Tires, tires, tires

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  • lovable90lovable90 Member Posts: 27
    Ken,

    The Nokians were $127 apiece, before installation. This was less than they would have cost me through e-tire ($129.99). The total bill came to $608.

    Golden Valley Tire is definitely a full service tire shop (they charge for labor, etc.) and wow, are they thorough. When I had originally called for the fitment, they had already sold the Nokian in stock. Ken Curtis contacted the people who deliver their tires, but the delivery guy was already on the road. He had him paged, got the order in and had the tires when I called at 9:30am the next morning.

    They don't let anyone walk out of there with more than a 3% difference on their speedometer (the difference on mine is 1.8%). Dave (the boss) called Nokia for the exact diameter of that tire, then got under the car while I turned the wheel, and then he felt around the struts in the back. Next, he had his crew put my Forester on the lift and put one tire on the front and one on the back to test it. When the Nokians checked out OK, they asked me if I wanted them on. When people are willing to bust their buns to give you service like that, how can you say no?

    If the Nokians work out, or if there is a problem and Golden Valley is just as good as they were at the fitment, I will be singing their praises everywhere. And, I must say, my Forester tracks really straight -- I can take my hands off the wheel on the freeway and there is no drift!! There is no bounce, the ride feels smoother and more secure. Haven't noticed any lean on turns, either, but haven't tested them on our twisty highway ramps yet. I'll let everyone know how they perform on snow and black ice -- my biggest concern. Golden Valley just installed NRWs for one of KARE 11 TV's news personalities -- the guy says he can climb trees with 'em!!! Also, word up on other websites is that NRWs do actually last 50,000 miles!

    If these tires perform as well as they say they do, the money spent will be well worth it.

    Noelle
  • venky01venky01 Member Posts: 2
    Hi,

    I am new here and haven't posted before. I am looking to replace the OEM Goodyear Eagle 245/45-17 tires on my '97 Mustang GT. These were Z rated and I may not really need such a high rating. I don't live in the snow belt but would like good wet handling as I have a steep hill on my commute and it rains most of the winter here in Nor. Calif.

    I found plenty of useful info in tirerack.com and other websites. But I could sure use some first hand experiences.

    Thanks.
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Venky,

    Welcome aboard! I am confident someone here with experience will be happy to share!

    tidester
    Host
    Aftermarket & Accessories
  • grbeckgrbeck Member Posts: 2,358
    bretfraz: Thank you for the information. My car still has the original equipment 185-65/14 Firestones. The Michelins are the Rainforce MX4. I'm going to shop around a little more.
  • oehrleinoehrlein Member Posts: 30
    My recommendation for replacement tires are BF Goodrich g-Force T/A, KD, KWD or KWDS, depending on what you want. They're speed rated W, treadwear 400, traction AA and temperature A. I had the KWDS on a Maxima and they were great. I traded in my 00 Maxima so when I need new tires for my 02 Maxima I'll buy the g-force's again. They come in your size and not too expensive.
  • venky01venky01 Member Posts: 2
    Much appreciated.
  • sandman46sandman46 Member Posts: 1,798
    I bought these tires for my wife's Altima last week and I would like to find out who the parent company is of this tire brand. Any information would be greatly appreciated. So far, they seem to be a nice riding tire and have a very meaty tread. I bought them at Olsen Tire here in Margate Florida, which is a suburb just north of Ft. Lauderdale.
    Again, thanks for any help with this.
  • bretfrazbretfraz Member Posts: 2,021
    Semperit is part of the Continental Group AG of Germany. Also part of Continental is Uniroyal, General, and Gislaved.

    I would guess that Olsen carries some of the above brands.
  • ponch49ponch49 Member Posts: 17
    I couldn't forgive my Michelins for the short life span (understand they were OEM) and decided to purchase the Pirelli tires. Ride is quiet and handling is superb. No snow yet but I have high expectations of them. I'll update the snow performance after we get a good coating of the white stuff.

