The tyre chestnut!

[britnordic]

Hi and a Happy New Year to all

as reported back in April '08 I fitted 4 Khumo Ecsta to the 270 estate.
Well after 25,000 miles the fronts are knackered by uneven wear and the back may have a thousand left in them.
At the front, the offside shoulder is worn on the offside tyre and the inside shoulder is worn on the nearside tyre. My fault, I should have kept a closer eye on things. Need a specialist to sort that out.
My experience with these tyres has been overall very good. Quieter than the Dunlops they replaced, looks like 3,000 miles extra (but could have been more), but maybe due to the worn tread, handling in the ice and snow was very poor. Not a racing tyre, but for me they're OK.
I'm spending the next couple of days contemplating what to buy as I'm off the road, cos nobody wants to see me!

Are we in a recession or a suicidal spiral I wonder? I bet Brown doesn't know either!

Tony

 

[jberks]

no answer I'm afraid - you've done well - 25k from a set of budget tyres. I get less from the Federals - don't know why - maybe just a heavier car.
Khumos have gone up in price as they've gained greater acceptance and Federals were fitted to my Dad's car by the main dealer! So resistance to these brands seem to be easing but I share the desire to fit a set of Michelins or Contis. I have this nagging idea that if I did, she'd ride better, handle better and be quieter but if that were true, I'd have noticed the deterioration when I swapped to 'cheapies' in the first place - and I didn't.

I now have double the quandry as the Mrs' Freelander needs a new set of 235/65/17's at £150 each (michelin).

But, given our current economic fun, I suspect the prospect of saving £250 may prove too much.

To your other question, I fear the latter as a media fuelled disaster seems to be taking hold at the moment and everyone is terrified ,but once all the firms that would have died long ago had the bank not propped them up, have cleared out of the way and the redundancy count falls back to a steady stream rather than a tidal wave, I suspect we'll settle into a nice steady recession for the rest of the year and start to crawl back into the light in 12 months or so. Who knows, I may even still be living in the same house at the end of it - though I have my doubts.
Odd things happening out there at the moment. Rates paid for my work would be funny if they weren't tragic (Last night I was offered less than I was charging in 1997!) but at least it shows that there are things out there to discuss and at the end of the day it would pay the mortgage and Aldi bills - I guess my new E320 can always wait. I had a call just this morning - no use to me but at least an indication of some form of activity and so potentially, hope. It wil be slow but I suspect if we hold our nerve we'll pick up bits and bobs along the way and live to see the other side.

 

[britnordic]

Hi Jberks

I share you thoughts about better tyres, but I think the wallet will win and I will save what I can. Business will be slower and harder this year and that means less miles.

As to the recession, normally at this time of year I have orders in hand to see the factory thru to Feb and sometimes March. (I'm not the boss thank god.) Nothing like that now but there is business about and every order has to be fought for and at lower prices. Like you, I may have to make some sacrifices, but I hope to still be here at the end of the year.

Mercs will be cheaper, but will I have the dough???

 

[television]

I know this is a tyre post, but we do wander off sometimes

With the further interest rate cut I am have to move money around, as I am living off my last 10 years earnings, its not good news for savers, or folks like me that live on the interest.

I know that there are folk worse off than me, but if I could not afford something in the past I went without, until I could, so now people like me have to pay the price for others mistakes

 

[britnordic]

Hi Malcom
very true, I'm at the end of a mortgage and been saving and wanted to do more...but for what return?

My industry (Gardening, gave up TV long ago) is heavily dependent on the "grey" pound. In past recessions it's been ok, but I'm not to sure about this one.

Tony

 

[rpe2]

Hi and a Happy New Year to all

as reported back in April '08 I fitted 4 Khumo Ecsta to the 270 estate.
Well after 25,000 miles the fronts are knackered by uneven wear and the back may have a thousand left in them.
At the front, the offside shoulder is worn on the offside tyre and the inside shoulder is worn on the nearside tyre. My fault, I should have kept a closer eye on things. Need a specialist to sort that out.
My experience with these tyres has been overall very good. Quieter than the Dunlops they replaced, looks like 3,000 miles extra (but could have been more), but maybe due to the worn tread, handling in the ice and snow was very poor. Not a racing tyre, but for me they're OK.
I'm spending the next couple of days contemplating what to buy as I'm off the road, cos nobody wants to see me!

Are we in a recession or a suicidal spiral I wonder? I bet Brown doesn't know either!

Tony

Sorry to go off the savers v. mortgage holders topic ;-)

I've put Kumho tyres on my last few cars and have found them to be very durable and quiet. I'm not a boy racer so can't comment on handling if you like to push your car just that little bit further.

p.s. I've still got 30 ish years before I can retire so I thought I'd share with you that my mortgage deal expires next month so I'll be £180 per month better off. So that's a new set of tyres each month!

 

[Rory]

I now have double the quandry as the Mrs' Freelander needs a new set of 235/65/17's at £150 each (michelin).

