Tires...wow

[[LaW]Maverick]

So in about....4 or 5 months I will probably need new tires...maybe 6. See, I'm such a car-geek that I am already excited at the prospect of putting new tires on my vehicle.

 

I knew going in when I bought my car that this would not be cheap because of the car I have. It has 18" wheels that are 10 and 9" long (front/rear). In other words, the only tires they make in those sizes are performance tires. I usually buy fairly high performance tires anyway, so I didn't think this would be a HUGE deal. But we're talkin' 'round $750 to $800 to get good tires for all four.

 

The reason I'm doing the research now is because I've never bought tires for a performance car before. (for those of you that don't know, I drive a 2006 Grand Prix GXP 5.3L V8 @ 303hp and 234 ft/lbs of torque...in other words, a lot of juice)

 

So what I'm trying to decide on is this: I could buy factory replacement tires (in other words exactly what's on there) for quite a bit of money...but the car was engineered with those EXACT tires in mind so they will probably compliment the car's performance the most.

 

The other choice I have is to buy some even better tires for a little less money. This MAY compromise how smooth the ride is (noise and comfort wise) but should improve the overall handling/performance of the vehicle. It's a tough call though, because working where I work I know that if you buy the SAME exact tires the car originally came with you're buying the tires that the suspension was built around, and that's a good thing. Then again, Goodyear has these new tires out called the Eagle ResponseEdge and they look pretty sweet.

 

They have a higher performance than my stock tires (they're W's) at Y. No, I know that I will never need a performance rating of Y, but it DOES have it's benefits (like improved wet and dry traction vs my W's). Hell, I don't TRULY need the W's, but I do plan on taking this car to the track when I get a chance, so I want at least V's on there. (Y will hold together at speeds of 186mph, and W is 168, V is 149).

 

So what do you guys think? Spend the $1000 or so to get the factory-replacement tires, or spend the $800 on the tires that are rated even better, but may not be as comfy (but will probably last longer)

[MrDuke]

I bought some GY Assurance triple treads for my '05 Altima for around $650.

 

Fairly quiet, great thru standing water, outstanding in snow and they look cool. Unless you like low profile type tires, I'd seriously consider them.

They have an Assurance quiet ride series that trades snow traction for a quieter ride.

 

I'm known for shopping around to get the best deal, but not anymore when it comes to tires. Every car I'll own from now to eternity will ride on 'em.

[akaM2]

I have some nice pirelli (sp) racing tires on my mustang, they came stock, but there sexy

 

but if the car is still under warranty (which im sure it is) i would go stock

[farmerisme]

Just make sure to peel alot of rubber the week before you buy the new ones.

[Metallurgic]

I wouldn't buy the factory tires. Any decent performance tires from Toyo or Kumho will be far better. Kumho has a huge lineup of tires for cheaper than you would think.

[ZesteR]

thanks... that reminds me... i'm due in the same amount of time. I have perelli's on there now, they aren't cheap, so I prob. be finding cheap ones, since i have to buy snow ones next winter... i'm never allowed to save $ lol.

[[LaW]Maverick]

I wouldn't buy the factory tires. Any decent performance tires from Toyo or Kumho will be far better. Kumho has a huge lineup of tires for cheaper than you would think.

 

You couldn't pay me to buy Kumho tires....I work for a company that makes tire testing machines, and I've seen the way Kumho does business....lol They're more concerned with how cool a tire looks rather than how well it performs...I mean, different color smoke when you spin the tires? Who cares...

 

In any case, I had a set of Assurance triple-treads on my '99 Cutlass...best set of tires I've ever had. My fiance has the same tires on her '04 Grand Prix GT, but see..my Grand Prix GXP only takes performance tires because of the sizes needed, thus I can not buy the triple treads again....that being said, I want to go with something a little higher performance anyway.

