Tire recommendations
#1
Tire recommendations
Scrolled through the past couple of years of threads and didn't see what I was looking for, so.....
A recent road trip to Vegas turned my odometer to 33K miles, and a look at my tire tread afterward suggested that it probably won't be too much longer before I need tires. Interestingly, the tread wear looks about even front/back. I'm not sure if the tires were ever rotated before I got it (22K miles), and I have not done so at either of my oil changes so far.
My top 3 priorities for new tires are:
- low rolling resistance
- tread wear
- cost
I'm not all stuck on performance; Little Roadie is a daily driver for a 20+ mile (each way) commute over the poorly maintained roads of the Bay Area.
After some research, my last 2 tire purchases, first for my Civic Hybrid and then for my MINI Coupe were Michelin Primacy. They got good reviews, were long-lasting and reasonably priced. And in both cases, my mileage went down by a couple of MPG after I installed them. And here I thought low rolling resistance was support to support better MPG.
So what suggestions does the hive mind have for 2017 tires that will support my gas-sipping driving habits, won't cost an arm and a leg, and will last a long time (I'd prefer a warranty that's at least 60K miles), considering the driving that I do (around town, commute, and occasional road trips), and that will work best on my 17-inch wheels??
A recent road trip to Vegas turned my odometer to 33K miles, and a look at my tire tread afterward suggested that it probably won't be too much longer before I need tires. Interestingly, the tread wear looks about even front/back. I'm not sure if the tires were ever rotated before I got it (22K miles), and I have not done so at either of my oil changes so far.
My top 3 priorities for new tires are:
- low rolling resistance
- tread wear
- cost
I'm not all stuck on performance; Little Roadie is a daily driver for a 20+ mile (each way) commute over the poorly maintained roads of the Bay Area.
After some research, my last 2 tire purchases, first for my Civic Hybrid and then for my MINI Coupe were Michelin Primacy. They got good reviews, were long-lasting and reasonably priced. And in both cases, my mileage went down by a couple of MPG after I installed them. And here I thought low rolling resistance was support to support better MPG.
So what suggestions does the hive mind have for 2017 tires that will support my gas-sipping driving habits, won't cost an arm and a leg, and will last a long time (I'd prefer a warranty that's at least 60K miles), considering the driving that I do (around town, commute, and occasional road trips), and that will work best on my 17-inch wheels??
#3
Thanks for the tip. Did a little research. From what I understand, 340 is a good treadwear number. Any idea what they will do to my gas mileage number? I'm currently doing around 29 MPG, and would love to get it up over 30.
$95 (at Tirerack) looks like a damn good price for a tire with these characteristics as well. Anyone put these on MINIs 17" wheels (especially the conical spoke)?
$95 (at Tirerack) looks like a damn good price for a tire with these characteristics as well. Anyone put these on MINIs 17" wheels (especially the conical spoke)?
#4
Scrolled through the past couple of years of threads and didn't see what I was looking for, so.....
A recent road trip to Vegas turned my odometer to 33K miles, and a look at my tire tread afterward suggested that it probably won't be too much longer before I need tires. Interestingly, the tread wear looks about even front/back. I'm not sure if the tires were ever rotated before I got it (22K miles), and I have not done so at either of my oil changes so far.
My top 3 priorities for new tires are:
- low rolling resistance
- tread wear
- cost
I'm not all stuck on performance; Little Roadie is a daily driver for a 20+ mile (each way) commute over the poorly maintained roads of the Bay Area.
After some research, my last 2 tire purchases, first for my Civic Hybrid and then for my MINI Coupe were Michelin Primacy. They got good reviews, were long-lasting and reasonably priced. And in both cases, my mileage went down by a couple of MPG after I installed them. And here I thought low rolling resistance was support to support better MPG.
So what suggestions does the hive mind have for 2017 tires that will support my gas-sipping driving habits, won't cost an arm and a leg, and will last a long time (I'd prefer a warranty that's at least 60K miles), considering the driving that I do (around town, commute, and occasional road trips), and that will work best on my 17-inch wheels??
