Miles must be very low but the tires are still a couple of years old, and I go more by age then mileage. Still, it should be worth about half what you paid.
I have a 2008 Impreza Outback Sport with Potenza re92a p205 50 r17 88v with 26,291 miles. I have rotated the tires every 3k. The front tires still look new. A week ago the rear tires (almost overnight) went bald. Alignment is perfect and tire pressure is correct. Thanks.
- how much MPG loss did you see (if any as they are close in weight to the the stock 92a)
- how much louder are they?
- is it safe to assume they have better dry and wet traction then these cruddy RE92a tires?
- any winter snow use? do they "dig" in snow and can they handle hilly and sloped areas well? The stock RE92a were OK but I think it has more to do with the decent AWD system these cars have. and I don't expect the GT's to be as good as snow tires. I just need an all season that I feel safe in.
as stated above the stock RE92a tires sort of suck; only they do well I can see is look good and return decent MPG. In the rain they don't grip at they well and in snow this AWD car almost feels as bad as a RWD from the 70's LOL
Not looking for a high performace tire but in this size 205/50-17 you dont have much that is not performance designed. And the GT seems to look great on paper just curious what other subaru owners think?
Anyone have recommendations for replacing OEM tires on '08 Impreza 2.5i auto transmission? I have 19,000 mi on these (Bridgestone Potenza 205/55 R16), rotated twice, and the car handles poorly for an AWD in the snowy upper Midwest. More sliding than I'd expect from a Subaru. Independent mechanic says it's the lousy OEM tires. Had one instance last summer when I could feel some hydroplaning driving in heavy rain on interstate.
I just want a "middle-of-the-road" all-weather tire that will help this car handle better on ice/snow/wet pavement. Not the cheapest, but not the most expensive either. I had Uniroyal Tiger Paw on my old Legacy wagon. Several suggestions would be great; thanks.
We had the same Blow-tenzas on our Legacy, and the best thing about them was they didn't last long, so we replaced them fairly soon.
I got Falken Ziex 512s tires from vulcantire.com. They were quite good with one caveat - the treadlife is not very long. Grip is excellent - when new we experienced some tram-lining, i.e. the tires would grip so well they'd follow grooves in the road.
I recommend them if you don't mind getting new tires every couple of years. I think that tire may have been replaced with a 912 model now, but CR rates that tire highly.
Your car handles fine.... All of the sliding is because of poor wet/snow traction of the tires.. Ever notice how your car is a champ on dry roads?
I think it's borderline criminal that they put these tires on an AWD car..
My personal favorite are Nokian WR.. Pricy all-season tires, that are also rated for winter conditions.. You give up a little dry road traction to less aggressive all-season tires, but you gain near winter tire capability in the snow and wet...
I haven't bought any middle-of-the-road tires that I've really liked, lately, so can't help you there..
I've had both on my Subaru's and really don't notice a difference with driving, gas mileage etc. I know that alloy's look better, they're supposed to help dissipate heat, a bit lighter in weight. Does anyone have experience with aftermarket alloy's for their Subaru? Aftermarket alloy can be cheaper depending on what you choose. Just wondering if the quality was good. I just got a quote from dealer for 2010 Impreza 16"in alloys for $339 ea. Tirerack has them as low as $79 ea.
OEM alloys are usually overpriced like that. Those aren't even forged, so spend that sort of money elsewhere.
I had inexpensive MB Motoring wheels on a Forester. They were cast, as you'd expect, but they were still lighter than the inch-smaller steelies they replaced. After 9 years the finish showed some oxidation, but again, that's 9 years, I'm not sure OEM would fare any better.
I had the same problem and put the Bridgestone Potenza 205/50/R17 Go19 Grid on my 2008 Impreza Outbacksport. They are great tires. I lost 1 MPG but the traction is 100% better then the OE tires from the dealer. I am going out in the snow right now. Good luck.