 

Right now I'm leaning toward the Eagle ResponseEdge tires, but I dunno for sure. If I could afford it, I'd buy a set of Eagle F1's and a set of winter performance tires...but I need a set that's going to be decent all year...stupid Ohio.

 

If I had unlimited funds, I'd be a set of Pirelli imported touring tires...I forget the exact name of tire I was looking at, but they're $400 or $500 a piece...then again, the Eagle F1's finished first in Car & Driver's performance tire testing...I think it was C&D..may have been Automobile....in any case, I think I'm going to find the stock tires to be a complete rip off

[MrDuke]

I saw plenty of F1s when I spent a weekend racing. Everyone raved about them.

 

Hmmm, I should dig up all the video for that...neat stuff.

[Clueless]

I would not worry about the factory tires...trust me...it's more about the business deal with Goodyear than it is about the performance matching of the car. I never cared for Goodyear anyways...rough riding, noisy, and poor wearing compared to other brands. You are paying for the name, that's all.

 

I would put on whatever tire you like the best in your price range. I know you said you dislike Kumho, but they do make a good tire, I sell tons of them, and people love them. But that is your choice. Toyo also makes great tires, they have been involved in racing for years, so they know what they are doing. As far as the speed rating difference, it depends on where you read, some data breaks W, Y, and Z tires separately, but in all actuality, they are all considered the same rating as far as the car's handling goes, 168mph and up is the group they are lumped into.

 

If you are interested, let me know and I can get you some prices. I have many different tires available here at the shop I work for, I can try to cut you the best deal I can.

[[LaW]Maverick]

Heh...I will definitely keep that in mind when it comes time to buy (in a good while) tires Clue. Meh, a lot of Goodyear tires are less than impressive, but check out the ratings/reviews on their Eagle F1's...I think you'll be impressed. They're put on Corvette ZO6's for a reason. That being said, the cars on my tire right now are Bridgestone Protenza's. They're great in wet conditions but I'm not overly blown away by their feel in dry. That being said, the traction is actually quite good.

 

This is the Car & Driver article I was talking about: Link

 

Note who finished first and who finished dead-last :-) Also, I know it's not a conclusive test on all makes and models from each company, but these are all the types of tires I'm considering. And again, the Goodyear Assurance Triple-Tread blew away other tires in its class for tread-life on Consumer Reports. With Goodyear you have to be careful of what you buy is all. But I could say the same of any major manufacturer and some I try to avoid all together. :-)

Edited March 2, 2007 by [LaW]Maverick

[Clueless]

Good article..tons o' info! Alot of that stuff is really splitting atoms though...unless you plan on racing your car, lol. I still gotta stick to my earlier advise...buy what you like, and what you can afford. That's the beauty of cars and accessories, it's all very personal, everybody likes different stuff, and it's all about what makes you feel good and take pride in your ride!

 

I can get just about any tire, any brand, so let me know whenever you are ready and i'll see if I can help ya!

[Tek-Almighty]

I ran BF Goodrich tires on my Impala SS for years...

 

They were 255/45 Z rated...

 

$225 a piece, but worth it. Good stuff.

 

If you have 18's then make sure you get a full size rim/spare setup...it's worth it.

 

If I had my IMP now, I would go with the Pirellis...yep, yep!

[Sgt. Slaughterâ„¢-TopBrass]

FYI

 

Your car came with OEM tires that were made to specs that were dictated by the car company. The same tire bought from a tire dealer will NOT have the same , rolling resistance, spring rate, or wet/dry charactoristics that your OEM tire have. Don't get me wrong, they may attually be better than your OEM tires. To be turely sure we would have to test them on one of our machines.

 

For the most part you will have to sacrifice ride comfort for performance, so the fact that the Goodyears perform better and have a lower comfort rating makes sense. The reason is that to increase perfomance the tire has to resist changing its shape so it will have a lower spring rate, harder rubber compounds, and less aggressive tread pattern. All these combine to give you better performance but less comfort.

 

If I were you I would see if you can test the Goodyears to see if the sacrifice in comfort for performance is worth it for you.

