Tire choice - EU tire label system may help

[Saxon78]

Hi all. Don't want to give you yesterday's news, but recently (2012) we've got here in Europe some really useful tool in choosing tires. For once, the guys in Bruxelles made something right

tire label

Especially that "wet grip" parameter, that may widely vary from a manufacturer's model to another.
Ex: for Falken-Sumimoto 828 is an "E" (I can confirm... understeers a lot), but their newer Falken 832 has an "A"!

There's a lot of people still unaware of this labeling system, even here in Europe.
Now, I know some of the products' names are different, but some of you guys in the Americas may find it usefull too, you just need to search your tire model on an EU site, maybe you're lucky and the name fits, or you may find the equivalent.
Hope that helps.

 

[JHZR2]

Interesting approach. I assume there are some standard tests and perhaps a standard governing body doing these? therwise how do you know if the manufacturer is honest?

 

[Olas]

The National Measurement Office are responsible for enforcing the system, link here

http://news.blackcircles.com/2013/03/enf...urement-office/

HTH!

 

[CapriRacer]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Interesting approach. I assume there are some standard tests and perhaps a standard governing body doing these? Otherwise how do you know if the manufacturer is honest?


Yes, there are tests - and all the testing is done by the tire manufacturer who provides the rating and label.

Does that mean there could be cheating? Of course, but there are penalties for doing so.

Why not have an independent lab do the test? Because the task is enormous. Better to have the tire manufacturers do it as they know how their tires are constructed and can figure out what tires they need to test to be able to provide accurate information. (They don't need to test every size/model to know how to group them, where an independent testing lad would not.)

 

[Olas]

The NMO is a uk based organisation independent of EU Parliment. EU Parliment made the legislation. The Tyre Manufacturer tests and rates their tyres, BUT before they can go on sale in this country they have to be tested by the NMO for conformity. Each country in Europe will have its own testing organisation answerable to the Government of that country.

 

[fdcg27]

This sounds like a very useful measurement.
Anyone who lives where rain, sometimes quite heavy, is common should be intersted in wet grip as a performance priority.
Useful information to have available when looking at a tire purchase.

 

[Ken2]

'Muricans are more interested in tread life than in grip, promised future fuel savings, or noise.

 

[SubLGT]

Originally Posted By: zveroboy
………..we've got here in Europe some really useful tool in choosing tires………………..


Except for choosing winter tires.

 

[Olas]

Originally Posted By: Ken2
'Muricans are more interested in tread life than in grip, promised future fuel savings, or noise.


You can't really rate tread life, road conditions and driving style make it impossible to set test parameters

 

[LotI]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Interesting approach. I assume there are some standard tests and perhaps a standard governing body doing these? therwise how do you know if the manufacturer is honest?

Germany has used ADAC for quite a while as an independent testing source. I use google translate to visit their site once in a while.

ADAC

 

[Darris]

Originally Posted By: Ken2
'Muricans are more interested in tread life than in grip, promised future fuel savings, or noise.


Yeah. Not much difference here in Canada. That's why the huge library of online consumer reviews is largely useless to me.

I find the dominant theme of most reviews is owners being obsessive about noise. But for all I care the tires could sound like a hood-mounted Anti Aircraft gun as long as they bite hard in braking and resist spinning on spirited launches.

As for gas mileage, it;s surely the least of all considerations in a tire. Is there anything more absurd than single people driving SUVs & Corssovers with permanent roof racks (which they'll use once or twice in their life) going on line to ask which tires get the best gas mileag??

 

[Silk]

Originally Posted By: Darris
Is there anything more absurd than single people driving SUVs & Corssovers with permanent roof racks (which they'll use once or twice in their life) going on line to ask which tires get the best gas mileag??


As absurb as finding oils to improve gas mileage. A more suitable vehicle would be a better option. We are getting those labels here now.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: Darris
Is there anything more absurd than single people driving SUVs & Corssovers with permanent roof racks (which they'll use once or twice in their life) going on line to ask which tires get the best gas mileag??


The only thing I can think of is going on an internet discussion board to talk trash about how other people buy tires...and misspelling the word "crossover" and "mileage" as you do it...

All in good fun...

 

[Nebroch]

I don't trust this EU label that much, as their ratings don't match test results (from multiple sources) very well.

ADACs tests are one useful and free source for europeans, and they also test threadwear.

http://www.adac.de/infotestrat/tests/reifen/