All Posts by Kevin Wood

Look after your tyres in Brisbane, and slash your fleet costs

Five minutes could save your fleet a fortune on fuel

I’m going to offer all fleet managers in Brisbane a potential cost reduction of an average of 1% to 3%. All you need to do is read to the bottom of this article.

How much is 3% of your costs worth to your fleet?

I can’t tell you how much a 3% reduction of your costs would be worth to your fleet, but it’s likely to be a substantial sum. But what if I could also offer you lower maintenance expenses, less vehicle downtime, longer tyre life, and fewer roadside breakdowns?

I’m guessing you’re wondering how I can make such promises.

No, I’m not a magician. I’m simply coming at a common problem for fleets from a different angle. The secret is also the most common cause of complaints received by tyre retailers and manufacturers.

Deflate your costs by inflating your tyres

Most complaints received by tyre companies concern comfort of ride and wear of tyres. Tyre manufacturers spend hundreds of millions of dollars each year to improve their product. When they receive a complaint, you can be sure that they employ every means possible to understand why.

What tyre manufacturers consistently find is that there isn’t a fault in the tyre. Usually, the reason for uneven tread wear or poor comfort while driving is underinflation. When your tyres are properly inflated, you’ll find that:

• Your tyres suffer less wear
• Your tyres last longer
• Braking and ride comfort is improved
• Your vehicle is less likely to swerve if you need to brake hard
• Your fuel consumption falls

6 out of 10 tyres are underinflated on Australia’s roads

Toward the end of last year, TyreSafe Australia conducted a survey on tyre condition on passenger cars. The results were astounding. 6 out of 10 vehicles were being driven with underinflated tyres. Even worse, it was found that half the cars surveyed were unsafe as far as their tyres were concerned.

Are your drivers checking their tyres?

The question I’ve got for you is this: how often do your drivers check their tyres? Because if they aren’t checking for air pressure, they probably aren’t checking for signs of wear and tear.

If your drivers aren’t checking their tyres, they are putting their lives, and the lives of others, at risk. And, from a cost perspective, underinflated tyres increase your fuel consumption, cause damage to the vehicle, and result in higher costs.

It takes less than five minutes to check your tyres. Make sure your drivers check their tyres regularly. Before every trip would be fantastic. At least once a week should be the minimum standard.

Let Darra Tyres help you cut your fleet costs

The key takeaways are that improper tyre inflation is:

• A safety issue for all drivers and other road users
• A main underlying cause of complaints about tyres
• A major cause of increased costs for fleet managers

Like I said earlier in this article, I’m not a magician. But I can advise your fleet’s drivers on tyre check routines and correct tyre inflation pressures. And that could save you between 1% and 3% of your fleet costs. Isn’t it time you benefitted from the professional and personal tyre service that you can trust in Brisbane? For more info about our services for fleets, contact Darra Tyres today.

Keeping your family and fleet safe,

Kevin Wood

How to buy tyres for your SUV in Brisbane

Tips to make the best tyre choice for your SUV

Buying tyres for your SUV are no easy task. There’s a big choice available to you, and you’ll have to consider the type of driving you do, the surfaces you tend to drive on in Brisbane and further afield, and your pocket. This guide should help you buy the best and safest tyres for your SUV.

Price is what you pay, the value is what you get

Experience tells us that usually the more money you pay for a tyre, the better value it will be in the long run. Tyres with the best grip and longest life are a little more expensive. Pay $130 for a tyre that will last 100,000 km versus $90 for one that will last 50,000 km, and over the life of the tyre, you’ve made a big saving.

Having said this, if you only expect to drive, say, 10,000 km a year, then the cheaper tyre may be better value for you. This is because no matter the distance you drive, we recommend that you should change your tyres at least every five years. Even tyres that haven’t been driven on will degrade in the sun and heat.

What tyre should you buy to replace a worn-out tyre for your SUV?