A couple all-seasons (used year-round in Fairbanks, Alaska) with which I was very satisfied are Goodyear Allegra (about $80 per tire) and Goodyear TripleTred (about $125 per tire) The TripleTreds were fantastic on snow and ice for an all-season - the best I have ever used. Both of these tires have exceptional treadwear characteristics. I took the Allegras to 76,000 miles (again, using them year-round and replacing them in November, which was well into another winter) before internal sidewall issues forced me to replace them. The TripleTreds have an 80,000-mile factory treadwear warranty.
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
For those of you that have purchased non-subaru alloy wheels were you concerned about voiding the warranty? Does the non-OEM alloys fit as well as Subaru alloys? The dealer price is $339/ea wheel. I think the price is too high, I've seen Tire Rack selling them for $80 and up. Do you also have to purchase a new set of tire pressure sensors for each set of wheels you have? I would have steels for snow and alloys for summer.
non-OEM wheels will not void your warranty.. Unless, they happen to actually be defective and cause some other issue with the vehicle (chances of that? Oh... 10,000 to 1?)
Get the proper offset and something in the same size/weight class and you should be fine.
What you might want to do is shop for wheels from other Subaru models. For a while there Tire Rack was selling WRX "take off" wheels, i.e. nearly brand new from customers who did a Plus One upgrade.
Avoid STI because the lug pattern is different, but regular WRXs are 5x100 like most other Subarus.
Hi I have a 2007 Impreza 2.5i sedan. My lease expires in a few months, but I have to replace the tires to pass inspection. I hate to spend an arm and a leg on new tires, only to surrender them. Any suggestions? They should be all-season because we still have a few months of winter up here in New England. The tires I am replacing are Potenza's P205/55VR16. Any help would be great! I'd like to sound like I know what I'm asking for.
For inexpensive tires, I was always very satisfied with Goodyear Allegra tires. I am not sure if Goodyear still makes this one (they did as of last Spring), but it was about $80 per tire (in Alaska) and performs very respectably in snow/ice conditions. There are a lot of cheap tires out there that do okay in dry and/or wet conditions, but many of those fall quite short in snow and ice.
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
Bridgetone Potenza RE92A, high performance tires, rated to go over 140 MPH. Really bad in light/ deep snow as well as ice. They cost $254 each at tire rack.
Hello guys, my first post here. I've spent hours looking for info on the tires that Subaru installed on my new 2010 Subaru Impreza Sport Auto. My wife drives this vehicle with my kid in it, my point, my most precious things in life ride in it. I'm so upset, it is unaceptable. Bought the car for the safety, and its AWD bread and butter that sells each Subaru. I noticed how bad this vehicle handled on the snow last week (First week of Jan-2011) in Denver. The car went everywhere(I know there was ice on the road) and it didn't feel safe so I let my wife drive my 2011 Scion XB instead for safety (bare with me here) since it stops and handles better in snow than the Impreza. I had so many cars and this is the worse in the snow. Call me crazy, I was ready to trade it for different vehicle but then, I figured it out, after checking the OEM tires that came with it. At tirerack those tires are rated so poorly in light/deep snow and ice. MY GOD, they are rated so poor. I called Subaru and asked why they installed a high performance tire that I can drive over 140 MPH and not handle light snow? I asked why Subaru installed this tires in this area(Denver/lots of snow) and putting safety aside? I asked Subaru why those tires came in my car? I have the regulat 170 HP, not the WRX or STI. I asked Subaru that, since their bread in butter (selling point is their AWD) why they installed those tires so my family wouldn't bee able to stop or turn during 1" of snow on the ground? I don't care how good their AWD is, I don't do off road races, I got that car so my family will drive in a safe car, instead the car wouldn't stop when I made a turn last week going 10 MPH (yes, that fast). Pathetic it is.
