I'm in need off a new set of rubbers, and have been looking on various websites etc at various different brands & prices, whilst there seems to be a huge difference in price between "Budget" & "Branded" tyres, there is not such a vast difference in the ratings.

Why would a Nexan Roadian with a rating of C & B be any less safe than a Conti with a rating of E & C at over twice the price?

I'm just wondering if we are used to buying designer tyres at twice the price for the sake of it? Surely the Nexan would have gone through the same testing as the Conti and it has come out on top.

I'm not trying to be tight, & I have no problem buying a new set of Contis as that's what is currently fitted if they are genuinely better but don't like being ripped off or brainwashed into spending more than necessary.

Has anyone had any experience with Nexan? Or maybe someone can explain why this extra cost is really justified?

For what its worth, they also come with the following guarantee

Lifetime Guarantee

Your Nexen tyres have been manufactured to the highest standards and our confidence in the product allows us to extend a lifetime guarantee on your purchase. If a Nexen tyre develops a fault, including accidental damage during normal motoring, Tyres on the Drive.com will repair it or fit a new Nexen tyre, charging only for the tread used, replacement valve and corrective balance.

This guarantee is valid for the life of your tyre or until it reaches a tread depth of 2mm. MY07 TDV6 HSE Stornaway & Ivory

Mods So Far: Side steps - Smoked Side Repeaters - OEM Style Signature LED Front Lights - LED Side Lights - LED Interior Lighting - 2012 Autobigraphy Style Front Grill & Side Vents - 2012 Rear LED Lights

Planned Mods: Paint My Brembo's - Colour Code Mirrors - Rear Interior Light Mod - GVIF

Give site sponsor Andy at AJS a call - always happy to help with tyre advice and nobody knows more about tyres than him!!!

 All things transport and logistics, international and national shipping.
Its a small planet after all.
info@md-couriers.co.uk

This is a good point and one that confuses me too

Firstly the new ratings are being criticised across the net for being misleading which doesn't help

When searching the net I find that which and other bodies all rate the premium brands highest so they must be better

I do think that if you spend a lot of money on a premium vehicle and considering its weight you need to be sure you fit the best tyres especially if you enjoy using it to its full potential  Wanted a Series 2 LR since childhood but previously owned MY16 Disco Sport HSE TD4 Auto, MY13 RR Sport Black Edition TDV6 Auto, MY10 RR Sport HSE TDV6 Auto, 2007 Freelander 1 Freestyle TD4 Soft Top, 2009 Freelander 2 GS TD4 Auto, 2007 Freelander 2 GS TD4, 2004 Disco 2 Metropolis Auto, 2002 Disco 2 GS, 2000 Freelander 1 SE TD4 SW

Still hoping for a S2 one day!

I used Nexen tyres on 20" wheels on my Jag XF, they gripped well in wet & dry conditions and were very quiet, IMHO very good value for money for what is a mid range brand  MY2007 RRS TDV8 Black - tinted glass - side steps- stormer grille - 20" diamond cut alloys - alpaca leather - TV/DVD pack - some blingy chrome bits & bob's

I'm considering some Nexen winter tyres for my 911. They get great reviews and are about 50% of the cost of 'premium' brands.

I'm on my second set of Hankooks on the RRS and I am very pleased with them. Nexen seems to be a similar upper budget brand.

As long as the load/speed ratings are ok, then I'd be happy with Nexen. FF 4.4 V8 Soooo looking forward to this bad boy
Ex 2006 RRS SC - garbage
Ex 2016 135i M Sport - dream car
Ex 2003 RS6 Avant - piece of cr*p
Ex 2014 320d X Drive, M Sport Touring - ok I guess
Ex 2007 RRS TDV8 - bloody loved it
EX 2007 FL2 XS - not so bad

bigdave - thanks for that, just spoke to one of his colleagues as he was out, but this chap was also very helpful, he reckons that most of the ratings are done by the manufacturers themselves and aren't worth the paper (or rubber ) that its written on. Which kind of makes a complete farce of the whole rating thing, he did offer me some General AT's for only £6 per tyre more than the Nexens.

He said personaly he wouldn't fit nexens to his vehicle.


Muddy - Couldn't agree more, but is the most expensive always the best? MY07 TDV6 HSE Stornaway & Ivory

Mods So Far: Side steps - Smoked Side Repeaters - OEM Style Signature LED Front Lights - LED Side Lights - LED Interior Lighting - 2012 Autobigraphy Style Front Grill & Side Vents - 2012 Rear LED Lights

Planned Mods: Paint My Brembo's - Colour Code Mirrors - Rear Interior Light Mod - GVIF

theyre good blokes at AJS All things transport and logistics, international and national shipping.
Its a small planet after all.
info@md-couriers.co.uk

sparky8181 wrote:

Muddy - Couldn't agree more, but is the most expensive always the best?

