General Tyres-Orphaned General tyres posts

General Car Tyres – Choosing the Right Tyres for UK Roads

Tyres have been at the heart of our business here at Pellon Tyre and Autocentre in Halifax since we started back in 1989.

Over those years I have seen an incredible amount of change.

Cars have become larger, heavier and much more powerful. Wheel sizes have increased dramatically, and the choice of tyres has changed along with them.

When I first entered the tyre trade, many ordinary family cars were running around on tyre sizes that would look tiny compared with what we fit today.

Now it’s quite normal to see everyday cars arriving at Pellon with 18, 19, 20 and even 21-inch wheels.

However, one thing hasn’t changed.

Your tyres remain the only part of your car actually touching the road.

That’s why choosing the correct tyres and looking after them properly remains so important.

What Does a Car Tyre Actually Do? General Tyres-Orphaned

Most people don’t give their tyres much thought until they need replacing.

Yet those four tyres have an enormous amount of work to do.

They have to support the weight of the vehicle, transfer engine power to the road, provide grip when cornering and, most importantly, help bring the vehicle safely to a stop.

They also have to cope with rain, standing water, potholes, hot summer roads and freezing winter mornings.

Here around Halifax and Calderdale, we can sometimes experience most of those conditions within a surprisingly short period!

Our hills and winding roads also mean good tyre condition is particularly important.

Premium, Mid-Range and Economy Tyres

One of the most common questions we’re asked is:

“Which tyres should I buy?”

There isn’t one answer that suits everybody.

The tyre market can broadly be divided into premium, mid-range and economy tyres.

Premium manufacturers include familiar names such as Michelin, Continental, Bridgestone, Pirelli and Goodyear.

Then there are many good mid-range manufacturers and a large selection of economy brands.

There’s nothing automatically wrong with choosing an economy tyre.

Someone driving 25,000 motorway miles every year may have completely different requirements from somebody travelling a few miles around Halifax each week.

That’s why we’ve always preferred to talk to the customer and find out what they actually need.

We don’t believe everybody automatically needs the most expensive tyre available.

Why Are Some Car Tyres Becoming Difficult to Find? General Tyres-Orphaned

This is something we’ve increasingly encountered in the tyre trade.

People sometimes assume that because a particular tyre was fitted to their car several years ago, exactly the same tyre will always be available.

Unfortunately, that isn’t necessarily the case.

Tyre manufacturers continually change their ranges.

New tread patterns are introduced, older patterns are discontinued, and demand for particular sizes can fall as the vehicle population changes.

A tyre manufacturer cannot economically continue producing every tyre pattern and every size forever.

Consequently, a customer can sometimes ask us for exactly the same tyre they have fitted to the car, only to discover that the particular model is no longer manufactured or readily available in Britain.

That doesn’t normally mean the vehicle can no longer have tyres fitted.

It means we need to find a suitable modern replacement in the correct size, load rating and specification.

Older Cars Can Present a Particular Challenge

This can become particularly noticeable with older or unusual vehicles.

As fewer cars use a particular tyre size, manufacturers may reduce production or stop making that size in certain ranges altogether.

Specialist and historic vehicles can be especially difficult. The government itself has previously recognised that replacement tyres for some heritage vehicles can be difficult to source because they’re often manufactured overseas in small batches and in unusual sizes.

Even with more modern vehicles, however, particular original-equipment patterns can disappear as manufacturers update their ranges.

That’s where having an experienced tyre dealer can help.

Rather than simply saying “we can’t get it”, we’ll look for an appropriate alternative.

The Correct Tyre Specification Matters: General Tyres-Orphaned

It’s not simply a case of finding something round that fits the wheel!

The tyre needs to be suitable for the vehicle.

Size is obviously important, but so are the load and speed ratings and any particular manufacturer requirements.

The DVSA’s MOT guidance requires tyres to be suitable for the vehicle, including their load-carrying capability where applicable.

Modern cars can make this even more important.

SUVs, hybrids and electric vehicles can be considerably heavier than traditional family cars, and some require tyres capable of carrying substantial loads.

Electric vehicles can also deliver their power very quickly, placing different demands on tyres.

So if your original tyre has disappeared from the market, we don’t simply choose another one because the numbers look roughly right.

The replacement needs to be suitable for the car.

Tyre Labels Help Customers Compare

Tyres supplied in Great Britain are subject to tyre-labelling requirements.

These labels provide information including fuel efficiency, wet grip and external rolling noise.

They’re useful because they give motorists a way of comparing different tyres.

