New tyres, increased fuel consumption. Grounds for complaint?

Tim

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Feb 6, 2012, 5:22:11 AM2/6/12

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I'm not normally too fussy about tyres. I've been running my VW Touran on
Hankook tyres for about 80,000 miles and have never noticed any effect on
fuel consumption.

About 3 weeks ago I had to change all four tyres and I noticed an immediate
increase in fuel consumption (up by about 10%). The latest tyres are
Hankook Ventus Prime 2 but I couldn't tell you what it had on before

Yes, I have checked and double checked the tyre pressures and pumped them
up to the "laden vehicle" pressures to see if it would improve things but
it hasn't. Has anyone else noticed as big an increase in fuel consumption
with new tyres? Would it be worth going back to my tyre shop?

Tim

Mrcheerful

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Feb 6, 2012, 5:32:38 AM2/6/12

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all vehicles use more fuel in winter

Tim

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Feb 6, 2012, 6:26:13 AM2/6/12

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Immediately following a tyre change? The weather here hasn't changed that
much and my fuel consumption has never increased by this much before in any
winter.

Tim

Ian Riches

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Feb 6, 2012, 9:51:17 AM2/6/12

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In article <272068566350216127.874174timdownie2003-
yahoo...@news.eternal-september.org>, timdow...@yahoo.co.uk
says...

Some tyres are optimised for low rolling resistance and fuel efficiency.
The Ventus Prime2 makes no such claim. If you had, say, the Hankook
Kinergy eco tyres on before, you *should* be seeing a reduction in fuel
economy - if the manufacturers claims are to be believed.

Also, note that a new tyre of typical car size has a circumference
approx 2% greater than a worn-out tyre. Thus a notional 2% "reduction"
in fuel economy is to be expected, as each "mile" recorded by the
odometer is now 2% longer than it was before the tyre switch...

Ian

--
Ian Riches
Bedford - UK

Tim Downie

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Feb 6, 2012, 9:55:16 AM2/6/12

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2% I wouldn't mind whether it was a "counting" error due to circumference or
just because it was a stickier compound. A 10% increase potentially for the
next 20,000 miles I do mind.

Tim

Chris Whelan

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Feb 6, 2012, 10:27:55 AM2/6/12

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Did the tyre fitters adjust the tracking?

Chris

--
Remove prejudice to reply.

Tim

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Feb 6, 2012, 1:37:35 PM2/6/12

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Chris Whelan <cawh...@prejudicentlworld.com> wrote:

> Did the tyre fitters adjust the tracking?
>
> Chris

Nope.

Tim

Dave Baker

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Feb 6, 2012, 2:07:04 PM2/6/12

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"Tim" <timdow...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:272068566350216127.874174...@news.eternal-september.org...

You simply can't achieve that much change in rolling resistance with
different make tyres to affect fuel comsumption by 10%. Even the best low
rolling resistance brands only change fuel consumption by the odd percent or
so. You clearly have a coincidental effect going on here with something else
that changed at the same time - either that or you aren't working your fuel
consumption out properly.
--
Dave Baker

Dave Plowman (News)

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Feb 6, 2012, 2:16:10 PM2/6/12

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In article
<272068566350216127.874174...@news.eternal-september.org>,

Don't think any of the energy saving tyres claim 10%, so I'd be looking
for another reason.

--
*Friends help you move. Real friends help you move bodies.

Dave Plowman da...@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Tim

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Feb 6, 2012, 2:59:57 PM2/6/12

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"Dave Plowman (News)" <da...@davenoise.co.uk> wrote:
> In article
> <272068566350216127.874174...@news.eternal-september.org>,
> Tim <timdow...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>> I'm not normally too fussy about tyres. I've been running my VW Touran
>> on Hankook tyres for about 80,000 miles and have never noticed any
>> effect on fuel consumption.
>
>> About 3 weeks ago I had to change all four tyres and I noticed an
>> immediate increase in fuel consumption (up by about 10%). The latest
>> tyres are Hankook Ventus Prime 2 but I couldn't tell you what it had on
>> before
>
>> Yes, I have checked and double checked the tyre pressures and pumped
>> them up to the "laden vehicle" pressures to see if it would improve
>> things but it hasn't. Has anyone else noticed as big an increase in
>> fuel consumption with new tyres? Would it be worth going back to my tyre
>> shop?
>
> Don't think any of the energy saving tyres claim 10%, so I'd be looking
> for another reason.