We’d recommend that you replace your tyres like-for-like. Buy the same type and size as the ones you are replacing. However, there are a few things you should consider, such as:

• Buying tyres that have good test ratings for braking and handling
• Thinking about what is important to you. Do you want a smoother ride? Is tread life important?
• Considering the types of surface you will drive on. Different tread patterns and features suit different surfaces. For most, an all-terrain tread will be best, but this isn’t always the case.

Most new SUVs are equipped with the all-terrain tyres because most people drive on streets rather than across rocks, riverbeds and valleys in the outback.

Do you need high-performance tyres?

If you tend to drive faster, you may be better to replace those all-terrain tyres with ultra-high-performance tyres. These provide better grip to improve handling around corners with more efficient braking. However, you’ll probably find you get a less comfortable ride and your tyres probably won’t last as many kilometres.

(Hey, it’s safer and cheaper to curb your speed a little.)

You may be tempted to buy a lower-speed-rated tyre with a longer tread life. It’s our experience that this is not a good idea, especially here in Brisbane. Lower-speed-rated tyres tend to handle heat build-up less well. This will impair safety. In addition, the cost savings you are likely to make are minimal.

When should you replace your SUV tyres?

Good tyre maintenance is key to keeping safe on the roads. The condition of your tyres will affect their handling ability, the comfort of your ride, and how your car brakes. Poor tyres can increase your fuel consumption, too.

Our article “How do Australia’s drivers know when they need new tyres?” gives you the advice you need to be able to monitor your tyres for their effectiveness. My advice is to never let the tyre tread depth get to the minimum of 1.5mm. As the tread wears, stopping distances increase and handling deteriorates. So change those tyres sooner rather than later. Also, watch for other signs that your tyres may need replacing, such as bubbling, chips, cracks and grazes on the sidewall.

Where should you buy new tyres?

You’ve got several options of where to buy new tyres today. Wherever you choose, make sure that you understand that the price of the tyres is not the total cost.  It’s rarely cheaper to buy tyres online after you have factored in the cost to mount and balance tyres and align wheels. And, when you buy online, you won’t get the pre-purchase advice or aftercare service you can expect here at Darra Tyres.

For a professional and personal tyre service that you can trust, contact Darra Tyres today.

Keeping your family and fleet safe,

Kevin Wood

Avoid these mistakes when buying tyres online

6 clues on how to buy tyres online

One of the decisions you’ll need to make before you buy tyres here in Brisbane is whether to buy online or from a tyre shop. It’s surprising how many people ask only “is it cheaper to buy tyres online?” before making their choice. They forget to include the cost of shipping and fitting. Often, the eventual cost saves very little, if anything.

However, it’s not only cost that should concern you. So, if you are considering buying tyres online, please ensure that you avoid these six pitfalls

1.    Buying tyres online – the pitfalls

Those little black circles are the only part of your vehicle that separates you from the road. If you make a poor decision when buying new tyres, they won’t fulfil their crucial role. We don’t want you involved in an accident on Brisbane’s roads – or anywhere else – because of a badly-bought tyre.

2.    Not buying tyres at the right time

The first hurdle to jump is to ensure that you really need new tyres. If you change them too early, you’ll be spending money unnecessarily. If you leave it too long before replacing your tyres, you’ll be putting your life at risk.

You’ll need to inspect your tyres for damage to sidewalls, bulging, foreign objects, and tread wear. You’ll need to be aware of the legal minimum tread to make certain your tyres are legal in Queensland.

Read our article “How do Australia’s drivers know they need new tyres?” for more information about checking your tyres.

On the other hand, you could simply drop by our tyre shop here in Darra, and get a professional assessment of your tyres – including your spare.

3.    Not checking your owner’s manual before you buy new tyres online

Inside your owner’s manual, you’ll find the manufacturer’s recommended tyre specifications. This tells you the size and type of tyre you should buy. If you don’t have this available, then you should find the information you need on the tyre placard on the door jamb.

Whatever you do, don’t make a mistake when ordering online. You’ll receive a set of tyres that are of no use to you, and either be stuck with them or pay for shipping back to the seller.

