General Altimax HP on the way

Whelan · Post by **Whelan** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 11:59 pm

Just ordered them from Treadepot.com. My local Town Fair Tire tried to unload Avon MT500s on me as comparables, but they are summer tires only. I was pissed so went to tirerack found these for a good price to begin with, but I searched around and saw http://www.Treadepot.com The price was cheaper, the shipping was free, and they have good reviews. Can't wait for these to come in they have awesome ratings in every condition even snow. They are similar to the Goodyear Assurance triple tread tire. I'll update when they come in.

Raven · Post by **Raven** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 1:59 am

Generals seem to be getting good reviews all around. I'm buying the General Grabber AT2 for my truck. Starting this winter snow tires are mandatory in Quebec even on light trucks. The AT2 is an all season tire with the snowflake severe winter rating on them. This way I won't need to buy 8 big expensive tires as my Bridgestone Revos are pretty much finished. I still need a set of snows for my '92 Subaru SVX too.

Sublimewind · Post by **Sublimewind** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 3:20 am

You shouldn't have any problem getting going, it's stopping that's got me worried, with them..

Whelan · Post by **Whelan** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 11:25 pm

Why would stopping with them be a problem. Tirerack gave them awesome ratings all 8+'s on wet/dry etc. and then 7's on deep snow and ice tread. Stopping to me also depends on the driver, you don't go 40 in the snow down a hill.

nygiantzz1 · Post by **nygiantzz1** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 12:19 am

I've been looking at those. I've narrowed it down to the Kuhmo Ecsta LX or the Generals you just bought for Michele's G5. Let me how you like them.

Sublimewind · Post by **Sublimewind** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 4:36 am

Quote, originally posted by Whelan Â»Why would stopping with them be a problem. Tirerack gave them awesome ratings all 8+'s on wet/dry etc. and then 7's on deep snow and ice tread. Stopping to me also depends on the driver, you don't go 40 in the snow down a hill.To be perfectly honest, they look like they would be crap in the snow... Not hardly enough "sipes" cut into the tread... large tread blocks.. prolly a harder compound for higher mileage... Tirerack can make reviews look any way they like.. doesn't mean they are honest.. I'm not saying it's not a decent tire, I'm just saying, based on my experience with now tires, those don't look very "snow" to me... time will tell though... I just wish you would have gotten a real snow tire, rather than an A/S tire... I'm just trying to keep my peeps safe... I know I go on about "winterforce" snow tires, mainly because they are cheap and don't get chewed up on the pavement, but have a look at the differences in tread, and tell me what you see as differences.. (again, i'm just trying to keep YOU safe here, not criticising)

Whelan · Post by **Whelan** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 5:55 am

They look almost identical to the Gooyear Assurance triple tread tire which has gotten excellent reviews in all weather conditions. I understand your concern, but I need high mileage all season tires. I put 25,000 miles on my car a year. So I probably drive more than most people.

kevera · Post by **kevera** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 6:02 am

They do look like a summer tire,I feel Sublime's concerns for winter traction.Is the center bar with the lettering a wear indicator?

Sublimewind · Post by **Sublimewind** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 6:48 am

Quote, originally posted by Whelan Â»They look almost identical to the Gooyear Assurance triple tread tire which has gotten excellent reviews in all weather conditions. I understand your concern, but I need high mileage all season tires. I put 25,000 miles on my car a year. So I probably drive more than most people.Similar, but not nearly the same... look at all the extra "cuts" in the tread that run horizontial to the roll... THAT is the difference... each one of those cuts is another biting edge for the tire to grip the snow, and what I was kinda pointing you to look at on the Winterforce, for my example...

keithvibe · Post by **keithvibe** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 6:51 am

Quote, originally posted by Whelan Â» Stopping to me also depends on the driver, you don't go 40 in the snow down a hill.You do if you want to get up the next hill with out wheel spin HAHAHAI knew what you ment thoughI have to agree with the general theme here that they look more like a three season tire then an all season with great snow tractionEveryone dictates their snow traction differentlyso deff keep us posted on how they do for you O.... gongrats on the new tires HAHAHA

Sublimewind · Post by **Sublimewind** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 12:53 am

Quote, originally posted by Whelan Â»Stopping to me also depends on the driver, you don't go 40 in the snow down a hill.LoL, you don't yet understand the power of SNOW TIRES my friend.. Snows, coupled with a manual tranny, and a good driver can stop really fast, if certin techniques are used... not so much with a Auto tranny, but you can use it similar to a manual... The key is to KEEP THE WHEELS MOVING... when they stop, you are on a sled... but you prolly already know this..

