Acura TSX Tires and Wheels
I bought my TSX this past summer and found it handles great but come rain and the grip is OK but as the miles have increased the wet handling is just so-so. With the onset of winter the snow traction is terrible and the road noise seems to be increasing as the miles are put on the tires. Also has anyone experienced bubbles on the sidewalls? My rep at Tire Rack says the tires are marginal to say the least and they can't understand why Acura used Michelin's..they have been reworked to have an XL load rating and at $176 each for replacement's these tires should be better...several of my friends with Jetta's, RSX's and Volvos are not happy with these same tires on their vehicles...anyone else unhappy or problems?
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If the bolt pattern and offset are the same, I am sure some Honda owners would LOVE to trade 16" for 17" wheels and tires.
Squirrel
Of course, my tire guage may be incorrect, so maybe the tires are now properly inflated.
Maybe the low profile tires on the RSX and TSX are more sensitive to tire pressure.
Looking at your posts, I saw that somtimes dealers screw up tire pressure on delivery. Checked the pressure this morning. 40lbs front and rear left, 35 pounds front and rear right. Spoke to the service manager who was clearly concerned about the screw-up. Pressure reduced to 32 front/30 rear, as specs. No more problem.
Thanks to all.
I rotated and rebalanced my tires (for the first time) at 20,000 miles. I was guessing that they will have roughly 40,000 miles of useful life. I have no reason to doubt this from what I am seeing.
Every 20,000 with only exacerbate tire wear, no matter what your speed.
Most places will do it for free, so there's no reason not to.
Turanzas are very nice tires from a ride/comfort/noise perspective, but you will probably lose a little handling capability. Not a big deal unless you really push the car hard. I would probably get Turanzas myself, once the stock tires wear out. It's my wife's car, and she commutes 70 miles a day on the highway. Turanzas would be ideal tires for that.
CRaig
I bought my TSX in large part because of it's handling performance. I would not want to mute it's cornering prowess by fitting it with touring tires. All you'd be doing is turning it into a small Accord.
Instead, consider the Yokohama AVS ES-100 or Bridgestone Potenza S-03 Pole Position. They're noisier and harsher than a touring tire, but the TSX will be utterly transformed in the corners compared to the stock rubber (which basically sucks too).
edit - I've also read good things about the Toyo Proxes T1-S. The Toyo's have the added benefit of being lighter weight than the stock tires. The loss of unsprung weight may give you a smidge quicker acceleration...especially if combined with lightweight alloy wheels.
Craig
I also had a set of Goodyear Regatta 2's put on an old company car (Chevy Lumina) and they utterly transformed that car. Very smooth and quiet.
Try dropping down to 26 - 28 psi, it's cheaper than new tires.
I seriously doubt that a different tire will help A LOT, unless you go down to 16 inch rims. Low profile 17inch tires are going to provide a stiff ride, especially with a car that has this tight a suspension.
And, if it doesn't, at least she won't want the car....
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I am seriously considering a TSX as my next car. I can't wait to see what Acura does this fall when they "restyle" it.
Low air pressure could have caused the blow out. Or, you could have gotten a bad tire. The thumping could have been from a rupture in wall of the tire (causing a bulge) or possibly an uneven install of the tire on the rim. It really sounds to me like it was maybe road debris. Did you ever run anything over? It may be hard to tell if it was shedded clear off, but debris could have certainly caused it. I would ask the dealer to look into getting you a free tire as a replacement. But, they might claim it was road debris and not defective.
If you go to the website www.tirerack.com (I believe that is the location)...you can read reviews.
Everyone...what are your thoughts on replacement tires???
My last 2 sets of replacement tires have been Sumitomos. I've been very happy with them. Check out tirerack for their options.
???Are you sure that you will get longer life? It is wear rated at "340"...which is about the same as the Michelins.
Out of experience..I have a 2005 TL with Bridgestone tires in a 235/45W17 ("W" rated for 168mph versus 149mph for "V" rated).
Bridgestones are not known to be well wearing (I will be lucky to get 25k) and not great performers. Go to the Acura TL board and you will see the discussions.
Thanks,
Johnny
Keep in mind that you cannot compare the treadwear ratings, ie 340, between tire brands. The rating is only useful when comparing different tires from the same brand.
For example, a 340 Bridgestone may be equal to a 200 Michelin or a 600 Cooper.
Could be incorrect...let me know.
Either way....what has been the experience with real life drivers on this board with Bridgestone?
What tires do others suggest?
Yes the program is overseen by the DOT but actual testing is left up to the tire makers.
Here is a link:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=48
I know, I know.. I was amazed to find this out, as well...
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I got roughly 36000 miles from the OEM tires. They were nearly worn to the treadwear bars. Given that I tend to drive my TSX rather hard, I wanted a tire that would corner better, brake better, and handle better in the rain, but not wear out quickly, cost too much, or be really noisy while driving.
I cannot say for certain what is the main reason why the car handles better now (extra 20mm width, tire design itself, etc.), but what I have experienced so far (approx 3000 miles) is the following:
• They are a little noisier on the highway than the OEM tire.
• They handle much better in the rain than the OEM tire did, even when new.
• The tires don't squeal so easily. The OEM tire made all kinds of noise when pushed hard.
• The car corners much better. With VSA off, corners and curves (such as on-ramps and off-ramps) that I could drive at 40mph before the back end started to break loose, I can now take at over 45 mph.
• The new tires are heavier than the OEM. There was a noticeable reduction in acceleration performance after the tires were installed.
• The tires extend out further from the wheels, and have a ridge that helps protect the rim from scratches if you get too close to a curb.
I didn't want to get a tire with a very low treadwear rating (200 or lower), since I wanted tires that I might get to last another 30,000 miles. I selected the RE750 based on reviews on tirerack, my own personal taste for appearance, and advice from the tire store service writer. I asked the clerk about other tires I had researched, such as the Kumho ECSTA, the Pirelli P-Zero, and the Yokohama AVS ES-100, and he agreed that although the others would probably outperform the RE750, the increase in performance (and price) wouldn't be worth the decrease in longevity for my needs.
In all, I paid about $960 for the tires, a road hazard warranty, and 4-wheel alignment at WheelWorks (Bay Area, California-based retailer).
So you got 36,000+ miles on the OEM Michelins? That isn't bad especially since you are an advid driver.
If you search the tires on Tire Rack, the OEM tires are at the bottom of their group in terms of pretty much everything, including snow performance. Unless you will be driving in remote snowy mountains, you should be fine.
Mileage of treadwear. Everyone may be accustomed to non-low-profile performance tires. Remember folks...we are talking about 45 series with some bite. Many are comparing to general use 60 series tires that don't grab and are built solely for endurance without any performance.
If you want serious performance and treadwear...there is a solution...buy Michelin Pilot A/S with your next tire change.