Time for new tires...

[ColonelPanic]

The Kumhos on the Vibe that have been on there since, oh, 2005 need to go. The sidewalls are cracked, the ride is harsh, they're noisy and just old.

We just got a Costco membership so I thought I'd check them out for tires.

Right now the top pick is a set of Bridgestone Ecopia EP422's that have a $70 off thing with Costco now. Looks to be around $469 after tax for everything. I was thinking of some LRR's for a little better FE. Yes I am aware of potential degradation of traction (these Kumhos certainly aren't great now, so it could only get better.) So far the reviews seem positive and we're hardly demanding on tires so I would expect them to be fine for us. The car is barely driven and never driven with any sporty intentions whatsoever.

I tried to find these locally - called the tire shop right up the road I've been working with for the last number of years but I was quoted $641 for these same tires. Never bought tires from a warehouse club so i don't really know what to expect. They're not convenient for us really (~25 miles out) but the car sees about 8k of use a year so it's not like it would be a huge deal to go out there for a rotation once a year.

I think my main requirements are: quiet and smooth ride, good fuel economy, and inexpensive without being cheap since they're probably going to be deteriorating from age long before the tread is gone.

If anyone knows about these Ecopias, or has any other good suggestions let me know.

[Chiadog]

Tire Rack and Discount tire for tire evaluations. discount tire direct for purchasing tires with free shipping. Walmart for installing your own new tires: $13 each, mount and balance.
Discount tires:
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/home.do" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Tire Rack:
http://www.tirerack.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
My favorite tire, Hankook H727, great in snow, 1000,000 mile tire! Link:
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direc ... 420&cs=205" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Good luck,
Chiadog

[jake75]

I have purchased tires at Sam's Club - though not for my Vibe - but it's only 7 miles away not 25. I have heard good things about Discount Tire. They might also have a similar deal. In the whole scheme of things $70 is not a lot of money. I would rather deal with a nearby Discount Tire than a 25 mile away Costco. A friend of mine claims his front suspension was damaged at Sam's Club when they put it on the lift to install the tires. Don't know if that is really true. If I still have my Vibe in a year or so when I need new tires my main concern will be road noise.

[Rayven01]

I just purchased a set of Bridgestone Serenity Plus from Costco a couple weeks ago. A little more than the Ecopias ($567) but I really like them. As usual with Costco service was excellent. It was in and out in a half hour, torque was perfect and they did a nitrogen fill. No leaks or balance issues so far.

[ColonelPanic]

Thanks, all!

I forgot that we had Discount Tire pop up in this area over the last year. Again, 25 miles away but in a different direction. I did check them out, they have the tires I'm looking for but it's not that great of a deal price-wise. It's still significantly cheaper than my local independent guys up the road.

I'm a bit scared of taking the car to Walmart, and I guess Sam's is guilty by association. We do have a Sam's membership but are planning on letting that lapse. They're much closer than Costco (5 mi away) but Costco is a better fit for our needs. Looks like you have to keep your membership to continue receiving benefits such as free rotations/etc.

Rayven01, those Serenity Plus tires look pretty good... How's the road noise with them? My new Sonic being so smooth and quiet is really making the Vibe feel harsh and excessively noisy when I go to drive it. I really want to quiet this thing down. It may be worth the extra bucks for the added comfort.

[Rayven01]

Rayven01, those Serenity Plus tires look pretty good... How's the road noise with them? My new Sonic being so smooth and quiet is really making the Vibe feel harsh and excessively noisy when I go to drive it. I really want to quiet this thing down. It may be worth the extra bucks for the added comfort.

There was a little droning at around 45-50mph at first but it seems to be quieting down nicely after a few hundred miles, which is typical from the tirerack user reviews. Much quieter than the Goodyear Eagle LS that were on it before. I really like them.

[cptnsolo77]

Im need of some new tires as well. Im eyes these. They have the highest noise comfort rating for the price range. The Vibe definitely needs it. This car sure gets loud when the tire hit the wear bars They are summer tires, but im in south florida so I dont have to worry about snow

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp ... toModClar=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ColonelPanic]

cptnsolo77, those live up to the namesake 'extreme.' Pretty snazzy looking set and a great price.

Lucky you that you can go all year with something like that. Here, a *good* set of all seasons is plenty adequate, so we have it OK I guess.

[cptnsolo77]

Yes they really caught my eye for their noise rating. I put sound deadening in 3 doors & I have noticed a HUGE difference with road noise. I have one more door to do when I replace the driver side door lock actuator. Thats when I will deaden the last door. If I can score a good set of "quiet" tires that will top it off for me. Theres a local tire shop that can order any tire for me so im going to see if they can beat tire racks price with delivery, mount & balance at thier recommended installer. I need to get some new tires before rainy season here. Florida can get really hairy

[jake75]

Thanks, all!

I forgot that we had Discount Tire pop up in this area over the last year. Again, 25 miles away but in a different direction. I did check them out, they have the tires I'm looking for but it's not that great of a deal price-wise. It's still significantly cheaper than my local independent guys up the road.

I'm a bit scared of taking the car to Walmart, and I guess Sam's is guilty by association. We do have a Sam's membership but are planning on letting that lapse. They're much closer than Costco (5 mi away) but Costco is a better fit for our needs. Looks like you have to keep your membership to continue receiving benefits such as free rotations/etc.

Rayven01, those Serenity Plus tires look pretty good... How's the road noise with them? My new Sonic being so smooth and quiet is really making the Vibe feel harsh and excessively noisy when I go to drive it. I really want to quiet this thing down. It may be worth the extra bucks for the added comfort.

