What tires Y'all like?

[sparky494]

Hello everyone,
I am in need of some new tires for my '09 GT. I know it is a matter of driving style and personal preference, but I was wanting some feedback of what is your prefered tire and why.
I was also wondering if anyone has tried to go the next size larger (215/55-18) to improve ride. If I go that route will I have issues with rubbing?

[09vGT]

I've had two sets of GoodYear Eagle GT's and I'm now on a set of TOYO Proxes 4+. So many people don't like the GoodYears, but I actually prefer them over the TOYO's traction, especially in wet weather or snow (I'm a spirited driver). The TOYO tires are much quieter than the Eagles so that's always much more enjoyable.

I've not moved up in size, so I can't help you there.

[vibrologist]

What exactly do yo mean with "improve the ride"? which particular element that figures into "ride" do you want to improve upon?

I put a set of Michelin Defender tires on my 05 base Vibe. 205/55-16.
These tires are quiet, 90000 mile warranty.

I suggest going to the Tire Rack website and read the reviews. I pay attention to reviews that are based on a significant distance driven and used in various weather conditions.

[Zimm]

What exactly do yo mean with "improve the ride"? which particular element that figures into "ride" do you want to improve upon?

I put a set of Michelin Defender tires on my 05 base Vibe. 205/55-16.
These tires are quiet, 90000 mile warranty.

I suggest going to the Tire Rack website and read the reviews. I pay attention to reviews that are based on a significant distance driven and used in various weather conditions.

i got the same michelin defenders last fall. absolutely love them.

[vibrologist]

Zimm: How were the Defenders in snow and ice? Sparky lives in Wisconsin, snow is something he has to deal with.

[Zimm]

Zimm: How were the Defenders in snow and ice? Sparky lives in Wisconsin, snow is something he has to deal with.

well, we just had the worst winter ever recorded here in detroit, and they were a massive improvement in all ways from the stock RSA's, and performed as well as any tire i've ever owned (albeit, they were brand new-bought them on black friday.) nothing compares to snow tires for winter driving, but these were excellent all season performers. no complaints at all. would highly recommend to someone looking for an all season tire that performs well, is fairly quiet, and will last a long time.

[vibrologist]

Thank you Zimm!
I used to have a Ford Windstar and went from worn tires to Michelin Harmony. It felt like a complete suspension upgrade. I think the Defender replaced the Harmony in the Michelin brand.

Michelin also makes B.F. Goodrich and Uniroyal tires:
On our other cars we have B.F. Goodrich Traction T/A. These too are excellent tires but not as quiet and not as long lasting. They are easier on the wallet though.
Uniroyal Tiger paws are very popular around here but I have no experience with them.

If the budget is a big concern I would consider the Kumho Solus KR 21.

[Mark]

I have a set of Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max on Frosty that I really like, and I just moved them and the alloy wheels to the 08 yesterday. I have 25k on them, and based on wear I'm not going to get anywhere close to the 65k warranty. I got $80/per tire warranty discount when I bought these to replace the 80,000 mile Goodyear TripleTreds that only got ~40k. So when the time comes I'll see what kind of warranty they give me on these. If they give me a hard time maybe I'll try the Michelin Defenders next.

But as I write this I realize that I've probably screwed myself out of any warranty on the tires by moving them to a different vehicle. Maybe if I take both cars to the dealer to document the mileage they'll be able to do something for me.

[jake75]

Trying to decide on a tire to buy is confusing.

I got a set of Yokohama YK580's at Discount Tire about a year ago. Better ride and less road noise than the OEM Goodyears. Only had 30,000 miles on those but had a minor sidewall leak in one and decided to just get an entire new set of tires as it will take me almost 10 years to put 60,000 on them and I'll probably get something different long before then anyway.
They are rated at 60,000 miles - supposedly fuel efficient. This reminds me - time to get a free rotation.

