Best All-Season Tire?

Wheel and tire information and upgrade discussions

Which P205/55R16 all-season tire should I purchase?

Poll ended at Fri Feb 27, 2015 12:22 pm

Continental ProContact EcoPlus
0
No votes
Continental PureContact EcoPlus
0
No votes
Pirelli Cinturato P7 Plus
2
67%
General AltiMAX RT43
1
33%
Pirelli P4
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 3

schwartzy18510
Posts: 38
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2014 11:34 am
Location: Southwest Michigan

Best All-Season Tire?

Post by schwartzy18510 »

Our '03 Vibe (Base, FWD, 1.8L) popped a tire on a rather severe frost heave on a state highway this weekend. Because the current P205/55R16 Goodyear Eagle RS-A's have 30,000 miles or so on them and are fairly worn (I was only planning on getting one more summer out of them), I'm in the market for a full set of four new tires.

The car serves as my wife's daily driver as well as our combined vehicle for weekend trips. We usually put about 6,000-8,000 miles on it per year at a ratio of approximately 30/70 city/hwy. We live in SW Michigan and are therefore accustomed to receiving decent amounts of snowfall. Our subdivision is usually plowed out a day or so after the main county roads, and our driveway is about 100' long, up a moderate hill. Our normal commute to town involves driving a mile or so stretch of road that is lined by expansive fields and is notorious for being drifted shut after a snow and some strong wind.

At this point I'm not willing to shell out the money required for another set of wheels and winter tires, so we're in the market for an all-season P205/55R16 tire with a focus on dry/wet braking, hydroplaning, snow traction, ride comfort, and tread life. We purchased the Vibe in part for its fuel economy and drive quite conservatively, so tire "performance" as measured in regard to high speed cornering or hard acceleration is of little concern. I'm a big believer in Consumer Reports, which is actually what led us to purchase the Vibe in the first place. After cross-referencing the 2015 Consumer Reports Buying Guide with the tests, surveys, and reviews found at Tire Rack and our budget of approximately $500, I've narrowed the field to the below tires:

Continental ProContact EcoPlus, A/S, shipped price - $?
Consumer Reports ranks this the #2 overall tire in the All-Season "T" speed rated category, second only to the Michelin Defender (our budget precludes the Michelin series). It is rated "very good" across the board, even for snow traction, while wet braking is rated "excellent". However, it appears that this tire is being / has been discontinued by Contitech, as Tire Rack no longer carries it in P205/55R16 and Wal-Mart lists it as "out of stock". Tire Rack survey responses for the ProContact EcoPlus in the P195/60R16 size (on close-out) indicate somewhat sub-par owner happiness, winter performance, and tread life. Some of the reviews specifically mention great winter performance, others reference unduly fast tread wear. Who to believe, Consumer Reports or the short tread life warnings from some Tire Rack customers? Is this tire still available in the P205/55R16 size anywhere? Would running this tire in a P195/60R16 size negatively impact ride comfort at highway speeds?

Continental PureContact EcoPlus, A/S, shipped price - $441.92
Consumer Reports ranks this the #2 overall tire in the Performance All-Season "H" speed rated category. However, hydroplaning and snow traction capabilities are listed as only "good" compared to "very good" for the ProContact. This tire seems to be readily available and has stellar Tire Rack reviews, placing #3 overall in the category. Owners of cross-over type vehicles report excellent snow traction. Consumer Reports ranks the ProContact above the PureContact, but Tire Rack appears to put the PureContact first. Who's right?

Pirelli P7 Cinturato Plus, A/S, shipped price - $501.32
Consumer Reports ranks this the #4 tire in the Performance All-Season "H" speed rated category. It has "Very Good" hydroplaning and snow traction capabilities which compares favorably to the Contitech PureContact, but the tread life is rated only "Fair", two steps removed from the "Very Good" of the PureContact. However, Tire Rack consumer survey results rank the P7 Cinturato Plus as the #1 overall tire in the category, topping the Michelin Premier (#2) and the Continental PureContact (#3). Who to believe, Consumer Reports or the Tire Rack consumer survey results?