DavidPIL · Post by **DavidPIL** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 1:53 am

I would really like to hear your reviews of this tire after you've put a few miles on em. I recently bought the General Exclaim's and I'm very pleased with the purchase. I'm not expecting them to do to well in the Winter but I'm also not expecting them to be much worse than the Toyo Proxes 4 which I had on before. But anyway, I'm considering these as a replacement for the stock Kumhos on my mother's Aveo simply because of my current experience with Generals and they seem to have better reviews all around over most out there in a basic A/S tire.If I run into problems with my Exclaims over the Winter, I will get a Winter tire but if they work well on my Mother's vehicle and by review on yours, I may consider them as the next set (After the Exclaims wear out) on mime as well.It sure seems that General has stepped their testing and designs up a notch or 2 with the newer line of tires and with the cost difference, they also seem very much worth the try.Dave

Whelan · Post by **Whelan** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 12:02 am

Currently I am running on Kumho Ecsta ASX, before that it was the stock goodyears which sucked in all conditions. I see what everyone is saying about winter tires, I really do. I had a set of Kelly snow tires on my Civic which helped a lot, but the lightness of the car did not help me.Also keep in mind that I do have an AWD Trix. I am not saying it is the end all be all and having AWD will save me. But getting up hills from a stop and around corners makes all the difference in the world with AWD vs. FWD. I can attest that I have made it up some pretty nasty slopes in this car and was thoroughly impressed by its capability. It got me out of a very sloped driveway with 7" on the ground no problem. I will keep everyone updated on these tires, I realize opinions can be skewed but I also do rely on reviews a lot too and from not just tirerack, but many others have given this tire a good rating even in not so nice weather.All seasons are never gonna be the best choice, having summer/winter tires will always get you farther. But I have never owned the same set of tires on my cars from my Potenza RE950s, Fuzions, Proxes, Pirellis, etc. I like to try out lots of different styles. So we shall see how this holds up.FYI I only got about 25,000 out of the Kumho's that were rated for more than that. I have yet to get the proper mileage from any tire as they reccomend, and yes I do keep them inflated properly and rotated, and aligned.

vibolista · Post by **vibolista** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 4:52 am

I often commute to work very early in the a.m. and sometimes into the late evening hours. Many of these early mornings, our snow plows have not started their rounds yet, especially on weekends, so I get to 'break trail' quite a bit. I have always enjoyed the challenge of driving on snow and ice... but only when there is no one else around.The last set of new all seasons that I had on my FWD car were Bridgestone Turanzas. One of those early mornings, an early snow found me having to use them to get to work. It was an interesting driving experience on 4 inches of untouched snow. Fortunately, my drive is a short 13 miles, but does include 4 stop signs, and a combination of several twisty and hilly sections to spice it up. It all happens on narrow rural roads. The brand new Turanzas got me there, but they were not comparable to a dedicated snow tire. AWD gives you a little advantage over 2 wheel drive, but even then, a snow tire will allow much easier and safer going in true winter conditions. If you choose to use an A/S tire for winter driving, I sure hope you are extra careful.

Whelan · Post by **Whelan** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 5:02 am

I don't force my AWD to kick in when driving in adverse conditions, that is for sure. Unless I am in a parking lot doing AWD donuts which are soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooomuch fun to do!Sorry for the exageration but they are. Aside from that I would love to hook up a video camera to my car and show you my backroad commute to work when I need to take it. Highway is about 25 miles one way, so this has to be more like almost 30. But its up steep hills, down hills, around bends, all in wooded suburbia, typical windy new england roads with no curbs, just neighbors yards, rock walls and trees. Even when I take the highway I get up to 35 maybe 40 at most if it's not too bad. And I get people in Hyundais and other small cars flying by at 50mph. Even with a set of snow tires on I still would do the same speed. Nobody seems to understand that going is not the problem. They get so frustrated trying to get the car moving they forget they need to be able to slow down. I play with my gears too, even though I"m an auto, I flip from 1 to 2 and use D with the overdrive button to slow myself down in corners and such. Much easier to OD off or drop to 2 than hit the brakes, let the engine work for me. But I guess this is from all those years driving standard I am used to downshifting in snow to slow down.