    Paul
  • dealmkrjjddealmkrjjd Member Posts: 32
    I have been told that these tires are the best for all season performance. I have a 97 Maxima se and it's my wife's car so real aggressive tires are not the main concern. She would like a smooth ride with good wet/ snow weather traction. Has anyone had any experiences with these tires? Good or Bad?
  • bretfrazbretfraz Member Posts: 2,021
    I think you'll find the Energy MXV4+ is a great all-around tire. I have them on my car and they've been great. I haven't used them in snow so I cannot personally attest but others have posted positive-to-mixed results.

    Another tire to consider is the Michelin X-One. It will provide a bit better snow traction at the expense of some sportiness and response.

    For something a bit more affordable look at the BFGoodrich Control T/A M65 which got a very good snow traction rating in Consumer Reports.

    Hope this helps.
  • lmacmillmacmil Member Posts: 1,758
    I want to replace the Goodyear RT/S (54K miles) on my wife's Explorer. Looking for quiet ride and decent wet/snow traction. I am predisposed to the Michelin LTX M&S based on a friend's experience with his Ranger. CR rates them well but not as well as the BFG Long Trail TA. Both are about the same price at Discount Tire. Any recommendations?
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    ponch49: My experience with Pirelli tires was short tread life (with minimal agressive driving). This was the P-600s (60 series, OEM on my '87 VW Golf GT, rotated regularly), and I went thru 2 sets. Great grip, good in the wet, but I thought I should have gotten more than ~25,000 miles out of each set.
  • jasdmwjasdmw Member Posts: 118
    Bit of a long story, but worth it to those buying these and other tires as well. Seems there is an industry wide problem with setting the tire bead on rims due to design/manufacturing changes.

    I have a 2001 Sienna, purchased in March 2001. I didn't want the Firestones that came on it and the Dunlop SP40s available from lower line Siennas were useless in a snow storm encountered while on pre-purchase test drives. Had a co-worker who hooked me up with a Goodyear dealer and swapped the Dunlops with for Aquatreads on delivery of the van.

    The fun began immediately. It took 9 tires to find 4 that didn't wobble excessively on the balancer. By watching the tire rotate, you could follow the tread. Some of the worse ones moved almost an inch from side to side extremetys. During installation, some tires were unseated from the rim and re-set up to 2 times before being discarded. Finally had 4 "good" tires and off I went.

    After taking it easy on the van for the first 1000 KMs, (speeds less than 90 KM/Hr) took a highway trip and found the balance was off. Back to the tire store where 3 were re-balanced. The 4th was replaced. It would balance, but the wobble was excessive. We're now up to 10 tires to get 4 "good" ones. Away I drove off a happy bust suspicious camper.

    At 10,000 KM, I rotated the tires (Toyota dealer). Immediately noticed a pull to the right that wasn't there before rotation. Gave the tires a week to settle in, with no change. Have a high speed vibration as well in steering. Had the alignment checked at the Toyota dealership, within specs. Returned to the Goodyear store for front tire re-balance. One was off slightly. Tire retailer suggests pull is not that bad. Went on another 1.5 hour highway trip and noticed slightly less balance vibration, but it's still there. Pull is a pain, steering wheel cocked about 1" off center, in the LEFT lane so crown effect should be minimized.

    Call to tire retailer; he's ordered a new $18,000.00 balancer as he is having all kinds of trouble with all kinds of tires. Seems the industry has changed the way they make tires, or specifically the bead. The wobble problem comes from not being able to set the bead properly on the rim. He had the same problem with a set of Yokohamas recently.

