Talking Tyres - LETHAL Chinese Imports NOT FIT For Use In The U.K!
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- čas přidán 11. 12. 2023
- For your own safety AVOID these tyres! I’ve nearly come a cropper too many times to risk them any longer!
CARS, TRAINS & ANYTHING I WANT!
Hi, I'm Rick (tall big ears) & sometimes I'm assisted by Lee (short wonky eye)
From late 2023 onwards the channel will need to diversify to survive, I find myself less able to commit to cars alone on here and more interested in general life experiences, so on the channel you may also see what I get up to in my life, or just see me chatting nonsense.
Be assured I'll always make the title and thumbnail appropriate to the video so if you're only here for the cars or trains you can ignore the rest. I currently own and run 2 older cars, AGATHA is a 1978 Austin Allegro 1300 Super & FIONA a 2003 Ford Focus TDCI. I do use a modern car too which is occasionally featured (It's a Kia) and a van (Fiat) The van can be found on it’s own channel “Rick and Heather Campervanners”
Lee's cars also make occasional appearances as do a few friends cars.
Feel free to leave a comment on any video I try to respond to all of them! - Auta a dopravní prostředky
I’m a ex HGV 1 driver, I had a Merc Actros artic, 44tons, biggest loads on UK roads.Tyre change on drive axle, fitted four Firestone tyres they did , 160k kilometres, time for a change, fitted Triangle tyres, same truck, same work, same driver, worn out 50k.Be warned, pay peanuts and get monkeys.
Absolutely great advice 👍
Completely agree with what you've said here. Almost all of my journeys are similar to your commute. The first car I drove with all season tyres was through my work - an old Vauxhall Astra. I've done about 8000 miles in it and the all seasons are just so much more competent in the cold and damp weather. I've since had a full set of Michelin all seasons put on my car.
100% these tyres are a game changer, it’s like a different car!
Michelin Tyres are top shelf, very expensive tyres (at least here in the US). All season tyres are a great compromise, especially since you don't get much snow throughout the UK 🇬🇧 unless you head up to Scotland. It is the tread that makes a tyre awful as well as great.
@@frothe42 Yes they’re pretty expensive here too! Although in my case they were only a little more than other all season tyres (£165 each for a Land Rover Discovery)
Fitted a set of Cheap Chinese 17" tyres to my car, they were called Blackhawk? The sidewalls started to split within a week, and wet grip was nonexistent!! Made me realise you really do get what you pay for with tyres!
Yep. I definitely agree, I’d imagine the Comforser were the cheapest the seller could find
You will be amazed at the differnece all seson tyres will make. My friends in Poland drive a SEAT fwd car all year round just fitting winter tyres for the really cold bits. They have snow for many weeks of the year and some very cold temperarues to go with it. They get around just fine. Stay safe Rick.
Certainly drives loads better, slightly more road noise but I don’t mind.
I bought a car with 4 kingpin ditchfinders fitted. Nearly span the car around on a wet roundabout at about 10mph 😂
It’s a scary thing when you’re not trying 🤣
I once bought a used car from a dealer and he said he put new tyres on it and i wished he hadnt 😮 they were called KINGPIN and they must have been made out of melted down flipflops 😂😂😂 horendus i gave the car back and insisted on a reefund 👎 tyres can make or break a car glad you made this video 👍
Cheers for watching appreciate it!
Having good quality tyres is a must really, as you know they’re what fills the space between the car the rims and the road.
As a biker, this is is the difference between Life and death or very least “an accident l” if you get crap tyres.
On my cars I get good budget tyres fitted, £305 for a full set of good quality tyres isn’t too bad, especially as they’ll be safer and give greater driving confidence.
Good vid Rick, thanks again.👍
Thanks matey yeah they’re definitely a huge safety factor I guess I’m just saying £300 is a huge chunk of £800.
@@AgathaAndAnything True, but if the car isn’t a wreck and unlikely to pass the next MOT then it’s worth the spend.
@willswheels283 yeah that’s my plan, it’s doing a good job so why not keep and invest?
@@AgathaAndAnything Absolutely, will you be getting the glow plugs done?
@willswheels283 yeah there’s a mobile mechanic coming out Jan 2nd
A excellent and informative video on tyres. I tend to go for mid range tyres now, used to buy Budget tyres.
Yokahamas should transform the driving experience of the Focus.
You are now making me want a Mark 1 Focus again.