Sublimewind · Post by **Sublimewind** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 6:26 am

Quote, originally posted by Whelan Â»I don't force my AWD to kick in when driving in adverse conditions, that is for sure. Unless I am in a parking lot doing AWD donuts which are soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooomuch fun to do!Sorry for the exageration but they are. Aside from that I would love to hook up a video camera to my car and show you my backroad commute to work when I need to take it. Highway is about 25 miles one way, so this has to be more like almost 30. But its up steep hills, down hills, around bends, all in wooded suburbia, typical windy new england roads with no curbs, just neighbors yards, rock walls and trees. Even when I take the highway I get up to 35 maybe 40 at most if it's not too bad. And I get people in Hyundais and other small cars flying by at 50mph. Even with a set of snow tires on I still would do the same speed. Nobody seems to understand that going is not the problem. They get so frustrated trying to get the car moving they forget they need to be able to slow down. I play with my gears too, even though I"m an auto, I flip from 1 to 2 and use D with the overdrive button to slow myself down in corners and such. Much easier to OD off or drop to 2 than hit the brakes, let the engine work for me. But I guess this is from all those years driving standard I am used to downshifting in snow to slow down.Those are called "Drift-nutz" and it's a thing of pure beauty.... Unless you tighten them up to the point of "axis-spinning" which I used to do all the time in the winter in the Subie... it' would spin right around the gear shift... lol... I've had cartboys in parking lots CHEERING after a 1000' diameter "drift-nut"....lol..(late, with 3 car in the lot, mind you)I donno, when I was driving the old subie in the snow w/snow tires, I felt invincable, the car was just so solid, and stable... IF it felt loose or un-setteled, if you will, I just treated it like a dirtbike... losen the grip on the steering wheel, relax, and let the car do it's thing WHILE keeping it going straight, trying to force things in the snow, is what puts people in ditches.... (i'm not talking about sliding or skidding, i'm talking about the "hydroplaneing" feeling)

Whelan · Post by **Whelan** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 1:54 am

Had them put on this morning before work. So far about 30 miles on them so reviews are EXTREMELY initial. But the tire is definitely much quieter than the Kumho Ecsta ASX I had on there previously, it makes the cabin practically silent to be honest.Other than that, the handling is improved, not as hard on the sidewalls as the ASX, which was commented on by many, but I'm not in any Auto X or taking corners and on ramps at 90mph. But between 60-80 it quickly and deftly manuevers with no complaint. Looks like rain around here today so maybe I will get a chance to see how they perform in the wet. The tread is definitely a lot deeper than the pictures show. The V-tread is fairly deep and pretty wide, and the middle channel could fit a sharpie in it no problem. As for the middle rail, the cuts are deep and should provide adequate grip during inclement weather. We shall see.I am just mostly amazed at the quietness of this tire, it has a 55k warranty and is 440A rated so we will see if it pulls its weight for longevity. The ASX was only 360 rated.

Sublimewind · Post by **Sublimewind** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 2:03 am

So far, so good... !

vibolista · Post by **vibolista** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 1:40 am

Sounds like you take it easy as a driver in the snow, so good for you. I wish more drivers would ease up a bit in the slippery stuff. There wouldn't be half the carnage out there in winter. It is fun to play in it, though. I learned to drive on an old Willy's 'yard' jeep (WWII vintage) when I was a kid. We lived across from a fairly shallow lake, and in the winter, once the ice was thick enough (it used to freeze over a foot thick) I'd take the thing out on it. It turned out to be a great way to learn vehicle dynamics. Sublime mentioned Axis-spinning, that was one of the very first things the jeep taught me about. I couldn't have imagined how fast you can make a vehicle spin in its own length! Ice is one of the best surfaces to learn on and usually helps make a driver better. Nothing like a super slick surface to help find limits quickly. Too bad it's not something everyone gets a go at under safe circumstances. Your new Altimax tires sound (in a silent way) pretty nice. Let us know how they mature and how they eventually behave in the snow.

