Ask Connor at The Tire Rack

eb12

I am looking at BFG Traction TA/H or Yokohama Avid H4S,(195-60-15) or is there something else to consider? -Thanks, Eric

mavis

I am a single women that needs new tires for her car, and has had no experience for winter driving. I have never purchase tires before, and the word is HELP!!! So keep in mind I could be you Grandmother!!!

krzyss

OEM 195/65R15 91H Michelin Energy MXV4 on 15x5 wheel, if I am not mistaken.

There are not that many tires to match load index. Most are 89. I believe it is the P letter, which you do not show on your web page ;-)

I would like to buy an all season tire that would not squeak that badly in turns. Threadwear is not as important as traction.
What do you think about going +0 (205/60R15) ?

Krzys

jmeasell

The Goodyear Eagle RS-As (OEMs for P225/60R16) on my 99 Olds Intrigue have nearly 80K miles. What would you recommend as a replacement? I've had good luck with BF Goodrich T/As in the past, but you frequently tout Bridgestone Turanza LS-H, or LS-T.

Also looking to replace OEMs (P215/70R15) on my '01 Olds extended minivan. Any suggestions? Thanks.

sduford

I just bought an 05 Outback XT and I'm thinking of having the tires swapped before I take delivery.

I hear a lot of negative feedback on the OEM RE-92As regarding their lack of grip, long breaking distance, and noise at high speed.

Would the Pilot A/S be a good replacement?

I will buy Blizzacs WS-50s for the winter but I still like having all-season tires in the summer because we occasionally get surprise snow falls up in the mountains in the spring and fall.

Speaking of that, should I buy steel wheels for the winter? They use a lot of road salt here in eastern Canada and I'm afraid that using alloy wheels for winter they would get damaged.

sduford

Connor, I guess I should give you a bit more info.

I live on a lake in te Laurentian mountains north of Montreal and my house is at the end of 3 miles of rough dirt road. The road basically goes up one side of the mountain and down the other with steep hills. This is why I bought an Outback and will need the best snow/ice tires I can get (Blizzak). I had Winter Duellers on my Highlander and was VERY impressed, so were my neighbors with cheap studded tires.

However, I do enjoy driving agressively in the summer so I want a high-performance tire. But because we do get the occasional surprise snow fall in spring and fall, I do think All-Season are best. Quiet and comfortable ride are also important, but not as much as performance.

From reading the reviews on your great website, and your comments here, sounds like I should be looking at either the Pilot Sport AS or the Turanza LH-V.

I'm also hesitant to use alloy wheel during the winter because of the road salt, but I'm not sure if that is a valid concern.

Thanks again for the great service you provide and I hope most of the people who use your advice end up buying from you!

gpgazed

Have a 97 Toyota Celica convertible (great car!). Probably will need a couple new tires. Have already replaced two of the originals. Mostly traffic driving in DC metro area. Current tires are 205 55 R 15 -- big high performance tires. They seem very sensitive to damage, etc.
My question -- can I replace these tires with anything other than what I've got? Would like to step down a bit in price and up a bit in durability (ha ha). Last ones were Eagle plus 4 or some such.

18fan

Hi Connor,

I was checking out the local tire shop recently for replacements of the OE Continentals on my 04 Camry LE (195/65/15). The shop was recommending Toyo tires.... claims they are a better tire than the BFG Traction T/A or the Yokohama H4S. They had a Toyo Spectrum (70K mile tire) and a Toyo Z-800 Ultra (100K mile tire).

I notice that Toyo tires do not appear on Tirerack's site. Do you have any experience with this brand and/or an opinion on them?

I am in the Pacific Northwest, so looking for good rain and ice traction in addition to snow traction. Many thanks!

sarora1

Connor,

I currently have AVID V4s with about 28K miles on them. The tires are pretty bald.

Please recommend a good All-season touring tire - less performance but longer tread life. I am considering - the BF goodrich traction T/A , Bridgestone Turanza LS-H and Goodyear Assurance ComforTread.

Thanks. Also, if I buy tires on-line, where can I get them installed...I have never done this before.

