Lets talk tyres

Well folks, its a fact, when it comes to Tyre's there's a massive choice of different Brand, Compounds, sizes and all the rest of it.

So, when it come to buying where do you start, I guess the easy way is to just leave it up to the Garage or local Tyre company to make the decision for you, however this may not be the best option.

Lets try to provide a bit more information that may help along the way.

Top tyre brands

Three large international tyre groups - Michelin, Goodyear and Bridgestone - dominate the world tyre market. These companies are substantially larger than the other suppliers and serve both the original-equipment (OE) market and the replacement tyre market.

The UK tyre market is slightly different, as five major brands share the main spoils. By turnover, Michelin is way ahead of nearest rival, Goodyear Dunlop. Next in the list is Pirelli, followed by Bridgestone and Continental.

Here we compare their brand profiles, and explain which major makers own which smaller economy brands.

The two main factors that could help you decide on what tyres to buy are Price and Quality, for sure you can just go for the most expensive with a fantastic brand name, however this is not always necessary. for example why would you want to spend £400 on a set of tyres when the Car on its own may only be worth £1000.

Did you know that most of the big car companies own some of the lesser known companies and also make lower cost mid range and budget tyres that are very good, check out some of the information below. 

Michelin tyres

Michelin is one of the world’s largest tyre makers. It also owns BF Goodrich and lesser known mid-range and economy brands such as Kleber and Riken. 

Michelin tyres are generally quite expensive to buy, but they usually do well for both wet grip and wear. Availability is usually good, with tyres sold at national and regional chains, independent retailers and online fitters.

Goodyear Dunlop

Goodyear is one of the world’s largest tyre makers, and its tyres are generally quite expensive compared with other makes. Availability is good, though, so you shouldn’t have problems locating the one you want. 

Goodyear also owns several mid-range and budget brands including Fulda, Kelly and Sava, if your looking for an excellent mid range or budget tyre then you wont go far wrong with a Sava

Dunlop, which used to be Britain’s premier tyre maker, is now owned by Goodyear. Dunlop tyres are quite pricey, but are available from national and regional retail chains, independents and online retailers 

Pirelli tyres

Pirelli is Italy's premium tyre maker and also owns economy tyre brands <C> and Courier.   Pirelli Tyres are generally quite expensive, but availability is good.

Pirelli is stocked by National and regional chains, independent retailers and online fitters.

Bridgestone tyres

Bridgestone is one of the world’s largest tyre companies; it also owns the Firestone brand, plus a range of lesser-known mid-range and economy brands. 

Bridgestone tyres tend to carry a premium price, but they are widely available through national and regional retail chains, independents and online retailers.

Continental tyres

Continental is one of Europe’s most prominent tyre makers. It also owns other reasonably well-known brands like Uniroyal and Semperit, plus a host of lesser-known mid-range and economy brands like Barum, Mabor and Viking. 

Continental tyres are relatively expensive to buy. They are offered by most high street and

Your local tyre retailer may try to sell you tyres from a manufacturer you're not familiar with - or you may see some well-priced tyres online from a name new to you. But are these worth investing in, and will they keep you safe on the road? 

Hankook tyres

Price band: High
Pros: Generally good wet and dry grip, good wet and dry handling
Cons: Availability patchy, high purchase prices

Hankook Tire (South Korea) is an ambitiously expanding company which is growing in Europe - where its involvement in race series such as the DTM (German Touring Cars), GT4 European Series plus the Nurburgring 24 Hours has helped raise its profile.  

It owns the subsidiary value-oriented brand Kingstar (Netherlands), as well as its own in-house entry-level line, Laufenn. Its own-brand range includes winter and all-season tyres, as well as models developed to optimise fuel economy. However, Hankook tyres are quite expensive compared with other makes – and availability is patchy compared with mainstream brands.

Kumho tyres

Price band: Low
Pros: Generally good dry grip and handling, competitively priced
Cons: We've found some with poor wet grip, not widely available

Kumho is another South Korean firm with a broad international reach; a little smaller than Hankook, it has nonetheless supplied tyres to F1 and the Le Mans 24 Hours, as well as for aircraft and jet fighters. Its passenger car range in the UK includes winter and all-season tyres. 

Kumho tyres are distributed around the country, and are usually competitively-priced, although there is a relatively small number of retailers stocking them. They are also available online. 