v329799 · Post by **v329799** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 11:23 pm

I agree with the others and just wondering how well that tire will go.I also use the Winterforce Had them on Company Van, personal van and will be putting them on 09 Vibe AWD. Winter tires can make a fwd car seem like it is AWDIf it had not been I retired this yr and my wife on the road driving to work this winter AWD wouldn't been bought.Don't get me work I like the AWD but with winter tires a FWD goes so much better.Be safe Also remember to turn on Headlights in rain,fog or snow. DRL do not turn on all the time or at least when needed.. You have no tail lightsdumbest thing GM and rest of industry could have come with with Make the tail lights come on with DRL and it would 500% improvement.

Whelan · Post by **Whelan** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 12:13 am

Quote, originally posted by v329799 Â»Winter tires can make a fwd car seem like it is AWDDon't get me work I like the AWD but with winter tires a FWD goes so much better.Also remember to turn on Headlights in rain,fog or snow. DRL do not turn on all the time or at least when needed.. You have no tail lightsdumbest thing GM and rest of industry could have come with with Make the tail lights come on with DRL and it would 500% improvement.Allow me to put in my cents on this one if you would. I have owned many FWD cars, all small 4cyl. and I have had winter tires on them. Even with the winter tires, the driving is much improved, but there is no way that a FWD car can ever seem like it is AWD, nor could it be better in adverse conditions. The point being that starting, manuevering, and driving all around is much improved with AWD over just FWD. The Vibe/Trix use a FWD-AWD system that only engages the rear wheels when it feels slip in the fronts. It does so pretty flawlessly too and it doesn't take a lot of slip to get them going. Up a rainy slick hill and the AWD keeps you lined up and moving forward.As for the lights. My DRL is disconnected as I do not like headlights on all the time, it wastes bulb life and its a personal thing. At night I always drive with my HIDs and my yellow foglamps on. I never have them off. Rain, clouds, snow, etc. they are always on.

vibolista · Post by **vibolista** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 10:27 am

One thing that everyone knows, or at least should know about the differences between FWD and AWD...You can always get another thousand feet farther into trouble with AWD!!! Sorry, that's a really old one!

Whelan · Post by **Whelan** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 10:07 pm

That is very true LOL! But to be perfectly honest. I am totally amazed by the AWD in the Trix. It has really gotten me through and out of some real nasty stuff that I would have never attempted before. It is surprising how resilient this drivetrain is to being stopped. Nothing feels better than being at a light on a slight incline or at a sloppy intersection or getting off a highway where the exits are not plowed and being able to just step on the gas and go through everything. While the others spin and slide.

keithvibe · Post by **keithvibe** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 12:28 am

Quote, originally posted by Whelan Â» Nothing feels better than being at a light on a slight incline or at a sloppy intersection or getting off a highway where the exits are not plowed and being able to just step on the gas and go through everything. While the others spin and slide.a BIG X2 on that one.... love the look in their faces too... 0_o

Sublimewind · Post by **Sublimewind** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 3:37 am

I always liked leaving Jeeps at stoplights... That was classic... at the next light it was even better, because they would try harder, which ment they left SLOWER... lol... Leave a light in 6" of snow in 2nd, with AWD... yeah, not much keeping up.... And you don't have to even try... lol..

vibolista · Post by **vibolista** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 10:40 am

Good winter driving is in the hands (and feet) of the driver. Common sense and knowing the limits are the prime objectives in the snow. The biggest challenge I usually face in winter is staying away from drivers that ignore dangerous conditions and endanger the rest out there in traffic. These are the drivers that cause most accidents, or end up failing to keep the shiny side up, somewhere down the road. This happens a lot around here, year after year. People that explore or ignore the limits on snowy roads usually learn that Physics always wins regardless of AWD, FWD or RWD. A good winter tire goes a long way helping to keep things under control on snow. AWD has its benefits over RWD and FWD, but ultimately it's up to the driver. Personally, I still don't find the benefits of AWD attractive enough want to tote around the extra mechanicals and extra weight, that cause MPG losses and other handling quirks all year round. Some of our winters are pretty tough here, but they usually only take up about 3 to 4 months of the year. The other 8 or 9 months I'm on summer tires. On the rare occasion that a blizzard or snow storm puts down a lot of snow (we had several that were measured in feet last year) I use my old Frontier truck to get to work, if I absolutely have to be there.