Thanks for your help
Sandy

sarora1

Connor,

Forgot to mention the size on my AVID V4s - 215/55 R16..

Thanks
Sandy

pokadots

I have a mazda RX8 I would like to buy snow tires. The current size is 225 45 r 18, the base model uses 205 55 16. The original size for snow tires are much less. As I leased the car for 24 months and will only use the snows for 6 months I would prefer to go on the cheap. Can I mount the original tire size on my car and is it safe.

shued

I hope to ask one question: My 2004 Sienna LE comes with P215/65R16 tire with 16X6.5 wheels, when I try upgrade to aftermarket alloy wheel, all of three independent store chain quote me wheel size 16X7. Thus there has half inch different in width. What kind of effect? do I need to change the OEM tires?

jeremycole

What winter tires would you recommend for use 70% on city streets in western Massachusetts and on the interstate heading north and 30% in Vermont hills in the winter? The car comes new with H rated tires Potenza RE92s which I have heard not great in the snow and ice. Is it really worth it to get steel rims or just have thre tires changed over on the alloys?

lime679

Hello,
 
     We have a Mercedes S55 with ZR rated tires on it. The tires only have a life of 8-15,000 miles. The tires are directional and when I just replaced them I purchased multi-directional! Will the car still perform at neck-snapping speeds like usual or do I need to stick with directional? Thanks

jaramabeige

I have 4 original wheels/tires at 19 inches with 275/45/19. However, my spare is only 18 inches and its tire is 255/55/18. I want to obtain a new tire so that the spare will be identical to the originals. What size tire do you recommend given the smaller 18 inch spare? Thanks.

connortirerack

There are several highly rated performance all season tires in this size. Between the two that you have listed i would lean towards the Yokohama Avid H4S (53.00 each) as the better tire. The best recommendation in this size and class i would say would be the Bridgestone Potenza RE950 (79.00 each). The Bridgestone will offer better wet and dry traction as well as being quieter with a better ride quality. Winter traction would be very similar between the two.

connor@tirerack.com
Tire & Wheel Specialist
The Tire Rack
877-522-8473 ext 269
When placing an order online or the phone, please reference Connor at ext 269

connortirerack

If you have never driven on snow before then i would recommend using the tire that offers the best ice and snow traction. Personally i would rather have the added benefit of saftey when i am dealing with inexperience in an already dangerous situation. I would recommend using the 215/65R16 Bridgestone BLIZZAK WS-50 (93.00 each). In all of the years we have tested now tire i have to say that i have not seen another tire with as good of ice and snow traction. And yes, my grandparents have these on their car.

connor@tirerack.com
Tire & Wheel Specialist
The Tire Rack
877-522-8473 ext 269
When placing an order online or the phone, please reference Connor at ext 269

connortirerack

Personally i would recommend using the 205/60/15. It is an approved size by VW and the added width of the tire will offer added handling and control. The Michelin that cam on the vehicle was a touring all season tire. If you are looking for a comparable tire in that class i would suggest using the P205/60R15 Bridgestone TURANZA LS-H (97.00 each). I think this is the best tire in that class for ride quality and comfort as well as having good all season traction capabilities. Personally i would prefer performance all season tire for the added handling benefits. If you wanted to go this direction i would recommend using the P205/60HR15 Bridgestone Potenza RE950 (83.00 each). This tire will not only offer an excellent ride quality but it will also have excellent traction and handling.

connor@tirerack.com
Tire & Wheel Specialist
The Tire Rack
877-522-8473 ext 269
When placing an order online or the phone, please reference Connor at ext 269

ramza39

Hi Connor, my car is a 2001 Mercedes CLK 320 with the original 16" Michelin Energy MXV4 Plus tires (205/55 R16 91H). I would like to increase the size of the tires but at the same time using the original 16" wheels. Some of the questions I want to ask:
1) Will there be enough clearance for the wider tires (e.g. suspension components, wheel wells, brakes etc.)?
2) Does 225/50 R16 fit my car?
3) Can I get wider tires (wider than 225/50 R16) by using the original wheels and still have enough clearance?
4) I don't want to lower my car, so if I upgrade to 17" wheels, will my car look "lifted" (fender gap too big)?
5) Can I use a tire that has a load index lower than 91 (the OE index)?

