I passed my test today (first time)! I checked out tons of channels, but I came to the conclusion that a lot of these creators either 1. assume you've got a relatively modern car 2. assume one video on clutch control is enough 3.assume details (in-depth videos on how to actually use the mirrors in various situations , up- and downshift blip, etc) aren't needed. These were very important to me as I learned to drive/drive an old 1990 Mercedes W124 with no fancy assist features apart from ABS. You, on the other hand, thought of EVERYTHING. Thank you, you absolute legend.
Congratulations! My tips, for what they're worth: 1. Appropriate speed & stopping distance - particularly in the wet. 2. Drive defensively - mitigate other's mistakes. 3. Be chilled - let stuff go, we all make mistakes, help people out 😊 Enjoy your freedom.
Thank you for all the advice that you have provided in your videos. I have passed my test last week with 6 minors. My instructor was good at showing me the basics, but the bulk of driving knowledge I have gathered from watching your videos.
About a year ago I sent you a comment on here saying that I was struggling and how driving was stressing me out etc. I switched to automatic after 1.5 years of struggling in manual and 6 months later I passed my test with (swear down) 0 minors!!!! I passed on Tuesday 13th august You are brilliant Richard - I used your videos on top of my lessons to help me!
Superb. I passed my manual test with 2 minors over twenty years ago. I find manuals are very easy and I prefer over automatics - until I get to drive 1960's/70's cars that have no synchromesh and you have to double declutch and rev match!
@@Drew-Dastardlymate I can’t even single clutch, all that sounds horrific lmao. I’m not even that into cars but as long as whatever I get works, is cheap and is automatic I’m happy 🤣
One thing that's also worth considering when buying tyres is to not go as cheaply as you can. You don't have to go for the premium brands, just stick to known brands. They'll last longer, save money on fuel, will have more wet grip and will be a lot quieter. I went from budget brands that my used car came with to Michelin Pilot Sport 5. Literally the only change made and my mpg average went up by 5. For me, that's a £12 a month saving in fuel. Doesn't sound like much, but over the lifetime of the tyres (30K miles estimate), that's a fuel saving (at current prices) of £720. The price difference between a set of the cheapest tyres I could find and the Pilot Sport 5s is only £284, and that's assuming the cheapest tyres would last 30K miles.
i also just put some ps5 on my car and they feel better in every way to drive, they’re more responsive and feel better when breaking in the wet and the dry and honestly wouldn’t go back to budget tyres. might not stick with ps5 my whole life but they’re definitely worth it
According to a mechanic I spoke with it is not the case that cheap tyres don't last as long as more expensive tyres. It is the case that they don't perform as well though.
@@jdmguy44 soft compounds give you more grip but worse fuel economy and they don't last as long. Hard compounds, better fuel economy and longer life but less grip.
Hey Richard, I've passed my test this morning with only a single minor and like many others have said here your videos helped me so much - especially the ones with clutch control and holding at the bite point, hill starts didn't click for me until I tried that out. Your patient approach to all types of situations one may encounter changed my outlook on driving for the better, and I've adopted the same mindset of "It'll take as long as it takes.", leaving emotion out of the equation. All the best to you, no doubt the best driving instructor on youtube.
As my motorcycle instructor once said to me: "Those black rubber bands are the ONLY thing that keep you on the road. Pay attention to them, look after them and for ****'s sake buy good ones." His point was a little crude, but it stuck with me because he is 100% correct. All the driving aids in the world are meaningless without a tyre to work with, because it's just the tyre that does the gripping. I started on two wheels before moving to four (Still on two though) but it's made me a lot more sensitive to low tyre pressures because a motorcycle's handling changes massively with just a small pressure loss, especially on the front. It's very cool that Michelin invited Richard to their event. Seeing a bunch of models in testing is a sweet little bonus.
My partner passed her test on Saturday! We watched your videos to learn to drive test standards and the manurvres . She had major confidence issues at the start, but your videos helped her so much! Thank you!!
Great video! One thing I'd like to add: if you get stuck in the snow (or in a muddy car park etc) you can deflate your tyres for better off-road grip, just remember to reinflate before you get back on the road, this also is why it's good to bring a pump with you.
This is a debate that will never go away. If you are at the limit of adhesion it is 💯 correct that the newest tyres should be on the rear, no contest. Given that a road car in normal usage should be nowhere near the limits of adhesion, let me pose a couple of questions: 1) in a full abs emergency stop on a wet road would you not prefer the best tyres on the front? 2) if you hit deep standing water would you not prefer the best tyres on the front?
Another point when replacing tyres because of damage, the different diameter between a new and old tyre means the wheels rotate at different speeds. This can cause premature wear to the differential when these are on the driven axles. In AWD cars some manufacturers recommend replacing all 4 tyres if you need to replace 1 when the rest are over 50% worn. This is also why you should always rotate tyres as recommended by the manufacturer on AWD cars to prolong the life of the drivetrain.
I recently had an unrepairable puncture on a rear tyre at 11,000 miles, about 7 month of driving - it's a leased car, so cost wasn't a direct concern, just safety and keeping it legal. My takeaway from this is that if it'd been a front tyre, it should have been both being replaced, (or a rear tyre swapped onto the other front), but because it was rear, just the one is less bad. I mainly trusted the folks at the repair shop, they did a wheel alignment on it after replacing the tyre.
bought my car, 4 brand new run-flats... one hit a pothole at 25mph. edge was sharp enough to gouge a 50p hole in it... £250 instant repair bill 😞 complained to the council who dismissed the claim
Just came across your channel last week and was very impressed. I'm knocking on a bit now (early 60's) and always remember Chris Boardman (Olympic champion, world 1 hour record holder, to name a few, saying that the contact patch on a bicycle was about the size of a thumbprint! Not much, and having come off my bike on many a wet roundabout I want to get as much grip as possible. I particularly liked your comments on mixing tyres on a car, I use it as an indicator when buying a 2nd hand car as to how well a car has been looked after. All four the same, Great, two the same on each axle, Acceptable, three or more different makes, Walk away. Thanks again, you've got a new subscriber
It's amazing how many drivers never check their tyres.In my works car park i have seen vehicles with little or no tread,or obviously under inflated tyres.I've had Michelin cross climate 2 on my rear wheel drive,and very happy with them.
Richard... i have basically lived on this channel for the past 3 months learning to drive without an instructor alongside a mate. Today i passed on my 1st try with 6 minors.. i just wanted to say from the botttom of my heart thank you for these videos, youre amazing honrstly be proud at how good you are at your job. ❤
I've passed my test today first try! I learned a lot through your videos. I'll still be around here to learn more about stuff related to cars and driving in general. Finally fulfilled my dream of having a license thanks to you Richard❤️
Touching on the 4wd thing. Yes that is 100% true. I had in the past and my mum currently has a suzuki GV. My old one had evergreen cross country tyres. My mums chunky off road tyres which I don't think have been changed in over 20k miles/ 3 years. You can actually hit the breaks on snow and ice and they will work to a fair degree before ABS kicks in. You should have mentioned about changeimg the tyres in pairs allows the wearing of tyres to show up any potential suspension or break faults hiding in the car.
At last! Such a relief to watch this video. I've put new (best) tyres on the rear for donkeys years. You have carefully explained the reasons why esp for those who still won't accept it (like my SO).
It's not a case of 'accept' it but one where there are pros and cons. Richard explained one scenario where it's better having the new tyres on the back, but there are others it's more beneficial on the front. Emergency braking in the wet, i'd rather have the new tyres on the front. It depends what your priorities are, for me I'm never going anywhere near the grip limit, but people stepping/pulling out is a common occurrence, so wet braking performance is more important than more predictable handling when at a limit I'm never going anywhere near.