I have to agree, 10% just seems too much to blame on the tyres but I stuck
for a plausible alternative explanation. The car's running fine and fuel
consumption went up immediately after the tyres were fitted. It feels to
be rolling freely with no brakes dragging.

Tim

Mrcheerful

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Feb 6, 2012, 3:37:48 PM2/6/12

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someone dipped the tank?

Doctor D

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Feb 6, 2012, 4:31:57 PM2/6/12

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>"Tim" wrote in message
>news:272068566350216127.874174...@news.eternal-september.org...

My Touran was delivered 95k ago with Conti's.
Since then it's had a set of Bridgestone Turanza and is now running with
Michelin Primacy on the front and Goodyear EfficientGrip on the back.

My use pattern and annual mileage has not changed and I have never noticed a
measurable change in fuel consumption.
Wear rates on the tyres, that's another matter!

Tim

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Feb 6, 2012, 6:12:26 PM2/6/12

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Nope, I'm going by the computer. Not exact I'm sure but it's always been
consistent.

Tim

Dave Baker

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Feb 9, 2012, 1:47:32 AM2/9/12

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"Tim" <timdow...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message

news:1370301172350262681.27642...@news.eternal-september.org...

>> someone dipped the tank?
>
> Nope, I'm going by the computer. Not exact I'm sure but it's always been
> consistent.

Hmmm. There's a clue. Are you sure the tyres are the same size as the old
ones? If the rolling radius is different the computer will think the car is
covering a different mileage plus the speedo calibration will alter. The
computer has no idea how far or fast you are really going. It only knows
wheel revolutions per unit time and in total.
--
Dave Baker

Tim Downie

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Feb 9, 2012, 5:52:33 AM2/9/12

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That did occur to me but I'd be surprised if they've fitted the wrong
section tyres or if same section tyres of the same brand would be
significantly different. I'll need to rtfm and check what's on it. ;-)

Tim

Mrcheerful

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Feb 9, 2012, 6:02:16 AM2/9/12

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also worth doing a comparison of your speedo with a gps unit over a few
miles and see whether they differ significantly.

Tim Downie

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Feb 9, 2012, 6:30:01 AM2/9/12

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"Mrcheerful" <g.odon...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:EMNYq.113214$R65....@newsfe04.ams2...

Now that's a good idea. Easy to do too.

Tim

Rob

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Feb 11, 2012, 2:29:14 AM2/11/12

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But how did it compare previous, to the new tyres?

Our car the speedo is 4kms fast compared to the GPS and always has been
through two new sets of tyres.

David

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Feb 11, 2012, 11:53:40 AM2/11/12

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I have tried three different GPS devices at the same time, and they were
not consistent with each other, especially when cornering and going up
and down inclines.
They could be an 8mph difference in their displays (one from another) at
the same moment.

David

Tim Downie

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Feb 11, 2012, 5:51:43 PM2/11/12

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Well I've checked it against GPS and the speedometer is exactly as
inaccurate as it's always been

The good news is that the consumption seems to be gradually improving which
makes me think that the tyres just need "running in".

I've never changed all four tyres before so it's conceivable that when only
changing two, the increase in consumption is less noticeable.

Tim

Tim Downie

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Feb 11, 2012, 5:53:18 PM2/11/12

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You can't expect gps to be accurate in those situations (well, cornering at
least). Only really accurate on straight level roads.

Tim