Thanks,
Patrick

qali

Hi, I am researching new tires for my 1998 Sienna. Tire size is P205/70 R15 95T. Currently have X-one on the van, but looking at the following:

Goodyear Assurance TripleTred
Goodyear Assurance ComfortTred
Michelin Harmony

I live in Toronto, but do a lot of highway driving to Ottawa, Washington DC and Cleveland. Need a good handling, comfort tire that is easy to drive on highways. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

connortirerack

I think you are on the right track using an all season tire in the spring summer and fall, and a snow tire in the winter time. Due to the conditions you described i would stay away from an ultra high performance all season tire. they will offer some snow traction but not very much and it will not be much good in the soft dirt or mud. I would recommend using the 225/55/17 Pirelli Scorpion STR (123.00 each). This is a Highway all season tire with a slightly more aggressive tread design for better wet and snow traction. They will also offer a far better traction level in the loose dirt and mud. In the winter time i would recommend using the 225/60/16 Bridgestone Blizzack WS50 (98.00 each) with steel wheels (49.00 each). The steel wheels will be much more durable than an alloy wheel. You might want to consider running a 16" tire and wheel package all year long. Apparently you are driving off road or on dirt roads quite often and eventually will end up damaging the 17" wheels that cam on the car. just a thought.

connor@tirerack.com
Tire & Wheel Specialist
The Tire Rack
877-522-8473 ext 269
When placing an order online or the phone, please reference Connor at ext 269

connortirerack

The original Goodyear Eagle GT+4 are very soft side walled tires. I would recommend using the Yokohama Avid V4S (72.00 each). They will offer a similar ride quality as well as better wet and dry traction. You will not only save around 25.00 per tire but i think you will be happier with them.

connor@tirerack.com
Tire & Wheel Specialist
The Tire Rack
877-522-8473 ext 269
When placing an order online or the phone, please reference Connor at ext 269

connortirerack

Due to the fact that i do not carry the Toyo line of tire i cannot give an honest comparison between Toyo or any of the brands that i do carry. We have sold Toyo in the past and dropped the line due to reasons that i can't verify. Between the Yokohama Avid H4S (59.00 each) and the BF Goodrich Traction T/A H4 (63.00 each) i prefer the Yokohama. In the testing we have done, it offered slightly better wet traction and was quieter. The ride quality is very similar between the two.

connor@tirerack.com
Tire & Wheel Specialist
The Tire Rack
877-522-8473 ext 269
When placing an order online or the phone, please reference Connor at ext 269

connortirerack

Hi Sandy,
If you are looking for a touring all season tire i would recommend using the 215/55/16 Bridgestone Turanza LS-H (116.00 each). This tire comes with a 50,000 mile warrantly and has proven it's quality time and time again. I think you would be vary happy with this tire.

connor@tirerack.com
Tire & Wheel Specialist
The Tire Rack
877-522-8473 ext 269
When placing an order online or the phone, please reference Connor at ext 269

connortirerack

This is a tricky car to fit wheels and tires to. I actually moderate an RX8 forum so i am very familiar with the specs on the wheel. You stated your model has the 225/45/18 from the factory which means you either have an automatic touring package, automatic sports package, or the manual 6 speed model. The base model comes with smaller brake caliper and rotors and will fit the 16" wheel but not the other models. Assuming you do not have the base model the smallest you could down size to is 17". Also keep in mind that you have a tire pressure sensor in each tire and you will need to have them in the new snow tires and wheels. I have included the information about the most common package i sell for this car. It would include:

