I know next to nothing about tyres and need some advice. One of the tyres on my car slowly deflates over a few weeks and a friend suggested I should replace all four tyres.
The tyre size is 205/65R15 and i have a few question that hopefully one of you can answer
Should I replace all 4 tyres at the same time or just the one that is deflating?
What is a good tyre of this size or is it fine to just get the cheapest I can find?
What is a fair price to pay for a new tyre or 4?
Thanks in advance.
A pinhole puncture repair is still $30-$40.
Not sure where you are located. NRMA members get a free puncture repair. I think it is done at Beaurepair. Check the NRMA website. Possibly other motoring clubs offer the same.
More like $20 at most places.
get the round ones, the boxy shaped ones are a scam
Dumb comment.
flintstone makes the best tyres.
bridgestone is the worst.
Yep, get the puncture fixed if its not on the sidewall.
Else maybe replace it with the spare tyre (if not a space saver) and change the one tyre out?
DO NOT fit cheap tyres. Totally false economy and people who "comically" say 'fit the black round ones' are perpetuating the stupid comment that all tyres are created equal.
Stick to brand names. In no particular order, Michelin, Goodyear, Continental, Bridgestone etc… DO NOT put on the Chinese pieces of sh$t like Winrun, Bridgefast, Supergood or whatever.
What tyres do you currently have? What age are they? How much tread left?
Currently have Goodyear tyers but have found them to be terrible in wet conditions. they are about 4 years old now and look fairly worn.
4 years isn't too bad. How many k's on them?
I couldn't be sure but I would say less than an average 4 year load since I only have a short commute to work and don't do long road trips
Are they the Goodyear Optilife? I've had terrible experiences with these tyres, avoid like the plague is my advice.
You forgot an important piece of information, what car do you have? Make/model, FWD/RWD or AWD
No point recommending something like Michelin Pilot Sports etc if your car doesn't have the power/torgue to warrant tyres with such grip.
power/torgue to warrant tyres with such grip.
Does not compute.
No point spending big $$$ for top tier soft compound tyres that are intended for high performance vehicles if the OP is driving a camry
No, but by your statement, you should put crap tyres on an MX5 because it's a low power car.
@tight-ass: You said that cars with low power/torque don't warrant tyres with such grip. I literally quoted it above for you.
@tight-ass: Yes I'm aware, that's why I suggested that was a silly metric for tyre selection. It's almost like braking and steering are important as well as full noise acceleration.
Pilot Sports are not really performance tyres… you might be thinking of Pilot Super Sport. The PS4 is an excellent all rounder tyre. Yes they are very popular for sportier cars like Megane, 308 and Golf GTi but ideal for Corolla or similar too. Great grip in the wet and very quiet. Not that expensive either, I got 4 for $680 on sale. You don't want to go too cheap on tyres..
Pilot Sports are not really performance tyres…
I'm pretty sure he was referring to the PS4S, not the PS4. It's still called Pilot Sport, but two very different tyres.
The ‘S’ means it is a softer compound.Just a brilliant tyre.
@Hackney: Actually incorrect , its the other way around.
The Michelin PS4 is a soft compound tyre , the Michelin PS4-S has soft compound on the middle and hard compound on the sides. it gives enhanced turn-in feel and more dry lateral grip during transitions.
For the road the Michelin PS4 is a great tyre especially in wet weather , but for the track the PS4S is amazing and worth the extra money.
I have had both types of tyres so i can make an accurate comment on them , i have also been on track with the PS4S and they are a phenomenal tyre for the money. next step up from them would basically be semi-slicks or the Michelin Cup 2 Tyres.
@[Deactivated]: Yes,correct I have a set of PS4s on order for my GT Mustang.Just a superb tyre.Have Pirelli Zero’s on @ the moment,just not a particularly good tyre.👍
2001 toyota camry
Also important to mention what type of driving. Inner city commuting, freeway or country highway. Also what type of driver, Sunday grandma or brake late and turn boy racer.
All make a difference to what should be recommended too.
Mainly inner city commuting.
I am a bit or a reckless driver which is probably how the tyre got a leak in the first place
The lower your tyre pressure the higher the probability of you getting a puncture.
