Put them on my '99 Subaru Forester (225-60R16) a week ago and am very happy so far. We've had real winter weather here in upstate NY last week. I got fooled by the mild weather and took my winter tires off a couple of weeks too early. The SP Sport A2s are fairly good in snow and ice, at least at moderate speed. Highway - speed lane changes across the "mound 'o slush" are a bit scary though. Not bad for all-season tires; a bonus.
On dry roads or light rain, they combine crisp handling, fairly low noise and firm, comfortable ride. I've had them inflated to 28 PSI and will see how they feel at around 30-32 PSI. I'm looking forward to seeing how they are on dry, twisty roads as well as in heavy rain & standing water. That and a year's worth of wear later and I'll really know where I stand.
All in all, a good combination of sportiness and comfort; certainly a good balance for the Subaru. I like the look as well: distinctive, sporty without the tuner / boy racer look - and just slightly menacing, like police car tires.
Thanks for the reply John. I have the same size on my car, but have so far set the inflation at 35 psi. That is more in line with the sticker on the drivers door. It is interesting that the MAX Cold Inflation, listed on the side of the car is 44 psi.
Were you offered, and did you get the Road Hazard Warranty?
The Accutire MS4000 is on sale at Sears for $16.99. The regular retail for this model is $32.99. They also have the less expensive models on sale for $9.99.
The 4000 has an illuminated readout that measures in 1/2 lb increments.
I had my tires installed by a local tire dealer who bought them from Tire Rack. I got lifetime balancing & rotation. I was not offered and did not seek out the road hazard warranty. I drive mostly suburban & rural highway miles; pretty safe odds. BTW, today I got to try the SP A2s out on dry, winding 2-lane roads. They were great; effortless feeling. I think I'd normally reach my limits as a driver long before the car & tires reached theirs. Time to take a high performance driving course. The only problem was I kept coming up on slower traffic...
How wrong you could be. I owned Dunlop D60-A2's on a prior car. I have actually researched tires for several months. Michelin, Yoko's and Dunlop's being among the leading contenders. I was willing to spend over $125 per tire, so my choices were quite broad.
Secondly, tire pressure is really a matter of preference, since the max cold pressure for these Dunlop's is 44 psi. Riding them at 30 is going to give you a considerably softer, quieter ride. Riding them at 35 is going to provide more cornering and road feel. Trial and error with inflation pressure in a new tire is a very common occurance.
Thirdly, a tire has a specific appearance on a car. Witness the fact that when I needed to replace one of the original Goodyear GA's on my '98 ES, they had put on a standard blackwall GA tire. The ones that came with the car had a serrated sidewall. My first reaction was "something looks odd", then realized it was not the right model of GA. Looks do count.
varies by vehicle and tire. Sidewall strength (stiffness) is different from tire to tire. Also, if you aren't using a stock size tire, you may have to adjust it. Car manufactures give you a pressure for the stock tires. They give you a good all around ride, but perfect for you and what you drive on. When you go off-roading in a jeep, do you air down? Why? As long as the person knows what they're doing they'll be fine. Too little pressure and you'll have a Ford/Firestone...too much pressure and you'll have bad wearing patterns.
'Other than whitewalls or white lettering, I just don't buy that one.' I buy it.
Why do you think all the kids and sporto's have those low profile tires on their cars? It ain't for track handling. Looks play a HUGE part in the marketing of a tire. Lat year there was a cover story in Tire Review discussing the growing market for custom wheels and low profile tires. Appearance and name brand image play a major part in a customer's decision to buy one brand of tire over another. A number of tire mfr's like Pirelli employ business managers who focus solely on the ultra-performance tire segment. Pirelli has a terrific reputation for making stylish performance tires and they're wanting to turn that image into profits.
Go to all the tire websites and read the descriptions of the performance and LT tires. Almost all mention something about the looks of the tire. Tire make a fashion statement and the mfr's are well aware of it.
I can see where they want to have the thin sidewalls to look like they are racers or something, but that is about it. Even that I cannot see, as it makes ride comfort suffer (been there, done that).