I've had several tyre brands over the years on my car Handcooks, Dunlop's and Bridgestone. By far the best were The Michelin cross climates. My last set lasted 5 years and I covered 40,000 miles with yearly rotations. They still had 3mm tread, but had started perishing on the side walls so had them replaced with a new set. These tyres provide so much grip in the wet and performance is perfectly fine in the summer aswell as winter.
There should be a small arrow on the side walls pointing to the tread wear indicators. A modern ABS system will detect if all 4 tyres lose pressure. They don't use a comparison of wheel speeds as most people think. They monitor the time between each magnet in the bearing on both the N-S and S-N, so about every degree. Due to how tyres are manufactured even at an even speed, these times vary slightly and the ABS computer calculated a range of frequencies from these. The tyre deflation/pressure loss causes a shift in these frequencies and this triggers the warning. (I was an engineer for an OEM responsible for ABS).
Thanks for the info, you have an awesome channel. Anyway I recently bought a 99 civic with 2006 tyres... It is my first car so I don't know much but yesterday, I got 4 new boots and the difference is night and day.
A good rule of thumb I've seen in a pinch is using a 20p coin to check. The distance between the edge and the first inner ridge (under the number 20) is about 1.6mm. so if you got one to hand, it's a nice way to quickly measure yourself without a gauge or if your tyres are missing the ridges.
You are very lucky to spend time with Michelin, in the 20 years I was in the tyre trade I didn't get to go, I am surprised that tyre fitters find it difficult to know how to configure tyres for best results, and also know that some drivers may not understand that speeding and hot tyres wear down faster, more so in hot weather, a great video.
I like Uniroyal Rainsport 5, I now use Michelin PS5 after a special offer, the tyres are so quiet I can now hear my DSG and clutch working. As i have AWD I rotate the tyres to keep no more than 1mm difference. The downside then is all 4 four tyres are equally worn but I change at 3mm. Not all pressure gauges are accurate. I add 1psi indicated as my meter under-reads slightly (by comparison and experience) and I now get perfect tyre wear.
PS4s are a seriously impressive tyre in every area. Wet grip, dry grip, braking, longevity. I got 24k out of a front set of PS4s on a heavy old FWD diesel car. Mainly motorway miles but saw its fair share of (safe) enthusiastic drives. A cracking tyre and one I would highly recommend. I usually flit between PS4s and Eagle F1 AS5 depending on the price, but PS4s just about win it as far as tyre ability goes, IMO.
despite the fact my car isn't top end, i have michelin cross climate 2s. since getting them, my mpg is better, my drive is quieter and the wet grip is excellent. I do about 16k miles a year so having something that saves a few pounds is a worthy investment to me.
Swapping the wheels so that the most tread is on the rear is actually something that is in training for many technicians including myself. The problem however is that sometimes the customer will not see the point of doing this, and in some places technicians are limited in time due to trying to make the most money. Sometimes it is easier to just give the customer exactly what they want and if they bring up the swapping of wheels front to rear then I will explain the benefits of doing so and happily do this for them, but sadly for most they will end up getting two sets or even three sets of front tyres for every 1 set of rear tyres
Interesting video! I have a Focus ST so front wheel drive and when I needed to replace the Pilot Sport 4s on the front I went for the more comfort and economy focused Bridgestone Turanza and then moved them to the back, moving the other pair of Pilot Sports to the front. My logic was having the "sporty" tyre at the front and the comfort tyre at the back would be better, although I think in practice the tyres are so close in performance it makes basically no difference given they both have plenty of tread. I don't have a problem with different tyres on different axles, the main red flags for me if I ever look at used cars are non-matching tyres on the same axle or extremely budget tyres as this tells me the owner just doesn't care about safety and buys whatever is cheapest.
Tyre choice/brand on a used car is one of the first things I look at when buying car. Always makes me laugh when I see bottom of the market tyres on a couple of year old 'premium' SUV, you instantly know the owner is an absolute wally who doesn't care about his/her safety and would rather save £30 a tyre as they are so stretched on the finance re-payments on their PCP'd ****box. It's a shame our governments aren't interested in tyre safety and would rather mandate the pretty little A-F tyre grade diagrams (which are absolute garbage) rather than setting a minimum standard for real world tyre performance.
Also worth adding that some tyres like my Pirelli Sottozero 3 winter tyres are directional, so you can't swap them across an axle. The tread on them is designed to bite into snow and ice but that only works well in one direction.
After having seen various videos like this one, I decided to have Michelin Crossclimate 2 tyres on my car, taking everything on board, so lessons learned and taken on board. What really does Annoy me to No end is the prices for air at the petrol stations, so checking tyre pressures Weeky, yes, all fine with me, but I refuse to pay silly money for nothing, like £1.00 every time just to check the pressure. So, I bought an analogue very simple and cheap tyre pressure gauge, it’s Brilliant, And I’m still looking for a good quality foot-pump, to save me around £50.00 per Year, which then pays for the difference between mid-range tyres and the Michelin Crossclimate 2 tyres. Bonus!! I have been looking at the Michelin foot-pump, but as I also want to use the Same foot-pump for my 60 PSI trailer tyres, the Michelin foot-pump looks too flimsy for me, so I’m probably going for a footpump that has much thicker rods going in and out of the cylinders. I know, I am waffling on a bit, just thinking out loud here……
Awesome tips, thanks for sharing! For what it's worth, I have been running my tires at 5-10 PSI higher than recommended pressures for years and I have never worn my tires unevenly or suffered any negative effects besides a rougher ride. Your results may vary though. The ideal tire pressure doesn't exist, the recommended tire pressure is a compromise between traction in various conditions, ride comfort, fuel efficiency, tire longevity, stability, etc and you can adjust the tire pressure to better suit your usage and preferences. Just be sure to monitor the tread wear, which you should be doing anyways.
The police will prosecute if you are not running at the required pressure. We are in two tier Kier Britain now and they will use any excuse to lock you up. Do not go to a silent "protest" without the exact PSI rated for your cars tyres. As an aside, an old boss of mine 30 years ago was pulled over in the morning because he was driving a bit erratically. On inspection he had a slightly underinflated tyre. He was nailed for the tyre by the police, but was clearly let go for the more serious offence of driving while over the limit of alcohol. It was a morning-after situation and the police in those days sort of allowed it but would get you on something else. He reeked of alcohol in the office that morning.
@@Drew-Dastardly Good to know. Is that an actual law there? What's the allowed discrepancy to account for temperatures, differences in gauges, etc? Here in America, I'm not aware of any laws regarding tire pressure, but if the pressure is dramatically higher or lower than the spec and you are in an accident, I could see that being an issue. Whether actually related or not, it could be an excuse to blame someone.
@@averyalexander2303 I don't know if there is an actual scientific measure of under or over inflated a tyre is, and I am sure there isn't for a typical UK police-person-non-binary. But they seem to have some power of self-determining if a tyre is of the wrong inflation. My own car is 32psi all around, unless fully loaded when the rear tyres should be 40psi.
When I was alerted to a slow puncture on my front offside wheel, I tried to get the fitter to rotate the tyres, as the previous owner had left the car with different (reputable at least) brands of tyres on the left and right side of the car. The fitter would not have any of it, even though I would have happily paid for the extra labour.