Should I replace all 4 tyres at the same time or just the one that is deflating?
- not necessarily. if your tyres are not too old, you can just replace one. if they are quite worn, a new tyre might have a longer roll-out which means it can stress your drivetrain due to the wheels not turning at the same speed.
What is a good tyer of this size or is it fine to just get the cheapest i can find?
- stick to quality brand names like suggested. Tyres and brakes are your two biggest safety systems - $100 a corner in that size would be some decent tyres.
What is a fair price to pay for a new tyer or 4?
- how long is a piece of string? like insurance, there is far too many variables from car to car to be able to give you a decent answer. i generally suggest $100/tyre is where you are getting premium tyres but size plays a big part in price (not just bigger = more; some odd-sizes arent kept in stock at the tyre shop so they dont get as good pricing on them)
$400 for 4 tyres every 3-5 years is nothing when you consider the safety factor.
my car has big bad sports tyres (265/30/18) and my last set cost $900. they are half worn and just about 1 year old.
It is for a 2001 Toyota Camry.
I rang a few places around me and got quoted roughly $100 per tyre although Im not sure which brands that was for.
Is it a situation where any tyre from a reputable brand would be fine or avoiding the lower tier of any brand is recommended?
Apart from the leak does the tyre actually need replacing? If it's not ready to be replaced just go to a tyre shop and ask them to check for leaks and replace the valve. If it takes weeks to deflate my bet is a bad valve rather than an actual puncture.
If they're close or at the point where it's time to replace then sure, go ahead and replace but IMO don't bother with cheap tyres. Cheap tyres generally have poor grip and therefore poor safety and wear quickly negating most if not all of your saving over time. Stick to a major brand and see what's on sale at the time.
Cheap tyres, what's stopping you? (Cheap tyres)
Sounds like a puncture take it to a tyre shop should cost no more than $50 to fix.
That's expensive. $30 tops or your paying too much. A 30 second phone call to the 3 nearest tyre shops will find you the cheapest place.
205/65R15
I'm guessing op drives a falcodory
Pictures of tread would help op
I recently bought japanese made tyres instead of a chinese brand my mechanic offered… no idea the brand but was this the better decision?
It depends. A lot of good name brand tyres are made in china. A lot of crap tyres are also made in china. You really have to look at what specific brand and model tyre you got to make a judgement.
Yes.
Just went through three same exercise myself. One of the tyres had a cut on a side, two separate places tools me to replace it. One of the remaining tyres had almost no thread lost, I swapped out with a spare a few months ago. The other two tyres were close to the end of their life, could probably get another 3-4 months of of them. Decided to leave the better one as a spare and replace all four.
Completely agree with the previous posts about getting a well known brand instead of one of the cheap ones. The Bridgestones I've fitted four years ago did 70,000km on Rav4 (I was promised 50k at that time). The Chinese ones I used in the past lasted about two years on Camry.
Look for 4for3 deals where vendors install 4 tyres for the price of three. Sometimes some brands run "$100 off" deals on four tyres. Ask specifically about those when calling around, they don't always advertise them.
Some places will price match, especially if from the same franchise like Tyreright. Go to https://www.tyrecompare.com.au/, find the best deal and call around locally to see if you can get the deal matched.
Do a wheel alignment at the same time, especially if you are a rough driver.
As for which brand and model, if you are not prepared to do a lot of research, just go with what is in your budget from a reputable brand. Usually getting the same brand and model of tyre the car came with from the factory is a safe no-headache choice. Btw, more expensive tyre doesn't mean a better tyre https://www.whichcar.com.au/features/wheels-tyre-test
I suggest you hand in your Licence…
Why would you replace all tyres if only one is giving trouble?
Are they all bald?
The ONE (1) tyre that leaks may simply need an inner tube replaced.
Dab some spittle upon the valve… if it bubbles, it indicates that the valve is the issue.
Why would you spend $600+ bc of a leaking valve?
Take the car to a proper tyre place… they will advise you.
