Tires, tires, tires

corvette · July 2011

I don't think you can go wrong going off the Tire Rack reviews. OEM tires for many vehicles typically rate average or poor. Consumer Reports also tests tires and it looks like the Yokos rated in the middle third of their all-season tire test.

slorenzen · August 2011

I don't know how the TRZ is, but I installed Avvid V4S on my '06 civic, and they have become really noisy the last 6-7K miles.

They currently have about 30K on them. They are wearing well, but annoyingly loud...

edmunds_help · August 2011

I am getting new set of all season tires, which I already bought, installed. But I have a bent wheel and need a replacement wheel. While searching for a wheel (stock steel 14x"5.5", 4x100 14 holes), I found a set of used Blizzaks (winter tires). I am a newbie . So, I would like to know if these tires are reasonable for $100. Can anyone guess how much tread is left on the tires?

I am thinking of using one of the wheels from these used wheels to replace the bent wheel and get the the Blizzaks mounted for winter.

This is my first post on here. So, please be gentle

. Thanks in advance.

edmunds_help · August 2011

Winter tires are loud and noisy. Ride isn't as comfy as the regular ones either.

texases · August 2011

For a snow tire it looks like there's very little tread left. Also, I think the Blizzaks have a tread where the outer portion has the imbedded air bubbles that give the tire added 'bite' in slippery conditions. However, the lower level of the tread lacks those bubbles, perhaps to wear a bit longer or for tread stability. Therefore, these worn Blizzaks have another problem: no more bubbles!

dudleyr · August 2011

Looks like they have just over half the tread left. Probably OK for 1 winter - would probably still be better than all seasons for the second winter.

$100 is a reasonable price - especially if they come with the rims. If you have to go to the trouble/cost of mounting and balancing and buying new rims, then you might as well get new tires.

I highly recommend snow tires for the winter - much better than AWD without snows.

slorenzen · August 2011

The AVID V4S is an all season.

It's a good handling tire, initially quiet, and has been fine for my purpose, but they've gotten noisy since about 25K.

Part of the probelm here in Oregon, is that studded tires are still legal 5 months of the year, so the roads are bad too.

Any road that gets re-surfaced is only nice for about a year, then it's back to the pitted trenches down each lane.

lilengineerboy · August 2011

Discount tire found some for me in TX, had them shipped to MI and installed them for me. They've been on there for a few hundred miles and feel like, well, new tires. I am trying to be very gentle with them until about 1k miles and then may start to explore a little more. So far they are quiet, do great in the rain (as any brand new full tread depth tire should be) and seem to do a great job with impact harshness on MI freeways. $130/tire + $20/tire install, disposal etc.

I am still planning to get dedicated winter tires when it gets cold, but for 3 seasons I think the DWS will be fine.

kyfdx · August 2011

From everything I've heard, those tires would be good for winter, the first year...

I'd be tempted to put off the winter tire purchase for a year...

colin_l · August 2011

I had no problems whatsoever in the winter when mine had ~1,000 miles on them. Now I have about 10k more and they still have a lot of meat. I'm sure they will be good again.

I do have AWD but I don't have traction control or stability management.

lilengineerboy · August 2011

The Contis are replacing 205/60R16 Bridgestone OEMs with 65k. I ran them one winter too long as a couple of times, I needed a tow out of the un-plowed subdivision by a Subaru Legacy wagon with Dunlop Wintersport 3Ds.

Not this year my friends. Of course the more prepared I am, the less it will snow. :sick:

middleageguy · August 2011

For the 2008 Yaris, I ended up purchasing Perilli P4 tires. Discount Tire gave me a great deal and included tire warranty certificates. Listed price was more than the Yoko Avid TRZ.

So far the Pirelli tires are great, improving the Yaris handling.

corvette · August 2011

I have the P4 Four Seasons on my Altima. I've put exactly 10,250 miles on them, so I guess I can do an official review. The wet grip is good and the dry grip is outstanding. There isn't much howl as they approach their cornering limits. Noise and ride are also good, although there is a little whistling noise that gets louder when the car is accelerating. When the tires were new, they would squeal in low speed parking maneuvers, but it seems like this characteristic has improved as they have broken in.