If you come into Darra Tyres, our technicians won’t confuse the specs and provide the wrong tyres. You can be certain that your tyres are the right ones, right away.

4.    Getting bamboozled by the tyre code

“The tyre code?” you ask. No, we don’t have a secret language we use to speak to each other, but you might think we do when you try to decipher the letters and numbers on the sidewall of the tyre. You don’t need an Enigma machine to decipher this tyre code, but you must understand what those numbers and letters mean (for example, P215/60R 16 95H M).

If you’re not sure what all this gobbledygook means, pop into our tyre shop. We’ll talk you through it all and explain why this code is essential to know if you want to stay safe on the roads.

5.    Ignoring your wheels

Wheels get damaged. They come in different sizes. Don’t ignore your wheels when you buy new tyres. Any damage, or if you buy the wrong-sized tyre for the wheel you have fitted, and you will compromise handling. You won’t corner with the same assuredness. Your braking could be impaired. I don’t need to tell you what the result could be.

We will never fit the wrong-sized tyre to the wrong-sized wheel. Nor will we ignore damage to your wheels.

6.    Not checking your new tyres regularly

Once you’ve bought your new tyres and had them fitted, you must check them at regular intervals. Aftercare is something that you won’t get when you buy tyres online.

When we fit new tyres to your vehicle, we’ll give you a few tips to help keep them in good condition and performing as they should. This will help your vehicle handle better and reduce your fuel consumption. Maintaining your tyres properly will increase their useful life, too, meaning you save money in the long run.

When we fit tyres to your vehicle in our tyre shop in Darra, you are welcome to return at any time. Pop in to say hello, and we’ll give your tyres a quick once over at the same time.

Summing up

Buying the right tyres is essential. They are key to your safety. They play a big part in how your vehicle handles, and the right tyre, well-maintained, can reduce your fuel bill.

Sometimes you might save a few dollars by buying tyres online, though the cost savings may not be as much as you thought when you consider the costs of shipping and fitting that will need to be added.

What you won’t get when you buy online is personalised advice, reassuring expertise,  and dedication to ongoing customer service.

The choice of whether you buy tyres online or in person is yours to make. Why not come into our tyre shop in Darra for a coffee while you’re thinking?

For a professional and personal tyre service that you can trust, contact Darra Tyres today.

Keeping your family and fleet safe,

Kevin Wood

How are tyres made to keep you safe on the roads in Brisbane?

Just how do manufacturers make millions of safe tyres?

Tyres are perhaps the most essential piece of equipment on your vehicle. They are paramount to your safety and driving experience. They provide the grip needed for traction on the road and must perform in all road and weather conditions. Most are pneumatic (they contain air under pressure) and there are hundreds of millions manufactured every year. So, how do tyre manufacturers produce the black circles that you depend upon?

Tyre jargon explained

Before I explain how tyres are made, I should uncomplicate some of the tyre jargon we use.

Ply

The plies enable the tyre to be flexible and help to provide the strength needed to operate under extreme road conditions. They are usually made by weaving fibre cords together and then coating them with rubber. They are like the bones of your body – they provide the skeleton that the tyre is built around.

Belts

Belts are formed around the tyre as strength reinforcers. Where plies provide flexibility, belts provide rigidity. They are made of steel wires, and then, again, coated with rubber. Manufacturers have spent a lot of money, time, and effort in the development of belts that resist punctures and now provide the backbone for tyres that can last 80,000 km and more.

Tread

Generally considered to be the ‘business’ part of the tyre, the tread is softer than the rest of the tyre and provides grip and cushion. Different tread patterns provide different levels of grip.

Grooves and sipes

When you look at the surface of a tyre that comes into contact with the road, you’ll notice deep grooves between the tread blocks. These act to expel water. Look a little closer, and you’ll see small grooves cut into the tread blocs. These are called sipes, and provide extra grip.

Beads

Manufactured from extra strong steel and coated with rubber, beads form an airtight seal between the tyre and wheel rim.

Sidewall

The sidewall runs from the bead to the tread. It’s made of extra thick rubber to provide strength and stability. You’ll find all the information about the tyre is embossed on this part of the tyre.

