Thu July 10 03:47 pm 2014 in category Company news
How to optimise your tyres, increase safety and save money
Worn tyres with less than four millimetres tread depth increase the risk of aquaplaning. Correct tyre pressure prolongs the durability, reduces fuel consumption and provides more driving comfort. Calm driving increases the mileage, tyres with a low rolling resistance save fuel, advises Nokian Tyres.
Worn tyres are no longer safe for driving on wet surfaces, less than four millimetres tread depth increases the risk of aquaplaning. Correct tyre pressure reduces wear, increases safety, saves fuel and improves the driving comfort. Tyres last longer if the motorist drives calmly and avoids unnecessary braking. Tyres with a low rolling resistance save several hundred euros. The right brand tyres with high quality and maximum safety are a good choice, recommends tyre specialist Nokian Tyres from Finland.
Enhanced safety: Rotate the tyres from the front to the back
To ensure optimum safety of their summer tyres, motorists are advised to check their tyres regularly for signs of wear, the correct pressure and tread depth. A tyre with less than four millimetres groove depth is no longer safe in wet weather, as its wet grip and aquaplaning protection are drastically reduced. With worn tyres, aquaplaning starts at speeds as low as 76 km/h, with new tyres however not until 96 km/h, according to tests by Nokian. This applies for a tread depth of less than 1.6 millimetre and five millimetres water on the road.
“Tyres on driven wheels wear considerably faster than free-rolling tyres,” explains Matti Morri, Technical Customer Service Manager of Nokian Tyres. To compensate for the wear, motorists are advised to rotate their front tyres to the back and vice versa mid-season.”
The surface of the tyre can also wear unevenly. Even with six millimetres tread on the outer shoulder, the grooves on the inside can be virtually worn away. High wear is often attributable to excessively low tyre pressure, incorrect steering angle adjustment or worn shock absorbers.
Correct tyre pressure enhances the driving comfort
Driving with the correct tyre pressure for the car and adjusting the tyre pressure to the load improves safety, durability and fuel consumption, not to mention the driving comfort. “Tyres with the correct pressure roll comfortably and ensure good handling,” argues Nokian tyre expert Morri. If the pressure is too high, the tyres will not flex under the car, which decreases the driving comfort. And if the pressure is too low, the car no longer drives safely and smoothly.
Calm driving reduces tyre wear
The style of driving impacts significantly on the tyre wear. Tyres last longer if the motorist drives calmly and avoids unnecessary braking. Correct tyre pressure greatly reduces tyre wear. “The tyre pressure should always be adapted to the load. Before setting off on a holiday trip with a fully loaded car, it is advisable to increase the tyre pressure,” advises Morri. If the tyre pressure is too low, the car drives less smoothly, and the tyres deform more easily. This leads to additional heat generation and faster wear.
Save several hundred euros in fuel
If a motorist is looking to save fuel, it is advisable to choose tyres with as little rolling resistance as possible. “Low rolling resistance tyres with the correct inflation pressure save up to half a litre of fuel over a hundred kilometres. This results in a saving of 85.50 euros over 10,000 kilometres in summer for an average fuel price in Europe of 1.71 euro for Premium 95 E10 per litre. Over four years’ driving, this saves you 342 euros and 200 litres of fuel,” calculates tyre specialist Morri from Nokian Tyres.
The key information about the right tyres in the car’s registration document
What does the tyre designation 205/55 R 16 94 V XL mean in the car’s registration document? This combination of numbers and letters informs you of the right tyre type for the car. Juha Pirhonen, Product Development Manager of Nokian Tyres, explains what the most important letters and numbers mean.
“The letter V indicates the speed index, i.e. the maximum speed 240 km/h the tyre is allowed to be driven at. When choosing the speed index, motorists are advised to follow the car manufacturer’s recommendations. A lower speed index such as H with a maximum speed of 210 km/h can impair the handling, i.e. the steering, a higher speed index such as W with a maximum speed of 270 km/h reduces the driving comfort.
