My Wife's car needs tires. 225/45R18 Current OEM tires are rated 95V (all four) Only got around 25K out of them Hankook, more performance than tread life. The roads down here tear up tires.

There are just so many brands, reviews, hooky warranties it is mind boggling, You never know how they will feel, handle or sound (road noise) until they are on the car. Seems like many do not list the tread wear rating number, temp and traction letters now either?

This size tire ain't cheap either!!

About as crazy as buying optics for a rifle!!

Heck, I can't decide on a brand!. Used to be a lot easier there where not so many out there.

Read one rating and they are the greatest, another says they are junk??

Help!

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Still Running Against the Wind

I used Tire Rack once, when I had trouble getting tires for a Nissan Murano. All went very smooth.

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Try shopping for Corvette tires where the fronts and backs are different sizes and cannot be rotated and run-flats besides. Then a lot of places don't know how to raise the car correctly and don't have a tire machine capable of dealing with run-flats. I ended up with Continentals, non run-flat from Tire Rack and drove 40 miles to the installer.

I have always had good luck with Cooper tires.

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Don

Sam's Club Michelins is what I do.

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God spelled backwards is dog.

I need new tires for my Corvette. Hankook and Michelin seem to be favorites. I am definitely getting non run flats. Then there is summer vs all season.

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Common sense isn't so common.

Look on Discount Tire Direct's web site they usually have good prices & many options


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

With tires there's definitely a trade off between performance and tread
life. It's easy to get bogged down in all the endless data if you're
trying to buy the "perfect" tire for your vehicle. The last time I bought
new tires it was for my truck. I ended up taking the easy path. I went
out to the local Wmart where they have a decent selection along with
a display explaining the features of the tires they carry. Good warranty
also. No regrets.

Go on a forum that your car fits into.. That could be one for your car model, your car company, one for its category (Example --Sport car, Suv)

Tire questions are a biggie on car forums.. I had a car that got 12,000 miles and all four had to be replaced at over $500 a wheel .Of course they were Z rated ultra high performance tires and I knew it going in what to expect. I'm on a forum for that car and I found by asking questions a slightly cheaper(about $50 a tire) and much better mileage and quieter Z rated tire.

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14 S&W Revs none with locks!

I have always stuck with Michelin and Bridgestone and have never had an issue with either one!

I know right

When it comes to tires I trust Nitto. As soon as our tires were done I replaced them with Nitto's and I can't complain a bit. They are a tad more expensive than others but well worth the money IMO.

You can check Discount Tire and Discount Tire Direct for prices. Oftentimes DT offers several promotions incl. instant savings and a rebate in form of a pre-paid VISA card. And for 2 and more tires shipping is free.

Or use the Find A Store function on the Nitto website.

Hope this helps

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Jorge

I feel your pain. I bought Goodyears for my "15" Passat last month. Tires are truly a pain in the butt to purchase. All of the tire dealers use upsell, bait and switch, low balling, etc. I grew up in the truck/auto business and have been a dealer so I felt pretty confident in being able to get a good deal. Wrong.

I bought premium tires and paid through the nose. Wouldn't have been a bad deal if they held to their phone quote. They didn't and sold me a front end alignment I didn't ask for or need. Now the difference was only $60 but still angers me. I had to ask to see the line item invoice prior to giving them my card. Geez

I opted not to fight over it for many reasons. I don't know how these goodyears are going to perform. This is the first set of goodyears I have purchased in many ears. Michelins have proven good but they are stupid expensive. I have tried many asian brands, firestone, dunlop, cooper and a few others. I used to be a Discount Tire fan, though not for a pretty long while now and never again. Good luck!

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JT

Still not as bad as motorcycle tires, especially if you can't change them yourself and buy at a dealer!

