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What 15" tire for my driving habits

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by redwarr, Nov 11, 2011.

  1. redwarr

    redwarr Junior Member

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    2010 IV 15" tires. we put 50K + a year on the car some winter. here is our standard times and weather. What our your thoughts as to the best tires. My winter isn't bad enought that i feel i need a full set of winter tires, plus i go to Florinda in the winter sometimes which would kill winter tires.

    Live in Kansas City
    2-3 Weeks of ice/snow
    3 trips to breckenridege for a week at a time
    6-9 trips to Florida for 2-4 weeks at a time

    Need new tires next week, just wondering what the gurus thought of the best tire for wear and control, so my wife may not wreck the car in winter driving conditions.
     
  2. cyclopathic

    cyclopathic Senior Member

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    look here: http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...esistance-replacement-tires-current-list.html

    we got Michelin Energy Saver A/S, and I like them reasonably good handling and great MPG. Not sure about winter yet, but they do good in wet. Here is review: When Round and Black Becomes Lean and Green

    My second choice would be EP422. Either is all-season, so they will be on par with OEM in light snow.

    BTW you can order from tirerack.com and have it installed locally; they have the installer network

    Edit: if harsher winter conditions of concern can't beat Nokian WRG2 http://www.nokiantires.com/tyre?id=11899& they also LRR good luck
     
  3. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    It would seem to me that 6 weeks of mountain snow use would warrant their own tire, as the 12 to 36 weeks in Florida are going to want a tire that resists heat well.

    I am not sure any one tire will be a great snow/high heat tire.

    You might try a Nokian eNTYRE (It has an A Heat rating) and a Nokian WRG2 for winter only if needed.

    Nokian eNTYRE
    Nokian WRG2
     
  4. cyclopathic

    cyclopathic Senior Member

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    or go with all-season and get chains for incremental weather in mountains. Chains usually required on high mountain roads, we saw signs. Good Z-chains would be smooth at 35MPH, not that I care/dare go any faster. Chains ~60$, plus hustle of putting them on but they next best thing to studs

    BTW WRG2 has temperature rating A and it is all-season tire even if it has snow tire marking. They are not cheap though.

    found another review: http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Nokian/WRG2.htm
     
  5. redwarr

    redwarr Junior Member

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    Have cables for it, have found that dry road to ice, its hard to have them on at the right time. In the previous post the trips to Florida are in the middle of the trips to colorado. Just woundering the best all around tire. With consideration being made for fuel economy for the miles we drive.
     
  6. cyclopathic

    cyclopathic Senior Member

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    if it has to be one tire it is hard to beat WRG2, but I hate the costs.

    Pers I'd get a pair of WRG2, put them in back then rotate to front for trips to Colorado. For fronts have something like Michelin Energy Saver A/S as the best MPG tire. Your OEM rears should be still good, unless you rotate tires.

    Matching a pair of WRG2s with Savers would give you best MPG for 85% of driving, and best traction for other 15%. FWD cars are generally front tire bias and Prius is no exception. Front OEM Avids were toast after 40-45K, rears look like will go at leat 80K to get to that point.

    I am gonna get dissed at for using mismatched pairs, but I had been doing it for years with no ill effect. Come to think of it there is no motorcycle which has the same front/rear tire, YMMV
     
  7. The Critic

    The Critic Resident Critic

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    Michelin Primacy MXV4. Should be about $625 installed for a set with the rebate right now.

    After 450 miles I can safely say that dry braking, handling, noise and ride quality are all far superior to the Avid S33d I had on the car previously. There is about a 5-7% loss in fuel economy, but the improvements are well worth it.