Got in touch with Subaru and all sounded so great, yes they offered to pay for replacement tires. So I made the appointment to go to GO SUBARU WEST(in Golden CO). The minute I made the appointment and the next day when I spoke with the service manager I realized the reason why I didn't buy the car there. The SM started telling me on how great those tires are and that Subaru will not pay for new tires. The first time I had an issue with this car was the front speakers, rumble noise at low valume(all the Impreza have this problem 2008-2010) and I was told by their mechanic "I don't see what the big deal is, I live with that problem in my Subaru for many years. I don't even listen to the radio". I told them that I paid a lot of money for that car and I expected the radio to sound normal w/o vibrations at low volume. They fixed it. What a way to explained a problem to a costumer expecting not to fix it. Also, that dealership is so greety, I drove 40 minutes to Groove Subaru and saved $2K in the car purchase, no hassles, too bad they are so far away, great dealership. They were so good that I went back 9 months later and purchsed the Scion from Groove Toyota.
Anywho, going back to Subaru, I left and tried to get in touch with Subaru again, many times (four calls- wasting 30 minutes average just to speak to a rep)now they are not even calling me back. Everytime I tried to call, there is a least a 25-30 wait to speak to someone live. I told every single rep the same story and I was told they will call me back, I'm still waiting. I called again and explained the rep that at least some one shuld call me before the day was over, she told me they would, never happened. The rep told me today that the service manager from GO Subaru in Golden has not call them back, mind you, this is five days later. Why haven't Subaru call that stealership. Also, the rep agreed with me last Wenesday that the Service Manager in that stealership was "short of fuses with his attitude'. I told the rep to do something about it!
So my take is, I will make sure to post this info so Subaru can start installing better tires in their great AWD. Those tires, the Bridgetone Potenza RE92A go for $254 a piece. I have the Pirelli P4 four seasons installed in my FWD 2011 Scion XB and are rated #2 by tire rack in all conditions and that vehicle stops and turns better than the AWD Impreza. My first and last Subaru. Poor 4 speed transmition, worse radio. Also having a loud noice from the A/C but is not consistant, sounds like water pump is bad. Can I just go and replaced the tires with a better brand to keep my family safe and avoid all those headaches? why? that car is new and Subaru should do something about it since they brag so much about the safety on their vehicles. Really?
If you have this type of vehicle, you should also call Subaru and complain. The rep told me that they agreed, those tires need to go. I'm still waiting.
Long post, thanks for your patience. I drove a Hyundai Tucson today(AWD) the cost? $2,500 more, well worth it. Even comes with better tires.
I absolutely agree - those RE92A are pathetic tire (I don't even hold a very high regard for them during the summer months) that they have used on the Impreza and Outback/Legacy for years. I think they started putting a different tire on the O/L with the 2010 model year, but before that it was RE92A for a long while. I *HATE* those tires. They literally hobble a fantastic car in slick conditions. That said, I did drive them through a winter in my '08 Outback with 4EAT because it was a short-term purchase and I did not want to spend the money on a second set of tires, but that sucker sure liked to break loose. I smile every time I think about it - so fun (but not what you would want to send your wife & children off in!).
I run two sets of rims with a winter and summer set of tires. Sure, you have the initial $500-600 cost for the second set, but with only 50% of the year (here in Fairbanks, AK) for each set of tires, they both last twice as long.
Before you judge your car too harshly, get that new set of rubber and go have some fun and/or peace of mind.
I am sure to slam Subaru about the RE92A when I get the chance of it. I hounded them about it on both new owner surveys I completed for Outbacks purchased with them.
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
What really blows me away is that they are, as the OP mentioned, a very expensive tire off-the-shelf. I wouldn't pay $50 per tire for them, let alone over $200!
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
Marketing? I agreed, the typical consumer has no idea. I did a lot of research on this vehicle but didn't check the tires. Can I get a second set of tires and spend another $500? I shouldn't. I live in a metro area not the mountains. A part time AWD like the CRV/Element or a 2011 Hyundai Tucson handle better. I know they are diff cars but my point is, since SUbaru bread and butter is AWD why install those $254 per tire on that vehicle that will not assist you to stop as well as a more cheap tire (Pirelli P4 four season) rated #2 @ tirerack and other cosumers. That is the type of tire I have installed in my 2011 Scion FWD Xb and the car stops and turns better than the Impreza.
