I'm now about to have to replace a fourth tyre in under two years of having the car. The first two (on the nearside) went to potholes; the third (offside) to my carelessness in hitting the kerb (at about 15mph) going round a roundabout; and the fourth (offside) got a slow puncture and bulge in, I think, the same incident.
The tyres are all Goodyear Eagle NCT5, size 215 50R 17.
I am new to alloy wheels - this is the first car I've owned in 20+ years to have had them - and I'm happy to admit each of the problems has had a cause - and I've been careful of potholes since. But it's getting quite an expensive business.
Are Goodyears particularly fragile tyres? Is there a decent brand that is tougher? Or is this normal?
I'd happily switch to steel wheels and tyres of a greater profile, but am wary of affecting the warranty and/or handling etc.
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50 series tyres do not have a lot of sidewall to absorb impacts, (as you have discovered), I am afraid it is a case of "take care of your tyres". You have said that you have damaged all four, drive as if your tyres cost their weight in gold and you will wear out the tread.
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You might benefit from getting tyres with XL (extra load) designation, they may be a little stronger in the sidewall, and a tyre with 'rim protector' (small lip around the bead edge) might help too.
Alternatively maybe a good quality but not top price brand might be worth considering if you are hard on your tyres.tinyurl.com/4jl2wb
Another chap swears by Federal S595's (on the above link), and they are probably half the price of others.
He does say other Fed's are not anywhere near as good, jolly good value, i don't know never used them.
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You might benefit from getting tyres with XL (extra load) designation they may be a little stronger in the sidewall and a tyre with 'rim protector' (small lip around the bead edge) might help too.
My Avensis has NCT5s, and there is a side protection lip on them - not especially big, though. Haven't found any particular problem with the tyres except for the first front set which wore out quickly due to bad wheel alignment on the car (bought new!).
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"It's not the tyres, it's what you do with them".
Drive around potholes, raised ironwork, and so on, else it won't be just tyres...
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Thanks for the recommendations. I'll investigate XL-rated tyres.
Those Federal S595 have a completely different tread pattern to the Goodyears. I suppose I shouldn't mix vastly-differing tread patterns, should I?
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shouldn't mix vastly-differing tread patterns should I?
Not on the same axle really but certainly nothing wrong with putting a pair on IMO.
As an aside i wonder just how many of us regret having bought cars with these huge alloy wheels and rubber bands round the outside, mind you in the grand scheme of these things GM's tyres are pretty good in this respect, i'm seeing more and more 30/35/40 aspect ratio tyres on new cars.
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"...30/35/40 aspect ratio tyres ..."
There isn't much wall to bulge on those tyres. I wonder whether the owners suffer, or will suffer, from a bad back.
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I wonder whether the owners sufferor will suffer from a bad back.
Their wallets may well suffer worse methinks, some of the tyres/wheels involved are a grand a corner.
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