Tyres.

[Ali T]

The winter tyres are not RFT's, I bought a spacesaver kit with jack and breaker bar. Takes up boot space, but worth it I think.

 

[dweezil]

If it wasn't for the high running costs I'd have kept the Mazda as a spare car as from a straightforward value perspective I didn't get much more for it as a trade in that it'd cost to change the tyres on my C-class to the Michelin CrossClimate+'s.

I am tempted to get another 4x4 though - one that's cheaper to run. My son has been pestering me to upgrade his Fiesta to one of the new Suzuki Jimny's so it's possible something like that might happen.

Had a Jimny for ten years, bought second hand and it was a great little car. Very light and gets through most mud and snow, partly by floating on top. Best on some sort of off road tyre, I used the intermediate Wranglers, good for 40k miles if my dog hadn't eaten three. Run lower than book tyre pressures to improve ride and traction; you don't get load / pressure tables with a Jimny but I ran five to seven pounds under sticker pressure. Cruised all day at 80 when required but the brick shape didn't make for low fuel consumption at speed. I would have replaced it with another but they were all being bought up by some business in Cyprus so I now have a Vitara in that slot.

 

[stevec67]

The winter tyres are not RFT's, I bought a spacesaver kit with jack and breaker bar. Takes up boot space, but worth it I think.

I'd do this if I had a car with RFTs, I don't think it's a good solution, 50 miles will not always get you home. The last puncture I had was 100 miles from home at 7pm in the winter. Fitting a space saver on the M1 and driving 100 miles at 50 was a chore but better than finding a 24 hour tyre service to replace it at vast cost after a 2 hour wait.

This happened to my folks on their way to the airport, fortunately it was daytime and they were near home, but they still nearly missed their flight in spite of doing the usual oldie trick of setting out several hours earlier than necessary.

 

[Ali T]

Yes my thought too. I also want to move away from the RFT for the summer, will certainly improve the ride.

 

[35451]

Yes my thought too. I also want to move away from the RFT for the summer, will certainly improve the ride.

I took the RFTs off my BMWs *(e60, e91) as soon as I practically could, the difference in ride comfort was outstanding. RFT sidewalls (cant remember OEM brand) were so stiff.

Was happy until I got a puncture - as ever late at night in the rain and on dirty B road. Cest la vie

 

[Ali T]

LOL yes, always the way. Had one on the motorway in heavy rain when I had a Grand Cherokee. That was fun. Was on the traffic side too.

 

[Andrew Ashby]

It's easy to tell whether a fancy car is owned by someone who appreciates driving or just wants their mates to know they have a nice car: Just look at the tyres. I've lost count of the number of Porsches, BMWs and Mercs fitted with LingLongs, Triangles and other sh!tty black donuts pretending to be sports tyres.[/QUOTE

...like Yoko 032Rs on a 7