Take your licence to the nearest Motor Registrar - society will thank you.
inner tube
It’s a car, not a bicycle
Hi Op,
Given the value of your car (appears to be low value sub 5k, guessing from the year (2001)). I’d recommend buying the cheap Chinese tyres such as Winrun (lots of reviews).
If you dropped $150-250 on nice bridgestones the tires may outlast the car itself (maybe).
As for longevity, the reviews (source:google) indicate that Winruns do a good job but don’t last (km) as long as their euro/jap counter parts.
Winruns appear to run great brand new and as they wear (quicker than High mileage tyres from euro-jap counter parts) they’re a lot less effective (grip wise).
I myself ran Bridgestones and Parellies until my car got to 10 years old and then ran cheap Chinese tyres such as Winruns. Did this because the true value wouldn’t (minimally) affect the price (resale value) of the car if I chose to sell it/trade in.
Given the value of your car (appears to be low value sub 5k, guessing from the year (2001)). I’d recommend buying the cheap Chinese tyres such as Winrun (lots of reviews).
Absolutely terrible advise. Tyres are the only thing connecting your car to the road, and are a safety item. It is never good to cheap out on tyres. You don't have to go crazy, op could get 4 name brand tyres for 4-500.
You make a good point.
Go to a couple of the tyre specialists (Bob Jane, Tyrepower, Jax, Bridgestone, etc) and ask them to assess all your tyres. If they are in poor condition, it would be best to replace all four. If they are all good, just get the problem tyre repaired. If the problem tyre needs replacing, consider buying a pair of tyres as it is better not to have one odd tyre. If buying a pair, put them on the front (which is what a tyre shop would do).
An IMPORTANT RULE for tyres which many do not know.
PLUS GUIDE TO UNDERSTAND TYRE MARKINGS
If tyres are over 10 years old they are losing most of thier performance characteristics because the rubber becomes hard and even brittle. As a result they also start to break down and crack.
Hence when tyres are over 10 years old they start to become DANGEROUS.
Any tyre place will tell you this.
So how do you know when your tyres were made?
The date is stamped in a small 4 to 6 digit code usually on the sidewall of the tyre near the wheel rim.
See here for more details about determining age and condition of tyres and when to replace:
https://www.bobjane.com.au/blog/how-old-are-your-tyres-bob-j…
So to answer OP's 3 questions -
If tyres are over 10 years old then YES replace them all!
Replace with same size - usually the car manufacturers recommended size as any other size can throw out your speedometer!
Without knowing the type of car nobody can make any recommendations on sizes so everyone is shooting in the dark on this one.
As for price usually the better the tyre the more you pay.
But you can get reasonable budget priced tyres if price is important to you.
There are plenty of reviews around on various tyre brands and models.
Tyres are always graded for wear and performance, This too is in the code of the tyre.
Usually high performance means faster wear as the rubber is softer to give better grip and visa versa.
People with performance cars will always buy high performance tyres.
Taxi and Uber drivers will usually go for long wear toi minimise thier costs.
For most people somewhere in the middle seems the best choice.
Some tyres are also very noisy so its a good idea to find out if this is the case with any tyres you are buying.
For more information see here:
https://www.merityre.co.uk/tyres/introduction-to-tyre-markin…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tire_code
So OP needs to decide what is most important : Long wearing tyres or high performance???
BTW: Some tyre places sell NEW BUT AGED TYRES at BARGAIN PRICES.
So always check the date stamp to make sure you are buying newly manufactured tyres.
Otherwise you could be wasting your hard earnt money!
If you have a slow leak, go to a tyre garage and let them look at it. Most pinhole punctures can be repaired fully much cheaper than replacing the tyre. Any sidewall damage however cannot and must be replaced.
You shouldn't need to replace all 4 unless they are significantly worn down. Sometimes it's best to do a rotation around the car.
You can use comparison sites like https://www.tyresales.com.au/ to find best prices. Avoid super cheap unknown Chinese brands.
You can find slightly better prices at local small garages but make sure their tyres are new and not have been sitting around for years where the rubber compound hardens.
Depending on your vehicle, number of kms and what use (e.g. road driving or off roading or mud terrain etc) determines which tyres are best for you.