Anywho, the purpose of this thread is to educate future consumers looking into buying a Subaru.
That it will, because it is the tires that make all the difference in those situations. Even with the crappy tires, though, the Impreza will still "out-go" the Xb, which is a great testament to the quality of the AWD.
Frankly, I would much sooner buy good winter tires for "metro" driving than for mountain driving because there are far more stops and turns in the city, not to mention the density of vehicles and less margin for error.
Your point stands, though - the RE92A is a terrible choice for an OEM Subaru tire. :mad:
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
Okay, I have a question in regards to our new Impreza, not really a tire question but wasnt sure where to post it. It now has about 615 miles on it, and i know you are supposed to be nice to it the first couple thousand miles and break it in. So we really really wanted to drive up to Yosemite tomorrow in the snow, would that be bad to do???? We are new to this and just want to take care of our Subie. :confuse:
1000 mile break-in, but that trip should be fine. Just don't use cruise control so you vary engine speeds, and try not to put TOO much of a load on the engine. If possible keep it under 4000rpm.
I've had Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS tires on my Subaru for years now. They are incredible in the heavy rains (more like deluges) we get here in South Florida.
My 2010 impreza i premium has tires with a V rating. Guess I don't understand why these are rated at 149 mph. So i can't get tires with a lower rating, correct?
Yes, the best bet is to look on tirerack.com and see what tires are recommended. They will show the proper weight carrying and speed rating for your car.
Can you put 215/65R1596S tires from a 98 suburu outback on my 2006 Impreza that has P205/55R16 tires on it. If I took the wheels and everything. Would it hurt?
Also, I'm not sure that 15" wheels will fit on the '06 Impreza, as I think Subaru up-sized the brakes on their cars beginning with the 2000 Outback/Legacy; I'm not sure when the change occurred for the Impreza line, but I imagine it was 2002.
You can certainly try it if you have the Impreza and the set of wheels in question, but the 15" tires are quite a bit larger. You'll need over 1/2" of clearance around the tire to fit them and, if I recall correctly, those wheel wells are pretty tight.
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
Thanks for the help. I think I'll just get new tires. The 98 Suburu my son in law put new tires on it and then it keeps overheating. We think it's the head gasket. It has 285,000 miles on it. Do you think it's worth trying to sell or we were going to donate it to Purple Heart? The car looks good, paint and body.
There's nearly a 100% chance that it is the head gaskets. If either of you have the time or inclination, the repair (while time consuming) is not overly complex. If you do it yourself, it is only about a $5-600 job. I did this work on my 1996 Outback at ~193,000 miles.
If you don't do it yourself, it is a spendy bugger. Whether or not it is worth it depends entirely on the car and your attitude toward it. If you keep it for another couple years after the repair, it'll pay for itself.
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
I'm looking for studded snow tires for my 2008 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport. This is the ski car so the snow tires have to be good. Prices for the stock tire size (P205/50R17) run well over $200 per tire, I suspect because they're low profile and sexy. Holy suffering catfish!!
I'm wondering if second set of wheels to use as winter wheels with normal-profile utilitarian non-sexy and much less expensive snow tires might be a good option.
Is this a reasonable idea? Will different sized wheels screw up performance or safety of the Sube? Where can I get the best deal on the stuff?
I am female, generally clueless about cars, and don't want to get ripped off, so I'm hesitant to go to the tire store and get taken for a ride.
You can go with 16" wheels on the Impreza, and yes, the tires will be less expensive. I have seen some tires for my Forester as much as a $40 difference between the 16" and 17" size equivalents for a given brand/model of tire!
Personally, I would not recommend studded tires. You will likely be better served with studless snow tires, such as the Bridgestone Blizzak, Goodyear UltraGrip Ice, or Michelin X-Ice.
That said, TireRack is a good place to go to compare tires, see the best compatible "alternate" tire (rim) sizes, etc. If you live in America (e.g., the contiguous 48 states), you can even buy tires/wheel sets with the tires already installed online for reasonable rates.
