Brickhouse

The front passenger tyre needs replacing on my Mondeo MK3 2.5 V6 as its down to the limit. I checked the driver side and its ok, about 3k left mileage wise. I have not changed the tyres since I bought the car 18 months ago, all tyres are called 'Auto-grip' I have never heard of these so was wondering if I should change both tyres to a half decent brand or just change the one that needs doing?

3i Jim

I would change the front two.

Brickhouse

Also..... Any ideas for a good tyre brand for around £80 a tyre? Tyre size is 205/50/17.

RichieST

iTrader: (2)

What is the spare like? If it's new, keep the nearly worn one as the spare, put the spare on the front and buy one more to match it.

Brickhouse

Brilliant idea Richie......But the spare is one of those space savers

gcfcos

Autogrip are budget ditch finders mate, I would defo get something a little better and replace the pair at the same time

markie t

YOU WOULDN'T BUY JUST ONE SHOE WOULD YOU, I RECKON IF YOU DID YOU MIGHT BE WALKING ROUND IN CIRCLES,

cossynut2

If you are planning on keeping the car for a fair while invest in some quality tyres would be my advice.

burnzy

Once you put proper tyres on you'll be amazed at the different grip levels, them autogrip tyres are truly awful, I ran a set on a mk2 Mondeo as someone who I thought would know better recommended them to me off his tyre bloke, I took them off with no more than 5,000 miles on them, I was covering close to 30k a year so were on the car a matter of months, wet grip was utterly scary, I threw them in the bin iirc.

They where even crappier than the wanli tyres I got lumbered with when I had a puncture in a front tyre on the Passat and needed some tyres sharpish.

Brickhouse

Thanks for the helpful replies

Ok.....I am going to get both changed after reading the replies. For £80 a tyre which is my max there are a few popping up, one of them being Toyo Proxy's which if I remember correctly always had a great reputation so may go for these. Since I have had my car I have never felt like I can really push it around the country lanes, would not be able to tell exactly why but it maybe due to the crap front tyres!

thebigmacmoomin

I would replace both the fronts. Both me (Focus ST) & dad (Mondeo ST TDCi) use Uniroyal RainSport 3 in 225/40ZR18, would recommend these.

slammedorion

I'd be checking front end bushes for wear and once happy have a 4 wheel alignment done

Caddyshack

Don't buy cheap, they are poor performance and wear out quickly, stick to what ford put on there or buy better.

bigdel

One thing I never skimp on is tyres. Don't forget that little contact patch is all that's keeping you out of the ditches

Magnum PI

What are the rears like?

If plenty left, rotate rears to the front & put the 2 new tyres on the rear

RichieST

iTrader: (2)

Rainsports are good in the wet but downright dangerous in the dry. The sidewalls are so soft if makes the car wallow and feel really numb. Had a pair put on my old ST and thought a wheel was coming off!

burnzy

Where they the right load rating and or XL? I've got them fitted in 225/40/18 flavour on my car running 350bhp and as many torque, and they feel fine, they may of improved the design though.

nick46

Well I've just had a good deal at National Tyres - 2 Goodyear Eagle F1 Assametric 3's for a £180 fitted. That's 225 40 18's on my Focus ST.

fuzzy

rainsport 3's are the only tyres I buy just now. excellent in the wet , good in the dry but no problems like you've experienced . I pay around £67 each for a 205x40x17.

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

I had the original Rainsports many years ago and thought they were a great tyre. Phenomenal in the wet, as you'd expect, and very good in the dry. Ok, so not as sticky in the dry as a Yoko A520, but then the Yoko's wore out much sooner, I presume because they were a softer compound.

I have Hankook V12 Evo tyres on my Lexus, they were new on it when I bought it nearly 5 years ago, and I think they're absolutely fine. Loads of grip, hard wearing, could be a bit quieter though. Perfectly happy being chucked around bends and twisties, as well as cruising up and down motorways.

thebigmacmoomin

I've found them perfectly fine but then the car has a nice easy life.

