"What do new tyre labels tell you?"
"All Season Tyres Leek, Tyres Leek ( 650+ words)"
[ "What do new tyre labels tell you?Do you know what all the numbers and symbols on a tyre mean? It's time to find out, with our guide to new tyre labels. They were introduced in Europe earlier this year and will slowly make their way onto the sidewalls of All Season Tyres Leek sold worldwide over the next few years. The aim is to help car buyers choose more wisely when it comes to buying new tyres, to reduce CO2 emissions and increase safety while at the same time saving them money by using the right tyre for their needs in terms of fuel consumption grip and noise levelsFew consumers know how many options they have when choosing a new set of wheels beyond basic parameters such as size and price or whether both summer tyres and winter tyres can be combined on a car. The new tyre labels should help take some of the guesswork out by providing clear information about a tyre's suitability for wet roads and fuel economy, noise levels, and rolling resistance in addition to the mandatory information such as tyre dimensions, load index, and speed rating.Parameters of tyre labelsIn addition to these four parameters, tyres sold between 1998-2013, the European Commission decided to add three more: under-inflation pressure, wet grip, and rolling resistance. Each parameter is marked with one or two ticks, which indicate how well a tyre has performed during tests carried out by independent EU test centres approved by the EC"Under-inflation pressure," "wet grip," and "rolling resistance" are assessed on a graded scale of one to three stars. Note that under-inflation pressure is not displayed as an absolute figure, but as the specific range, it must be maintained. The highest tyre pressure recommended by the manufacturer is given first (the best practice would be to keep this "optimum" level)The new label also shows how long a tyre will take to reach proper inflation levels after being fitted on your car (two minutes for summer tyres and 10 minutes for winter ones) and what the maximum speed is for which the tyre has been designed (this will be either indicated on its sidewall or in your car's manual). However, it should be noted that manufacturers are still free to set higher performance targets than those listed on these labelsHowever, despite the label's clear objective to help car buyers make better tyre choices, some unanswered questions remain. For example, it is unclear how the EC selected different test centres, many of which are based in warmer southern European countries where they have tested predominantly summer tyres. It remains to be seen if their results reflect the real-world performance of winter tyres in cooler climates. The same might also hold for wet grip testing on the best-performing tyres that will be displayed with two ticks once new labels start appearing around Europe next year. At present, there are no details about whether or not these tests will be carried out throughout the entire review period (40 000 km).Says Mr Kleinekorte: "We believe that, together with the tyre industry and national test centres, we need to consider how to improve these tests in future. It would be unacceptable if they led to consumers being placed on cars with inappropriate tyres." On what basis were the labels decided upon?;"The tyre label was designed through an extensive consultation process. The aim was to find a solution that both helps consumers make better decisions when buying new tyres and is acceptable for all three key groups involved: car manufacturers, tyre producers, and retailers, as well as consumer organisations", says Mr Kleinekorte. "A labelling system that's simple yet comprehensive  giving clear information on safety, environmental impact and fuel economy  also had to be developed at a cost level comparable with mandatory labelling. In the end, all three groups were broadly satisfied with this result.";Another critical question is how representative the test results are for a tyre's performance over time and whether they reflect real-life driving conditions. There has been a concern, for example, as to whether or not tyres that have been fitted on a standardised EU test car achieve similar levels of fuel economy in reality as those tested by an independent European test centre. The EC claims that its tests cover a broad range of different cars and drivers, but Mr Kleinekorte concedes: "For now we do not know for certain who will buy these Tyres Leek or what type of driving they will be used for  so our conclusions have to remain provisional". Some motorists might feel that a tyre labelled three-star could still be considered as being safer than one that receives just one star" ]