However, a label doesn’t tell the entire story.

Price, expected mileage, driving style, vehicle type and availability can all influence the final choice.

That’s why a conversation with an experienced tyre fitter can still be extremely useful.

Wet Grip Matters in Yorkshire: General Tyres-Orphaned

If there’s one characteristic I take particularly seriously around Halifax, it’s wet-weather performance.

Yorkshire isn’t exactly famous for its permanently dry climate!

Standing water can dramatically reduce the amount of grip available between the tyre and road.

Good tread helps disperse that water.

The legal minimum tread depth for ordinary cars and light vans in Britain is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tread around its complete circumference.

Personally, I wouldn’t advise motorists to forget about their tyres until they’re right on the legal limit.

Regular checks can identify uneven wear, damage or pressure problems much earlier.

Don’t Forget Your Tyre Pressures

Correct tyre pressures are another simple thing that can make a considerable difference.

The Highway Code advises motorists to check pressures regularly and when the tyres are cold. Tyres should be inflated according to the vehicle manufacturer’s specification for the load being carried.

Under-inflated tyres can wear badly and affect fuel consumption and handling.

Over-inflation can cause problems too.

The correct pressures can normally be found in the vehicle handbook, inside the fuel flap or on a label around the driver’s door area.

Uneven Tyre Wear – Don’t Just Fit Another Tyre: General Tyres-Orphaned

We regularly see cars at Pellon where one part of the tyre has worn much faster than another.

Sometimes the outside looks perfectly respectable while the inside edge is badly worn.

Simply fitting another tyre without investigating the cause can mean the new tyre suffers exactly the same fate.

Wheel alignment is often worth checking when tyres show unusual wear.

Potholes, kerbs and everyday driving can gradually affect the vehicle’s alignment.

And let’s face it, we’re certainly not short of potholes around West Yorkshire!

At Pellon we carry out four-wheel alignment and can check whether the vehicle’s geometry is within the manufacturer’s specifications.

Winter Tyres and All-Season Tyres

Winter and all-season tyres have also become increasingly familiar to British motorists.

We have always had an interest in winter tyres because of our location.

Drive only a few miles from Halifax and you can soon find yourself on considerably higher ground.

When winter weather arrives, conditions around Calderdale can be completely different from flatter areas of Britain.

For some motorists, an all-season tyre provides a useful compromise, offering year-round use without changing between summer and winter sets.

Again, it depends on the vehicle and how it’s used.

Tyres Will Continue to Change: General Tyres-Orphaned

The tyre industry certainly isn’t standing still.

Electric cars, hybrids, heavier SUVs and increasingly sophisticated driver-assistance systems are changing what manufacturers require from tyres.

Environmental pressures are also encouraging tyre manufacturers to reduce rolling resistance and investigate new materials.

Some familiar tyre patterns will disappear.

New ones will replace them.

And occasionally motorists will discover that the exact tyre they’ve used for years is simply no longer available in the UK.

That’s nothing particularly unusual.

The important thing is choosing a suitable replacement rather than fitting something inappropriate simply because it’s cheap or readily available.

General Tyre Advice from Pellon Tyre and Autocentre

Here at Pellon Tyre and Autocentre in Halifax, we’ve been selling and fitting tyres for decades.

We’ve seen brands appear, disappear and return under different ownership.

We’ve watched tiny wheels become huge wheels and relatively simple tyres develop into highly sophisticated products.

But our approach hasn’t really changed.

If you need tyres, we’ll look at the vehicle and discuss the options available.

If a particular tyre is no longer available, we’ll try to find you a suitable alternative.

If your existing tyres don’t need replacing, we’ll tell you that too.

Our rule has always been simple:

We never do a job unless it needs doing.

Whether you need premium tyres, mid-range tyres, economy tyres, van tyres, winter tyres or simply some straightforward advice, give the team at Pellon Tyre and Autocentre a call.

Pellon Tyre and Autocentre – serving motorists throughout Halifax, Calderdale and our part of Yorkshire since 1989.

Importantly, we at Pellon Tyres are the general tyre dealers for the Halifax area of West Yorkshire. So, offering the full range of General tyres to all our customers. General is a well-known brand that is incorporated into the Continental tyre brand. general were bought for their expertise in the 4 x 4 tyre sector. So, since joining Continental Tyres, the tyres made for the regular cars, both in summer and winter in the General brand have improved considerably. So, making the general summer and winter tyres a very popular choice for consumers wanting a mid-range of tyres.