Love the photo.

I opened a can of worms there........

Each to their own I guess. If I had an high performance fast car (Bentley, Aston etc) and drove it hard then I would want the best tyres holding me to the road. I cruise around Royally in my RR and never push the boundaries of grip. Even with the newest and most expensive tyres in the world cornering hard at 50 in a fullfat will put you into a tree anyway. Tom

Current Drive
2011 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography - Santorini Black - Ivory Leather

Previous Drives
2004 Model Vogue Td6 (Touchscreen) - Java Black - Parchment Leather
1994 RR Classic 3.9 V8 Soft dash - Niagara Grey - Grey Leather
1972 Series III SWB Safari - Green (Hand Painted) - Black Plastic

I disagree totally with your last sentence.

I've done a track day in Range Rovers (done by LR themselves) and I'm normally a 'spirited' driver, hence loving the 5.0 Supercharged on my driveway. My last 4 cars have been Range Rovers and I've covered hundreds of thousands of miles in all conditions, so I feel I can speak from experience here.

These cars may roll more than an ordinary saloon, but if you understand the boundaries of grip, balance and power with the car you'd be amazed what they can do. They're astonishingly good, the braver you are, the more it rewards you.

I also understand not everyone wants to drive to the limits of the car, but I've always made a point of understanding where those limits are, so I know how far I can go, when the mood suits me. Discovery 4 HSE
1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF
1982 Series 3 Hard Top

*Gone:L462 D5 HSE LUX, L663 Defender 110 HSE, Discovery 3 HSE, 2014MY Range Rover Sport 5.0 Supercharged AB Dynamic; L405 Exec Vogue SE 4.4, 5.0 Supercharged Autobiography, Defender TDCi XS CSW, Defender TD5 HT, Vogue SE TDV8, Vogue TD6, RRSport SC 4.2V8, Classic 3.9 Vogue Auto, Land Rover Series 3 SWB

Bum cheeks?? FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

If the tc was off and it was very wet you may slide off into a tree. Otherwise the chances are it will just roll if pushed too hard. FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

Good to know they are capable at speed and cornering, maybe I am not ragging my diesel enough. Don't get much chance to try when in London traffic  Tom

Current Drive
2011 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography - Santorini Black - Ivory Leather

Previous Drives
2004 Model Vogue Td6 (Touchscreen) - Java Black - Parchment Leather
1994 RR Classic 3.9 V8 Soft dash - Niagara Grey - Grey Leather
1972 Series III SWB Safari - Green (Hand Painted) - Black Plastic

Our SC was sold to us shod with 4 brand new main dealer fitted Nexen tyres. I whinged at the time, pointing out that I couldn't believe they 'would sell that model of car with inferior budget tyres'. As posted on the forum previously they replied that they fit them with confidence to their cars because they are good, they are durable and they represent value for money.

15 months in, I can say we had no cause to be concerned about Nexens at all. Like many forum members have posted before, we find them to be good, durable and *safe* all round tyres. This is a road car to us and it doesn't venture off road.

We don't floor the SC, we don't corner at 50 and the car is driven well but not hard or 'abused' in any way.

Last summer, on a dry, empty, downward sweeping right hand dual carriageway, I was driving the SC briskly from a rolling start up towards the designated speed limit late in the evening.

Just as I hit the sweeping right hander, I noticed that ahead there was a thick coating of slurry and muck all over both lanes of the dual carriageway from a tractor that must have earlier exited a field to the nearside. I braced myself for a complete loss of control and carnage. Obviously I had time to react thanks to the high driving position and I quickly adjusted my driving style. To my complete surprise and relief, the tyres did a great job and safely got the car (which 'was travelling'') through what was a nasty hazard.

The tyres still look almost new and don't seem to be suffering tread wear or deterioration anywhere else.

When the time comes to change them, I probably will choose a different tyre because of how some perceive the image of such tyres on a RR but having tried them I couldn't knock them.

So I get the impression any used tyres are bad as you don't know the history. With that in mind any car bought second hand could potentially have had part used tyres fitted or tyres that have had punctures or run flat or been heavily curbed etc.

I am not sure how you can be sure one way or the other. This would mean if you follow the line of S/H tyres are bad then any S/H car purchase would require a new set of tyres fitted as its the only way to be 100% sure there going to be safe.

