How does tyre labelling work? Common Tyre Sizes. How do I check my tyres? The biggest tyre brands are all household names and these manufacturers are the ones that have a 'premium' offering. They're very rarely the cheapest, but they offer good quality and can last longer than those that are initially cheaper.
Our advice for tyres is to buy the best you can afford. Don't skimp on quality - tyres are so vital when it comes to safety. When it comes to fitting the right tyres, make sure you choose versions of those that are recommended in your service book; fitting incorrect tyres can have an adverse effect on your car's handling. Tyre labels were brought in a few years ago see an example below. These can give you a better steer when it comes to budget tyres and how they perform against premium rivals.
Some will give good grip in the dry, for example, but this will be at the expense of other criteria, such as road noise. Every tyre sold now comes with one of these labels, allowing you to compare. Michelin is one of the world's oldest tyre companies and remains one of the largest, alongside Goodyear and Continental.
As well as cars, it makes tyres for all kinds of vehicles - this was the firm that made the tyres for Concorde.
Its mascot - Bibendum - has been the company's logo since the very start. You may know him better as "The Michelin Man". Today, collectables of the Michelin Man are highly sought-after, especially those from before the s, with advertising signs and promotional items becoming particularly collectible. Prices may vary from the above, so make sure that you check a number of retailers for current pricing and to shop around, including Tyre-shopper.
Pirelli is another tyre company that's been around just as long as cars themselves. Along with Michelin. Continental, Bridgestone and Goodyear. The firm is well known for producing the "Pirelli Calendar", which it has done every year since It also owns the Firestone brand and is the largest tyre manufacturer in the world. The firm as a wide range of summer and winter tyres, including the Potenza and Turanza brands.
Continental is a tyre company with a long history - in this case it can trace its origins back to the s. These days it supplies many major car manufacturers and produces summer, winter and all-season tyres. Goodyear is one of the biggest and best known tyre manufacturers. It began as a company before and, as well as manufacturing tyres, is well known for the "Goodyear Blimp". It sells tyres under a wide range of names, including Eage, EfficientGrip and Ultragrip brands.
Efficient Grip. Eagle F1. As well as those above, Vredstein, Cooper, Hankook and Dunlop are usually found in the price categories as the big five. Under current EU rules, tyres are measured for noise, rolling resistance and wet weather performance when they're new and typically have 7mm of tread depth.
The ratings, which span A - F, indicate a wet braking distance of three meters between each category. This means a car with a set of A-rated tyres will 18 metres shorter than one on F-rated tyres.
However, Michelin says that the EU system is unreliable as wet braking distances can vary dramatically as a tyres becomes worn. This means testing tyres when they're new 7mm and when they're worn to the 1.
Likewise fuel economy also changes and a worn labelling system would make it easier for everyone to understand whole life tyre performance. We already have plans to implement such a system for all of our products.
The size of the tyres on your car contributes significantly to the way it behaves on the road, which is why it is so important to choose the correct size for your car when replacing them - or to make careful consideration should you wish to change the size of the wheels on your car. The width of a tyre dictates how much grip is available for cornering, braking and acceleration.
The wider a tyre is, the bigger the contact patch - the bit of the tyre in contact with the road - and the bigger the contact patch, the more grip is available.
Although a lot of other factors are involved, a wider tyre will in general have a higher rolling resistance, which is a trade-off for the increased grip. This is why cars with modest performance and high economy have narrower tyres for efficiency, whereas high-performance cars have wider tyres and prioritise grip over efficiency.
The aspect ratio of a tyre also has an effect on the way your car behaves on the road. The higher the aspect ratio the taller the tyre is in relation to its width, or how tall the sidewall is. A tall sidewall contributes to ride comfort by helping to absorb bumps in the road, but the trade-off here is that a tall sidewall deflects more during cornering, giving less accurate response through the steering wheel.
A high-performance car will usually wear a low aspect-ratio tyre for this reason, while economy or comfort-biased cars will have higher aspect ratios. Bridgestone is a premium tyre brand, but often compare well in terms of price with rival companies. German tyre brand Continental, like others in this list, is an OE manufacturer — meaning it's chosen by a variety of car manufacturers as the factory fitted tyre — a significant seal of approval.
From sports tyres for SUVS, to everyday tyres with high levels of performance, Continental has a diverse range of tyres designed for passenger vehicles. A favourite amongst off-road enthusiasts and sports car aficionados alike, Goodyear has a long history of innovation. Its current UK range features a wide range of high-performance tyres, as well as tyres that prioritise economical driving, which are designed to reduce commuting costs.
Goodyear also offers a decent selection of winter tyres. More recently it has launched a range of new tyres for classic sports cars, which capture the aesthetic, but improve on the performance of the tyres of yesteryear. Traditionally, tyres were usually bought from a franchised tyre-fitting chain or a local independent dealer, but there are now a multitude of different ways of getting the right rubber for your car.
Expect to pay a premium, though, as they are often supplied by specialist dealers. You can often haggle, so prices can be reasonable. Online sellers, such as Black Circles and MyTyres, have a very wide selection and prices can be low. Some online sellers will have dedicated mobile tyre-fitting services and will change your tyres for you at your workplace or home. If one retailer offers you a good deal, but is further away, try asking a nearer firm to match the offer.
However, you usually won't be able to negotiate with an online supplier. Ensure any quote includes the cost of new valves and balancing the tyres, as well as simply fitting them. Find your perfect next car with our expert impartial car reviews. Test score. We explain when and where to buy them, and the different options available. Daljinder Nagra. In this article How often should I replace my tyres? Summer or winter tyres? All-season tyres Run-flat tyres Used and part-worn tyres Car-tyre construction explained Which car tyre brand should I buy?
Where to buy car tyres. How often should I replace my tyres? How to buy car tyres Which car tyres should I buy? Tyre speed ratings and markings explained. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share by email. Latest News In Which? By selecting a tyre with the next lowest profile, you can significantly improve the handling of your vehicle.
This change delivers improvement in tyre response and handling. Upsizing is also another option that is typically common for 4WD and truck owners. On trucks, larger tyres can improve traction, load carrying capacity and appearance. For example, a person living in Cairns will typically make different tyre choices compared to a driver living in Melbourne.
These designs have trade-offs, including traction highway ride quality and, fairly recently, performance. As the tread design becomes more aggressive, your highway ride quality diminishes. There are a few ways to calculate the longevity and value of your tyres, getting you the best ROI. These include:. Calculate the total price for your tyre purchase and divide that by the kilometres of service.
This will give you the cost per kilometre. When comparing tyres within one brand, use the UTQG ratings tread wear to calculate value. Divide the tread wear rating by the price — the highest number should be your pick if you want the best value by wear. If you do want to compare between brands, reviewing traction and temperature ratings are the best way to make your choice, as these measurements are standardised.
You should always buy a tyre with the appropriate speed rating for your vehicle. If you use a lower speed rated tyre than the original design you will likely compromise your handling, speed and safety.
As a result, tyre manufacturers are responding with specialised tyre designs. You can now choose tyres based on personal style preferences as well as performance for these vehicles.
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