Car Tyres - How to Purchase?

Hi Guys,

I recently had a flat tyre on my Honda HRV 2015.

Being new to the roads, not sure about the life of car tyres and how often/when they should be changed.
I did a bit of research and most companies are doing a buy 4, 1 will be free type promo. I was wondering if this route is preferred since i only have 1 flat.

Also, where is your go to spot to get the cheapest ripper deal.
I called up Bob Jane and they quoted me $600 for 4 wheels.

I am not well versed with brands, but does getting a Bridgestone>Yokohoma for example?

Thank you, your help is appreciated.

Comments

  • +10

    Fix the flat.

    $30

    • Sounds about right.
      4 tyres are $600 -> 1 tyre is $150
      Puncture 1/5 of the tyre is flat. 1/5 of $150 = $30

  • +3

    Tyres should be changed when their reach the wear indicator, i.e. 1.5mm of tread left, or when tyres get to about 8yo.

    No place has the cheapest tyres for all brands all the time.. just ring around 3 difference places to get some quotes.

    My default tyre brand is Bridgestone, either Potenza, Turanza or Ecopia depending on the car.

    I've had good luck with Bridgestone so will stick with them. Although today I would get the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 instead of the Bridgestone Potenza Adrenalin RE003.

    In your case, as above, fix the flat.

  • Are you planning to get a new one everytime you get a flat?

    Then you should get a few 3+1 deals…

  • where would you fix the flat? any old mechanic? Asked bob jane but they wouldn't entertain plugging the puncture.

    • +3

      Perhaps if you've been driving on the flat it's not repairable or if the puncture is on the sidewall…

      In that case, use your spare and just get a new tyre for spare

      If you don't have a spare (full size) you could get 2 new tyres since it's best to match the tread of tyres on the same axle. Always replace the worst worn tyre + the damaged one in that case

      No need to get 4 new ones unless the 2015 HRV is still on original tyres

    • +1

      Don’t go to bob jane then. Depending where the puncture is any tyre shop will fix it for around $30

    • +1

      Use google to find tyre places in your area. In my area I have Jax, Bridgestone, Beaurepaires, Mycar (formerly Kmart tyre&auto) in addition to Bob Jane.

      Ask for a repair. If they say they can't repair, ask them to explain why - there are legitimate reasons as slick7 mentions.

      If repair isn't possible ask about the cost/benefit of replacing just one tyre vs all four. If you have a full size spare tyre, see if it's worth fitting it and gettig a cheaper tyre as spare. If they start talking about how worn your tyres are ask them to show you the tread wear indictors on your tyres vs what they have in their show room.

      A business that wants you as a customer should be willing to spend five minutes to answer your basic questions. Since this is new to you, be prepared to go to several places and judge them by how helpful you are. It's worth spending the extra time to educate yourself now as it should pay off over a lifetime of car ownership.

      As for brands, I doubt that many people outside the industry are experts. I do know that the tyres with better grip usually have a softer rubber compound that wears out faster and avoid these. Most dealers will have several options I avoid the most expensive ones and the very cheapest.

      When getting a quote, ask for the all inclusive cost for tyre(s), fitting, wheel balancing, tyre disposal fees and so on. I once got stung with a tyre disposal fee that they had not quoted me. It's not uncommon for places to up-sell and say you need a wheel alignment. This can sometimes be legit if you have uneven wear on the front tyres. If you are in doubt, just tell then that you will get your regular mechanic to look at the wheel alignment.

    • if the tyre cannot be patched, ask if the other 3 almost reach their life or not.
      If yes, it's probably more economical to replace all of them.

  • +3

    Check out some independent Tyre service centres near you on google and call them. Most usually would also plug a puncture. Would be in $30-$40 range. Save yourself $$$.

  • buy the new tyre from Flintstones.

  • Maybe have a read of this - it won't help you decide which brand to buy but there's some good basic knowledge there.

  • +2

    Because you appear to know nothing and haven't said where you live:

    Go to a local Jax / Bridgestone Tyre Centre / MyCar (the old K-Mart) / Bob Jane or a large independent that is busy and looks clean.

    Ask them to look at the puncture and see if it can be / is worth fixing (no point fixing a bald tyre). It will be anywhere from $25-$40.

    While there ask them how much tread is left and how many km they estimate that might be.

    Get the other tyres checked for tread depth and odd wear.

    If you need tyres then get a price and then go home and make a few phone calls for prices on exactly the same tyre (don't try and compare between brands). Don't forget CostCo and also the tyre offering from Supercheap.

    There are a lot of good brands these days but my preference is Michelin or Bridgestone but any of the big well known brands should work for you (I'm assuming you don't drive like Fangio). Do not buy never heard of, ultra cheap tyres. Some are good but most are crap, especially in the wet.

    NB: most tyre sellers have never driven on the tyres they sell. Their opinion of the tyres comes from reading the marketing brochure and feedback from customers. When I sold tyres my main reason for recommending a particular tyre was because it gave me the biggest bonus.

  • +1

    Most of the large chain type places will say that your puncture is not repairable as they want to sell you tyres.

    If they say no try a smaller place

    • I think my local Bob Jane is good / honest then. One time they looked at my tyre and did some sort of measurement to the side wall and said "Yup we can patch this".

      Another Bob Jane experience with another branch is positive too. Told me it's unrepairable, but they showed me where and it is and it's on an inner side wall.

  • Slight hijack, my CRV came with OEM Toyo Proxes R45s, any reason why I shouldn't stick with them when they need replacing, or should I try Michelin/Bridgestone etc?

    I can't really find any reviews on the Toyos…

    FYI last time I had a puncture it was $50 to fix (about three years ago)

    • +2

      Last year I paid $45 for 2 punctures on the same tyre from a small independent store. Wife somehow managed to get 2 massive screws on the same day. Probably construction work near her workplace. So annoyed it was on 2-month-old Michelin tyres but they've been going strong since the repair. If it's done properly the tyre will still last a long time.

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