With tyres you get what you pay for. Yes, you can buy some “Vigorous Dragon” or “Lucky Panda” or “Golden Wind” or “Long Dong” tyres for a lot less than Michelin, Pirelli, Continental etc but when the unexpected happens you’ll wish to god you’d spent the extra money as you plough into the car in front or lie upside down in a ditch. And the new breed of all season tyres from those mainstream brands are absolutely brilliant. I fitted Michelin CrossClimate to my car one winter and when we had a decent fall of snow I was driving past 4x4 SUVs that had been abandoned because they were fitted with summer tyres, and yet my car still handled well in heavy rain and dry conditions. Who buys the cheapest parachute they can find?
I used Michelin tyres about 25 years ago, they handled great but wore out faster and a chocolate kettle lol, i have tried lots of tyre manufacturers over the years, and found the best pound for mile tyres are the ones you treat nicely, i now use good old dirt cheap budget tyres as my driving has changed over the years, now i barely go any distance or speed, my little 1.0 picanto if very light weight and Extremely underpowered, had it 4.5 years now and only just replaced the front tyres as they were 1.6mm tread.
I was taught to rotate the tyres when changing. Whenever I switch from winter to summer tyres (or the other way around), I mark my tyres to be able to rotate them next time I change. However, I also have an even set of winter tyres. Once I replaced two due to severe damage. I've always put them on the front (FWD car) thinking this would give me the most grip for accelerating and braking on snow and ice.
And you're probably right. Richard explained one scenario where it's better having the new tyres on the back, but there are others it's more beneficial on the front. It depends what your priorities are I guess.
Really interesting, & sometimes counter-intuitive! Perceived wisdom can sometimes be wrong: simply repeating what used to be true, or what never was, but people just thought it was 😊
Another consideration regarding rotation OR front-rear swap when fronts replaced. Often older cars have a wheel or two that's very slightly buckled. I know I do. Still balances OK but needs >50g of weights. They live on the rear, always. Also, unless forbidden by a directional tread, when rotating tyres, one (not both) pair should be swapped left-right.
Looking through various articles bald tyres have the most.grip!!!! Also I try to wear my tyres out because I'm thinking of the environment!!!! 2mm is sensible 👍
Hey Richard, love your videos they're really helpful even for someone who passed a few years ago. Was wondering if you could make a video on how to deal with emergency vehicles on blue lights. What's legal and whats not, advice etc. Cheers
Funfact about tire age in Norway. In general there's no age restriction on tire age for cars or trailers . However, just a few years ago, a new class of trailers were introduced "Temp-100", allowing legal max speed at 100 km/h instead of the default max soeed for trailers at 80 km/h. Tempo 100 requires a periodic vehicle checup, jus like cars, but additionally, max age for tires are 6 years. I recently replced the tires on my 13 y.o. trailer, and had a full brake system service. I considered getting Temp-100-approval, but don't think its worth it for me: I would save about 5 minutes or less, a few trips a year. I would spend time on vehicle checup, and Tempo-100 approval. After 2 years, I would have to do another vehicle checkup, or opt out of Tempo-100 At most I would stay with Tempo-100 for 6 years, then opt out, because if tire age.
I only put Michelins on my cars! The commercial aircraft I fly comes from the factory new with Michelins. They last longer and age better than the replacement Goodyears that unfortunately replaces them.
Love your video but you over looked an important aspect of tyre rotation and that is the tread patterns. Asymmetric tread, and Directional tread patterned tyres all have different limitations in how you can rotate your tyres as opposed to Multi-Directional tread tyres. This I believe should have been highlighted.
Michelin has a youtube channel, it's mainly more for motorsport and how they develop tyres for that like WEC/24 hours of Le Mans and motogp among other championships, that's where they develop the road going tyre technology
OE vs non-OE tyres, now that's a debate you could have with the guy from tyrereviews (who I believe is against them, and for good reason). Will you do a video on wheel/rim size as well?
Majority of people on the roads don't care enough about tyres and just drive until they are told that they need new tyres, my wife for instance won't even check the pressure unless the to warning comes on and even then she just looks at the tyre and decides it's ok cause it's not flat 😂😂, I at least have got her to tell me when the light comes on now 😂.. My front tyres are due though so will be putting new ones on the back and swapping
Just to show the importance of checking the tyre pressure when the weather changes. I went on a 3 week trip without the car, so it was parked for that time. I didn't want to the tyres to deform, so I inflated them to 3 bar. I guess the temperature then was around 15ºC. When I came back, the sun was hitting one side of the car and it was one of these days when we reached 30ºC in the UK. Well, the two tyres in the sun were at 3.7 bar and the ones in the shade were 3.5 bar. I didn't know there could be such a huge difference!
The only tyre I ever had to pump up to those pressures was my "pram wheel" space-saver when I had a puncture. All my cars have only needed around 32 PSI which is 2.2 bar. What are you driving that needs 44 PSI+ ?
@@Drew-Dastardly So the normal pressures on my car ('09 ford focus) are from 2.1 to 2.8, depending on the load, etc. But when parked for long period of time, it's better to pump them to higher pressures, so the tyres don't deform. The maximum pressure for my tyres are 3.5 bar, but because of the temperature, they went to 3.7 😅 This "procedure" is normal for cars when they are new and they wait in ports, etc.
@@javiTests You are not wrong for overinflating the tyres while they are standing. Having said that, I have just kept my late fathers car tyres inflated to 32 psi every 6 months.
@@Drew-Dastardly I don't think you understood his comment. His car was going to be stood for 3 weeks and he was concerned about tyre deformation so he deliberately over inflated them. The idea is to let pressure out of them before you start to drive it again.
Maybe you'd like to make vid about under and over steering? Obviously that's something that you won't learn to control via video, but it would be nice material anyway
problem I have is the 4 new tyres I put on my car (the ones it got it with where BADLY perished) have started to crack and perish after just 2 years... so am kind getting to the point I may need 4 new tyres again
Where I live the temperature doesn't really go under 0 degrees Celsius and when it does It's only during the night and during the day it's between 10-15 so where I live I don't put winter tyres but we use the chains when we have ice and snow
Great video! I have been recommended to change my front tyre (near side), so should i get both of the front ones replaced and get them to change the wheels around so the new ones are at the back? I expect i would be charged more labour if i get the garage to do this?
This video does contain some great advice I've worked for the RAC and ATS Euromaster in the past. Here's a few more tips If you don't have a tread depth gauge, the edge of a 20 pence piece. Make sure you check the tyre pressures when they are cold. As soon as you start driving, your pressures will increase by 2-3 psi when they get warm. TPMS systems need to be reset after adjusting tyre pressures. This is done either by driving the vehicle for 20 minutes or so or by a reset process detailed in the owners manual. Repairs can be done if the puncture is in the central 3/4 of the width of tread. However, run flats cannot be repaired. They are designed to be driven on up to a certain speed for a certain distance. Please note the car will handle differently. A space saver needs to be inflated to a higher pressure and will affect the way the vehicle drives. You need to ensure to brake and steer gently in comparison to normal, and observe the tyre's speed restriction.
My Dad used to tell me when he was a taxi driver he knew a lot of drivers who would rotate their tyres for even wear whenever they needed to change one.
Richard! Thank you for all your videos. I'd like to ask your thoughts on intensive driving courses, might even be worthy of a video if you have enough to talk about, if you've already made one I've not noticed so I do apologise
@ConquerDriving I have noticed in one of your excellent videos where you turned the steering wheel when stationary. I was taught not to do that as it wears the tyres a lot. Is that a myth? Thank you.
