Tell Us About Your Tyres

Surferdude · **Reply #30: January 23, 2011, 03:42:20**

Quote from: Pip on January 22, 2011, 08:20:01

Yeah, I guess the price was not important to you, you weren't paying.

I'm not up for tyres for a while yet but was curious to get a price/performance value as my interest was piqued when you said they seemed good.

16" btw.

I normally pay attention to pricing but I didn't handle this particular sale, nor bill it out. I was busy elsewhere.

The 16" stuff is dearer than the 15".
There's a Goodyear "Efficient Grip" in the current catalogue. Top of the range unless you get into the Eagle F1 and they're at $185 for 205/55R16
And a 195/65R15 Assurance Fuel Max at $155.

Sorry, not trying to sell these in particular but it'll give you something to compare with when you are looking at other options.

**Reply #31: January 23, 2011, 10:13:02**

Quote from: surferdude on January 23, 2011, 03:42:20

Quote from: Pip on January 22, 2011, 08:20:01
Yeah, I guess the price was not important to you, you weren't paying.

I'm not up for tyres for a while yet but was curious to get a price/performance value as my interest was piqued when you said they seemed good.

16" btw.

I normally pay attention to pricing but I didn't handle this particular sale, nor bill it out. I was busy elsewhere.

The 16" stuff is dearer than the 15".
There's a Goodyear "Efficient Grip" in the current catalogue. Top of the range unless you get into the Eagle F1 and they're at $185 for 205/55R16
And a 195/65R15 Assurance Fuel Max at $155.

Sorry, not trying to sell these in particular but it'll give you something to compare with when you are looking at other options.

Ignore my dig regarding the price. It was attempted humour and not to besmirch your professionalism.

It's quite a few years since I bought any tyres but from my recollection I've paid about half of that. Admittedly I always bought the cheaper end, they seemed to go fine and life ~70k. Certainly better than cross-plys we started with when we were kids. Combined with the crappy suspensions they were dangerous by any standard.

I'm quite amazed at how well today's cars handle, even with cheap rubber!

Surferdude · **Reply #32: January 23, 2011, 11:13:45**

Quote from: Pip on January 23, 2011, 10:13:02

Quote from: surferdude on January 23, 2011, 03:42:20
Quote from: Pip on January 22, 2011, 08:20:01
Yeah, I guess the price was not important to you, you weren't paying.

I'm not up for tyres for a while yet but was curious to get a price/performance value as my interest was piqued when you said they seemed good.

16" btw.

I normally pay attention to pricing but I didn't handle this particular sale, nor bill it out. I was busy elsewhere.

The 16" stuff is dearer than the 15".
There's a Goodyear "Efficient Grip" in the current catalogue. Top of the range unless you get into the Eagle F1 and they're at $185 for 205/55R16
And a 195/65R15 Assurance Fuel Max at $155.

Sorry, not trying to sell these in particular but it'll give you something to compare with when you are looking at other options.
Ignore my dig regarding the price. It was attempted humour and not to besmirch your professionalism.

It's quite a few years since I bought any tyres but from my recollection I've paid about half of that. Admittedly I always bought the cheaper end, they seemed to go fine and life ~70k. Certainly better than cross-plys we started with when we were kids. Combined with the crappy suspensions they were dangerous by any standard.

I'm quite amazed at how well today's cars handle, even with cheap rubber!

No offence taken pip. I recognised it for what it was.
There are plenty of cheaper alternatives. Even Goodyear/Dunlop offer a "budget" line, the Blue Streak named after Goodyear's original racing tyre pre "Eagle".
15" about $95
16" around $105
17" approx $129
and 18" in the $145 range.
Tread wear, wet grip and possibly noise will reflect the level of technology used but still carry the same manufacturer's warranty.

Ozbrum · **Reply #33: January 23, 2011, 14:11:35**

Thanks guys surferdude and rusty for your replies

No the spare was never introduced in to the tyre rotation.

crystalsilence · **Reply #34: January 30, 2011, 00:44:52**

I'm still running on the original 15" Hankook Optimos but the fronts will need changing soon. Thinking about what to get.