[Caretaker]

sparky: as was stated, I'd let tirerack reviews do the talking rather than individual owners on this page. Individual people are not always subjective when making high cost purchases, often without doing any research. Choosing tires that have been tested by experts and reviewed by as many owners as one possibly can find is a better determination. I have always believed tirerack provides that service. For me, I have had the MXV4s and Pilot Exaltos and have always found them to be excellent, but way overpriced tires. Even the Defender is starting to get dinged on snow and ice ratings. I think I found a much better alternative in the Pirelli P7 Cinturato Plus. I got them on line for a song and find them every bit as soft riding and quiet as the MXV4s. But again, don't listen to me or anyone else. You'll just end up getting 50 different answers. Go to tirerack and do your homework. Remember, there are scores of on line tire companies, so shop around as well. Many of them have free delivery from time to time, and have double rebates (one from the website and one from the manufacturer). That is how I got my Pirellis for $70 delivered (no road hazard warranty). Sure beat paying $140 a tire for the Michelins at Costco. Good luck.

[Zimm]

sparky: as was stated, I'd let tirerack reviews do the talking rather than individual owners on this page. Individual people are not always subjective when making high cost purchases, often without doing any research. Choosing tires that have been tested by experts and reviewed by as many owners as one possibly can find is a better determination. I have always believed tirerack provides that service. For me, I have had the MXV4s and Pilot Exaltos and have always found them to be excellent, but way overpriced tires. Even the Defender is starting to get dinged on snow and ice ratings. I think I found a much better alternative in the Pirelli P7 Cinturato Plus. I got them on line for a song and find them every bit as soft riding and quiet as the MXV4s. But again, don't listen to me or anyone else. You'll just end up getting 50 different answers. Go to tirerack and do your homework. Remember, there are scores of on line tire companies, so shop around as well. Many of them have free delivery from time to time, and have double rebates (one from the website and one from the manufacturer). That is how I got my Pirellis for $70 delivered (no road hazard warranty). Sure beat paying $140 a tire for the Michelins at Costco. Good luck.

+1 on shopping around. i'm not adventurous enough to buy from an online retailer and then find a local shop to install, so more traditional retail routes were my best options. i did a lot of price checking and found the defenders that i wanted to run anywhere from $600ish on the high end to $370 (net after a $70 rebate card) + road hazard/lifetime balance/rotation. it definitely pays to shop around.

[jake75]

$370 on your car, new stems, balanced and everything? My Yokahamas were about $523 after rebate with tax, stems, lifetime spin balancing, replaced TPM units. I checked tire rack before buying - had good scores for ride and noise. A used tire place took my old ones so I saved the $10 tire disposal fee. But that $370 price is awesome.

[Zimm]

$370 on your car, new stems, balanced and everything? My Yokahamas were about $523 after rebate with tax, stems, lifetime spin balancing, replaced TPM units. I checked tire rack before buying - had good scores for ride and noise. A used tire place took my old ones so I saved the $10 tire disposal fee. But that $370 price is awesome.

i'm good at shopping! i actually had 3 different tires in mind when i started shopping (a good/better/best if you will.) i got such a good price on the defenders, it was $20 below my best price on my "better" option and only $20 more than my fallback inexpensive option.

truth is, i got them at a local (michigan) chain with very competitive everyday prices, got their $50 off any 4 tires black friday special, and then a $70 rebate on top of that.

i did not replace my TPMS. i will own this car long term, and i know when my tires are even a PSI or 2 low, so they're really unnecessary.

[Mark]

sparky: as was stated, I'd let tirerack reviews do the talking rather than individual owners on this page. Individual people are not always subjective when making high cost purchases, often without doing any research. Choosing tires that have been tested by experts and reviewed by as many owners as one possibly can find is a better determination. I have always believed tirerack provides that service. For me, I have had the MXV4s and Pilot Exaltos and have always found them to be excellent, but way overpriced tires. Even the Defender is starting to get dinged on snow and ice ratings. I think I found a much better alternative in the Pirelli P7 Cinturato Plus. I got them on line for a song and find them every bit as soft riding and quiet as the MXV4s. But again, don't listen to me or anyone else. You'll just end up getting 50 different answers. Go to tirerack and do your homework. Remember, there are scores of on line tire companies, so shop around as well. Many of them have free delivery from time to time, and have double rebates (one from the website and one from the manufacturer). That is how I got my Pirellis for $70 delivered (no road hazard warranty). Sure beat paying $140 a tire for the Michelins at Costco. Good luck.

