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View Full Version : New Tyres For the Old Magna.



AQUAR
08-04-2015, 08:29 PM
With the tyres on the Verada KS being from the last century, I thought it prudent to just replace them with BS serenity plus, regardless of the fact they look like new.

After reading a few scary articles about "old" tyres it also got me looking at all the tyres on my Mitsus. And jeez, half of them are B249's dating back to 2001-4. Never gave it much thought as they too have lots of thread on them (plus 90%).

The B249's are of size 175/75/R14, a size that has become obsolete (after getting a flat I had to replace both front tyres with 185/70/R14).

Now it seems 185/70/R14 is heading the same way as modern tyres don't appear to come in that size.
Bridgestone Select only offers the slightly cheaper firestone and supercat tyres in size 185/70/R14.

Anyone opinions about using the supercats for "shopping car" type driving?
The current 4 for 3 deal at Bridgestone Select for supercat puts them at about $77/tire.

(4 serenity plus and 4 supercats, fitted and balanced <$700)

MadMax
08-04-2015, 08:47 PM
Some tyres degrade quite quickly with age, others do better. Age isn't necessarily an indication of how much a tyre's performance has degraded.

I have one car with 10 year old tyres on it. I regularly test traction with aggressive braking and acceleration. No ABS or traction control on it so I'm getting tyre traction feedback, without those interfering. When I feel I'm having traction problems, or detect sidewall cracking, I will replace them. Looking forward to some wet weather to test them out some more. lol

I did have one tyre once on a manual TP that would give me axle tramp on gentle take-offs in the wet. Got rid of that quick smart.

EDIT: Supercats should be fine for normal use.

magna buff
08-04-2015, 09:35 PM
size 14 in this range of vehicle .. are fading out production
on my last TN wagon I was using 195/75 r 14 goodyears

you get the full range of tyres made from this site

http://www.tyresales.com.au/tyres/nexen?gclid=CNi0p-Tq5sQCFRWTvQodr1wARg

you could try Nexen tyres its approx $60 Rodian ht
goodyear or bridgestone listings

the TM-TP tyre listings should now be the same tyre as a TR-TS steely

AQUAR
08-04-2015, 09:46 PM
Having looked at lots of opinions from endusers in various forums, I think that on aggregate they have little statistical meaning.
Someone might say - Supercats are awfull because my Mitchelins are better in snow - its comparing apples and oranges - and I don't drive in the snow.

I must admit that brandnamed tyres on my cars have always felt safe for normal "domestic" driving.
To be honest the old tyres feel fine on the road during all Canberra seasons, but > 10 years is probably a fair old age end of life marker.

There is no doubt that rubber hardens and degrades with time.
I have an old (unused) trailer in the backyard and its tyres are 40 years old.
These truly are visibly degraded and simply look like a cracked up shape of a tire.

AQUAR
10-04-2015, 01:53 PM
After checking around I've decided the supercat and serenity plus will do me fine.
So now Im free to ponder about the next something else for these Mitsus.

Will post a picture of what my 40 year old tyre looks like (before I dispose of it!).