As a jump-start, the 205/55/R16 is a pretty close match for your stock size. It is 0.8% larger, meaning that when you're driving 60mph, your speedometer will read 60.465 mph.
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
Trying to find out the life of these tires, in terms of mileage, with average driving,. I can't find any info on the internet. Thanks for your help! Chris
Just bought a sport premium model and the car has Yokohama avid s35d, I think. Anyways, they look great and so far the drive and handling is good n the dry. Haven't taken it in the wet yet. Tire rack rated these tires poor, but the consumer reviews were all from Mazda 3 series cars. Any opinions on these tires from Subie owners?
I would say you will need new tires by about the 25k mark or in about a year and a half. OEM tires are terrible. They feather quickly and are poorly made. That goes for OEM tires on most cars from my experience.
That's probably not far off what most owners will experience. The RE92A is a poor tire. I would expect life to be between 25,000 and 40,000 miles. Some owners have claimed considerably longer life. My personal experience is that whenever you decide to get rid of them (whether worn out or not), you'll be doing yourself a favor!
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
If you want really excellent snow tires, try Nokian Hakkapeliitta winter tires, studded or not, is up to you. We sell these at my work in Canada, where we have winter 6 months out of the year and they are really good; we also sell Michelin X-Ice and Bridgestone Blizzaks', but the Nokians are better as they are the people who invented winter tires.
Comments
26k miles on the Blow-tenzas is not bad, though. I'd just get new tires.
Just make sure you fix the issue before you have the new tires mounted.
I'm curious how they are:
- how much MPG loss did you see (if any as they are close in weight to the the stock 92a)
- how much louder are they?
- is it safe to assume they have better dry and wet traction then these cruddy RE92a tires?
- any winter snow use? do they "dig" in snow and can they handle hilly and sloped areas well? The stock RE92a were OK but I think it has more to do with the decent AWD system these cars have. and I don't expect the GT's to be as good as snow tires. I just need an all season that I feel safe in.
as stated above the stock RE92a tires sort of suck; only they do well I can see is look good and return decent MPG. In the rain they don't grip at they well and in snow this AWD car almost feels as bad as a RWD from the 70's LOL
Not looking for a high performace tire but in this size 205/50-17 you dont have much that is not performance designed. And the GT seems to look great on paper just curious what other subaru owners think?
Any input would be great
John
I just want a "middle-of-the-road" all-weather tire that will help this car handle better on ice/snow/wet pavement. Not the cheapest, but not the most expensive either. I had Uniroyal Tiger Paw on my old Legacy wagon. Several suggestions would be great; thanks.
I got Falken Ziex 512s tires from vulcantire.com. They were quite good with one caveat - the treadlife is not very long. Grip is excellent - when new we experienced some tram-lining, i.e. the tires would grip so well they'd follow grooves in the road.
I recommend them if you don't mind getting new tires every couple of years. I think that tire may have been replaced with a 912 model now, but CR rates that tire highly.
I think it's borderline criminal that they put these tires on an AWD car..
My personal favorite are Nokian WR.. Pricy all-season tires, that are also rated for winter conditions.. You give up a little dry road traction to less aggressive all-season tires, but you gain near winter tire capability in the snow and wet...
I haven't bought any middle-of-the-road tires that I've really liked, lately, so can't help you there..
regards,
kyfdx
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alloys for $339 ea. Tirerack has them as low as $79 ea.
thank you
I had inexpensive MB Motoring wheels on a Forester. They were cast, as you'd expect, but they were still lighter than the inch-smaller steelies they replaced. After 9 years the finish showed some oxidation, but again, that's 9 years, I'm not sure OEM would fare any better.
I say go with Tirerack.
The dealer price is $339/ea wheel. I think the price is too high, I've seen Tire Rack selling them for $80 and up. Do you also have to purchase a new set of tire pressure sensors for each set of wheels you have? I would have steels for snow and alloys for summer.
Thanks
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What you might want to do is shop for wheels from other Subaru models. For a while there Tire Rack was selling WRX "take off" wheels, i.e. nearly brand new from customers who did a Plus One upgrade.