General AltiMAX RT43, A/S, shipped price - $373.32
The General AltiMAX RT43 wasn't tested by Consumer Reports, but Tire Rack lists this as the #4 tire within its category, trailing the Pirelli Cinturato P7, Michelin Premier, and ContiTech PureContact by a hair. This would appear to be a cheaper option than the Cinturato P7 or the PureContact without sacrificing much in the way of performance, leading to better overall value. Can anybody vouch for the performance of these tires?

Pirelli P4, A/S, shipped price - $372
Consumer Reports ranks this the #4 tire in the All-Season "T" speed rated category. It has only "Good" snow traction and rolling resistance, but it has "Excellent" tread life. Tire Rack doesn't carry them but I was able to find them on Amazon. Anybody have experience with these?

A direct comparison of the three models above that are stocked by Tire Rack can be found here.
Last edited by schwartzy18510 on Mon Feb 23, 2015 8:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
Caretaker

Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by Caretaker »

You need to correct your comments about the Pirelli P7 Plus. The Consumer Reports writeup is NOT for the P7 Plus; it is for the P7 which was a tire from a couple of years ago. The P7 Plus is a brand new tire (2014). Like Bridgestone's Serenity, both companies improved upon (mainly light-medium snow category) that tire, adding the word Plus. I voted for the P7 Plus on your survey because I have it on my Vibe, and have the Generals you list on my Fit. The P7 Plus is equally as quiet and soft as the Michelin MXV4s they replaced. I don't think the wet cornering (and I mean hard cornering) is quite as stable as the MXV4, but for the price (I paid $70 each versus the $140 for the Michelins), I found the best replacement for Michelin there is.
I can't provide you too much on the Generals since I cannot drive two cars at once. I can tell you that we took the Fit out for a spin in VERY slippery snow/slush/ice and they did just as well as the latest northern climate writeups on Tire Rack indicate. The amount of sipes on the General are impressive and on a day in/day out basis, can be had at a bargain price. Don't expect to pay what I paid for the P7 Plus. That was due to an internet timing issue which allowed me to grab a bargain. From all my research, I'd stay away from any Continentals. Reviews year after year point to road noise and short lifespans. I had ContiContacts on my first Gen Vibe; never again.
Last edited by Caretaker on Sun Feb 22, 2015 12:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
KITT222
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by KITT222 »

I'd also consider the Cooper CS5 Ultra Touring in your search. And also, if you want to go with Consumer Reports, the Cooper Zeon RS3-A is ranked #1 in performance all-season and is only $10 more per tire from Discount Tire. Though I understand that you don't exactly want/need a performance tire, thus the CS5 would be more than fine. Around $100/corner.

http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direc ... =16&cs=205" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.motortrend.com/features/cons ... re_review/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
RadioFreeVibe
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by RadioFreeVibe »

I got the Pirelli P7 Cinturato Plus this past spring based on recommends here, hoping for them to be a solid 'touring tire'. Love them, they feel very solid and true on the road. I took them off in mid-December, so no snow experience with them. But I can see why they're rated at the top on Tire Rack.
2005 AWD Vibe "Clementine" 117,000 km
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Zimm
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by Zimm »

i got my Michelin Defenders at Belle Tire 18 months ago for $542, and that was before the $70 mail-in-rebate that came as a pre-paid card (Visa, i think.)

after about 17,000 miles, i've been very happy with them.
'10 Black w/1.8L AutoAir/PW/PL/PM
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by star_deceiver »

None of the above. One sheet of ice and you're ditched (at best). Dedicated summer/winter tires on their own rims, nothing less.
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kumquat
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by kumquat »

No all-season is doing to do anything for you on ice, and they're all pretty awful in the snow.
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vibrologist
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by vibrologist »

It seems schwartzy knows what he wants.

I found a used set of wheels with snow tires for only $250. However, that was in June last year. One tire needed a flat repair and I had them balanced. So it came to about $320 total cost. That is still less than the rims alone would have cost new. Summer is the best time to buy winter tires.