How else could a tire have "style"? Like I said, roundy round and blacky black is pretty much the extent.
are certainly being used. They don't look like they do just because of their function. I've seen some pretty silly tread designs on some cars that I'm sure have NOTHING to do with function. Why do people take pictures of their cars with the wheels turned so you can see the rims and tires? They like how it looks. Face it, many people 'wear' their cars and care how it looks. It doesn't stop at the body panels.
All tire mfr's put a good amount of effort into a tire's tread and sidewall design. When someone is willing to spend $200 or more per tire they're gonna want a good-looking tire.
The major tire mfr's have enough computer design capability so that they can design a stylish tire and still get the technical performance the engineer's have stipulated.
If the performance and quality of various tire designs are equal, why not build a better looking tire?
Because, who the heck LOOKS at a tire tread (other than to check for nails or wear)?
I cannot believe that someone actually would spend valuable time and money making a tire tread LOOK nice (nice? is it possible?) over making it work better.
I know that there is at least one tire manufacturer that has a colored stripe running through it. When a car company rolls out a concept vehicle it seems they pay as much time detailing the tread pattern as they do the vehicle. Some go so far as put their logo in the tread pattern (MB AAV - prerunner to the ML). Design of a tire IS important to a great deal of people.
If people didn't care how their tires looked on their cars we would only have one tire.
Porknbeans
Grand High Poobah The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
I need new tires on my truck. I'm spending a great deal of time researching how they are going to function but, I'm not going to put a tire on it that doesn't appeal to me. Why do you think that Michelin (and everybody else) makes so many varieties of light truck tires that ride like a passenger tire but look like a "truck" tire? It's because people want that not just because of how they function. People do care how their tires look.
Porknbeans
Grand High Poobah The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
The one you're referring to is the BFGoodrich Scorcher T/A. You can get tread designs in red, yellow, and blue. You used to be able to custom order them from BFG but they've discontinued that. Go to http://bfgoodrichtires.com to see them.
Also, at the Chicago Auto Show I saw the Saab 9-3X concept car which had Michelin tires in blue.
I thought I read somewhere that there were communities that were outlawing those striped tires because gangs were associating with a particular color. Just another piece of useless trivia.
Porknbeans
Grand High Poobah The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
I do believe we are being "baited" here by Anony. Have you ever walked into a tire store where there were no tires on display? Of course not. They are on display so that you can see what you would like to purchase. They market them with the more stylish ones being at eye level, and the less attractive bulbous ones down near the floor.
I remember quite a few years ago buying General tires for my '77 Hurst Cutlass. The tires were very awkward in appearance. Others even commented that they looked like tractor tires. I didn't run out to replace them, but it was apparent then that the style of a tire will greatly enhance or detract from the overall look of the exterior of a car.
It was well said here "people 'wear' their cars and care how it looks."
This thread (pun?) is most amusing. I look at owner comments for mileage and performance, read the DOT tread wear numbers and don't pay much attention to the tread or siping, and even less to the sidewall (I also drive a minivan, so what do I know about style!). I'm not into raised white letters, but I assume you can mount them (and whitewalls) so the markings face inside.
lol, the "gangs drive blue tires" comment has to be right up there with the "don't flash your brights" urban legend, porknbeans. I hope someone is keeping lists of this stuff. Steve Host SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
I'm another one who looks at my tires. And my Nokian NRWs have a very, very thin red stripe running through the tread. I thought I was seeing things when I first noticed it!
By the way, since there hasn't been much winter up here in Minnesota this year, I still don't know how well these NRWs perform. They're definitely better on snow than they are on ice (especially black ice), but I'd have to see a real snowfall with cold temperatures to make a definitive judgment.
I take a cursory look at treads, but admittedly, don't know much about tires, so I just ask the sales guy which one is best in snow, which is best in summer, etc.
Then I check the treadwear ratings and price. Who really cares if the pattern is little x's or little L's or whatever?
I'm sensing a trend here. Do you guys put that "shiny tire" stuff on your sideways when you wash your cars/vans too?