Shoulder

Where the sidewall and tread meet, you’ll find the shoulder of the tyre. This is the part of the tyre that provides extra strength when cornering.

How are tyres manufactured?

There are five steps in the tyre manufacturing process:

1.     Blending

Raw materials are blended to form the rubber that will be used to make the tyre. There could be as many as 30 types of rubber used to form the rubber compound. Other ingredients used include:

• Carbon black
• Sulphur
• Oil
• Various chemicals

2.     Milling

The rubber compound is allowed to cool before being cut into strips. These strips are used to form the basic structure of the tyre.

3.     Building

The tyre is built working from the inside. This is completed in machines, which form the belts, beads and plies. An ‘extruder’ is used to form treads and sidewalls, which are then rolled and cut into strips. Once all these parts have been assembled, you’ve got something that looks like a tyre.

4.     Curing

The tyre is now vulcanised, compressing it into its final shape. It is also here that the tread is finalised, and the sidewall markings are embossed on the tyre.

5.     Controlling quality

The manufactured tyres are tested, with specialist X-ray machines used to inspect for bubbles and voids in the rubber. A test wheel is used to inflate and spin the tyre to determine balance and ‘straightness’.

Once the tyre has been fitted to your vehicle, the responsibility for inspection is all yours. If a tyre is compromised by a cut, bulge, or wrong pressure, so is your safety. See our article “How do Australia’s drivers know they need new tyres?” for tips on checking tyres and the signs that a tyre is past its useful life.

If you have any doubt that your tyre is no longer fit for purpose, please, please bring it into our tyre shop in West Brisbane. A few minutes could save your life.

Keeping you safe on the roads,

Kevin Wood

Is it cheaper to buy tyres online?

How to buy the best-value tyres

In a recent article, I discussed what you must know before buying tyres online. In this article, you’ll learn why online tyres may not be as cheap as you believe.

Do you really need new tyres?

We recently had a customer bring four new tyres to our tyre shop here in West Brisbane. He’d bought them online and wanted us to switch them for the ones on his vehicle. You can imagine his disappointment when we asked him why he wanted them switched.

You see, he didn’t need new tyres, all he needed was to rotate the original tyres. They’d probably be good for at least another 20,000 km. He went away kicking himself, grumbling about the $400 he’d spent that he hadn’t needed to, and wondering where he was now going to store the new tyres he probably wouldn’t need for another 12 months.

When you buy tyres online, you don’t get advice. A computerised and scripted online service can’t:

• Look at your tyres, making a visual assessment informed by years of experience
• Run hands over them, feeling for those little nicks, bumps, and dents that need attention
• Advise you that your tyres simply need realignment or rotation to last another 10,000 or 20,000 km

What an online service can do is put all the onus on you to buy the right tyres at the right time. Then send you to the checkout to pay.

Do you really save money when you buy tyres online?

Of course, the big draw of buying online is the money you might save. Those headline prices and 4-for-3 deals look like saving you enough cash for an evening out. But if you are buying sooner than you need to, like the customer we just mentioned, you’ll go through more tyres than you need. Over the long term, those 4-for-3 deals you rush to make before they expire could cost you.

It’s not simply the advice you’re not getting that could cost you more money when you buy online. You shouldn’t forget that when you buy tyres online, you should consider the cost of:

• Shipping
• Fitting, wheel alignment, and balancing
• Charges associated with disposal of your old tyres

Once you’ve added in these costs, the savings (if there were really any in the first place) may be completely erased. You may even end up paying more for that super cheap online tyre deal!

No aftercare online

When you buy tyres online, you wave goodbye to aftercare. You can’t call an online tyre shop and have your tyres checked. You won’t get advice on rotation, alignment, balancing, or any of the other common problems that affect tyre life.

Beware of cheaper brands when you buy tyres online

Many of the cheapest tyre deals you’ll find online offer bargain tyres. Many of these cheaper tyres are manufactured in China. Are they really bargains?