I do not participate in the poll as I have no experience with the listed tires.
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'05 Vibe

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schwartzy18510
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Location: Southwest Michigan

Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by schwartzy18510 »

Thanks for the input, all. After doing some more research, I was able to narrow the field to the Pirelli P7 Cinturato Plus, Continental PureContact with Ecoplus, and the General Altimax RT43, all of which seemed like excellent choices. Based on some comments here and the aggregate customer survey responses on Tire Rack, I was leaning slightly towards the Pirelli's even though they would stretch my budget beyond what I had hoped to spend ($500).

After comparing the head-to-head results of the Tire Rack Road Manners and Dry/Wet Track Test for the PureContact and the P7 Cinturato Plus, I found that the Cinturato Plus slightly out-performed the PureContact in the Overall Road Rating category due to slightly better scores in the Ride Comfort and Road Noise categories. The two tires were roughly equal in the Overall Track Rating for dry conditions, with the PureContact posting a slightly higher overall rating. It was the wet test track results that illustrated a stark difference between the two tires. The PureContacts posted far better numbers in every test category for wet conditions than did the Cinturato Plus, resulting in a final Overall Track Rating for wet conditions that was almost a full point higher. To further illustrate the point, the PureContacts posted a stopping distance of 102' when braking from 50-0 mph in wet conditions, while the Cinturato posted a stopping distance of 115'. Meanwhile, the head-to-head results of the Tire Rack Snow Traction / Handling Test for these two tires were roughly equal, with a slight edge going to the PureContact in the Acceleration and Stopping Distance categories.

After comparing the performance of the Cinturato with that of the PureContact in the above tests, the PureContact became the clear choice for my desired application, particularly considering the higher price tag of the Pirelli's. I was then left to compare the PureContacts with the Altimax RT43's. Both appeared to be excellent choices and I found myself fairly torn between the two. The RT43's were about $100 (20%) less than the PureContacts, but did not carry the LRR tire designation. I ended up opting for the PureContacts over the RT43's, but I'm still unsure as to whether that was the "correct" choice, since I believe that either tire would have been a good performer. Hopefully the LRR designation of the PureContacts will provide a return on my higher initial investment in the form of slightly better gas mileage. My local tire shop matched a price from TireBuyer.com for a total price of $499 installed. Thanks again to all who provided anecdotal feedback, know that I took your suggestions and comments into serious consideration.
Jbenrod
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by Jbenrod »

I wouldn't mind getting updates from some of you that have purchased these tires mentioned above.

I think I am going to go with 205/60/16 to get a bit more sidewall height since I seldom take advantage of the Vibe's handling limits.
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Mark
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by Mark »

KITT222 wrote:I'd also consider the Cooper CS5 Ultra Touring in your search. And also, if you want to go with Consumer Reports, the Cooper Zeon RS3-A is ranked #1 in performance all-season and is only $10 more per tire from Discount Tire. Though I understand that you don't exactly want/need a performance tire, thus the CS5 would be more than fine. Around $100/corner.

http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direc ... =16&cs=205" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.motortrend.com/features/cons ... re_review/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have Cooper CS3's on both Vibes and also my son's Solara. Not quite the tire that the CS5 is, but really good for the money. Great all around tire.

I went with the 205/60/16 on the Vibes and they ride much nicer than the 205/55's.
'08 Base Stealth, '05 Base Satellite
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ColonelPanic
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by ColonelPanic »

Jbenrod wrote:I wouldn't mind getting updates from some of you that have purchased these tires mentioned above.
I have experience with the General Altimax RT43's mentioned, though not on the Vibe. I've had a set on my Sonic for about 5k now and so far they've been excellent. My requirements were a quiet, smooth ride and good traction at a reasonable price point. These have met my expectations and then some.

I'll definitely have these at the top of the list when it's time to replace the current Ecopias on the Vibe.
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BenWA
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by BenWA »

I got these...
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp ... toModClar=

They come with free 3-yr roadside tire changing from Michelin..
http://www.michelinman.com/US/en/tires/warranty.html
2003 Vibe Base A/T
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schwartzy18510
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Location: Southwest Michigan

Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by schwartzy18510 »

Jbenrod wrote:I wouldn't mind getting updates from some of you that have purchased these tires mentioned above.