Sublimewind · Post by **Sublimewind** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 1:52 am

Quote, originally posted by vibolista Â»Good winter driving is in the hands (and feet) of the driver. Common sense and knowing the limits are the prime objectives in the snow. The biggest challenge I usually face in winter is staying away from drivers that ignore dangerous conditions and endanger the rest out there in traffic. These are the drivers that cause most accidents, or end up failing to keep the shiny side up, somewhere down the road. This happens a lot around here, year after year. People that explore or ignore the limits on snowy roads usually learn that Physics always wins regardless of AWD, FWD or RWD. A good winter tire goes a long way helping to keep things under control on snow. AWD has its benefits over RWD and FWD, but ultimately it's up to the driver. Personally, I still don't find the benefits of AWD attractive enough want to tote around the extra mechanicals and extra weight, that cause MPG losses and other handling quirks all year round. Some of our winters are pretty tough here, but they usually only take up about 3 to 4 months of the year. The other 8 or 9 months I'm on summer tires. On the rare occasion that a blizzard or snow storm puts down a lot of snow (we had several that were measured in feet last year) I use my old Frontier truck to get to work, if I absolutely have to be there. I agree, it's the lose nut behind the wheel that gets people in trouble... I want to know what sort of "handling quirks" you are referring to with AWD? I've driven a AWD vehical since late 98' and only see good with it.. ESPICALLY when it's raining hard or in the snow.. Most of the time it's not even being used, but, that is the beauty of AWD, moves power from the wheels that slip, to the wheels that grip.. The extra weight of AWD, is about that of an avarage passenger, so it's nominal.. The mechanics of it are usually totally passive, so, most times you wouldn't even know it's there..

Whelan · Post by **Whelan** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 2:16 am

I'd have to agree with Sub on the quirks mentioned. The weight is pretty negligible, and my mpg is not THAT far off from a regular Trix/Vibe.Not to mention the AWD Trix has a IRS setup that the base, XR, and XRS do not have, which technically gives it a little better handling I would figure. My 02 Civic EX Coupe had horrible handling compared to my Trix and it weighed less but did not have an IRS.

vibolista · Post by **vibolista** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 4:28 am

I know the differences are pretty subtle... but they are there. I have driven AWD/RWD/FWD cars and trucks for a while. The small increase in weight from those extra mechanical bits comes through, usually in added suspension motion. Subies have probably come closest to eliminating/damping out these movements. Another side of this difference can be seen when a driver is not thoroughly familiar with AWD on slippery stuff. This can catch them a little off guard as the added traction kicks in and they accidentally induce over-steer in icy situations, for example. I've seen that happen live and up-way-too-close on the road. I wish there was some sort of mandatory program that taught driving dynamics in really slippery stuff, like rain, snow and ice. It would make our roads a safer place, populated with drivers that would have some experience in the worst possible driving conditions. A few other countries do it. Not putting AWD down in any way. But there are differences, pros and cons for each driving layout. Personally, I like RWD in the snow the best. A pain at times, but a fun challenge for me. FWD with good snow tires has never let me down yet, even in fairly extreme situations. AWD is naturally the best system in super slick conditions with proper tires mounted. My old 4wheel drive truck on BFGoodridge Long Trail tires (look like a summer street tire) has been used to get to work in the toughest weather when snow is deep. Even then, I don't slip it into 4wheel drive unless the snow becomes wet and heavy or there's a lot of granular snow falling on a glazed surface. That has the feel of marbles on ice. I've been called in to work to fill in on short notice several times during storms, and have had to use 4wheel drive just to get out of my driveway. And then with a fair amount trouble. 20 inches of wet snow is always going to present a major problem. Weight is an issue with any car, when considering MPG. AWD necessitates extra components that add not only weight, but also various degrees of mechanical friction(mechanical losses(?)). You have to spin that extra gear up each time you get going, so there is a little extra energy required to move off. At around 4 $$s a gallon, that 'little extra gas' usage will add up to some significance after a while.

Whelan · Post by **Whelan** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 5:02 am

Although the weight disadvantage becomes an advantage in adverse conditions. Saves me from adding blocks and sandbags.

vibolista · Post by **vibolista** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 10:59 am

Never have used extra weight in a car in winter, so I can't comment on what that would do. I guess in some instances, with a poor set up in the first place, extra weight does some good over the drive wheels. I know my Grandfather would put a couple of sandbags in the trunk of his Pontiac Bonneville back in the 1960s. The weight of that old monster car just got in its way in the snow! Bias ply snow tires. too! The good ol' days.In Northwestern Montana, where I lived for 11 years (84-95), they would plow the roads and then throw some stone chips on the snow or ice and that was it. The car that I had the most fun with ended up being a tiny Suzuki Swift Hatch that I bought in 1991. Very light, with a raging 70+ hp engine. This little throw away car with 4 good aggressive snow tires turned out to be a real snow machine. Never got stuck. You wouldn't believe the road to my house out there and the way this little car handled the powder snow that always fell out there. Brought it to Maine when I moved and drove the heck out of it until the huge amounts of destructive road salt they use here ate it up. Was able to nurse it through inspection until 2001. I wasn't sure if it would be able to handle the wetter snow we get here... but to my surprise, it did fine. I cheated a bit. Used a 175/65 14 inch snow that was taller, (any ground clearance improvement was good), than the 165's that came on the car. Nothing would stop it, except the rust. Engine was good and so was the running gear, but it got rusty, no matter what I tried to do to to prevent it. Most Southern Mainers can't drive on snow, so they have to salt the hell out of their roads or the lawyers jump on the road departments. Cars in this state are doomed to death by rust.

Sublimewind · Post by **Sublimewind** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 10:48 pm

I run snows on my Vibe now, and throw 100lbs of corn in the back to help stablize the rear end... not a bad combo, but I LONG for my AWD again.... I miss my old beater subie more than any of you all know, in that instance... You wanna talk about un-stopable... Buffalo, Blizzard of 00' we got 25" in 5hrs, it shut buffalo down for 2 WEEKS... I drove into it that night, on a normal day my trip would have been an hour total... It took me 4-5hrs to get home... BUT I GOT HOME... that night 3500 school kids stayed overnight in local business, and HUNDREDS were trapped in there cars overnight out on the hightway... there were time when I had to plow though snow deep enough to come over the hood... I made it home that night.... nuff said...

Whelan · Post by **Whelan** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 11:00 pm

A lot of newer cars today come with these big wide tires, however wide does not equal traction in snow. The thinner style of small car tires offer an advantage allowing you to cut through the snow more than flatten it and making it smooth thus unusable surface.I really want snow this year, a lot of it, I wanna see what my new tires can take. Although by then given my current driving which has been upped to almost 1700 miles a month now if not close to 2000, I will have close to 10,000 miles on them by December.

Sublimewind · Post by **Sublimewind** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 1:19 am

Man, with that ammount of milage, you owe it to yourself and the Trix, to get some snows.. Like I have said many a time, it's cheap insurance.. you know though.. Winterforce man, they actually run higher milages.. and can be studded..

bodhi_tree777 · Post by **bodhi_tree777** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 5:58 am

how would you all rate these Generals vs. Goodyear Assurance TripleTred for an 03 GT? I think I've narrowed it down to these two. The Treds are $20 more apiece on tirerack.com, but I can get them locally and my local Goodyear will match tirerack's price so no shipping charge. Also get free tire rotations purchasing through Goodyear. Any thoughts?

vibolista · Post by **vibolista** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 10:19 am

You guys in Buffalo get slammed by huge snow every once in a while. I remember reading about that storm.