    Anyone else having a similar story or hear of a general tire problem?
  • ponch49ponch49 Member Posts: 17
    suvshopper4,
    Thanks for the info. As for the Michelins, I was able to squeek out a total of 34,000 miles. Food for thought, the P600 has a tread wear of 180 whereas the P3000 (that I purchased) have a treadwear of 620. The P3000 come with an 85,000 mile warranty and they are deemed to have an exceptionally long tread life. Time will tell if I made the right choice.
  • nygregnygreg Member Posts: 1,936
    Just had 4 Yokohama Aegis LS4s put on my 00 Sienna. Purchased at Tirerack and installed at Costco. Tires ride nice but noticed a slight pull to the left. Last night I rotated the tires front to back and the pull is now gone. Only thing I see is that on the Yokos there is a yellow and red triangle on one side of the tire. 3 of the tires have these marks installed outward and one was installed with the marks inward. Tires are symmetrical and Tirerack says it doesn't matter how they are installed, which makes sense. Now, to be fair, I also dissassembled my brakes, cleaned them up and reinstalled them. A slight drag on one of the rotors (rust?) would do the same thing. Of course, tire pressure is good all the way around.

    Greg
  • bretfrazbretfraz Member Posts: 2,021
    Well, I think those are two excellent choices. It's hard to go wrong with the Michelin. It should do everything you want it to and if it's in your price range it would be an easy choice. I've found the BFG to be a bit less expensive than the Michelin so you may want to shop around.

    If you want to save a few more $$ then look at the Toyo M410 Open Country and the Cooper Discoverer. Both do well in snow and both get good ratings. Should be less expensive than the BFG or Michelin.
  • hengheng Member Posts: 411
    I've looked at those 2 tires also for an SUV. There should be a significant price difference between LTX M&S and the Long Trails.

    I also noted the consumer reports on the 2 favoring the Long Trails. But go to Tirerack.com. What I summize is that CR favors the braking characteristics of the Long Trails. If you read the owner comments at Tirerack, you will notice that the LTX are pretty good all around but the Long trails have some wet road issues.

    You decide
  • hengheng Member Posts: 411
    The alarms are going off in my head when you described so many bad tires to get some that were 'acceptable'.

    I'm not ready to buy the story on a new bead design. But the sad fact (as you recount) is that the consistency (read quality) of the GY tires are all over the place. And just because the store got them on and balanced doesn't mean that the inside construction is just as all over the place as those other tires. Now you are suffering from shifting belts and the like.
  • rcoosrcoos Member Posts: 167
    I have noticed that standard truck tires are P235's. What are the differences between a P235 & P255 tires besides the width? Handling, ride & load capacity.

    rcoos
  • bretfrazbretfraz Member Posts: 2,021
    Yes.

    The wider tire has a larger contact patch for better handling.
    The wider tire will generally have a higher load capacity.
    The wider tire will weigh more.
    The wider tire likely have a greater circumference and diameter. Because of this it will perform fewer revs per mile.
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    bretfraz: Are you sure a wider tire will have a ~larger~ contact patch? Or just a wider and shorter one?

    What I've read is that a given vehicle, at a consistent tire inflation, will have the same area of contact patch; the patch's configuration will vary according to tire width, but overall the area is the same. So what you gain in width, you lose in length of patch.

    I also read (same article, in Autoweek I think) that wider tires are not as good in rain and snow because they don't do as good a job of pushing the wet stuff out to the sides as a standard-width tire. There is more 'there there' to push the wet past on its way out the sides, so more slop stays under the tire, making hydroplaning, etc, more likely.
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    suvshopper,

    I also read (same article, in Autoweek I think) that wider tires are not as good in rain and snow because they don't do as good a job of pushing the wet stuff out to the sides as a standard-width tire.

    Aren't wider tires better on curves (dry or wet) than narrow ones?

    tidester
    Host
    Aftermarket & Accessories
  • bretfrazbretfraz Member Posts: 2,021
    Good points, and I'm glad you brought them up. I intentionally posted a bare bones response in the hope of expanding the discussion.

