Love my Firestones!
10-18-2009, 07:38 AM
#31
Senior Member
Join Date: 03-05-2007
Location: Rochester NY/The Villages, Florida
Posts: 629
10-18-2009, 07:41 AM
#32
Senior Member
Join Date: 03-05-2007
Location: Rochester NY/The Villages, Florida
Posts: 629
Sounds like you bought them from a local dealer and you have that going for you. This is a good example of buying the tires locally rather than buying from a Tire Rack, etc. as your local guy has an interest in you.
Have you tried moving the tires around - front to back - to see if any improvement?
Good luck!!
Have you tried moving the tires around - front to back - to see if any improvement?
Good luck!!
My friends place is 50 miles from me. 100 mile round trip, (PITA)
I know he will make it right.
10-18-2009, 07:56 AM
#33
Senior Member
Join Date: 03-05-2007
Location: Rochester NY/The Villages, Florida
Posts: 629
Marc, those got the #5 spot out of 14 in the consumer article. A decent rating. If I end up swapping out, not sure if my friend will want to get them. Will know more tomorrow........ Thank's, Jim........
10-18-2009, 03:27 PM
#34
Senior Member
Join Date: 07-13-2009
Location: NC
Posts: 414
The reason I mentioned the Kumho's is because I have a direct, apples-to-apples comparison that I can share. I notice in online comparisons that different tires get different rating on different cars. I value hearing from folks with the same car, same tire size, and same tire I am considering. I bought on the recommendation of folks here on the boards and my tire dealer.
Also, the top tire for you depends upon what you are after....as all tires are a compromise. I chuckle when I see folks gleefully grab 90,000 mile warrantee tires....they be hard as rocks with similar grip characteristics to a rock. There is no free lunch. I was after soft ride, low noise, and rain ability in that order. These grip well, but I am not pushing them normally, so it was lower on my list. Tire wear is pretty far down the list. I'd hate to get a set that I hate but gets great tire wear! I'd be stuck with them for longer than I could stand.
Everyone is different, and I wish you well in your search. My comments were just for your use if it helps you. God Bless, Marc
Also, the top tire for you depends upon what you are after....as all tires are a compromise. I chuckle when I see folks gleefully grab 90,000 mile warrantee tires....they be hard as rocks with similar grip characteristics to a rock. There is no free lunch. I was after soft ride, low noise, and rain ability in that order. These grip well, but I am not pushing them normally, so it was lower on my list. Tire wear is pretty far down the list. I'd hate to get a set that I hate but gets great tire wear! I'd be stuck with them for longer than I could stand.
Everyone is different, and I wish you well in your search. My comments were just for your use if it helps you. God Bless, Marc
10-18-2009, 11:38 PM
#35
Member
Join Date: 09-04-2009
Location: Moab, UT
Posts: 86
Mine are gone as soon as I can afford it. I don't like them at all. Poor tracking, poor cornering, IMO just a poor tire in general.
Plus mine came with Firestone Affinity tires not FireHawks that most others complain about.
They have about 25000 miles on them and I've put nearly 4000 of those miles on there. If they weren't on there when the car became mine I never would've had them.
Had nothing but bad luck with Firestone tires ever since I got a drivers license 31 years ago. Can't stand them and luckily no one in this town carries them. It would have to be a special order.
Plus mine came with Firestone Affinity tires not FireHawks that most others complain about.
They have about 25000 miles on them and I've put nearly 4000 of those miles on there. If they weren't on there when the car became mine I never would've had them.
Had nothing but bad luck with Firestone tires ever since I got a drivers license 31 years ago. Can't stand them and luckily no one in this town carries them. It would have to be a special order.
10-19-2009, 02:06 AM
#36
Platinum Member
Join Date: 01-09-2007
Location: SE USA
Posts: 15,968
Mine are gone as soon as I can afford it. I don't like them at all. Poor tracking, poor cornering, IMO just a poor tire in general.
Plus mine came with Firestone Affinity tires not FireHawks that most others complain about.
They have about 25000 miles on them and I've put nearly 4000 of those miles on there. If they weren't on there when the car became mine I never would've had them.
Had nothing but bad luck with Firestone tires ever since I got a drivers license 31 years ago. Can't stand them and luckily no one in this town carries them. It would have to be a special order.
Plus mine came with Firestone Affinity tires not FireHawks that most others complain about.
They have about 25000 miles on them and I've put nearly 4000 of those miles on there. If they weren't on there when the car became mine I never would've had them.
Had nothing but bad luck with Firestone tires ever since I got a drivers license 31 years ago. Can't stand them and luckily no one in this town carries them. It would have to be a special order.
I'm not happy with my Flintstones either...