A Consumer Reports study in the United States tested several Chinese tyre brands against leading tyre brands. One of those Chinese tyre brands was eventually discarded from the study because it performed so poorly in all road and weather conditions. But the major finding of the survey may surprise you even more.

These cheaper tyres travelled as little as a third of the distance that leading brands such as Michelin before needing to be replaced. You may need to buy three sets of cheap tyres to match the longevity of a leading brand. Those half-price tyres online don’t seem such a good investment after all.

Questions to ask before buying tyres online or in a tyre shop

Here are a few questions to ask before buying tyres:

• You may have a tight budget, but can you really afford to risk buying the wrong tyres online?
• Have you the experience to know whether your tyres really need replacing, or could they last a few thousand kilometres more?
• Before you press that ‘Buy now’ button on your computer, have you factored in the costs of shipping and fitting?

Our advice is to always get advice when it comes to tyres. They are the only part of your vehicle that is in contact with the road. They play a major part in your safety and comfort.

For a professional and personal tyre service that you can trust, contact Darra Tyres today.

Keeping your family and fleet safe,

Kevin Wood

What you must know before buying tyres online

Tyre buying tips to help you stay safe and save more money

Buying tyres online are becoming more popular. It’s estimated that by 2020 one in every five new tyres bought will be purchased through online tyre stores. In this article, I’ll discuss whether it’s wise to do so.

Why do people buy tyres online?

This question can be answered in two words: cost; time.

Cost

Look at online tyre retailers, and you’ll be bombarded with claims of lower prices, 4-for-3 deals, and so on. It’s great when you get a bargain, isn’t it?

Time

We’re all pushed for time today, and what saves more time than shopping online? Some online retailers use systems that ask you to click on your make and model, and then they offer a list of suggested tyres. What could be easier?

To buy online, you need some knowledge

Buying tyres are different to buying a new computer, or furniture, or new shoes. For a start, none of these items is critical to the health and well-being of so many people:

• If you buy shoes online and they aren’t quite what you thought, they may prove to be uncomfortable for a few days.
• Drive on a set of tyres that aren’t quite what they claimed to be, and you could kill yourself… and others.

If you plan to buy tyres online, then it is crucial you know the size and type of tyre you need. If this is the case, those online headline savings may now look tempting.

Do you really need new tyres?

Knowing the correct specs for your tyre is a good start to your online shopping experience, but you also need to know whether new tyres are really necessary.

Usually, people change tyres because of tread depth. Although the legal minimum tread is 1.5mm, you should consider changing them if the depth is worn to 3mm, as there may be other associated damage.

In our tyre shop here in West Brisbane, we find that many drivers come in with tyres that are still fit for purpose. We’ll advise them if they have plenty of tread left, and no other damage that requires the tyre be changed.

If you don’t have the knowledge or experience to know that your tyres don’t need changing yet, you could be changing them way too early.

What do you pay for when you buy tyres online?

When you purchase tyres online, it really is ‘caveat emptor’: buyer beware. You won’t get advice. And that headline price may look cheaper, but don’t forget to factor in the cost of shipping and the cost of getting them fitted and balanced.
You’ll need to order in advance, too, and set a time to visit a tyre shop to have the new tyres fitted.

Perhaps I can sum up like this:

• If you are certain that your tyres need changing; and
• You know the tyre size and specifications that you need; and
• You have factored in all the costs of buying online (including shipping and fitting); and
• You are happy that you:
  • Are saving money; and
  • Don’t need advice on tyres…

then, buying online may be the way to go. But, if you’re not sure of all these things, then my advice is to visit a respected tyre shop. One with a long history of serving drivers in Brisbane. Where you know you’ll get the professional services needed to keep you, and others, safe on the roads of Queensland.

For the best tyre service in West Brisbane, contact us today. We’ll help you make the right choice for your vehicle, driving style, and budget.

Keeping your family and fleet safe,

Kevin Wood

What is the right tyre for tractor users in Queensland?

