With that said, I asked about the Goodyear TripleTred availability and their response is that it’s a great tire but more designed for snow/ice/wet conditions but not a problem to get. Cost = $152 each.
I then ask for their recommendations for my vehicle type and driving conditions with an emphasis on the “quietness” of the tire. Discount Tire recommended the “Michelin LTX M/S”. Cost = $134 each.
I had the comfortreads installed on a '00 Maxima. Yes the tires rode smooth and very quietly. However, the downside, the Maxima felt like a slug when accelerating as compared to the OEM tires.
I had the Michelin LTX M/S installed on a '00 Silverado. Compared to those trashy Generals well there was no comparison. The truck rode better, handled better, quieter, and with less resistance than the Generals.
Course this may or may not help you. One thing I will say is that I wouldn't install the comfortreads if I were to do it again. The Maxima no longer handled or accelerated like it used to which could probably be attributed to the weight of the tire.
I agree with your observation that the comfortreads do not handle as well as the oem michelins but the ride was much softer which is what I wanted. I find the tirerack surveys very helpful for choosing tires. Did you notice a loss of 1 mpg w/ your comfort treads?
I meant to do this yesterday, but work got in the way. I really appreciate all the help / advise / suggestions that have been offered to help me understand the impacts of changing the OEM size tire of our Highlander from 225/70R16 to 235/70R16, as well as tire suggestions that do come in 225/70R16. I also found a neat little tool for comparing tires (which I bookmarked)
Hi, I am purchasing a new CRV from a dealership that is throwing in a tire program. If I do all maintenance there they will replace the tires for the life of the car each time they reach a minimum of 3/32s tread. We have average rainfall and sometimes during winter icy conditions. Is there enough traction and is it safe to drive on 3/32s tread tires during rainy or icy conditions? I suspect they are actually the ones getting the deal. Should I see if they will throw in a few extras (accessories) instead? If so, which accossories do you think I might have the best chance of getting and would be "equal" to that program? Thanks.
For snow, you kind of need 4 or 5/32's to get decent traction. For wet, it's about 4 or 3. Most tires start with 11/32nds.
But the thing that would bother me the most is how do they handle a situation where the tread isn't worn evenly across the tread face? Would they replace the tires when the worst worn spot is 3/32nds and would you get a free alignment?
Plus what about tire rotation? Is it free? Would they replace all 4 tires is only 2 wore out?
I'm guessing that the dealership wants you to come back on a regular basis for this offer to be valid.
Don't try to get "accessories". Get a better price.
Thank you for your reply and information. Yes I'd have to do all maintenance there. You ask some good questions that I never thought to ask the salesman. Tire rotation would not be free and two or four tires would be replaced (at a time) when they reach that tread (but you brought up a good point, would they replace them when only the worst worn spot is 3/32?) Only having 3/32 for snow/icy conditions (but needing 4 or 5/32's for good traction) does sound unsafe. I'm going to relay this info to the car salesman and if needed talk to the general manager. Thank you again!
I really don't think this 'free tires IF...' is a deal. This sounds like a used car salesman scam, imho. See if they'd do a free oil change (as needed) program if you do your maintenance there. I've seen several dealerships around here do that. You KNOW you'll be changing the oil many times while owning the car, barring unforeseen circumstances, & as long as they use quality mechanics, could catch small problems before they become major ones. Also, who knows, the 40k miles could take 1.5 - 2.5 years & by then you're already looking to sell the car. Just doesn't seem like a deal to me...
Thanks for all the replies, they've been really informative and helpful. I should have read as many of the posts on these forums as possible. You all have probably warned others about this. Live and learn! Thanks again.
It is just a gimmick to get you to pay for over-servicing your car at the dealership...
Couldn't agree more. If my tires had worn out sooner it would have been a pretty good deal. But, a $278 fuel filter replacement on my MPV, at 30k miles, made the "free" tires quite expensive.
