Car tyres

[Mick Annick]

I need to replace the tyres on my car (2019 VW T-Roc), and would normally buy decent such as Michelin - for once there doesn’t seem to be much of a price difference between France and the UK (were it not for the current situation I would probably have bought in the UK on one of our trips back to see family).

Anyway, I’m a little confused; looking at the Michelin Primacy 4 there seems to be several sub-variants with markings like S1, FSL, XL or nothing at all - all accompanied by quite a variation in price - I’ve looked around but can’t find what these refer to, even on Michelin’s own website - any idea What they mean?

 

[premmington]

• XL = Tyres designed with an additional, larger load capacity over and above the standard tyre level (EXL, RF, RFD)
• AO = Audi approved tyres
• FSL = Protection for rim flange - is a rubber bead on the outer edge of the tyre (MFS, FP, FR)
• S1 = Tires meeting new European standards for reducing the noise

I know it is a minefield buying tyres - every tyre brand has mastered the art of "upselling". Little names and abbreviations to get more money!

 

[Mick Annick]

Thanks Peter, I I thought you’d know

 

[premmington]

Thanks Peter, I I thought you’d know

Noise is the big issue with tyres now.

I would duplicate what is on your car now - if they are quiet from new - from the factory.

 

[Mick Annick]

Noise is the big issue with tyres now.

I would duplicate what is on your car now - if they are quiet from new - from the factory.

Thanks, I’m not sure what’s on there at the moment, will have a look in the morning, though I’ve just discovered that whilst the headline prices are not too dissimilar here, they don’t include fitting - looks to be 70 euros + to get them done.

 

[fizzy]

Noise is the big issue with tyres now.

I would duplicate what is on your car now - if they are quiet from new - from the factory.

I would say 90% of the noise from a motorway comes from the tyres and the road surface.
Concrete is particularly bad. The A465 heads of the valley road can be heard from miles away.

 

[Ashley Burton]

I think Michelin are probably one of the best!

 

[tom 748]

run flats are very noisy

 

[Mick Annick]

I would say 90% of the noise from a motorway comes from the tyres and the road surface.
Concrete is particularly bad. The A465 heads of the valley road can be heard from miles away.

We have lovely smooth tarmac here, the taxes may be high but the roads are ace!

 

[dobbslc]

Having driven in France a few times I'd agree with that!

 

[mike os]

My prime requirements are wet performance and noise.... all I have bought in the last 10 plus years have been michelin, but thats as much because they suit the car rather than brand loyalty. Usually pilot sports unfortunately

 

[fizzy]

We have lovely smooth tarmac here, the taxes may be high but the roads are ace!

You don't get the rain we do.
In wet weather the rougher the road the better - unless of course you have the magic porous tarmac that is both quiet and stays dry even when it is pouring down. Been trialled for years in the UK but they would rather go cheap. Italy's infrastructure might be awful but every motorway I drove on over there was porous tarmac. Should be made compulsory.
Here in Wales the M4 has Mediterranean style smooth tarmac. It is a death trap in the wet. They are constantly replacing sections of crash barriers that people hit. Its only because modern cars are so good that there aren't deaths every week.
I have written and complained loads of times but they just say it is within spec.
They have come up with a new solution now - reduced the speed limit to 50mph instead of fixing it

 

[frank horton]

when I lived there was quoted €20 to fit the tyre and balance an €15 for the valve...+ vat....
PER TYRE
they also wanted €150 to replace the inner tube on the rear tyre on my JCB3X.....+ 85 for the inner tube...
and thats if I took the wheel there...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
got a mate to get 2 truck tyre levers from M/mart and a new tube ....shipped them overnight UPS...
I just did by hand in the end...made an Hydraulic bead breaker...
in 16 years never had a visit to a tyre shop.....I bought 100's of tyres over the years,tractor we ran 3 cars and a big Sprinter....etc....

Mick ...look at penu's on line via google...some tyre companies will sell direct and u can name the dealer u want to fit them...
could save u loads.....
soglad I left

 

[premmington]

when I lived there was quoted €20 to fit the tyre and balance an €15 for the valve...+ vat....
PER TYRE
they also wanted €150 to replace the inner tube on the rear tyre on my JCB3X.....+ 85 for the inner tube...
and thats if I took the wheel there...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
got a mate to get 2 truck tyre levers from M/mart and a new tube ....shipped them overnight UPS...
I just did by hand in the end...made an Hydraulic bead breaker...
in 16 years never had a visit to a tyre shop.....I bought 100's of tyres over the years,tractor we ran 3 cars and a big Sprinter....etc....

Mick ...look at penu's on line via google...some tyre companies will sell direct and u can name the dealer u want to fit them...
could save u loads.....
soglad I left
View attachment 271711

Garages are expensive in France - had I been a bit younger - could speak French - I would have moved to the South of France and opened one for all the ex pats.

 

[Ashley Burton]

Garages are expensive in France - had I been a bit younger - could speak French - I would have moved to the South of France and opened one for all the ex pats.

I think France is expensive full stop

 

[Mr Fro]

My prime requirements are wet performance and noise.... all I have bought in the last 10 plus years have been michelin, but thats as much because they suit the car rather than brand loyalty. Usually pilot sports unfortunately

Same here - excellent tyres.

I use them on the cars (pilot sport) and bikes (pilot road) because they're the best I've found.

 

[premmington]

I think France is expensive full stop

No been many times! Been to Paris - that was expensive.

Have friends who live in Troyes - real nice place - old buildings that did not get flattened in the last war.

Been to a few places on the South Coast - day trips off Med cruise ships - so did not buy too much at all.

I like France from the little I have seen of it.

Outskirts of Paris do look a bit rough or they did in 1985.

 

[premmington]

Same here - excellent tyres.

I use them on the cars (pilot sport) and bikes (pilot road) because they're the best I've found.

I bought a full set of five Continental Premium Contact 6's for my VW Passat estate car (to include full size spare) - they are noisy - I wish now I had put a set of S1 Michelin's on it (expensive mistake).

Get my car on the "wrong type of tarmac - at the wrong speed" and you think you have a wheel bearing failing.

The drone is unreal.

It is that bad - I have swapped the wheels with a customers car and taken my car out for a test drive to confirm it is the tyres.


Due to this noise problem - I have stopped buying in/stocking Continental tyres and selling them to my customers.

To be honest it has spoilt what is nice car (VW DSG Highline estate).

Had it been a customers car - I would have ended up taking them off and being out of pocket over it! (it is impossible to get a credit from a tyre wholesaler - it is like getting blood out of a stone).

What annoyed me was - Continental tyres are OE factory fitted spec for VAG/Audi. Annoying is it not - buying the right thing for the job and they are still no good!

They are not coming off thou - at bit less than £500 "trade" for the set of five. I will be living with the noise for a long time (as I have not used the car much/at all really - due to this Pandemic thing).

 

[Bornfree]

Modern tyres are rubbish. My latest van 3.5ton citroen had continentals on from new all 4 went out of shape. Changed them to Goodyear, the same result so now I just fit the cheapest that ATS do. They still go out of shape but don't cost as much. In 108,000 miles I've yet to wear one tyre up.every one out of shape or puncture that's not repairable.

 

[mike os]

@premmington the passat runs well on pilots or fast response