Advice to help your tractor work harder and reduce costs

When you need new tyres for your tractor, there are plenty of options. This makes choosing your tyres more difficult. Here at Darra Tyres, it’s our job to make this choice easier. In this article, you’ll learn about the tyre options available for agricultural vehicles, and how they differ for all your agricultural needs. Knowing which type of tyre is needed should help to save you time and money and make your work more efficient.

Types of tractor tyres

There are three types of tyres for tractors. Each has different specifications, and each is manufactured for a different use.

Turf tyres

These are designed to be driven on grass and fields, particularly for mowing and landscaping jobs. They are ideal for work required on sports grounds and golf courses, as the tread patterns are less aggressive than other types.

Construction tyres

These are mostly used on hard surfaces such as concrete, gravel, and tarmac, and so are designed to resist wear and tear. The load is spread across the tyre with wider treads, creating a larger contact area with the ground.

Agricultural Tyres

This is the most common of tractor tyres, for use in fields and especially on soft soils. The large tread creates excellent traction, giving better grip and aiding work in wet conditions.

Bias-ply or radial tractor tyres: which is best?

Having identified the type of tyre you need for the work it will perform, the next choice to make is the tread type. The way the tyre is constructed, either bias-ply or radial, affects the tyre’s performance.

Bias-ply tyres

Bias-ply tyres are constructed by laying successive plies at opposing angles – most commonly, these are laid at angles of 30 to 40 degrees – creating a criss-cross pattern. This means the tyre can flex more easily. This cushions the ride, making for a smoother driving experience. However, bias-ply tyres also suffer from increased rolling resistance and lower traction, increasing fuel consumption and decreasing working efficiency.

Radial tyres

The plies on radial tyres are laid at an angle of about 15 degrees to the tread and run in the direction of the tyre. This helps to stabilise the tyre on a rough and uneven terrain. Though more expensive to buy than bias-ply tractor tyres, radial tyres are the most popular because they:

• Provide better traction
• Offer less wheel slippage and better handling
• Reduce rolling resistance and fuel consumption
• Are more resistant to cuts, tears, and punctures
• Enable more ground to be covered in less time

Radial agricultural tyres tend to last longer than bias-ply. Your operations should benefit from greater efficiency, lower fuel consumption, and less regular tyre changes. Over the longer term, choosing radial tyres for your tractor, and making sure they are the right type for the work they will be doing, could save you a lot of money.

For your next set of tractor tyres, contact us today. We’ll help you make the right choice to reduce your costs and increase your efficiency.

Keeping your family and fleet safe,

Kevin Wood

How can you reduce your fleet’s tyre costs in Queensland?

The three factors of fleet tyre management

When deciding their policy for changing tyres, the three factors that should be considered by fleets are cost, safety, and the law. Though you might think about these separately, each has an influence on the other. For example, the amount of depth remaining on the tread affects safety on the road. Waiting longer before changing tyres may reduce your costs, but it could put your fleet’s drivers in danger.

In this article, you’ll learn how to balance these three factors, and how your drivers can help to reduce tyre costs and fleet impact of downtime while tyres are being changed.

The tyre law in Queensland

By law, tyres must have at least 1.5mm of tread depth to be legal on the roads in Queensland. This must be the depth around the entire tyre and its width. If you drive on an illegal tyre, you could be given an on-the-spot fine and demerit points. It pays to know when you need new tyres, yet it is estimated that one in three Australians is currently driving on illegal tyres. A new tyre will have 8mm of tread depth.

The safety factor for fleet tyres

Tyres are essential tools for the safety of your fleet’s drivers. Braking distances are determined by several factors, and condition of tyres is high on the list. No matter how good a driver’s reflexes and the condition of the road, braking is dependent upon the grip the tyre has on the road.

If your fleet’s vehicles are being driven on tyres with 1.5mm tread, the distance they require to stop is 38% more than on a new tyre with 8mm tread depth. The danger of crashing in a fleet vehicle is increased when drivers switch between vehicles, as anticipated stopping distances differ between vehicles with tyres at different stages of wear.