Based on the wear I have measured, it looks like they'll be down to the wear bars in about 45-50,000 miles, but I will not wait until that point to replace them. This is a little disappointing given their claimed 85,000 mile tread life but not all that surprising since my driving is approximately 60% highway, 40% city. 95% of my driving is relatively conservative, but I occasionally enjoy a twisty road. They would probably go the full distance for someone who drives almost exclusively on the highway.

By the way, I'm using a gadget called a Fowler X-tread which is a digital tire tread depth gauge. It's more precise than an analog gauge and I think you can get it cheaply on Amazon. This is a must-have for tire geeks.

dawizard · September 2011

Hi All,

I recently noticed a lump in the front right tire sidewall (actually the BMW service center noticed that) and it was 75 miles from where I actually live. Not knowing how big a deal it was, I drove back without getting it replaced thinking dealer will rip me off anyway.

Now that I am actually looking at it, a little concerned (I have pics that I can share later) and was wondering if I can get it replaced locally. It is a leased BMW so I was not sure if I need to get OEM or any other equivalent tire would be fine.

I looked at the tire and it was a Continental but when I checked online at Tire Rack, it shows Bridgestone as OEM. So I am a little confused as to which one I should be picking, OEM or a Continental??

Any advice is highly appreciated!!

Thanks,

kyfdx · September 2011

When you turn your leased car in, the tires have to be a matched set.

So, you'll want to replace that tire with the same model of Continental that is on it now.

I can't speak for Tire Rack, but there are usually more than one brand of tire used for most models.

regards,
kyfdx

texases · September 2011

You might have a problem - how many miles are on the tires? You have AWD, and the AWD system usually required tires with matching rolling circumference, otherwise it'll cause problems. You may be able to just buy one (matching brand and size) if the tires are almost new. If older, then you might be able to find a tire shop that can 'shave' the new tire to match the old ones.

dawizard · September 2011

I have about 14k miles on the car right now (and this is brand new so 14k for the tires). I don't think the tire should have been ruined this early. I leased the car back in March 2010 so barely been 1.5 years

I don't know what caused the lump but sounds dangerous enough not to drive the car too far out now. The dealer where I got the car serviced didn't even inform me how dangerous this could have been, I drove 75 miles on a freeway back from there not knowing that this issue was such a big deal.

kyfdx · September 2011

One advantage of buying from a local retailer, is they can make sure that your new tire matches the old ones... Sometimes, the exact make and model of tire will have a different tread design, and they won't know it, until they get ready to install it on your car..

Ditto on the AWD.... though, in my experience, the BMW system isn't all that sensitive to uneven wear..

A bubble on your tire could last for months, without giving you a problem... that said, you still want to get it fixed, ASAP, just in case..

texases · September 2011

Those sidewall bulges typically result from bumping a curb or a pothole. The low profile tires such as those on BMWs are especially susceptible, a recen Car and Driver article on their long term 5er commented that they had to replace sevveral tires. Ouch!

But get it fixed, it shows the tire's damaged, I wouldn't trust it.

ray80 · September 2011

I haven't checked out Blizzaks lately , but they at least used to have a softer compound (for studless ice grip) in the first half of tread. Once they wear past this it is regular winter compound (less grip on ice).

texases · September 2011

As I remember it, the Blizzaks had very small air bubbles in that outer portion of the tread, so that as they wore there was always a 'rough' gripping surface for the ice. Once that wore off it was normal tread, like you said.

windgrace · September 2011

I have a few questions regarding some all-weather/season tires!

I have a 2010 Corolla with about 12.5k miles on it and the OE Goodyear tires. The tread is already at 6/32" so I'm looking at replacing them by the more severe winter months. The traction from these tires are so abysmal my ABS/Traction control system is always flaring up every time I hit a crack in the pavement or a bump in a road. I am pretty sure I want to get Michelin X Radials from Costco, although I was suggested in the Corolla Maintenance forum to maybe switch up the tire size a little for a set of HydroEdges (195/60-R15 instead of the stock 195/65-R15). Any advice on that? The car has ABS, Traction and Stability control and I don't want to mess anything up by changing the tire size. I live in the Sierras so where I'm at we get a ton of rain and maybe 4-5 days a year see a couple inches of snow, hence my interest in HydroEdges.