(you can guess what I do - I don't even wash the van that often, much less shine up the tires). Steve Host SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
I bought Aquatread IIIs for my 2000 Bonneville at Christmas and have to admit that I do like the look of the sidewalls on these tires. Aquatreads have always had interesting designs - and these look great. BTW - I love the way the tires handle in both wet and dry weather. We haven't had much snow this year but they've been fine in what little we've had.
I use Meguiar's Gold Class Endurance on the tires. It has a natural finish look, not that glossy painted on appearance. It contains no alcohol that would cause the tires to crack, and prevents browning of the rubber.
Good to see you are multi-boarded Steve...I guess the MPV board doesn't keep you busy enough. You should take over the Protege board, they would keep you up at nights!!
Usually the lower profile tires look better because they are on larger wheels. Anyone would have to admit that larger wheel sizes certaily affect the style of a vehicle (to a certain point). This was all started because sports cars had large wheels with low profiles (for performance reasons) and the look stuck. Now I am planning to buy an Mazda MPV minivan, and part of my reason is it is available with 17" wheels. Kinda silly huh? (It also already looks nicer with its small size, and the wheels just complement it.) Oh well...they build what people buy...I do find this to be a generation gap thing. Both my dad and my father-in-law think buying anything with a larger wheel than 14" is stupid and a waste of tire money. Of course, they also think a rough ride is a detriment...I guess carving the corners was not the specialty of their muscle cars when they were growing up!!
It seems silly that these big, bruisin' 4X4 trucks have 16 and 17 inch wheels on some.
Most serious offroaders go with 15 and sometimes 14 inch wheels, so as to have more rubber between the wheel and the ground. It also aids when airing down tires I guess.
Maybe the car/truck manufacturers are in bed with the tire manufacturers, kinda like intel and microsoft.
I hate that stuff. It looks nasty and is bad for your tires. Most of those "tire gloss" products are loaded with silicone oil that eats at the rubber and slings onto your paint, causing yet another problem.
I use water-based protectants that look good, really protect the rubber, and does no damage. Vinylex is good stuff, Eagle One has a Satin Finish Tire Shine which has been replaced by Interior/Exterior Protectant, 303 Aerospace protectant, and Pinnacle Vinyl & Rubber protectant.
I also clean the tires every wash. I use Eagle One's tire cleaner which is the best product of its kind I've ever used. Soap and water will work fine with a stiff brush. I stay away from that Wesley's Bleach-White and harsh cleaners like Comet and Ajax. That stuff is unnecessary.
If you have tire shiny stuff that makes the rubber reflective and glossy, toss it out and get stuff that will actually protect the rubber.
I need to replace my tires on my V8 Explorer (235/75) This will be my 3rd set (123,000 miles on vehicle). I've have the Wrangler RT/S but am sick of the noise and the "cupping". Looking ot replace with a reasonably priced tire (under $90, less is een better) that gives a good highway ride but can handle rain and light snow. NOt impressed with the Goodyears and Michelins are too expensive. Sicne we bought a new car in July, we won't drive the Explorer near as much as we have in the past. Only expect to do about 6k - 8k miles per year.
I wanna put on 18s on my 01 Accord V6 Coupe, and I was wondering if anyone has any idea of the maximum tire width? Would 245 be too wide of a tire? And to that, would a 245 tire fit on a 7.5" rim?
Instead of making point in your arguments, you just were rude with an innocent bystander. Much worse sin, in mine mind, than paying attention to the tire appearence. Even than painting them blue, green, and red...
Well, lots of choices in 235/75-15 (I assume you're running 15" wheels although I thought V8 Exploders came with 16").
A good tire for the price is the BFGoodrich Long-Trail T/A. Does most things quite well and priced reasonably.
Also look at the Continental Contitrac SUV, Yokohama Geolandar, Dunlop radial Rover AP or one of their Grandtrek models, Pirelli Scorpion ST....enough choices?? :-)
Another good choice for an all around good tire for a SUV, at a very reasonable price is the Cooper Discovery Series. I think that there are two types one for more all terrain driving and the other for more highway driving.