Interesting point about tyre rotation and pressures. I'm sure most car drivers would appreciate some practical advice about how frequently they should check tyre pressures. I usually fill air when refueling, and that works well sometimes but sometimes I find one tyre is a few PSI low while the rest aren't. What's your recommendation? Also, are commercial air pumps required to check the calibration of their machines? I've had one instance where my sport touring motorbike developed uneven wear on a single 300 mile ride as the pump was badly calibrated and underinflated the tyre significantly! Haven't seen this happen again, but what's the solution?
I only use the pressure gauge I linked to in the video. I recommend once a week for checking tyres and when the weather changes. I usually check them before a long journey just to make sure. Checking with my pressure gauge doesn't take long.
I check pressure once a month they're never low though. I can tell anyway if a tyre has lost 5 PSI or more especially on the front. I'm more interested in preserving the integrity of the tyre compound so make sure to put tyre shine on frequently to prevent degradation.
My car is AWD, and then switches to FWD, when I drive over 20mph or drive normally when up to speed, and I have been told online that you should replace all four tyres with a new tyre on every wheel because otherwise it'll damage your AWD system. I have one odd wheel on the back at the moment because when I got a blow out this year, I got an odd tyre. It could be on my car for a while, because I've had new tyres this year. Do you believe you should replace all four tyres at the same time on a AWD car @ConquerDriving?
Some people recommend this but that's a massive cost for one puncture, particularly when the tyres are quite new. I advise consulting the owners manual or the manufacturer for advice as there are many different all wheel drive systems out there.
If you want a decent mid range tyre, go for a subsidiary brand of a 'Big name' tyre manufacturer. For example, Continental's cheaper 'mid' range brands are Uniroyal, Matador & Best Drive. Riken tyres are developed under michelin. Also, Roadstone tyres are the exact same tyre as Nexen. It's just badge engineering.
@@georgesmith3391 It's a generalisation really. These sub brands can't be as bad as the dirt cheap, Chinese ditch finder tyres that I fit at work. I have seen brand new 'Tomket' & 'Road X' tyres come from factory with the bead kinked & deformed. Where's the quality control? Non existent. Chinese tyre factories also love to churn out the exact same tyre under multiple brands. 'Road X' tyres are sold as Churchill, Jinyu & Admiral. All the exact same tread pattern, same ratings & font on the sidewall. 'Tomket' tyres are also sold as 'Kpatos'
@@nothingmuch.3014 True, I will definitely agree with you on the quality and performance of chinese brands. Most of them are absolutely horrific and it makes me shudder to think that there are so many of them out there on the road. For me personally (obviously only my opinion), I would rather stick to stuff like Kumho or Hankook for midrange stuff as you see plenty more of them featuerd in large scale tyre tests when compared to brands such as Matador or Riken which can help to gauge their performance vs HP/UHP tyres. Although, I will add that I did briefly try a pair of Barum Bravuris (I believe they are Conti owned) on the front of a 210bhp FWD petrol turbo and they actually weren't half bad at getting the power down.
Hello!!! I have a really quick question! I am worried the car will be too big to perform a successful angle start in one go. In the test, would I be allowed to reverse first then when I have extra room, perform the angle start?
A postie reversed into my parked car at about 7mph, now the bumper is coming off. I made a royal mail claim already, do you have any advice or would know on how the insurance would play out? im starting uni in about a month so i really need my car by then
excellent advice as always... was there any Michelin advice for rear wheel drive (without tyre rotating) since both front and rear are doing the work? my BMW has the standard stickers about tyre pressures, but the BMW app actually recommends specific pressures based on the weather, weight in the boot and being run-flats!! and lastly... potholes are the bane of any tyre and alloy wheel 😞
Don't ever drive on a flat tyre, it causes damage to the tyre wall. If the garage can pull out a hand full of rubber, they will not repair it and it will have to be replaced. I always check my tyres before driving.
Personally, I want the maximum grip on the front, especially in the wet weather, as that is where the most braking is done. I also want to reduce the possibility of aquaplaning at the front, should I suddenly come across a lot of water on the road, something that happens quite a lot living in an undulating, country area. I also do not drive around at lunatic speeds triggering oversteer, even in the wet. As for driving at the limit, then simply do not do that on a public road. The track, fine, but everybody should keep a decent safety in reserve on public roads.
The problem being that if the front end is able to aquaplane (with all of that engine weight over the axle), the rear is at risk of doing it as well. You lose the front end, you momentarily lose steering, but the back end stays in check. You lose the back end, at motorway speeds you need double quick reflexes to be able to catch the slide otherwise you're going to end up backwards in the crash barrier.
I passed my test today (first time)! I checked out tons of channels, but I came to the conclusion that a lot of these creators either 1. assume you've got a relatively modern car 2. assume one video on clutch control is enough 3.assume details (in-depth videos on how to actually use the mirrors in various situations , up- and downshift blip, etc) aren't needed. These were very important to me as I learned to drive/drive an old 1990 Mercedes W124 with no fancy assist features apart from ABS. You, on the other hand, thought of EVERYTHING. Thank you, you absolute legend.
Congratulations on been in the pass club enjoy your independence man 😊
Congratulations! My tips, for what they're worth:
1. Appropriate speed & stopping distance - particularly in the wet.
2. Drive defensively - mitigate other's mistakes.
3. Be chilled - let stuff go, we all make mistakes, help people out 😊
Enjoy your freedom.
That's great to hear! Thank you for watching and congratulations on passing!
Owning a car is not freedom, it's a financial burden.
@F3udF1st yeah and with out it what freedom you got?
Thank you for all the advice that you have provided in your videos. I have passed my test last week with 6 minors.
My instructor was good at showing me the basics, but the bulk of driving knowledge I have gathered from watching your videos.
Woah that’s very kind of you to donate him £50, I’m pretty sure it’l mean a lot to him. 👏🏻😊 & congratulations on passing your practical test!🎉
That's really great to and thank you so much for your generosity! Congratulations on passing and I wish you the best of luck on the road!
About a year ago I sent you a comment on here saying that I was struggling and how driving was stressing me out etc. I switched to automatic after 1.5 years of struggling in manual and 6 months later I passed my test with (swear down) 0 minors!!!!
I passed on Tuesday 13th august
You are brilliant Richard - I used your videos on top of my lessons to help me!
Thats impressive! Congrats
@@AirTrafficControlRPLY thank you! :-) greatest achievement of my life it is lol
Superb. I passed my manual test with 2 minors over twenty years ago. I find manuals are very easy and I prefer over automatics - until I get to drive 1960's/70's cars that have no synchromesh and you have to double declutch and rev match!
@@Drew-Dastardlymate I can’t even single clutch, all that sounds horrific lmao. I’m not even that into cars but as long as whatever I get works, is cheap and is automatic I’m happy 🤣
That's great to hear! Thank you for watching and congratulations on passing!
One thing that's also worth considering when buying tyres is to not go as cheaply as you can. You don't have to go for the premium brands, just stick to known brands. They'll last longer, save money on fuel, will have more wet grip and will be a lot quieter. I went from budget brands that my used car came with to Michelin Pilot Sport 5. Literally the only change made and my mpg average went up by 5. For me, that's a £12 a month saving in fuel. Doesn't sound like much, but over the lifetime of the tyres (30K miles estimate), that's a fuel saving (at current prices) of £720. The price difference between a set of the cheapest tyres I could find and the Pilot Sport 5s is only £284, and that's assuming the cheapest tyres would last 30K miles.
i also just put some ps5 on my car and they feel better in every way to drive, they’re more responsive and feel better when breaking in the wet and the dry and honestly wouldn’t go back to budget tyres. might not stick with ps5 my whole life but they’re definitely worth it
According to a mechanic I spoke with it is not the case that cheap tyres don't last as long as more expensive tyres. It is the case that they don't perform as well though.
