At 22k miles the FRV needed a new pair of fronts (down to 3mm or so, 5-6mm on rears) - Costco doing their "Buy 4, get 20% off" Michelin deal so decided to get 4 Energys (205/55VR16) as one of the rears was a Nexen CP461 and the rest OEM Bridgestones. Cost £280.
Prior to new tyres I was seeing 33-34mpg (accurate computer) - tyres always at correct pressures.
With the new tyres the first 150miles recorded 41mpg !
Amazing result....
... except that this was because one or more of the wheels hadn't been balanced properly and had an annoying wobble from 65 to 80-odd mph so I kept to 55-60mph rather than the usual 75-80mph (indicated) on M-ways.
Had the wheels rebalanced and normal service is resumed - last 250 miles have been averaging 35mpg, so possibly a 3% improvement but likely within the margin of variables.
Drive smoothly and grip wet and dry appear commendable for an "Energy" tyre.
|
Mrs M got a set put on the Civic Monday week ago. I've been using it since then as she's been hors de combat (nearly better now). They seem fine to me, including in some very wet weather. About £260 for four. Curious appearance - assymetric pattern with very wide annular grooves.
I didn't ask whether they still use nitrogen (as opposed to 78% nitrogen), but the valve caps aren't green any more so the kids should leave them alone!
Last edited by: Manatee on Fri 8 Jul 11 at 20:09
|
|
The only way to get anything like an accurate measure of fuel consumption is to record every drop of fuel used, and the distance travelled, over a reasonably long period of time ~ say a month minimum. Even if you do this you'll find significant differences in the consumption from one calculation to another. The figure will depend on the actual journeys, your driving style, and the weather ~ just to mention a few factors.
|
Michelen seem to make the best all round tyres, except maybe price, but otherwise they seem to get the tradeoffs right - especially in wear vs grip (i know it's not strictly as simple as that), although rolling resistance seems to be another one of their strong points.
My cunning plan to thrash the OEM Continentals is not going as fast as planned. Plan B is a set of smaller, lighter alloys with some Mich PS3s.
More sp mistakes than normal, cba fixing :)
|
|
Eco tyres do make a difference. Always had Conti eco thingys on the Sharan, but at last change decided to save a few quid and go with Avons - Noticed a few MPG drop - going back to the contis next change
|
The point I guess I'm making is that driving style counts for a lot more than the rubber on the car.
Probably accounts for the changes many people see with various additives/superfuels/etc even to the point of subconcious changes in driving style knowing that the economy should be better.
Last edited by: Lygonos on Fri 8 Jul 11 at 22:29
|
when choosing tyres there are far more important things than a few MPG. Like keeping it on the blacktop in the wet. I'll trade a few mpg for that.
|
>> when choosing tyres there are far more important things than a few MPG. Like keeping
>> it on the blacktop in the wet. I'll trade a few mpg for that.
Yep spot on, number one priority wet grip.
|
|
You pair been on the sauce tonight? :-) michelens are generally excellent in the wet.
|
>> You pair been on the sauce tonight? :-) michelens are generally excellent in the wet.
>>
Couldn't disagree with you more Skoda, from X's and ZX's that had the wet grip of a soggy inner tube, via truck tyres that slid all over the shop, to the Pilote's recently slung from the little C2 in a successful attempt to cure torque steer (and halved road roar in the process, as well as improving ride quality), never have i found them to be what i consider good in the wet compared to decent quality European equivalents...it's all opinion formed by experience though, and yours may be different.
What are you comparing them with.
|
Mich SX's compared with Goodyear (can't remember the version) with around 3.5mm on a Peugeot 306, night and day difference in the wet. It was a heavy engine in that car granted but pushing straight on as you turn a fairly slow corner is total brown trouser material, the Mich's never put a foot wrong.
The other one that was transformed in the wet was a Corsa which came with Continentals OEM, and that went to Mich's from Kwik Fit after some vandalism. It was more wheelspin in the wet with this car but again, night and day.
There's no question what's going on the Octy, well i guess there is, Mich PS3s or Mich PSSs!
|
>> Couldn't disagree with you more Skoda, from X's and ZX's that had the wet grip
>> of a soggy inner tube,
X's & ZX's were diabolical, but the Primacy HP's on my Merc are absolutely fine, and both the girls' superminis have Energy tyres - I drive them pretty regularly and both drive well. Low rolling resistance Eco tyres, such as Energy, are never going to have the best wet grip though as the compound is harder.
|
|
Gb, what did you put on the C2?
|
>> Gb, what did you put on the C2?
