Tyre Options

[Diesel_vert]

Generally speaking, all-season tyres usually give a more comfortable ride and feature higher treadwear ratings (slower wear rate) than summer tyres, at the cost of some grip and steering response.

For passenger cars built after 1972 with a GVM not over 4.5 tonnes, NSW roadworthy regulations permit the fitment of any tyre that is rated to at least 180 km/h (speed symbol S).

Surprisingly slack, and not something I'd recommend, but there we are.

Forget the rest, get the best, Federals 595 RS-R.
You'll be surprised with the $'s & performance.

Yep, good value motorsport-orientated tyres - if that's what he's after.

[rjg]

I have the AS2's on mine, damn good tyre and well worth whatever they're asking for them.

[CandyWhite_RS]

OP:
What do you actually want from the tyre? sporty performance, low noise, long life, smooth ride?

I do a lot of highway k's, with the odd dirt road as well, mainly looking for an all round tyre I guess

[brad]

If 90% of your driving is highway & suburban then I'd still aim for the PS3 or the F1A2.

The Federal is agreat tyre if you get up it a bit but maybe a bit noisy.

Mud & Snows are good if you hit the dirt regularly but they tend to hum on smooth tarmac.

Unfortunately you are up on the Central Coast & I have no idea who the low margin tyre dealers are up there.

[Martin]

The PS3's are quieter than the Goodyear F1
(Unfortunate on a cost basis)

[Antiplastix]

Unfortunately you are up on the Central Coast & I have no idea who the low margin tyre dealers are up there.[/QUOTE]

"Low margin" ?? You ll find that the shops selling way under the prices of normal tyre shops are parallel importing their tyres by the container load and cutting out the local importer. Good luck if you have a warranty issue. The average shop buying from a recognised importer is lucky to make 20 % mark up. Not a lot when you consider wages, rent etc.

[brad]

"Low margin" ?? You ll find that the shops selling way under the prices of normal tyre shops are parallel importing their tyres by the container load and cutting out the local importer. Good luck if you have a warranty issue. The average shop buying from a recognised importer is lucky to make 20 % mark up. Not a lot when you consider wages, rent etc.

Not neccessarily, some are just good businessman & work on turnover & low margins.

I worked for one of the originators of the "wholesale tyres to the public" concept. You buy a bulk lot of legitimate imports off Dunlop AUS - say 400 tyres & you get a massive discount because the sales rep is chasing units to get his bonus that month. You then madly phone around the discount tyre stores which are regular customers down your way or up the coast or in the Western suburbs & try & flog off 300 of the tyres at a margin per tyre which still makes the tyres cheaper in that quantity than the Dunlop rep can sell them. Hopefully you sell them quick because your own storage area only has enough room left for 200-300 tyres & you've done 4 other deals for similar quantities with the other reps & they're earmarked for delivery over the next 10 days.

You then flog off the rest to your retail customers at a price that makes money & steals sales off the surrounding tyre places taht are trying to make triple the margin. You've got to have a busy store to do it & a reputation that keeps the forecourt busy & the phones ringing.

[nat225]

Average shops have 2-4 bays... Tempe has 12 bays and u still wait 30mnts or so to get tyres fitted. Havent seen any shop that busy in brisbane!

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[CandyWhite_RS]

Bought some new tyres today, I ended up getting some Hankook Ventus S1 noble2 H452 - 225/40R18 92W. They were $197 each will see how they go, got them from Jax Tyres

Hankook Ventus S1 noble2 H452 Tyres

[daft1014]

For those looking at budget options I got a set of Federal Formoza FD2 (225/40ZR18 92W) a few weeks ago. They were ~$160 each fitted in BNE.

They are a comfort tyre and in the few kms (~200km) we have done we have found them good for the light duty we place on tyres.

They are much quieter than the OEM Dunlops (not hard) and while supposedly not quite as sticky as the dunlops they have proved themselves good in the dry and wet.

The front will spin up under a heavy right foot especially when taking off promptly from the lights on a hill, but that used to happen with the Dunlops anyway. I tried some heavy cornering and it didn't feel any worse than the Dunlops - maybe a little less direct - just a maybe though...

Considering they cost at least ~30% less than the premium PS3's etc I can't imagine them performing 30% worse - especially if like my family you don't use the car to it's fullest capability.

We don't do many kms per year (around 7,000) so it will take sometime to sensibly comment on their performance over time.