Don't know how competive you'll find them (I thought their base prices had jumped up a bit) but Costco have another 20% off offer (need to buy 4 tyres, but it can be any 4) starting 19th Jan to 15th Feb. They only sell Michelin, of course.


Must say I finally gave in and replaced the Bridgestone Turanza ER30 fronts at 38K miles on my C270CDi with Michelin Primacy HP's and the car is noticeably softer riding and much quieter. Surprising really, bearing in mind it was the fronts, and that I've already had Primacy HP's on the back for 20K miles.

 

[delboy777]

Continentals all round on mine, but fortunately i only have 15" wheels so the tyres dont break the bank. Going to put a pair of Khumos on the rear shortly and see how they do

 

[Quickbrit]

I just put a set of Toyo TR 225's on mine and I very pleased.

Low noise and grip is good/excellant and I got mine with free shipping (eBay) for 300.

I timed the installation with a wheel refurb and all's good.

MikeE

 

[Mr Teddy Bear]

I have four Kumhos fitted KU31's to be exact they're ok ......need to be careful in low temp around 3deg C with grit on the road. Half a second late on the brake......and a four wheel skid resulted!still stopped mind. Moot point as to wether anything else bar winter tyres would have performed better tho'.

 

[britnordic]

This week I've had 4 Kumhos fitted @ £270 the set.
Jib did the service c/w front discs and pads and now he tells me to smarten up my alloys! May have to do something for Duxford tho...

Tony

 

[deejaybee]

Khumo Ecsta on S320

Just out of interest I have just fitted 4 Khumo Ecsta 235/60/16 on the S320 ('98 W140)and am pleased with these so far - quite, comfortable ride and grip in cold much better than the Conti's that were on the car when I bought it.

The C's were not fully worn, probably had a good 3mm of tread left, but I found that the grip in cold temeperature, even on relatively dry roads, was awful. I had several four wheel lock-up events at low speed in the last month or so which I have never had with any other car.

The clincher was the price, I got 4 fully fitted for £308 compared to over £600 for Cont's and even more for Michellins. They may not last as long but I bet they do more than 50% of the mileage - time will tell.

Regards,

Dave

 

[jberks]

The clincher was the price, I got 4 fully fitted for £308 compared to over £600 for Cont's and even more for Michellins. They may not last as long but I bet they do more than 50% of the mileage - time will tell.

Regards,

Dave

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. They should last equally as long as conti/bridgestone etc. The only exception seems to be michelin who, whilst being the most expensive, are actually the best value overall. Crazy as it sounds, Michelin actually work out fractionally cheaper than Khumo on a mile for mile basis but you do have to find twice as much money at changeover and there is no reason to think that the grip/ride etc is any better so I'd stick with Khumo.
Plus, I wiped out one of my Federal tyres recently. At £80 for the replacement it was painful but at least it wasn't a £165 Michelin!

 

[turbopete]

my dad has a w203 c220 cdi manual. he was getting around 10,000 miles out of a rear pair of goodyear eagle nct 5 tyres on country roads. switched to michelins now, about 10 quid a pair more. gets nearly double the mileage though! worth thinking about if you are trying to decide if an extra fiver per tyre is worth the extra outlay! and for the record hes not an ultra gentle oap type driver. hes 53 and gives it stick! im 33 and gentler (most of the time!) with my trusty w203. despite its annoying little faults!

 

[jibcl500]

This week I've had 4 Kumhos fitted @ £270 the set.
Jib did the service c/w front discs and pads and now he tells me to smarten up my alloys! May have to do something for Duxford tho...

Tony

Tony

Yes your letting the side down with those alloys !!!! disgraceful. See attached. My E class alloys after refurb decided to go for the full painted option.

jib

 

[britnordic]

Jib
I take the point, they look very good!
However, in this ****** weather I'm happy to see rough alloys on my motor for the time being....But come the spring ?

Tony

 

[jibcl500]

Tony

Yes I know the feeling, still have 3 sets of various sizes in the garage waiting to be done, intention was to complete all sets before xmas!!! 2009 perhaps.

Just finishing the en-suite bathroom that should have been completed in Aug 08!!! nag factor won in the end.
jib

 

[jberks]

my dad has a w203 c220 cdi manual. he was getting around 10,000 miles out of a rear pair of goodyear eagle nct 5 tyres on country roads. switched to michelins now, about 10 quid a pair more. gets nearly double the mileage though! worth thinking about if you are trying to decide if an extra fiver per tyre is worth the extra outlay!

£5 a tyre .... if only. If it were I'd be right there with him. The extra mileage is well worth it.
Sadly, the difference between Michelins and Khumo on mine is around £70 a corner.

 

[turbopete]

£5 a tyre .... if only. If it were I'd be right there with him. The extra mileage is well worth it.
Sadly, the difference between Michelins and Khumo on mine is around £70 a corner.

crikey! i can only assume you have bigger wheels on yours then. 195/65 x 15 v rated were £120 for the pair! the goodyears were £110 the pair!