Maloya tyres

Price band: Middle
Pros: Good wet grip and handling, good resistance to aquaplaning
Cons: Some tyres have poor dry grip, not widely available

Originally a Swiss tyre-maker, the defunct Maloya brand-name was bought by Dutch company Vredestein in the 1990s and both firms have since been merged into Apollo Tyres of India. Maloya tyres were initially relaunched only in Germany, but independent and online retailers are now starting to offer them in the UK

Nokian tyres

Price band: Middle
Pros: Very good dry grip and handling; good wet grip, handling and resistance to aquaplaning; reasonable prices
Cons: Not widely available

Nokian is an independent Finnish manufacturer, although Bridgestone Europe owns a sizeable (minority) shareholding. It specialises - unsurprisingly, given its Nordic location - in tyres for northern, snowy and icy conditions, including a range of winter tyres and models with retractable studs. It also makes tyres for forestry and agriculture, as well as for ice-racing. 

Nokian tyres are reasonably priced compared with other makes, but their availability is patchy in the UK.

Vredestein tyres

Price band: Middle
Pros: Good wet grip and handling, good resistance to aquaplaning
Cons: Some tyres have poor dry grip, not widely available

Dutch manufacturer Vredestein is now Indian-owned, but its tyres continue to be developed and (mostly) produced in the Netherlands. The company vaunts its design values: it has long worked with car designer Giorgetto Giugiaro on a signature range of products. 

Vredestein tyres include summer, winter and all-season models in a spread of sizes; they are sold mainly through independent retailers in the UK, or are available online.

Yokohama tyres

Price band: Middle
Pros: Good wet grip and handling, good resistance to aquaplaning
Cons: Some tyres have poor dry grip, not widely available

The Yokohama Rubber Co Ltd., established 1917, is said to be Japan's oldest tyre-maker and it currently manufactures over 70 million tyres a year as well as a broad range of industrial products. As well as specialist off-road, truck and motorsport tyres, it offers a series of summer and winter tyres for mainstream passenger vehicles. 

Its tyres are reasonably priced compared with those from premium brands, and are sold mainly through independent retailers. 

Choosing the right tyre brand

If the top-rated tyre brands are beyond your budget, you'll need to know which of the rest you can trust. Some of the smaller brands offer perfectly acceptable tyres, while others miss the mark completely. Choose unwisely and you could be putting your safety at risk.

Understanding tyre markings

 

Understanding the markings on the sidewalls of your car tyres will help you choose the right replacements for your car.

The letters and numbers on the side of your car tyres relate to their size, dimensions, composition and capabilities.

Here’s what each section of the code means, using the tyre size and specification 175/65 R14T as an example:

• 175 Tyre width in mm
• 65 Tyre sidewall profile – sidewall height expressed as a percentage of its width
• R Radial (rather than a cross ply)
• 14 Diameter of the wheel rim, in inches
• T Speed rating which must match or exceed the maximum speed of your car.

Discover the Best Buy tyres that came top in our tests

Car tyre speed ratings

• S 180km/h or 112mph
• T 190km/h or 118mph
• U 200km/h or 125mph
• H 210km/h or 130mph
• V 240km/h or 149mph
• W(ZR) 270km/h or 168mph
• Y(ZR) 300km/h or 186mph
• ZR Above 240km/h or 149mph

So the tyre we used as an example is only suitable for use on cars with a maximum speed of 118mph (or less). Tyres available in this size and specification include the Dunlop SP 30, Firestone's Multihawk and the Continental EcoContact 3.

Your car’s handbook will tell you the minimum tyre speed and load ratings you should go for. Once you know the size and type of tyre you need, head over to our tyre reviews to find the best tyres we've tested.

Elsewhere on your tyres you will see the manufacturer’s name, the name of the tyre model and information about where and when the tyre was made.

Run-flat tyres help you avoid this, although they are more expensive

Run-flat tyres

Run-flat tyres are increasingly popular. If you have a puncture on your journey, a run-flat tyre supports the vehicle weight so you can travel for another 50 miles or so, at a maximum speed of 50mph.

There are many markings that could indicate your tyre is a run-flat tyre, including DSST, RFT, ROF and RunFL.

Run-flat tyres and traditional car tyres should not be mixed on the same car, as it could affect the handling.

Tyresafe advises run-flat tyres should not be used on cars without a tyre pressure monitoring system, which is used to alert you of a deflation or puncture.

It also warns against using run-flat tyres when towing, as they're only designed to support the weight of the vehicle itself.