    I do not think there is a universal answer to this. The only way to draw a reasonable conclusion is to compare different sizes of a specific tire. Before I wrote my post I was looking at the specs of specific tire (Toyo Open Country A/T) and comparing numbers between their 235/70-16 tire and their 255/70-16. My goal in responding was to keep the aspect ratio and rim diameter the same size and compare tread width differences.

    In my view, air pressure has a lot to do with the contact patch on the road. It's why race teams constantly play with air pressures during races.

    If, as you say, everything else is equal (tire model, air pressure, rim specs, vehicle type, etc) I would think that the swept area of the contact patch is actually larger with the wider tire. How does a wider tire offer higher levels of grip if the overall size of the contact patch doesn't really change?

    Finally, you are correct about rain and snow traction. A narrow, high aspect ratio tire will perform better in snow than a wide, low profile tire. It's that contact patch thing again.

    Comments??
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    I don't know, Mr Host.
    Wider tires are better on dry curves. I don't know if that's true in the wet. They just can't disperse the slop out to the sides as well, methinks.

    -suvshopper4ster
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    bretfraz: Yes, tire pressure changes a tire's contact patch. No argument here.

    As to why a wider tire gives better dry grip, I believe it is at least partly due to better side-to-side contact with the road.

    Other than that, I don't know anything more to add. I guess we need some authoritative confirmation or disputation of a tire's contact patch area being constant.
  • bretfrazbretfraz Member Posts: 2,021
    That would be Tireguy. Too bad for us he doesn't pop in anymore.

    I'm sure there is one of his 10-paragraph epics on this subject somewhere in the archives. I only wish some of his posts were separated from all the others here so they would be easily accessed.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Maybe this one will tide us over for a spell.

    tireguy Jul 7, 2001 2:11pm

    Steve
    Host
    SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    I couldn't have said this better myself:

    "By using simple math you can convert the inches to milimeters and represent the sizes either way. 1in = 25.4mm So...
    A 31x10.50R15 has a tread witch of 266.7mm. The sidewall [(overall height - rim size)/2] or [(31-15)/2] = 8in, or 203.2mm. 203.2mm is 76.2% of the tread width (266.7), so the aspect ratio would be 76.2, which rounds to 75 (again, tire sizing is not precise--any tire will lose around 1/2" of diameter over its life). So what are you left with? A 31x10.50R15 is the same as a 266.7/76.2R15, which rounds to 265/75R15. And if you compare the two (of the same model) in a tire shop, you'll see that the difference is indiscernable.
    One more time:
    10.50 * 25.4 = 266.7, tread width in mm
    [(31"-15")/2] * 25.4 = 203.2, sidewall height in mm
    203.2/266.7 = 0.762:1, aspect ratio
    R is still R
    15" rim is still 15" rim
    leaving you with 266.7/76.2R15 or 265/75R15"
  • corvettecorvette Member Posts: 11,369
    >>>better side-to-side contact with the road.<<<

    This sounds logical to me. We briefly discussed this in my college Physics class, and I can tell you that we don't use contact patch area when calculating stopping or skidding distances for a vehicle. The variables involved are mass, velocity, acceleration, and coefficient of friction. Coefficient of friction measures the amount of traction between, say, rubber and concrete. We didn't discuss that this number would be different for different types of rubber (tires) and different types of concrete (like broom-swept vs. polished).
  • corvettecorvette Member Posts: 11,369
    The value of coefficient of friciton is the same no matter what the contact area is.
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Of course the type of material and road conditions determine what the coefficient of friction is.

    What the physics courses leave out is that traction involves more than just friction. It also involves physical forces of tire protrusions pushing againt road protrusions at the macroscopic level. So, the size of the tire does matter.

    tidester
    Host
    Aftermarket & Accessories
  • corvettecorvette Member Posts: 11,369
    I stand corrected. Guess there's a reason we refer to the class as "dummy physics..." :)
  • dudleyrdudleyr Member Posts: 3,469
    It is true that at a given tire pressure and vehicle weight, you have the same area contact patch regardless of tire width.