The factory run flat Goodyears lasted 12000 on my Vette, the new non-run flat Michelin tires have over 10000 on them and show almost no wear.
When my SS sedan needs tires I am leaning towards Hankook or Continental. (probably change my mind on that before I get there)
When possible I get my tires at Sam's Club. The Vette tires came from Williams tire in Wilkes-Barre PA. Rick provided excellent service and fair pricing.

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Lynnie, Professional Pest

That was the tires (Badyears) as we called them I was referring to in my post 9 above. They were on my 07 Z06. They were also rather noisy, the more they wore the noisier they got. I replaced them with Bridgestones. I stuck with the run flats for a few reasons. I got rid of the car with 16,000 miles on the new tires then and they were legal and running well. I live in the mountains and tend to drive with a bit of exuberance!

My new Vette has the Michelins and they are far superior to the badyears.. I know Chevy took a lot of static from us over the choice of OEM tires and finely did something about it.

Tires were a big topic at Corvettes at Carlisle when my club got together with the engineers from Bowling Green and Detroit.

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14 S&W Revs none with locks!

Discount Tire is the only way to fly!

I'm a fan of Michelin tires.

I've only have 21,000 miles on my 2014 Escape riding on Continentals ContiProContacts P235/55R/17s that I rotate with every oil change. They still look new!

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Dick

Costco Michelins is what I do too

look for the $70.00 rebate

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SWCA #2306
DAV in honor of POP

Since your wife's car uses V-rated tires, you can expect lower mileage, because most V-rated tires are oriented towards maximizing handling and braking, and are made with softer rubber compounds than are traditional passenger car tires. For alternatives, I'd suggest checking first with the Tire Rack website. Tire Rack has tire ratings and reviews from thousands of owners. It's very useful in helping choose tires that meet your requirements. You should be able use those ratings to find tires in your size that last longer.

Regarding purchasing tires, I've had good experiences with Discount Tire.

Good Luck!

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What, me worry?

On trucks and SUV's I have purchased Coopers and also when I ran a service company we used them on the trucks. They had great tread life.I forget who owns them but they are part of some big tire company??

Yes, the tires on the car now are more for handling. performance and as SWSIG mentioned, the trade off on tire life vs mileage.

I usually go to Wal Mart but may try the Costco Michelin deal.

Will never never ever ever go back to TIRE KINGDOM. They are the WORST!!

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Still Running Against the Wind

I just bought a set of 4 Continental Control Contact Tour AS tires from Discount Tire. Completely changed my car. Smoother ride, NO road noise and better handling. Plus I got a $70 rebate.

You should see the school bus tires that come on my wife's Murano.....

Go to America's Tire, they have the best selection and prices. Discount Tire is the same company.

Tires & Wheels | Car Tires & Wheels | SUV/Truck Tires & Wheels | America's Tire

Must be the Store you go to

I have had very good luck

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Compact 9mm Just my $0.02

One thing I've learned is it isn't always desirable to look for the absolute highest mileage tire. The high mileage tires have a harder rubber compound that compromises handling and braking, especially in the wet.

The other reason is as tires wear, they become harsher riding for various reasons. Every time I get a new set of tires, I'm always shocked at how smooth the new ones ride. Sure, I could get a 80,000 mile tire. But do I want a terrible ride for 40,000 of those miles? Not really...

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Common sense isn't so common.

Then there are the weird issues like summer rated Michelins turn into flat-spotted hockey pucks here in the desert SW. I won't touch them, so I run Hankooks or Sumitomos.

Nor will I put no-season (you know them as all season) tyres on a car, EVER, EVER again. Darned things have no grip in all conditions was my experience with Goodyear GA (Grip Absent) boots on a car a few years back.

Loved Pirellis back in the UK but they scream like banshees on the concrete freeways out here.

As for some tyres rating well in some reviews and not others, more often than not you will find there reviewers had different cars. If the sidewall compression rate disagrees with the springs and dampers on your car, the ride will suffer.

Sidewall stiffness is very important when it comes to handling, too. I made the mistake of putting cheaper Goodyear NCTs on a BMW in England instead of the OE spec Michelins. Let's just say the handling precision "went away", as a fuller report will get me banned.

