[sagpatel]

Originally Posted by soul-on-4wheels

Hi buddy, what did you finally settle at as shoes for your Yeti? Am yet to do the replacement as got caught up in a whirlwind of work!

I have not got time to do it. But the falkens have become really noisy after driving 53k kms. Every week i decide that i ll get it done on saturday but something or the other comes up. May go for MRFs. How about you?

[soul-on-4wheels]

Originally Posted by sagpatel

I have not got time to do it. But the falkens have become really noisy after driving 53k kms. Every week i decide that i ll get it done on saturday but something or the other comes up. May go for MRFs. How about you?

Am still aligned to the Falkens - though not sure when I will actually get the replacement done! The dealer was telling me that Falken is the only Brand providing un conditional warranty till 50%of tread wear. Any views on this?

[Traveler]

Originally Posted by soul-on-4wheels

Am still aligned to the Falkens - though not sure when I will actually get the replacement done! The dealer was telling me that Falken is the only Brand providing un conditional warranty till 50%of tread wear. Any views on this?

I can vouch for the unconditional warranty. My father had an unfortunate incident when the rear left tyre sidewall was cut by a loose iron rod lying on the road. We claimed the warranty and Falken service manager checked and approved the warranty based on tread wear. Since the tyre was new all we paid was Rs. 400. to get the warranty. Mind you Falken has two warranties one against manufacturing defects and the other against accidental damage. In case of accidental damage you need to pay the pro rata difference based on your tyre tread depth.

[sumzup]

Originally Posted by sagpatel

I have not got time to do it. But the falkens have become really noisy after driving 53k kms. Every week i decide that i ll get it done on saturday but something or the other comes up. May go for MRFs. How about you?

Hi Sag,
Falkens are definitely a good bet as I found out too. I did the entire Ladakh region for about 10 days and it did a great job but after recently changing my tyres to MRF what I've found out is that MRF wanderer sport is much supple and gives a noiseless drive. I've driven about 6k on MRF and my initial impression is that it is a worthy upgrade after Falkens (In fact, my son's first reaction after his drive on new tyres was the ride was much more supple).

Originally Posted by soul-on-4wheels

Am still aligned to the Falkens - though not sure when I will actually get the replacement done! The dealer was telling me that Falken is the only Brand providing un conditional warranty till 50%of tread wear. Any views on this?

Hi Soul,
Yes, that's right, Falken does give the unconditional warranty and a total of 5 years warranty with a few riders of course. The only grouse I found upon my usage was that it developed pores in couple of tyres (after 35k) due to premature hardening of the tyres (not completely sure) and this required me to keep filling up air on shorter intervals as I did not want to junk the tyres. So, Soul, my humble take on this would be that if you are traveling on highways and normal city roads then you need not worry about which tyres you fit, MRF or Falken. Just remember that Falkens make more noise than MRF.
Cheers

[shankar.balan]

Falken Wildpeak Tyres are good. I ve used them for 2.5 years now at a tyre pressure of 32 all around. Mostly city but as everyone knows, Bangalore city use is like off reading.

The Falken Tyres are tough. I use 215/65/16 size. They are slightly larger than what the Skoda chaps recommend but since the difference is only that the tyre sidewall height is more, that’s a good thing for these roads. On the occasional highway ride, I haven’t really found the Falkens to be over-noisy. And I bought them because Behemoth recommended them a long time ago. I dont regret the decision at all.

Next change, I shall endeavour to find a set of Continental Cross Contact Tyres, simply because I love the look of them and the way they make the Yeti look more aggressive than normal.

Originally Posted by sumzup

Hi Sag,
Falkens are definitely a good bet as I found out too. I did the entire Ladakh region for about 10 days and it did a great job but after recently changing my tyres to MRF what I've found out is that MRF wanderer sport is much supple and gives a noiseless drive. I've driven about 6k on MRF and my initial impression is that it is a worthy upgrade after Falkens (In fact, my son's first reaction after his drive on new tyres was the ride was much more supple).



Hi Soul,
Yes, that's right, Falken does give the unconditional warranty and a total of 5 years warranty with a few riders of course. The only grouse I found upon my usage was that it developed pores in couple of tyres (after 35k) due to premature hardening of the tyres (not completely sure) and this required me to keep filling up air on shorter intervals as I did not want to junk the tyres. So, Soul, my humble take on this would be that if you are traveling on highways and normal city roads then you need not worry about which tyres you fit, MRF or Falken. Just remember that Falkens make more noise than MRF.
Cheers

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by sumzup

Hi Sag,
Falkens are definitely a good bet as I found out too. I did the entire Ladakh region for about 10 days and it did a great job but after recently changing my tyres to MRF what I've found out is that MRF wanderer sport is much supple and gives a noiseless drive. I've driven about 6k on MRF and my initial impression is that it is a worthy upgrade after Falkens (In fact, my son's first reaction after his drive on new tyres was the ride was much more supple).

