need advise on tires
08-06-2007, 12:09 PM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: 03-10-2007
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
Posts: 211
Too late to give you advice on the tires, but I'm glad to hear that you got the BFGs.
I've had Cooper tires on three vehicles with mixed results. The ones on my '67 Dart (Cooper Cobra G/T) were AWFUL! They wore very well, and rode smoothly, but traction? HAHAHAHAHA! I could light up the rear tires on a whim, in the rain, it took all I had to keep the thing straight! The tires on my '99 GMC Sonoma 4x4 (work truck) were also Coopers - forget which kind. Same as the G/Ts when it came to traction. However, the Coopers that I had on my '79 Ford F-100 were pretty damn good in every way.
I find Michelins to be the most overrated tire ever. The LTX A/T that replaced the Coopers on my '99 Sonoma are terrible (no traction, and the chopping - even with rotation - is awful), and the MXV4s that were on my '91 Bonneville were equally pitiful.
The BFGs I've had on my '98 Sidekick and '90 Power Ram were both amazing
. Loud, but amazing. I don't have any experience with BFG's car tires, but if they are anything like their truck tires...
Let us know how they work out!
I've had Cooper tires on three vehicles with mixed results. The ones on my '67 Dart (Cooper Cobra G/T) were AWFUL! They wore very well, and rode smoothly, but traction? HAHAHAHAHA! I could light up the rear tires on a whim, in the rain, it took all I had to keep the thing straight! The tires on my '99 GMC Sonoma 4x4 (work truck) were also Coopers - forget which kind. Same as the G/Ts when it came to traction. However, the Coopers that I had on my '79 Ford F-100 were pretty damn good in every way.
I find Michelins to be the most overrated tire ever. The LTX A/T that replaced the Coopers on my '99 Sonoma are terrible (no traction, and the chopping - even with rotation - is awful), and the MXV4s that were on my '91 Bonneville were equally pitiful.
The BFGs I've had on my '98 Sidekick and '90 Power Ram were both amazing
. Loud, but amazing. I don't have any experience with BFG's car tires, but if they are anything like their truck tires...Let us know how they work out!
08-06-2007, 12:18 PM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: 10-02-2005
Location: VA
Posts: 1,245
Directional tires CAN be rotated from side to side, BUT they have to be dismounted and remounted / rebalanced to do so. That could get costly over time.
I was a long time BFG fan, but realize it now only exists in name only, but still make some great tires. They are now just a "brand" of Continental (Germany).
I was a long time BFG fan, but realize it now only exists in name only, but still make some great tires. They are now just a "brand" of Continental (Germany).
08-06-2007, 01:36 PM
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: 07-27-2006
Location: Az.
Posts: 135
Well it's about time to replace the stock Firestone's so I have been doing some shopping around, and it seems the more tires I look at the more I can't decide. I found a good price on B F Goodrich traction T/As online(128.56 each + mounting, balancing, road hazard), however they are a directional tire, and I'm not sure if that's the best tire for me. I know they have superior traction, but I don't think the tread wear would be very long, and I would like these tires to last a while, especially given the amount of miles I travel everyday. I have also priced Big O Euro Tour tires, and they have a good tread wear and warranty(40,000 miles), and are not directional, but are a bit more pricey ($607). I found some Cooper tires for a very cheap price ($525 total) with a 60,000 mile tread warranty, but that one sounds too good to be true, and I don't know anything about the quality of Cooper tires. To simplify the questions, I would like to know what every ones opinion on directional tires, and if anyone has experience with Big O or Cooper tires. Thanks in advance. 
08-25-2007, 05:51 PM
#14
Banned
Join Date: 10-14-2005
Location: Rochester,N.Y.
Posts: 9,121
I turned 36,000 today so I replaced the factory crap Firehawks that were almost shot with V-rated Dunlop Signatures this morning. Seeing as how the HHR isn't quite the high performance vehicle I figured a touring tire with a stiffer sidewall would do me fine. The ride is definitely smother, quieter, grips better, corners better, and is more comfortable. I have yet to try them in rain or snow though. Not that bad at a little over $650 for the set after tax.
Last edited by captain howdy; 08-25-2007 at 06:45 PM.