I thnk the Hankooks are a little bit noisy but the grip etc is good.

I have a full size alloy apare with brand new Hankook tyre on it so one thought I had was putting that on the car and keeping one of old tyres for spare - so I'd only need to buy one new tyre. Not sure whether to do that and go for a Hankook or buy 2 different tyres.

Dazzler · **Reply #35: January 30, 2011, 02:23:22**

Hi Crystalsilence and welcome to the club.

I'm not a big fan of mixing brands and types of tyres how far away are your other two from needing replacement? If they still have a fair bit of tread I'd use the spare and get another Hankook if it was me..

I usually rotate mine so they wear evenly and replace all four at once for this reason

Surferdude · **Reply #36: January 30, 2011, 02:32:40**

Quote from: Dazzler on January 30, 2011, 02:23:22

Hi Crystalsilence and welcome to the club.

I'm not a big fan of mixing brands and types of tyres how far away are your other two from needing replacement? If they still have a fair bit of tread I'd use the spare and get another Hankook if it was me..

I usually rotate mine so they wear evenly and replace all four at once for this reason

However, when time comes to replace the brand I think you'll find if you spend a reasonable amount, there'splenty more grip to be had.

crystalsilence · **Reply #37: February 02, 2011, 23:04:28**

Yes, I've found the Hankook tyres OK for my needs.

I was quite surprised when I discovered I had got a full size alloy spare - when I bought the car new in jan 2009 I am sure the brochure said it came with a temporary spare. So that was a pleasant surprise (don't think I'd want to drive a car knowing I didn't have a proper spare wheel now).

I'm trying to save a bit of money here and there like most people and it just occurred to me that I had a brand new wheel/tyre as spare and I could use one of my fronts as the spare if I change it over while it's still legal and then would only need to buy 1 tyre instead of 2.

I checked online and the ATS chain seems to stock the Hankooks.

Surferdude · **Reply #38: February 02, 2011, 23:25:11**

Quote from: crystalsilence on February 02, 2011, 23:04:28

Yes, I've found the Hankook tyres OK for my needs.

I was quite surprised when I discovered I had got a full size alloy spare - when I bought the car new in jan 2009 I am sure the brochure said it came with a temporary spare. So that was a pleasant surprise (don't think I'd want to drive a car knowing I didn't have a proper spare wheel now).

I'm trying to save a bit of money here and there like most people and it just occurred to me that I had a brand new wheel/tyre as spare and I could use one of my fronts as the spare if I change it over while it's still legal and then would only need to buy 1 tyre instead of 2.

I checked online and the ATS chain seems to stock the Hankooks.

No reason why you can't do that. Two new tyres on the front will give you better steering response.

2i30s · **Reply #39: May 10, 2011, 10:28:56**

two weeks ago i put 4 new tyres on my hatch. the old tyres were maxxis 225/45/17 and lasted me 28,500kms. i wasn't very impressed with the maxis tyres in the wet,they were rubbish. this time i went for a set of kenda kaiser, ast-1 KR-26. they are still 225/45/17 but seem to sit nicer and look fatter on my rims than the old tyres did. I'm very happy with the road noise of the tyres [or lack of it] and in the wet they are excellent. the overall ride of the car has changed also,you could almost feel every grain of sand on the road with the old tyres. [if that makes sence]
the 4 tyres only cost me $600 and $80 for a 4 wheel alignment.

my previous tyreswere around $190 each and i found them to be rubbish from day one. :

agentr31 · **Reply #40: May 10, 2011, 11:00:41**

good stuff man, but arent kenda like chinese or something?

agentr31 · **Reply #41: May 10, 2011, 11:01:54**

BTW... i have china or some crazy shit on my maxima, because they guy had them fitted already, and wouldnt fit up falkens...

"corsa" i think they go ok, but i can do a burn out across a set of traffic lights with them...