225/50VR17 BLIZZAK LM-22 ---------- 176.00 each
17X7 KAZERA KZ-V ------------------ 129.00 each
MAZDA RX-8 TPMS SENSOR ------------ 109.00 each
REQUIRED TPMS SLEEVE FOR RX8 ------ 5.00 each
Total ----------------------------- 1677.00 +s/h

connor@tirerack.com
Tire & Wheel Specialist
The Tire Rack
877-522-8473 ext 269
When placing an order online or the phone, please reference Connor at ext 269

connortirerack

The explaination is simpler than the it would seem. Not all wheel manufacturers make all wheels in the same sizes. The wheels that i carry for you Sienna range from 16X6.5" to 16X7.5" but they all fit according to Nissan specifications. Due to the flexibility of the tire the 215/65/16 will fit all the wheel sizes in this range.

connor@tirerack.com
Tire & Wheel Specialist
The Tire Rack
877-522-8473 ext 269
When placing an order online or the phone, please reference Connor at ext 269

connortirerack

I would recommend using the 225/60/16 Bridgestone Blizzak WS50 (98.00 each) and the 16" Subaru steel wheel (49.00 each) in the winter months. Due to the condition of the roads in the north east areas in the winter months i would not recommend using the alloy wheels that came on the car, unless you don't like them and are looking for an excuse to get rid of them. The steel wheels are more durable and less expensive to replace if you do damage the wheel from hitting a pot hole. I would recommend using the Blizzaks simply due to the fact that they offer the best over all ice and snow traction.

connor@tirerack.com
Tire & Wheel Specialist
The Tire Rack
877-522-8473 ext 269
When placing an order online or the phone, please reference Connor at ext 269

connortirerack

I Would need to know what exactly you ordered before i could compare them against the OE tires that came on the car.

connor@tirerack.com
Tire & Wheel Specialist
The Tire Rack
877-522-8473 ext 269
When placing an order online or the phone, please reference Connor at ext 269

connortirerack

I'm afraid i don't understand the question. Are you saying you want to replace the 18" spare with a 19" wheel and tire to match what is on the car? Are you asking for an 18" tire that is the same overall diameter as the 19" tires that are on the car? Or are you traying to replace the 19" tires that are on the car with 18" to match the spare?

connor@tirerack.com
Tire & Wheel Specialist
The Tire Rack
877-522-8473 ext 269
When placing an order online or the phone, please reference Connor at ext 269

connortirerack

To all members,
I apologize for the delay in responding to questions over the past 1-2 weeks. With winter time rolling in our phone call volume increases quite a bit and i do have to consider the phone calls a priority. If you have a question that you need a quick response to, please give me a call directly and i will be happy to assist you.

connor@tirerack.com
Tire & Wheel Specialist
The Tire Rack
877-522-8473 ext 269
When placing an order online or the phone, please reference Connor at ext 269

stever

You're doing great Conner - we appreciate it!

Steve, Host

sduford

Thanks a lot Connor, you provide a wonderful service!

jmeasell

Any suggestions for the 99 Olds Intrigue and 01 Olds minivan posted on Sept. 23? thanks.

krzyss

but I understand priorities.
Thanks for the answer.

Krzys

coxgd

Vehicle: 2002 Chevy Venture Warner Bro's Edition with load leveling rear suspension. Current tires 215/70R15 General XP 2000 GT original equipment with 40,000 on them. Current tires have performed well and still seem to have plenty of tread, but have started to slip in wet weather. Last week in the rain when starting from a stop the traction control kicked in. I am looking for a replacement tire. I reside in the Tampa Bay area, so good wet weather traction is important. We usually make a trip to Tennessee in the Thanksgiving to Christmas time frame, so some limited snow driving is possible. I have been considering the Turanza LS-T and the Michelin Harmony but I am open to other suggestions. I like Michelin tires, having used them many times on different vehicles. I currently have Michelin MX4 tires on a 1998 Chrysler T&C which have given excellent tread wear and handling, but I find the ride to be a little harsh.
So to recap, I am looking for a tire with excellent wet weather handling, some limited snow capability and since it is my wife's car, a quite and smooth ride. Thank you for your advice.

jaramabeige

Want to keep the 18 inch wheel, but need to obtain a new tire so that will be same height/width as original 19 inch wheels/tires on car. Original 19 inch wheels have 275/45/19 tires. What size tires should I buy for the 18 inch wheel? Thanks.

connortirerack

Hi Patrick,

1) Will there be enough clearance for the wider tires (e.g. suspension components, wheel wells, brakes etc.)?
2) Does 225/50 R16 fit my car?

