Time for new tires

[lovemyraffe]

After much searching with no definitive results, I am wanting recommendations/reviews for new tires. I'm looking for a great inexpensive all-season tire. Handling well in the snow is important. Price isn't the most important issue, but the cheaper the better.

[JetBlack09VibeGT]

In the past when I had to buy new tires for a car I often bought the following: Good Year Eagle RS-A: Typically this is the the OEM so it matches well with the vehicle. They wear well, provide good performance and handling, but they are marginal in the snow. Continental ContiProContact: These gave good all weather traction, they were a softer compound so, they were good in the snow but they wear a little bit faster.Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S: AWESOME, but expensive. Great handling.Pirelli P6 Four Seasons: Good Price, Good braking and handling in the snow and wet, but only expect 30-35K miles out of them

[Dragonsm]

I ordered in a set of BFG Traction T/A's for my wife's car and hopefully will be able to get them on her car tomorrow. (if not tomorrow, Sat morning)I was up in the air also about which tire to chose for her. There were a fair amount of positive reviews on the tire. How soon are you looking to pull the trigger? If I don't hear anything from my wife in the next couple of weeks on the tires, it means they are doing their job and she is happy with them. I'll keep you posted on this tire if it is one of your choices.BTW, some of the other tires I was looking at were:Goodyear Assurance TripletreadGoodyear Assurance ComfortreadMichelin Harmony

[lovemyraffe]

It will probably be a couple weeks or so before it happens. Let me know how the BFG's are working.

[lovemyraffe]

Who can tell me about the Fuzion HRi?

[06pvibe]

While the Bad~Year Assurance series looks good, I can tell you from personal experience that Bad~Year is interested only in the money that it may extract from your pocket. I have had three recent bad experiences w/Bad~Year, their customer service dept, and their tires and their so called Gemini shops.I urge you to stay away from anything with that name on it.Since we have just purchased our "new-to-us" 06 Vibe, I have been looking for a good tire for it as well. In contention are the:1) Continental ExtremeContact DWS (Ultra High Performance All-Season) $89 ea @ Tire Rack. And, 2) Kumho Ecsta LX Platinum (Grand Touring All-Season) $93 ea @ Tire Rack.Though I am leaning toward the Conti's.Those are my recommendations.

[06pvibe]

Quote, originally posted by lovemyraffe »Who can tell me about the Fuzion HRi?Initial Review, 25,000 Miles on Tires December 10, 2009This tire is loud and ----s in the snow. With AWD this tire can not even handle the slightest acceleration with light snow on the ground. Do not buy this tire or buy mine from me.Initial Review, 5,000 Miles on Tires December 08, 2009Inherited the car so I don't know how many miles are on the tires (125K on the car), but they pass the penny test. I've put 5K on them in the past 6 months. They grip very well in the wet & dry and may be a bit noisy, but I don't find this a problem. However, just had our first snowfall (less than 1/2 inch) in Chicago and these the worst tire I've ever driven on. Won't accelerate, can't turn, and I might as well Fred Flintstone it for braking. I'm used to driving Hondas (I've had 4) in all weather with several different brands of tires. In my opinion these are very dangerous in the snow. I've never felt so out of control at less than 10 mph. They'll be gone by the weekend (if I can make it to the tire store). Since this was a Virginia car, I think these may be Southern tires & can't handle the Yankee winter. Initial Review, 36,000 Miles on Tires December 02, 2009These were the absolute WORST TIRE EVER DESIGNED at least for anyone that lives in a climate where snow is an issue. They were great tires for rain, never once experienced any hydroplaning what so ever. However during Wisconsin's winters it didn't matter whether it was a light snow or a heavy snow they had zero traction. I honestly would have been more successful trying to canoe everywhere during the winter. My experience with these tires have been that they are simply TERRIFYING IF YOU LIVE NEAR SNOW!Pretty much what I've seen before about Fuzion tires. Noisy and suck in the snow... some people complain about them in the rain too. A few I have read said they were out-of-round. Sounds to me like their QC is not up to par.

