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I need a set of new tyres for my Mitsubishi Legnum. I'm not a racer, nor do I try to be.
Is there an actual difference between "entry level" tyres and the rest?
Obviously there must be, or the expensive ones wouldn't exist, but is there actually a noticeable difference, or is it all marketing hype?
Rueben
From the "Ask Jack" archives - 13 July 2010
What’s the saying – ‘You get what you pay for’ which can be true in tyre selection however, you can also pay more than is necessary depending on your expectations and driving style.
For example, directional, asymmetrical or low profile tyres are used more for the performance end of the market or are fitted as part of a complete package on a vehicle designed and marketed for the motoring enthusiast and are driven accordingly. These types of tyres are built to ensure superior road holding and braking in all conditions, the downsides are they do not tend to a have a very long life, can be very expensive and some can be very noisy.
Everything after that is a compromise and you can move from a budget tyre to one more aligned for those who do a lot of open road driving and require a tyre to do a good all-round job.
We shouldn’t forget also that cars fitted with safety features such as Anti Locking Brakes and Stability Control work in combination with the tyres to be able to perform at their best. For this reason the manufactures recommended tyre or an equivalent brand is often the best tyre to fit.
In the main tyres are manufactured to achieve a good performance in cornering, braking, stopping distance and noise in all conditions (wet and dry road surfaces). Noise can be an issue in NZ, more to do with our rough road chip surface than the tyre itself in some cases.
To answer your question then; yes there is a difference in tyres but you can definitely spend too much. A recent tyre survey by the consumer NZ magazine showed a good all-round tyre retailed for between $145 and $185 per tyre.
I suggest you do a little bit of shopping around in regards to price and finding a tyre store which will sell you the tyre best suited for the car, your budget and driving needs