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Sorry - another tyre thread!

Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2010 11:00 am
by Waka
I need a couple of new tyres for the front of my X5 (19").
I've got Michelin diamaris all round at the moment but was going to put Toyo Proxes on the front (and rear when they get lower).
I've recently seen a very good price for Yokohama tyres. I'm aware of the brand but have never used them before. Does anyone on here have any opinions/experience?

Thanks,
W.

Re: Sorry - another tyre thread!

Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2010 11:13 am
by gmc15
I put Yokohama's on the rear of my X5 about 6 months ago and I have found them to be fine. They got good reviews in tyre tests that I read, so I chose them (£292 for the two).
I have Michelin Diamaris on the front and they have done nearly 30k and not down to the wear bars yet :) I have only done about 6k on the Yokohama's so I can't really comment on tyre life, but they are showing no great signs of wear yet.

Graeme.

Re: Sorry - another tyre thread!

Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2010 2:17 pm
by petert
I put about 30k on Diamaris on my E53 before I sold it and there was still some life left, so I recommend them for longevity.

Peter T

Sorry - another tyre thread!

Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2010 3:01 pm
by ITBarbie
Hi

I have diamaris on the back and toyos on the front and am very happy. I've done about 12k so far and the wear is good and don't notice much noise difference :-)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Re: Sorry - another tyre thread!

Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2010 3:36 pm
by AW8
If not changing all 4 I'd be tempted to fit a pair of decent quality & well sourced part worns on the front with view to replacing all 4 later with one make.

Frustrating that the straggered set up on our cars means we cant swap fronts to rears to even out wear.

I know some may have safety concerns but consider also that all used cars come with part worns fitted.

Common sense applies re sourcing. Theres a trader seling Diamaris for £25 each & an X5 owner who has bought & sold a few X5 bits (could even be a member or lurker here), selling pair with 3mm item number 290486164984.

£50 or so for a pair plus delivery/collection should see you out the other side of Christmas when you can then consider a set of 4 matching tyres.

Your car, your choice but thought above options sensible.

Re: Sorry - another tyre thread!

Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 9:36 am
by Waka
Thanks for the replies everyone. :flyboyaj:

Some reports of the Yokohamas have implied they're noisy at low speed and people seem to get similar life out of the Toyos as the Michelins so I'm leaning towards the Toyos as I can get them for £114 (although I've seen the Yokohamas for £111).

AW8 I am worried about changing just the front tyres, although there's so much tread on the rear I'm not sure about part worns. I certainly wouldn't have different tyres on the same axle, is it really unwise to change just the fornts?

Thanks again,
W.

Re: Sorry - another tyre thread!

Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 11:21 am
by slieverue
Where you getting the Toyo's for £114. That's a a great price......

Re: Sorry - another tyre thread!

Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 8:27 pm
by Waka
http://www.tyretraders.com/tyreInformat ... 5R19107VST
although they've put the price up a fiver since I started this thread!
These are the rears but they did say the fronts would be the same price when they get them in stock next month.

W.

Re: Sorry - another tyre thread!

Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 10:42 pm
by x555
[quote=""Waka""]is it really unwise to change just the fornts?
W.[/quote]
Not at all ....if the backs aint broke don't fix em ;)

Re: Sorry - another tyre thread!

Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 12:34 am
by AW8
[quote=""Waka""]
AW8 I am worried about changing just the front tyres, although there's so much tread on the rear I'm not sure about part worns. I certainly wouldn't have different tyres on the same axle, is it really unwise to change just the fornts? [/quote]

Not unwise more personal preference in having same brand all round.....Just something I have picked up from others & in all honesty probably a left over from the old days of not mixing radials with cross plys, (please dont ask me to elaborate on that).

The logic in keeping to one brand/spec on all 4 wheels is that if you have all 4 tyres the same then the tyres should perform same on front and back, not only in terms of grio but other chatacteristics such as roll resistance. In your case if fronts are low & rears are meaty you could have uneven charateristics between front and rear.

Of course plenty of other factors can affect matters such as uneven suspension wear, improper tyre pressures, potholes, diesel on road & of course improper driver input.

As has been said no major issue just changing the fronts but I would keep differences ibetween fronts & rears in back of my mind................Some may even think me quite mad re tyre obsessions & think this is nonsense. In years past, (on some earlier cars), I gave less thought to tyres............then again I did go sideways a lot in the earlier driving years, (on a track of course :oops: )

Just a thought - If really keen on a set of non Michelins you could always sell the rears as part worns to offset the cost.

Just for info new tyres have 8mm legal minimum is 1.6mm most change by 2mm so 6mm of usebale tread. Diamaris capable of 30k between changes so 1mm = approx 5k careful miles assuming everything as it should be in terms of tracking, pressure etc.

The fact you are giving matters this much thought shows you care more than the vast majority on the roads.

Re: Sorry - another tyre thread!

Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 11:25 pm
by Waka
[quote=""AW8""]
Not unwise more personal preference in having same brand all round.....Just something I have picked up from others & in all honesty probably a left over from the old days of not mixing radials with cross plys, (please dont ask me to elaborate on that).
[/quote]

No need - I remember the advert :D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs0WzoVJmaM

And thanks for another very helpful post, plenty to consider before I get down to the canvas on my fronts!

W.

Re: Sorry - another tyre thread!

Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2010 7:38 am
by x555
[quote=""Waka""]plenty to consider before I get down to the canvas on my fronts! W.[/quote]

The canvas is just a warning point it's when the sparks start flying,then it's time to change em fella!

Re: Sorry - another tyre thread!

Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2010 11:36 am
by AW8
[quote=""Waka""] No need - I remember the advert [/quote]

:rofl: That brings back a few memories.

Re: Sorry - another tyre thread!

Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2010 11:55 am
by Raj
I too am old school in my train of thought on tyres.

The way I have always looked at it is that the only contact between me and the road is my tyres. Having different front and rears tyre types (although is not 100% an issue) has always been a bit if a no-no in my own mind. As mentioned above, different tyres react/act in different ways and have different levels of grip, etc.

I've just put a complete set of Toyo Proxes ST tyres on yesterday. The front Michelins were down to about 2-3mm but with winter looming I felt it better to have a decent amount if tread to cope with the impending conditions. The rears were Marshalls (already on the X when I bought it a couple of months ago before you look at me in disgust...lol) with about 6mm of tread. I went round a large roundabout at approx 20mph (if that) with a light amount of rain water on the road and the back end started to slide. Never thought I'd be able to get the backend out on the X5 and probably looked quite cool...lol but it just shows how tyres can react.

I've kept the 2 marshalls as spares bur am happier already with the setup on the Toyo's.

Re: Sorry - another tyre thread!

Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 7:44 am
by x555
[quote=""Raj""]I went round a large roundabout at approx 20mph (if that) with a light amount of rain water on the road and the back end started to slide. Never thought I'd be able to get the backend out on the X5 and probably looked quite cool...lol but it just shows how tyres can react. [/quote]

I find that hard to believe at 20 mph :o :roll: there must have been something on the road for that to happen in which case it wouldn't have mattered what tyres were on the car!!!
BTW totally agree RE the tyres being the only thing that keeps you on the road :thumbsup: actually only about 7 to 8" of each tyre does which isn't a lot when you think of the size of the x.