Yes and No, I guess. I read the reviews on Tirerack but take them with a pretty large grain of salt. I think a lot of people only bother to post negative reviews when they're upset about something. I love the quiet ride and great handling of my Goodyear Fuel Max tires, I just swapped them from the 04 to the 08 because the Big O tires that came on the 08 were driving me nuts. I didn't notice them too much on the back, thought it was just Vibe road noise, but then I rotated them to the front and it was driving me nuts. But if you read the reviews on Tirerack the Fuel Max are the noisiest roughest riding tires you can buy.

So I read them, but I don't base my decision entirely on other people's anonymous and subjective sour grapes.

[Mark]

Not sure how I screwed this post up so bad. Oh well.

[Caretaker]

You are right. Ignoring dozens of written posts from people who take the time to register on their website, posting comments over hundreds of thousands and in some cases millions of miles of ownership of those tires, and ignoring professional testing done by tirerack and consumer reports just to name a few is definitely the way to go. Good luck with that.

[vibrologist]

You are right. Ignoring dozens of written posts from people who take the time to register on their website, posting comments over hundreds of thousands and in some cases millions of miles of ownership of those tires, and ignoring professional testing done by tirerack and consumer reports just to name a few is definitely the way to go. Good luck with that.

Chuckle

I pay attention to the reviews that are based on about 10K and more miles, through all 4 seasons and on a car of similar design. Some reviews are quite detailed and thus earn credibility.
Someone who writes "they are awesome" after one week of driving in sunshine is not credible.

[vibenvy]

In regards to upsizing from the OEM 215/45/18, I believe trb had 235/40/18 on his 2010 Vibe GT without any rubbing issues, etc. This is the size I am planning on getting for both our 2009 Vibe GTs when we get new tires next year. It will give the wheels a little more cushion and the tires will be a bit wider which should look good.

[gtv237]

I've heard very good things about Bridgestone turanza serenity plus's. Noise is supposedly reduced to nothing and the ride is night and day over factory tires. Not to mention they are low rolling resistance tires so you might gain some mpg at high speeds. As soon as I have some money I'm going to get a set for my vibe.

[sparky494]

Thank you all for your responses. It is nice to get objective reviews on vehicle specific experience. I posted a similar question on a motorcycle forum about a year ago and ended up buying some Michelin tires that made my bike handle and ride like a completely different machine. (In a good way) Prior to posting that question on that forum I was going to go with a different set of tires, but I am glad I went with the wisdom on that forum.

What exactly do yo mean with "improve the ride"? which particular element that figures into "ride" do you want to improve upon?

I was hopeing that a little extra sidewall would give me a little extra cushion in the ride. This past winter was hell on Wisconsin roads!!

[vibrologist]

I was hoping that a little extra sidewall would give me a little extra cushion in the ride. This past winter was hell on Wisconsin roads!!

Hah! I can tell from your avatar!
If you can swing it get a set of winter tires on the smallest diameter rims that fit your Vibe. Get the narrowest winter tires possible. Keep the tire pressure at the low end of the recommendation or cheat by 10%. That should help, at the expense of cornering speeds, but it is winter for crying out loud. When the ice is gone and the DOT starts filling the potholes you put on the all season shoes.

[sparky494]

Maybe the DOT is a little quicker in your neck of the woods! Driving down Interstate 43 is like driving on a giant corn cob!

[vibrologist]

OEM Tire Sizes:
205/55/r16
215/45/r17
215/50/r17
215/45R18

And you consider going to (215/55-18)
That will increase your tire diameter and it will be ever so slightly more comfortable. If you really want to get a more comfortable ride go to 16" or even 15" rims. I don't know if 15" rims fit on a GT. I believe 16" does. If you choose from the OEM list (copied from the "Everything you need to know about your Vibe" thread) the 205/55/r16 wheels will be the most effective.