Brickhouse

Seeing your Lexus IS200 in your av' pic mate, need to ask some questions as was thinking of buying one!! What are they like to drive compared to a Mondeo? Are parts expensive and what MPG can be seen? Thanks

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

Couldn't tell you what they're like compared to a Mondeo as I've never had a Mondeo, but it's worlds apart from any Ford's I've ever had. Such a nice drive - smooth, quiet, refined, but it grips and grips and grips. You can throw it through bendy's and twisty's and it's as at home as cruising down the motorway on the commute. MPG is pathetic - I'm seeing 26/27 combined (but with the majority of it being motorway/fast A road stuff), and the 2.0 straight 6, while it's smooth and purrs, is underpowered at 153bhp. IS300 had a 3.0 2JZ lump in it that makes 211bhp, but only came with auto box (5speed tiptronic, IS200 auto box is 4 speed no tiptronic, or 6 speed manual, which is what I have), but expect it to be even worse on juice.

Parts I've not had to really do as they generally don't break. However, I had the cam belt done shortly after getting it and had the water pump done at the same time for piece of mind. I can't remember what it cost but it wasn't extortionate, as I had my long-time mechanic do it rather than a dealer (fuck that). I also replaced all four shocks, springs and front bottom ball joints last year. I had one shock misting for a couple MOTs an the last one it was weeping a bit, so it needed replacing and you'd not do one on it's own, so needed at least a pair. Then I though you'd not put the tired old 95k mile springs back on it so a set of 4 H&R -35mm springs were sourced, and there seemed no point putting new springs on old shocks (rears) so I just replaced all of them. And the balljoints are a weak point, so since it was all being undone, had them replaced with brand new OEM ones from Toyota (don't buy the cheap shite from eBay). All that and a proper set up at WiM in Chesham (the only place to get an IS' geometry properly set up) and it drives like a fucking dream.

Lastly, another weak point are the calliper slider pins, which corrode and get stuck. I had this happen to mine, causing the disc to overheat and warp. So set of new sliders, two new discs and set of pads (even though the ones on there were only a year old!) and it's back to braking smoothly and strongly.

Good car if you can look past the lack-lustre performance and thirsty MPG. Oh, and the tax is £305 now too, cunts......

Brickhouse

Thanks greatly for the informative reply mate.

Never knew the tax was £305......Shit, this government is out to sting us motorists.

GS300 sounds good. I was looking for an auto so this maybe the one. Been reading reviews and they are all coming up with how much better the Lexus is compared to its rivals of the 5 series beemer as that was another one on my list, an E39.....But it seems the auto boxes are terrible on them and cost a fortune to repair. Never been keen on Merc's, dont really know why! Saying the IS200....Looking at images on the net of them and the engines look fairly easy to work on? I love the dials, look like a Swiss watch from back in the 90's. My Mondeo V6 is averaging 22mpg which is around town and some A roads so cant think the IS200 would be any worse.....I bet the GS300 would be a tad worse though? Performance wise on my Mondeo...... Just under 10 seconds to 60 and a top speed of 132mph, so I reckon on par with an auto IS200. Also, reviews are saying that the standard sound system is meant to be great.....Must find one to test drive and maybe test drive a GS300, only thing that puts me off on the GS is the MPG and I think its bigger than a Mondeo, looking for a Mondeo or a bit smaller sized car.

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

IS300. GS300 is a bigger/different car, same engine as IS300. IS sound system is really good, the SE and Sport got an 8 speaker system I think with a powered amp behind the glove box. Standard headunit is an in-dash 6-disc changer, although this is another weak spot and they are prone to getting an error message after discs get stuck inside. I never use the CD part anyway, and bought a little box of tricks that plugs into the external CD changer port on the back (CD changer, if it came with one (option) lives in the boot) that gives me an AUX 3.5mm analogue line in as well as a USB input and iPod connection. There are various Bluetooth/Android/iPhone connection kits available.

And now thanks to a fucking Uber Pruis cunt cutting me up, I need to replace my O/S front, which now has a bit of a bulge in the sidewall after I had to bang it up and down a traffic island kerb (curb?) to avoid the dickhead. Shame as they still had a couple years life left in them, and as thread title, I wouldn't just change one, you'd have to do both, in which case I'd most likely do all four and go for Uniroyals perhaps.