Another new tyre thread!

Steven Dougan · February 15, 2023

I have a 2017 RX450h FSport fantastic car which I’ve owned for the last 8 months. It’s just been serviced and advised that I’ll be needing new tyres very soon. The issue I have is the lack of choice as the size 235/55R20 doesn’t seem to throw up many options. I’ve narrowed it down to the Yokohama blue earth or sticking with the Bridgestone Duellers. What would you suggest between these or is there a better option out there?

Ideally I would have liked the Michelle’s Crossclimate 2 but can’t seem to find them anywhere!!

rayaans · February 15, 2023

Just stick with Bridgestone dueler a. They're decent tyres

NemesisUK · February 15, 2023

I went with Continental ContiCrossContact UHP. They seem to be quiet and grip well.

I would have gone with the Michelin CrossClimate but Michelin couldn't say when they would be available again in the UK (in the size required)

Las Palmas · February 15, 2023

Of the 3 brands mentioned I would any day prefer

https://www.continental-reifen.de/b2c/car/search-results.html?searchMode=sbs&widthMM=235&aspectRatio=55&rimDiameterInch=20&season=Summer&season=All Season

flookyk · February 15, 2023

I fitted Yokohama Geolander CV G058 on mine.. I wish they were fitted as new instead of the Dunlop summer tyres that are fitted as standard.

CT200h-TL · February 15, 2023

I too have the Geolandar G058. Worked well in the wet and over the recent -7 degC winter. Haven't notice the noise is any higher than the Duelers though my hearing might be bad... Although it is not marketed as an all-season tyre here in the UK, Yokohama claims they are https://www.yokohamatire.com/tires/geolandar-cv-g058.

GSLV6 · February 16, 2023

I really rate Avon RX7's. Not the best mileage but great all rounders and despite the summer tyre tag, are great in the wet (top rated) quiet, grippy and even perform well in the snow. Cheap too compared with most premium tyres.

Sundance · February 16, 2023

5 hours ago, GSLV6 said:

I really rate Avon RX7's. Not the best mileage but great all rounders and despite the summer tyre tag, are great in the wet (top rated) quiet, grippy and even perform well in the snow. Cheap too compared with most premium tyres.

That's interesting Paul. Why do you say not the best mileage ... your experience or advertised tyre rating?

I recently bought my 400h with 4x18" Avons fitted, oddly one AS7 all weather and three ZX7. The previous owner liked them as he found them 'quiet'.

Frankly I'm not too sure whether the difference between 69 and 72dbs would bother me that much but I am interested in the longevity and wear.

Las Palmas · February 16, 2023

30 minutes ago, Sundance said:

That's interesting Paul. Why do you say not the best mileage ... your experience or advertised tyre rating?

I recently bought my 400h with 4x18" Avons fitted, oddly one AS7 all weather and three ZX7. The previous owner liked them as he found them 'quiet'.

Frankly I'm not too sure whether the difference between 69 and 72dbs would bother me that much but I am interested in the longevity and wear.

3db more is twice as much more noise.

Sundance · February 16, 2023

1 hour ago, Las Palmas said:

3db more is twice as much more noise.

I think this needs more clarification. We may be discussing semantics here but my understanding (having briefly researched) is that a 3db gain does indeed represent twice the power, but the threshold of perception to the human ear is somewhat different and so does not have the effect of being twice as loud. Or is this not what you meant? 🤔

CVLex · February 16, 2023

On 2/15/2023 at 11:50 AM, rayaans said:

Just stick with Bridgestone dueler a. They're decent tyres

Agreed with rayaans 👍

Las Palmas · February 17, 2023

9 hours ago, Sundance said:

I think this needs more clarification. We may be discussing semantics here but my understanding (having briefly researched) is that a 3db gain does indeed represent twice the power, but the threshold of perception to the human ear is somewhat different and so does not have the effect of being twice as loud. Or is this not what you meant? 🤔

If I turn my home audio 3db up it is much louder. Will not say how much more, but definitely enough to say it is louder.

The more insulated the car is the less you will hear the noise from outside. In the CT different road surface can very different in sound inside the car. The big cars are more comfortable and less noisy inside than the small ones.

Las Palmas · February 17, 2023

10 hours ago, Sundance said:

I think this needs more clarification. We may be discussing semantics here but my understanding (having briefly researched) is that a 3db gain does indeed represent twice the power, but the threshold of perception to the human ear is somewhat different and so does not have the effect of being twice as loud. Or is this not what you meant? 🤔

Sensitivity of ears is very different. Some think that 10db is twice as much, some only needs 6db to feel it as twice as much. The younger and less damaged the ears are the more sensitive they are.

You want to know how much your ears notice the difference between noise in various decibels just download a tuning app for an instrument, flute, guitar, saxophone and in most of these there is a db reading.

Sundance · February 17, 2023

1 hour ago, Las Palmas said:

Sensitivity of ears is very different. Some think that 10db is twice as much, some only needs 6db to feel it as twice as much. The younger and less damaged the ears are the more sensitive they are.

You want to know how much your ears notice the difference between noise in various decibels just download a tuning app for an instrument, flute, guitar, saxophone and in most of these there is a db reading.

Thanks John, but I think perception will do me just fine 😉 .

GSLV6 · February 17, 2023

14 hours ago, Sundance said:

That's interesting Paul. Why do you say not the best mileage ... your experience or advertised tyre rating?

I recently bought my 400h with 4x18" Avons fitted, oddly one AS7 all weather and three ZX7. The previous owner liked them as he found them 'quiet'.