2i30s · **Reply #42: May 10, 2011, 11:41:58**

Quote from: agentr31 on May 10, 2011, 11:00:41

good stuff man, but aren't kenda like Chinese or something?

some are made in Taiwan, but the ones i bought are made in china. from what Trev has said in other posts,most tyres are made in china.

Dazzler · **Reply #43: May 10, 2011, 11:54:34**

Good Job Steve...

Here is their website (never heard of them before)

http://www.kenda.com.tw/eng/product/pcr/kaiser%20ast-1%20kr26.htm

2i30s · **Reply #44: May 10, 2011, 12:05:10**

Quote from: Dazzler on May 10, 2011, 11:54:34

Good Job Steve...

Here is their website (never heard of them before)

running the cursor over your post gives no link.

cooper tyres apparently owns kenda.

Dazzler · **Reply #45: May 10, 2011, 12:09:29**

Sorry I fixed it...

2i30s · **Reply #46: May 10, 2011, 12:11:13**

2i30s · **Reply #47: May 10, 2011, 12:20:25**

that's them.

i forgot to mention in my original post the tyres aren't directional.

my other set was and i hated it.

agentr31 · **Reply #48: May 10, 2011, 12:57:37**

you hated directional tyres???

your not really meant to run them the other way after using them one way... well thats what dad always said to me... surfer is this somewhat correct? can i FINALLY swap sides!

2i30s · **Reply #49: May 10, 2011, 13:09:02**

my understanding of a directional tyre is you can only swap the wheels from the front to the rear,not left to right.

rustynutz · **Reply #50: May 10, 2011, 15:34:39**

Quote from: agentr31 on May 10, 2011, 12:57:37

you hated directional tyres???

your not really meant to run them the other way after using them one way... well thats what dad always said to me... surfer is this somewhat correct? can i FINALLY swap sides!

Only of the bed......

Surferdude · **Reply #51: May 10, 2011, 23:54:51**

Hi guys,

Glad you like your new tyres Steve. I think you'll be happy with Kenda. The company has been around forever (well, a long time). They are Taiwan based but for sure would have factories in China too. They have been bringing car tyres into Oz for the best part of 20 years that I know of.
I have never heard of Coopers involvement with Kenda. Will have to make some more enquiries but I'd be surprised simply on the basis that Cooper is a (deliberately) specialist tyre company and to buy into Kenda would be a big jump into a non-core businesss area for them. Dangerous business practice in this economic climate.
Kenda makes a massive range of industrial tyres from bicycle to all sorts of trollies up to bobcat and larger. Those ride on mobility scooters, forklifts and so on.
Just to clarify my quoted comment that most tyres are made in China. I'm not sure what I actually said but what I would have been suggesting was that most manufacturers wherever they are from in the world, will also have factories in China.

Now, as to directional tyres. You can rotate them front to rear, thus keeping the same direction of rotation for the tread. This is NOT because of any danger of damaging the carcase, but simply because the directional tread is designed to work best rolling one way. Picture the bow of a boat piercing the water. This is what happens when the "pointy end" of the tread rolls down the front of the tyre and into the water on the road.
Thay can be reversed as in the case of a spare and as such are a hell of a lot safer than a space saver or a steel wheel fitted beside an alloy wheel. If you have 5 directional tyres, fit the spare tyre up for the LHS of the car (in RHD vehicles) because most punctures/ damage occur on the side of the car nearest the edge of the road.

Dazzler · **Reply #52: May 11, 2011, 11:21:42**

Thanks Trev.. Great info , clearly explained (as usual)

2i30s · **Reply #53: May 11, 2011, 12:20:57**

but that's why i posted about my new tyres,i knew Trev would let me know a bit more about my purchase.

Alasama · **Reply #54: May 11, 2011, 17:48:33**

Great to see Kenda popular in your place. Seems to me that they had a lot of effort working overseas market.

For your reference, most popular passenger tire in my place is Bridgestone, aslo made here. Personally I satisfied their RE001 which is non-directional & non-symmetric tire and with great balance between performance and comfort

. Now use EP100a, the low rolling-resistance tire, for helping fuel economy.