New Tyres

[Ian Reid 1958]

I need new tyres for my 1.2T Business Edition, the ones that are on (which I assume are the originals) are Michelin 205/55 16R 91V. I'm looking for something the same or similar, any recommendations very welcome, TIA 😃

[TonyHSD]

Hi, 

I have the previous generation Auris and two years ago I downsize from 17” to 16” same size as yours. I picked Goodyear efficient grip performance 2. They were brand new model at the time with no reviews at all. The tyres proof to be an excellent choice for summer tyres. Very quiet, very soft, comfortable with excellent grip in all conditions except snow and ice obviously. I am a motorway driver and tyres are very important for me, no regrets with these ones. I had done already over 50k miles and they still have 4.5-5.5mm left. Highly recommended. 

[Ian Reid 1958]

Thanks for your reply Tony, they look a decent tyre. I've found them for £70 delivered & fitted to a garage. I've never bought tyres online delivered & fitted. I've never done this before, has anyone had any experience of this?

I'll call the garage tomorrow & see what price they can do,

Ian

[TonyHSD]

1 hour ago, Ian Reid 1958 said:

Thanks for your reply Tony, they look a decent tyre. I've found them for £70 delivered & fitted to a garage. I've never bought tyres online delivered & fitted. I've never done this before, has anyone had any experience of this?

I'll call the garage tomorrow & see what price they can do,

Ian

That’s a good price. I always check, compare and buy tyres online. Last time I bought them from justtyres , and usually mytytres or black circles. 👍🛞

[Mooly]

I had the same tyre size as the op fitted by the AA. Bought online and they fit them at home. The service was outstanding, car 'jacked' up on air cushions, perfect balancing, wheels torqued correctly.

I went for Dunlop Blue Response Sport tyres and they were £66.64 each and that included VAT and everything needed. So £266.56 in total. January 2016 when they were fitted and I still have them and they still have plenty of life left. The invoice for some reason hasn't got the mileage anywhere but I think it was about 43k, now on over 86k.   

 

[Spo2]

3 hours ago, Ian Reid 1958 said:

Thanks for your reply Tony, they look a decent tyre. I've found them for £70 delivered & fitted to a garage. I've never bought tyres online delivered & fitted. I've never done this before, has anyone had any experience of this?

I'll call the garage tomorrow & see what price they can do,

Ian

Yes, always bought online. When you buy, most will give an option to get them fitted at the nearest centre. It is usually the National chain in my area. 

[Spo2]

23 hours ago, TonyHSD said:

Hi, 

I have the previous generation Auris and two years ago I downsize from 17” to 16” same size as yours. I picked Goodyear efficient grip performance 2. They were brand new model at the time with no reviews at all. The tyres proof to be an excellent choice for summer tyres. Very quiet, very soft, comfortable with excellent grip in all conditions except snow and ice obviously. I am a motorway driver and tyres are very important for me, no regrets with these ones. I had done already over 50k miles and they still have 4.5-5.5mm left. Highly recommended. 

Agree, probably they are the best summer tyres. Out of curiosity, what speed you are doing on the motorway?! 

[TonyHSD]

3 minutes ago, Spo2 said:

Agree, probably they are the best summer tyres. Out of curiosity, what speed you are doing on the motorway?! 

I usually do within speed limits everywhere I drive., motorways often 60-65mph with occasional drive at true 70mph. 

[AisinW]

I have Good Year Performance 2 on 17mm wheel. 225/45R17.  It is much more comfortable in bump and rough roads than the OEM Dunlop summer tires.  It is relatively quiet but the main + is the ride quality, it is firm but still have enough cushion even on 17 inches wheel. I bought it for €60 and install it for €17.5 each.  The instalation cost (mounting and balancing) is already expensive, there is no point to buy non premium tires that last much shorter and less comfortable and grip.  Goodyear for summer, Michelin All Seasons for winter. 

[Guest]

Hard to beat Michelin. Pilot Sport 4's are phenomenal performance and long lasting. Only thing they're not so good at is ice / snow.

[jcps001]

1 hour ago, SB1500 said:

Hard to beat Michelin. Pilot Sport 4's are phenomenal performance and long lasting. Only thing they're not so good at is ice / snow.

Absolutely they really are. But those are overkill on a 1.2T... PS4's are amazing on high end cars. For these ones, Primacy 4 are the best (I think), followed closely by the Goodyear Efficient Grip 2.

