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All weather tires

Doc

Doc

Bottoms Up
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Hey guys,
I'm looking for tire brand suggestions for a Toyota Solara (Camary). I have run the stock tires since new and now need to replace them. My route to work has changed, and I'll need to navigate some curvy, hilly roads. This road is in Athens county and we are at the far corner of the county, away from the snow plows. I'm afraid the road will not be cleared near often enough for my liking, so I'm looking for a tire that will do good in snow, but I can run it year round.
Any recommendations?
 
I've always had good luck with Dunlop tires. Had them on several vehicles. They are not the longest wearing tires I've owned, in fact they tend to wear a bit quicker than many, but they seem to be a good blend of snow & rain traction for the roads I drive. I don't know what they have for a Solara, but generally speaking only, I've put Dunlops on at least 5 or 6 vehicles and been very happy.

I've also used Perilli on a few of my cars and been happy with those too. I think they are on my Avanti right now? I know I put them on a Reatta and at least one of my Volvos as well.

Tires I have not liked have been Michilin and Goodyear. They all came factory equipped, were great in dry weather but lousy in snow/rain.
 
Check out the Cooper offerings. They're a great tire that nobody seems to know about.
 
Thanks guys,
We have a new cooper dealer in the area. I don't know who sells Dunlap or Pierelli around here. I was going to go to the phone ....but maybe the internet can help me out on this one.

Bob, you surprised me about Michelin. I thought they were top of the line tires. High priced, but good overall tires. You sure get more snow than we do, so I'm glad to hear your opinion.

I never do well on tire wear. I get leary when winter is coming around even if there is a bit of tread left. I feel better getting new tires so I don't have to do a 'Duh' while sitting in the ditch on the side of the road. I got a wee bit over 30k on these tires, that is doing great for me. :)
 
Michelin make some good tires for performance cars, but I just took them off the lovely Mrs_B's Volvo XC90 because they slipped and slid through last winter and every time it rained. She has has Pierelli tires on her SUV now and they are much better, no they are actually much better! I have Dunlops on my Touareg (came with them and they great so far). I have Dunlops on the Mountaineer too (swapped off the Goodyears).
 
B_Skurka said:
Michelin make some good tires for performance cars, but I just took them off the lovely Mrs_B's Volvo XC90 because they slipped and slid through last winter and every time it rained.
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Yes, I found the same big time! I hate the Michelins on my Honda. I have always have found them to be almost dangerous in wet weather.
 
Interesting. That is good to know.
Ofcourse this car has a special tire (don't they all) ...215-55-17
one EL-400 Bridgestone tire cost 158 mounted and balanced. A tad more than I expected.
Walmart is the place here that sells Dunlop. .....I know I might save a few bucks, but I don't want Walmart parttimers messing with my car.
Have any of you bought Tires at Sams club and had them mounted somewhere else?
 
You may want to go to any full line/full service tire dealer near you and ask them what would be best. My local Goodyear store will order ANY brand of tire I want, install them, and service them.
 
Most tire stores can get any tires from any vendor. Considering that just one tire may get runied it is standard practive that the tire get replaced with an identical brand/model.

I've found my best tire deals at a small independent tire shop, they will quote me a price on anything I ask for. Worth calling around for.
 
Doc said:
Ofcourse this car has a special tire (don't they all) ...215-55-17
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As I recall, you can vary from that size a bit. Get confirmation but I think you can go +/- 10 on the 215, +/- 5 on the 55.
So you could get 205/60-17 which is a more standard size.
Just remember your original size as you don't want to change one size now, then change one more time next year and keep going farther away from the original size.
 
Guys
The very best thing to do is go online to Tire Rack.com. Buy a complete set of Brigstone Blizzaks on steel wheels for winter, for all 4 corners, and buy a set of Goodyear Eagle GS-D3 for the summer for your stock rims.

You will be amazed how much better both winter and summer driving becomes. Forget the all season, all purpose tires - they are not all anything. Think about it - they are a compromise. In the winter, you don't get the bite you need, and in a heavy rain, you getb hydroplaning.

I had a bad experience that ended up good with hydroplaning down I94 at 75 mph. Spun around and around in the road and in the median, but kept my head screwed on straight, and drove out of it with only a missing plastic inner fender piece that cost about 2o bucks at the stealership.

The next day, I got rid of my all purpose tires and bought summer rain tires for the summer, and watched eBay to buy another set of stock aluminum wheels, and then bought the Blizzaks for the winter and put them on the cheap used set of wheels from eBay.

I now have 4 cars that I use all year round, and have 8 sets of tires - 4 summer and 4 winter. Take my word for it, this is the ONLY way to go to be as safe as possible.

And I know you are wondering why all 4 tires need to be winter tires, eh, even on a two wheel drive car? All I can say you can feel the difference in tire composition when cornering or in highway driving if you have mismatched tires.
 
Doc
I'll add my vote on the Dunlops. Great all weather tire.
One word of advice on buying from a warehouse...DON'T!
Mostly 'seconds' or blemish tires. Plus the 'road force' factor is another reason. Do a search on it for more info. Most blem tires will balance ok, but vibrations will still be present due to the stiffness variation of the tire. Road force balancing can correct it, but only to a point. Stick with a tire store for quality tires, and if there is a problem with RF balancing, they'll gladly swap them.
 
Thanks for the additional input guys. I"m finding that many places do not even stock the size I need. I've primarily shopped via internet and phone so far. I'll hit a few stores as I can this week.
My boy did exactly what you suggested Waybomb for his Acura. His summer tires are lower profile and wider, for snow he went with the recommended size which is narrower and a tad taller. It's worked well for him.
 
BadAttitude said:
One word of advice on buying from a warehouse...DON'T!
Mostly 'seconds' or blemish tires. Plus the 'road force' factor is another reason. Do a search on it for more info. Most blem tires will balance ok, but vibrations will still be present due to the stiffness variation of the tire. Road force balancing can correct it, but only to a point. Stick with a tire store for quality tires, and if there is a problem with RF balancing, they'll gladly swap them.
Click to expand...

Hope you don't consider Tire rack in with the Warehouse clasification, though their location in South Bend is an absolutely monsterous warehouse. They only sell good tires, move a bunch of tires, and all the tires I have bought from them were of recent manufacture date, no Blems.
 
waybomb said:
Hope you don't consider Tire rack in with the Warehouse clasification, though their location in South Bend is an absolutely monsterous warehouse. They only sell good tires, move a bunch of tires, and all the tires I have bought from them were of recent manufacture date, no Blems.
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No I didn't...Doc's mention of Sams Club is what caught my eye.
I've never purchased from Tire Rack, but have heard good things about them.
 
tire rack is off the wall with prices. There are better places online.

I get tires of my friend (town fair tire).

Toyo TPT: retail 129, my price 73 each out the door. (last year)
My wife just got weather handlers for $50 out the door each. retial was over 100

I had dunlap on my lexus and they SUCKED!

Wholesale is good!!!
 
Junkman said:
will your friend give your friends good deals like that?????
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I can ask if you need. I just got my tires last year, my parents and my wife just got new tires last week.
 
Waybomb is right I put Blizzack on a rear wheel drive T-Bird V-8 and they are the best in snow. But they do not wear well compaired to conventional tires in summer. I believe there are now other manufactors making tires with the sipes cut into the tread that would also work well.
 
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