And if anybody cares they LOOK fine too. :-)
Porknbeans
Grand High Poobah The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
Car: 2000 Mazda Protege ES Original tires: Bridgestone Potenza RE92
I took a two hour trip from Philly to Baltimore to visit the National Aquarium.......on the I-95.. .....and this was THE QUITEST ride that I ever had in my Pro ES.........as quite as my bro's 6 yr old plush Infiniti Q45.......
The BFGoodrich Touring T/A Vr4 tires are simply the quitest tires out there for the PRO.....no wonder they are named "Touring" tires....... absolutely the best for touring.......
my wife was initially cribbing when I changed tires.....unnecessary expense...et al...... and now she was the one who kept on praising my decision throught the trip...... these tires made my day....
Absolutely the most minimal of Noise, Vibration and Harshness with the definite crisp absorbption of road bumps as expected of a PRO ES.
I'm looking around at replacement tires for my ’97 Expedition and I have it down to the Bridgestone Dueler HL or Michelin Cross Terrain. I would like some insight if any of you have purchased either of these tires. I’m looking for impressions regarding wet road handling and handling in general with either of these tires. Comments Please?
Well, it depends what you want to do with your Expedition.
I would look at that, then look at the treadwear ratings second, then look at price.
Others on this board would rather you look at how the sides of the tire LOOK, and what kind of tread pattern it has, so it looks good when you are parked with the wheels turned out.
Has anybody tried to use this website lately? I tried to get some info on tires for my truck and what they are offering is far, far less as far as choices. Does anybody else use another website? If so, what is it? Thanks in advance.
Porknbeans
Grand High Poobah The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
and select the tipe of tires you want, like performance all-season, or touring, or standard. Do not know about trucks, though...
2. Follow the hiperlink and select the top tire models. Not the very top only - it may be very expensive, or just not available for your application. The 3 to 5 top ones must be excellent choices. Only beware small "Total miles reported" - these tires are new or rare models, and few people have real experience with them.
3. Click on the tire name, then on "Sizes and pricing".
Just remember that you cannot directly compare UTQG's from brand to brand. You can only compare UTQG's within a specific brand.
Some posters in the past had purchased the Cross Terrains; maybe they'll offer a comment or two. Can think of only one poster that bought the Dueler HL's, and I'm going back 2+ years. Not that it means anything........
I think both are great tires and will work well for you. The C/T is going to be more expensive. The Dueler has a rep for a very smooth, quiet ride but not as good as the Michelin on treadlife. FWIW, Goodyear just introduced a new LT tire, the Fortera HL, to compete directly with the C/T. Worth a look.
Comments
On dry roads or light rain, they combine crisp handling, fairly low noise and firm, comfortable ride. I've had them inflated to 28 PSI and will see how they feel at around 30-32 PSI. I'm looking forward to seeing how they are on dry, twisty roads as well as in heavy rain & standing water. That and a year's worth of wear later and I'll really know where I stand.
All in all, a good combination of sportiness and comfort; certainly a good balance for the Subaru. I like the look as well: distinctive, sporty without the tuner / boy racer look - and just slightly menacing, like police car tires.
John
That is more in line with the sticker on the drivers door. It is interesting that the MAX Cold Inflation, listed on the side of the car is 44 psi.
Were you offered, and did you get the Road Hazard Warranty?
The 4000 has an illuminated readout that measures in 1/2 lb increments.
John
"I've had them inflated to 28 PSI and will see how they feel at around 30-32 PSI."
Why not just inflate to spec, and leave it at that?
"I like the look as well: distinctive, sporty without the tuner / boy racer look - and just slightly menacing, like police car tires."
Looks? Since when have people bought tires for LOOKS? Round and black pretty much sums it up.
Oh, menacing, just what I wanted in a tire AND my police....NOT!!
You want whitewalls with that?
Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
How wrong you could be. I owned Dunlop D60-A2's on a prior car. I have actually researched tires for several months. Michelin, Yoko's and Dunlop's being among the leading contenders. I was willing to spend over $125 per tire, so my choices were quite broad.