I own a 2004 Cadillac Deville with 35,500 miles on it and original Michelin tires. I am wondering what the average wear life is for most new car tires for a large front wheel sedan is is as my Deville? I have received a differing remaining life estimated tread wear life on these tires ranging from 5,000 to 15,000 miles. The car is front wheel drive. I am very light on my braking in that I live in a small community with light traffic so am often able to let the car coast to a stop which saves both brakes and tires. Is it okay to wait for the tread warning bars to show on the tires before changing, or am I waiting to long and perhaps driving on unsafe tires? Most of my driving is done in dry weather and at speeds of 60 MPH or less. Any ideas experiences or suggestions will be greatly appreciated. I would also appreciate suggestions for the most quiet all season replacement tires, the Michelins have been good tires but somewhat noisy and would like some thing more quiet in my next tires. I expect I will own this car for about another two years so don't need anything more than a forty thousand mile tire unless the difference in price is minimal.
Mostly you look for weather-checking in the sidewalls (look like small cracks); also the tire should remain compliant and soft...if you can't even dig your fingernail in it, and it appears hard and shiny, then it's too old.
The wear bars are the limits of safety...you may wish to replace them before they actually hit the wearbars.
Since most tire wear occurs in cornering, it's hard to put a reliable number for tread wear. It all depends on how many turns you make compared to how much you drive in a straight line.
Further, high performance tires are designed more for grip than wear.
I looked up your vehicle and it came with both S rated tires (they would probably be all season tires) or H rated tires (probably touring). Both of these ought to deliver pretty good mileage.
As far as when to replace tires? You can wait until the wear bars appear, but recent studies have found that as tires approach wear out, they rapid lose their ability to resist hydroplaning. While we normally think of hydroplaning as a freeway speed problem, hydroplaning can occur at lower speeds if the conditions are right - deep water being one of the conditions.
From your description, it sounds like you are at a state of wear where this hydroplaning loss would be an issue.
Are there any recommendations for replacement tires for 2004 Honda Civic VP, 185/70SR/14? (T to H rating would be ok)It is used in a 54 R/T daily commute. Current tires are the oem supplied Dunlop.
I have a Chrysler Pacifica FWD, and wanted to rotate the tires. My wife took it into a tire shop, and they recommended not to rotate them because the tires with the most tread should be on the back.
I have always thought with a FWD car, you would want the most tread on the front.
There is about 40% tread on the front, and about 60% on the back.
With that logic, you'd never rotate the tires, as the front's always wear faster in any drive car.
I always keep the best tires in the front, main concern I try to avoid is hydroplaning situations, and in that case the rears follow in the water channels made by the fronts.....helping the lesser rears a bit.
Well I think he wants to see you either 2 or 4 new tires SOONER than later.
Actually your percentage wear is the BEST indication you SHOULD rotate! This will even them out. You of course will not see this now but at the next rotation!
I was told by my dealer that my 04 Passat Wagon (has 15k miles) needs a tire alignment after I complained about its slow accelerating problem at traffic lights. Then talking to a guy from a reputable car shop about this, he said tier alignment will not fix my car's acceleration problem. Who is correct?
However, SOTP experiences are almost imperceptible. But since you only have 15k and I assume bought new, you might ask the dealer if a check and adjust of alignment falls under the new car warranty period. Part and parcel would be to check the balance of the tires. These are usually the first items I bring in a new car for warranty fulfillment.
It of course can have longer lasting effects; such as increased or decrease tire wear, uneven tire wear, poor handling, pulling left or right or both, etc. Pretty important, I would think.
I also just did an alignment at 41k after a new car check and adjust alignment on a Civic. It didn't seem to get as good gas mileage. Just "THAT feeling" when you are dialed into the car. The alignment shop said it was WAY off and the first tank full after alignment indicated a gain of app 1 mpg.
I am going on 90,000 miles on a Jetta TDI and have not needed an alignment, but needed tire balancing at app 70k for a steering wheel shake at higher speeds. I hope this helps.
I was told to pay about $375 for my car’s alignment at a VW dealer, even though my Passat (brought new) has only 15K and less than 3 years old. I’m going to have my car checked at another repair shop and have it done with less money if needed.