A recent road trip to Vegas turned my odometer to 33K miles, and a look at my tire tread afterward suggested that it probably won't be too much longer before I need tires. Interestingly, the tread wear looks about even front/back. I'm not sure if the tires were ever rotated before I got it (22K miles), and I have not done so at either of my oil changes so far.
My top 3 priorities for new tires are:
- low rolling resistance
- tread wear
- cost
I'm not all stuck on performance; Little Roadie is a daily driver for a 20+ mile (each way) commute over the poorly maintained roads of the Bay Area.
After some research, my last 2 tire purchases, first for my Civic Hybrid and then for my MINI Coupe were Michelin Primacy. They got good reviews, were long-lasting and reasonably priced. And in both cases, my mileage went down by a couple of MPG after I installed them. And here I thought low rolling resistance was support to support better MPG.
So what suggestions does the hive mind have for 2017 tires that will support my gas-sipping driving habits, won't cost an arm and a leg, and will last a long time (I'd prefer a warranty that's at least 60K miles), considering the driving that I do (around town, commute, and occasional road trips), and that will work best on my 17-inch wheels??
In my opinion, this is the best performance tire I found for my JCW Coupe.
Michelin, Conti, Pirelli are overpriced and not worth the money. You can also look at Hankook.
#5
33,000 miles is stellar from a set of tires on a Roadster! Plus, even wear across the tread. You're doing something right.
There are a lot of fairly reasonably priced tires that will do commute duty ok. The Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 is not a low priced tire, but seems like it would be a good candidate for the R59. I still have a lot of tread left the Continentals that came on our Roadster, but I will do a lot of research before new tire buying time comes.
The Coopers are a candidate. As are the Dunlop Signature HP, Pirelli Citurato P7 all season (quite soft and quiet running), and the bunch of Michelins that are available in either the conventional 205/45 17 or in the slightly wider 215/45 17.
I'm not super rough on tires, appreciate a slightly softer feel due the less than smooth conditions that Maine secondary roads often present. Don't think I want a Run-Flat tire.
TireRack, Discounttiredirect and many other sites offer reviews and some offer comparisons. Don't go to a super cheap tire. You drive one of the most fun cars around, so you don't want to compromise performance too much by getting a tire with a too soft squishy (or weak) sidewall. Driving as gently as you do, you probably won't see a huge difference between a Low Rolling Resistance tire and a conventional tire if you keep them optimally inflated. I learned that a stiffer sidewall can usually roll easier than a tire with a soft sidewall, but watch that comfort level. Good luck, and tell us which tire you decide on.
There are a lot of fairly reasonably priced tires that will do commute duty ok. The Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 is not a low priced tire, but seems like it would be a good candidate for the R59. I still have a lot of tread left the Continentals that came on our Roadster, but I will do a lot of research before new tire buying time comes.
The Coopers are a candidate. As are the Dunlop Signature HP, Pirelli Citurato P7 all season (quite soft and quiet running), and the bunch of Michelins that are available in either the conventional 205/45 17 or in the slightly wider 215/45 17.
I'm not super rough on tires, appreciate a slightly softer feel due the less than smooth conditions that Maine secondary roads often present. Don't think I want a Run-Flat tire.
TireRack, Discounttiredirect and many other sites offer reviews and some offer comparisons. Don't go to a super cheap tire. You drive one of the most fun cars around, so you don't want to compromise performance too much by getting a tire with a too soft squishy (or weak) sidewall. Driving as gently as you do, you probably won't see a huge difference between a Low Rolling Resistance tire and a conventional tire if you keep them optimally inflated. I learned that a stiffer sidewall can usually roll easier than a tire with a soft sidewall, but watch that comfort level. Good luck, and tell us which tire you decide on.
#6
Thanks for the recommendations. Looked through TireRack and identified more than a dozen that I wanted to investigate further.
The BFGoodrich Comp-2 A/S gets some good test results and a very good rating, but it seems as if the gas mileage lags. ($95)
The Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ gets both a good review and a very high rating. But they are at the high end of the price range as well ($140)
What really intrigues me is this new tire, the Sumitomo A/S P02. It is well reviewed and gets decent ratings, but the price pops out at me: $67 per.