Was watching your video out of the corner of my eye whilst working and suddenly recognised the roads and locations! I'm in Castle Gresley! Stay away from Chinese ditch-finders, had some on a Mercedes E320 Coupe many years ago (Wan-Li branded, they were on it when i bought it) which were lethal in the wet. I once drifted it off the M42 J11 island coming onto the A444 at only 30mph, immediately fitted a full set of Continentals. Just put a set of Yokohama Geolanders on our Land Cruiser, excellent so far.
You’re very local to me then 👍
😊 happy christmas to you and your family i love all your videos from little stump
Cheers you too 😊
the tyreman always gets you rick in the end lol,drive safe
Will do! Cheers buddy
I have all season Michelins on my Land Cruiser, and they are great. For winter I have dedicated winter tyres and they are Yokohama. They grip really well even on ice and I can drive through 40cm deep snow like it's not there. Tyres really do make a huge difference. But if you want the ultermate grip in winter you need dedicated winter tyres. All season are quite good in fresh snow, but they will loose traction on ice quite easily. Better than summer tyres of course, but not a patch on winter (studed tyres). Glad the tyres are better. The fact they will wear quicker is a good thing, it means they are made of a softer compound so they grip better. Winter tyre are even softer, have wider tread blocks (sypes) that vibrate the snow out, making them more grippy.
These seem great and I wouldn’t expect them to be great in heavy snow or ice but standard cold wet weather seem brilliant
I bought a BMW 530d MSport a number of years ago that had a set of Jingyu tyres on it. Even though the rears were 275 section width, there was zero grip in the wet. Great for getting the back end out on roundabouts though!
It’s fun if you know it’s going to happen I guess 🤣
The 125 Mutt I had came with TimSun knobblies, they were pretty sketchy in the wet.
Yeah I suspect it’s scary on a bike!
@@AgathaAndAnything fortunately the Triumph has much better rubber. The Suzuki tyres need replacing as the sidewalls are cracking.
If it’s got tits or tyres it drains you of money
Last winter I put all seasons on for first time. (Goodyear vector gen 3). Usually PS4. Probably saved me , in the lake District at night, over brow of a small hill and lights illuminated a stream that had flooded the road. Around 15-20 foot across and few inches deep.
Foot of pedals, steering straight. Very noisy as I went through but steering didn't go completely light.
If you drive alot in winter invest!
Yep I’m already discovering the benefits of these!
Now that’s a tidy Focus they used to be everywhere and for good reason they were fantastic and still hold up well today.
Yeah an £800 ulez bargain
Interesting video. I go by the old adage. Buy cheap pay twice.
Agreed, I assume the seller just put the cheapest tyres on to get an mot.
I have Goodyear Vector Gen 3 all season tyres on my Octavia 4x4 in the Yorkshire Dales. They are brilliant. I learnt about nasty tyres in 1992 when I bought an escort mk3 estate off a dealer with four new tyres. It was just awful, but I was skint and couldn't afford to replace them.
Yeah it’s definitely false economy!
I have a few cars, one of which is a 1988 Ford Mustang 5.0 GT. I was doing a tarmac autosolo in part to use up the tyres on the car, as they'd flat spotted from being sat for a while. They were Cooper Zeon (American brand). I had to get a pair of tyres having worn out the Coopers doing passenger rides on the autosolo.
Went to a local tyre shop and the only tyres they had in a size I could use were Landsail. 245/45/17. £140 for a pair. They lasted 2 hours and were then both through to the canvas. They had so little grip even on dry tarmac it was hilarious.
I call that brand Landslide now.
They may look like European brand tyres, but who knows what rubber compound they're made from.
We have landsail here too, they’re not as comedy but still bad… it’s crazy what gets to point of sale.
I run all seasons tyres on my BMW X3 , far far safer in the wet or ice. In my opinion all season are a must on 4wd cars.
Definitely a huge improvement on this car, hardly seen the traction light yet even in ice 😊
Using Nankang tyres on my truck and sports car,and found them just as good as Bridgestone,that were on the car.
I’ve heard they are good
Worst tyres I've had are continental. Best Avon, Michelin and Goodyear
Surprised that a big name were bad!
@@AgathaAndAnything I've never had good experiences with Continental on cars or bikes. From poor damp/ wet grip to tyre blowing out and leaving just the bead on the wheel rim.
@petemaxwell1136 I had them on my last van but they seemed ok just noisy
@@petemaxwell11364 yrs outta continental in queensland australia on subaru outback 2002. still going strong
I have always had Continental on my last two Skodas. They are the original spec tyres and they perform like a top brand name should, the car handles well and you get a good mileage out of them - good for 25,000 + miles.
My car came fitted with budget Chinese tyres - landsails.
I’m shocked at how good they are in all conditions.