I think I am going to go with 205/60/16 to get a bit more sidewall height since I seldom take advantage of the Vibe's handling limits.
OP here. As mentioned above, I ended up purchasing the Continental PureContact's, and I couldn't be more pleased. While these tires are admittedly the first set I've ever purchased that are of a higher quality than the run-of-the-mill Wal-Mart brands, the improved performance has been noticeable. The tires have 11,194 miles on them since installation and tread wear is hardly noticeable. They've served us through one brutal SW Michigan winter to date, and the traction has been a huge bonus. We live in a lake association that is usually one of the last to be plowed after a given snow storm, and our driveway is up a 30 degree incline. These tires have provided excellent traction, even in up to 8-10" of snow.

Handling on the highway has been smooth, quiet, and steady. Couldn't ask for anything more, in my mind.
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dmottv
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by dmottv »

Jbenrod wrote:I wouldn't mind getting updates from some of you that have purchased these tires mentioned above.

I think I am going to go with 205/60/16 to get a bit more sidewall height since I seldom take advantage of the Vibe's handling limits.
I prefer the 205 60 16 for the extra height over the 205 55 16. The problem is that service centers will only mount exactly what is specified for the car. I have extra rims so swap them out, have the 60's mounted then install them back on in the driveway. Thanks to schwartzy18510 for all the research, I ordered the RT43 60's for my '05 AWD about 5k miles ago and like the smooth quiet ride (the $80 per was nice too!) but just gave the car to my daughter.

The good news is that I just picked up an '09 AWD 2.4 "Mystique" (have to upgrade my sig!). It came with two sets of rims, the black steel rims with studded 205 55 16's currently on it, and the optional 215 45 17's on aluminum rims, that are worn out. The 17's actually calc out to a smaller diameter than the 55 16's, and the 60's are a full 1"+ diameter larger than the 17's! I like the looks of the 17" aluminum rims, but I'll probably order another set of the RT43 60's for the steel rims unless I find a taller size that will fit the 17" aluminum rims.
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BenWA
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by BenWA »

dmottv wrote:
Jbenrod wrote:I prefer the 205 60 16 for the extra height over the 205 55 16. The problem is that service centers will only mount exactly what is specified for the car.
If that was true, it would be nearly impossible to get tires for old vans that used 16.5" wheels/tires. In 2012 or so, I took a set of 16" bare, used, steel rims to Sears when I bought a set of 16" tires for a 1978 van that had 16.5" originally and still had such size tires+rims on it when I drove it in. I used the exact 16" tire size equiv (What Dodge switched to when 16.5" was phased out) and Sears didn't have any objections to mounting the 16" tires on the 16" bare steel rims, then installing the 16" wheels+tires on the van, putting the 16.5" wheels+tires inside since I wasn't going to pay disposal. (I left them on the side of the highway in front of my house with a "FREE" sign and someone took them in no time).
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Browning
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by Browning »

we run cooper on our 05
Jbenrod
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by Jbenrod »

Would those Cooper's be the CS3 Touring or CS5 Ultra or which model?

If you have driven them in snow conditions I'd like to hear how they worked in snow.
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Mark
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by Mark »

I have the CS3 on three cars and never had any issues this winter. They aren't good for digging through deep snow, but they do Ok even though they aren't really made for that anyway. On packed snow and icy conditions they performed very well. The CS5 seemed like overkill on as light a car as the Vibe, but maybe not.
'08 Base Stealth, '05 Base Satellite
Jbenrod
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by Jbenrod »

Thanks for those comments as I have never used Cooper tires.

I will mention that a set of the CS3 Touring or CS5 Ultra tires are virtually the same price right now (assuming one can get them to honor the $50 and $70 rebates that are good through April 15th). I am showing around $250 at discount tire direct with both being in the "H" speed rating that I will get.