10-19-2009, 07:27 AM
#37
Senior Member
Join Date: 04-17-2009
Location: PA
Posts: 251
My Dad has sworn off Firestones since the mid 70's when he went through 5 or 6 Firestone 500s. We lost three on one cross country trip-the entire thread separated and peeled off. They could make the top rated tire today, and he still wouldn't buy them based on that experience.
10-19-2009, 08:20 AM
#38
Senior Member
Join Date: 07-05-2008
Location: Akron Ohio
Posts: 5,464
I am using Goodyear Triple Tread Assurance on several cars. THey have been very good in traction, ride and handling. Also I got near 55 K mile on them with hard driving With easier driving we would have seen well over 60K.
There are good and bad tires at all companies. Keep in mind some of these tires are based on a 20 year old design in some cased with only minnor upates.
Not all TA Radials, Eagles, and Pilots are created equal.
Also had a set of Toyo tires that wore very well on a SSEI.
The key is to get a up to date tire design and match it well to your driving style and vehicle. Choosing the wrong tire is like choosing the wrong tool to work with.
The tires most MFG use on many car applications are done due to cost. Unless you have some top end performance package on an expensive car often the OE tire was the low bidder. The Firestone on the HHR is not a top line tire and is an old design. Chevy looks to keep the cost of the HHR down and this is only one of several areas they do so.
Now on the other hand Chevy wants tires to do a specific job on a car like a Vette they will pay more and often require the tire be developed with the car as they build it like the Pilots on the ZR-1.
The bottom line is that GM does not put Handkook on the Cobalts and Aveo's because they are the best tires.
I also had a set of Comp TA's that came on my GTP Comp G. They were wasted bu 24K miles. Good grip but older design with poor wear that BFG discontinued by 2004. GM got a deal on this line.
The biggest problem today is people who even know cars know little about tire design and construction. It is very advanced and often little things can make a differance in noise and performace. Often OE tires can be comprimised just for drive by noise.
There are good and bad tires at all companies. Keep in mind some of these tires are based on a 20 year old design in some cased with only minnor upates.
Not all TA Radials, Eagles, and Pilots are created equal.
Also had a set of Toyo tires that wore very well on a SSEI.
The key is to get a up to date tire design and match it well to your driving style and vehicle. Choosing the wrong tire is like choosing the wrong tool to work with.
The tires most MFG use on many car applications are done due to cost. Unless you have some top end performance package on an expensive car often the OE tire was the low bidder. The Firestone on the HHR is not a top line tire and is an old design. Chevy looks to keep the cost of the HHR down and this is only one of several areas they do so.
Now on the other hand Chevy wants tires to do a specific job on a car like a Vette they will pay more and often require the tire be developed with the car as they build it like the Pilots on the ZR-1.
The bottom line is that GM does not put Handkook on the Cobalts and Aveo's because they are the best tires.
I also had a set of Comp TA's that came on my GTP Comp G. They were wasted bu 24K miles. Good grip but older design with poor wear that BFG discontinued by 2004. GM got a deal on this line.
The biggest problem today is people who even know cars know little about tire design and construction. It is very advanced and often little things can make a differance in noise and performace. Often OE tires can be comprimised just for drive by noise.
10-19-2009, 07:17 PM
#39
Senior Member
Join Date: 03-05-2007
Location: Rochester NY/The Villages, Florida
Posts: 629
Went back to my friends tire dealership today to get my steering wheel shake taken care of.
The service mamager and I went for a ride and confirmed my problem.
One hour later the sm comes to me and says he got most of the shake out, and asked me to try it out. He said he re-balanced all he tires and "force turned" them.
Now a week ago when I went back, all this was supposedly done.
After my test drive, I told the sm that most of the shake was gone but it still had some.
My friend told the sm to replace the tire with the hightest "forced-turned" reading, even though it was in factory specs.
After that was done I tested again and no improvement. I accepted it the way it was.
My Conclusion. The Fuzion HRI tire has certain characteristics related to the HHR and that's that. Probably not the best choice for the HHR, but I'm stuck with them now.
I am not totally happy, but I can live with it the way it is for now and I don't want to ruine a friendship.
I will be watching closely how they are for wear, etc.
The service mamager and I went for a ride and confirmed my problem.
One hour later the sm comes to me and says he got most of the shake out, and asked me to try it out. He said he re-balanced all he tires and "force turned" them.
Now a week ago when I went back, all this was supposedly done.
After my test drive, I told the sm that most of the shake was gone but it still had some.
My friend told the sm to replace the tire with the hightest "forced-turned" reading, even though it was in factory specs.
After that was done I tested again and no improvement. I accepted it the way it was.
My Conclusion. The Fuzion HRI tire has certain characteristics related to the HHR and that's that. Probably not the best choice for the HHR, but I'm stuck with them now.
I am not totally happy, but I can live with it the way it is for now and I don't want to ruine a friendship.
I will be watching closely how they are for wear, etc.