Frankly I'm not too sure whether the difference between 69 and 72dbs would bother me that much but I am interested in the longevity and wear.

I usually get no more than 10K miles from the ZX7's but at £146 a corner I don't mind as this represents two years motoring to me and tyres ought to be changed really every 2 to 3 years, especially doing less miles as sat on the driveway they tend to craze quicker. During lockdown I hardly used the car and had to replace all 4 tyres a year later as the rubber had crazed in between the treads so it wouldn't have passed MOT. Used daily the rubber will stay more supple. I got rid of the OEM Dunlops very quickly as I found them harsh, noisy and they had awful wet weather grip. The ZX7's were a revelation. Better handling, a far more comfortable ride, significantly safer wet weather performance and braking performance. For the money they're the best I've so far tried. I also like the Geolanders a lot but they've now got a bit spendy.

Sundance · February 17, 2023

23 minutes ago, GSLV6 said:

I usually get no more than 10K miles from the ZX7's but at £146 a corner I don't mind as this represents two years motoring to me and tyres ought to be changed really every 2 to 3 years, especially doing less miles as sat on the driveway they tend to craze quicker. During lockdown I hardly used the car and had to replace all 4 tyres a year later as the rubber had crazed in between the treads so it wouldn't have passed MOT. Used daily the rubber will stay more supple. I got rid of the OEM Dunlops very quickly as I found them harsh, noisy and they had awful wet weather grip. The ZX7's were a revelation. Better handling, a far more comfortable ride, significantly safer wet weather performance and braking performance. For the money they're the best I've so far tried. I also like the Geolanders a lot but they've now got a bit spendy.

Thanks for that Paul. I realise in the end that how and how often one drives does relate to the longevity of tread but 10k is in stark contrast to my previous life when I would travel 30k miles per annum (mainly motorway) and be reliant upon the same set of Goodyears on my Peugeot diesel, no bother at all.

Bob Dylan was right, times they are a-changing. 😊

Las Palmas · February 17, 2023

48 minutes ago, Sundance said:

Thanks for that Paul. I realise in the end that how and how often one drives does relate to the longevity of tread but 10k is in stark contrast to my previous life when I would travel 30k miles per annum (mainly motorway) and be reliant upon the same set of Goodyears on my Peugeot diesel, no bother at all.

Bob Dylan was right, times they are a-changing. 😊

Yes Rowley,

Bob Dylan was right in much of what he did write and sing. Before Covid we used to drive from A to B and back again more than once a year and A being the islands here just a few hundred km from Morocco with B being either Denmark or Sweden (only in summer) to visit family our old diesel Golf got 200.000km on tacho before we got the CT. Getting older and losing even older family members, travelling that far is not happening often anymore, so the CT may never get that many km on tacho.

So, yes, the times they are a-changing. While we are getting - not younger.

GSLV6 · February 17, 2023

I think whilst longevity is indeed related to how we drive, there's no shortcutting the fact that grippier rubber usually means softer compounds, allied to a 2.2 tonne vehicle that is very torquey, so that recipe I think would result in fewer miles per set than on a lighter vehicle. They're really very good tyres, very confidence inspiring and very quiet at motorway speeds. I'm sure if I drove more sedately I could see 15K miles but probably not more than that. I think even if I could justify fitting tyres at twice the price I'd be changing them every few years anyway as rubber does age and harden. I guess if I was doing 20K miles/per year then I'd stretch to more premium slightly harder compound tyres. The only shame is that Avon no longer make tyres here in the UK as their plant closed down after they were bought out a few years ago. They made Cooper branded tyres also I believe. Avon AFAIK were the very last British tyre manufacturer left until they were bought out.

First_Lexus · February 19, 2023

On 2/17/2023 at 4:42 PM, GSLV6 said:

I think whilst longevity is indeed related to how we drive, there's no shortcutting the fact that grippier rubber usually means softer compounds, allied to a 2.2 tonne vehicle that is very torquey, so that recipe I think would result in fewer miles per set than on a lighter vehicle. They're really very good tyres, very confidence inspiring and very quiet at motorway speeds. I'm sure if I drove more sedately I could see 15K miles but probably not more than that. I think even if I could justify fitting tyres at twice the price I'd be changing them every few years anyway as rubber does age and harden. I guess if I was doing 20K miles/per year then I'd stretch to more premium slightly harder compound tyres. The only shame is that Avon no longer make tyres here in the UK as their plant closed down after they were bought out a few years ago. They made Cooper branded tyres also I believe. Avon AFAIK were the very last British tyre manufacturer left until they were bought out.

Agree on the Avon Tyres. I had them fitted on my last NX and they were excellent. Other family members had them fitted on a couple of other SUVs too and were similarly impressed.

My last set (2019/20) were stamped as manufactured in Serbia, but still with the Union Flag prominent on the sidewall! Their justification is that the research and development is still done at Melksham in Wiltshire, and I believe they still manufacture motorcycle tyres in the UK.

I’d certainly buy the brand again regardless, albeit UK manufacture was something of a bonus.

Spock66 · February 19, 2023

Avon Tyres were the standard fit for Rolls Royce for many years so can't be bad I would assume.

Sundance · February 19, 2023

3 hours ago, Spock66 said:

Avon tyres were the standard fit for Rolls Royce for many years so can't be bad I would assume.

Well naturally, that was likely as not due to the low decibel factor plus the soft compound and ride. A Rolls Royce owner is not supposed to hear anything, most especially when moving, and to replace a full set after just a few miles was hardly considered a problem ... so I'm told 😊 .