I know another dreaded tire thread. I've used the search engine and can not find any info. I own a 2007 Prius the current tire is good/year assurance, size 185/65R15. The tires are very loud/ a lot of road noise and it's coming time to replace them. The dealer recommends Yokohama AVID TRZ size185/65R15. Anyone have experience with the tires good/bad? Thank you in advance
I wouldn't recommend them as they are not rated for LRR. You have MANY other choices available to you.... http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...resistant-replacement-tires-current-list.html
we had them on non-prius and they are good tires; they lasts, they grip, they do well in rain. The only bad thing about them (as all Yokos) they don't hold center for first few hundred miles, they feel like trying to balance on soap bar in shower. Then they come good for a few years until they get really old. BUT as F8L says they are not LRR tires, your MPG will go down. You might wanna pick something better, check his list: http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...resistant-replacement-tires-current-list.html
I did some www searching. This > site list them as one of the top 5 tires for the Prius. I have no idea of this sites credibility.
They are good tires, esp for winter conditions in your area, but they will kill your MPG. Read this: When Round and Black Becomes Lean and Green Personally I'd pick up Michelin Energy Saver A/S or Bridgestone Ecopia EP422.. EP422 would be the best value. If you decide you can order from Tirerack and install it locally, good luck
I have the TRZs on my 2007 Camry. They now have about 45,000 miles on them with about 5/32" tread remaining. They are quiet, have a comfortable ride with good dry, wet and snow traction. I bought them in lieu of the Michelin Harmony, which I now have on my Prius, but was not in stock when I bought the Camry tires. Living in Martinsburg, you have winter weather similar to, or maybe a tad worse, than I do in the Balt-Wash area. Beware of the recommendations for LRR tires from those who live in warmer climates and don't get the type of snow and ice we do. LRR tires sacrifice ice and snow traction in favor of a less agressive tread for slightly higher mpg. I had to scrap the Prius OEM LRR Yokohama SD33 tires at 22,000 miles because they could not get or maintain traction in one of our 2-3" snow/ice events. I prefer the Harmony, but either it or the TRZ would be a good all-season choice for our region. I have not experienced any loss of MPG with the Michelin Harmony on my Prius, or the Yokohama TRZ on my Camry.
Snow/Ice tires are not needed and very few people use them in the mid-Alantic region. All-season LRR's may work elsewhere but they do not provide adequate snow and ice traction for mid-Atlantic winters. Sorry, but your blanket recommendation that everyone should use LRR tires doesn't apply here.
Sounds like you've tried every LRR tire available to come to such a conclusion. Maybe you could provide a review of all of them. That would really help out those looking for new tires.
I'm not even sure pure snow tires would help the prius in heavy snow...the car is just too light with not enough torque down low... that is why I have an SUV and a subaru
It is not the case.. for example there is not that much difference in grip in winter btw Avid TRZ and Michelin Energy to say that. Not more then you would expect going from one all-season tire to another. Besides the biggest issue with mid-atlantic winters is black ice, and TRZ wouldn't be good on ice either.
Where in "suburbia" do you live? If not mid-atlantic, how do you know the "biggest issue with mid-atlantic winters"? Obviously, you don't, because there is no one "biggest issue"; we get all kinds of winter weather, combined with hills, heavy traffic and aggressive drivers that make winter driving here treacherous. People in this part of the world are more concerned about safety than 1 more MPG. Have you even owned Yokohama Avid TRZ tires? I have.
That would be too painfull. I already know that tire attributes are a trade-off. LRR tires trade-off traction and longevity with their smoother and shallower tread, among other attributes, to achieve higher MPG. Living in the mid-atlantic, I value traction and longevity more than MPG. Living in the mild climate of Sacramento, I can see how your circumstances would be the opposite of mine. The difference is you don't accept the fact that the LRR trade-offs exist and want everyone in the USA to get "green" with LRR tires whether or not they make sense for their particular driving circumstances.
yes I owned Avid TRZ (also Avid tourings, S33, etc) nothing special Beg to differ I logged over 500,000mi in DC rush hour traffic. Buy Hummer if you more concern about safety than MPG. Better yet use public transportation, they have the lowest accident record.
I can understand both of your viewpoints....F8L bought the prius to save on gas and as such wants to squeeze as much as he can out of the car ( I did the same)...you seem to have bought the car for a different reason (TBD I guess).... I understand not everyone can afford multiple cars but IMHO, the Prius is NOT a winter vehicle....too light and not enough torque....
Never knew high weight or torque mattered for winter driving... I thought it was more about proper weight distribution. And lots of torque just makes you spin your tires... not a good idea.
I think you are making a blanket statement here to cover all LRR tires regardless of the fact that they are not all created equal. Please check my LRR tire thread and observe the tread depth on the tires. Most of the LRR tires in that thread come with 10/32 tread depth or more with the exception of a few. You may also want to check out their treadwear rating and warranty. Many of the tires are 500+ treadwear and 50,000 to 100,000 mile warranties. I can totally understand your situation and your needs. I do live at the base of the Sierra Nevada range and regularly have to travel to Tahoe or Reno over 7,000ft. passes in the winter. I would choose a more aggressive tire or use snow tires if I had to live where you do. Please do not make the assumption that I am trying to push people to be green. I am, however, pushing the idea that LRR tires can be safe in all conditions that a non-LRR tire would be and there are no tradeoffs if you choose the correct tire for your driving situation. Maybe you should do more tire research to see what has come out within the last couple of years. It really helped me to see what the actual tradeoffs were and during my research i found there were very few if any as long as you choose the right tire for your needs. I would never suggest someone like yourself run an Ecopia EP100 as your only tire. I may recommend the Hankook Optimo 727 or the Nokian WR (or WRG2) but the choice is really up to you. I think the Fins know all about harsh winters so take that into consideration. If you are that concerned with safety in snow maybe you should check out the Hakkapeliitta tyres. The Michelin Xi2 is also a studdless winter tire that is rated for LRR, has a 40,000 mile warranty and 10.5/32 tread depth.