[TonyHSD]

Well I decided to rotate my tyres Goodyear efficient grip performance 2 today as I have done another 10k miles since refitted them for the season. Tyre wear is great, 5mm all around, thumbs up here. They are only 2.5 years old and covered 60000 miles, but unfortunately they will not live long and it will require change sooner than I expected.
They had begun to dry road on the inner side walls and cracks are appearing. I had only one crack hair size which is not bad or dangerous, however this discolouration and the texture on the inner walls says it all. I had exact the same experience with Nexen winter tyres and I thought it was from poor quality, however tyres are not at fault at all. It’s all because of the salt on the motorways during winter. I am telling you, this is the biggest enemy to all cars been used on motorways, it’s unbelievable stupid idea to throw salt 6 months a year in county with mild climate, temperatures 6C° and the gritters are out and about. Never seen that in any other country. 👎🙅🏻‍♂️🚫 Here is why in USA Toyotas can last 300k + miles with only simple service, but in UK they can not ! 
Anyway here we go some pictures. The red circle is to show you how a puncture repair with those temporary strips can hold on in time and miles, done that second day after were fitted new back in 2020🤒

[Guest]

2 hours ago, jcps001 said:

Absolutely they really are. But those are overkill on a 1.2T... PS4's are amazing on high end cars. For these ones, Primacy 4 are the best (I think), followed closely by the Goodyear Efficient Grip 2.

When I price them for my Avensis, there’s a few £ difference so I’ll probably go for the PS4 or PS5’s.  Only thing is the Primacy has A rating for both rain and fuel. Think PS’s sacrifice some fuel economy for the cornering. 
 

I’ve budget tyres on since I got the car in Jan. surprisingly they’re a good enough job. Might just be the car itself handles better. But either way I really want to see what the PS4’s are like. If not worth it I’ll probably go primacy. 
 

at this price you can pretty much buy any other brand. I’ve heard some good stuff about Good Year and Dunlop’s competing tyres but one common remark on all the reviews seems to be that the Michelins last long and they perform near as good as always until they get wore down to the legal limit 

[AisinW]

I don't understand either about the salt in UK that rarely snowing. Even in Liverpool, we only get 3 or 6x snows each year.  The roads are relatively ok, not as smooth as Tennessee or Florida. Toyota last 300k+ miles everywhere if we maintain and service worn parts like shocks, struts, rubber bushings and wheel bearings.  I think 10k miles oil change interval is the main reason for the problems. Many of us are not actualy qualified for doing 10k miles with city traffict and cold short trips. American still often do 3-5k miles oil change because many cheap shops like Walmart, superlube, tireplus, etc. offer $25 oil change with coupon. Even dealership often offer $10 oil change to lure people back to dealership. 

If you do 5k miles oil change, spray the underbody with fluid film, it will last 2 or 3 decades. Hybrid Battery may need replacement after 15 y or more but that's ok. 

I think TonyHSD tires are still ok, no dry roth at all. 

[Cyker]

To be fair, you guys must have forgotten that one year they ran out of grit/salt and some roads became almost impassable overnight and everyone was absolutely bashing all the local councils!

 

[jcps001]

17 hours ago, SB1500 said:

When I price them for my Avensis, there’s a few £ difference so I’ll probably go for the PS4 or PS5’s.  Only thing is the Primacy has A rating for both rain and fuel. Think PS’s sacrifice some fuel economy for the cornering. 
 

I’ve budget tyres on since I got the car in Jan. surprisingly they’re a good enough job. Might just be the car itself handles better. But either way I really want to see what the PS4’s are like. If not worth it I’ll probably go primacy. 
 

at this price you can pretty much buy any other brand. I’ve heard some good stuff about Good Year and Dunlop’s competing tyres but one common remark on all the reviews seems to be that the Michelins last long and they perform near as good as always until they get wore down to the legal limit 

On an Avensis with a more powerful engine they make more sense, and if you can get them with a nice price, so much the better. You may like the PS4's more.

Mind you, Primacy 4 and Goodyear EG2 are not budget tyres... They're premium tyres. And they're very good tyres. Primacy 4, Goodyear EG2, Turanza 005 and Dunlop Sport Blue Response are my references. Right now, I mean to replace my current tyres with Goodyear EG2.

Have you seen the videos Tyre Reviews post on YouTube? Great videos and very informative.

[TonyHSD]

3 hours ago, jcps001 said:

On an Avensis with a more powerful engine they make more sense, and if you can get them with a nice price, so much the better. You may like the PS4's more.

Mind you, Primacy 4 and Goodyear EG2 are not budget tyres... They're premium tyres. And they're very good tyres. Primacy 4, Goodyear EG2, Turanza 005 and Dunlop Sport Blue Response are my references. Right now, I mean to replace my current tyres with Goodyear EG2.

Have you seen the videos Tyre Reviews post on YouTube? Great videos and very informative.

That’s right . These tyres like you have included are touring tyres and they also different from the ultra high performance tyres like Pilot sport and the rest. They are softer , quieter and has longer life plus better fuel efficiency. These tyres are much more suitable for any Toyota hybrids than uhp tyres. 🛞👍

[TonyHSD]

Here interesting read about the wheels and nuts. https://apple.news/AYdzmMAhJQAi1akRqebrxoQ

[Cyker]

Overtightened nuts is nothing new; It's partly why I carry a scaffolding pole in the boot!

Even worse is when they gun on the security nut as well! Told one place off and they got really shirty (The old "I've been doing this for xyz years never had a problem"), so was another place added to my banned list. I wonder if they'd be up for paying for a full replacement when they sheared off the fragile security pattern off the end or try and blame it on the customer...