@@jdmguy44 soft compounds give you more grip but worse fuel economy and they don't last as long. Hard compounds, better fuel economy and longer life but less grip.
Hey Richard, I've passed my test this morning with only a single minor and like many others have said here your videos helped me so much - especially the ones with clutch control and holding at the bite point, hill starts didn't click for me until I tried that out. Your patient approach to all types of situations one may encounter changed my outlook on driving for the better, and I've adopted the same mindset of "It'll take as long as it takes.", leaving emotion out of the equation.
All the best to you, no doubt the best driving instructor on youtube.
Thank you for your generosity! It's great to hear the videos helped you. Congratulations on passing and good luck on the road.
Hi Richard, thanks for consistently putting out the best learning to drive content on TH-cam. You should be knighted!
Thank you so much for your generosity and thank you for watching. It's great to know you find the videos helpful.
passed my test couple hours ago. Huge thanks to your awesome videos and in depth teaching.
That's fantastic news! Thank you for watching and congratulations on passing!
18:59 I wasn't expecting you putting blurs on your sunglasses lol, that was quite funny
what was he bluring?
@@emerald_artinunreleased cars...he said it in the video
@@brianuuuSonicReborn didn't notice lmao
Thx
As my motorcycle instructor once said to me: "Those black rubber bands are the ONLY thing that keep you on the road. Pay attention to them, look after them and for ****'s sake buy good ones." His point was a little crude, but it stuck with me because he is 100% correct. All the driving aids in the world are meaningless without a tyre to work with, because it's just the tyre that does the gripping.
I started on two wheels before moving to four (Still on two though) but it's made me a lot more sensitive to low tyre pressures because a motorcycle's handling changes massively with just a small pressure loss, especially on the front.
It's very cool that Michelin invited Richard to their event. Seeing a bunch of models in testing is a sweet little bonus.
My favorite teacher, one love bro
Am following you from Zambia
what is the driving test/s like in Zambia?
My partner passed her test on Saturday! We watched your videos to learn to drive test standards and the manurvres . She had major confidence issues at the start, but your videos helped her so much! Thank you!!
That's fantastic news! Thank you for your generosity and congratulations on your partner passing her test!
Great video!
One thing I'd like to add: if you get stuck in the snow (or in a muddy car park etc) you can deflate your tyres for better off-road grip, just remember to reinflate before you get back on the road, this also is why it's good to bring a pump with you.
Hi, I passed my driving test today with 5 minors on my second attempt. All thanks to your videos, of course! Thank you, legend.
That's fantastic news! Thank you for watching and congratulations on passing!
This is a debate that will never go away. If you are at the limit of adhesion it is 💯 correct that the newest tyres should be on the rear, no contest.
Given that a road car in normal usage should be nowhere near the limits of adhesion, let me pose a couple of questions:
1) in a full abs emergency stop on a wet road would you not prefer the best tyres on the front?
2) if you hit deep standing water would you not prefer the best tyres on the front?
I agree with you. This is only a good idea in the scenario that the back wheels could step out. For straight line braking best tyres on the front.
That's a very good point. I didn't ask Michelin this but I should have. I don't know the answer yet.
Thanks. I have passed 1st time on Friday. Your videos have been a great help for me and I truly believe it would have been a lot tougher without them.
That's really great to hear! Thank you for your generosity. Congratulations on passing and I wish you the best of luck on the road.
I passed my driving test(first time) today thanks to your videos, you do an excellent job teaching driving technique, thank you.
Another point when replacing tyres because of damage, the different diameter between a new and old tyre means the wheels rotate at different speeds. This can cause premature wear to the differential when these are on the driven axles. In AWD cars some manufacturers recommend replacing all 4 tyres if you need to replace 1 when the rest are over 50% worn. This is also why you should always rotate tyres as recommended by the manufacturer on AWD cars to prolong the life of the drivetrain.
I recently had an unrepairable puncture on a rear tyre at 11,000 miles, about 7 month of driving - it's a leased car, so cost wasn't a direct concern, just safety and keeping it legal. My takeaway from this is that if it'd been a front tyre, it should have been both being replaced, (or a rear tyre swapped onto the other front), but because it was rear, just the one is less bad. I mainly trusted the folks at the repair shop, they did a wheel alignment on it after replacing the tyre.
bought my car, 4 brand new run-flats... one hit a pothole at 25mph. edge was sharp enough to gouge a 50p hole in it... £250 instant repair bill 😞
complained to the council who dismissed the claim
I just passed my test today without any actual driving lessons, i just want to say that your videos literally helped me pass. Thank you
Just came across your channel last week and was very impressed. I'm knocking on a bit now (early 60's) and always remember Chris Boardman (Olympic champion, world 1 hour record holder, to name a few, saying that the contact patch on a bicycle was about the size of a thumbprint! Not much, and having come off my bike on many a wet roundabout I want to get as much grip as possible.
I particularly liked your comments on mixing tyres on a car, I use it as an indicator when buying a 2nd hand car as to how well a car has been looked after. All four the same, Great, two the same on each axle, Acceptable, three or more different makes, Walk away. Thanks again, you've got a new subscriber
It's amazing how many drivers never check their tyres.In my works car park i have seen vehicles with little or no tread,or obviously under inflated tyres.I've had Michelin cross climate 2 on my rear wheel drive,and very happy with them.
Richard... i have basically lived on this channel for the past 3 months learning to drive without an instructor alongside a mate. Today i passed on my 1st try with 6 minors.. i just wanted to say from the botttom of my heart thank you for these videos, youre amazing honrstly be proud at how good you are at your job. ❤
I passed my test today first time with three minors! Your content has been such a useful tool to help me achieve that. Thank you so much 🙌🏽
I've passed my test today first try! I learned a lot through your videos. I'll still be around here to learn more about stuff related to cars and driving in general. Finally fulfilled my dream of having a license thanks to you Richard❤️
That's fantastic to hear! Thank you for watching and congratulations on passing!
I passed my test today. thanks so much for all your driving tips, they are invaluable.
Definitely a good sponsorship for Michelin as it has me considering my tire situation and buying tires from them
Sponsored by Michelin! Big boy now!
Touching on the 4wd thing. Yes that is 100% true. I had in the past and my mum currently has a suzuki GV. My old one had evergreen cross country tyres. My mums chunky off road tyres which I don't think have been changed in over 20k miles/ 3 years. You can actually hit the breaks on snow and ice and they will work to a fair degree before ABS kicks in.
You should have mentioned about changeimg the tyres in pairs allows the wearing of tyres to show up any potential suspension or break faults hiding in the car.
At last! Such a relief to watch this video. I've put new (best) tyres on the rear for donkeys years. You have carefully explained the reasons why esp for those who still won't accept it (like my SO).
It's not a case of 'accept' it but one where there are pros and cons. Richard explained one scenario where it's better having the new tyres on the back, but there are others it's more beneficial on the front. Emergency braking in the wet, i'd rather have the new tyres on the front. It depends what your priorities are, for me I'm never going anywhere near the grip limit, but people stepping/pulling out is a common occurrence, so wet braking performance is more important than more predictable handling when at a limit I'm never going anywhere near.
Passed with 1 minor in Chertsey today thanks to your videos!
That's fantastic news! Thank you for watching and congratulations on passing!