    One thing to remember when stating that a wide contact patch is better than a long one. Cars are not only subject to lateral forces - cars also have to brake. So if you say you are gaining lateral traction you must admit that you are loosing it fore and aft.

    I don't think wider tires really help as much as people think. The more important factor is sidewall height. As you get a wider tire for your car you have to decrease sidewall height to maintain the same rolling diameter. The reduction in sidewall height keeps the tire from rolling over in corners, and is really what helps a car handle - and feel more precise. So your car may handle better with wider tires, but not just because of the width. To illustrate this a 195-50 tire would offer better handling than a 225-70 tire.

    Also note that a cheap and easy way to increase sidewall stiffness and reduce rollover is to increase your tire pressure. Your car will handle better with higher pressure, and you will get better gas mileage, and the tires will last longer. The ride will be rougher though, and if your tires are not well balanced you will feel more vibration in the steering wheel.
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    dudleyr: "To illustrate this a 195-50 tire would offer better handling than a 225-70 tire."

    Not sure about this example. On the same vehicle, wouldn't the lower sidewall/aspect ratio (50) usually go with a higher treadwidth (not 195, but 225 in this example)?
    Maybe you don't mean these tires would be on the same vehicle, but in general. Dunno.

    Thanks for the confirmation on tire patch area remaining constant (and only the shape/configuration of the patch changing). Don't know if the article I read a few years back was in Autoweek or Road & Track (or elsewhere), but it made sense and stuck with me. Funny how a lot of people just figure 'wider is better' in all situations.
  • dudleyrdudleyr Member Posts: 3,469
    I was speaking in general terms, but you could use both tires on the same vehicle - the rim diameter would have to be different though. I don't have any charts in front of me, but it would be something like a 195/50R17 vs a 225/70R13. I used a very wide spread to illustrate - I don't think either of these extremes is actually made.
  • erics6erics6 Member Posts: 684
    I replaced the Firestones on my 2000 Subaru Outback with Continental Touring tires. The tires vibrate at higher speeds. The vibration moves the steering wheel side to side and increases with the speed. Even at lower speeds you can see some movement. The tire dealer first tried rotating the tire on the rim 180 degrees and then replaced the tires, but the vibration is still there. The vibration seemed worse when the tires were first rotated. My dealer says that this is probably due to tire runout on this type of tire. Any other ideas?
  • chuasanchuasan Member Posts: 42
    hi all,

    I am curious is it safe to increase tire pressure above manufacture recommendation? I am talking about 3-5 psi over. I always feel the recommended pressure leads to underperformed in cornering and acceleration. Do you think 3-5 psi will help this problem? Thank you

    Chris
  • bretfrazbretfraz Member Posts: 2,021
    Are we talking exceeding the car mfr spec? If so, then it's safe to experiment with tire pressures to get the performance you want. Just don't exceed the max tire pressure, of course.

    You have a Malibu, right? Well, my car is front wheel drive too. I run +2PSI in the fronts than the rears. My fronts are +7PSI over car mfr spec and +5PSI in the rear. But I am -5PSI from the max tire pressure. I've noticed that since over 50% of the weight is on the fronts that having a little more PSI helps with steering response without degrading the ride too much. I've been playing with the pressures for several months just to see if I can notice a difference. It takes at least 2PSI before I notice any real changes.

    I use a racing-type air press. gauge but I recommend those digital types (did you read that thread on tire gauges?). I've found a gas station that has a real air compressor instead of those $20 junkers you find nowadays. With both of these I can accurately play with the pressures.

    Have fun!!
  • bretfrazbretfraz Member Posts: 2,021
    Usually this needs the services of an experienced "tire guy" since there are several things that can cause this. A couple things I'd be curious about is are they using the proper wheel weight design, have the weights fallen off during your driving, is their wheel balancing machine operating properly, are they torquing the wheels too much causing a slight warp.