Tyre shops get baffled when I visit, because I am only interested in grip vs price. I don't give a rat's about the wear rating.

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Release the Kraken

Spend some time on the Tire Rack website and read the feedback, mileage and traction graphs on a bunch of the tires. Make a list of the ones that would work for her car and shop around. There's a good local family-owned shop here, but the best price I found was a closeout at Tire Rack.

Michelin and Goodyear from Discount Tires.

This thread reminds me. I gotta get tires this summer for my car.

I have Coopers on my Honda and my Corvette as I've always had good luck with them as well.
Jim

This is what I do to cut through the mind-boggling number of choices.

Enter your tire size or your vehicle (year/make/model/etc.) Then sort the results by price, cheapest to most expensive. Pick the lowest priced tire that appeals to you (whether by brand or tread style or ...) and then begin reading the reviews. Be advised that some reviewers hate everything and some love everything so you have to read a representative sample, not just one or two. You can usually get some pretty level-headed advice about tire wear, wet handling, dry handling, road noise, etc.

Repeat the above for as many tires as you like. Usually you will hit a price point that is more than you want to pay, no matter how great the tires are. Then check your local tire shops, Discount Tire, etc., for availability. If Tire Rack has the best prices, remember that you will have to have them shipped and installed by a willing shop, so factor that in.

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You're shy a few manners.

Corvette run flat Goodyears aka run craps.

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Sure you did

The best tire is the one that suits the individual's driving habits and local road conditions.It almost really doesn't matter what experience others have with the same tire.It can be an expensive journey.

Just saying...

Whatever tire you want, go online and do the search. Find your best price, free ship if you're lucky and buy them.
I did and they were delivered to my door.
Took them to my local shop and had them mounted.
Saved big bucks.
Just check the codes for the manufacture date and make sure they haven't been sitting around for 20 years.
Sorry, but I can't remember the codes for dates but research them to be sure you don't get old tires.
You can get very good deals online.

I have no idea if Pep Boys has that size, but for the last 25 years, I have bought only their house brand Definity (made by Cooper, or at least they were). Price is as good as anywhere else, and you get a 10% discount if you buy them on the PB website for store mounting. I highly recommend them, just bought two more for my pickup about a month ago. I once bought two Hancook tires from NTB, sort of an emergency situation. Never again.

I purchased a tire mounting hand operated tire changer. I need a balancer next. I've mounted and balanced tires for 50 years.

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Plant garlic in the fall

I use The Tire Rack for my tire purchases. Have local shop that puts them on for a little bit of nothing. Have had good luck using them.

Try finding mudgrip tires in 14". Finally found some, but had to order them over the 'Net.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

This is what Algore built the internet for! Well... besides cat videos and pr0n. Google is your friend!

There are other sites besides S&W Forum. Do your research online. Read multiple reviews. Compare features.

Then go shopping. You'll know exactly what you want which will help you find the better deal. Don't fall for the "we don't have those but..."

I had the same experience with my vette on good year run flats, and they were noisy and rough riding.
As you did I bought non runflat Michelins and ran them for 10,000 miles and they were in good shape yet. I then sold the car.
I have had good luck with bridgestones on my Silverado.

I have an odd situation with my other car, a '96 Impala SS. I can't seem to find tires for it in the original size. I guess that size was only made for that exact model which was only produced for 3 years. Hopefully every few years some company will make a run of tires.

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Lynnie, Professional Pest

Another mention for Discount Tire. Go to the website. Pick the brand and price you want to pay. You can even make an appointment online. Not that it matters much.

They do list the speed rating and tread wear rating. Never had a hassle with them. They will try to sell you the road hazard warranty, but that's about it. Free flat repair and tire rotation too.

B.F.Goodrich

We have no Discount Tire around here and the shops also do not like to mount tires that are purchased elsewhere. There is no cost savings.