I've had several tyre brands over the years on my car Handcooks, Dunlop's and Bridgestone. By far the best were The Michelin cross climates. My last set lasted 5 years and I covered 40,000 miles with yearly rotations. They still had 3mm tread, but had started perishing on the side walls so had them replaced with a new set. These tyres provide so much grip in the wet and performance is perfectly fine in the summer aswell as winter.
Pilot sport 5 are also great. Had them nearly 2 years until my car got written off :(
There should be a small arrow on the side walls pointing to the tread wear indicators.
A modern ABS system will detect if all 4 tyres lose pressure. They don't use a comparison of wheel speeds as most people think. They monitor the time between each magnet in the bearing on both the N-S and S-N, so about every degree. Due to how tyres are manufactured even at an even speed, these times vary slightly and the ABS computer calculated a range of frequencies from these. The tyre deflation/pressure loss causes a shift in these frequencies and this triggers the warning. (I was an engineer for an OEM responsible for ABS).
Thanks for the info, you have an awesome channel. Anyway I recently bought a 99 civic with 2006 tyres... It is my first car so I don't know much but yesterday, I got 4 new boots and the difference is night and day.
A good rule of thumb I've seen in a pinch is using a 20p coin to check. The distance between the edge and the first inner ridge (under the number 20) is about 1.6mm. so if you got one to hand, it's a nice way to quickly measure yourself without a gauge or if your tyres are missing the ridges.
You are very lucky to spend time with Michelin, in the 20 years I was in the tyre trade I didn't get to go, I am surprised that tyre fitters find it difficult to know how to configure tyres for best results, and also know that some drivers may not understand that speeding and hot tyres wear down faster, more so in hot weather, a great video.
I like Uniroyal Rainsport 5, I now use Michelin PS5 after a special offer, the tyres are so quiet I can now hear my DSG and clutch working. As i have AWD I rotate the tyres to keep no more than 1mm difference. The downside then is all 4 four tyres are equally worn but I change at 3mm.
Not all pressure gauges are accurate. I add 1psi indicated as my meter under-reads slightly (by comparison and experience) and I now get perfect tyre wear.
PS4s are a seriously impressive tyre in every area. Wet grip, dry grip, braking, longevity.
I got 24k out of a front set of PS4s on a heavy old FWD diesel car. Mainly motorway miles but saw its fair share of (safe) enthusiastic drives. A cracking tyre and one I would highly recommend. I usually flit between PS4s and Eagle F1 AS5 depending on the price, but PS4s just about win it as far as tyre ability goes, IMO.
This channel is the best .... i have learnt so much. What a clever and exceptional instructor. Ty 👍👀🌷🙇🏻♀️
Thanks for the information.... I watch thes e videos everyday... Iam confident I I'll pass my test .
It is recommended that you change the tyres in pairs on the same axel.
despite the fact my car isn't top end, i have michelin cross climate 2s. since getting them, my mpg is better, my drive is quieter and the wet grip is excellent. I do about 16k miles a year so having something that saves a few pounds is a worthy investment to me.
Good info from Richard… especially about the tread depth on the rear tyres being better for handling on wet roads!
Swapping the wheels so that the most tread is on the rear is actually something that is in training for many technicians including myself. The problem however is that sometimes the customer will not see the point of doing this, and in some places technicians are limited in time due to trying to make the most money. Sometimes it is easier to just give the customer exactly what they want and if they bring up the swapping of wheels front to rear then I will explain the benefits of doing so and happily do this for them, but sadly for most they will end up getting two sets or even three sets of front tyres for every 1 set of rear tyres
Interesting video! I have a Focus ST so front wheel drive and when I needed to replace the Pilot Sport 4s on the front I went for the more comfort and economy focused Bridgestone Turanza and then moved them to the back, moving the other pair of Pilot Sports to the front. My logic was having the "sporty" tyre at the front and the comfort tyre at the back would be better, although I think in practice the tyres are so close in performance it makes basically no difference given they both have plenty of tread. I don't have a problem with different tyres on different axles, the main red flags for me if I ever look at used cars are non-matching tyres on the same axle or extremely budget tyres as this tells me the owner just doesn't care about safety and buys whatever is cheapest.
Tyre choice/brand on a used car is one of the first things I look at when buying car. Always makes me laugh when I see bottom of the market tyres on a couple of year old 'premium' SUV, you instantly know the owner is an absolute wally who doesn't care about his/her safety and would rather save £30 a tyre as they are so stretched on the finance re-payments on their PCP'd ****box.
It's a shame our governments aren't interested in tyre safety and would rather mandate the pretty little A-F tyre grade diagrams (which are absolute garbage) rather than setting a minimum standard for real world tyre performance.
Also worth adding that some tyres like my Pirelli Sottozero 3 winter tyres are directional, so you can't swap them across an axle. The tread on them is designed to bite into snow and ice but that only works well in one direction.
Thanks, I learn new stuff, like the front and rear tires and understeering etc. excellent.
After having seen various videos like this one, I decided to have Michelin Crossclimate 2 tyres on my car, taking everything on board, so lessons learned and taken on board.
What really does Annoy me to No end is the prices for air at the petrol stations, so checking tyre pressures Weeky, yes, all fine with me, but I refuse to pay silly money for nothing, like £1.00 every time just to check the pressure.
So, I bought an analogue very simple and cheap tyre pressure gauge, it’s Brilliant,
And I’m still looking for a good quality foot-pump, to save me around £50.00 per Year, which then pays for the difference between mid-range tyres and the Michelin Crossclimate 2 tyres. Bonus!!
I have been looking at the Michelin foot-pump, but as I also want to use the Same foot-pump for my 60 PSI trailer tyres, the Michelin foot-pump looks too flimsy for me, so I’m probably going for a footpump that has much thicker rods going in and out of the cylinders.
I know, I am waffling on a bit, just thinking out loud here……
I went for the Michelin double-barreled foot pump. No complaints here.
Just remember to take the batteries out between uses.
Awesome tips, thanks for sharing! For what it's worth, I have been running my tires at 5-10 PSI higher than recommended pressures for years and I have never worn my tires unevenly or suffered any negative effects besides a rougher ride. Your results may vary though. The ideal tire pressure doesn't exist, the recommended tire pressure is a compromise between traction in various conditions, ride comfort, fuel efficiency, tire longevity, stability, etc and you can adjust the tire pressure to better suit your usage and preferences. Just be sure to monitor the tread wear, which you should be doing anyways.
The police will prosecute if you are not running at the required pressure. We are in two tier Kier Britain now and they will use any excuse to lock you up. Do not go to a silent "protest" without the exact PSI rated for your cars tyres.
As an aside, an old boss of mine 30 years ago was pulled over in the morning because he was driving a bit erratically. On inspection he had a slightly underinflated tyre. He was nailed for the tyre by the police, but was clearly let go for the more serious offence of driving while over the limit of alcohol.
It was a morning-after situation and the police in those days sort of allowed it but would get you on something else.
He reeked of alcohol in the office that morning.
@@Drew-Dastardly Good to know. Is that an actual law there? What's the allowed discrepancy to account for temperatures, differences in gauges, etc?
Here in America, I'm not aware of any laws regarding tire pressure, but if the pressure is dramatically higher or lower than the spec and you are in an accident, I could see that being an issue. Whether actually related or not, it could be an excuse to blame someone.
@@averyalexander2303 I don't know if there is an actual scientific measure of under or over inflated a tyre is, and I am sure there isn't for a typical UK police-person-non-binary. But they seem to have some power of self-determining if a tyre is of the wrong inflation.
