Opinions/experience on new tires?

If you buy something and it gives you good service I always say stick with it until it lets you down and then move on.

I think that is what I did with my first wife.

 

So far, so good. Ran 17 miles down the freeway to the driving range this morning and the difference was like night and day. At the same 37F-35R psi we had in the Pirellis I had to turn the volume control on the CD player down from 21 to 17 because the music was too loud. The ride was a world smoother, too. Can't wait to test them on the open desert highway and see what the gas mileage is going to be like.

 

Glad to hear you are happy with your new tires and good luck.

 

Thank you.

 

Dropped the pressure to match the door jamb for our 200 mile round trip to California City and back over our normal route today. Gas mileage was down 10% but also drastically down was the sound level. I put a decibel app on my phone and it registered only a 79 decibel level average when checked at 68-70 mph on I-58, U.S. 395 and I-15. We were able to carry on discussions in normal voices. The Avid Ascend GT tires also delivered a very comfortable ride.

I expected a hit on the gas mileage but I was hoping it would be a little less than 10%. I'll bump the tires up to 38 psi front, 36 psi rear tomorrow morning and check them out on the 210 freeway again. Time to find that right blend of mileage and comfort.

 

You need to test your average over a longer period of time and mileage to get a better average. One trip on the same route sounds good but really isn't in my opinion.

 

I don't need to calculate a better average. I have a logbook containing every penny spent, every mpg per fill, where it was spent, etc., etc. since we purchased the car three years ago. Filling up immediately before leaving, driving the same route under the same traffic and weather conditions we've been driving almost monthly for three years has NEVER yielded less than the upper 45s for an mpg. This time? 41.7 on brand new tires with a lower air pressure. Tires are the only variable and it is well documented that brand new tires yield lower mpg. So does lower air pressure. In addition, these are grand touring tires, a type that has not been on this vehicle before.

As I stated, it's time to find a nice balance between mpg and comfort. I will have no complaints if I get a more comfortable ride while giving up a mile or two of mpg on our upcoming out-of-state trip and and following coast-to-coast trip. My preference is not to give up a full 4-5 mpg; experimenting with it NOW will show whether or not some mpg is currently available to regain on those trips. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. Life will go on either way.

I'm not saying one tire is superior to the other. It wouldn't be a fair comparison to judge a Pirelli A/S tire with 38-36 psi and 40,000 miles on it against a brand new Yokohama grand touring tire with 35-33 psi and only 200 miles on it. One has proven its worth over the last three years while the other hasn't. I can only make current, immediate observations and adjust accordingly to get within a satisfactory comfort level overall. Anectdotally saying that one tire is better than the other isn't going to be forthcoming for a few more years.

Would you have me sit on my hands and not even attempt to do anything until we get back, THEN realize we could have had a comfortable ride AND saved up to $60 by simply putting a few more psi in the tires?

 

Having adjusted the pressure a bit, I'm satisfied with where the mpg on the new tires is at. I bumped it back up to 37.5 psi front, 35.5 rear and my wife put about 70 freeway miles on it today. When she got back the screen was showing 44.6 mpg. Assuming the screen is its normal optimistic self that means the car is still getting 42 or better and she was ok with the noise and ride. I'm going to leave it at that pressure for our 350 mile run to Mesa, AZ Thursday, then calculate things out.

 

So much for the best laid plans of mice and men. Just got home; the ability to fairly test the gas mileage on the round trip was taken away from us. Caught in a strong windstorm for over a hundred miles out on the open desert there and then proceeded to get caught in a huge traffic jam from North Palm Springs to Banning. First we got buffeted all over the highway for a couple of hours and then it took over an hour to go 23 miles on I-10. Then we hit rain. End result was 39 mpg for a trip we used to get 44 on but it isn't a fair comparison.

We'll try it again Friday. This weekend we were there for one of my wife's brother's wedding. During the week the bride's brother passed away. She had to pull off her own wedding AND make the funeral arrangements at the same time. No one should ever have to deal with something like that.

Anyway, we're off to the Phoenix area again later this week for the funeral. Hopefully we'll get a better feel for the mpg on these new tires then.

 

I also use America’s Tire. Up until very recently I haven’t had to use their Certificates for Replacement, my exact wording may be off and I apologize. (My wife was driving back from Vegas and had a flat on a ‘17 Alfa Romeo Giulia, which the tire was destroyed before she realized it). Since I take care of the tires very well, once every two weeks pressure checks, I usually can catch a nail just checking the pressures. They keep track of your record I believe. So I’ve been convinced/offered the Certificates at a slightly higher cost than mounting and lifetime balancing, waiving the mounting and lifetime balancing cost, so that the warranty is quite a good deal in my opinion....

 

I'm surprised that you indicated that there is a fee at America's Tire for lifetime rotating and balancing tires ( even if not purchased from America's Tire); I have never had to pay, in Southern California at Anaheim or Newport Beach stores, whether I had bought tires from them or not. I did end up buying tires from them for both of my Prii, which goes to show that this is a good marketing tactic. After all the flats I've gotten with my Prime, I did purchase the hazard warranty which has more than paid for itself!

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AChoiredTaste.com

 

All appears to be well. Made the same trip again yesterday. Three adults in the car, tire pressure bumped up to 38 front, 36 rear. MFD showed 46.2 mpg when we got home. Even if it's optimistic a few mpg it's still within the range I'm satisfied with.

Noise level was up a touch but didn't seem to be quite as loud as the worn Pirellis.

 

Interesting, and thanks for sharing!

There is a distinction, at least at my (Pasadena) location, between plain old tire rotation, and rotation with balancing. They’ll do the rotation for free, but if you want/need the wheels balanced they will charge, either a lower one time charge or the better value of lifetime. Newport Beach is a lot further than Anaheim. Maybe I’ll make the trip one time. (Have a Scion iQ that’s never been to a tire shop since I bought it)....

 

srellim234, thanks for the updates!!! (I would have liked your prior comment, but aye, nobody should have to make their own wedding plans at the same time as funeral plans)...

Sigh....

 

I took over my daughter's 2007 Prius (Gen 2) and she said the tires needed balancing. After driving the car for a while, I finally figured out it was the sidewalls giving out. Anyway, I bought a set of 195/65-R15 Continental True Contact Tour, and have been really happy. Speedometer/Odometer is within 1% of the GPS (after a trip, the trip odometer reads 20.0 miles, whereas the GP reads 20.2 miles on multiple trips). I average around 50 mpg for city driving.

BTW, I also bought a Hybrid Automotive system and reconditioned the battery. The car likes to stay in the 6 blue bar range, with short periods above at 7 green, and under at 4-5 blue.

The Continentals cost about $100 more buying from a local shop, than buying Michelins on sale from Costco. However, the Continentals are suppose to have better gas mileage, and the local shop is next door to where I go each week. Finally, the local shop did a free alignment check (alignment was fine), so I didn't have to pay for an alignment (which is what I would have had to do at a different shop if I bought from Costco).

 

Glad you are happy with your new tires. It's good to give the local guy some business especially if it is convenient.
I had Michelin's installed on my Gen 2 at Costco years ago and had a flat staring me in the face the next morning.
I added air and took it to a place three miles from my house. If I went to Costco I would have to put the spare on.