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Comments
for decoration purpose? ;-)
Seriously, the tread looks non-directional. I can't say for sure, but I seriously doubt the sidewalls differ other than the decorative grooving and lettering. That would be asking for another Firestone-Ford tire fiasco (they actually removed some structure in the tires that mostly failed to meet Ford's cost target...other tire mfrs refused to even bid...I think Firestone did because of their long relationship with Ford). Kind of silly for them to be squeezing a couple dollars out of a tire when they make so much profit off the vehicle (Explorers, mostly).
What I don't get is people getting a really nice vehicle and then skimping on tires. I've got a friend with a Maxima, and he tends to get the cheapest tires he can. Well, he used to. He's gotten tired of treads wearing out in 20,000 miles and not offering as much grip in the wet and slush. Last I knew, he was looking at Kumhos (sp?), Goodyears and Michelins.
BTW, 126 posts needed to hit the epic 20,000 post total? To bad Meade has been kidnaped, otherwise; we might hit that tally today.
;-O
Mazda Opens First Ground-Up Facility Encompassing New Retail Philosophy. This is a very cool looking Mazda Dealership!
http://www.motortrend.com/motor/features/news/112_news030128_mazd- a
BTW, Meade was last spotted in the trunk of a white VeeDub Jet in the Baltimore Metro area by a homeless ex-Red Lobster employee checking open cars for loose change. By the time the homeless man spotted a police cruiser the car was gone. Please be on the look at for a very beat up looking 2002 white Jetta with squeaky brakes and lots of rattles in your area. Meade is prolly in the trunk. DO NOT APPROACH the car without,... a bucket of ham biscuits and/or a copy of Protege 6 magazine.
-Larry
Excuse me. I have to barf now.
Meade
Don't get me wrong -- they're great tires for rain, snow, and even dry pavement. They've served me well for 18,000 miles.
But that's the problem.
All four tires are almost to (within an eighth of an inch of) their treadwear indicators -- and these tires carry a 50,000-mile treadwear warranty!!!
I called Jim at TireRack yesterday, and he said to wait until they've all reached their treadwear indicators and then give him, or a local retailer that sells Dunlop, a call. I figure I *may* get 25K -- half the guaranteed mileage -- out of these tires, and then I'll be able to return them and get 50 percent of my money back.
Chalk it up to experience. Dunlop makes a great tire in the SP Sport A2, but it doesn't last anywhere near as long as they claim it to. Thank goodness for the warranty.
So now ... which type of tires to buy -- HERE WE GO AGAIN GUYS!!!
Getting tired of tires,
Meade
And hope you feel better as well. :0
I don't want to be anywhere NEAR your trunk!
OK, been gone for a coupla days. Time to go off and see what you've been saying on all the discussions about all those cars you've owned ...
Meade
Meade, might I suggest BFGoodrich Touring T/A VR4 205/55/r15's? Mine are still like new!
-larry
So I'm sorry Puke Boy, but you may be out of luck.
Larry -- I may actually take you up on that. My Costco sells those tires. Just one question though -- how noisy are they? I've heard they're pretty loud tires.
I liked the Dunlops because they were hauntingly quiet, even with all that traction!
Meade
P.S. I will keep you all posted on the Great Tire Exchange as everything unfolds. I guess finding a local Dunlop dealer would be easier than returning the tires to TireRack ... what would I do in the interim, put Zoomster up on blocks in the front yard? I can't do that ... I don't live in a trailer in West Virginia!
All in all, for $90 CAD ($55-60 USD), the AVIDs have been good. If you have extra $, I am fond of X-Ones, but they cost at least $150 CAD each and wear out much faster. It's really a trade-off b/w grip and tread life.
Dinu
PS: Question: Is it *tread* or *thread* when talking tires?
(Of course, I could go buy a set of four Pep Boys Specials and have enough left over to buy curb feelers, dice and a fuzzy steering wheel cover!!!)
Meade
Anyway, tire-wise, if you get $150 back from Dunlop it might be feasible to get X-Ones and not break the bank.
Dinu
PS: I apologize for going off-topic. We should try to make it to 20.000 posts w/out any off-topic chatter.
Then again, I have 185/65R14 tires.
The Avid T4 and Avid Touring sound like nice tires too (in order from top-down, I was considering Dunlop SP Sport A2, Avid T4, Bridgestone RE910, Michelin X-One, Avid Touring...I was looking for all-season performance and then all-season touring). The Michelin X-Ones have been excellent tires on my 323. They cost a bit, but I notice hardly any wear on them (175/70R13), and they have very good lateral grip on wet roads. I think Michelins look and feel (unmounted, so I can check out the inside as well as the outside) like the best-made tires I've ever handled. However, I was looking for something a bit more sporting for my Pro.