    Can they check the runout of the wheel and tire? I saw a balancing machine at SEMA show that had the ability to determine runout and what what causing it, wheel or tire. So the equipment is out there to figure out this one. You may need the services of a better equipped shop.
  • headers8headers8 Member Posts: 23
    I just got my first van (Toyota) and am not quite used to dirving one yet. Today while turning in a corner, my right rear wheel rubbed/swiped the curb (gutter).
    I am worried that I might have mis-aligned my wheel. Would anyone know, if I did (aside from getting symptoms on my tire later on or going for an expensive wheel alignment check?
  • hpulley4hpulley4 Member Posts: 591
    First, do a visual inspection. Does the rim seem to be in the right shape, or is it bent? Is the tire OK or is there a bulge in the sidewall? Is the tire holding pressure or losing it? If the rim is bent or the tire is bulging or leaking, then at a minimum you need a new rim and/or tire. If you aren't sure, go to your dealer or a tire shop. For free or the cheap price of a tire install and wheel balance ($10-20) most places will check out the tire and rim for you. Go to a place you trust, a place you've used before as some shady shops will replace anything you bring in as suspect; your Toyota service is probably a good place to go.

    Next, if the tire and rim check out fine or are replaced, drive it at low and freeway speeds. Does it feel the same as before or is there vibration or a pull? If you already got the wheel balanced and there are problems with the drive then you may need an alignment. If it all feels fine at this point, try to remember to check the tread on that tire after 5000km to make sure it is not wearing unevenly as uneven wear may show a slight alignment problem that you won't notice.

    You may be fine, you may not. I'd be more worried about the tire sidewall than the alignment. In my '95 Geo Metro I swiped the curb a few times and ended up with a bulging tire which needed replacement, but the rim and alignment were fine. On the other hand, my wife jumped a curb in our Saturn LW200 wagon recently and I was expecting the worst but it drove fine, looked OK and held air well; I had all inspected anyways (for free at my Saturn service shop) and all tested fine.
  • sirfilesirfile Member Posts: 42
    To erics6 / Post #986

    The Continentals you purchased may be out of round but it is probably improper installation or balancing. Check out the Hunter Engineering website at GSP9700.com. The 9700 balancer determines road force variation, and will help you isolate the vibrations you are experiencing. The website will locate the closest available dealer with that equipment.

    I would give the original installer one last opportunity to resolve the problem. If they are unsuccessful a total refund is in order. A different dealer with quality tires and trained technicians should cure the vibration. With the technology of today, there is no excuse for improper balance jobs.

    Good luck!
  • erics6erics6 Member Posts: 684
    Thanks for the advice. The tires were replaced at a tire shop which does not have the Hunter balancer. (I think they using a Hooser balancer.) I did loose a tire balance weight when they first rotated the tires. I flew off on the highway. I noticed they had used a long tire weight on two of the tires. I reduced the pressure to factory specs and now I notice the car is pulling to the right, which would indicate an alignment problem. I did have an alignment done when I installed the tires.
  • hengheng Member Posts: 411
    The pulling could also be caused by a shifted belt.

    If you swap the positions of the 2 front tires, the pulling should go away or start pulling to the left. This would indicate belt problems.
  • tpkentpken Member Posts: 1,108
    After reading up 50 posts or so and not having time to go further, I will pose a question and ask for help.

    My 2000 Bonneville SE is at 39K miles and in need of replacements for the Firestone Affinity OEMs. Size is 225 60 16 and I've added a stabilizer bar on the back (not too many SE models are tightened up that way).

    I'm looking for a good 3 season tire that will handle this New England winter well. They might be taken off next Nov for a new set of Blizzacks or Alpin Arctics for 2002-03 winter duty. Just can't afford 2 complete sets plus extra wheels in the next 6 months. I want a smooth quiet ride with good wet weather handling and long tread wear and have basically come up with Aquatread III as the top choice. Michelin Symmetry attracted my attention but seems to have a short tread life. I see that the MXV4 Energy tires are well spoken of in posts above too.