[JetBlack09VibeGT]

Quote, originally posted by 06pvibe »Initial Review, 25,000 Miles on Tires December 10, 2009This tire is loud and ----s in the snow. With AWD this tire can not even handle the slightest acceleration with light snow on the ground. Do not buy this tire or buy mine from me.[/color][/size]06pVibe brings up a very good point about AWD. I had a 2005 Saab 9-2x (Subaru Impreza WRX Wagon) It had Bridgestone Potenzas on it and because the car was All Wheel Drive it chewed through them in less than 25K miles. The local tire guy told me that was common with AWD vehicles and really the only way to get more miles out of the tires was to rotate them every time you get an oil change.

[Caretaker]

do not get the Goodyear RSAs again. They are great on dry/wet pavement for about 18,000 miles and then they start to underperform. They are also deadly in snow and ice. Please go to tirerack.com and do your homework. Check the ratings, and then see what the prices are that fit your budget. Good luck.

[chevelle_lover]

Good year RSA'a lastest about 32000 km or 20000 miles they were the factory tires that came with the car.Continental Conti Pros lasted about 28000 km or 18000 miles -- I had to settle for these as we were going on a trip and the Goodyears had a sidewall leak. These I found that they were very noisy as I was always looking for a bad bearing on the car. Once changed I concluded that it was the tire. -- terrible in the snowPirelli P6 are the summer tires for the car. Thus far they are considerably more quiet than that of the continentals and not bad in during wet conditions but I have never drove with them in the snow.

[lovemyraffe]

Good info everybody. Thanks!Right now I'm leaning towards these http://www.tirerack.com/tires/...r=2wd Good reviews, good mileage and not crazy $$$.I'm not 100% on these General's, but will be headed that way if something better doesn't show up.

[lovemyraffe]

Quote, originally posted by 06pvibe »Since we have just purchased our "new-to-us" 06 Vibe, I have been looking for a good tire for it as well. In contention are the:1) Continental ExtremeContact DWS (Ultra High Performance All-Season) $89 ea @ Tire Rack. And, 2) Kumho Ecsta LX Platinum (Grand Touring All-Season) $93 ea @ Tire Rack.Though I am leaning toward the Conti's.Those are my recommendations. I looked at both of those too. I'm leaning towards the General's because they are rated better than the Kumho's and cheaper too (I'm looking at 17"). I really like the reviews on the Conti's but W rated which will give a harsher ride and my wife already complains about the ride.

[Anime]

I wound up going with the Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S (just ordered these and having them put on soon), mostly due to the current Michelin promo of a $70 rebate (before Jan 6). Their Primacy MXV4 was the second choice for mileage, but reports of 80,000+ on the Pilot Exalto swayed me, along with it's handling abilities.The General Altimax HP would have been my budget choice for an all-season tire in the 215/50R17 size. General seems to make reasonably good tires in performance sizes, and I've never had a problem with them. They definitely don't ride like Michelins, though. It's going to be hard to get good snow traction out of a wide and low profile tire. There are winter-specific tires that do well, but a 215/50R17 isn't really a tire size for winter driving, so a tire that's even decent in the snow is pretty good.

[Caretaker]

Sorry anime, you won't get that many miles from your Exaltos. I have them on my '03, and they are indeed great tires. They are wearing out however on par with their 45,000 mile rating. I bought them at 89,850 miles, and now have 125,000 on the '03. I have a little ways to go on the tread before I get rid of them (probably by next winter). Good choice however. Tirerack steered me towards the Primacy MXV4 on my '09 Vibe, and after 20 inches of snow, I am thrilled with the purchase; especially as you stated, Costco took $70 off the price of a set.

[Anime]

Do you have the 215/50R17 size though? The 16" tires don't seem to wear the same, and tires on an AWD wear incredibly fast compared to a FWD. If you've got 45,000 miles out of the Exaltos on a AWD Vibe, well over that is likely possible on a FWD.The stock Bridgestone Potenza RE92A's are rated for 260 treadwear and after 60,000 miles still have half their tread. The Michelin Pilot Exalto's are rated for 400 treadwear, so I'm hoping for similar if not better results based more on how the vehicle is driven than the rated mileage, since Michelin is well known for having tires that are capable of lasting beyond the rated mileage for certain types of driving. In any case if the Exalto's don't cut it, the Primacy MXV4's or whatever higher mileage tire Michelin comes out with in the meantime will be next in line, unless I find the General Ultimax somewhere I trust to install tires, or find a tire place here I can have install the tires ordered from tirerack.