Don’t get me wrong they aren’t Michelin Pilot sports, but they are far from unfit for purpose even in the cold & wet
I’ve had them before they were ok! Same as the Hilo in fairness it was just the Comforser that were bad.
Land sail goood@@AgathaAndAnything
I only buy Landsails. A friend even has them on his Insignia VXR and loves them.
Not your usual ditchfinders tbf
@@Ken_Dodds_Tickling_Stick I would fit them again.
I only ever use quality tyres on my car - Pirelli in my case. The car was designed and the suspension was set up for them, and they last well. I’ve bought cheap tyres in the past, and always regretted it!
Definitely a good idea 👍
I never scrimp on tyres, I have just had four continental all season tyres on, they are better for motorway use as well, I would rather pay more and get better tyres
My Mini cooper gets Michelin, and my Alfa gets piirelli P7 Cincanturo, as a mid range option I've used Nexen and Falkens in the past with no issues. Agree Some of the cheaper brands are atrocious in all but dry and warm weather. Caveat emptor !
Absolutely, as I said I would not have purchased these although I’m very happy with the Yokohama so it worked well eventually
The Mk1 Focus is an excellent car, worth spending money on maintenance and prevention.
I have Continental Winter Contacts on my E60 and Uniroyal winters on my Granada.
I think it's folly to run a car cheaply, it'll just let you down.
Yeah I had them new back in the day, this one’s not too bad so I’m glad I’ve invested in the tyres now
@@AgathaAndAnything
I'd quite like a Mk1 Focus.They really look quite sharp.
Would also like a Mk3 Mondeo for the New Edge family, as I was given a Mk6 Fiesta the other year !
I’ve been conversing with a guy who’s just passed his cbt and he rides a Chinese import, he’s washed the front out three times in three weeks. I’m trying to convince him to replace the tyres with a branded tyres but he won’t take telling…..he’s so green he doesn’t understand the importance of good rubber.
Yep he’ll learn one way or another 😳
Ever since I was in the motor trade over twenty years ago I always recommend people to fit a branded tyre. I heard you say in the video that it was a bit gauling paying £300 for tyres on a car that only cost £800 but what your really paying is £300 you to stay alive so that's not bad value for money if you look at it like that.
Fortunately these rogue budget tyres a not that common at the moment they seem to be coming from China but when I was in the trade it was Eastern Europe which is a shame because some budget tyres are older model branded tyres made under licence.
As I say I alwAysfit branded tyres and I always recommend people to fit a good quality tyre and I give the same advice with brakes they really are the only two things keeping you from having an accident.
I agree with you it’s not I begrudgingly fitted £300 tyres on an £800 car but it’s a huge % of the car and it’s never adding to the value, that said the car is a joy to drive now so it was worth it 👍
I always use Autogreen super sport chaser tyres and they are very good in the wet and only cost £54 each.
Not heard of those!
hi just came across your channel i had a different experience with some cheap Chinese tires think they were called wang .... on my opel corsa b in portugal it was very hot day 39 deg driving from Porto to Algarve on motorway 500km the steering suddenly started wobbling bad pulled in thinking i had a flat it had a big bulge so put my manky spare on it wouldnt even go back in the floor well. sure enough a few hours later other one done the same ended up putting rear wheel to front and limping the last 60 km with pregnant tire on back i suppose the wires parted pressures were correct .like you i went for a decent set of budget ones 320 euros for 4 balanced and fitted the car cost 500 euro but now its safe
Wow a lucky escape then! Glad you found the channel as well!
£300 is a lot to spend on tyres for an £800 car. However, £300 to ensure you're not injured or killed is an absolute bargain. Safety is very cheap. Dangerous, not quite so much.
Yeah I could have gone cheaper and probably been ok but I’d recently come into a few quid so thought I’d splash out, well worth it!
Don't get me started on Chinese tyres ...Several years ago we bought a second hand 107 with a nearly new set of tyres . Both the mrs and me had it side ways !! Checked tyre pressures they were correct. Yes they were Chinese primwell i believe. Changed all four tyres for less than £300 to Pirelli cinturato verde transformed the car . Both our cars are now on all season tyres . Mine on Falkenen and just put Goodyear vectors on mrses car as works for nhs and visits patients in all weathers . Thinking Goodyears are slightly better but they are more expensive. The old caveat you get what you pay for 🤷♂️
Absolutely true, the Focus is transformed and I have great confidence in it now!
If the Hi-Lo's were ok Rick why not just put 2 more on. Yoko's for my Citroen are £109 a corner, always put Nexen on when it was my company car with lots of Cumbrian work mostly at farms and they were fine, now for pottering around it's getting £55 cheapies.