My second question involves my mom's car, a 2010 Subaru Legacy. She has 19k on her OEM Bridgestone EL400-02. Last winter the car slid around like crazy in AWD, and Tirerack/America's Tires recommended getting a new set of tires to improve traction because the tire is rated dead last on Tirerack. She has about 8/32" up front and 7/32" in back after a rotation, so she might sell them to Tirerack in exchange for an upgrade. So after some research I've narrowed it down to: on the pricier side, there are the Michelin MXV4 and the Bridgestone Serenitys, and the cheaper side are BFGoodrich Advantage T/A and General Altimax HP. From people's experiences, is it worth spending an additional $150-200 for Michelins/Bridgestones or would the significantly cheaper Altimax HP be just fine? I do notice a number of reviews noting that many of the cheaper alternatives perform as well at the more expensive tires, but their tread life doesn't hold up in comparison.

corvette · September 2011

The Hydroedge is an excellent tire. I think 205/60-R15 would be a closer match if you want to do a "plus zero" size. It shouldn't affect the ABS/traction/stability control. X Radial is Costco's version of the Michelin Harmony tire, which is also an excellent tire that ranks slightly lower in Tire Rack's rankings.

The advantage I see to the X Radial is that it's not a directional tire, and you can cross-rotate it if you need to in order to even out the wear patterns.

ruking1 · September 2011

If you can afford 4 extra rims (steelies), I would use your oem tires closer to 2/32 nds. 6/32 nds is (for some tires starting off with 10/32 nds) not even half worn. This will allow you to run these during the summer months where dry traction is more the rule and also that dry traction is greatest nearer 2/32 nds.

2 sets of rims will also allow you to run winter tires and or tires more geared toward rain. Tires closer to full tread tend to run better (best rain traction) in the rain. So in effect you really don't NEED full tread during the summer months. Also winter tires are normally SOFTER compounds to provide better snow and ice grip.

The tire size 195/65/15 (stock) has a much larger tire choice AND tends to be cheaper than more specialized to ODD tire sizes. Also as time goes on, oem tire sizes tend to go down in price to being cheaper in price (relatively). So if it were me I would stay oem size.

The same is true for the 2010 Legacy. If price is a driver then any you named are good choices.

slorenzen · November 2011

2006 Civic sedan.

The current tires are Yokohama V4S, and when I replace them in the next few months, it will not be with these tires.

They handle fine, but I noticed when I first put them on, replacing the OEM (I think Bridgestone EL-400?) my MPG dropped by a couple, and when these Yokos hit around 20K, they got noisy, and have continued to get noisier(currently have around 40K and there's 4/32 left all around).

I live where studded tires are permitted, so the road surfaces are bad. I am looking for something that will give me the handling of the Yokos and as quiet as possible.

I will likely go with the Michelin Primacy MXV4 unless someone can convince me that the Nokian is better.

Any help? :confuse:

ruking1 · November 2011

I say your choice is a good one. Any new tire (like for like) will experience a loss in mpg. There are many reasons, but I surmise you really don't want nor need to hear them.

Nokian for a few reasons CAN be the better tire. However they are normally more expensive (than even Michelin), are hard to find and you will probably need to go to the few dealers that carry them to get warranty service. This will of course vary, but my closest dealers are (one way) 33,58,88 miles away. link title

I am convinced Michelin will wear longer and better than the NOKIAN's. This is NOT based on anything scientific nor A/B anecdotal tests.

I have a 2004 Civic whose oem Dunlop tires wore out and were replaced with Toyo @ 74,300 miles. @58,000 miles on the Toyo's they would seemingly go to 120,000 miles ( another 60-65k miles) easily. I actually expect more.

windgrace · November 2011

I ended up waiting a bit and wore the tires to 4/32nds and I got a set of Michelin X Radials (195/65R15) from Costco with the rebate for $447. I priced a set of Kumho KR21, Yokohama Avid TRZ, and Cooper CS4 Touring and, surprisingly, the Michelins came out to be the cheapest! It's baffling though, I did a lot of research on tires and there are so many options for decent tires! On top of those previously mentioned are the Sumitomo HTR A/S P01, Firestone Precision Touring, General Altimax RT, Bridgestone Turanza Serenity, Continental Procontact w/Ecoplus, Michelin Energy Saver, Goodyear Comfortred Touring, Pirelli P4 Four Seasons, BFGoodrich Advantage T/A, Hankook Optimo H727...I literally felt insane doing hours of research on all of these tires because they all seem to get good reviews! I wish I had read more about Toyo tires before I purchased the Michelins and priced them out too, because they have great reviews as well.