One other one that seemed to stand out: General Altimax RT43 ($91)
The BFGoodrich Comp-2 A/S gets some good test results and a very good rating, but it seems as if the gas mileage lags. ($95)
The Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ gets both a good review and a very high rating. But they are at the high end of the price range as well ($140)
What really intrigues me is this new tire, the Sumitomo A/S P02. It is well reviewed and gets decent ratings, but the price pops out at me: $67 per.
One other one that seemed to stand out: General Altimax RT43 ($91)
#7
Trending Topics
#8
My mechanic recommended the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3. I'm very tempted to go up a notch to the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ (not sure what the difference is), or take a chance on the Sumitomo A/S P02. Right now, I think I've narrowed it down to
1. Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3
2. Sumitomo A/S P02
3. Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+
Thoughts?
And after some more research (including discussions here) I'm adding the Michelin Premier A/S to the list, probably slotting in between 1 & 2.
1. Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3
2. Sumitomo A/S P02
3. Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+
Thoughts?
And after some more research (including discussions here) I'm adding the Michelin Premier A/S to the list, probably slotting in between 1 & 2.
Last edited by twriter; 02-19-2017 at 11:43 AM.
#9
#10
They ride great, aren't too noisy, and seem to have a pretty good grip. But they replaced run-flats so anything else would feel like paradise anyway.
#11
#12
So after all the research and discussion and recommendations, I ended up going with my mechanic's recommendation, which was...none of the above!
I went with Hankook Ventus S1 tires. I was told that their customers were very happy with these tires on a variety of cars, including sports cars, and they are good value as well.
So far, without anything close to a Top Gear-level of knowledge and experience about how tires should handle, I can still say that I'm happy so far after just a week. A couple of things I've noticed:
(And just for the record, for all 4 tires, plus mounting and balancing, plus an alignment, plus brake pads and rotors on all 4 wheels, while the total (with tax) set me back north of $1700, that's still probably half of what I would have had to pay had I had the work done at the dealer.)
I went with Hankook Ventus S1 tires. I was told that their customers were very happy with these tires on a variety of cars, including sports cars, and they are good value as well.
So far, without anything close to a Top Gear-level of knowledge and experience about how tires should handle, I can still say that I'm happy so far after just a week. A couple of things I've noticed:
- There were a couple of spots on my regular commute where I was having consistent issues, one a construction area where there are a lot of grooves and pavement patches where I was experiencing a lot of skittishness and grab, and one a high-speed freeway-to-freeway ramp with a couple of joints that had a drop where I'd skootch over when I hit them, and in both spots I'm not getting a straight, smooth ride.
- Performance in heavy rain seems to be very nice.
(And just for the record, for all 4 tires, plus mounting and balancing, plus an alignment, plus brake pads and rotors on all 4 wheels, while the total (with tax) set me back north of $1700, that's still probably half of what I would have had to pay had I had the work done at the dealer.)
#13
#14
Here's fuel economy data, calculated by the Fuelly app:
Fillup, MPG
1/6, 29.9
1/19, 29.9
1/26, 29.3
2/1, 28.8
2/10, 31.0
2/21, 27.5
2/28, 28.2
3/7, 29.0
3/14, new tires
3/15, 28.0
3/23, 31.1
3/27, 30.9
4/5, 29.8
4/12, 31.0
4/19, 31.2
4/26, 31.1
I'm seeing a pleasantly consistent improvement in this area, as well as (as best I can determine) ride and handling.
Fillup, MPG
1/6, 29.9
1/19, 29.9
1/26, 29.3
2/1, 28.8
2/10, 31.0
2/21, 27.5
2/28, 28.2
3/7, 29.0
3/14, new tires
3/15, 28.0
3/23, 31.1
3/27, 30.9
4/5, 29.8
4/12, 31.0
4/19, 31.2
4/26, 31.1
I'm seeing a pleasantly consistent improvement in this area, as well as (as best I can determine) ride and handling.
#15
#17
#18
For 205/45-17
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/surve...earDiameter=17
Tirerack review
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests...y.jsp?ttid=200
For cost being competitive
BFG Comp-2 A/S is a solid choice
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/surve...earDiameter=17
Tirerack review
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests...y.jsp?ttid=200
For cost being competitive
BFG Comp-2 A/S is a solid choice