The largest size i could recommend according to Mercedes specifications would be 225/50/16 and this size will fit the stock 16X7 wheel.

3) Can I get wider tires (wider than 225/50 R16) by using the original wheels and still have enough clearance?
 
According to the information from Mercedes the 225/50/16 is the largest you can use without modification to the vehicle or affecting the vehicles electronics.

4) I don't want to lower my car, so if I upgrade to 17" wheels, will my car look "lifted" (fender gap too big)?

As long as you stay within the recommended size range the fender gap would be the same as what you currently see because the tires would be the same overall diameter.

5) Can I use a tire that has a load index lower than 91 (the OE index)?

The load index can change slightly from manufacturer to manufacturer due to differences in building materials. As long as you are using the correct size and the recommended air pressure for your car the tire will be fine even if the Load index is slightly lower.

connor@tirerack.com
Tire & Wheel Specialist
The Tire Rack
877-522-8473 ext 269
When placing an order online or the phone, please reference Connor at ext 269

connortirerack

Due to the amount of long distance driving you are doing i would recommend using the tire with the highest ride quality rating. In this case it would be the 205/70/15 Goodyear Assurance ComfortTred (77.00 each). Out of the three tires you have listed i think this would offer the most comfortable ride quality as well as good dry and wet traction.

connor@tirerack.com
Tire & Wheel Specialist
The Tire Rack
877-522-8473 ext 269
When placing an order online or the phone, please reference Connor at ext 269

connortirerack

I apologize, i must have over looked this one. You asked:

"The Goodyear Eagle RS-As (OEMs for P225/60R16) on my 99 Olds Intrigue have nearly 80K miles. What would you recommend as a replacement? I've had good luck with BF Goodrich T/As in the past, but you frequently tout Bridgestone Turanza LS-H, or LS-T.
Also looking to replace OEMs (P215/70R15) on my '01 Olds extended minivan. Any suggestions? Thanks."

If you have 80K miles on Goodyear RS-A tires than you have done very well with them. Normally they will run around 50-55,000 miles. Even though i am a big fan of the Turanza LS-H the tire i would recommend for You Intrigue would be the P225/60R16 Bridgestone Potenza RE950 (98.00 each). The Intrigue has a performance oriented suspension and the RE950 would perform far better with it. They will still offer a great ride quality but you will have the added traction and handling of a performance all season tire.
For the Oldsmobile minivan i would use the P215/70R15 Bridgestone TURANZA LS-T (83.00 each). I would recommend this tire due to the exceptional ride quality and traction levels. Because this is a family vehicle i think this tire is an excellent choice.

connor@tirerack.com
Tire & Wheel Specialist
The Tire Rack
877-522-8473 ext 269
When placing an order online or the phone, please reference Connor at ext 269

connortirerack

Using the characteristics you asked for i would recommend using the P215/70R15 Firestone AFFINITY LH30 (65.00 each). This tire comes with an "H" speed rating and is designed to handle wet traction at interstated speeds. Also with the slightly higher speed rating you will get a little firmer ride. Because of the higher center of gravity full size vans tend to have quite a bit of body roll. The heavier side wall will also help to control the body roll for better handling.

connor@tirerack.com
Tire & Wheel Specialist
The Tire Rack
877-522-8473 ext 269
When placing an order online or the phone, please reference Connor at ext 269

jjv55

Can you give a recommendation for all-season tires? Mostly road driving; in Chicago, so variable winter weather. In addition to obvious handling and safety, we're looking for a smoother, quieter ride.