But, I've put about 1500 on the X Radials and they are *awesome* tires. They've improved the ride in every aspect on the Corolla, and the stiffer sidewalls really improved the cornering. I don't feel like I'm being tossed around if I take a curvy road a little too fast anymore. Plus I've noticed a slight increase in mpg.

ruking1 · November 2011

I would concur with your TMI scenario take.

:shades: "BEST" tires are FAR from a static target. I have seen it change in as little as 6 months. This of course is hardly an argument for a longitudinal study. Indeed what one considers BEST is ALSO a moving target variable.

Yes, I think the Michelin X is indeed the "older generation" model that Michelin has probably perfected over time. So they can competitively charge "lower prices" and still probably make higher margins. The Primacy MXV4 is the latest generation, with all that entails. Personally, I am glad the Michelin X is still around. As I remember the Michelin X's (at Costco WITH the 50-70 coupon) were costlier than the Toyo's. (no coupons)

I think the Toyos cost $264 ( to put on the car). If I indeed get 120,000 miles on them, the cost per mile driven is .0022 cents. They came with a 100,000 miles warranty. Strictly on the 100k guarantee that would be .00264 cents per mile driven. That perhaps might be one reason why Toyo no longer offers them !!

:lemon:

As I remember documenting, once they broke in (500 miles) mpg was virtually the same as the (worn- worn tires yield better fuel mileage and dry grip) oem Dunlops. The nexus here is that oem tires (no matter how bad and how cheap) are tasked with real world mpg figures. Range was and continues to be (132,000 miles) 38 to 42 mpg. We run the oem owners manual "highway" tire pressure @ 35 psi.

Sandman6472 · November 2011

These tires are on my '06 Civic and are nearing the end of their life even though my mileage is pretty low, at just 32.7k...the tread is wearing thin and there's some dry rot possibly due to age and the hot South Florida weather. Got the wife's Mazda3 a set of Firestone Affinity tires last month and so far they ride very well...also got a buy 3, get 1 free deal which sweetened the purchase. Am seriously considering the same brand for my car and since we have the same size tires, 205/55/16's, I can probably snag the same deal once I get another coupon. Will probably hold off until around April or so. But we are very happy with the Firestone Affinity's so far.

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

slorenzen · November 2011

The local tire store is pushing the eNTYRE above anything else.

I had a Tacoma 4X4 a few years ago, and I put the Nokian Vativva on to replace the OEM tires, and they were WONDERFUL!

they were quiet on the road, displaced standing water very well, and they had about 40K on them when I sold, and probably would have gone another 40K. So my experience with Nokian is good, but i've also had great results with Michelin.

I have not priced the eNTYRE yet, but it looks like they will be more than the Michelin.

In Fact, I was astonished at the prices of all tires now! I am NOT looking forward to replacing the tires on my F250 Superduty! :surprise:

windgrace · November 2011

Yes, I think the Michelin X Radials are an older model but they are still probably some of the best performing passenger all-season tires. I think they're a warehouse exclusive spin-off of the Michelin Harmony. Once I put the tires on I noticed that Costco had the Primacy MXV4s in my size...I was wondering if sacrificing the tread life of the X's for the traction/comfort of the Primacys would be worth an extra $70 (even though I got the Michelins with a $70 rebate) but what's done is done...

Depending on my experience with the X Radials I'll figure out where I want to go with my next tires. It depends on what's out in a few years when I no doubt will need replacements...hopefully they'll figure out a way to balance water traction and low-rolling resistance in the future. I'd probably like to try either Generals, Toyos or the Continental w/Ecoplus LRR tires if the Michelins don't live up to expectations.

roadburner · November 2011

We usually don't get too much bad winter weather in KY(and if we do I have a Wrangler TJ with winter tires) so I run UHP all-seasons on my Mazdaspeed 3 from Novenber to March. My last two sets were Pirelli PZero Nero All-Seasons. The performed well and both sets lasted for over 35,000 miles.