It is also worth remembering that not all new tyres perform equally. Even though new tyres have the same 8mm tread depth, a premium brand tyre is likely to perform better than a budget tyre.

The cost factor for fleet tyres

If a fleet changes tyres too early, it can drastically increase costs. The greater the depth when you change tyres, the more often you will need to change them.

Development of new tyre technologies by tyre manufacturers is increasing tyre safety, and so you should be able to change at a lower tread depth. Research by Michelin has shown that changing tyres at 3mm or 4mm instead of 1.5mm leads to an extra tyre change every two years. Those sorts of costs soon mount up.

If your policy is currently to change when the tread depth reaches 2mm, increasing this to 3mm could increase your tyre costs by almost 20% – not an insignificant amount when your tyre costs may be as much as a third of your fleet’s maintenance budget.

How to reduce tyre costs for your fleet

As a company running a fleet of vehicles, you’ll need to take all the above factors into consideration to minimise costs, ensure your vehicles’ tyres are legal, and ensure the safety of your drivers. And your drivers could help you to keep your tyre costs low.

There are tricks that can be used to make commercial tyres last longer – such as never overloading, always checking tyre pressures, and using a good driving technique. But these are not the only ways in which drivers can have an impact on your costs. By using our fleet tyre management service, you can help your drivers take more responsibility for their tyres. By booking tyre services outside of work hours and calling ahead to make sure that the tyre dealer has the right tyre, downtime can be reduced – and that’s a positive contribution to your bottom line.

To find out more about the fleet tyre management services offered by Darra Tyres in Brisbane, contact us today. We’ll help you get the maximum number of kilometres from every tyre in your fleet.

Keeping your family and fleet safe,

Kevin Wood

Is a space saver tyre the best choice for drivers in Brisbane?

Helping you make the best decision when buying a new tyre in Queensland

Some drivers we meet here in Brisbane love them. Some hate them. They’ve become very popular with vehicle manufacturers. I’m talking about space saver tyres – the temporary use tyres provided as the spare in many new vehicles. They are cheaper, more convenient, and, as their name suggests, take up less space in the trunk. But are they really good enough as a spare, or should you switch to a conventional spare tyre?

The advantages of space saver tyres

Tyre manufacturers first produced space saver tyres to use as spares for the smaller cars being made. And there are several advantages over normal-sized tyres. These include that they:

• Take up less space and are lighter. Great for compact hatchbacks.
• Are easier to change the tyre after a blowout, because they are lighter.
• Leave more space for luggage.
• Are better on fuel consumption, because they are lighter.

They are usually cheaper than a proper tyre, meaning you have fewer dollars tied up in an unused spare tyre. That’s a big benefit to those who drive luxury cars with expensive tyres.

However, there are some disadvantages, too.

The disadvantages of space saver tyres

If space saver tyres were only beneficial, everyone would like them. So, what are the disadvantages of space saver tyres?

• First, they have a very limited life. You can only drive on them for around 400 to 500 kilometres.
• You will also have to limit your speed. 80km/h is the maximum, meaning your journey will take longer than expected.
• Steering and braking won’t be as good as on proper tyres. Emergency manoeuvres will be more difficult to make.
• Finally, and one that many people don’t think about, the full-size tyre you remove may not fit into the space for the space saver tyre. That means juggling with your luggage, perhaps even needing passengers to travel with a suitcase on their laps until you get to the next tyre specialist.

Should you choose a space saver tyre as your spare?

If you’re buying a new car, you might be given the option of a space saver or a proper tyre as your spare. If you are switching out a space saver after a flat or tyre damage, you might be thinking about a full-size tyre as your spare. Before making your decision, here’s what you should think about:

Do you need extra room in your trunk?

If room is at a premium and luggage space is important, a space saver could give you the extra space you need.

What type of road do you drive on?

If you mostly drive on quiet roads that are well maintained, the potential handling issues of a space saver tyre are likely to be less of an issue than if most of your driving is done on busy roads full of potholes.

What distances do you drive?