 

[Guest]

Not to hijack the thread, but when it comes to my tyres its between the PS4/5's,  Primacy and CrossClimate.  Reason being, I had the PS3's then PS4's on my DS3, and it was a phenomenal experience, it had 17" wheels (sorta big for the size/class of car) and relatively low profile tyres. The suspension / ride was harsh. The steering, though hardly anything sharp or outstanding from that car,  was phenomenal in terms of tyre grip. It really really stuck to the road, even at speeds or sudden turns that would be best advised with more caution. I'm convinced they saved my life numerous times!  Now, I had a Fiat Panda before this for comparison, which leaned even when you just casually day dreamed about turning a corner! lol   

Before I parted with the DS3, I got CrossClimate 2's on. Because of all the great press and being able to drive even in snow / winter conditions seemed good to me. But the first night I went around a decent sized round about around 30mph, and they felt like when you walk on the edge of your shoes and the car jerked rough as I drove out of it. They did NOT like speed around bends at all and it the difference took my by surprise. 

I really don't understand the Primacy, other than the A / A rating. Surely, if you're willing to give up the benefits of a winter tyre and have a summer, the PS4/5 is the way to go? Especially as they're also good rated in the rain. 

Major issue being, they all seem to cost the same £150-£168 regardless of Kwik-Fit / Black Circles. It's surely the same for OP on the Auris too, it'd be easier if the Primacy's for example, were around the £120 or less mark, you could give up the handling of the PS and the capability of the CC 2's to save a buck. But they're all premium. I don't know which to go for. 

I won't go on about the Avensis in particular as this isn't my thread. But interested how the above paradox might seem to you guys, and maybe will be of use to OP as well in his search for new tyres. But I'd say Michelin is the one to stick with, it's cool to know Toyota fitted those to his Auris from factory! 

[TonyHSD]

I think manufacturers choose a specific brand and model tyres not for their properties as priority but for the price and supply reasons. 
Michelin tyres are no doubt one of the best but also the most expensive. I found Goodyear to be as good as Michelin and in some cases even better for slightly lower price. There is something to be considered when picking up your new tyres, every tyre size will change characteristics of the tyre and same make and model can be very different one size to the another, therefore it is a good idea when researching and reading custumer reviews to make sure you are looking exactly the same size as yours and car similar to yours, otherwise the information can be irrelevant.
For sport driving I can not say anything about tyre brands as I am a hybrid driver, slow one 😂, but for comfort, noise, efficiency and overall performance Goodyear efficient grip performance 2 are currently one of the best tyres for size 205/55 16. 👍 

Sharing our experiences can help other members and make it  a bit easier to choose their next tyres 🛞👌👍 I will likely go for Goodyear vector 4 season gen 3 or Vredestein Quatrac late in November. I would like to try these. 

[Cyker]

Yeah that's a normal problem you get with all-season tyres; They have nowhere near the grip levels of a decent summer tyre when you're on a hoon - The softer rubber and smaller rubber contact surface just isn't designed for it. Fine for normal use, but not so great for 'enthusiastic' driving

The feedback I've seen from the Primacys is that although they don't perform as well as the PS from new, they maintain a consistent level of performance for longer (esp. Compared to the tyres I tend to buy which get increasingly good in the dry and bad in the wet as they get worn down  )

 

[Wooster]

18 hours ago, TonyHSD said:

manufacturers choose a specific brand and model tyres not for their properties as priority but for the price and supply reasons. 

A senior technical man at a premium tyre manufacturer once told me tyre makers sell their tyres to car makers at virtually at cost price.  Yes, they get big orders from the car makers, but the real benefit is that (when the tyres need replacing) most owners don't shop around or do any research.  They just say 'same again'. And the tyres they sell through KwikFit / BlackCircles etc are much more profitable.

Also, if you want tyre reviews from car owners, take a look at this site: https://www.tyrereviews.com/

[Rav4ster]

A few years back I had Leon Cupra 300 FWD on Michelin PS4S. I was running the recommended tyre pressure 41psi front and 39psi back. It was an excellent summer tyre, with the level of grip way beyond my driving ability or bravery, but grip dropped of the cliff, as soon as temperature dropped below +5C and especially in wet (had a few dodgy moments). The front one lasted 8k miles only (soft tyre, lots of power on fwd car). At the same time, Auris MK2 is on CC+ and to be honest, I did not notice any dramatic drop in grip in hot or cold weather. I was in France and Germany in winter and in summer (+40C heatwave), and CC+ were always predictable at speeds up to 100 mph. Agree, that dedicated summer tyre will be better than all-season in hot weather, but all-season work for me on normal (non performance) car. Also, in Europe lots of cars are on all-season tyres, usually Michelin or Goodyear. When CC+ need changing, they will be replaced with CC2 or Vector 4 Seasons (depending on the price). Last thing to mention, CC+ need to run at the higher tyre pressure, I find that at 33 psi they are way too soft and feel detached from the road, pumped them up to 38 psi and it handles much better.

[TonyHSD]

Here some extra information about the tyres and what to think about when choosing a new set. 👍