This year I decided to try the Cooper Zeon RS-A. I found them at a local tire store for only $164 each(mounting and balancing included). The shop even checked the alignment for free(and found everything was within spec).

I let them break in over @500 miles and then decided to push them just a tiny bit- I took a couple of on-ramps at double the posted advisory speed with no drama and not even a hint of tire squeal(not a particularly strenuous test I'll admit). Steering response is at least as good as the PZeros and they are fairly quiet as well.

Wet traction is also very good, as is their resistance to hydroplaning; I drove through a heavy rainstorm at 65-70 mph with no dram at all(although I didn't really expect any).

Now to see how they hold up over the long term.

ruking1 · November 2011

I am glad for the discourse. Indeed you seem to agree with my take (post). The difficulty in re "branding" re "modeling" are in addition to other variables that they can make it very hard to compare apples to apples. The oem tire manufacturers also do not make it easy. To cut to the upshot: cost per mile driven can be a useful measure.

So for example, the 2003 VW TDI came oem "standard" with three brands and the Michelin MXV4-H being one. Mine happened to have the GY LS-H. Of the three tires, GY LS-H were rated DEAD last and were rated #3 only because VW offered 3. TireRack at the time, 9 years ago (several years old by then) rated the GY LS- H 28th/32 nd as I recall. Michelin MXV4 were rated near or at the top. I am sure you can imagine the disappointment. Consumer information indicated a range of mileage from 35,000 to 100,000 +. Not surprisingly some Michelin consumers report 100,000 PLUS+ miles. Consumers indicated the GY's seemed to last the shortest. Michelin X's were superseded by the Michelin MVX4's and of course were the latest and greatest (9+ PLUS years old) AND both sold at premiums to other brands. Funny thing happened on the way to 120,000 miles. The GY LS-H lasted to 112,300 miles. Naturally, it begs the question (same/same) how long would the Michelin MXV-4 have lasted. That would include the Michelin X if I could have had that option.

keila · December 2011

I love Mastercraft Strategy, tire shop wants to upsell Cooper Arizonian Silver Edition.

I used to have Falken ZE 512s & ZE 329s, which were the #1 Consumer Reports tires. They were awful in rain & snow.

I detest Yokohamas for the same reason, they seem to not be as good in snow.

Since I live in Ohio, I need something that will really work well in bad weather, becuase it's always bad weather here.

The car I have now came with Mastercraft Strategy tires, and I LOVED them. Now they're almost completely worn out, and not coping with our fall rainstorms.

My usual tire shop doesn't carry Mastercraft Strategy (made by Cooper), and suggested the Cooper Arizonian Silver Edition.

I looked at the pictures & the tread is significantly different. My gut is to find someone that can get the Mastercraft Strategy since that's the first tire I've driven on in 8 years that I've even liked halfway. The only other tires I've ever liked were Michelin Energy & my partner's Hancook snow tires.

Anyone have experience with the Cooper Arizonian tire?

Or am I right to stick to my gut & get the Mastercraft Strategy even if they're a little hard to find & I have to go to a different tire shop?

keila · December 2011

http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/tires/arizonian/product/byName.do?tmn=Silver+Ed- ition&typ=Passenger%2FPerformance

http://www.mastercrafttires.com/html/products/tires_passenger.aspx?page=mastercr- aft_tires_passenger_strategy

marsha7 · December 2011

suggestions for tires for a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 5.7 Hemi...now has 75K miles, replaced factory tires at 50K with Goodyear Fortera, and, I am quite dissatisfied with only getting 25K miles on them...

We bought the Fortera tires that are NOT for off-road (smooth ride), and our idea of "off road" is driving from the asphalt road onto my paved driveway, so this truck is, frankly, babied...

What we really want are tires that would make it drive as smooth as a Caddy/Lincoln, that could last 50K miles...heck, they have car tires that last 80K, and we use this truck like a car, as it is hers, not mine...the most serious "hauling" we have ever done is 3 bags of fertilizer from Home Depot...

I thought the Fortera were good for 50K miles, but not anywhere close...