We are getting a Costco at Easton in Columbus next year - almost next door to Sam's Club. It will be interesting to see if there is enough business for both to survive. Easton is about 7 miles from me - but it is a destination for both dining and shopping. I'll probably keep my Sam's membership and add Costco for at least one year. I chalk that membership cost up to entertainment. Too bad Ohio has state minimum pricing on beer and wine. Sam's and Costco can't undermine other retailers on those items. A lot of money is paid to Ohio Legislators every year to keep that sweetheart deal. Nothing beats a state mandated price fixing law.

[beemerphile1]

I bought four of the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 last fall. I have put 3,000+ miles on them. Nearly 2,000 of those miles were towing a small trailer.

First off, be aware that there are two different load ratings on these tires. Since I tow regularly I made sure to get the higher rating.

The positive;
The tires have great traction in snow. I believe they did soften the harsh ride of the Vibe slightly. Wet traction also seems to be slightly improved.

The negative;
Many online reviews state that the Ecopias give a vague feeling and some state that they tend to wander. I have to agree that on some highway surfaces the steering feels vague and the car tends to drift a little. It is a noticeable feeling. I don't think it is a safety issue but it does feel strange at times. The feeling was most pronounced when new and has gotten better as they wear. Now it is rare that I notice.

[ColonelPanic]

Thanks, beemerphile1 for sharing your experience with these!

I had read about the steering... The sidewalls sound pretty soft on these things. Not sure it would be a deal breaker though. Great to hear about the traction, usually LRR's haven't been great at that (but I suspect are getting better.)

The most important question, did your fuel economy go up with these?

I have until Sunday to make up my mind. Bridgestone just put out an offer for a $70 AMEX card good through the month on these at other retailers, that would let me find a more conveniently located place where I could set up appointments for rotations and such... But again the prices are just a wee bit higher.

BTW, Rayven01 -- what's with Costco's policy I've been hearing about where you have to return after 25 miles to get the lugs retorqued? Is that mandatory, as in I decline to inconvenience myself twice in one day and I lose some sort of benefit? I understand it's probably a CYA thing for them, but sheesh. I'd rather just retorque them myself when we got the car back home.

[Rayven01]

BTW, Rayven01 -- what's with Costco's policy I've been hearing about where you have to return after 25 miles to get the lugs retorqued? Is that mandatory, as in I decline to inconvenience myself twice in one day and I lose some sort of benefit? I understand it's probably a CYA thing for them, but sheesh. I'd rather just retorque them myself when we got the car back home.

Hmm, I hadn't noticed that. They didn't say anything when I picked it up but looking at my invoice now I see it says 'remind member of 25 mile retorque' in the notes. On the back it says 'It is recommended to have your lug nuts re-tightened 25 miles after your tires are serviced or replaced.' Definitely not mandatory. I checked the torque myself a couple days later and they were spot on.

[ColonelPanic]

Hmm, what I was seeing was probably something blown out of proportion on the interwebs.

Certainly a good idea to recheck them after a few miles. It's on the paperwork for my local tire shop too, but they never mention it to you.

I think we'll go ahead and pull the trigger on these.

[beemerphile1]

...The most important question, did your fuel economy go up with these...

I have no idea. I don't watch the fuel consumption closely and it always sucks in the winter. I use a remote start to warm the car and the mileage is zero when sitting in my garage warming.

[ColonelPanic]

No biggie. We log all tanks, so we'll be watching closely.

[ColonelPanic]

I've had the chance to log a few hundred miles on the Ecopias so far. I give 'em 2 thumbs up so far...

They're a very quiet tire that does a great job at overcoming the Vibe's insulation deficiencies. It makes it obvious that I need to replace the window runs since wind noise is now the loudest part of the ride. They ride very smooth. I think the handling is probably a bit softer, as to be expected. Yesterday we had a lot of storms roll through on the way in to work and it stuck to the road just fine.

All in all it seems to be a good tire for the not-very-demanding driver. Performance-oriented folks will probably be disappointed.

Not sure yet on fuel economy, this tank is looking good but it could be due to a driving style change. We'll keep tracking.

[djkeev]

I've noticed through the years that all tires seem to be great when new!

Whether it is simply a vast improvement over the worn out garbage that was removed or if they really are better.

It seems the real proof of a good tire is exhibited 10,000.... 15,000... Or more mikes down the road. Are they still quiet and smooth or have they become twitchy, irritating and noisy?

Dave

[cptnsolo77]

I ended up buying these : viewtopic.php?f=31&t=40929" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Very happy with them

[ColonelPanic]

We're only at about 1500 miles on the Ecopias. They're still great but it's going to be a very long time to rack up enough miles to give a 15,000 mile review.

[Derf]

Thread got me to do some checking, previous owners, just added tires when they wore out. As the car sits I have
FRONT Uniroyal Long Touring.......... 205/55R16 89T rating, 1 tread layer, 1 steel + 1 Poly belt Made Oct 2009 in Indonesia,
89T rating #1279 at 118 mph 190 km/h estimate they have just over 50k miles and the tread is still about 1/2
REAR HP Touring Negotiator S-1023 205/55R16 91H rating 1 tread layer, 2 steel + 2 Poly belt Made Dec? 2011 in China
91H rating #1356 at 130 mph 210 km/h estimate they have just over 10k miles and a lot of tread left.

HP Touring Negotiator S-1023, appears it was a off brand tire, previous owner indicated they got them at Wal Mart. For the low mileage they are holding up well. The Uniroyal's have a lot of road noise and a slight vibration at low speeds (not cupping). I would tend to expect some noise and vibration, since it appears they were not rotated until I got the car.

Thought about replacing the front tires with Michelin:
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direc ... lse&cs=205" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Or maybe these Cooper Tires:
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direc ... lse&cs=205" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Would eventually end up with all four tires the same, but replacing the 1/2 worn Uniroyal's would be a good start.