08-26-2007, 08:21 AM
#15
Member
Join Date: 04-17-2006
Location: Saginaw, MI
Posts: 46
We just replaced our original equipment Firehawk's at 56,000 miles with Goodyear Assurance Triple-Tread tires.
As near as I can determine with a UTQG rating of 740 they are likely some of the top rated all season tires in a 215/50R17 size.
No balance or road noise issues thus far. Great in the rain.
My driving consists of mostly long distance highway driving, in summer and winter conditions at a rate of just under 1,000 miles per week, so I was looking for tires that have long tread life as well as performing well in rain and snow.
The only issue negative is the major hack job Belle Tire done to my wheels during installation. They destroyed the surface on one (1) wheel and tore up the bead on the other three (3).
Belle Tire agreed to replace the wheel with the damaged surface, however they will not acknowledge the damage to the bead on the other three (3) wheels, indicating that was the way they were when I brought the vehicle in, which is BS.
From my lessons learned, find a good experienced installer that has the proper equipment, knows how to use it and takes the care required to do the job without destroying your wheels.
Regards,
HHRANDY
As near as I can determine with a UTQG rating of 740 they are likely some of the top rated all season tires in a 215/50R17 size.
No balance or road noise issues thus far. Great in the rain.
My driving consists of mostly long distance highway driving, in summer and winter conditions at a rate of just under 1,000 miles per week, so I was looking for tires that have long tread life as well as performing well in rain and snow.
The only issue negative is the major hack job Belle Tire done to my wheels during installation. They destroyed the surface on one (1) wheel and tore up the bead on the other three (3).
Belle Tire agreed to replace the wheel with the damaged surface, however they will not acknowledge the damage to the bead on the other three (3) wheels, indicating that was the way they were when I brought the vehicle in, which is BS.
From my lessons learned, find a good experienced installer that has the proper equipment, knows how to use it and takes the care required to do the job without destroying your wheels.
Regards,
HHRANDY
Last edited by HHRANDY; 08-26-2007 at 03:43 PM.
08-26-2007, 08:59 AM
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: 12-21-2005
Location: Launch Coast Calif.
Posts: 1,010
You try also Discount Tires
http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/home.do
sometimes they have additional discounts and free shipping..
http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/home.do
sometimes they have additional discounts and free shipping..
08-26-2007, 09:14 AM
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: 01-31-2007
Location: New Hampsha
Posts: 2,479
We just replaced our original equipment Firehawk's at 56,000 miles with Goodyear Assurance Triple-Tread tires.
As near as I can determine with a UTQG rating of 740 they are likely some of the top rated all season tires in a 215/50R17 size.
No balance or road noise issues thus far. Great in the rain.
My driving consists of mostly long distance highway driving, in summer and winter conditions at a rate of just under 1,000 miles per week, so I was looking for tires that have long tread life as well as performing well in rain and snow.
The only issue negative is the major hack job Belle Tire done to my wheels during installation. They destroyed the surface on one (1) wheel and tore up the bead on the other three (3).
Belle Tire agreed to replace the wheel we the damaged surface, however they will not acknowledge the damage to the bead on the other three (3) wheels, indicating that was the way they were when I brought the vehicle in, which is BS.
From my lessons learned, find a good experienced installer that has the proper equipment, knows how to use it and takes the care required to do the job without destroying your wheels.
Regards,
HHRANDY
As near as I can determine with a UTQG rating of 740 they are likely some of the top rated all season tires in a 215/50R17 size.
No balance or road noise issues thus far. Great in the rain.
My driving consists of mostly long distance highway driving, in summer and winter conditions at a rate of just under 1,000 miles per week, so I was looking for tires that have long tread life as well as performing well in rain and snow.
The only issue negative is the major hack job Belle Tire done to my wheels during installation. They destroyed the surface on one (1) wheel and tore up the bead on the other three (3).
Belle Tire agreed to replace the wheel we the damaged surface, however they will not acknowledge the damage to the bead on the other three (3) wheels, indicating that was the way they were when I brought the vehicle in, which is BS.
From my lessons learned, find a good experienced installer that has the proper equipment, knows how to use it and takes the care required to do the job without destroying your wheels.
