tires

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(smurf @ Aug 30 2006, 03:08 PM) [snapback]311738[/snapback]</div>

That sounds like one of the store brands that Michelin sells. You can usually find more info about those on the michelin site (though of course, I suspect you'll detect a tad of bias...). You can also see a lot of customer comments at the Tirerack website, though that's highly anecdotal. I wish I'd looked there before I tried a set of GY TTs on my old Camry -- as many others had already experienced, I couldn't get 'em all balanced. Turned them in after about three weeks (they had a 30 day money back in effect) and replaced them with very smooth Hydroedges.

I had a similar experience to yours with the Integs (which I've hated on two other cars). The Integs that came on the 04 I bought a few weeks ago were almost certainly factory OEMs. At about 15k miles, the tread looked about half gone, and they got downright scary in a heavy rain. I replaced them a few days ago with a set of Hydroedges. Pricey, but I'd recommend them. They don't turn the Prius into a 'vette or anything, but the car is definitely more sure footed. Do consider them if they're close to your budget point.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(smurf @ Aug 30 2006, 04:08 PM) [snapback]311738[/snapback]</div>

I put the Michelin X's from Costco on my wife's Prius after a similar incident with me driving. They stick much better and handling is greatly improved. The tire installer thought I was a little crazy to replace tires with less than 5000 miles. They thought I was even crazier when I did the same thing with my Prius which I bought 6 months after my wife's when the integritys only had 300 miles on them. I do not regret the decision. The Michelin X's are excellent tires as pointed out in CR. Do well on wet pavement and handle well. I think mpg are slightly less, but safety is more important. You can do a comparison of them with other Michelins on the michelin site, but can't find them on Tirerack because they only review what they sell, and these tires are exclusive to Costco and other clubs. Also note they are rated above the Hydroedges

 

Replacing dangerous tires makes a lot of sense. No need to justify. The tires will cost less than $400. An accident will cost many thousands (if you survive!).

I suspect your mileage with the new tires will improve once the tires are completely broken in. This can take several thousand miles.

 

I put Goodyear Comfortreads on and really like them, they are very quite, and roll over the bumbs quit nicely. A better tire than the Integrities.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ekpolk @ Aug 30 2006, 08:49 PM) [snapback]311884[/snapback]</div>

I did a huge amount of research before upgrading the Integrities (shown in the following post: http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=21271&hl=). You said many others have experienced not being able to balance the TTs. I read through literally hundreds of reviews on TT's on Tirerack, 1010tires, and epinions. I may have missed it, but I do not recall seeing one person, other than you, saying they had a problem balancing the TTs. Instead I saw that it got consistently better reviews than most, if not all, tires. It was rated number one on Consumer Reports and Tirerack. They've worked perfectly on my Prius for 5,000 miles. If you check reviews from other Prius owners on PC, I believe you'll see most love the tire.

It's probably a matter of opinion about what's the best tire for the Prius. However, I think it would be hard to go wrong with the TT.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(nyprius @ Aug 31 2006, 11:52 AM) [snapback]312219[/snapback]</div>

NYP:

Perhaps I should have added that what I reported happened back in late 2003 (maybe very early 04). My apologies, clearly I should have added that. I don't know how long the reviews stay on TR. I got the subject V-6 Camry in early spring 03 after my 02 model had been totalled in a wreck. After a few months on the OEMs, I tried a set of the TTs. They had just been released by GY, along with their siblings, the CTs. Immediately after installation, I had vibration, clearly a balance issue. The tire store (two actually) tried several times to get them right, but to no avail. That's when I started sniffing around and saw the other comments re the balance issue. That, and the apparent balance-proof nature of the set I had, induced me to take 'em back.

So, a couple thoughts. First, it was very early in this product's life cycle. Maybe they had some minor issues that have been tweaked away. Second, the tires were very nice except for the balance thing, quiet and comfortable on the Camry anyway. Third, there were not heaps and heaps of balance comments, maybe a half-dozen echos of what seemed to be the same thing -- enough to trigger me to bail while I still had time to do so for free.

If you're enjoying these tires, and other Prius owners are too, well, you can't all be wrong... Maybe I over-reacted, maybe they've been improved, who knows. At any rate, I'm glad you're enjoying yours now.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lordmakemeworthy @ Aug 30 2006, 09:51 PM) [snapback]311922[/snapback]</div>

What kind of mileage hit did you take with the comfortreads?

 

I was doing some searching on tires and came across this thread. I was wondering if anybody else has the Michelin MXV4's or the HydroEdges on their Prius? How do you like them? How is the road noise? Any help would be appreciated, going to replace the crappy GY's either tomorrow or Saturday. Thanks!

 

Sounds like just about any tire would be an upgrade over the stock. I'm actually tempted to just dropship the new tires to the dealership when I know the car is coming in and have them install them right away.