The Falkens definitely tend to become noisier over time - a trait that I thought was unique to Yokos who tend to howl after 10k kms. In the case of the Falkens its more like 20k, but still the noise levels tend to go up.

I don't know about suppleness - the only tires I've used on my Yeti are 1 set of Michelin Latitude (or Longitude - can't reminder) and 2 sets of Falken Wildpeaks, of which the Michelins were very slightly more comfortable in the long run.

I will be looking for replacement options soon - a bit skeptical about the Wanderers because they seem to need more weights to balance, but if they do hold grip and have less noise for about 30k kms am more than happy because that is when I start looking around for tyre change options. My Yeti is at 120k and 3 tyre changes old, #4 will be some other option surely.

[shankar.balan]

My yeti has hardly hit 44300 kms in the last 7 years. These Falkens are its first replacement set of Tyres after the OEM Goodyears became 4 and a half years old give or take.

I hardly drive much these days. No more than 500kms per month on average. So I think I ll keep these on for a bit more, till I feel like changing to those Conti Cross Contacts!

Originally Posted by Steeroid

The Falkens definitely tend to become noisier over My Yeti is at 120k and 3 tyre changes old, #4 will be some other option surely.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

I don't know about suppleness - the only tires I've used on my Yeti are 1 set of Michelin Latitude (or Longitude - can't reminder) and 2 sets of Falken Wildpeaks, of which the Michelins were very slightly more comfortable in the long run.

I had used Michelin Latitudes for close to 75,000 kms IIRC and then had changed it to Yokohama Geolander G012 [G015 hadn't arrived then]. I felt that for the price difference, the Yokohamas were equally good and in bad terrain they had an edge. A bit noisy, yes, but thats it.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by Sheel

I had used Michelin Latitudes for close to 75,000 kms IIRC

75k! that’s only 5k less than Brake Pad replacement interval for me.

I don’t know how you guys stretch so much out of your tyres - mine don’t go beyond 40, max 44k. The Michelins lasted a pathetic 28k - perhaps understandly, those are soft compound tyres.

My usage involves very fast highway runs, rough surface B roads and plenty of trails and rough roads - and I don’t take it easy on either of the latter. Maybe you guys live in places with billiard table roads - not you Shankar I know you are in off-road Bangalore.

[shankar.balan]

Are you chaps hanging on to your Yeti’s long term?
I certainly am, because I’m seeing every car nowadays is priced somewhat stupidly. Even the otherwise Internationally cheap Economy Compact Toyota Yaris is at 16 lacs odd for the top spec!
The Jeep Compass is a 30 Lac car for the Top Spec! The Volvo XC40 and VW Tiguan etc are simply not worth the money in my book.
I’m thinking that none of these (except perhaps the Volvo and Tiguan) are close to what my 7 year old Yeti offers me.
If only they would bring in the Jeep Renegade 4WD Trailhawk, that’s probably the only vehicle worth considering if it is coming in at a reasonable price.
Else I plan to hang on to the Yeti for another 3-5 years at least.

Originally Posted by Steeroid

75k! that’s only 5k less than Brake Pad replacement interval for me.

I don’t know how you guys stretch so much out of your tyres - mine don’t go beyond 40, max 44k. The Michelins lasted a pathetic 28k - perhaps understandly, those are soft compound tyres.

My usage involves very fast highway runs, rough surface B roads and plenty of trails and rough roads - and I don’t take it easy on either of the latter. Maybe you guys live in places with billiard table roads - not you Shankar I know you are in off-road Bangalore.

[Steeroid]

For the foreseeable future, yes. Looks like it will be the longest running vehicle in my garage - the Safari did about 110k - as it still is pretty tight, rattle-free and a whole lot of fun. Apart from the various dings and scratches it still drives like 6 years ago.

Let’s see what the Harrier has got, if I do consider a replacement.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

75k! that’s only 5k less than Brake Pad replacement interval for me.

Apologies. The total odo was at 75 in which the pathetic Good Year had done some 20K.

It was not my Yeti, but one of my very good friends in which I drove for over 50K for in a total of 160K [replaced by a Ford Endeavor 3.2 T and a Ford EcoSport for local running].

[sumzup]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Falken Wildpeak Tyres are good. I ve used them for 2.5 years now at a tyre pressure of 32 all around. Mostly city but as everyone knows, Bangalore city use is like off reading.

