Tax Season, aka Tire Season

[S3CKSHUN]

Getting my tax return soon and am going after a new set of skins for my bull. I wanted to get something a bit sporty but that would still have mileage warranty that wasn't terrible. So since I work in a tire shop, I was looking around at what I could get in the gen 3 size (205/65R15 96T) When I saw I could order some V speed rated Dunlop SP Sport Signatures (here is the tire on tire rack, we actually have them for cheaper WOOT!) They have a respectable 60,000 mile warranty and with the V speed rating which is much higher than the T rating our cars require (ie will be a stiffer tire) and have generally good reviews on tire rack, but that is just the issue, I am convinced that tire rack reviews are essentially garbage. You get people complaining that a sport tire is too stiff, you get people complaining of vibrations when they can't comprehend that something in their steering is loose or that they have a bent rim. Basically Tire rack is a place where a bunch of people that generally don't have a clue about anything on cars get together and try to tell you about parts for a car. You can see my dilemma. Just wondering if anyone has tried these tires out, even in a different size, and what they thought of them.



Oh and I almost forgot part 2.

I also saw that I could get into these. The idea of getting better fuel economy is appetizing to say the least. If I wasn't so leery of such claims I would have completely forgotten my quest to turn my car into a race car with those dunlops. I would get these tires but only if they actually help with fuel economy. I understand that it has more to do with how hard you push the skinny pedal, but if anyone has used these and would like to comment, feel free.

[The White Falcon]

IMO, most 'fuel saver' tires save you like 50 gallons over the life of the tire. Okay, maybe a little more, but not much. Lower rolling resistance might help the Prius, but it won't make any noticeable difference on the Taurus.

[WJC]

I would worry less about tire selection and more about your car's alignment angles. Maintaining your front and rear camber and toe in the least severe angles as possible is far more important than spending a lot of money on tires.

[S3CKSHUN]

Originally Posted by WJC

I would worry less about tire selection and more about your car's alignment angles. Maintaining your front and rear camber and toe in the least severe angles as possible is far more important than spending a lot of money on tires.

This I know, I need 2 new front struts which I will be replacing before the tires, along with an inner tie rod end. Then hopefully all that clicking and clanking will be done.

[04 SEL]

Don't concern yourself with anything speed rated over stock, which is T. Your car has a governor and will not go any faster than about 112 MPH, and T rated tires are good up to 118 MPH.

[S3CKSHUN]

Originally Posted by 04 SEL

Don't concern yourself with anything speed rated over stock, which is T. Your car has a governor and will not go any faster than about 112 MPH, and T rated tires are good up to 118 MPH.

The "V" rating isn't for top speed in my application. As I said I work as a Tire Tech, so I know my vehicle doesn't need the "V" for speed. If you go into a tire store and look at a "T" rated tire and a "V" rated tire though, you'll notice a vast difference in how firm the actual tire's sidewall is. A "V" rated tire will be much stiffer (although the tread compounds will be softer, resulting GENERALLY in better grip with worse mileage warranty) than the "T" rated tire. As a result, a higher speed rated tire gives a better handling feel and steering response with the cost of a rougher ride. The "T" will be a softer riding tire that would be more suited for touring. Newer cars generally require higher speed ratings because their suspension geometries are designed around stiffer tires (at least this is what the Michelin training seminars have taught me) this is why it is ok to go up speed ratings but it can be dangerous to go down speed ratings.

So, long response short, I am looking at higher speed ratings for a stiffer tire, not for top speed.

Originally Posted by The White Falcon

IMO, most 'fuel saver' tires save you like 50 gallons over the life of the tire. Okay, maybe a little more, but not much. Lower rolling resistance might help the Prius, but it won't make any noticeable difference on the Taurus.

I had this same thought process until my coworker asked me what I could do with 150 dollars. 3 bucks a gallon x 50 gallons = 150
Most likely more if I run them a hair over inflated.

[WJC]

Originally Posted by S3CKSHUN

So, long response short, I am looking at higher speed ratings for a stiffer tire, not for top speed.

Bad idea on a 14 year old Taurus. You're just going to burn through tires faster. Like I said, spend all this time and energy on the suspension instead of tire selection.

[fct]

Originally Posted by S3CKSHUN

I am convinced that tire rack reviews are essentially garbage.

There are some valuable reviews on tire rack, but I agree that a lot of reviews are garbage. The thing that makes me smile the most about TireRack tire reviews is how brand new tires types that have been out for just about a year suddenly jump to the top of rankings due to positive reviews. It cracks me up seeing people write "reviews" for a tire when they have used it for less than 3,000 miles. Guess what? Every brand new tire will result in a positive feedback if you drove just 1 to 5,000 miles on it! The way I read their reviews, is first filter the reviews to see only those that had over 40-50,000 miles on the tire. This results in far more thoughtful reviews.

Anyways, I can comment on two types of tires. If you want an affordable all around all season tire, take a look at Yokohama Avid tires. These have been out for a while and have excellent reviews. We have been using them on a Ford 500. No complaints. Very good price.

If you want a higher performance tire because you like being naughty, take a look at Continental ExtremeContant DWS. Who cares how fast you can drive? There are speed limits everywhere. What matter I think is the _grip_. These tires do have good grip IMO, and after 10,000 miles on my car they still look almost like new. I used to have previously Hankook Millages Plus II. Those were terrible. If you try to throw your car into a tight corner with them, chances are good that the car will understeer heavily. But with these DWS tires, the car almost feels like on rails. I did get the tires with the 225mm width, which is slightly oversized for a G3 with 16 inch G4 rims. (Tires rub slightly on U-turns).

[The White Falcon]

I've got Conti's on my Bull and don't have a problem with them. They grip well.

The Avid's on my parents Odyssey haven't been a bad tire either.

[sheila]

I've been happy with B.F. Goodrich Touring T.A.s from Sam's Club. Seems to be a good tire and priced right. They're on sale several times a year.