The amazing Electric Car the “Tesla Model 3” set to take off

The amazing Electric Car the “Tesla Model 3” set to take off

Has speedometer clocking ever stopped

Has speedometer clocking ever stopped

10 New Cars to buy on a Budget – Car Save Club

10 New Cars to buy on a Budget – Car Save Club

Car Save Club – Lets talk Cars, Tools & Equipment

Car Save Club – Lets talk Cars, Tools & Equipment

Good Friday Traffic – Car Save Club

Good Friday Traffic – Car Save Club

Edward Spy a blog from 5th Feb

Hi All,

I find the diversity and endless uses for the humble van very interesting, having completed a couple of Van conversions myself over my time as a mechanic, when I came across this write up from Edward Spy in the telegraph I just had to share it.

Many thanks Edward.

By Edward Spy

12:00PM GMT 05 Feb 2016

 

Want the feel of a luxury airliner like the Sprinter JetVan by Becker, or something a little more off the wall like a Hyundai i10 Ice Cream van? Body builders will turn a simple van into something special.

Most manufacturers now offer a range of bodied vehicles under warranty that are made by approved third parties. These can range from everyday items such as tippers and dropsides on a 3.5-tonne chassis such as the Volkswagen Crafter or the mid-sized Transporter, to more smaller items including wheelchair accessible Caddy vans.

But if you want something a little more bespoke, what are the best conversions?

The emergency services rely on converted vehicles Photo: © Justin Kase Ztwoz / Alamy

1 Emergency vehicles

The emergency services (such as London Fire Brigade, above) are the backbone of any country and one of the biggest users of converted vehicles. They help keep order, treat us when we are sick and rescue us when we are in danger.

But where would they be without vans? From a fire and rescue vehicle to a mobile CCTV unit, vans are used in all manner of ways by the ambulance, police and fire services. It’s not just large vans either, even medium and small vans get in on the action, and occasionally the odd pick-up truck too.
2 The fourth emergency service

This breakdown patrol van comes with a compact recovery trailer

There’s one particular breakdown company that used to refer to itself as “the fourth emergency service”, but when you’re having car trouble it doesn’t matter which company comes to save you, the important bit to remember is they’re doing it in a van.

This van is just like many of the more recognisable patrol vehicles and has been converted to include not only all the diagnostic equipment, jacks, axle stands, tools, parts and car batteries they might need on a job, but also a compact recovery trailer.
3 Partying and relaxation

The Finns have invented in-van saunas for relaxation on the move

Vans are a great way to enjoy the great outdoors, and what better way to do it than with a barbecue. A crowdfunding campaign in Japan is looking to build the Ultimate Smart BBQ vehicle using a Nissan eNV200 van with the aim of providing emission-free parties.

In the rear there is a 1,500-watt electric grill and rotisserie, a sink and waste disposal system, and there’s even an ultrasonic mosquito barrier and a water mister to keep guests cool. For your entertainment, how about a TV screen and a karaoke machine?

Of course after all that cooking you’ll need to relax and while the Transporter might be a German invention, it’s the Finns who have really embraced it when it comes to conversions.

Who else but the Scandinavians would think of transforming a van into a sauna? Both of these old Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles models are driveable, and just like a normal van there’s bench seating, although rather than a tough cloth upholstery it has cedar slats.
4 Sleeping

The Doubleback mixes a camper-van footprint with a motorhome's practicalities

Have you ever heard of a Danbury Doubleback? No, it’s not a sailing knot or a gymnastic flip, it’s a regular-looking Transporter T5 harbouring one hell of a party trick.

Said to be the first true innovation since the elevating roof was developed and added to the Transporter California models more than 30 years ago, the Doubleback mixes a camper-van footprint with a motorhome’s practicalities.

An electrically-operated slide-out pod made from materials used in the aircraft industry adds nearly two metres of extra room to the van, enough to have a full-sized bed, seating and kitchen area at the same time.
5 Luxury transportation

The Caddy Maxi limousine comes with its own mini bar

Minibuses are for schoolchildren and Sunday league football teams. When it comes to moving people around in comfort you need a specialist van. Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Volkswagen Crafter vans are often used for the really grandiose conversions, but on the outside they still look like normal vans.

What if you want something a little more ostentatious? With room for five, and a minibar for your drinks, a Caddy Maxi limousine should do the trick.
6 Food trucks

The humble food van has had a cool modern update  Photo: © Simon Dack / Alamy

Pop-up stores are everywhere, from boutique fashion to food. They’re taking over the high street but the humble food truck has also had a refresh in recent years. Vintage vans in particular are now the trend.

These kitchen conversions can be found serving all manner of foods from pizzas to hot-dogs, ice creams or crepes, and are just as common as the lay-by burger van – but much nicer to look at.

