers

Yep. The XR6 should be on 17". But your Hyundai  has considerably more weight on the front being FWD. As long as your pressures are correct, don't worry about the bulge.
I agree with Dazz about the Mazda 3. I expect it has to do with the tyre brand as I had (I suspect) the same brand on my Subaru when I bought it and on my wife's Pulsar Q. All noisy until I changed tyres.
However, my son's Mazda 6 Sports is quiet and smooth at any speed (maybe more sound deadening). I'll know more about that in a week as he and I are off to Carnarvon Gorge for a few days.

[agentr31]

on the SX diesel there is 840kgs on the front axle and 490kgs on the back axle with a FULL tank of fuel... thats some pretty chronic weight distrubution... (yes i weighed it on the freshly calibrated weigh bridge at work)

[Surferdude]

I'm currently doing a bit of research on tyre options.
Can someone please confirm for me what size 16" and 17" they have fitted from the factory.
Also, please add you Load Index and Speed Rating. It'll be something like 87W or 91V or some other number and letter but the number sequence will probably be within the 2 I listed above.
Thanks
Trev

Hankook Optimo K415 205/55R16 91H

[Opa_1]

Hankook Optimo K415 205/55R16 91H

Same for me.
Find them a to be somewhat noisy tyres however.

[Dazzler]

Same for me...

Hankook Optimo K415 205/55R16 91H

[Lakes]

on the SX diesel there is 840kgs on the front axle and 490kgs on the back axle with a FULL tank of fuel... thats some pretty chronic weight distrubution... (yes i weighed it on the freshly calibrated weigh bridge at work)

when i first read your post i thought you had been to a race track LOL thats were i always weigh in, did you weigh the front right side while your in it?

to me the stock Kumho's are ok i had 15" for 15,000k then picked up some new SLX mags with brand new Kumho's same as the 15" . could not notice a great deal of difference just at speeds steering felt slightly better. but i'm just useing car for transport not racing it.

cheers

[eye30]

to me the stock Kumho's are ok i had 15" for 15,000k then picked up some new SLX mags with brand new Kumho's same as the 15" . could not notice a great deal of difference just at speeds steering felt slightly better. but i'm just useing car for transport not racing it.

I agree that my stock kumho's are OK for the driving I do.