Hi everyone.. ..I have an '03 Kia Sedona minivan, which still has original wheels and tires (15's). They are "H" rated. These tires almost look a bit too small for the size of the van (in my opinion). Is it possible to get a slightly taller tire without having to go to the expense of replacing the wheels as well? Or is it more trouble and expense that it's worth? Thanks in advance, Joan
I have a 2007 Rabbit that was purchased a few months ago with a problem that is really annoying. My left front tire has been replaced 2 times for being "out of round" by Discount Tire (b/c vw doesn't certify its tires). Now this will be the 3rd out of round tire I have had in the same location. I'm going to be taking it in to my VW dealer, but was wondering if anyone has experienced this same issue? or does anyone know what could by causing my car to "hop" all over the road? thanks..
p.s. - i also posted this question in the VW forum
The test is to see if the rim is out of round. You can replace the rim with one from another position on the car by switching the tires.
You might have a bad hub where the hub does not rotate centered or the studs are not centered on the hub. I had that long ago. Thought it was tires (partly) but the same tires always measured worse on the front when I gauged them. One time I checked the 5 lug nuts for distance from the floor with the micrometer-voila!!!
I know nothing about this--why I'm posting here. I'm tired of driving around looking for a gas station with an air hose, as they seem to be fewer & fewer. Can anyone give me ideas on a fairly simple, affordable device to pump air in my tires? Doesn't have to be portable to fit inside my car, altho I wouldn't rule that out.
I'd be real careful (unless you know for sure) using one of those battery operated air pumps. Increasingly car alternators are not designed to get the battery back up to 100% (or close) charge. Indeed some are starting to rely on the battery as a (running) power source and need to be trickle charged normally to last anywhere close to 4 years. So yes either a hand pump or one run on A/C power.
I bought an inexpensive Craftsman air pump that plugs into a household outlet. I bought a 120-volt model because I use it for my lawn tractor and snowblower tires as well, but it works for car tires just as well.
BTW, there's a local gas station that charges 75 CENTS for two minutes of air time. Outrageous! :mad:
Most stations in our area have gone to the pay for air pumps. They say ask the cashier for free air for customers. That's what I do.
The units are put in by an outside customer so the station or quickmart doesn't have to bother with the expense and maintenance. We'll see how long they last with stolen parts and damaged hoses.
I'm sorry. I should have explained that inside they have a radio sender that enables the switch on the side of the coin box to turn it on. I first encountered one of these in Williamsburg, VA, at a Shell dealership and read the note about customers. I'd filled up with gas there when I got to town and we were leaving and I just asked inside.
The local UDF stores had their new ones installed a couple of months ago before the cold, long seige. One froze up and froze up again. I suspect the part that takes water out of the compressed air didn't work.
I'm not sure the company investing in the pump/control/money collecting part and repairing the damaged/lost/stolen parts will make money in the end. But the store people don't have to have their service trucks doing the repairs anymore.
I've considered a small compressor from PepBoys or Harbor Freight just to use at home and for the nail gun I have.
Join their mailing club and they'll often give 15% off coupons. If you know someone already getting mailings, they may have one on a flyer.
I have their 12V $9.95 model which I occasionally use for tires, car or bike. Bought it for charging bottle rockets for Science Olympiad. It's slow and fragile. But it was on sale-grin. Takes a cup of coffee to adjust an auto tire up a few pounds, but then sitting by a roadside you have lots of time.
I got a small unit from Michelin many years back in a promotional tire offer. Nice travel case with some flares, first aid kit & a small air pump. How long might something that small take to add a few pounds of air? After all these years wonder if it even still works. Any takers on the length of time to add 3 to 4 pounds?
Someone said that 12v pumps drain the battery and the alternators won't recharge them? Did I understand an earlier post correctly or did I miss the point?
I'm not sure what that other post was about. I have a portable 12v unit in each of the vehicles, which are typically used to inflate beach/swim toys.....as since I got them have never had a flat (best insurance ever). I've used them for years running off of car batteries. They work fine, but since they are so small they take forever as someone has indicated. For the garage have a 30 year old 'real' compressor (think Tim the toolman), which is used for any serious air needs.
You can get the 12v ones anywhere, any of the auto stores, or volume marts.
Thanks for the clarification. When using credit cards its not often to have any contact with the cashier. So maybe I'll ask next time around. Or just plug in the compressor I got at home.