>>
Vredestein Sportrac 3, might have gone for Uniroyal Rainsports instead, Sportracs came up first....incidentally the similar Uni Rain Experts are doing a grand job on my daughters mistreated Civic, 25K and just under 4mm left on the fronts.
|
>>>Vredestein Sportrac 3, might have gone for Uniroyal Rainsports
Those two on my shortlist for the C5 due very soon... other possibility is a Fulda for a slightly cheaper choice.
|
>>>>when choosing tyres there are far more important things than a few MPG. Like keeping it on the blacktop in the wet. I'll trade a few mpg for that.
The latest Michelin Energy tyres perform very well in the wet and dry which hasn't always been the case. Pirelli Cinturate P7s also offer low rolling resistance and high levels of performance wet and dry. I checked out mytyres dot co dot uk and compared the various tests and was surprised by the differences in tyre performance. I now have Michelin Energy(ies?) on my car and they are miles better than the Dunlops and Continentals I've had before. Quieter too and that's unusual for a low resistance tyre.
|
|
Agrred - the old E3A Energy were pretty mince in the wet - I was driving through (flooded) Edinburgh yesterday and found the Energys perfectly good.
|
Michelin zx & xzx really were junk. Never wore out but never gripped either.
Pirelli Cinturato much better.
|
Our Golf GTI wears Primacy HP's. Turbocharged, 150 bhp front driver with an average chassis, and no traction control, and I can count on one hand the number of times the front wheels have spun up even when pulling away in a hurry in foul conditions.
Brilliant tyres, if unfortunately eye wateringly expensive to replace.
|
I replaced two HPs the other week and no eyes watered. In fact at £93 apiece they were £5 cheaper than the last pair I bought, at 15% VAT in December 2009.
It was this room - or its predecessor: thanks, SFD and Gmac - that led me in the HP direction. They cured the S60 of its tendency to tramline over truck-rutted tarmac, which was what I wanted, but I also found they last about 50% longer than P6000s under the same conditions.
But now DP mentions it, the car - with the original D5 163 engine - has a TC Off button that I've never dared use, because even with TC on it could spin the Pirellis in second gear. I now realize that hasn't happened in the three years it's had HPs.
So when the Verso wore out its original Dunlop somethings, there was only one candidate. It now has four HPs and no longer squirms when braking to a halt in a motorway queue. Better, the steering has lost much of the springiness that made the car oddly fatiguing to drive long distances.
I'm sure other good tyres are available but I see no need to risk looking for them, given that tyres are the most expensive product I can think of that you can't try before you buy. Michelin all the way for us.
|
As I don't live in the past - over 30 years ago.- I consider what Michelin X/ZX did an irrelevance.
Bought Michelin Energy last year for Yaris: handling in the snow and ice exemplary.. no skids/slides or even wheelspin.
I did all my research.. A Which best buy.. with two other makes...
|
>> As I don't live in the past - over 30 years ago.- I consider what
>> Michelin X/ZX did an irrelevance.
That's funny, you consistently slate Vauxhall based on 30 years ago... Or is that not an irrelevance?
|
That's funny, you consistently slate Vauxhall based on 30 years ago... Or is that not an irrelevance
:)
|
Vauxhall?
My last post on them was ages ago.
You are living in the past. :-)
|
Meanwhile back in the mists of time, as long ago as Saturday 25th June 2011
"History says that anyone buying a Vauxhall is buying second rate engineering. It's GM remember...their last innovation was the electric starter motor"
I suppose 17 days is a lifetime on here.
|
|
Hmm.. obviously spawned by an elephant and too much time on its trunk...:-)
|
|
Dun you up like a Kipper Madf!
|
>>>"It was this room - or its predecessor: thanks, SFD and Gmac - that led me in the HP direction. They cured the S60 of its tendency to tramline over truck-rutted tarmac, which was what I wanted, but I also found they last about 50% longer than P6000s under the same conditions."
Good to hear Will. With the Michelin HP's I found the extended mileage before replacement was was dramatic, and also had an improvement in economy too. In all they then worked out much cheaper than sticking to P6000's
I put some of the on the front of my 520d Touring to replace the Bridgestones that lasted a staggeringly long time and found I have certainly improved grip, less aquaplaning (OK - I know they are new against worn tyres, but the Bridgestones on it before weren't great when new), as well as giving me a much much better (softer), and quieter ride (they are still run-flats).
The only downside has actually been a negative effect on fuel consumption of about 2mpg. The car feels more stuck to the road, so perhaps more rolling resistance. I think I prefer the pay-off this way round though as I like to think I am better stuck to the road!
|
New tyres - amazing fuel economy! - Manatee