[vibolista]

Quote, originally posted by lovemyraffe »I looked at both of those too. I'm leaning towards the General's because they are rated better than the Kumho's and cheaper too (I'm looking at 17"). I really like the reviews on the Conti's but W rated which will give a harsher ride and my wife already complains about the ride.I'm running those same Kumhos as a summer tire, (215/50 17) and they have turned out to be very quiet, good riding and excellent in the rain. I did leave them on long enough to try on the first snow on my driveway. I would rate them as marginal, at best, on snow, as 99.9% of all-season tires are. The rest are even worse.Don't understand why anyone would want to suffer driving an all-season tire anytime there is snow on the road. Very little difference between most summer only and so called all-season tires in snow. An all-season is an all-season tire and performs great in places like Key West, Florida or San Diego, California. A snow tire is cheap insurance in bad winter conditions. Most good snow tires will last many Winters. My Pirelli (Winter Carving) Snows have lasted all the Winters since 2002 and are still very capable. That includes a Winter trip to a very warm Florida in 2005. The round trip was a little over 3000 miles, plus about a 1000 miles that we drove there, visiting relatives from one side of that sand bar to the other.I was worried that the mostly dry and, in some cases, hot pavement would destroy my snows. They recently pulled my old Saturn wagon up a snow covered hill that three other cars could not get up. I don't have studs in them either. Much better in snow than the much newer Blizzacks on my Vibe! Just something to think about, lovemyraffe.

[Caretaker]

---------Don't understand why anyone would want to suffer driving an all-season tire anytime there is snow on the road. Very little difference between most summer only and so called all-season tires in snow.----------Uh, hardly. Unless of course you think that me plowing through 20 inches of snow in my Primacy MXV4's is suffering. I've done the same snow driving in my Exaltos and on previous Continental tires. Tirerack will show you which all seasons are good in the snow and which ones (like the Goodyear RSAs) are to avoid. I wouldn't consider snow tires below the Mason Dixon line; an experienced driver, front wheel drive and a quality all season tire (4 or 5 of them on tirerack to choose from) will get the job done without difficulty.

[lovemyraffe]

Snow tires are irrelevant here. You only really need snow tires maybe 5-7 days out of the entire winter. I've had snow tires in the past and didn't see a reason for them. I can understand snow tires where necessary, but in Utah there is no reason for them. I've lived throughout this entire state and don't see a reason (except for those 5-7 days). I would consider myself a very experienced driver in the snow and have only seen 2 or 3 days in the past 15 years that I wished I wanted snow tires, and on those days I put chains in the car just in case. I always keep chains in the car during the winter, and have never had to use them. That is why I don't want snow tires, and I don't want to have to store the extra set.I will be getting the General's installed later this week and I will go up the mountain this weekend and go play in the snow to give a proper testing.

[vibolista]

Hope they work out OK. I guess if you don't drive in snow, its pointless to get a snow tire. I have to drive on snow many days of the year... to work and back... and also to have a little fun in the mountains... so without them I would end up like many around me, either stuck or piled up someplace. If you have to drive in snow, a good snow tire is just insurance. Like insurance, you pay for it every year, but sometimes you get lucky, you don't ever have and accident, but you still pay your insurance. Snow tires are like that, too. I've tried brand new all seasons, and they have all been less than talented on snow. A good snow tire is vastly more confident in all cases on snow. Good driver, experienced or not, all would find the going easier. I did mention that all-seasons are perfect for Key West and San Diego, and if my geography serves me, both of spots are south of the Mason Dixon Line.

[lovemyraffe]

I do drive in the snow frequently, but not where I want/need snow tires.My new tires are going on today and I will get the chance to play with them over the weekend.

[06pvibe]

Quote, originally posted by lovemyraffe »I do drive in the snow frequently, but not where I want/need snow tires.My new tires are going on today and I will get the chance to play with them over the weekend. Please don't forget that to wear properly, that all tires require a break-in period. I've seen many people w/new tires skid off the road, or tires that seperate between the tread and belts because they weren't allowed to wear in.