Meade
P.S. Chow-chi -- thanks for the input on your Dunlops. Very interesting ... but have you noticed the treadwear indicator bars? I thought I had lots of tread left too (a good 1/4-inch or so) until I noticed how high the treadwear indicators are! Right now, my front tires have a little tread on them, but the indicator bars are almost flat across the tires!
P.S. Ray -- Probably. At least I have experience in plus-sizing and know it works well. That will definitely allow a few more options when it comes to brand and model.
ashu has these on his 2nd gen Protege and he's very happy with them.
go to http://www.vulcantire.com and check them out!
The only thing I hate is, I'll have to pay my installer 15 or 20 bucks per tire again ... So all in all, if I buy the Yokos, I'll only pay about $180 for a set of four. Not too shabby?
Meade
So once it gets that high can handling really be that good?
I always thought that was the tradeoff for treadwear vs. handling.
Just kidding. :-)
And I ain't payin' no 800 bucks for a set of tires. I'd rather save the cash for something important like the down payment on my 2005 Mazda3!
Meade
Meade
Meade
http://www.editorial.discountnewcars.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/sto- ry2/D37CF2E9D87498A5CA256CB6007C3918
Meade
And I know you were just playing, but just tryin' to work you up a little. Looks like you're feeling better at least...
The car likes above-freezing weather so much more! No more hard shifts for the first 3 minutes, no more freezing driver for the first 10 minutes
Dinu
As I was driving home from work today, I still couldn't believe how good of a car this is for $15K. It has 25K on it now and is almost 2 years old and still drives solid as a rock. I know that it should still drive nice, it only has 25K on it, but I still appreciate this car 2 years after I bought it. The steering is still tight and excellent. It still has a nice firm clunk-free ride. Once warm, the engine is smooth and torquey, perfect for the kind of driving I do. It still looks brand new on the outside and it still has a slight hint of new car smell, especially when the heat is on. I really like the Mazda6, but I really like my car too, and I only have 2 1/2 years left to pay off the 0% loan. By that time, the Mazda3 will be out.....
All I want is:
5spd
A/C
Power Windows
Spoiler
PRO-type handling!!!
Nice interior (like the black in the ES/P5)!
By then I'll be done with school and I'll be able to afford a new car of my own 100%, unlike the PRO which I drive 90%+ of the time, but it's not "mine all mine".
Dinu
It'll be also important to discuss if the 3 makes for a good small car for the masses or if it will not be the choice of millions, which obviously tells us how inferior a car is
On topic however, my PRO badly needs a wash. If it will be above freezing this weekend I have a hand-wash place across the street from me and will drop by for a nice Sunday afternoon car-cleaning day. It also needs to be vacuumed, dusted off, and desalted. There are salt stains on the floor mats and near the speakers' grilles.
Above freezing weather feels so exotic after the last few weeks, but not quite Amazonian yet
Dinu
There are a couple of things I need to know before I get too exited though. I need to like the way it looks. If it has a somewhat Mazda6-ish front end with an RX8-type rear end (how it has been described by those who have seen it) and a decent roofline, I'll take it. I hope I can get one equipped like my 2001 ES. I'd like the ES version of the Mazda3 to not have a body kit. I would like to be able to get the big engine (2.3L) in the ES, not just in a special Mazdaspeed model. I hope the wheels are at least as attractive as the wheels on my current car. I hope Mazda shows some restraint with the silver/platinum painted plastic. I'd rather not have any at all, but I know that's not going to happen.
I actually like the silver plastic or perhaps don't mind it. The 6's interior looks good too and like you I don't want bumper spoilers or side skirts - too much plastic, too much of a Fast and Furious theme and can potentially break or get scrapped in an encounter with a pothole. That being said, I do like a spoiler with an integrated horizontal light (like on our 01 ESs) with 16" rims.
Dinu
Q: Why are Mazdas more popular in Canada than in th US? I always see PROs and MPVs every time I get out of the house.
Dinu
Man, I'm ready for it. Tired of being cold.
My Pro will be 2 years old in April and it hasn't hit 13K yet. Really needs washing badly. But it keeps raining.
fowler3
fowler3
Actualy I can't complain. No issues, no rattles, drives great after 31K miles+ and 18 mths.
Dinu
I'll post a photo in my album.
fowler3
The 2000 alloys look ok, the 01-02 ones are better, but the 03 ones are too overdone. I prefer simple 5 or 7 spoke designs. The 03 ones look like they have 20+ spokes.
Dinu
Dinu
Now is a good time to point out that the new alloys on the '03 P5 (and I assume ES) require the newer, stick-on wheel weights which go on the inside of the wheel. The exterior, rim mounted ones won't go on. This could be an issue when it is time to get the tires balanced as not all shops use these. I would take it to the dealer or a wheel retailer just in case. All in all, I think this is a positive thing since this type of wheel weight works better.