I agree with the Tire Rack suggestion. Check out their website, & the user reviews of various tires that fit the Tundra. And/or call them. Also, have you asked or searched on the Tundra boards?
Comments
I then ask for their recommendations for my vehicle type and driving conditions with an emphasis on the “quietness” of the tire. Discount Tire recommended the “Michelin LTX M/S”. Cost = $134 each.
I had the comfortreads installed on a '00 Maxima. Yes the tires rode smooth and very quietly. However, the downside, the Maxima felt like a slug when accelerating as compared to the OEM tires.
I had the Michelin LTX M/S installed on a '00 Silverado. Compared to those trashy Generals well there was no comparison. The truck rode better, handled better, quieter, and with less resistance than the Generals.
Course this may or may not help you. One thing I will say is that I wouldn't install the comfortreads if I were to do it again. The Maxima no longer handled or accelerated like it used to which could probably be attributed to the weight of the tire.
Good luck!!
I meant to do this yesterday, but work got in the way.
I really appreciate all the help / advise / suggestions that have been offered to help me understand the impacts of changing the OEM size tire of our Highlander from 225/70R16 to 235/70R16, as well as tire suggestions that do come in 225/70R16. I also found a neat little tool for comparing tires (which I bookmarked)
Tire Dimensions Made Simple
My research is not quite done, but with the help of the people here it was alot easier.
All my best,
Philip
For snow, you kind of need 4 or 5/32's to get decent traction. For wet, it's about 4 or 3. Most tires start with 11/32nds.
But the thing that would bother me the most is how do they handle a situation where the tread isn't worn evenly across the tread face? Would they replace the tires when the worst worn spot is 3/32nds and would you get a free alignment?
Plus what about tire rotation? Is it free? Would they replace all 4 tires is only 2 wore out?
I'm guessing that the dealership wants you to come back on a regular basis for this offer to be valid.
Don't try to get "accessories". Get a better price.
See if they'd do a free oil change (as needed) program if you do your maintenance there. I've seen several dealerships around here do that. You KNOW you'll be changing the oil many times while owning the car, barring unforeseen circumstances, & as long as they use quality mechanics, could catch small problems before they become major ones.
Also, who knows, the 40k miles could take 1.5 - 2.5 years & by then you're already looking to sell the car. Just doesn't seem like a deal to me...
Unless you like changing your tires one at a time, or waiting until they are borderine completely worn out...
It is just a gimmick to get you to pay for over-servicing your car at the dealership...
It isn't worth anything, and if they don't charge you extra to sign up for it, it doesn't cost anything... Just disregard it..
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Couldn't agree more. If my tires had worn out sooner it would have been a pretty good deal. But, a $278 fuel filter replacement on my MPV, at 30k miles, made the "free" tires quite expensive.
let the car coast to a stop which saves both brakes and tires. Is it okay to wait for the tread warning bars to show on the tires before changing, or am I waiting to long and perhaps driving on unsafe tires? Most of my driving is done in dry weather and at speeds of 60 MPH or less. Any ideas experiences or suggestions will be greatly appreciated. I would also appreciate suggestions for the most quiet all season replacement tires, the Michelins have been good tires but somewhat noisy and would like some thing more quiet in my next tires. I expect I will own this car for about another
two years so don't need anything more than a forty thousand mile tire unless the difference in price is minimal.
The wear bars are the limits of safety...you may wish to replace them before they actually hit the wearbars.
Since most tire wear occurs in cornering, it's hard to put a reliable number for tread wear. It all depends on how many turns you make compared to how much you drive in a straight line.
Further, high performance tires are designed more for grip than wear.
I looked up your vehicle and it came with both S rated tires (they would probably be all season tires) or H rated tires (probably touring). Both of these ought to deliver pretty good mileage.
As far as when to replace tires? You can wait until the wear bars appear, but recent studies have found that as tires approach wear out, they rapid lose their ability to resist hydroplaning. While we normally think of hydroplaning as a freeway speed problem, hydroplaning can occur at lower speeds if the conditions are right - deep water being one of the conditions.
From your description, it sounds like you are at a state of wear where this hydroplaning loss would be an issue.
Thank you in advance.
I have always thought with a FWD car, you would want the most tread on the front.