[lovemyraffe]

Quote, originally posted by 06pvibe » Please don't forget that to wear properly, that all tires require a break-in period. I've seen many people w/new tires skid off the road, or tires that seperate between the tread and belts because they weren't allowed to wear in.Yes I do that tires require a break-in period, thank you for the reminder. I just picked the car up and my initial response is WOW! More to come later.

[lovemyraffe]

Went on a drive (100 miles) yesterday to see how the new tires are. Much quieter than my old Conti's, but there isn't as much grip on dry roads (but the new General's are also a little narrower). On wet, snowy, icy, slushy roads the General's are 10x better. I am willing to give up a little grip on dry roads to have that much grip on not so perfect roads.

[vibolista]

What size Generals did you go with, and what size were the old Contis?

[lovemyraffe]

The Conti's (I don't know the model) were 225/55/17, the new General's are 215/50/17.

[vibolista]

You really downsized! Note any change in take off power?

[lovemyraffe]

I went back to the stock size. I have noticed a big difference in the way it takes off. It seems to be quicker and there is much less load put on the motor. I'm still getting used to the feeling but still very impressed.My wife loves the new tires. The ride is much smoother and quieter.

[06pvibe]

Quote, originally posted by lovemyraffe »I went back to the stock size. I have noticed a big difference in the way it takes off. It seems to be quicker and there is much less load put on the motor. I'm still getting used to the feeling but still very impressed. My wife loves the new tires. The ride is much smoother and quieter. 1) A wise decision, imho.2) And hopefully for your sake they will stay that way too. Not trying to be a downer here, but I have noticed that generally speaking modern tires do seem to get noisier as they wear.

[lovemyraffe]

The only reason I had bigger tires on to begin with was the tires were on when I got the wheels. I prefer to keep the total diameter size of the tires as close to stock as possible so my speedometer and odometer are accurate. I got the wheels for a screamin price and decided that I would put both those and my steelies up for sale and would keep which ever ones didn't sell. The steelies sold and so I had to put new tires on the wheels. Of course tires will wear out and become louder but anything is better than the POS Conti's that were on.

[06pvibe]

Quote, originally posted by lovemyraffe »... Of course tires will wear out and become louder but anything is better than the POS Conti's that were on.Which POS Conti's did you have and what was wrong with them.I've never owned a set of Conti's, but I have heard some are real crappy.Of course, having said that, I did order the DWS's for my wife's car... on back order for a month though, so I hope I'm not wrong taking a chance with them.That could be a fairly expensive mistake we'd have to live with, and I would have to hear about it over and over....Tires are so hard. So many choices, but the companies seem to change or discontinue models so often its hard to keep up!

[vibolista]

All the tires I've ever used through the years tend to get noisier as they wear. I don't think that I've ever rolled on one that didn't. Some tires are a lot quieter than others to start out, but eventually, they all end up making more noise as the tread scrubs off. The best way to keep tires quiet is to make sure that you rotate them as recommended and make sure they are balanced. If a tire goes off balance, it will quickly wear a flat spot or spots that turn into serious irritating noise that never goes away.

[06pvibe]

Good advice!

[lovemyraffe]

Thanks for the great advice! I don't know much about tires. I rotate them every time I change the oil. Sometimes it is difficult to tell if a tire is off balance.

[dgekiere]

you got the same tires i got... i love them... i have abought 25 to 30k on them and they are like half worn out... good choice, will pry put them on my other cars too

[samrmg]

I have had two sets of Bridgestone Potenzas on my 2005 vibe. It has the 215 50R 17 tires. I got over 50,000 miles on each set. I don't want to spend that much now the car is older and has 115,000 miles so I am serious contemplating the General Altimax HPs. Let me know how you like them.

[lovemyraffe]

Quote, originally posted by samrmg »I have had two sets of Bridgestone Potenzas on my 2005 vibe. It has the 215 50R 17 tires. I got over 50,000 miles on each set. I don't want to spend that much now the car is older and has 115,000 miles so I am serious contemplating the General Altimax HPs. Let me know how you like them. No I would not recommend the General Altimax HP. 28,000 miles later they have all been replaced. http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=44028