It is difficult know how these tires might be different in the day to day driving experience with a Vibe.
2005 Base - 220k
Caretaker

Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by Caretaker »

I have had Pirelli P7 Cinturato Plus on my car for a little over 2 years or so. They are rated at 70,000 mile warranty. My report is this: while the P7 Plus is the softest ride I have ever had on a tire, there ain't no way you are going to get 70,000 miles out of them. I just got a huge bolt wedged into the front tire, in the main tread. The tire was not repairable of course. Since my front tires were the lowest tread of the set, I decided to get two more. The back tires are in great shape still. While I don't religiously rotate my tires, I do try to keep close to a 7,500 mile rotation schedule. My front tires were probably only 10,000 miles away from the wear bars. I can only guess that I would have gotten 45,000 miles on them; I lost the paperwork when I moved. Despite that, I found a local, slimy tire shop that had the tire for $80, so I went for two more P7 plus tires. The guy put them on the front and didn't even bother to put them on the rear, which is normally suggested at reputable firms. The ride home was sublime. The P7 plus is like riding on a pillow. I'll take it easy for the first 50 miles or so as the tires wear in. Just wanted to report to the group that while the P7 Plus is an amazing tire, it won't last anywhere near the miles the manufacturer states. Now I'm paranoid about watching out for road debris with the new tires on front.
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by lannvouivre »

The set I'm getting is Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06. I mean, it's got a rearing horsey on the sidewall, that's gotta make you go faster, right?

Also, Continental overall is a solid brand and they bought out Goodyear in 2015, so I'm really hoping the Eagle-RS-A tires will finally die.
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10vibe
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by 10vibe »

I could be wrong, but to the best of my knowledge Goodyear is still 100% independent and American owned. Continental did buy out Veyance, a former Goodyear unit from the Carlyle group.
http://www.ohio.com/news/break-news/vey ... y-1.465824

Continental does own General Tire.

Yes, Eagle RS-A's need to die!
2010 Vibe 1.8 auto, fwd, base, air, preferred package, cargo mgt, cargo cover, ultra white.
TraumaForYou
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by TraumaForYou »

I work at a dealership and I can say that continental tires are crap. I have firestone firehawks on my 06 vibe and I have say I love them. I previously had 2 sets of good year assurance but I got sick of the cruddy traction. these firestones though are fantastic!
deebiv
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by deebiv »

I have 25K on a set of Cooper CS5 Ultra Touring, they are perhaps the best tire I ever purchased.

The CS5 on the Vibe can corner at almost the same speed as my '92 911 on Michelin Pilots.

http://www.tractionnews.com/how-good-is ... d-touring/
http://www.motortrend.com/news/cooper-t ... re-review/
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by petervivian »

I have a set of PILOT SPORT A/S 3+ 225/45ZR17 94Y XL BSW ULTRA HI on my 05 Vibe right now. They run quiet and have pretty good grip on both dry and wet surfaces. I can't speak of the longevity at this moment.
05 Vibe (Frosty), 13 VW CC (Fortana Red)
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by Caretaker »

Man, it is a good week to buy tires. I am buying a full set of General Altimax RT43 91H tires for my HET. I got lots of quotes from online firms and even got a great quote from Sears. The highly rated 91H is normally higher in cost than the 91T (T rated speed rating). When I went to my local Discount Tire store, the guy not only beat everyone else's price, but I am also getting $75 back from Discount Tire and another $50 back from General Tire. The manager was emphatic about me going the 91H route and in this case, Discount Tire, unlike everyone else, has the 91H LOWER in price than the 91T; very odd. Since Discount Tire is now located where I live, and more importantly, where I'll be moving in 2 years, the decision was easy. The manager also wants a second crack at trying to get my Tire Pressure Monitor light to go off. Both Costco and Discount Tire have failed to turn it off with brand new TPMS sensors. I told the manager to knock himself out. He's convinced that his TPMS expert will solve my issue once and for all. I'm doubtful. Anyway, if you need tires, there are double rebates out there to be had.
collins92
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by collins92 »

petervivian wrote:I have a set of PILOT SPORT A/S 3+ 225/45ZR17 94Y XL BSW ULTRA HI on my 05 Vibe right now. They run quiet and have pretty good grip on both dry and wet surfaces. I can't speak of the longevity at this moment.
We are happy with Pilot Sports either. This or Cinturato
Caretaker

Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by Caretaker »

