Tyre choice

[Stutopia]

I've read many threads in this section, the reviews of different tyres and the seemingly endless debate on mixing rubber .

 

Pre-Zed I was the bloke who bought the cheapest "brand" tyre for my car, I have now learnt this may not have been the correct approach. Sadly, with the huge amount of info I have read, I now know a lot more, but I have a bit of information overload and can't decide which tyres are appropriate to my specific needs. The rears are worn on my Zed, couple of mm to go.

 

I am hoping that by asking a couple of questions and then laying out a couple of my driving requirements, you knowledgable and experienced tyre buyers will shove me in the right direction, and I won't provoke too much controversial debate! I have Ray's on my Zed, she came with BS Potenza RE040s on the front and RE050s on the back and I intend to go same rubber all round.

 

(1) I believe the Nissan approved tyre should be (front) 225/45/18 Y and (rear) 245/45/18 Y - please can you advise if I am wrong? I don't want to deviate from the NIssan suggested sizes.

 

(2) When I browse tyres I note the dimensions and speed rating, but some also have figures like 91 or 95 before the speed letter, what is this? Also some even have letters after the speed, such as XL (extra large, like my value meal?) which bit is extra large? What difference does asymmetrical make? Why are some tyres re-inforced and others not?

 

(3) Up until a few days ago I never even considered winter/summer tyres. I appreciate that a compound with the ability to shift water and operate at a cold temperatures is important in winter, but is possible to get an "all weather" tyre that I can comfortably use all year round? Or does everyone simply change them? She doesn't go out if a flake of snow has fallen.

 

My tyre requirements are a tyre that

• copes well with the cold northern temperatures
  
• the cold northern incessant rain
  
• relatively hard wearing
  
• is good for short drives to work (so doesn't need much warm up time)
  
• no track use
  
• grippy but with a predictable drop off (so not something that hardly slides, then simply falls off the cliff edge and spins me round!)
  

I've been considering the following options but I'm very open to suggestion (however, I can't bring myself to go over £200 per tyre, preferably much less!) Falken FK453, Ultrac Sessanta, Continental Sport Contact 3, BS Potenza RE050, Pirelli P Zero for summer, and if I go winter, the Nokian WR A3.

 

As usual, any pointers would be greatly appreciated

Edited May 21, 2015 by SuperStu

[4RE Leather]

I have 91 on my front and 95 on my rear and wondered if that was the weight bearing load.

As to BS050A you wont get them under £200 per tyre.

Judging by your list you are

better off with the Falkens

Edited March 16, 2013 by 4RE Leather

[Ekona]

Sizes are correct.

 

Michelin PSS can be picked up now for less than £800 for all four, you'd be mad to pick anything else. Miles above every other tyre you mention.

[The Bounty Bar Kid]

1) yes

 

2) load rating. XL stands for extra load. So can bear more weight ie heavier cars.

 

3) for summer tyres pick Michelin pilot super sports.

For winter I have Michelin alpin pilot pa3

Most keep summer tyres on. If you're not going out in the snow then you'll be fine.

Few swap between summer and winter.

Very few run all year round tyres.

 

My advice falken fk453s are good but not expensive summer tyres. You'll be OK as long as you're not being stupid in adverse conditions.

 

Most tyres need 2 miles to warm up. The difference between them will be small.

Edited March 16, 2013 by The Bounty Bar Kid

[Stutopia]

Thanks for the info fellas, very useful. If the 91/95 is the load rating, is there a minimum load rating Zed tyres should have?

 

Also where do insurers stand on monkeying around with the tyres, is this the sort of thing they can hide behind at claim time?

[spursmaddave]

You can get REO50As or MPPSs for around or just under the £200 a tyre mark, you will not be dissapointed with either as an all year round tyre.

 

I have had 2 sets of Bridgstones and now a set of the Michellins and I prefer the latter, quieter, more grip in the wet and more response/feel so far too a really great tyre

[Ebized]

Ultrac Sesstanas are being discontinued - although you can still get them, but as stock dwindles and you were unlucky enough to ruin a single tyre sometime down the line a direct replacement might become difficult, if not impossible, to source.

 

And yes, you have read lots of opinions about which tyres to use and MPSS seem to get the biggest thumbs up, particularly by those I know on here like to push their ZEDs to limits, which is alwaya a good indicator, for me. That said, many others, including myself, have found other brands up to the job for normal road use and spirited driving.

 

The more critcal factors from the years I have been reading members' findings, including some sad outcomes, is to have all 4 tyres the same; regularly check pressures and don't wait until you get down to the legal limit for replacements as the combination of + or - 300bhp/RWD/wet roads/and a leaden right foot will mean you will end up not facing the direction you had intended to travel.

[Stutopia]

Duly noted. Thanks.

 

Ultrac Sesstanas are being discontinued - although you can still get them, but as stock dwindles and you were unlucky enough to ruin a single tyre sometime down the line a direct replacement might become difficult, if not impossible, to source.

 

And yes, you have read lots of opinions about which tyres to use and MPSS seem to get the biggest thumbs up, particularly by those I know on here like to push their ZEDs to limits, which is alwaya a good indicator, for me. That said, many others, including myself, have found other brands up to the job for normal road use and spirited driving.

 

The more critcal factors from the years I have been reading members' findings, including some sad outcomes, is to have all 4 tyres the same; regularly check pressures and don't wait until you get down to the legal limit for replacements as the combination of + or - 300bhp/RWD/wet roads/and a leaden right foot will mean you will end up not facing the direction you had intended to travel.

[Ricey]

Nankangs

[NeilMH]

If I could start all over again (having had 050As on the Rays for some time) and having studied what people have said I think I would have gone for the Michelins - I suspect they would give me the greater "feel" that I was looking for and I am sure that would translate to more sure footedness in the winter as well. Having said that I think the 050As are very competent.

 

I have now gone down a different route altogether (using 17s and summer/winter tyres) but I think that is a red herring based in my own particular hang-ups

[Stutopia]

I'm reading minimum weight ratings of 91 front and 96 rear. Please shout if I'm wrong.

[Stutopia]

Michelin Pilot Super Sports £335 for a pair of rears and £353 for a pair of fronts, all in delivered for £700. Whoop whoop!

 

Anyone else confused by smaller fronts being more expensive than big rears?

[Allan Zada]

Tyre prices vary depending how common the size is. The more cars that use that size normally are cheaper. I think the original load rating is 95 all round but you prob wont have a problem with 91. My fronts are 91 and weather depending i do alot of what you might call spirited driving and ive never had any issues