My own car is 32psi all around, unless fully loaded when the rear tyres should be 40psi.
When I was alerted to a slow puncture on my front offside wheel, I tried to get the fitter to rotate the tyres, as the previous owner had left the car with different (reputable at least) brands of tyres on the left and right side of the car. The fitter would not have any of it, even though I would have happily paid for the extra labour.
This is my dream tire for my Mitsubishi Xpander, will buy it at the end of this year
With tyres you get what you pay for. Yes, you can buy some “Vigorous Dragon” or “Lucky Panda” or “Golden Wind” or “Long Dong” tyres for a lot less than Michelin, Pirelli, Continental etc but when the unexpected happens you’ll wish to god you’d spent the extra money as you plough into the car in front or lie upside down in a ditch. And the new breed of all season tyres from those mainstream brands are absolutely brilliant. I fitted Michelin CrossClimate to my car one winter and when we had a decent fall of snow I was driving past 4x4 SUVs that had been abandoned because they were fitted with summer tyres, and yet my car still handled well in heavy rain and dry conditions.
Who buys the cheapest parachute they can find?
Good video 👍 little heads up when the tyre wears down to the wear indicators then it is at 2mm not 1.6mm
I used Michelin tyres about 25 years ago, they handled great but wore out faster and a chocolate kettle lol, i have tried lots of tyre manufacturers over the years, and found the best pound for mile tyres are the ones you treat nicely, i now use good old dirt cheap budget tyres as my driving has changed over the years, now i barely go any distance or speed, my little 1.0 picanto if very light weight and Extremely underpowered, had it 4.5 years now and only just replaced the front tyres as they were 1.6mm tread.
Same
great video as always Richard always helpful tips keep up the good work 👍
I was taught to rotate the tyres when changing. Whenever I switch from winter to summer tyres (or the other way around), I mark my tyres to be able to rotate them next time I change.
However, I also have an even set of winter tyres. Once I replaced two due to severe damage. I've always put them on the front (FWD car) thinking this would give me the most grip for accelerating and braking on snow and ice.
And you're probably right. Richard explained one scenario where it's better having the new tyres on the back, but there are others it's more beneficial on the front. It depends what your priorities are I guess.
Really interesting, & sometimes counter-intuitive! Perceived wisdom can sometimes be wrong: simply repeating what used to be true, or what never was, but people just thought it was 😊
On my FWD car is suggested 2,5 Bars on all four: by inspecting the tread I use 2,7 Bars in front and 2,3 Bars at the rear.
Just summarising my understanding: because understeer is easier to handle for most drivers than oversteer (spin), put new tyres to the back.
That's right
Another consideration regarding rotation OR front-rear swap when fronts replaced. Often older cars have a wheel or two that's very slightly buckled. I know I do. Still balances OK but needs >50g of weights. They live on the rear, always.
Also, unless forbidden by a directional tread, when rotating tyres, one (not both) pair should be swapped left-right.
Another great video, I will follow this advise the next time I change a tyre.
Looking through various articles bald tyres have the most.grip!!!! Also I try to wear my tyres out because I'm thinking of the environment!!!! 2mm is sensible 👍
Hey Richard, love your videos they're really helpful even for someone who passed a few years ago. Was wondering if you could make a video on how to deal with emergency vehicles on blue lights. What's legal and whats not, advice etc. Cheers
My tpms is pretty good. It warned me twice when there was a puncture and i had to get them patched both were still brand new tires.
Funfact about tire age in Norway.
In general there's no age restriction on tire age for cars or trailers
.
However, just a few years ago, a new class of trailers were introduced "Temp-100", allowing legal max speed at 100 km/h instead of the default max soeed for trailers at 80 km/h.
Tempo 100 requires a periodic vehicle checup, jus like cars, but additionally, max age for tires are 6 years.
I recently replced the tires on my 13 y.o. trailer, and had a full brake system service.
I considered getting Temp-100-approval, but don't think its worth it for me:
I would save about 5 minutes or less, a few trips a year.
I would spend time on vehicle checup, and Tempo-100 approval.
After 2 years, I would have to do another vehicle checkup, or opt out of Tempo-100
At most I would stay with Tempo-100 for 6 years, then opt out, because if tire age.
I passed my driving test 3 hours ago (first time) with only 2 minors. Still going to watch though!
I'm assuming the needle on that gauge is blunt!?
Great video, thanks. this is something I often struggle with so it's good to get a proper overview.
That's very clear about handling a car when new tyres at the rear / front. But what about braking distance when old ones at the front?
I only put Michelins on my cars!
The commercial aircraft I fly comes from the factory new with Michelins. They last longer and age better than the replacement Goodyears that unfortunately replaces them.
Love your video but you over looked an important aspect of tyre rotation and that is the tread patterns. Asymmetric tread, and Directional tread patterned tyres all have different limitations in how you can rotate your tyres as opposed to Multi-Directional tread tyres. This I believe should have been highlighted.
Rotating tyres mean they all lose grip/tread at the same time... I've never been sure about this, so I always put new on the back as you suggest.
Michelin has a youtube channel, it's mainly more for motorsport and how they develop tyres for that like WEC/24 hours of Le Mans and motogp among other championships, that's where they develop the road going tyre technology
OE vs non-OE tyres, now that's a debate you could have with the guy from tyrereviews (who I believe is against them, and for good reason).
Will you do a video on wheel/rim size as well?
Majority of people on the roads don't care enough about tyres and just drive until they are told that they need new tyres, my wife for instance won't even check the pressure unless the to warning comes on and even then she just looks at the tyre and decides it's ok cause it's not flat 😂😂,
I at least have got her to tell me when the light comes on now 😂..
My front tyres are due though so will be putting new ones on the back and swapping
Just to show the importance of checking the tyre pressure when the weather changes. I went on a 3 week trip without the car, so it was parked for that time. I didn't want to the tyres to deform, so I inflated them to 3 bar. I guess the temperature then was around 15ºC. When I came back, the sun was hitting one side of the car and it was one of these days when we reached 30ºC in the UK. Well, the two tyres in the sun were at 3.7 bar and the ones in the shade were 3.5 bar. I didn't know there could be such a huge difference!
The only tyre I ever had to pump up to those pressures was my "pram wheel" space-saver when I had a puncture.
All my cars have only needed around 32 PSI which is 2.2 bar. What are you driving that needs 44 PSI+ ?
@@Drew-Dastardly So the normal pressures on my car ('09 ford focus) are from 2.1 to 2.8, depending on the load, etc. But when parked for long period of time, it's better to pump them to higher pressures, so the tyres don't deform. The maximum pressure for my tyres are 3.5 bar, but because of the temperature, they went to 3.7 😅 This "procedure" is normal for cars when they are new and they wait in ports, etc.
@@javiTests My 2001 Focus and my 2005 Megane 2 - I keep them at 32 psi. We go to prison now if we have hateful psi. This is two tier Kier UK.
@@javiTests You are not wrong for overinflating the tyres while they are standing. Having said that, I have just kept my late fathers car tyres inflated to 32 psi every 6 months.
@@Drew-Dastardly
I don't think you understood his comment.
His car was going to be stood for 3 weeks and he was concerned about tyre deformation so he deliberately over inflated them.
The idea is to let pressure out of them before you start to drive it again.