Personally I have never bought part warn tyres myself, but I have bought S/H cars which had tyres which were obviously S/H. I cannot see the difference other than you can visually inspect a tyre not fitted to a wheel much better than one fitted to a wheel. It is almost impossible to see if a tyre fitted to a wheel has had a previous puncture repair, yet with a tyre with no wheel fitted it is obvious if a puncture has been repaired.

I am sure there is a certain amount of risk in buying part warn tyres, as others have mentioned they could have been involved in a bad crash etc, but if this was the case then I am not sure what damage the tyre would suffer that you could not visually see and inspect. For instance if the tyre had been on a damaged wheel then the tyre would most likely show signs of damage like compression marks in the side wall/rim etc. You can very easily write a car off and the tyres would have suffered no damage whatsoever.

So while buying part warn tyres has a certain amount of risk and is reliant on the buyer inspecting the tyre or tyres thoroughly, I cannot see it being any worse than buying a S/H car with used tyres.

Obviously a new set of tyres would be the best route, but I am just stating that part warn tyres should not pose any more risk than buying a S/H car with used tyres on.

@pld118; How does it sit on them, i.e. do the sidewalls appear to have that slight 'bulge'?

I'm intrigued, it's great to hear you're happy with them but I can't help feel that, if they do bulge, the rolling radius has to be different to a more rigid tyre?

Tyre experts, please correct me if I'm wrong!

Steve



EDIT: they, not the... Can't spell!

Last edited by Stephen.125 on 11th Jun 2014 9:49am. Edited 1 time in total

What about rental cars? You know the tyres fitted to those will have had a hard life, yet thousands of those vehicle make it into the second hand market every year without issue. FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

From what I have read tyre manufacturing technology as well as repair techniques and restrictions have changed radically in the last 10-20 years. Now they are so well reinforced and strengthened that even the cheaper brands would outshine the best brands of a decade ago. Tyre blow outs are much less common and usually the issue is when the tyre goes flat that is much more controllable.

For me the main differences between the top end, mid level and budget brands would be minor compromises in the ride, noise and grip levels, yet all within legal and safe standard. All have to achieve a legal safety standard to be sold here.

Do remember that like many things, just because a brand spends more money on marketing and sucking up to the car manufacturers to be OEM does not actually make them the best. Many of the cheaper mid level tyres are probably considered mid level because they don't sponsor F1 or issue sexy calendars etc.... Tom

Current Drive
2011 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography - Santorini Black - Ivory Leather

Previous Drives
2004 Model Vogue Td6 (Touchscreen) - Java Black - Parchment Leather
1994 RR Classic 3.9 V8 Soft dash - Niagara Grey - Grey Leather
1972 Series III SWB Safari - Green (Hand Painted) - Black Plastic

Last edited by Flashman on 11th Jun 2014 10:51am. Edited 1 time in total

Here's what a FF on 20's looks like sitting on Nexens...

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pld118 wrote:

When the time comes to change them, I probably will choose a different tyre because of how some perceive the image of such tyres on a RR but having tried them I couldn't knock them.

RRUK wrote:

Here's what a FF on 20's looks like sitting on Nexens...

Click image to enlarge

Yes, I can see how embarrassing it must be to drive around on those tyres.



I mean - really?

Having seen them in the flesh, they do look like the sidewall is softer than say a Pirelli or Conti, and the design of the sidewalls makes them look a bit like bus tyres. I could say the same thing of the L405 20" tyres.

I don't know if the sidewalls are weaker, and therefore if you do mild off roading where rocks and mud etc are going to get ground up against them if they'd be more vulnerable. Discovery 4 HSE
1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF
1982 Series 3 Hard Top

*Gone:L462 D5 HSE LUX, L663 Defender 110 HSE, Discovery 3 HSE, 2014MY Range Rover Sport 5.0 Supercharged AB Dynamic; L405 Exec Vogue SE 4.4, 5.0 Supercharged Autobiography, Defender TDCi XS CSW, Defender TD5 HT, Vogue SE TDV8, Vogue TD6, RRSport SC 4.2V8, Classic 3.9 Vogue Auto, Land Rover Series 3 SWB

One of the hardest sidewalks I've come across on the mtr was easily punctured while undid wayfarers the other year.

Off-roading is never great for sidewalks no matter how hard of soft the walls are. FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

yes the side walls are softer and yes they do get ripped when off roading..  ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
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