Does anyone know if dealers would give a discount for that? Or if any business would buy the stock tires?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(00Silverado @ Sep 1 2006, 01:04 AM) [snapback]312596[/snapback]</div>

I replaced my Integrity tires at 45,000 miles (2004 Prius) when they started to hydroplane at highway speeds on damp roads. My Michelin MXV4+ 'energy saving' tires now have 21,000 miles on them and I am pleased with the improved performance (even slightly higher MPG, especially if you take into account the slightly lower revs/mile 849vs855). They are wearing well and should last more than 50,000 (remember, I got 45,000 out of the GYs) miles.

JeffD

 

I also like my MXV4+ tires. Got better mpg with them too. Much quieter and way better in rain. But not many miles on them yet as I am currently trying to use up my oem tires.

 

2004 Prius with 60,000 miles on it...

We burned out the stock Integrity tires in about 18k miles...also thought they sucked in rain.
Purchased the Goodyear Comfortreads after reading about other Prius owners' experiences.
While much better than the Integrity model...they still wore out after too short a period...especially for the price $$$$.

We just purchased a set of Kumho Touring AS 795 tires for about HALF the price ($41 at www.tirerack.com) of the Comfortreads. While being an "inexpensive import tire"...had great luck with Kumho tires on our other cars....The AS 795 tires are WAY better in the rain than the Integrity or Comfortreads, quiet, handle the corners MUCH better and have a great treadwear warranty:

6 years from date of manufacture or 4 years after purchase or until 2/32 inch tread depth,
70,000 mile prorated tread depth

We won't know how the treadwear really holds up until next year...but for $41 per tire...we can buy new ones and have fresh tread all the time!

 

I thought the Integrity tires were unacceptable - skidding on wet pavement, etc. - and swapped them out with about 1000 miles on them for a set of Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S. The tire dealer kept trying to push the MXV4+, but it just didn't look like as good a tire to me, judging by what comparisons I could find.

We took a 500 mile trip this weekend up in the mountains and back - I drove down a little switchback road about 5 miles long, and took the car through those curves just like I used to be able to take a '68 Camaro through them - and the Priuis with its new feet performed like a champ!

It may have added a few hundred to what the amount actually paid for the car was, but well worth it for the added safety.

 

CR gives a pretty good report to the Hankook Mileage Plus II H725's. Has anyone tried them?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cawooddog @ Oct 3 2006, 08:55 AM) [snapback]327243[/snapback]</div>

It sounds like you're saying the ComforTreds wore out in less than 40,000 miles. they have an 80,000 mile warranty. You car must have been out of alignment. I haven't heard anyone else complain about CT mileage.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(smurf @ Aug 30 2006, 04:08 PM) [snapback]311738[/snapback]</div>

Same thing happened to me last March, except that I hit a woman's car after skidding about 10 feet on wet pavement. She had tried to turn left in front of me in the gap I had left between me and the car in front of me. Result: CAN$3,500 (US$3000) damage to my Prius. (This happened on a Friday afternoon just before I was flying to Europe for two months, so the damaged car had to stay in my garage for two months before I could get it repaired.)

Yesterday I noticed one of the tires is developing a bulge on the sidewall. This is after 25,000km (15,000 miles). So I will be contacting Toyota tomorrow for new tires. I would recommend everyone inspect their Goodyear Tires regularly for defects. They appear to be low quality.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jasq @ Oct 5 2006, 10:13 AM) [snapback]328411[/snapback]</div>

Wouldn't touch them with a 50 foot pole, not even if you paid me.. Had these on a previous vehicle, the previous owner had just put them on about 6 months before he sold the car to me and was raving about how great they were, but IMO, while they were new, they were simply adequate tires, nothing more, and as they wore in, they progressively got worse and worse.. After a year and a half of driving, they were downright dangerous in wet weather, and started going out-of-round and making the worst road noise.. The car's alignment was checked and was perfect, the inflation was fine, the tires were just low quality cr*p and I junked the 2 year old tires and replaced them with Michelin Harmony tires which truly were great on wet and dry pavement, but less than useless on snow, but that's another story..

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tomdeimos @ Sep 2 2006, 02:35 PM) [snapback]313134[/snapback]</div>

I just got rid of a set of Hydroedges I put on my Prius a little over a month ago (Michelin has a 30 day, no questions asked, full satisfaction wty). They drove and handled well, but the noise was unacceptable, especially when the ICE kicked off. Michelin swapped them one-for-one with a new set of Energy MXV4 Pluses. All I can say is wow! The MXV4 is a much better match for this car, if noise is an issue. I'll have to shake them out a little more before I can fully compare, the MXV4s are so much quieter.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ekpolk @ Oct 6 2006, 11:12 AM) [snapback]329042[/snapback]</div>

I've used MXV4's for YEARS on my Hondas and LOVE them. My wife has them on her Volvo now. The offer great traction, speed rating, and they have the lowest rolling resistance of any other tire on the market. That fact alone makes them perfect for the Prius. They are smooth and quiet too. But as with any rose, there are thornes. They'll suck nearly a half a grand out of your bank account every 40,000 to 50,000 miles.