I drove my HET for about 60 miles today. The General R/T 43s made the car feel brand new. Quiet and soft riding, they simply outclass the Hankook H727s they replaced in every way (except, I'm betting, in tire wear given that the H727s take forever to wear down). It is nice not have to listen to the harsh road noise of the H727s and the inevitable "run-out" you get with those tires. I cannot see a reason to get another alignment as the General Altimax RT 43s are tracking remarkably straight. Once my Pirelli P7 Plus' run out of tread, I'll be switching over to the General. For now, I'll have to put up with the amazing ride of the P7 Plus tires on my Vibe.
Caretaker

Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by Caretaker »

I'm heading to Sam's tomorrow to take advantage of their two day sale (ends today) on Pirelli tires. I'm getting the P4 Seasons Plus and got $140 off immediately. Not only did Sam's have the best price on the tire for the Vibe ($90), but after the instant rebate, I'm getting the tires for $75 each out the door. Can't beat that for a new pair of shoes that are rated well on tirerack.com. I decided to give up on the P7 Cinturato Plus tires as they have slipped down the chart on tire rack. The P4's have held their spot over the miles racket up by consumers. I would have gotten the General Altimax but for the sale price, I was swayed back to Pirelli.
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by cptnsolo77 »

I just purchased a set of Cooper Evolution Tour tires and they are ABSOLUTELY the quietest set of tires I have had for the Vibe. I have been through 4 sets of tires in my 12 years of owning this car. Extremely quiet and smooth ride...and you know how loud these cars can be too ! My radio even sounds a lilttle louder at low volumes becuase its not overcome by road noise. Highly recommended 8-)
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* 27 MPG City/Highway with AC on
Mark
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by Mark »

cptnsolo77 wrote: Tue Jun 25, 2019 8:02 am I just purchased a set of Cooper Evolution Tour tires and they are ABSOLUTELY the quietest set of tires I have had for the Vibe. I have been through 4 sets of tires in my 12 years of owning this car. Extremely quiet and smooth ride...and you know how loud these cars can be too ! My radio even sounds a lilttle louder at low volumes becuase its not overcome by road noise. Highly recommended 8-)
When I had the winter tires taken off my 08 in May I had a new set of the Evolution Tour put on. I called the tire store manager when I got home to tell him that these were the quietest and smoothest riding tires I've ever had on one of my Vibes. My daughter's 04 will likely be getting a set before summer is over, and the 05 will get a set pretty soon after. Both of those are running Cooper CS3s, which have been fairly good tires for the price. All are 205/60-16, which ride much nicer than the stock 205/55s.
'08 Base Stealth, '05 Base Satellite
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by zbyers »

We've been running Altimax RT43s. They are pretty quiet, long lasting, and handle well. I am going on 3 years and many miles and they've held up great.
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vibrologist
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by vibrologist »

When it comes to selecting tires I found this website very helpful: https://tirereviewsandmore.com/
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Bookworm
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by Bookworm »

I ran Kumho's for three tire change rounds, and they were REALLY quiet, then they discontinued the model. The main complaint was "They don't last as long as they should". I change my tires well before the mileage rating, because I depend on them working. Bald tires are NOT in the equation.
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by Caretaker »

It is interesting to see how the Kumhos have slipped down the chart on the customer ratings page on tirerack.com over the past couple of years. It is important to look at the amount of miles reported on the far right side of their charts. Any tire with a high rating but under 1 million miles gets a snicker from me. It is the tires with multiple millions of miles reported by consumers that catches my attention. I will never be one of those people who write comments on tires that I just got; you see lots of that on the tire review pages. Should be a rule that you have to have 10,000 miles or more before you can give an opinion. It is one thing to write about where you got a good price/deal, but it is ridiculous for someone to tell everyone how wonderful their new tires or new car is. Tell me how wonderful your tires are after 10,000+ miles, or how wonderful your car is after 5+ years of ownership.
cptnsolo77
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by cptnsolo77 »