Maybe you'd like to make vid about under and over steering? Obviously that's something that you won't learn to control via video, but it would be nice material anyway
problem I have is the 4 new tyres I put on my car (the ones it got it with where BADLY perished) have started to crack and perish after just 2 years... so am kind getting to the point I may need 4 new tyres again
Where I live the temperature doesn't really go under 0 degrees Celsius and when it does It's only during the night and during the day it's between 10-15 so where I live I don't put winter tyres but we use the chains when we have ice and snow
Great video! I have been recommended to change my front tyre (near side), so should i get both of the front ones replaced and get them to change the wheels around so the new ones are at the back? I expect i would be charged more labour if i get the garage to do this?
Ideally that's what you should do but if the other tyre is still quite new then you may get away with replacing only the punctured tyre.
Finally i can sound super smart. I used to call them car shoes.
This video does contain some great advice I've worked for the RAC and ATS Euromaster in the past. Here's a few more tips If you don't have a tread depth gauge, the edge of a 20 pence piece. Make sure you check the tyre pressures when they are cold. As soon as you start driving, your pressures will increase by 2-3 psi when they get warm.
TPMS systems need to be reset after adjusting tyre pressures. This is done either by driving the vehicle for 20 minutes or so or by a reset process detailed in the owners manual.
Repairs can be done if the puncture is in the central 3/4 of the width of tread. However, run flats cannot be repaired. They are designed to be driven on up to a certain speed for a certain distance. Please note the car will handle differently.
A space saver needs to be inflated to a higher pressure and will affect the way the vehicle drives. You need to ensure to brake and steer gently in comparison to normal, and observe the tyre's speed restriction.
My Dad used to tell me when he was a taxi driver he knew a lot of drivers who would rotate their tyres for even wear whenever they needed to change one.
Richard! Thank you for all your videos. I'd like to ask your thoughts on intensive driving courses, might even be worthy of a video if you have enough to talk about, if you've already made one I've not noticed so I do apologise
Thank you for the suggestion, I may do in the future.
When it comes to tyres, I always prioritise wet braking. Being able to stop quickly in wet conditions is my biggest concern.
@ConquerDriving I have noticed in one of your excellent videos where you turned the steering wheel when stationary. I was taught not to do that as it wears the tyres a lot. Is that a myth? Thank you.
How do Four wheel drive fit in? VW 2.0 TRoc 4Motion Automatic, been told that you must change all if one is faulty!
Interesting point about tyre rotation and pressures. I'm sure most car drivers would appreciate some practical advice about how frequently they should check tyre pressures. I usually fill air when refueling, and that works well sometimes but sometimes I find one tyre is a few PSI low while the rest aren't. What's your recommendation? Also, are commercial air pumps required to check the calibration of their machines? I've had one instance where my sport touring motorbike developed uneven wear on a single 300 mile ride as the pump was badly calibrated and underinflated the tyre significantly! Haven't seen this happen again, but what's the solution?
I only use the pressure gauge I linked to in the video. I recommend once a week for checking tyres and when the weather changes. I usually check them before a long journey just to make sure. Checking with my pressure gauge doesn't take long.
I check pressure once a month they're never low though. I can tell anyway if a tyre has lost 5 PSI or more especially on the front. I'm more interested in preserving the integrity of the tyre compound so make sure to put tyre shine on frequently to prevent degradation.
My car is AWD, and then switches to FWD, when I drive over 20mph or drive normally when up to speed, and I have been told online that you should replace all four tyres with a new tyre on every wheel because otherwise it'll damage your AWD system. I have one odd wheel on the back at the moment because when I got a blow out this year, I got an odd tyre. It could be on my car for a while, because I've had new tyres this year. Do you believe you should replace all four tyres at the same time on a AWD car @ConquerDriving?
Some people recommend this but that's a massive cost for one puncture, particularly when the tyres are quite new. I advise consulting the owners manual or the manufacturer for advice as there are many different all wheel drive systems out there.
If you want a decent mid range tyre, go for a subsidiary brand of a 'Big name' tyre manufacturer.
For example, Continental's cheaper 'mid' range brands are Uniroyal, Matador & Best Drive.
Riken tyres are developed under michelin.
Also, Roadstone tyres are the exact same tyre as Nexen. It's just badge engineering.
Just because a brand is a sub-brand of a big name, doesn't mean they are any good. Even the big brands are able to produce some absolute dross.
@@georgesmith3391 It's a generalisation really. These sub brands can't be as bad as the dirt cheap, Chinese ditch finder tyres that I fit at work.
I have seen brand new 'Tomket' & 'Road X' tyres come from factory with the bead kinked & deformed. Where's the quality control? Non existent.
Chinese tyre factories also love to churn out the exact same tyre under multiple brands. 'Road X' tyres are sold as Churchill, Jinyu & Admiral. All the exact same tread pattern, same ratings & font on the sidewall. 'Tomket' tyres are also sold as 'Kpatos'
@@nothingmuch.3014 True, I will definitely agree with you on the quality and performance of chinese brands. Most of them are absolutely horrific and it makes me shudder to think that there are so many of them out there on the road.
For me personally (obviously only my opinion), I would rather stick to stuff like Kumho or Hankook for midrange stuff as you see plenty more of them featuerd in large scale tyre tests when compared to brands such as Matador or Riken which can help to gauge their performance vs HP/UHP tyres. Although, I will add that I did briefly try a pair of Barum Bravuris (I believe they are Conti owned) on the front of a 210bhp FWD petrol turbo and they actually weren't half bad at getting the power down.
Great information, thank you very much.
Great informative video on car tyres Mr Carrey :)
I replaced my rear tyres before Christmas due to wear and a puncture. My front tyres dont have long left in them.
Hello!!! I have a really quick question! I am worried the car will be too big to perform a successful angle start in one go. In the test, would I be allowed to reverse first then when I have extra room, perform the angle start?
A postie reversed into my parked car at about 7mph, now the bumper is coming off. I made a royal mail claim already, do you have any advice or would know on how the insurance would play out? im starting uni in about a month so i really need my car by then
I prefer low tread depth and high horse power, makes the commute more enjoyable.
I need a pair of Primacy 4. Apparently they're in short supply where I live.
That's odd, Top Gear taught me that oversteer is better because you don't see the tree that kills you! 😁
excellent advice as always... was there any Michelin advice for rear wheel drive (without tyre rotating) since both front and rear are doing the work?
my BMW has the standard stickers about tyre pressures, but the BMW app actually recommends specific pressures based on the weather, weight in the boot and being run-flats!!
and lastly... potholes are the bane of any tyre and alloy wheel 😞
With a staggered set up (different sizes front and rear) there isn't a lot you can do when it comes to trying to control where the deepest tread is.
Don't ever drive on a flat tyre, it causes damage to the tyre wall. If the garage can pull out a hand full of rubber, they will not repair it and it will have to be replaced. I always check my tyres before driving.
Something else that affects tyre wear is wheel tracking. How often would you recommend getting that checked?
Probably not good advice but I rarely do the wheel alignment, usually I'll do it if the car pulls to one side or I notice poor/uneven tyre wear.
Personally, I want the maximum grip on the front, especially in the wet weather, as that is where the most braking is done. I also want to reduce the possibility of aquaplaning at the front, should I suddenly come across a lot of water on the road, something that happens quite a lot living in an undulating, country area. I also do not drive around at lunatic speeds triggering oversteer, even in the wet.
As for driving at the limit, then simply do not do that on a public road. The track, fine, but everybody should keep a decent safety in reserve on public roads.
The problem being that if the front end is able to aquaplane (with all of that engine weight over the axle), the rear is at risk of doing it as well.
You lose the front end, you momentarily lose steering, but the back end stays in check.
You lose the back end, at motorway speeds you need double quick reflexes to be able to catch the slide otherwise you're going to end up backwards in the crash barrier.