Find a used set of wheels. That way you can try them out and if you don't like them you can sell at no loss most likely.

BTW, I have been in your state a few times and really like it: beer, cheese, Dells, House on the Rock, Taliesin, Packers....

[vibenvy]

FYI, 16" wheels are indeed the absolute smallest that will fit over the huge front brakes on the 2009-2010 Vibe GT. We run 16" steelies with 205/55/16 Kelly Explorer all season tires during the winter months on both our 2009 Vibe GTs and the ride is noticeably smoother then with the OEM 18" wheels and 215/45/18 tires.

[Mark]

You are right. Ignoring dozens of written posts from people who take the time to register on their website, posting comments over hundreds of thousands and in some cases millions of miles of ownership of those tires, and ignoring professional testing done by tirerack and consumer reports just to name a few is definitely the way to go. Good luck with that.

Funny, but that's not really what I was saying. You knew that though.

There are some valuable posts from knowledgeable posters, but there's also a lot of ignorant sour grape garbage opinions mixed in. Some take the time to post comments because they are helpful, some others do so because they just like to bloviate.

[lannvouivre]

I had some Arizonian Silver Editions from DiscountTire. I loved them, they had such great grip that I was right between "red" and "yellow" remaining tread and noticed no loss of traction. However, the tread pattern was boring and they were mere all-seasons.

[trb]

How did I miss this post?

In regards to upsizing from the OEM 215/45/18, I believe trb had 235/40/18 on his 2010 Vibe GT without any rubbing issues, etc. This is the size I am planning on getting for both our 2009 Vibe GTs when we get new tires next year. It will give the wheels a little more cushion and the tires will be a bit wider which should look good.

Yes, that is the size I bought when I replaced the 3 different tires the car had when I first bought it. It did look better and gave me a bit more protection from curbs, but did rub a small bit when backing out of the driveway with the wheel turned, probably due to the loosely attached splash shields and wheel well plastic. I was thinking about getting something a tiny bit taller if possible for the next set.

One thing I know for sure, there is a marked difference in ride between my 10 GT with the 18" wheels and the 03 GT with the 17" wheels. Going over the same roads, the 03 is so much smoother, but it does not handle as well as the 10 GT did. Of course some of that might be the 130,000 mile difference between the two!

[vibenvy]

It did look better and gave me a bit more protection from curbs, but did rub a small bit when backing out of the driveway with the wheel turned, probably due to the loosely attached splash shields and wheel well plastic.

Heck, the OEM 215/45/18 Goodyears rub (ever so slightly) on both our Vibes when we are backing out of our driveway and the steering wheel is turned almost all the way to the right. It's nothing major, but makes me re-consider upsizing our tires to 235/40/18...

[trb]

Actually, according to the Miata tire size calculator, the 235/40/18 is a tad bit smaller than the 215/45/18s in circumference and diameter. 79" vs 80" circumference and 25.4 vs 25.6 diameter. They are just 20mm wider - about 3/4".

I think I am going to try 235/45/17s on the 03 next time. It will need a couple of tires in the next year. I had 245/45/17s on my son's car, and while they fit and did not rub, they were a bit too wide for the wheels. The guy had a heck of a time breaking loose the beads when I replaced them last year.

Oh, and I might add, the 03 GT has Michelin Primacy MXM4 tires on it. The prior owner said that it rode a lot better with them, than the prior tires he had on it. It does ride nice, so I might have to buy them again.

[vibenvy]

Actually, according to the Miata tire size calculator, the 235/40/18 is a tad bit smaller than the 215/45/18s in circumference and diameter. 79" vs 80" circumference and 25.4 vs 25.6 diameter. They are just 20mm wider - about 3/4".

Thanks for the info ! I guess I'll stick with the plan to get 235/40/18 then. A little bit wider tire would be nice. Give the Vibes a bit wider stance !

[trb]

Yeah, I was even contemplating buying some of the 1" bolt on wheel spacers to push the rear wheels out a bit. They still looked too tucked in the fenders for my tastes. Maybe next time I get a 09-10 GT!