An interesting read with nice images, thanks again to Edward Spy.

quick drive past keswick

Looking for a head cam,

Well this is the start of my adventure of making my "how to"  videos.
All about Cars as usual but let's try and help by using video,  the gopro seems an easy option but looks expensive,  will have to see what turns up today.
Ok watch this space for my "how to"  video's coming soon.

Whats going on in the Car world today

Hi All,

Just looking around in the news today and found a shed load of stuff going on in the car world today, you may find some of this very interesting.

Are these classics really worth the money

Its a fact that lots of people love the idea of owning a Classic car, have you ever thought about buying a Classic and if you have do you know how much they can cost to keep running or even make roadworthy.

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The next-generation BMW has been spotted winter testing ahead of its planned arrival towards the middle of 2017 A newly developed V8 engine will also be offered in some markets, although it's not known whether that engine will be offered in the UK.

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Mercedes Benz teamed up with German auto manufacturer Maybach to launch the S 600 Guard, which is certified with the highest ballistic protection level VR10 for civilian vehicles. The S 600 Guard is priced at $516,248 (£365,000) plus taxes. Here's a look at some of the most impressive features of the vehicle:

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An immaculate veteran, a 1954 Aston Martin Lagonda, custom-built for Prince Philip, is coming up for auction with an estimate of up to £450,000 – more than three times the price of a brand new Aston Martin DB9.#



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The turnaround of Jaguar Land Rover over recent years has been remarkable, with the firm becoming a genuine premium market player with world-class products in just a single model cycle.

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If there was an award for the busiest stand at the 2016 Geneva motor show, there were few more hectic than Tesla's, which showcased the brand new electric SUV attempting to shake up the crossover scene: the new Model X.

Well all I think that's enough for now, a bit of decent reading if your interested in Cars and the Car world.

Lets talk Catalytic Converters

Our last Blog was all about what goes on under your Car bonnet / hood.

Today lets continue a bit along the same lines by carrying on down the Exhaust pipe and into the workings of the "Catalytic Converter"

How many times have you heard a Mechanic talk about your Cat, yep this is a part of your Car, not a little furry pet that makes a Meow noise.

Your Catalytic Converter to put this a bit crudely is a filter that's built into your Exhaust system, this little piece of kit is there to filter your exhaust gases so what comes out of the other end are within legal limits for your Car.

Wow that sounds very simple, just bang a filter in there and job done, if only things were that simple, your Catalytic Converter is a little bit more complicated.

Here's an image including exhaust with Catalytic Converter, you will see an O2 sensor (Oxygen Sensor), this image is a very basic system, most systems have 2 x O2 sensors, one before and one after the Cat.

The O2 sensor is connected to your Engine management system, the sensor before your Cat helps to adjust your fuel mixture to specified settings.

The O2 sensor fitted after the Cat is there to check the Exhaust Gases before they are spit out of your exhaust as they have now been through the Cat and should be within specified legal requirements, we will talk about all of these things in another blog.

Take a look at the image below to see a bit of what goes on inside your Catalytic Converter.

 Ok i reckon that's enough about your Cat, "Meow Meow"

Lets talk about “Catalytic Converters” – Car Save Club

Lets talk about “Catalytic Converters” – Car Save Club

Under the Bonnet / Hood of your Car

Have you ever wondered what goes on under the bonnet of your Car.

Yes it can make a bit of noise and even sometimes rattle a bit when its not supposed to so lets take a look see whats going on.

The obvious main component under there is of course your Engine, this is the main unit with all sorts of other bits bolted on.

You may not recognize this

as it looks a lot different under the bonnet of a Car, you normally can only see the top of the engine, well that is unless you remove some covers and dig a little deeper.

The engine in the image is a Corvette but to be honest now a days they all look very similar with the top plastic covers and bits bolted on.

Without getting to technical the engine is the main component that drives the gearbox then the Gearbox provides the drive to the drive shafts and wheels, then all you have to do is either speed things up or slow them down.  If you ever hear someone mention the "drive train" of your Car they are referring to your Gearbox and all the bits in between that finally connects to your wheels, here's a couple of basic systems..

OK back to the Engine and the bits bolted on, Lets start with the "Starter Motor" as this seems appropriate, the starter motor is an electrical and mechanical component that spins the engine until it can run under its own steam, not literally tho as you'l struggle to find a steam driven Car these days.

When you turn the Ignition key to start your Car what your actually doing is powering up the "Starter Motor" and its this that cranks the engine.