Mark wrote: Tue Jun 25, 2019 7:49 pm
cptnsolo77 wrote: Tue Jun 25, 2019 8:02 am I just purchased a set of Cooper Evolution Tour tires and they are ABSOLUTELY the quietest set of tires I have had for the Vibe. I have been through 4 sets of tires in my 12 years of owning this car. Extremely quiet and smooth ride...and you know how loud these cars can be too ! My radio even sounds a lilttle louder at low volumes becuase its not overcome by road noise. Highly recommended 8-)
When I had the winter tires taken off my 08 in May I had a new set of the Evolution Tour put on. I called the tire store manager when I got home to tell him that these were the quietest and smoothest riding tires I've ever had on one of my Vibes. My daughter's 04 will likely be getting a set before summer is over, and the 05 will get a set pretty soon after. Both of those are running Cooper CS3s, which have been fairly good tires for the price. All are 205/60-16, which ride much nicer than the stock 205/55s.
Yes ! I am shocked as to how smooth and quiet they are initially. I previously had Nexen CP671s and they were actually my best tire until I bought the Coopers. Im loving them.

Question is the 205/60/16 a taller tire ? if it is....does it affect your MPG or speedo ?
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by Mark »

https://www.tacomaworld.com/tirecalc?ti ... -205-60r16

They're just under an inch larger diameter, so very slight difference. I don't know about mileage, but my speedo is dead on now compared to GPS. Always used to be off a bit a higher speeds. The little bit of added sidewall make a pretty good difference in ride comfort.
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ColonelPanic
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by ColonelPanic »

I'm really enjoying the Evolution Tours on the Vibe. The ride is simply amazing. 8-)

The RT43's on my Sonic have been an excellent tire that has worn very well. They're at 4/32 after 60,000 miles. Wet performance isn't what it used to be and they're getting pretty noisy so I'll be replacing them soon. I was strongly leaning toward another set but given the Cooper's performance thus far I think I'll just save the money and buy a set of those. I'm hoping they will do as well in the snow as the RT43's do.
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Bookworm
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by Bookworm »

I'll admit, I'm surprised. I bought coopers many years ago, and I was definitely NOT impressed with them. Noisy, bouncy, and wore quickly.

Maybe I'll try those next. Usually I just buy whatever's cheap; I got in that habit because I could put 30,000 miles on a set of tires in under a year. I got in the habit of just changing tires about every 12-16 months, just in case. Now I wait until they stop gripping as well, and then I change them - even if they have lots of tread left. (spinning on starting slowly on wet pavement, etc)
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by cptnsolo77 »

Mark wrote: Fri Jun 28, 2019 11:26 am https://www.tacomaworld.com/tirecalc?ti ... -205-60r16

They're just under an inch larger diameter, so very slight difference. I don't know about mileage, but my speedo is dead on now compared to GPS. Always used to be off a bit a higher speeds. The little bit of added sidewall make a pretty good difference in ride comfort.
Thx ! I wish I would have known this 8-)
* 2003 Vibe Auto Satellite Silver w / Moons & Tunes
* Kenwood Excelon KDC-X597
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* Soundproofcow Roadblock R sound deadening in all doors
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by Mark »

Just put another set of Evolution Tour 205/60s on the 2005 yesterday. Still can't get over how smooth and quiet the ride is. I don't think the old Cooper CS3s were that bad, just that these are so much better. The 2004 will make it till October when we put the winter treads on, then get a new set in spring.

Now if they wear well and are durable, time will tell.
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Bookworm
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by Bookworm »

So, do you think part of the smoother ride is that you're running 205/60/R16, rather than 55? Any issues running the slightly taller tires?
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by Mark »

No, the tires I replaced were Cooper CS3 205/60/R16. Granted they were down to 3/32 and were noisier than new, but they were never as smooth or quiet as these new Evolution Tours.