Secondly, tire pressure is really a matter of preference, since the max cold pressure for these Dunlop's is 44 psi. Riding them at 30 is going to give you a considerably softer, quieter ride. Riding them at 35 is going to provide more cornering and road feel. Trial and error with inflation pressure in a new tire is a very common occurance.
Thirdly, a tire has a specific appearance on a car. Witness the fact that when I needed to replace one of the original Goodyear GA's on my '98 ES, they had put on a standard blackwall GA tire. The ones that came with the car had a serrated sidewall. My first reaction was "something looks odd", then realized it was not the right model of GA. Looks do count.
Your critical read on this topic is way off base.
Sorry. I thought you said you just put some on, and THEN were asking what people thought.
"Secondly, tire pressure is really a matter of preference, since the max cold pressure for these Dunlop's is 44 psi."
Yeah, but the car owner's manual will tell you what the PROPER inflation is, possibly a little higher for heavier loads or towing.
"Thirdly, a tire has a specific appearance on a car."
Other than whitewalls or white lettering, I just don't buy that one.
'Other than whitewalls or white lettering, I just don't buy that one.' I buy it.
Go to all the tire websites and read the descriptions of the performance and LT tires. Almost all mention something about the looks of the tire. Tire make a fashion statement and the mfr's are well aware of it.
I can see where they want to have the thin sidewalls to look like they are racers or something, but that is about it. Even that I cannot see, as it makes ride comfort suffer (been there, done that).
How else could a tire have "style"? Like I said, roundy round and blacky black is pretty much the extent.
The major tire mfr's have enough computer design capability so that they can design a stylish tire and still get the technical performance the engineer's have stipulated.
If the performance and quality of various tire designs are equal, why not build a better looking tire?
I cannot believe that someone actually would spend valuable time and money making a tire tread LOOK nice (nice? is it possible?) over making it work better.
If people didn't care how their tires looked on their cars we would only have one tire.
Grand High Poobah
The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
No. People buy different tires because they perform differently. They don't really look different. Who looks?
Grand High Poobah
The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
Also, at the Chicago Auto Show I saw the Saab 9-3X concept car which had Michelin tires in blue.
Then again if they're blue who can blame you
I thought I read somewhere that there were communities that were outlawing those striped tires because gangs were associating with a particular color. Just another piece of useless trivia.
Grand High Poobah
The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
I remember quite a few years ago buying General tires for my '77 Hurst Cutlass. The tires were very awkward in appearance. Others even commented that they looked like tractor tires. I didn't run out to replace them, but it was apparent then that the style of a tire will greatly enhance or detract from the overall look of the exterior of a car.
It was well said here "people 'wear' their cars and care how it looks."
lol, the "gangs drive blue tires" comment has to be right up there with the "don't flash your brights" urban legend, porknbeans. I hope someone is keeping lists of this stuff.
Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
By the way, since there hasn't been much winter up here in Minnesota this year, I still don't know how well these NRWs perform. They're definitely better on snow than they are on ice (especially black ice), but I'd have to see a real snowfall with cold temperatures to make a definitive judgment.
Noelle
Then I check the treadwear ratings and price. Who really cares if the pattern is little x's or little L's or whatever?
(you can guess what I do - I don't even wash the van that often, much less shine up the tires).
Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
http://www.meguiars.com/product_showroom/showproducts_template.cfm?SrcLine=CW
Usually the lower profile tires look better because they are on larger wheels. Anyone would have to admit that larger wheel sizes certaily affect the style of a vehicle (to a certain point). This was all started because sports cars had large wheels with low profiles (for performance reasons) and the look stuck. Now I am planning to buy an Mazda MPV minivan, and part of my reason is it is available with 17" wheels. Kinda silly huh? (It also already looks nicer with its small size, and the wheels just complement it.) Oh well...they build what people buy...I do find this to be a generation gap thing. Both my dad and my father-in-law think buying anything with a larger wheel than 14" is stupid and a waste of tire money. Of course, they also think a rough ride is a detriment...I guess carving the corners was not the specialty of their muscle cars when they were growing up!!