Avoid STI because the lug pattern is different, but regular WRXs are 5x100 like most other Subarus.
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Hello guys, my first post here. I've spent hours looking for info on the tires that Subaru installed on my new 2010 Subaru Impreza Sport Auto.
My wife drives this vehicle with my kid in it, my point, my most precious things in life ride in it.
I'm so upset, it is unaceptable.
Bought the car for the safety, and its AWD bread and butter that sells each Subaru.
I noticed how bad this vehicle handled on the snow last week (First week of Jan-2011) in Denver. The car went everywhere(I know there was ice on the road) and it didn't feel safe so I let my wife drive my 2011 Scion XB instead for safety (bare with me here) since it stops and handles better in snow than the Impreza.
I had so many cars and this is the worse in the snow.
Call me crazy, I was ready to trade it for different vehicle but then, I figured it out, after checking the OEM tires that came with it. At tirerack those tires are rated so poorly in light/deep snow and ice.
MY GOD, they are rated so poor.
I called Subaru and asked why they installed a high performance tire that I can drive over 140 MPH and not handle light snow?
I asked why Subaru installed this tires in this area(Denver/lots of snow) and putting safety aside?
I asked Subaru why those tires came in my car? I have the regulat 170 HP, not the WRX or STI.
I asked Subaru that, since their bread in butter (selling point is their AWD) why they installed those tires so my family wouldn't bee able to stop or turn during 1" of snow on the ground?
I don't care how good their AWD is, I don't do off road races, I got that car so my family will drive in a safe car, instead the car wouldn't stop when I made a turn last week going 10 MPH (yes, that fast). Pathetic it is.
Got in touch with Subaru and all sounded so great, yes they offered to pay for replacement tires. So I made the appointment to go to GO SUBARU WEST(in Golden CO). The minute I made the appointment and the next day when I spoke with the service manager I realized the reason why I didn't buy the car there. The SM started telling me on how great those tires are and that Subaru will not pay for new tires. The first time I had an issue with this car was the front speakers, rumble noise at low valume(all the Impreza have this problem 2008-2010) and I was told by their mechanic "I don't see what the big deal is, I live with that problem in my Subaru for many years. I don't even listen to the radio". I told them that I paid a lot of money for that car and I expected the radio to sound normal w/o vibrations at low volume. They fixed it. What a way to explained a problem to a costumer expecting not to fix it. Also, that dealership is so greety, I drove 40 minutes to Groove Subaru and saved $2K in the car purchase, no hassles, too bad they are so far away, great dealership. They were so good that I went back 9 months later and purchsed the Scion from Groove Toyota.
Anywho, going back to Subaru, I left and tried to get in touch with Subaru again, many times (four calls- wasting 30 minutes average just to speak to a rep)now they are not even calling me back.
Everytime I tried to call, there is a least a 25-30 wait to speak to someone live. I told every single rep the same story and I was told they will call me back, I'm still waiting. I called again and explained the rep that at least some one shuld call me before the day was over, she told me they would, never happened. The rep told me today that the service manager from GO Subaru in Golden has not call them back, mind you, this is five days later. Why haven't Subaru call that stealership. Also, the rep agreed with me last Wenesday that the Service Manager in that stealership was "short of fuses with his attitude'. I told the rep to do something about it!
So my take is, I will make sure to post this info so Subaru can start installing better tires in their great AWD. Those tires, the Bridgetone Potenza RE92A go for $254 a piece.
I have the Pirelli P4 four seasons installed in my FWD 2011 Scion XB and are rated #2 by tire rack in all conditions and that vehicle stops and turns better than the AWD Impreza.
My first and last Subaru.
Poor 4 speed transmition, worse radio. Also having a loud noice from the A/C but is not consistant, sounds like water pump is bad.
Can I just go and replaced the tires with a better brand to keep my family safe and avoid all those headaches?
why? that car is new and Subaru should do something about it since they brag so much about the safety on their vehicles. Really?