 

Enjoy!

 

Oh yeah go here and see what other people think about the tires. They may have reviewed them, so you can even look at some decent statistical data.

Edited March 3, 2007 by Sgt. Slaughterâ„¢-TopBrass

[Clueless]

FYI

 

Your car came with OEM tires that were made to specs that were dictated by the car company. The same tire bought from a tire dealer will NOT have the same , rolling resistance, spring rate, or wet/dry charactoristics that your OEM tire have. Don't get me wrong, they may attually be better than your OEM tires. To be turely sure we would have to test them on one of our machines.

 

For the most part you will have to sacrifice ride comfort for performance, so the fact that the Goodyears perform better and have a lower comfort rating makes sense. The reason is that to increase perfomance the tire has to resist changing its shape so it will have a lower spring rate, harder rubber compounds, and less aggressive tread pattern. All these combine to give you better performance but less comfort.

 

If I were you I would see if you can test the Goodyears to see if the sacrifice in comfort for performance is worth it for you.

 

Enjoy!

 

Oh yeah go here and see what other people think about the tires. They may have reviewed them, so you can even look at some decent statistical data.

Like I said...all of this is really splitting atoms. Just another FYI...to truly get the OEM tires, you need to go to the factory, or steal them off of another car. The tires that come OE on cars may have the name and appearance of the retail tire, but they are NOT the same. Ever notice how a name brand tire that is supposed to be rated at 60 or 70k in the retail market only lasts about 35 or 40k on your new car? Thats because they are made that way, mostly dictated by the car manufacturers to cut costs, they are made to their specs with the appearance of the retail version.

 

Remember the Firestone fiasco on the Ford Exploders? Perfect example...only the OE version of the Wilderness AT was failing, none of the retail versions. Designed by Ford, made by Firestone, who ended up taking quite a public flogging over the deal.

 

So bottom line...ignore the politics and the marketing nonsense and buy what you like, all that matters is the size and performance rating, the rest can be determined by your preferrence and/or driving style and conditions.

Edited March 3, 2007 by Clueless

[[LaW]Maverick]

Hehehe...I know, I just thought the article was really interesting...

 

Ultimately, I think I'll end up with the Goodyears since they have the best all-around (winter vs summer) ratings. In other words, I only have to buy one set instead of buying winter tires. On top of that, I can usually get a hold of employee discount coupons for Goodyear which will make them much more affordable.

 

One of the more interesting things that article pointed out was how close the performance between the lowest rated and the highest rated tires was. I mean, they're fairly close. If I could afford it, I would buy a set of Eagle F1's and a set of Winter perfomance tires though...but oh well

 

I appreciate the input though guys

[Mozzarella]

My husband is always complaining about the tires that came on our 05 TL. He's probably going to get some new rims and tires soon for it. Unfortunately the front brake calibers are large so there is not as large a section for after market rims. He also plans on putting winter tires on the stock rims.

[Clueless]

My husband is always complaining about the tires that came on our 05 TL. He's probably going to get some new rims and tires soon for it. Unfortunately the front brake calibers are large so there is not as large a section for after market rims. He also plans on putting winter tires on the stock rims.

There has to be some wheels out there for it...big brakes are getting more and more popular, and all of the wheel companies are following suit. Have you checked ebay? I have found TONS of cool wheels there!!

[Mozzarella]

My husband is always complaining about the tires that came on our 05 TL. He's probably going to get some new rims and tires soon for it. Unfortunately the front brake calibers are large so there is not as large a section for after market rims. He also plans on putting winter tires on the stock rims.

There has to be some wheels out there for it...big brakes are getting more and more popular, and all of the wheel companies are following suit. Have you checked ebay? I have found TONS of cool wheels there!!

 

We haven't take the time to look into it in detail yet. He was waiting for his tires to have to be changed first. But just based on what he reads in the TL forums. Other owners are having trouble finding a decent selection.