The magazine Råd & Rön conducts annual tests of summer tires and they state that there are large differences in quality and that more expensive tires are not necessarily the best.
– No, it is not the price that determines whether a tire is good or bad, but there are expensive tires both at the bottom and at the top of our list, says test manager Ronny Karlsson.
Also, tire prices can vary from day to day this time of year. It is the stores themselves that set the prices and they are not least affected by what kind of weather it is.
– If the sun is shining outside, the prices go down, and if there is rain and debris, they go up, continues Ronny Karlsson.
No warnings issued
Råd & Rön’s safety tests are carried out on closed tracks with professional drivers who drive harder and harder until the tires give way.
– The tires must ensure that you can handle the car and avoid accidents, for example when driving on wet roads, says Ronny Karlsson.
For example, when aquaplaning, you see that the worse tires release much earlier. The braking distance also differs greatly between the better and the worse tires.
– That will be the difference between going off the road or not going off the road, says Ronny Karlsson.
Happily, this year they have not had to go out and warn sheep about any tire, something they had to do in previous years when there were tires that were described as directly dangerous to life.
– It is unusual that we do not have to go out and warn about any tire, we have to do that almost every year, says Ronny Karlsson.
Why no warnings were needed this year is difficult to answer. It could depend on which products Råd & Rön chose to test, it could be coincidence, or it could also be because the tire manufacturers are trying to tighten up.
The test manager’s best tips
You cannot see for yourself whether a tire is good or bad, but as a consumer you are referred to the various tire tests that are available. And the more you read, the easier it becomes to decide which tires to buy.
– Go in and read different tire tests, it can be good to read both this year’s tests but also tests from previous years, says test manager Ronny Karlsson.
Many tires on Råd & Rön’s list are of good quality, so Ronny Karlsson’s advice is to look at the top three and then compare prices.
– The price can vary greatly and differs between different manufacturers and different stores. The price can also differ from day to day, so you can save a lot of money by keeping track of the prices, says Ronny Karlsson.
Ronny Karlsson’s last piece of advice is the choice of workshop. In Råd & Rön’s list, installation is not included in the price but is added.
– Turn to a workshop you trust, says Ronny Karlsson.