There is about 40% tread on the front, and about 60% on the back.
Who is right?
Thanks.
I always keep the best tires in the front, main concern I try to avoid is hydroplaning situations, and in that case the rears follow in the water channels made by the fronts.....helping the lesser rears a bit.
Actually your percentage wear is the BEST indication you SHOULD rotate! This will even them out. You of course will not see this now but at the next rotation!
I used to think so too, but this article changed my mind. Read it and decide for yourself.
link title
The best situation is to rotate tires frequently so that the tread is always about the same on all wheels.
However, SOTP experiences are almost imperceptible. But since you only have 15k and I assume bought new, you might ask the dealer if a check and adjust of alignment falls under the new car warranty period. Part and parcel would be to check the balance of the tires. These are usually the first items I bring in a new car for warranty fulfillment.
It of course can have longer lasting effects; such as increased or decrease tire wear, uneven tire wear, poor handling, pulling left or right or both, etc. Pretty important, I would think.
I also just did an alignment at 41k after a new car check and adjust alignment on a Civic. It didn't seem to get as good gas mileage. Just "THAT feeling" when you are dialed into the car. The alignment shop said it was WAY off and the first tank full after alignment indicated a gain of app 1 mpg.
I am going on 90,000 miles on a Jetta TDI and have not needed an alignment, but needed tire balancing at app 70k for a steering wheel shake at higher speeds. I hope this helps.
I was told to pay about $375 for my car’s alignment at a VW dealer, even though my Passat (brought new) has only 15K and less than 3 years old. I’m going to have my car checked at another repair shop and have it done with less money if needed.
I think my local VW dealer charges 1/3rd (125.00 for Passat and 85.00 for other models).
Krzys
..I have an '03 Kia Sedona minivan, which still has original wheels and tires (15's). They are "H" rated. These tires almost look a bit too small for the size of the van (in my opinion). Is it possible to get a slightly taller tire without having to go to the expense of replacing the wheels as well? Or is it more trouble and expense that it's worth? Thanks in advance, Joan
thanks..
p.s. - i also posted this question in the VW forum
You might have a bad hub where the hub does not rotate centered or the studs are not centered on the hub. I had that long ago. Thought it was tires (partly) but the same tires always measured worse on the front when I gauged them. One time I checked the 5 lug nuts for distance from the floor with the micrometer-voila!!!
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
TIA!
Krzys
BTW, there's a local gas station that charges 75 CENTS for two minutes of air time. Outrageous! :mad:
The units are put in by an outside customer so the station or quickmart doesn't have to bother with the expense and maintenance. We'll see how long they last with stolen parts and damaged hoses.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
It is hard to find air anymore, free or not... and, when you do find it, half the time the machine is out of order.
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Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!
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The local UDF stores had their new ones installed a couple of months ago before the cold, long seige. One froze up and froze up again. I suspect the part that takes water out of the compressed air didn't work.
I'm not
sure the company investing in the pump/control/money collecting part and repairing the damaged/lost/stolen parts will make money in the end. But the store people don't have to have their service trucks doing the repairs anymore.
I've considered a small compressor from PepBoys or Harbor Freight just to use at home and for the nail gun I have.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Black & Decker ASI300 Air Station Inflator $50. Runs off of AC power or 12V.
Bon-Aire BA121L 120V Air Compressor/Inflator $65. Uses AC power only. The inflation hose is apparently a lot longer than the B&D.
And there are a lot of junky looking ones that use 12V only, and work very Slowly. I might check Sears too & see what they have.....
92097-1VGA
Central Pneumatic $43.
Join their mailing club and they'll often give 15% off coupons. If you know someone already getting mailings, they may have one on a flyer.
I have their 12V $9.95 model which I occasionally use for tires, car or bike. Bought it for charging bottle rockets for Science Olympiad. It's slow and fragile. But it was on sale-grin. Takes a cup of coffee to adjust an auto tire up a few pounds, but then sitting by a roadside you have lots of time.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
The Sandman :confuse:
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
You can get the 12v ones anywhere, any of the auto stores, or volume marts.
can pick the tires with the attributes you
want.http://www.tirerack.com/index.jsp