Test drove and then put my order in

[olliewebb]

Okay - what an absolute pain in the arse. Car is ordered with Tusker via work salary sacrifice (higher rate tax payer makes it worthwhile).

Had an email yesterday saying the price is going up £42 a month from the original order - which is now more money than the other supplier my work offers. But because it's so late ordering the car now I have to stay with Tusker. I'm late ordering the car because I couldn't test drive it until recently and I was waiting to also compare the prices between the two suppliers.

Sure Tusker offer a 'free' charger but I don't need it, we're moving to a house with solar, car charger, and heat pump in a few weeks and we already have a charger here. And the other supplier offers four people on the insurance rather than two which is more useful for friends and family in emergencies.

They phoned me this morning to pester me into signing the docs - I wanted confirmation of key for key replacement vs. the XPOWER. Told initially this wasn't logged and we'd be without it between mid-November and late January, got put on hold for 10 mins while they figured it out, then told it was fine we could keep the current car until the new one arrives.

Asked them to put it in writing we are keeping the XPOWER until the new car arrives as I don't trust them now - not just this loads of other issues too.

Would be fine - but I don't much fancy driving a 20+ year old car, a 56 year old car, or a motorbike (a naked sports bike at that) to work during the peak of winter.

 

[rgledhill]

I don't want to ignite a side discussion here, but all season tyres are from about -10C to +35C, whereas summer tyres are about 7C to 45C. You tell me which matches our climate better...

 

[LenEV2016]

I don't want to ignite a side discussion here, but all season tyres are from about -10C to +35C, whereas summer tyres are about 7C to 45C. You tell me which matches our climate better...

I agree certainly for Scotland, I think the top temp is +30c which we very rarely get.
As you say normal (summer tyres) start performing poorly below 7c which I have already had well below (2.5c) on several morning commutes in the last couple of weeks.
Always replace my stock tyres on all my cars (when they need replacing) with all seasons, normally goodyear or Michelin but more and more choice available

 

[rgledhill]

Same here - first thing I do when we get a car is swap the tyres for all season tyres. Currently running Continental All Season Contact which are also quieter than the standard fit tyres on each car we've fitted them to. It's really evident how much more grip we have than drivers who insist on summer tyres when it's chilly in the mornings.

 

[LenEV2016]

Same here - first thing I do when we get a car is swap the tyres for all season tyres. Currently running Continental All Season Contact which are also quieter than the standard fit tyres on each car we've fitted them to. It's really evident how much more grip we have than drivers who insist on summer tyres when it's chilly in the mornings.

We don't get as much snow as we used too but with the all seasons we have never had any issues whatsoever

 

[NikLiverpool]

I have the Michelin cross climates on both mine and the wife's cars. Amazing tyres, massive difference during the cold months.
One issue though, the range takes a hit.

 

[dido]

Whenever I change tyres i choose all seasons,

 

[NikLiverpool]

Interesting...taking under consideration the different tyre sizes of the IM6 I find it impossible to find all seasons tyres of the same manufacturer and version that would fit both front and back...

 

[rgledhill]

Continental All Season Contact are available in both 235/45 R21 and 265/40 R21:

Buy 235/45 R21 Tyres | Fitted Locally | Blackcircles.com

Buy tyres online and get them fitted locally with Blackcircles. Lifetime Guarantee now on all car, van & SUV tyres. Peace of mind, at no extra cost.

www.blackcircles.com

Buy 265/40 R21 Tyres | Fitted Locally | Blackcircles.com

Buy tyres online and get them fitted locally with Blackcircles. Lifetime Guarantee now on all car, van & SUV tyres. Peace of mind, at no extra cost.

www.blackcircles.com

BlackCircles.com are usually best for all season tyres as they're European-based (Germany) where they are (as usual) ahead of the UK in such things.

 

[NikLiverpool]

Thanks for this; much appreciated!
I noticed these yesterday; my concern on the 235/45 ones are that they are T rated; while the ones factory fitted on the IM6 are V.
Should I presume that T (118 mph) which to be fair none should I ever hit (at least on public roads) is more than enough? Is there any other impact on the behaviour of the car?
Apologies but my tyre knowledge is limited

 

[salty]

Don't think I'd like T rated tyres (118 mph) on an IM5. Even though you'll almost certainly never reach 118. For example an X Power comes with W rated tyres 168 mph rated, for an 124 mph top speed. I would think at the very least a W rating for an IM5.