Like I said I am confused too but hope the testers are being honest and not just keeping the big boys happy. In my case I do about 8k miles a year and need a tyre that will last - tyres cracking before they are worn out is an issue for me so again I hope the premium tyres would be best - a cheap tyre may not last  Wanted a Series 2 LR since childhood but previously owned MY16 Disco Sport HSE TD4 Auto, MY13 RR Sport Black Edition TDV6 Auto, MY10 RR Sport HSE TDV6 Auto, 2007 Freelander 1 Freestyle TD4 Soft Top, 2009 Freelander 2 GS TD4 Auto, 2007 Freelander 2 GS TD4, 2004 Disco 2 Metropolis Auto, 2002 Disco 2 GS, 2000 Freelander 1 SE TD4 SW

Still hoping for a S2 one day!

Bradders wrote:

I'm on my second set of Hankooks on the RRS and I am very pleased with them. Nexen seems to be a similar upper budget brand.

sparky8181 wrote:

whilst there seems to be a huge difference in price between "Budget" & "Branded" tyres, there is not such a vast difference in the ratings.

Why would a Nexan Roadian with a rating of C & B be any less safe than a Conti with a rating of E & C at over twice the price?

Quote:

I'm just wondering if we are used to buying designer tyres at twice the price for the sake of it? Surely the Nexan would have gone through the same testing as the Conti and it has come out on top.

Quote:

For what its worth, they also come with the following guarantee

[b][i]Lifetime Guarantee

I decided to give the Nexans a go and had the front 2 replaced by my local tyre shop yesterday at a cost of £230

Whilst I was there the owner turned up and was talking to me about my RRS as he also has one, he said he has tried most brands over the years but still uses nexans on his own sport. Coming from a man who can buy tyres a lot cheaper than me or you, and can pretty much take his pick of any tyre, I would like to think they must be pretty decent.

I suppose time will tell MY07 TDV6 HSE Stornaway & Ivory

Mods So Far: Side steps - Smoked Side Repeaters - OEM Style Signature LED Front Lights - LED Side Lights - LED Interior Lighting - 2012 Autobigraphy Style Front Grill & Side Vents - 2012 Rear LED Lights

Planned Mods: Paint My Brembo's - Colour Code Mirrors - Rear Interior Light Mod - GVIF

I had 275/45/20 nexens on my D3. Cracking tyre for the money (just over £100 per tyre iirc) and i wouldnt hesitate to get them again
Certainly better than the continentals my sport currently has on
Paul Current fleet
2011 Discovery 3.0 sdv6 XS
2008 Range rover sport HST tdv8*gone*
2000 Porsche 911 Carrera 2 convertible
1996 TVR Chimaera*gone*
2004 Vauxhall combo van*dead*
2003 ford ranger double cab

I'm not saying theirs anything wrong with nexens but this article may be of interest

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/Premi...rmance.htm

I also had issues with continentals on RRS and had to replace budget tyres on caravan after 2 years due to cracking  Wanted a Series 2 LR since childhood but previously owned MY16 Disco Sport HSE TD4 Auto, MY13 RR Sport Black Edition TDV6 Auto, MY10 RR Sport HSE TDV6 Auto, 2007 Freelander 1 Freestyle TD4 Soft Top, 2009 Freelander 2 GS TD4 Auto, 2007 Freelander 2 GS TD4, 2004 Disco 2 Metropolis Auto, 2002 Disco 2 GS, 2000 Freelander 1 SE TD4 SW

Still hoping for a S2 one day!

I own a tyre & mot bay and I have been having the same conversation with tyre suppliers since this new labelling system came in last year. As fitters we now have to supply the customers with the ratings for each tyre they buy from us. Problem is as the op said many budget brands have a higher wet grip rating or fuel efficacy rating as the premium brands ( or not much difference) so it's resulted in more customers buying budget brands as they can't justify the extra cost for a very similar rating.

Also we are actually a Nexen agent and they are good tyres for the price. I had a full fat rangie before my sport and I did put Nexen tyres on the front and didn't have a problem with them although when I got my sport I did put Pirelli scorpians on it as they were on promo from supplier and were originally fitted to the car.

One more thing, ignore the so called lifetime guarantee with nexens. We was sent a load of advertising bumf for the shop with leaflets and stickers pushing this guarantee, we have never been successfull in claiming for 1, you send the tyre back and they put it in a lab for various tests then tell you it's driver error or suspension fault or you've hit a kerb and your not covered. We now don't push the guarantee and just tell customers they are a good budget - mid range tyre.

I tell our customers if you can afford it buy a premium, but a budget tyre is still better than a bald damaged one if you can't.