Thanks so much for your help!

nine51

I don't want to sound like I'm contradicting the advice here, but my experiences with the Affinity in snow and wet weather were not very good. I have a 97 Dodge Grand Caravan ES with trac. control and ABS. I bought the van off lease with 44K miles on it and a new set of Firestone Affinitys had been installed by the dealer to replace the worn out OEM tires. I drove the van for about 3 years with those tires and never felt like they had very good traction in the wet and the ABS and trac. control was working overtime in snow. I replaced the Affinitys with Goodyear Regatta 2s last fall and it was a major improvement in control. They ride well, run quieter than the Affinitys and have much better traction in snow. Handling seems to be about the same on dry roads. The Affinitys would understeer a lot in the rain. Lots of slippage. I just rotated the Regattas last month with 7500 miles on them and they still look new. I am not an "easy " driver in this van and push it pretty hard.
Go to the Tire Rack site and check out the reviews. They will echo my experiences.

mitchs3

Need new tires, or getting close on my 02 330i non sport which uses 205/50-17. Narrowed down to replacing with same Continental Contitouring Contact from tirerack for $126 or Pilot Sport A/S @ $173 each. What is most important to me is wet and snow traction as I live in Maryland with some snow and slush coming up. My driving is mildly spirited.Is the Michelin better for my needs and worth the extra money? I got about 28K on my original Conti's, and did not rotate as per BMW recs. They have some life but with winter I want fresh rubber as will need anyway in the next 6 months..Thanks

connortirerack

the 275/45/19 is 28.7" in overall diameter. the closest tire size i have to this in 18" would be the 255/55/18. Because you are using this as a spare i wouldrecommend just using the lowest priced tire which is the 255/55R18 Kumho ECSTA STX (101.00 each). Before you order a tire to use as a spare make sure that you have the space for the spare in your trunk. I have no way to verify this information so it is something that would need to be done by you.

connor@tirerack.com
Tire & Wheel Specialist
The Tire Rack
877-522-8473 ext 269
When placing an order online or the phone, please reference Connor at ext 269

connortirerack

My best recommendation would be a tire that is fairly new to the market. it would be the 235/65R17 Bridgestone DUELER HL ALENZA. This tire came out around 3 or 4 onths ago and showed outstanding reviews. I haven't made to many recommendations on it because i wanted to wait until i had a chance to drive it my self in our tire testing. It tested great! In my opinoin it is the best SUV tire since the Michelin Cross Terrain hit the market. The best part is that the Alenza is a much lower price. The 235/65R17 Bridgestone DUELER HL ALENZA are currently priced at 119.00 each and the 235/65R17 Michelin Cross Terrain SUV is currently priced at 145.00 each. The Michelin would be my second best recommendation but as first choice i would go with the Bridgestone.

connor@tirerack.com
Tire & Wheel Specialist
The Tire Rack
877-522-8473 ext 269
When placing an order online or the phone, please reference Connor at ext 269

connortirerack

Between the Continental Contitouring Contact or Michelin Pilot Sport A/S i would go with the Michelins hands down. The Continentals will give a slightly longer tread life but they are noisier, the Continentals wet traction is not as good, the Michelins dry traction far exceeds the Continentals, and in my opinoin the the snow traction is close but the Michelin is a little better.

connor@tirerack.com
Tire & Wheel Specialist
The Tire Rack
877-522-8473 ext 269
When placing an order online or the phone, please reference Connor at ext 269

jaramabeige

Thanks for the advice.

gijoe1

Hi,

I'm looking to buy 305/35/24...i don't know which one is better as in longer lasting..smoother ride..less noise...hankook are a little cheaper than Kumhos...not sure if i should spend extra for Kumhos? Any advise will be appreciated..BTW tire rack doesn't even carry hankook 305/35/24..are they bad?

sduford

Hi Connor, it would be interesting to see a comparo between the Blizzak WS-50 and the Dunlop Winter Sport M3.

I'd be very curious to see how much snow & ice traction I would give up with the M3. I think perhaps the many other advantages of the M3 would be worth it if the snow & ice traction difference is not too large.

According to the surveys on your site, the two are very close, but these are only subjective ratings, so a formal test would be very useful.

Thanks

armand

I understand the speed ratings difference between H and V rated tires. I have heard that H rated tires survive better than V rated on pot holes and bad roads. Is this true?