The number 205 denotes the width of the car tyre in millimetres. The number 55 is the height of the tyre as a percentage of its sectional width. If, according to the car’s registration document, 225/45 is also permissible, it is also possible to fit this 20 millimetres wider tyre with a significantly smaller profile. This wide tyre offers a better steering feel than a narrower tyre with a higher profile and responds more directly to steering movements,” explains Nokian product specialist Pirhonen. “The wide tyre is suitable for a driver who prefers quick steering responses and a sporty feel. On the other hand, a wide car tyre performs less well on rutted roads, which is why drivers who prefer a more comfortable travel should opt for a narrower tyre with a higher profile. What is more, a narrower tyre is safer on wet roads, as it displaces water better than a wider tyre.”
Tyres should not be more than six years old. Older tyres grip significantly less well on wet roads and the rubber also starts to crack, warns Nokian. The last four digits of the DOT number on the sidewall indicate the production date. The number 1314 means that the tyre was produced in week 13 of the year 2014.
Nokian tyres are also available from retailers as complete wheels on rims for tyre changes.
Three tips for safe driving
- Check tyre pressure every three weeks when the tyres are cold, since tyres lose air.
- Inflate tyres 0.2 bar higher than car manufacturer’s recommendation. This saves fuel.
- Rotating the tyres from front to back mid -season helps them to last longer
Vianor tyre and car-service chain of Nokian Tyres:
http://vianor.com
Edited by: Dr Falk Köhler
Photos downloads Nokian Tyres: Risk of aquaplaning, check tyre tread depth, check tyre pressure:
www.nokiantyres.com/summerseasonCE
Video
Video download Nokian line summer tyres:
http://youtu.be/YbsERA80v18
More information:
Nokian tyres rated “good” in ADAC summer tyre test 2014 and by consumer organisation Stiftung Warentest:
https://www.nokiantyres.com/company/news-article/nokian-tyres-rated-good-in-adac-summer-tyre-test-2014-and-by-consumer-organisation-stiftung-warentest-2/
Nokian summer tyres offer high levels of safety and satisfaction in challenging summer conditions:
https://www.nokiantyres.com/company/news-article/nokian-summer-tyres-offer-high-levels-of-safety-and-satisfaction-in-challenging-summer-conditions/
Test success for Nokian tyres:
https://www.nokiantyres.com/innovation/test-success/
Sources:
Monthly average fuel prices in Europe (German Automobile Club ADAC)
http://www.adac.de/infotestrat/adac-im-einsatz/motorwelt/benzinpreis_ausland.aspx
Nokian Tyres is the world's leading winter tyre specialist, a multiple test winner, the inventor of the winter tyre and a premium brand
As the world's leading winter tyre specialist, a multiple test winner, and a premium brand, Nokian Tyres offers the safest tyres for Northern conditions. Innovative Nokian tyres from Finland for cars, trucks, and heavy machinery demonstrate their high quality particularly well in snow, ice, tough climates, and demanding driving situations. Nokian is the inventor of the winter tyre and has been designing, testing, and patenting innovative tyres for 80 years. Furthermore, Nokian produces tyres especially developed for European weather and the higher speeds on European motorways. Nokian tyres deliver excellent safety, save fuel, and are the forerunner of environmental friendliness. The company is number 1 in terms of brand recognition and appreciation in Scandinavia and Russia and has a positive, exceptional image.
Nokian WR winter tyres are test winners and have achieved numerous further test successes
Nokian WR winter tyres, optimised for European demands, are test winners and have achieved numerous further test successes. The Nokian WR D3 winter tyre scores the top rating “good”, and is thus “especially recommended” in the 2013 winter tyre test of the German automobile club ADAC and the consumer protection organisation Stiftung Warentest and is amongst the best. The Nokian WR D3 is rated “Especially recommended” by the German car magazine auto motor sport. The new Nokian WR SUV 3 high performance winter tyre comes out on top in the big SUV winter tyre test 2013 by OFF ROAD, with the top rating “highly recommended”.
Nokian winter tyres are the test winners in the 2012 winter tyre tests conducted by the German car magazines Auto Bild, auto motor sport, and AUTOStraßenverkehr earning top ratings of “exemplary”, “highly recommended”, and “very good”. In more than 20 winter tyre tests carried out by car magazines in Germany and other European countries last winter, Nokian tyres came out on top and thus confirmed the positive image of the Nordic premium brand. The Finnish tyres are given the top rating of “good” by the German automobile club ADAC and consumer protection organisation Stiftung Warentest.