The starter motor can be difficult to see on the engine as its usually tucked away down the back, common faults are jamming / sticking starters or completely burned out, you may hear just a clicking sound when you turn the key but the starter wont kick into action. (garage job usually).

Another main component is the Alternator, this is the unit that is driven by a belt usually at the front of the engine and is there to re charge the Cars Battery and therefor keep all the electrical bits working correctly.

You may be able to start your Engine a few times until your Battery runs low on power, this is because as you run your Engine and electrical components with a failed Alternator your Battery will gradually run low on power and give up the ghost.

Now how about keeping the engine cool, well most Cars have water cooled systems, with a "Water Pump" to circulate the water through the engine and cooling system, water pipes, radiator etc.  Water pumps are either driven by the same belt as the Alternator or are more built in and driven by the Cam Belt. Needless to say if your Water Pump fails the Engine will overheat and if not rectified can cause extensive damage. 

I have mentioned Belts a few times now so lets see how they look on the Engine, this image is a typical example

If your belt snaps you can lose Alternator drive, power steering, Air Con and Water pump all at once, many vehicles have a separate belt for power steering for safety reasons.

Here's another belt configuration 

Ok folks that's all for now.

Mercedes-Benz is replacing some of its machines with human workers that are more capable of handling the level of customization provided with the company's S-Class sedans.

Ohh well goes without saying i guess.

Mothers Day coming up, how about buying her a Robot.

MERCEDES REPLACING ROBOTS WITH HUMANS – Car Save Club

MERCEDES REPLACING ROBOTS WITH HUMANS – Car Save Club

Fastest Road Car in the world apparently

Hi All,

If you have a few Million spare, maybe win the Lottery or something like that, here's an easy way to spend a lot of money on a very fast Car Bugatti Chiron

Check out http://www.bugatti.com/home



Easy,  if you've got it just put your hand in your pocket.

Even their web site is amazing, check the Technology page out.

http://www.bugatti.com/veyron/technology/



Working on Cars all day and every day tends to turn you off Cars a bit but I must say if I had a spare million or 2 I would maybe give one a blast.

The red one here is the Veyron.

Very few parts, components or systems from existing vehicle concepts could be used in the Veyron. Everything had to be developed from scratch to achieve the required performance before being incorporated into the vehicle. When creating the Veyron, designers regularly drew inspiration from other industries which required extreme speeds and demanded extreme stress loads from materials and systems.

  

Engine

• The heart and soul of the Veyron is the 8-litre W16 engine with four turbochargers, which initially generated 1,001 PS, and an incredible 1,200 PS in later models. The engine is fully capable of operating under a continuous full load, a feat that engines designed for use in motor racing cannot achieve.

Gearbox

• The Veyron is equipped with the dual-clutch gearbox (DSG), which is the fastest gearbox in the world. Bugatti was the first manufacturer to use a seven-speed variant of the DSG. Designed specially for the new sports car, this gearbox has a job which any other gearbox would baulk at, i.e. to transfer engine torque of up to 1,500 Nm to the road surface.

 

A fair bit of kit that's for sure.

Hi All,

This is purely advisory but also recommended by me.

As I work on cars on a day to day basis and have been involved in the Motor industry for most of my working life I would always say that preventative maintenance can save you a fortune and also keep you safe behind the wheel.

Lets start with a couple of really simple checks, lets look at the Tyres, and wheels,  a very easy one being the Tyre Pressures, without getting to hung up about the pressures, some air is always better than no air in a Tyre. As a general rule if your not sure on pressures for your Car then just put around 30PSI or 2bar in each, at least that way you could follow up at a garage to confirm exact pressures needed for your Car.



Regarding the wheels its an easy one just at least have a look around them just to see if they have any damage, bulges etc, also if you do this on a regular basis you will also see if any tyres are looking a bit soft.

This also goes for the tyres, I see so many Cars driving with almost completely Bald Tyres (illegal), if you want to just check out the prices for tyres or to buy online then take a look on Amazon. tyres

Another simple check can be your wipers, to be honest you most likely will already know if they are ok or not, the bottom line is if you use your Wipers and they don't clean the screen when its raining or you use the washers then they are most likely knackered. 

Just at least try them and have a little look, if you see any bits hanging off your wiper blades then just get them replaced, did you know that a damaged Wiper blade can end up damaging the windscreen.

Well folks that's all for now a cuppa tea needed, take care and drive safe out there, anybody need advise please just ask in a message or email, cheers , George