Most serious offroaders go with 15 and sometimes 14 inch wheels, so as to have more rubber between the wheel and the ground. It also aids when airing down tires I guess.
Maybe the car/truck manufacturers are in bed with the tire manufacturers, kinda like intel and microsoft.
I use water-based protectants that look good, really protect the rubber, and does no damage. Vinylex is good stuff, Eagle One has a Satin Finish Tire Shine which has been replaced by Interior/Exterior Protectant, 303 Aerospace protectant, and Pinnacle Vinyl & Rubber protectant.
I also clean the tires every wash. I use Eagle One's tire cleaner which is the best product of its kind I've ever used. Soap and water will work fine with a stiff brush. I stay away from that Wesley's Bleach-White and harsh cleaners like Comet and Ajax. That stuff is unnecessary.
If you have tire shiny stuff that makes the rubber reflective and glossy, toss it out and get stuff that will actually protect the rubber.
I need to replace my tires on my V8 Explorer (235/75) This will be my 3rd set (123,000 miles on vehicle). I've have the Wrangler RT/S but am sick of the noise and the "cupping". Looking ot replace with a reasonably priced tire (under $90, less is een better) that gives a good highway ride but can handle rain and light snow. NOt impressed with the Goodyears and Michelins are too expensive. Sicne we bought a new car in July, we won't drive the Explorer near as much as we have in the past. Only expect to do about 6k - 8k miles per year.
Any help is appreciated.
LOL! ROTFLOL!!!!
Instead of making point in your arguments, you just were rude with an innocent bystander. Much worse sin, in mine mind, than paying attention to the tire appearence. Even than painting them blue, green, and red...
There are numerous online Honda clubs where this topic is discussed frequently.
Also talk to your local wheel/tire places or even contact Tire Rack and ask.
A good tire for the price is the BFGoodrich Long-Trail T/A. Does most things quite well and priced reasonably.
Also look at the Continental Contitrac SUV, Yokohama Geolandar, Dunlop radial Rover AP or one of their Grandtrek models, Pirelli Scorpion ST....enough choices?? :-)
And if anybody cares they LOOK fine too. :-)
Grand High Poobah
The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
Original tires: Bridgestone Potenza RE92
I took a two hour trip from Philly to Baltimore to visit the National Aquarium.......on the I-95..
.....and this was THE QUITEST ride that I ever had in my Pro ES.........as quite as my bro's 6 yr old plush Infiniti Q45.......
The BFGoodrich Touring T/A Vr4 tires are simply the quitest tires out there for the PRO.....no wonder they are named "Touring" tires....... absolutely the best for touring.......
my wife was initially cribbing when I changed tires.....unnecessary expense...et al...... and now she was the one who kept on praising my decision throught the trip...... these tires made my day....
Absolutely the most minimal of Noise, Vibration and Harshness with the definite crisp absorbption of road bumps as expected of a PRO ES.
Good Luck!
I would look at that, then look at the treadwear ratings second, then look at price.
Others on this board would rather you look at how the sides of the tire LOOK, and what kind of tread pattern it has, so it looks good when you are parked with the wheels turned out.
;-)
Grand High Poobah
The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
Better way to search is:
1. Open the following page:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyresults/index.jsp
and select the tipe of tires you want, like performance all-season, or touring, or standard. Do not know about trucks, though...
2. Follow the hiperlink and select the top tire models. Not the very top only - it may be very expensive, or just not available for your application. The 3 to 5 top ones must be excellent choices. Only beware small "Total miles reported" - these tires are new or rare models, and few people have real experience with them.
3. Click on the tire name, then on "Sizes and pricing".
Grand High Poobah
The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
Some posters in the past had purchased the Cross Terrains; maybe they'll offer a comment or two. Can think of only one poster that bought the Dueler HL's, and I'm going back 2+ years. Not that it means anything........
I think both are great tires and will work well for you. The C/T is going to be more expensive. The Dueler has a rep for a very smooth, quiet ride but not as good as the Michelin on treadlife. FWIW, Goodyear just introduced a new LT tire, the Fortera HL, to compete directly with the C/T. Worth a look.
????
;-)