The Falken Tyres are tough. I use 215/65/16 size. They are slightly larger than what the Skoda chaps recommend but since the difference is only that the tyre sidewall height is more, that’s a good thing for these roads. On the occasional highway ride, I haven’t really found the Falkens to be over-noisy. And I bought them because Behemoth recommended them a long time ago. I dont regret the decision at all.

Next change, I shall endeavour to find a set of Continental Cross Contact Tyres, simply because I love the look of them and the way they make the Yeti look more aggressive than normal.

Hi Shankar, I had a look at the thread pattern of the Conti cross contact and the they are thicker compare to the regular H/Ts which in my humble opinion would add to the traction. This is a good thing if we use the country roads, gravelly roads, or use it for predominant off-roading. If we were using this on the city roads and occasional highways then its immediate influence will be on the ride and maybe mileage too.

Originally Posted by Steeroid

The Falkens definitely tend to become noisier over time - a trait that I thought was unique to Yokos who tend to howl after 10k kms. In the case of the Falkens its more like 20k, but still the noise levels tend to go up.

I don't know about suppleness - the only tires I've used on my Yeti are 1 set of Michelin Latitude (or Longitude - can't reminder) and 2 sets of Falken Wildpeaks, of which the Michelins were very slightly more comfortable in the long run.

I will be looking for replacement options soon - a bit skeptical about the Wanderers because they seem to need more weights to balance, but if they do hold grip and have less noise for about 30k kms am more than happy because that is when I start looking around for tyre change options. My Yeti is at 120k and 3 tyre changes old, #4 will be some other option surely.

steeroid, the wanderers do look good and feel good. The grip has improved on braking and my personal feeling has been better compared to earlier Falkens. No, I don't discount the Falkens as they did extremely good while they were on my Yeti but so did Vredesteins which were totally a city/highway tyres. Wanderers were my fourth set too and after 7k of driving I am still loving it

Originally Posted by Steeroid

75k! that’s only 5k less than Brake Pad replacement interval for me.

I don’t know how you guys stretch so much out of your tyres - mine don’t go beyond 40, max 44k. The Michelins lasted a pathetic 28k - perhaps understandly, those are soft compound tyres.

My usage involves very fast highway runs, rough surface B roads and plenty of trails and rough roads - and I don’t take it easy on either of the latter. Maybe you guys live in places with billiard table roads - not you Shankar I know you are in off-road Bangalore.

For the kind of usage, it is better to stay away from tyres which have softer sidewalls and also the threads are better off with those that add grip. I was told by a friend of mine who has a tyre store that Michelins are now made for India so that sidewalls are more reinforced but haven't had a chance to speak to someone who have used them in the recent past.

[abbey4u]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Are you chaps hanging on to your Yeti’s long term?
I certainly am, because I’m seeing every car nowadays is priced somewhat stupidly. Even the otherwise Internationally cheap Economy Compact Toyota Yaris is at 16 lacs odd for the top spec!
The Jeep Compass is a 30 Lac car for the Top Spec! The Volvo XC40 and VW Tiguan etc are simply not worth the money in my book.
I’m thinking that none of these (except perhaps the Volvo and Tiguan) are close to what my 7 year old Yeti offers me.
If only they would bring in the Jeep Renegade 4WD Trailhawk, that’s probably the only vehicle worth considering if it is coming in at a reasonable price.
Else I plan to hang on to the Yeti for another 3-5 years at least.

Yes, I am in my sixth year with 1.8 l KM's on odo. I plan to keep this. Basically if you do the maths, I will not get a good price for it ( high mileage and poor Skoda valuation). And for any replacement I will have to add a min of 20l +. I personally feel it's better to spend some money on preventive maintenance rather than changing the car and use the rest of money on other priorities. After all I know my car all these years and absolutely know what was changed and when.

[soul-on-4wheels]

Originally Posted by sagpatel

I have not got time to do it. But the falkens have become really noisy after driving 53k kms. Every week i decide that i ll get it done on saturday but something or the other comes up. May go for MRFs. How about you?

Finally, changed over completely from the stock Goodyear to Falken Wildpeaks 215/65 in the first week of April. Got it changed at Pristine Tyres, Pune. Guess came to about Rs 7500 apiece - mid 2018 (2118) tyres. The only bummer was that in the left rear tyre, the valve was not fitted properly by the chap and I did not realise that the tyre as losing pressure right through my ride back to Mumbai. The next day morning the tyre was flat though I did not find any apparent damage to the tyre wall. On changing the valve, it was all fine.

Last week, the 4 new tyres had a 4100 odd kms test on the highways over 8 days. Initial impression - road noise is low as compared to the Goodyear earlier and the cornering was confidence inspiring (couple of wet stretches as well). Still early days but will keep all posted.

Cheers!