    Any comments about the Aquatread IIIs? I've read your comments above about the beading issue and am not sure what to make of that situation. Hope that is not a widespread problem. Tirerack reviews suggest they may be a bit less assertive in the twisties - anyone know how bad? Someone in Tirerack wrote that Aquatread IIIs ride very different in a softer sprung car which may direct the road imperfections into the cabin than a stiffer suspension setting which can direct the harshness back at the road. Not sure how my car falls into that spectrum sith the stiffened rear end.

    What other tires should I consider? Price is a determining factor too, so $100 per tire is a figure I hope not to exceed.

    Thanks in advance.

    Ken
  • hpulley4hpulley4 Member Posts: 591
    http://www.michelin-us.com/us/eng/tire/catalog/cat_01.htm


    If you look at Michelin's all-season tire page, you'll see that the X One has a 80000 mile tread warranty and much better wet and all-season traction than the Symmetries with the same comfort rating.


    I have a set of them on my Saturn LW200 and find them to be great in dry and wet (only sprinkles of snow this year so far). They ride quietly too. I'll probably know soon how well they do in the snow.


    I have Rainforce MX4's on my other car (X Ones don't come in 155/80R13) and while they are a decent tire (better than the Goodyear Invictas they replaced), the X Ones are much better. I may need to put Alpins on that car this winter if we get much white stuff.


    I also looked at the Aquatread IIIs but around here they are more expensive than the Michelins and they are directional tires and I envisioned myself arguing with service techs about that later. The Michelins are unidirectional so you don't have to worry about that.

  • tpkentpken Member Posts: 1,108
    Not sure of the meaning there - something to do with rotating the tires front to back only as opposed to side to side??

    Thanks for the Michelin site above. I looked at it and am impressed with those X-1s. The customer rep at Tirerack that I spoke to today also recommended them and has availability at $109 ea which sounds pretty reasonable.

    Ken
  • hpulley4hpulley4 Member Posts: 591
    Yes, directional tires have a one-way tread pattern so, as you said, they can only be rotated front to back.
  • bretfrazbretfraz Member Posts: 2,021
    OK, more like a buck. Sorry, but I'm a tire nut.

    I think the X-One is a fine tire but not a panacea for every car and every driver.

    A Bonnie is a big car and needs a more serious tire, not like the Affinity was a serious tire; what a piece of trash.

    I think the X-One is OK and for $110 it'll do the job. But if it were me I'd put on something a little more robust.

    Here are my suggestions:

    1. Michelin Energy MXV4 Plus. A luxury-sport tire, very well made, very smooth yet sportier than an X-One or Symmetry. There's a very good reason you see this tire on many Lexuses, Benzes, Volvos, Saabs, and many others. As long as you don't consider yourself an aggressive driver, this tire will be perfect for a car like the Bonnie.

    2. Dunlop SP Sport A2. Brand new from Dunlop replacing the loved D60A2. More sport than luxury. Will wake up the handling of the Bonnie. Since it's new there's not much history but early returns are promising.

    3. Yokohama Avid V4. The value-performance choice. Similar to the Dunlop in priorities. Those that have this tire love it. If you want good handling while leaving a few bucks in your pocket, put this high on your list.

    4. Toyo Proxes TPT. My darkhorse choice. Brand new on the market. Haven't seen any consumer comments. Uses alot of technology and design from the Proxes FZ4 which is a terrific all-season performance tire. Another good value.

    The Bonneville is a car with sporting intentions. The X-One is not a sport tire. The Aquatread is not a sport tire. The Affinity's were not a sport tire. The car can use some help in this arena.

    But if you're mellow and easy, listening to Michael Bolton and the Eagles, the X-One or the Aquatread will serve you well. The world of 225/60-16 is vast and wide. Everything under the sun comes in that size. $120 should be the ceiling price; any more and you're getting ripped.

    Hope this helps. Have fun shopping.
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