If you plan to drive hundreds of kilometres, perhaps on a road trip or for work, you could find yourself a long way from a tyre specialist. If you are pressed for travel time, the need to drive more slowly on a space saver tyre could make you miss an important appointment.

Affordability

Though we never recommend choosing your tyre based only on the cost of the tyre, affordability may be an issue – especially if you need to buy two tyres (one to replace the proper tyre, and one to replace the space saver).

Whichever tyres you buy, make sure you maintain your spare

Whichever type of tyre you own as a spare, don’t neglect it. Make sure it is inflated correctly before you go on a long journey. Take it out of its hiding place regularly to check that it is fit for purpose. When you bring your car in for a tyre change, I’ll know if you don’t check your tyres regularly.

If you need a new spare or want your tyres checked in Brisbane, contact Darra Tyres today. We’ll be pleased to help you make the best decision for all your tyre needs, considering your vehicle, where you drive most, the type of driving you do, and your budget.

Keeping your family and fleet safe,

Kevin Wood

With these intelligent tyres, fleet tyre management is on autopilot

Goodyear continues to revolutionise through tyre research and development

The research and development team at Goodyear Tyres have done it again. At the Geneva Motor Show, they’ve unveiled three prototype tyres that could reduce pollution, self-monitor tyre condition and performance, and increase tyre life by up to 30%. They’re not available to buy commercially – yet – but certainly, show us the shape of tyres of the future. Here’s a glimpse of the black circles your fleet may be driving on in years to come.

A living tyre that cuts pollution

Could tyres really be the answer to clearing smog-filled cities? If Goodyear’s Oxygene tyre were used on all the vehicles in a city, air pollution could be eliminated. That’s the claim by Goodyear, which has estimated that in a city the size of Paris it would be possible to absorb 4,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide and create 3,000 tonnes of oxygen. How can a tyre achieve this?

The Oxygene is a living tyre. Moss grows in the sidewall. As the tyre travels over the road, this moss absorbs water from the road surface and carbon dioxide from the air. Through a process of photosynthesis, the tyre turns that carbon dioxide into oxygen. Genius!

It’s not only oxygen that the tyre can create. It also produces electricity. Enough to power onboard electrics. The tyre also has an LED strip that changes colour when the driver manoeuvres – warning other drivers that you are changing lanes, for example.

The Oxygene tyre also connects to the Internet of Things, using Li-Fi internet technology – a system used by Goodyear’s Intelligent prototype, too.

Intelligent tyres monitor themselves

Now here’s where it gets really interesting for fleet managers.

Goodyear’s Intelligent prototype tyre shows just how far technology could take tyres in the future. Goodyear’s Director of Consumer Technology, Percy LeMaire, has suggested that some of the elements of this tyre could become mass marketed reality soon. Here’s what this tyre does for you:

• Monitors wear and tear temperature and tyre pressure
• Reports tyre issues to the driver and fleet manager
• Estimates how long it will last
• Communicates with other vehicles, warning of road and weather conditions

Imagine that. A tyre that tells you when it needs more air, when it will need to be replaced, and alerts your entire fleet to routing problems due to road conditions.

At last – tyres designed for electric vehicles

Much is made of the green credentials of electric and hybrid vehicles. What isn’t publicised much is that tyres used on an electric vehicle have a shorter range. The high torque produced wears tyres more quickly. And the noise the tyre makes is a bigger issue than on standard vehicles.

At Geneva, Goodyear also unveiled a prototype that could reduce tyre noise on electric vehicles and increase range by up to 30%.

Get the best life from your tyres today

Such tyre evolution as being produced by Goodyear’s R&D teams could transform tyre management in fleets. Automatic alerts on wear and tear, tyre pressures and road conditions could help fleet managers cut tyre costs, extending tyre life and reducing fuel consumption. Instead of being reactive to tyre condition, you could be managing your tyres proactively.

Until the time arrives when these groundbreaking features are standard issue on all new tyres, the best way to maintain peak performance from your Brisbane fleet’s tyres is to use Darra’s Fleet Tyre Management Service. Contact us today to find out more.

Keeping your business and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood