Tire help for a new Viber

[bethfaceplays]

Hi. I recently got a new (to me) 2010 Vibe GT with FWD. I am moving from the Midwest to Washington in said Vibe and my mom suggested I might need better tires after the tires were spinning in a spot while going up a hill. Since I'll be driving through the mountains, this is obviously concerning.

So I'm looking at new tires. I don't care as much about road noise as I do about safety... if a deer hops out in front of me again, I don't want traction to be a problem (my last car got totalled by a deer at 30 mph). I have tire socks, so I'd prefer an all season and not winter tire (I don't have the space to store or move a set of tires).

Thanks in advance!

[Phoneman]

I really like the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 A/S. They are an excellent all season tire that grips well and resists hydroplaning.

The downside is that the are expensive and have only lasted about 30k miles on my Vibes, but they have been worth it for me.

I started with the PS 3+ A/S and transitioned to the PS 4 A/S when the 3s were discontinued and both tires are very similar in characteristics such as noise (quiet), handling/performance (excellent), wear (quick), etc.

[tpollauf]

This is what I got for my second set of tires on my 2009 Vibe Gt. Continental Extreme Contact. Already a couple years old BUT only 4000 miles put on them in that timeframe (car sits at 38k miles currently). Had to replace the original tires due to dryrot

[jolt]

The Continental tire that tpollauf post above a rated at the top of Consumer Reports lastest tire test. The next tire down on the list at Consumer Reports is the General AltiMAX RT43. I have had both on my Vibe. The Continental cost more and only has slightly better wet traction then the General AltiMAX RT43 as rated by the latest Consumer Reports. Consumer Reports rates the General AltiMAX RT43 as a "best buy" for the money and is now rated #2 behind the Continental.

I was very pleased with the General AltiMAX RT43 on my Vibe, that I had a set put on my other car when it was up for tires. Both the Continentals and the General AltiMAX RT43 have side rim protection. I just brought that up as I see tpollauf pictures show some curb rash that must have happened before he got the new Continentals on. For the money and all-season performance, you can not go wrong with the General AltiMAX RT43.

You may want to read this thread too. viewtopic.php?p=531327&hilit=General+Al ... 43#p531327

[joatmon]

tirerack has a good compare tool, lets you see different factors. I've never bought tires from them, but have used them to decide which ones to buy locally

[bethfaceplays]

Tim, how are the Continentals on ice?

I was looking at the tires the other day and according to the DOT number on them, they were made in 2017, so I'm a bit concerned about how long they sat and how they were stored by the previous owner. I've driven in snow and ice almost my entire driving history, but now I'm concerned with this move about going through the mountain passes (Snoqualmie is apparently getting 2 feet dumped on it this week). I got a pair of AutoSocks since I don't think chains would be good on these tires. I'm probably just freaking out for nothing.

[bethfaceplays]

I really like the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 A/S.

The downside is that the are expensive and have only lasted about 30k miles on my Vibes, but they have been worth it for me.

I've been looking at these. Do you know why they last so short for you? They have a 45k mile warranty.

[Phoneman]

I really like the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 A/S.

The downside is that the are expensive and have only lasted about 30k miles on my Vibes, but they have been worth it for me.

I've been looking at these. Do you know why they last so short for you? They have a 45k mile warranty.

Probably because I drive very "spiritedly".

The fronts last about 30k miles while the rears will last up to 60k miles. I normally rotate them but I did have a non-rotated set wear out the fronts in 30k miles.

I drive 30+k miles a year and if I keep the tires rotated, I usually have to replace two a year with the new tires going to the front.

I am not fond of FWD cars proclivity to hydroplane so I tend to replace the fronts when they start getting slippery in heavy rain.

On a plus note, the PS4 A/S wears very evenly, stays quiet, performs well, and resists hydroplaning throughout its life.

If you drive normally, you should be able to get close to 45k usable miles if you rotate the tires regularly.

They really are an excellent all season tire, especially if you like a performance oriented tire. I like them so much that I am on my fifth set (4 PS3+ , 1 PS4).

[tpollauf]

Tim, how are the Continentals on ice?

I wish I could honestly answer that question. Seeing how I'm located mostly right at the Ohio/Michigan line, we DEFINITELY get our share of nasty winter weather BUT I usually drive a different vehicle when it's that bad out. Plus, most of my career the past 25+ years was in the HVACR service industry where I was driving a commercial vehicle ALL the time and my personal vehicles sat idle. Thus the VERY low mileage on most of my personal vehicles. Back when I bought my 2009 Vibe GT new, I jokingly told everyone it would be my retirement car for when I retire. Now some 13 years later and retiring any day now, I guess I wasn't joking when I predicted that!