I did contemplate that but was feeling flush 😂
I have uniroyal rain tyres on my estate and it drives worse tan the ditch finders that were on it when I got it!lol but yes some tyres should not be allowed to be sold.
I’m surprised there, I thought uniroyal were good
@AgathaAndAnything they certainly used to be but going to replace all rear arms and bushes in the spring as I think most are worn out on the rear,see if that improves things,it goes around corners really well just isn't very good in a straight line or the motorway.
good tyres are not a waste of money Rick. Yokohama are good, I bolted Falken to both of my cars and they are decent for my use.
Not a “waste” but £300 on an £800 car was a tad expensive! That said the drive is 100x better and an £800 car in a ditch is pointless 😊
@@AgathaAndAnything totally agree with you there. I just spent £400 on sills for my Rover 75 which I paid £250. I might be mad lol
Simone, Falken Tyres are very good. Nokian are great as well. For me, it is the tread pattern that is the difference between an awful tyre and a great one, as well as the rubber compound.
Must admit the cheapskate in me might have been tempted to get some all seasons, but put these away for summer use...
The issue isn't the cheapness or the quality as such, it's just that the ones with very hard compound are designed for hot countries where the soft tyres are ripped up in a thousand miles. They shouldn't be imported to the UK but that's more a problem with unscrupulous importers than anything else. I'm willing to bet that the manufacturer does a soft tyre with the same specs, but charges a dollar a tyre more and the dodgy importer elects to pocket that cash for himself.
I do generally go with the "branded budget" stuff myself - Toyo, Hankook, Kuhmo, Nankang or a few of the East Euro brands owned by the big companies. Although there's a set of very cheap "I-Link" tyres on the front of my car currently and although they are apt to wheelspin on take-off I've not noticed any lateral loss of grip.
Have to admit that I was tempted to get a spare set of wheels and put winters on then put the original tyres on in summer but the comforsers are terrible in wet so
Sumitomo, Falken, Kumho & GT Radial. 4 mid range makes of tyre that are reasonably good quality but not all that expensive. These are the 4 brands that I go for when buying a tyre. Cannot go wrong with these I find.
I nearly went Khumo
Currently on my car, the 2 front tyres are Sumitomo BC100, the back right tyre is a Kumho KH27 Ecowing and the back left is a GT Radial FE2. All really good tyres, quiet ride and the car drives really well.
I never scrimp on tyres, I would rather pay a little more and put decent tyres on, e.g. Dunlop, etc, recently had four continental all contact on , great tyres, they will last longer as well
Absolutely the best advice
Yokohama are a good brand Rick and should give you good service have Chinese tyres replaced the part worns and remoulds at the budget end
Certainly seems that tyres not suited to U.K. climate are sneaking in somewhere and replacing what used to be the norm 👍
I had West Lakes fitted to vthe fromt of a Citroen Xantia and narely made it a mile up the road when I turned back and demanded they fitted my old tyres again as despite being down to 2mm they'd more grip than the West Lakes had new.... I bought a Citroen C5 with Triangle Tyres on the back and swapped them out after a week when on only a moderately damp damp day the back end started sliding on roundabouts andn finally on one on the main road i spun through about 540 degrees and ended up facing back the way I'd entered it .... Luckily i was 2 minutes from a National Tyres and had a pair of budgets from a company owned by Continental Tyres fitted
It seems this video has proven a lot of dangerous new tyres making it to unsuitable markets!
@@AgathaAndAnything .... The biggest issue with tyres is there is no independent testing of them before they can be sold and the manufacturers self certify the fuel economy, wet grip and noise ratings of their own tyres which I find ludicrous
What pressures are you using? Focus will be tail light So the readers likely need quite a low pressure.
Was 26 rear
Own crap cars and motorcycles but I don’t skimp on tyres, neither do I go mad on the very best. I cannot believe the difference in ride, steering and braking.
Agreed these are a game changer
Are Landsail tyres safe?
I personally had some once and they were ok but no idea how good they are, certainly better than the Comforser…
You bloody Midlanders called a roundabout an island.
Confused the crap out of my parents (from Hull & Norfolk, so not a North/South thing) when coming to visit me in Derby many years ago. They were told to turn left at the 2nd island. They drove up and down looking for an island.
Haha! We say both….
@@AgathaAndAnything
What do you call an island when a roundabout is an island ?
@@lewis72 an island obviously 🤣
I don’t think that’s a bad price for four tyres, to be honest mate I don’t think you can put a price on safety so saying too much on that car to me it doesn’t come into the equation of budget car.