If you have this type of vehicle, you should also call Subaru and complain. The rep told me that they agreed, those tires need to go. I'm still waiting.
Long post, thanks for your patience.
I drove a Hyundai Tucson today(AWD) the cost? $2,500 more, well worth it. Even comes with better tires.
Feel free to post your advise, thanks.
I run two sets of rims with a winter and summer set of tires. Sure, you have the initial $500-600 cost for the second set, but with only 50% of the year (here in Fairbanks, AK) for each set of tires, they both last twice as long.
Before you judge your car too harshly, get that new set of rubber and go have some fun and/or peace of mind.
I am sure to slam Subaru about the RE92A when I get the chance of it. I hounded them about it on both new owner surveys I completed for Outbacks purchased with them.
The Blotzena RE92 are especially poor, though. I replaced them a bit early on our Legacy.
I agreed, the typical consumer has no idea.
I did a lot of research on this vehicle but didn't check the tires.
Can I get a second set of tires and spend another $500? I shouldn't.
I live in a metro area not the mountains.
A part time AWD like the CRV/Element or a 2011 Hyundai Tucson handle better. I know they are diff cars but my point is, since SUbaru bread and butter is AWD why install those $254 per tire on that vehicle that will not assist you to stop as well as a more cheap tire (Pirelli P4 four season) rated #2 @ tirerack and other cosumers. That is the type of tire I have installed in my 2011 Scion FWD Xb and the car stops and turns better than the Impreza.
Anywho, the purpose of this thread is to educate future consumers looking into buying a Subaru.
Example: pet rock.
That it will, because it is the tires that make all the difference in those situations. Even with the crappy tires, though, the Impreza will still "out-go" the Xb, which is a great testament to the quality of the AWD.
Frankly, I would much sooner buy good winter tires for "metro" driving than for mountain driving because there are far more stops and turns in the city, not to mention the density of vehicles and less margin for error.
Your point stands, though - the RE92A is a terrible choice for an OEM Subaru tire. :mad:
It now has about 615 miles on it, and i know you are supposed to be nice to it the first couple thousand miles and break it in. So we really really wanted to drive up to Yosemite tomorrow in the snow, would that be bad to do???? We are new to this and just want to take care of our Subie. :confuse:
Confused...
RT
-mike
Subaru Guru and Track Instructor
2.1" taller... 8.5% difference.
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You can certainly try it if you have the Impreza and the set of wheels in question, but the 15" tires are quite a bit larger. You'll need over 1/2" of clearance around the tire to fit them and, if I recall correctly, those wheel wells are pretty tight.
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If you don't do it yourself, it is a spendy bugger. Whether or not it is worth it depends entirely on the car and your attitude toward it. If you keep it for another couple years after the repair, it'll pay for itself.
I'm wondering if second set of wheels to use as winter wheels with normal-profile utilitarian non-sexy and much less expensive snow tires might be a good option.
Is this a reasonable idea?
Will different sized wheels screw up performance or safety of the Sube?
Where can I get the best deal on the stuff?
I am female, generally clueless about cars, and don't want to get ripped off, so I'm hesitant to go to the tire store and get taken for a ride.
TIA.
Personally, I would not recommend studded tires. You will likely be better served with studless snow tires, such as the Bridgestone Blizzak, Goodyear UltraGrip Ice, or Michelin X-Ice.
That said, TireRack is a good place to go to compare tires, see the best compatible "alternate" tire (rim) sizes, etc. If you live in America (e.g., the contiguous 48 states), you can even buy tires/wheel sets with the tires already installed online for reasonable rates.
As a jump-start, the 205/55/R16 is a pretty close match for your stock size. It is 0.8% larger, meaning that when you're driving 60mph, your speedometer will read 60.465 mph.
I'd definitely skip the studs, as well... Driving on dry roads is terrible (and, illegal where I live..
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Anyways, they look great and so far the drive and handling is good n the dry. Haven't taken it in the wet yet. Tire rack rated these tires poor, but the consumer reviews were all from Mazda 3 series cars. Any opinions on these tires from Subie owners?