Talk Morgan Forums Community Vehicle Talk (non-Morgan) Grrr! Bl**dy Potholes !

My AC Cobra has 15 inch rims with 225x60 and 275x55 tyres on which have a good hight of sidewall. The Cobra has a better ride than any of my other cars and you don't need to dodge potholes - the only problem is that only Avon makes decent quality 15 inch tyres now (at a price) and they are road legal intermediates better used in the dry than the wet.

Be very careful wading deep puddles...hydraulic engine lock, and all that potential expensive damage

Our F55 Mini makes some horrendous clunks on rebound from the worst potholes but thankfully no signs of damage (so far) to 220/45R17 tyres or rims.

Not just in UK I have been on about this to local radio every time the issue of pothole damage comes up. Rubber band tyres are yet another reason I hate most modern cars!

Grumpy old man syndrome perhaps....?

Potholes would seem to be just another example of expectations exceeding the reality of available funding, just as in so many other areas of the UK budgets, perhaps not just the UK but in most if not all of the West..?

Graham, very much with your thinking on style over function being the driving force (no pun intended) in vehicular design, which is as ever further modified by enthusiasts to excess.... Been there done that and decades ago... (-:

The words slamming and stance seem to be among those that have crept into modern automotive culture, and it seems ever larger diameter wheels with ever lower profile tyres thrown into the mix, there may be a lot of slamming going on, be that in one`s spine as the underside of the machine makes contact with the road surface, perhaps damaging a wheel or tyre in the process if a pothole might be the cause, with the owner then adopting his stance, at the side of the road...? I guess it`s all just part of the game...??

As for possible costings...? I bought my first flat in the 70`s for less than the cost of a service on some ICE cars these days.... With that in mind, things do seem to have become ever more imbalanced with the passage of time..?

BTW, have to admit being very fond of my Tesla as a transportation device requiring minimum involvement from this boring old f*rt... Go figure.. ? (-:

IMHO there is nothing wrong with low profile tyres fitted to modern cars allowing better response of car to road, with suspension system of manufacturers choice to compliment plus sound insulation to limit road noise. The undoubtable benefits in improved handling can then be enjoyed without compromise. Sorry to mention our Mini Clubman again but it's the quietest and by far the best handling car we've ever driven with a welcome trait of reducing understeer as you accelerate out of a corner. I suspect some of this may be down to the 17 inch wheel and 225 tyre option we inherited with car though. Concrete road surfaces, thankfully slowly being replaced, do intrude but ironically that's because sound insulation and suspension design otherwise makes the car so quiet. For this reason I've stayed away from run flat replacements when given the choice.

I can fully understand others concern over low profile tyres but their arguments stand mainly for Morgan's and particularly trads I suspect.

I have to have to pay for an MOT to see if my car is in a fit condition that is suitable to drive on the roads

The roads are not in a fit condition to drive on!

The roads are not racetracks Richard - in every day use low profiles offer no real response advantage and even on MINIs lead to poorer ride quality. Both my Coopers came with 15" wheels and 60% profile (I'll have to check that) tyres - not runflats. I tried MINIs with larger wheels and the ride quality / road noise was decidedly worse. I still have a spare 15" wheel, should I ever go for another Cooper.
(I regard any profile less than 60% as low profile).

Absolutely. Our enthusiasm for low taxation and low levels of public spending have meant that many elements of our infrastructure are simply not as good as they used to be, and our roads are a prime example

Car manufacturers still seem to be well behind the curve in this regard, they want to sell us the fantasy of 'high performance' cars that can zip round the Nurburgring in a few minutes whilst costing an arm and a leg to maintain and insure. Low profile tyres are a symptom of this malaise, I had a BMW salesman trying to convince me that a harsh jarring ride over poor surfaces was well worth it for a sporty feel when on smooth roads like motorways - but why does anyone need a car with superior handling on roads without any corners?

I guess this is why brands like Dacia are becoming so popular these days, as people realise that paying a great deal less for a vehicle which is much better suited to real-world driving conditions is a better way to spend their money.

https://www.driving.co.uk/news/a-de...y-budget-brand-as-it-marks-240000-sales/

Fashion vs Function!

I wish my Mini had “sensible” profile tyres. However when I bought the local car secondhand and with low mileage, just post Covid, it was at a too good price to miss.
I’m glad that both my 20+ year old 4/4 and Susie’s 2020 Fiat Panda Cross have deep section tyres.
The Panda also has steel rims. Ideal for Devon lanes and potholes.

Bud
4/4 - Stanley