Sublimewind · Post by **Sublimewind** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 10:01 pm

Quote, originally posted by vibolista Â»You guys in Buffalo get slammed by huge snow every once in a while. I remember reading about that storm. Yeah, that one was something else... I came in to work the morning.. went out for lunch and knocked 12" of snow off the car.... they let us go home at 2 and there was another 6-8" on the car... My GF called me at ~4:30 and said she couldn't get out of her parking spot.. Could I come and get her.. (we got a total of ~6" where I lived, just north of Buffalo)I got half way there and had to pass under a train bridge, so the road went down and back up.... There was a Semi in the right lane that couldn't get up the hill, and some duffus in the left lane, with his car bouncing off the rev-limiter, trying to move (like that EVER helps)... I ended up getting out of my car and helping the 4 other people (none of which were the 2 guys actually IN the car) push the pig out of the way... I did all sorts of things to get home... I think I was on someones lawn at one point... It was very sureal... people were stuck all over the place... and it kept getting worse, till it was total gridlock... then the snow just built up around people... If ut haden't been for local business, a lot of people would have been cold that night.. It was even thundering and lightening out... they had to call in the national guard to help with the clean-up, and Buffalo was totally shut down for 2 weeks, during... they had to plow out a car, tow it, plow out another.... THOUSANDS of car... lol...

Whelan · Post by **Whelan** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 11:05 pm

Do yourself a favor bodhi, and check out http://www.treadepot.com They have the same tires for less than what you pay at TR and the shipping is FREE. I got my General's from there within a week.Today I got to test them a bit on the wet stuff, since we are getting hit up good by this Nor-Easter / Tropical Storm / Almost Hurricane. The weatherman don't know what to call it just yet. I call it wind and rain.But moving on, deep puddles and very wet corners and off ramps, the AWD never kicked on once, these tires have some good grip in the wet stuff. Through puddles did not cause the wheel to be jerked around, they sufficiently moved the water out of the way. Not to mention with the V-pattern you get a nice rooster tail out the back

bodhi_tree777 · Post by **bodhi_tree777** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 11:56 pm

cool, thanks, checking that site out now..

Whelan · Post by **Whelan** » Fri Sep 26, 2008 12:08 am

FYI the Assurance may be a harder tire on the sidewall which would mean less roll. The Generals are a bit softer so you do feel a bit of roll, nothing substantial or nerve racking, the tires still hold and are solid, but I don't take corners at 60-80 anymore anyways.

vibolista · Post by **vibolista** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 1:16 pm

Good to hear you 'sur-vibe-d' our little tropical storm with you Matrix. Hurricane Kyle plastered our area with 4 to 7 inches of rain this weekend as it moved by. Not much wind here, though. Didn't really need to deal with the tree damage, power outages and all the rest of the problems these storms can cause when they get too close. The Generals sound like they are going to do the job. And with the Matrix/Vibe suspension the way it is, I would go with the softer sidewall. My wife has a set of TripleTreads on her car and I've mentioned on other threads our disappointment with them. They became extremely noisy before 10,000 miles and all flat spotted. Replaced two that were damaged by metal debris on the road. Had them balanced with minimal weight by mounting heavy side of wheel opposite heavy side of tire. They flat spotted well before 10,000 miles, again. As soon as I can, these noisy guys are going away. Might try to replace them with Altimax. Keep us posted on how they perform as you pile the miles on them.

Whelan · Post by **Whelan** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 12:29 am

Oh they will be piled on. Actually come February me and the new lady are taking a trip up to Kennebunkport. Stayin at the Captain Lord's for a few nights. So they will spend some time on Maine roads too. I really cannot complain about them. At 80mph they are VERY quiet compared to any tire I have owned. I close up the windows and it's very soothing. Bumps are not harsh, the corners come easily with no wheel fight. So far a confident tire for sure. Especially when going around a corner with bumps or connectors in the road it just won't break.Considering I drive 50 miles round trip everyday to work. And if I see the lady it's another 50 roundtrip almost from my house. That would be close to 100 miles a day.

vibolista · Post by **vibolista** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 4:53 am

February in Kennebunkport sounds like a good trip. There are some nice twisty and fairly scenic back country roads from there to Ogunquit and out to the Berwicks, if the weather gods allow. Really nice if you get full sunshine on those days.

Whelan · Post by **Whelan** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:26 am

See I am hopin for gray and snowy

The more romantic and relaxin the better.

SinisterMind · Post by **SinisterMind** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 7:39 pm

FYI, General tires are made by Continental.