The Fabia needed four new tyres. Fronts down to 3mm and one with a slightly bubbled sidewall. Rears a bit more but manufactured in 2016 - presumably in there from new.
Checked the size and ordered 4 Firestones from National Tyres to be fitted on Saturday. Dropped key at reception and settled for what I expected to be an hour or so's wait. Less than 5 minutes I'm told I've ordered the wrong cuffing size. 215/55 instead of 215/45. Guy was almost apologetic that they'd not fit!!
Nothing in stock so rebooked with Halfords - over the road from and owners of National.
Fitted after work today.
National refunded in full.
Lass on the desk at Halfords said it happens all the time!!
Phew!!
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No. But I remember when I bought a Citroen ZX Aura Estate and the spare wheel had a different size Tyre to the others. I kicked up a fuss at the dealers and they put a new Tyre on it that was the same as the rest.
It was only when I got home and was reading the handbook that came with the car that I saw that the car came with a reduced width Tyre as the spare. Oops!
This was long before space savers had been heard of!
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Had a nasty shock this week. Car in for service (big one £1.2k Yikes!). They noted I have a cracked NSR alloy. Had a look, its about 1cm on the inside rim, tyre still air tight. Bought a new wheel and tyre on the bay, arrived today £175. Clearly pot hole damage, hit a big (ouch that hurt I said) about two weeks back.
Its a chineese brand tyre, I need two new fronts, so I'll get them to put my existing NSR on the new rim.
Last edited by: Zero on Wed 2 Aug 23 at 21:05
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Yeah, kerbs y’see, they can be fickle devils. Was it in Herne Bay?
;-)
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>> Yeah, kerbs y’see, they can be fickle devils. Was it in Herne Bay?
>> ;-)
Not a kerb, it were an 'ole in the road, Possibly out Norfuk way.
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>> Clearly pot hole damage, hit a big (ouch that hurt I said)
>> about two weeks back.
About a week after I got my Roomster I hit a pothole of that type on one of the local lanes.
Got home and thought no more but popping down to the shop later heavy steering disclosed a flat n/s front. Spare on then new tyre fitted - the fronts as bought were ditchfinders anyway.
Job jobbed.
Four years later I scraped nearside stem/stern after a moment's inattention on M1 ALR section.
Insurer would have sorted that but jig etc checks showed steering off. New rack etc. Payable claim became a write off.
I'm 100% sure I did no wheel/steering damage in 2019 but that I'd run it four years with damage from that pothole.
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I'll be needing new tyres on the Chevy before next summer. OEM fit were Goodyear Eagles but they're not sold in Europe at the size I need so it's currently on Kumho.
I should be able to import Goodyears from the US now that Brexit is done and we don't need an EU approval stamp on the sidewall. Shouldn't I?
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Low profile (35) tyres on my car are prone to pothole damage, and while this may be a coincidence, but I’ve never had a winter tyre suffer such damage, only summer ones. Makes me wonder if the winter ones are made of sterner stuff? They certainly feel heavier when off the rims than the summer ones. Or it’s just a luck of the draw thing of course.
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Are XL - extra load - tyres which I understand have stiffer sidewalls more resistant to potholes and are winter tyres similar.
Nearly everything on offer for the Fabia was described as XL.
Not convinced it's needed and indeed that it doesn't make the ride on 45 ratio tyres stiffer over and above the higher profile stuff on models lower down the pecking order.
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Run flats are very similar to XL, and indeed I have no doubt that a normal tyre would have had damage rather than cracking the wheel as in my case.
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>> Run flats are very similar to XL, and indeed I have no doubt that a
>> normal tyre would have had damage rather than cracking the wheel as in my case.
So to conclude this, had two new tyres* fitted front, and the fitters put the new alloy on the back and fitted my old tyre back - to keep the wheel diameters on the back balanced - a safety measure to look after the torsen diff.
-
*Goodyear efficient grip, my favs - quiet ride, compliant, and not bad in the wet.
I'll see if the wheel can be repair welded and refurbished and kept as a spare
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>>
>> Not convinced it's needed and indeed that it doesn't make the ride on 45 ratio
>> tyres stiffer over and above the higher profile stuff on models lower down the pecking
>> order.
>>
...much would depend on the plated weights of your vehicle as to whether you "needed" them. XL tyres normally have a higher load-index than standard tyres of the same profile. Tyres should be matched to the plated (axle) weights (though a higher carrying capacity isn't the only reason they are fitted).
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I'm have four new Michelin PS5's next week which are 225/40 XL, the majority of sport tyres will be XL rated - as has been mentioned this is to stiffen the sidewall so reducing flex during cornering.
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Hmmmm. Easilly done I guess ! Always a major process here. Beemers always went to the local BMW garage, they were always close to the best price. There are two indie suppliers, one is very popular with bikers and the other has been around forever. In-laws Fiesta was sorted there recently, good price and good service (decent tea). 2 x Conties on the front which was the OE. Mini goes to BMW for its Bridgestone replacements, Audi has Hankooks...hideously expensive.
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Skoda dealer is silly money for tyres too.
£210 a corner. When I asked I was told that was for Bridgestones. About £100 more per tyre than Halfords' Goodyears.
Similar gap for discs/pads. Dealer says they're worn to point replacement is a 'red immediate' issue. Pads worn 70% looks about right. Discs are visibly lipped but when I asked about current wear v min safe thickness per vernier/micrometer the staff dissembled about now v another 20k miles I might do in a year.
Will monitor and trust my own judgement but might buy a micrometer...
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Only a tiny number working in a garage would bother measuring disc/pad wear. Two reasons very few customers would understand it and pad/disc replacements are a solid profit when the car is up on the ramps.
Plus (three reasons really) it's hard to judge how much braking any car might do in the next year.
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>> Only a tiny number working in a garage would bother measuring disc/pad wear. Two reasons
>> very few customers would understand it and pad/disc replacements are a solid profit when the
>> car is up on the ramps.
The indy my Beemer goes to is good. They will measure thickness and skim disks if it stays within min thickness. Their labour rates are good, their knowledge is high, they have the right factory diags, Parts prices are competitive, take the gearbox service*, the ZF filter pan and fluid was billed to me cheaper than I could get it at discount. Ditto the pollen fliter. Oil filter was same price I could get, as was oil. Strangely pads were 30% dearer (tho still cheaper then BMW)
*BMW wont service the gearbox "Its sealed for life sir". Strangely thats not what ZF say who make the thing.
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Anyone else done this? - Bobby