Any suggestions???...Michelins, maybe???

ruking1 · December 2011

While they are of "older design, the Michelin LTX's normally have gotten the best mileage of any tires that I have ever tried. I have had easily 5 sets over the years.

obyone · December 2011

I've had the Michelin LTX M/S on my Silverado and the difference was like night and day. Sooo I installed the Michelin Crossterrain SUV on my Denali with equal success in terms of a smooth ride and long wear. Can't say enough good things about Michelin.

srs_49 · December 2011

The Michelin LTX M/S (or M/S2) is on my short list also for new tires on my 2005 Dakota.

raprider · December 2011

Hi...I'm in need of new tires for my 2000 Honda Accord Coupe EX V6. I have just over 100k miles on it. 5 years ago I used this forum to put Bridgestone Turanza's on, but after 45k miles, I've just about driven the rubber off them.

The size I need is 205/60/16 V-rated (I'm okay with sticking with the Honda speed-rating spec). I live in Central NJ, drive pretty aggressively, but only for about 9-10k miles/year (very short daily back-road commuting to work). Most family driving is in our Highlander.

I am not looking for the cheapest tire or longest tread life, but do want something that has good, solid performance in dry/wet, light and/or deep snow and ice, and can also offer a comfortable ride for my driving style.

I've narrowed down my options based on size/speed requirements and reviews in Consumer Reports and TireRack to:

Dunlop SP Sport Signature
General Altimax
Goodyear Assurance ComforTred
Michelin Primacy MXV4
Pirelli P6 Four Seasons
Sumitomo HTR A/S P01
Yokohama AVID ENVigor

I was also interested in the Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S or Sport A/S, but neither is available in the sizing I need.

Thanks in advance for your help/advice/opinions!
Rich

marsha7 · December 2011

"I've had the Michelin LTX M/S on my Silverado and the difference was like night and day"

I hate to sound stupid (...:):)...) but does the difference of night and day mean that the tires were great or the worst you've ever had?

corvette · December 2011

I would go with either the LTX M/S *or* the OEM tire model that you got 50k out of.

ruking1 · December 2011

Yes your post triggered a few memories. I think on one SUV (1987 TLC) I got 50,000 miles on the Bridgestone's and more like 85-90,000 miles on the model right before the LTX. On another, (1994 TLC) the Michelin LTX's gave up the ghost at something like 95,000 miles. I actually sold one (1997 TLC) with 55,000 miles (LTX and I swag it could have easily gone 100,000 miles)

obyone · December 2011

The stock tires on the Silverado were Generals. Tirerack was selling the same version for $35.00 retail. The difference in the ride comparing the Generals to the Michelins was night and day. Not to mention that there was a recall by General on those tires as I had 3 sets installed under warranty. Dealer eventually gave me credit for the tires against a new set of Michelins.

Michelins are by far the best tires I've had on both SUV and pickup truck.

marsha7 · December 2011

Any estimate of how many miles I should get from those Michelins???...I would hope to get more than the Forteras gave me...

obyone · December 2011

Not sure if I'm the best person to answer that question as it was never a priority when I purchased these tires. I had 7K miles on my truck when installing and I sold the truck with 70K miles with enough tread that it wasn't a consideration for the purchaser.

The SUV was driven for 20K miles before being sold and at that point it didn't show any sign of wear.

Another consideration is that our roads are made of crushed lava. :surprise:

My best guess would be at minimum 60K. If you look at the Tirerack site a bunch show over 100K.

marsha7 · December 2011

That certainly beats the 30K or so I got with my Forteras...

junktruck97 · December 2011

i have a crew xsp 5.7--with the michelins, does anyone know why as soon as i hit a bump in the road it turns right,i under stand road crown ,but i have to hold the steering wheel firmly,if im turning i can pump the brake pedal and the steering wheel will go to 1 oclock,another pump -3 oclock,another pump--6 oclock ect,dealership sun toyota says its because of the wide michelins 20in tire, i had a 2007 double cab tundra and it was a mess to but it didnt track like this one

capriracer · December 2011

This doesn't sound like a tire problem. This sounds like there is a problem in the suspension somewhere. A damaged bushing or something like that - although the brake pedal thing is very curious.

dudleyr · January 2012

The primacy is hard to beat for an Accord.

I have them on mine and love them.

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