In other words, the Evolution Tour 205/60/R16 is quieter and smoother than the CS3 205/60/R16. Both are much smoother ride than either in 205/55/R16. The only other noticeable difference is that the speedometer is now closer to actual at highway speeds.
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MikeReilly
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by MikeReilly »

We have studded snow tires for the ugly times of year and just bought Michelin Premiers for the rest of the year (and to start a trip to Baja with new tires). Why the defenders? Performance combined with bang for your buck. Costco had a sale on them otherwise we'd probably have gone with the Pirellis.
jolt
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by jolt »

Put on a pair of the General AltiMAX RT43 last year and they seem to be working good. Good snow traction for a all season tire.
zbyers
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by zbyers »

jolt wrote: Wed Nov 06, 2019 12:03 pm Put on a pair of the General AltiMAX RT43 last year and they seem to be working good. Good snow traction for a all season tire.
We've had our set for ~4.5 years for non-winter tires. They've actually all worn very evenly, with minimal rotations. They still ride fantastic. I have a hard time tracking the mileage, as I've ran them on 3 different cars. I speculate I've probably done 60-70k miles on them. Two of them are at the wear bars, the other two still have another year to go. well worth the expense.
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'06 CRV, '06 AWD, '07 Base, '12 Highlander Limited, '17 Frontier CCLB

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pwyu1969
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by pwyu1969 »

For 4 seasons including winters the Nokian WR G4 (or G3 if you can find them) are great. A little softer rubber so they are more like 40-50k tire rather than +60k tires with harder rubber. But they are a legit snow tire in Michigan winters. I guess this is what the MI State police use year round. They are pricy but if you live in a cold climate I think they are worth it.
schwartzy18510
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by schwartzy18510 »

schwartzy18510 wrote: Mon Feb 29, 2016 11:27 am
Jbenrod wrote:I wouldn't mind getting updates from some of you that have purchased these tires mentioned above.

I think I am going to go with 205/60/16 to get a bit more sidewall height since I seldom take advantage of the Vibe's handling limits.
OP here. As mentioned above, I ended up purchasing the Continental PureContact's, and I couldn't be more pleased. While these tires are admittedly the first set I've ever purchased that are of a higher quality than the run-of-the-mill Wal-Mart brands, the improved performance has been noticeable. The tires have 11,194 miles on them since installation and tread wear is hardly noticeable. They've served us through one brutal SW Michigan winter to date, and the traction has been a huge bonus. We live in a lake association that is usually one of the last to be plowed after a given snow storm, and our driveway is up a 30 degree incline. These tires have provided excellent traction, even in up to 8-10" of snow.

Handling on the highway has been smooth, quiet, and steady. Couldn't ask for anything more, in my mind.
As the originator of this thread, I feel a responsibility to update with my experience over time. I ended up putting a total of 53,131 miles on my original set of 205/55R16 Continental PureContact's over the course of 4 1/2 years before replacing them, and was extremely happy with all aspects of their performance over that span. I ran them year-round here in SW Michigan, and they provided excellent traction through the winter months.

Life was pretty hectic for a few years and I'm ashamed to say that I completely neglected tire rotations. I rotated this set for the first time (front-to-back, same side) at 47,406 miles. At that time, the front two tires were showing significant wear on the outer edges (likely from cornering), and the "D-W-S" wear indicators in the tires — representing suitable tread remaining for Dry, Wet, and Snowy conditions, respectively — were worn to the point that only the "D" was visible. The rear tire indicators still had all three indicators showing.

I ended up replacing the set shortly after rotating them due to picking up an object causing a non-repairable flat on one of the two of the better tires remaining in the set. I was so impressed with the overall ride, handling, performance, and wear of the PureContacts that I fully intended to purchase them again. However, I found that the PureContact had been discontinued.

I ended up opting for a very similar tire in the Continental TrueContact Tour from Tire Rack about a year and 10,000 miles ago. So far, this set has been every bit as good as were the PureContacts.
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Re: Best All-Season Tire?

Post by tpollauf »

Nice follow up! I really need to replace my original 12 year old Goodyear RSA's on my 2009 Vibe GT any day now! Even though the "like new" Vibe only has 35k miles, I'm starting to see signs of dry rot and one tire has a very slight bulge on the sidewall.. :o Those Continentals you suggest are not available for my Vibe. I need 215/45 18's and am leaning towards the Michelin Pilot sport all season 4. I periodically help out a tire business with their HVAC issues and will get credited a free set of four in exchange for me fixing their heating & AC equipment, so price is not an issue. I'll let all here know what I end up doing soon. Thanks! ;)
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