Opinions/experience on new tires?

This thread is starting to remind of those threads where that "fishwrap" guy (I may have the name wrong, but it was something like that), put forth an erroneous statement and went page after page fighting about it. That was a few years ago.

The facts are the facts. My G2 runs on the 185's. It is what the manual says, it is what the dealer says, more important, it is what Mendel says.

Would I be happier if it ran on 155's, yes, because I could buy that size at ToysRUs, wait TRU is out of business, I take back that statement.

 

The specific SIZE of the tire, as specified by the manufacturer is not a determining factor in speed/odometer accuracy. It is the "Rolling Revolutions per Mile" that determines accuracy and unless you have researched that for the tires that were on the car when new (how Toyota set the car up), you do not know if you are more or less accurate with one tire over another.

 

I am pretty sure the manufacturers set up the speedometer readings to read as much as 5% higher than real speed. This has to do with margin of safety. Every new vehicle is going to read a bit high on the speedo. I have a sample of 3 vehicles that I have bought new from the dealer and they all read within that 5% and all read on the high side. So picking the tire size based on what makes the speedometer read correctly is nonsense. Also, as the tire wears the outer diameter changes and the speedometer will read differently at the beginning of the tire's life than at the end. It is absolutely ridiculous to pick the tire based on how the speedometer reads. Bordering on childish. It's always best to go with the size of tire recommended by the manufacturer, though nothing terrible will happen if slight deviations are made. The world will not end and the car will not fall apart or become unsafe if you go with a 195/65/15 instead of 185/65/15. But the final drive ratio will be effected.

Me, I'll go with what's in the owners' manual. I also prefer narrower tires for better snow traction. But not everyone lives in New England (thank the gods!).

 

Yes, well, the gen 2-3&4 prii all want a 25" circumfrence tire, when they have a 25" tire the speedometers are correct, (gauged by garmin) the gen2 came with a 24.5" tire (185/65-15), and the speedometer is off, yet, when it has a 195/65-15" tire and the circumference is 25", the speedometer is correct, simple.
No hocus pocus, easily understood, btw, a smaller tire gives less mpg's.

 

"face palm"

 

1) No Prius model uses a 25" circumference tire, not a single one.
2) Two tires with the "same" circumference do not necessarily have the same number of revolutions per mile. This is due to sidewall deflection.
3) You can have two different tire "sizes" with EXACTLY the same circumference and the same number of revolutions per mile, or not.

ROFLMAO!!!! Yea, not. It is WAY more complicated than that simplistic presumption suggests.

 

Thank you.

Diameter.

 

In my opinion buying a tire because of its warranty is a fools game.

 

Hello all!
I don't have an owners manual, so all my "data" is learned here on this forum. My 2004 had 195 65 15's on it when I bought it. It's now time to get some snow tires. A local salvage yard has some steel Prius 25 wheels, they also sell new tires, I'm going with 195 65 15 "WinterClaw" snow tires. MOUNTED & BALANCED on the Prius wheels for $125 a piece! In my book that is a HELL of a deal

 

It says here that they are a directional tire made by Cooper tire.

Winter Claw Extreme Grip MX 195/65R15 91T BSW Tires

Yes, a very good price.

 

I have a set of Kumho tires. They're fairly quiet. Good in a turn and grippy. I am not a slow driver, either.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

It might be a fool's game to buy it BECAUSE of the warranty but whether or not it has one should be a factor when deciding on tires. My Pirelli Cinturato P7 A/S are now coming off the car after only 43k miles, resulting in a mileage credit of nearly $41 per tire because the treads are mostly down to 3 or 2 1/2. Without the mileage warranty I wouldn't get anything.

At America's Tire I also buy the extra warranty certificates. Yes, it might seem like money wasted but I've had to use the coverage over the years in a couple of different states and I'm paying for the peace of mind knowing my family is out there on the road with me. If you happen to need it it's worth it, just like any other insurance policy.

I was happy with the driving performance of the Pirellis but they just didn't last. I wonder if spending about half of their life running through the Mojave desert in the summer aided to the rubber wearing so much. At any rate, this time around I'm going to try the Yokohama Avid Ascend GT. We've had the Avid Ascend on my wife's Yaris for a while now and been pretty happy with them. They're going to be installed Monday afternoon. Out the door including sales tax and added warranty is going to be $440 not counting the $60 rebate I'll get back in the mail.

 

If a warranty comes with something that is fine and I have paid for warranties on electronics.
Consumers Report doesn't think much of warranties, especially if you have to pay for them.
My thought is skip the paid warranty and when something goes bad you should be money ahead.
I am dealing with a warranty issue right now on my IKO lifetime warranty shingles that went bad after 19 years.
I expect to be given the runaround.

 

I agree. In fact, the extra coverage on tires from America's Tire/Discount Tire is the only one I can think of that I've ever paid for. For our specific circumstance involving annual trips to multiple states, it gives us peace of mind like having an insurance policy. We have had to use it a few times on our annual cross country travels and were happy to have the coverage when we were on the road and things were tight. But no, when you look at it strictly as a dollars and cents issue the times we've paid for them and haven't used them isn't completely offset by the times we did.

In general, as you point out, you are almost always ahead putting the money in the bank instead of an extra warranty.

 

I have MIRACULOUSLY had 4 flats within a year and a half of driving with my Prime. This is after decades of no flats on a range of cars, mostly shod with Michelins. Thank "the big G" I paid for the hazard warranty at America's Tire; they honor it and are a "no hassle" company!!
Great service!!
Now if Toyota and the other automakers will get off their butts and give us back our spare tires, I would be in nirvana!!

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
AChoiredTaste.com

 

Boycott cars without spares.

The way things are going, that may mean taking the bus.

 

my wife Prius defender wore out at 18.5 k miles .Michelin finally agree to prorate 80 percent them 20 on us new defenders. 80 k they don't make defenders new defender tire only 80k warranty, tire manger frighted with them

 

Well, the Yokohama Avid Ascend GTs went on the Prius this afternoon. I'll be able to give a quickie comparison to the Pirellis at the end of the month since we'll be heading to Mesa, AZ for a wedding. In the meantime, I did find that Tire Rack had included the Avid Ascend GT in a side by side test of Grand Touring tires against the Continental PureContact LS, Michelin Premier A/S and the Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady. The Avids held their own overall and barely beat out the Contis and Michelins in the gas mileage category. I certainly don't expect them to deliver Michelin Fuel Savers mpg or the lap of luxury ride in such a light car but they should be o.k., especially after they have a few thousand miles on them.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=237

 

I am with the General Altimax 43 RT. Great price, great traction. Great mileage.

 

I seriously considered the Altimax. With the current rebates the price of those or the Avids are the same right now at America's Tire. The primary reason I went with the the tires I did was is just familiarity with Avids. We've had the Avid Ascend on my wife's Yaris for a while now and are happy with them. I'm hoping these newer Avid Ascend GT tires will be even better.