 

[NikLiverpool]

Indeed. with a quick search:

Can I Fit Tyres With a Lower Speed Rating?​

It is not recommended to fit new tyres with a lower speed rating to what is recommended for your vehicle. Whilst choosing to equip your car with a higher speed rating is safe, replacing your tyres with those of a lower speed rating will compromise the safety of your vehicle. This is why it is super important to ensure you know the speed rating that is recommended for your car, and never fit tyres with a lower speed rating than the original fitments.

The only time it is safe to dip below the recommended speed rating is when fitting certain winter tyres to your vehicle. These specialist tyres often come with a lower speed rating due to the fact drivers should be going slower in the winter months, and thanks to their specialist features that allow them to perform safely and efficiently in challenging weather. There are other requirements to meet here though, which we will discuss further on in this article.

What are the Consequences of Fitting Lower Speed Rated Tyres?​

There are many consequences that come with fitting lower speed rated tyres than what is recommended by your car’s manufacturer. These consequences include legal issues like void insurance, and issues with the safety of your vehicle.

It is most important to be aware of the safety implications that are associated with fitting lower speed rated tyres to your car. Tyres with a lower speed rating are not designed to cope with the heat that is generated when driving at high speeds. If you fit your car with low speed rated tyres, but continue to drive at high speeds, you will be at risk of your tyre’s losing performance, losing control of your vehicle, or worse – a tyre blowout.

These safety risks not only put yourself in danger, but the safety of other drivers is compromised too. That is why further consequences come with incorrect use of speed ratings, such as invalidated insurance in the event of an accident, or your car’s manufacturer warranty becoming void. You can also be fined by the police for having the wrong tyres fitted to your car.


I don't think all season tyres fall under the specialist tyres category. Therefore going for a lower speed rating is a big fat no...

 

[rgledhill]

Hmm, that looks like a very lengthy AI-generated reply... the bottom line is that if the tyres are rated to 118mph, then they are safe to 118mph, particularly from a German manufacturer like Continental. However it does have a point that the construction will be different and that may affect the handling of the car in an emergency situation, and the insurance is another matter and you would need to check with the insurer. So on reflection, I think you're right.

 

[NikLiverpool]

This is from Asda site FAQ on tyre fitting
Going from V to T seems to be quite a steep drop. Not sure many insurers would like this...

 

[rgledhill]

Yep, and I just updated my reply to agree

 

[salty]

This is from Asda site FAQ on tyre fitting
Going from V to T seems to be quite a steep drop. Not sure many insurers would like this...

Pretty sure they wouldn't. Stick to the rating it comes with. (Or more) simple's.

 

[AlexC]

I had test drive in the long range, even that mid spec version has 410BHP and felt easily as fast if not faster than my Xpower, even 400kh heavier! Effortless speed and range, was getting 3.4m/kwh and that was very spirited driving.

Comfortable and good software / interface, although it did have to reboot while driving, no doubt will be fixed, and was fast to reboot keeping active settings.
However, it does not look great, certainly compared to Xpower, and is nothing compared to the incredible looking Zeekr range. It's all too rounded, boring, lacking decent lines, and it's a heavy car.

Certainly great value for money and if you need the storage space, that's great too. But for me an exterior refresh needs to give it a much better look. No doubt, one could overlook much of that for the performance version, which should be epic, but you're not going to get great handling.

Needs at least a shade of this type of design! https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/cupra-confirms-five-cylinder-formentor-uk-launch

 

[rgledhill]

I agree about the Zeekr, their range looks fantastic. Shockingly bad software though, from various experienced YouTubers in Norway and elsewhere, which is a pity as I would otherwise have been very interested in the Zeekr X (a.k.a. posh Volvo EX30).

 

[NikLiverpool]

I am expecting Zeekr also to be far more expensive compared to the IMs.
Reckon the top spec with all bells and whistles to be around 60k. (7X)

 

[FreakyBeanz]

I took a test drive of the IM5 last Saturday.

Extremely comfortable car to be in and a nice comfortable drive.

However I really don’t get the lack of one pedal driving in this vehicle. The IM L6 which is the Chinese version of the IM5 has it, so why is it missing here? I love one pedal driving and this omission alone is putting me off purchasing.

I’ve seen a few YouTube video reviews where it has been stated that MG may “consider it” as a software update in the future. Not sure I want to buy a car on a loose promise like that though as there is no guarantee that it will ever arrive.

The other issue I have is rear visibility which is
nonexistent! Yes you can get the rear camera up on the infotainment screen, but surely the rear camera should have been wired up to a video rear view mirror. I think I would have to buy something like a Woolfbox G900 Pro if I bought the car to ensure I had permanent rear view.

A real shame as this had real promise.