Standard Nokian winter tyres set a new Guinness world record Fastest on Ice by reaching a top speed of 335.713 km/h.
Nokian tyres rated “good” in the ADAC summer tyre test 2014 and by the consumer organisation Stiftung Warentest and test winner in the German SUV magazine OFF ROAD
Nokian summer tyres are multiple test winners, offering high levels of safety and saving fuel. The Nokian Line summer tyre scores the top rating “good” in the summer tyre test 2014 of the German automobile club ADAC and with the German consumer organisation Stiftung Warentest Being rated “especially recommended”, Nokian Line is among the test winner group. As such, the Nokian tyre achieved a double success in the two best-selling tyre sizes tested for the compact and middle-sized category and for small cars. The Nokian strengths in the ADAC test: Very balanced tyre, good on wet and dry roads.
The test winner is the Nokian Z SUV in the big SUV summer tyre test 2014 by the German SUV magazine OFF ROAD, with the top rating “HIGHLY RECOMMENDED” and also in SUV MAGAZIN.
Nokian tyres were test winners 70 times or were among test winner group, scoring “good” or “recommended” 51 times in 121 test reports from autumn 2011 to spring 2014 – in Central Europe alone.
Increased safety through innovations: Winter Safety Indicator with snowflake and Driving Safety Indicator (DSI) with aquaplaning warning
The Nokian Driving Safety Indicator (DSI) with the unique snowflake symbol, the Winter Safety Indicator (WSI), on the Nokian WR winter tyre clearly shows the driver the groove depth as a number from 8 to 4 millimetres. The snowflake remains visible down to 4 millimetres. When it disappears, the risk increases and the winter tyres should be replaced. The grooves must be a minimum of 4 millimetres deep in order to provide enough grip on snow and to prevent slush planing and aquaplaning on winter and summer tyres.
The Driving Safety Indicator on the Nokian summer tyres shows the driver the groove depth as a simple figure from 8 to 3. An aquaplaning alert within this warns of the danger of aquaplaning with a drop symbol. It disappears when there are only four millimetres of remaining tread, alerting the driver of the increased risk. No other tyre manufacturer has these innovations.
Nokian Tyres achieved a 1.521 billion euro turnover in 2013
Nokian Tyres achieved a turnover of 1.521 billion euro in 2013 and had over 4,000 employees. In Central Europe, Nokian Tyres operates with own sales companies in ten countries. The company also owns the Vianor tyre and car-service chain that comprises over 1,200 outlets in 27 countries.
www.nokiantyres.com
Vianor tyre and car-service chain of Nokian Tyres:
http://vianor.com
Further information:
www.facebook.com/nokiantyres
www.youtube.com/NokianTyresCom
www.twitter.com/NokianTyresCom
www.linkedin.com/company/nokian-tyres-plc
Press contact:
Dr Falk Köhler PR
Dr Falk Köhler
Tel. +49 40 54 73 12 12
Fax +49 40 54 73 12 22
E-mail Dr.Falk.Koehler(at)Dr-Falk-Koehler.de
Ödenweg 59
22397 Hamburg
Germany
Further information:
Nokian Tyres s.r.o
Business Director Central Europe Dieter Köppner, Tel. +420 222 507 761
E-mail dieter.koppner(at)nokiantyres.com
Product Development Manager Sven Dittmann, Dipl.-Ing., Tel. +49 8143 444 850
E-mail sven.dittmann(at)nokiantyres.com
Marketing Manager Lukáš Líbal, Tel. +420 222 507 759
E-mail lukas.libal(at)nokiantyres.com
www.nokiantyres.com
Nokian Tyres plc:
Development Manager Juha Pirhonen, Tel. +358 10 401 7708
E-mail juha.pirhonen(at)nokiantyres.com
Technical Customer Service Manager Matti Morri, Tel. +358 10 401 7621
E-mail matti.morri(at)nokiantyres.com
www.nokiantyres.com