I have Yokahama Geolander fitted to all four corners of my camper and have to say they are dam good tyres, only downside is MPG has suffered slightly but these are ATs so no surprise really.
Agreed it’s not a bad price it’s just a huge % of the cars value I suppose! That said £800 in a ditch is pointless 🤣
Can't say I've ever crashed a car because of 'inferior tyres', driving like a dick in my youth yes but never because of tyres. Perhaps the guy above needs to have a word with himself about his driving if he's 'come a cropper too many times'..
I must admit once I’d found how bad these got I was out… but some people just crack on and burn 🤣
Yokohama Tyres are very good tyres. You can tell by the tread they are superior to what was on the Focus.
Does it have an engine block heater? Usually diesels do, especially in colder climes like the UK 🇬🇧 and where I am in the US, makes a huge difference for starting in the winter. I remember you stated the glow plugs most likely needing replacement.
Starting to get weather like yourself here in upstate New York; no snow down the Catskill mountains, however, up on the Catskills they did get several inches. Friend's Honda CRV has Nokian all weather tyres, purchased last year, and made it through an unplowed driveway no problem, although the CRV is AWD. £300+ taxes is not bad!
No block heater and plugs booked to be done January 2nd.
Tyres are performing well and the car is a pleasure to drive now. Hope you’re doing well my friend 😊
@@AgathaAndAnything Doing very well! I don't envy the individual who will be replacing those glow plugs, but sure enough to know they must have done that many times before!
Happy Christmas to you Rick, Heather and Poppy!
He knows the risks and can’t guarantee the safe extraction but neither can I..
On my 207 i spent 320 euro four tyres of four seasons
I use toyo proxes comforts 185 65 15 best budget's I've ever used at 200 for a set
Toyo aren’t bad!
@AgathaAndAnything best tyres I've ever had. I've got a 2007 picasso and these tyres completely transformed how this barge of a car handles. I had chinese ones before and it felt like a death trap in the rain
@@stu-b1 good to know
If you want decent budget tyre's get Rikens which are Michelin budgets or Matador which are continental budgets 👍
Hankook are good too.
Cheap tires are a false economy. I was running a 400,000 mile Volvo on a set of H speed rated Michelin Defender tyres that were made in England. Rhe set of 4 was a miserable $20 more than a set of off brand "cheepie" garbage. The rot under the Volvo proved termibal, so a 100,000 mile 2004 Toyota Carolla has been purchased from the 96 year old next door neighbour of my late mother. I planned to move my Michelins to the Toyota. No need, as it already had a set of virtually brand new Defenders on it. I will be investing in a set of Nokian Haakappilliitta winter tires next week
I’m guessing you are in America or something? I’m amazed how far this video is reaching but sounds like you definitely embrace running old cars 👍 I approve
Hey I bought an EV with “nevergrip” tyres…. Christ …first time in 40 years of driving on all sorts and makes of tyres and any water and hover craft mode occurring… so a new car at 9000 miles I scraped all the tyres and put new on … yes “all season” are king… !
When I used to drive old bangers I put “Kingpin” remoulds on at £9 each… never had any grip issues… awesome… where are these now!
Ha! I remember kingpin! I had them on my old Cortina 🤣these all seasons are amazing
Very hard compound. Plastic like. Extremely dangerous!
Yep! Glad they’re gone!
Been there, Autohit brand on a purchased car. Lethal, interestingly the reviews I found a few years ago have all gone. The regulators and official ratings I conclude are little more than a scam and don't protect the consumer at all.
It seems some import tyres aren’t regulated at all…
Always stick with more well known brands.
Wise words 🙏
Cheers. I use Hankook tyres and they last a good while
When we bought the car of my wife it came it all season tyres - Uniroyal AllSeasonExpert , and I have to say they are also pretty good and not so expensive as Micheline or Goodyear. Probably will buy them again.
Definitely a positive for me buying these all season ones!
buy cheap, buy twice, I have Falken all round on mine. would rather pay out more for a decent tyre that's safe
Absolutely, I’d imagine the previous owner just bought as cheap as possible for the mot
Had experience with tyres of this level cheap from china
Bad experience?
@@AgathaAndAnything they don't last long and thin as well
you have M+S tyres and these are D+F tyres ( Ditch and Field finders)
You’re right there!
Just a waffle chief. I use an 04 £250 estate that is street legal at all times and corners like it is on rails, if I was dumb enough to do that. You need to have real experience before you spout "knowledge". You have admitted that you knowingly drove a car you could not control in an emergency stop. Not as clever as you think you are.
When did I say I was clever? I admitted the tyres were dangerous and changed them