Regards,
HHRANDY
Have you noticed any difference in your mpg with these tires? Some people have reported a drop in mpg with these tires. I drive a little over 500 miles per week at a minimum so my mpg is pretty steady so I would notice a drop in mpg..have you?
Thanks
Goose
11-08-2007, 08:22 PM
#19
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 01-20-2006
Location: Centralia, Missouri
Posts: 1,707
My new tires are finally on! I decided to go with BF Goodrich Traction T/As from Walmart, so last Friday, I ordered them online to be shipped to my local Walmart for installation. Well the day came when they were supposed to be here, so I go online to check my order status, and it says the order was canceled.
Since I obviously didn't cancel it, I printed the sheet off and off to my local Walmart I went. There is some 18 year old kid behind the desk, so I explain what has happened, and he doesn't have an answer, which I expected. He calls the manager, and he won't come out of his office and talk to me. 
He basically says there is no customer service number he can call, and there is nothing they can do. The kid behind the desk was cool, I have no complaints about him, he was trying his best to help. So, frustrated at the managers lack of help, I go back home and send an e-mail to Walmart customer service. I get an automated FAQ response that does not address my problem, and that's it. So I say the heck with it, I'm going somewhere else. Long story short, I ended up with Yokohama AS430s, which were very comparable (if not better) than the Traction T/As in every category, and customer reviews were very positive. They were about $100 more than Walmart would have been, but it doesn't do much good to have low prices if you cancel your customers order with no explanation, and no way to contact a representative to solve the problem. Needless to say I will not be ordering ANYTHING from Walmart online again.
The only bad thing is the tire place put a couple of scratches around the lug nuts holes, and one scrape on the edge of the rim that took off the clear coat down to metal and roughed it up a bit. Hardly noticeable, but I'm not real happy about it.
Here is a link to my tires.
http://www.yokohamatire.com/pdf/0073...20Bulletin.pdf
Since I obviously didn't cancel it, I printed the sheet off and off to my local Walmart I went. There is some 18 year old kid behind the desk, so I explain what has happened, and he doesn't have an answer, which I expected. He calls the manager, and he won't come out of his office and talk to me. He basically says there is no customer service number he can call, and there is nothing they can do. The kid behind the desk was cool, I have no complaints about him, he was trying his best to help. So, frustrated at the managers lack of help, I go back home and send an e-mail to Walmart customer service. I get an automated FAQ response that does not address my problem, and that's it. So I say the heck with it, I'm going somewhere else. Long story short, I ended up with Yokohama AS430s, which were very comparable (if not better) than the Traction T/As in every category, and customer reviews were very positive. They were about $100 more than Walmart would have been, but it doesn't do much good to have low prices if you cancel your customers order with no explanation, and no way to contact a representative to solve the problem. Needless to say I will not be ordering ANYTHING from Walmart online again.The only bad thing is the tire place put a couple of scratches around the lug nuts holes, and one scrape on the edge of the rim that took off the clear coat down to metal and roughed it up a bit. Hardly noticeable, but I'm not real happy about it.
Here is a link to my tires.
http://www.yokohamatire.com/pdf/0073...20Bulletin.pdf
11-08-2007, 09:42 PM
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: 01-31-2007
Location: New Hampsha
Posts: 2,479
Where did you get the A430? That is a a hard tire to find.
I hate that about tire shops...they don't care, they just jam the guns in and rims be damned if they get nicked at the lug holes...I hate even bringing it in to have the tires rotated
I'm thinking new rubber but not sure if I'm going to jump to 17" rims. The Affinitys are already spinning on wet pavement with only 15K on them...looking at the Michelin Exalto which is a great tire(had them on my Matrix) but real pricey in the 215/50 17 size...154 apiece at The Rack!
Goose
I hate that about tire shops...they don't care, they just jam the guns in and rims be damned if they get nicked at the lug holes...I hate even bringing it in to have the tires rotated
I'm thinking new rubber but not sure if I'm going to jump to 17" rims. The Affinitys are already spinning on wet pavement with only 15K on them...looking at the Michelin Exalto which is a great tire(had them on my Matrix) but real pricey in the 215/50 17 size...154 apiece at The Rack!
Goose