Wal Mart, Costco, the rip off Tire Chains (Goodyear Firestone etc)

There is a Pep Boys

I usually buy at Wal Mart as they are everywhere so warranty (flats) are not an issue if out of town, Guess I will see what they can get for me. Buy online and send them to the store.

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Still Running Against the Wind

Yep...My vote after 50 years of buying tires and in the auto repair business for G.M. for 38 years...it's hands down, America's Tire/Discount Tire. They're equal to buying tires on the Tire Rack and paying for installation somewhere else.
America's Tire/ Discount Tire has excellent tire service and...the best prices. I have 4 sets so far on as many vehicles...tremendous service!

They are professional in every way. They perform all the correct procedures at all the stores the exact same way. Courteous, professional, at the best prices...I don't know how they do it.
Also, they don't do any other auto service. If they did other services the way they do tires, they would be remarkably the best out there for auto service.

I took my boat trailer in after buying tires elsewhere. I had such great service on my other vehicles, I asked them to balance all 4 and check them before going on a 2,000 mile trip to Canada. I expected to pay them for the service after it was completed. "No," they said, "complementary." The place I bought them wouldn't do it for free.

The same thing happened on my wife's 2006 Acura. I told them the tires were from another shop. I expected to pay for a rotate and balance. Nope! Complementary again. I said you don't understand I bought them elsewhere. "Yes" they said, "we understand."

I tell you... the work is always first class. Other places I've been, I always have to re-torque the wheels correctly because they always do it wrong. The disc brake rotors become distorted and the brakes pulsate after a few weeks from not using proper torque sequence and specifications when installing the wheels. Not Discount or America's Tire

Another Discount Tire fan here. I didn't purchase the road hazard warranty with the first set I picked up for my Nissan Frontier. About 5000 miles later I picked up a nail. Went in for the free repair, and was told it was non repairable as it bent into the sidewall(had to move over 4 lanes in rush hour after the TPS alarm went off).... Tech said "Tell ya what, since these are pretty new, buy the warranty for 5 tires, we'll replace this one for free".... Paid $125 for a new $175 tire, and got coverage on the others..... Free rotation and repair.... really can't go wrong....

I have four granddaughters,one great grandson and one great granddaughter.Yes i'm blessed,but i'm 66 years old and my first grandson is coming into this world May 3rd.I can't explain how I,really feel i'm so happy.My daughter will have a C-Section,that's how I know the date!I just had to tell somebody!

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S&W 40VE M&P 40 SHIELD
USMC

My experience with Discount Tire has been just "ok", not like the rave reviews above. Maybe different shops in different states ??

For one thing, an "appointment" with them is meaningless. Your "appointment" guarantees that when you arrive at your "appointment time", you will stand in line behind everyone who walked in before you.

They will order tires for you, but you have to insist or they will try to steer you to whatever they're trying to get rid of.

Also some other local shops will wash the tires after they install them so that your wheels and tires start off clean and looking great. My last set of four from Discount Tire were very dirty. The guy installing them got my wheels covered with his dirty fingerprints. That's the way they left them. I had to stop at a car wash to clean things up.

On the plus side, their prices are competitive and I've had good service from most of the tires I bought there.

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You're shy a few manners.

Consumer Reports has a lot of information about tires. Check them out. They test many brands.

I avoid Chinese tires. It can be a bit daunting determining where specific tires are made as many brands, including Michelin, outsource. I put Michelins on the old Mercedes always. I get them at Costco when Michelin is having their 70 bucks off 4 annual sale.
The Honda Element AWD and the trucks get only B.F. Goodrich; usually All Terrain T/As or Long Trail T/As. The Element has 192K miles on it and has had 3 sets of BFGs in total.
The wife's '14 Subaru has- I think- OEM Yokohama tires that with only 14K miles are starting to show wear. They're probably Chinese. I'll probably put Michelins on it but might go with BFG before next winter.

Yeah those cat skin tires ware out fast.

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Don