Low Rolling Resistance replacement tyres (Europe)

Try blackcircles.com

You won't need a UK reg number to use it. Just enter the tyre size manually and then select Michelin Energy Saver and it'll show the tread pattern applicable.

 

Yep just looked. Our tyres aren't the same as Europe or USA

 

Probably not. I'm sure they adjust the tyre formula to match the local temperature and humidity variants.

A tyre used in -5c to 30c in the UK will have different requirements to 5c to 45c in Australia.

 

34.2 in Bradshaw NT / -7.6 in Thredbo NSW. That's today's extremes in Australia. Middle of winter too

 

Hi John

How are you finding the hankooks?

I need to replace my 17" Michelin primacy tyres and I was shocked to see they are rated F for rolling/fuel.

The prius is very sensitive to conditions and I'm sure tyres are no exception. I see your views are positive in favour of the ventus prime 2 hankooks. How are they doing now? I was curious how the mpg changed if at all from your previous tyres?

Thanks

 

Thank you John - glad you got on well with them. Looks like my mpg will be flat at the very worst when I change.

I'm in Stafford - I looked on camskill for the prius tyre size and I didn't see many eco tyres. Like the Eco kinergy you mentioned or the blue energy (I think it was).

I couldnt see the Michelin energy savers that North American guys like.

The hankook prime 2 were £68 a think. Thought that was very decent for a 215/45/17

 

Just a quick one on the Efficient Grip Performance. I'm still happy with the mpgs and the wet grip, but I'm a little concerned with wear. I have approx 15k miles on two if them and they are at about half way. I never let tyres wear right down, so I estimate that I'll have to change at about 25k miles, possibly 30k miles at a push. I do travel all sorts of roads though, crappy city roads as well as country roads and some motorway. I've kept the pressure between 38 and 42, trying different pressures vs comfort.

They cost me €90 each fitted and are great with regard to mpgs and have very very good wet grip (tested recently in some extreme showers at motorway speed).

I might have to compromise on wear to get the other benefits.

 

I'm the same, good tyres to the front, worn to the rear. I just bought 2 new ones for the front and stuck the half worn on the rear. I had a pair of crappy Chinese 195s on the rear and after 15k miles, they are still like new! Thanks to Arnold Clarke for fitting them the day i bought it. I'm a tyre snob so they had to go! I was never happy with them anyway and felt the back end was a little twitchy in the wet, plus the 205s look much better on the rear, the 195s are too skinny looking, with the offset looking all wrong as a result

I think that I might try a pair of Dunlop Sport Blue Response next out of curiosity. There is actually a nice selection of good brand LRR tyres in the 205s, I'm glad I changed from the oddball 195 size.

 

I would like to chip in here about worn rears.

I was in a rented hire car with very worn rears and the driver was doing marginally over the limit on the m6 toll. A sudden down pour left standing water and on a slight bend the rear end just went. The result was 4 spin impacts into the central reservation and a written off hire car.

Lesson here is always check hire car tyres. Also don't underestimate the rear tyres job which is ultimately to keep you pinned to the road, once they let go there isn't much hope of recovery. With the fronts at least they under/oversteer.

Of course half worn is completely safe! But don't let them get too low.

 

I'm the same, I never let the tyre get down to the legal minimum. I too find that once it gets down to the minimum legal depth of 1.6mm here in Ireland. 1.6mm in my opinion is bald and dangerous.

Yes I might be wasting my money changing early, but I think that it's cheaper to replace a tyre than to be in an accident cause I was too tight to change a tyre!

 

Sensible advice.

The way I look at it is that a whole set of branded tyres is about £280. How much is the excess on your insurance? £150? £250? Changing tyres is good insurance as it stops you getting into a smash or ending up on your side in a ditch or parked on top of a hedge, especially considering how wet our weather is. And if you just need to change the fronts then it's only £140 for two.

 

I'm looking at a Nokian 185/70/14 W+ to use on our 2003 Prius in North Alabama. Unfortunately, we really don't have many outlets selling Nokians in the USA. Worse, their web site is pretty lame about technical information for this tire. So my questions are:

• Is there a Web site with technical information about the Nokian W+?
• What is their general reputation?
• It looks like they are really after winter tire sales including studded . . . any problems in warm weather, 40C?

I have another alternative but wanted to throughly investigate this model tyre first.

Thanks,
Bob Wilson

 

Try the following UK link. It might help a little.

Nokian tyres: Order best quality here | mytyres.co.uk

Enter the tyre size for your car (you don't need a UK reg number that way) and it should bring up a list of all the available UK Nokian tyres, giving their economy, wet grip rating, noise level and importantly owner reviews. Now whether they're ok in 40c heat is another matter. I thought the Nokian tyres sold here were for northern Europe and some of the model types probably won't be available for you. But it gives an idea of what they're like.

 

Thanks!

I like the EU rating system for tyres. The web site is pretty good too.

I remain amazed at how hard the tyre/tire vendors work to obscure their tire performance specs.

Bob Wilson

 

They are regarded very highly in Nordic Countries, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark etc.

They're not a huge seller here in Ireland as we don't get huge snowfall here and people here don't really see the point of winter tyres . . . .

Try this link too for more info

Nokian W+ 185/70 R14 88T - eiretyres.com