WOW!...tires make a "world of difference"....

Thank you for the review - I'm very tempted after sliding around on slick Seattle streets this morning. I'm wondering how these tires (TT's) do in the winter. Any idea how these tires are rated when there's a little snow on the ground? I'm talking Seattle snow, not Denver snow.

For that matter, do any Seattlites have recommendations for winter tires?

Thanks,

Mark

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ozzy Osmond @ Jul 20 2007, 12:47 PM) [snapback]482278[/snapback]</div>

I don't know how much and what type snow you get in Seattle. But in NYC and environs, where we average about 50 to 60 inches of snowfall per winter, the TTs were terrific in the snow on my prior car (Volvo 850). My brother who lives around here also had the same experience on his car (Infiniti something). The TTs have a very aggressive tred pattern -- I doubt that there's an all season tire that performs better in snow or rain. With the TTs, I never bothered with getting winter tires.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Gadgetdad @ Jul 19 2007, 01:54 PM) [snapback]481800[/snapback]</div>

Oh don't be silly, "phases of the moon" indeed...
Everyone knows it's the altitude angle of the moon that matters. When the moon is high, its gravitational pull makes the Prius lighter; when it's on the other side of the earth, it makes the Prius heavier.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ozzy Osmond @ Jul 20 2007, 09:47 AM) [snapback]482278[/snapback]</div>

Here in Redmond WA we've had excellent results with Bridgestone Potenza RE92's on the '01 and with GY Integrity 185/65R15 on the '05 and '06...
We just switched the '05 to GY ComforTred 205's on 16" rims. Won't know for another year or three how they do on our classic unplowed-snow-compacted-to-ice covering...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bobdavisnpf @ Jul 20 2007, 11:25 AM) [snapback]482351[/snapback]</div>

Great Scott! Of coarse the angle of the moon would create gravitational pull! Then there is the bulge of the earth, and heading Northward should give a boost too... Seriously, a good tailwind makes the biggest difference for me; helps me just sail along! B)

 

This morning I saw two brand new 2007 Prius at Toyota of Fort Myers, FL with 17" EFPC wheels and 215/45ZR17 87 Pirelli tires. The dealer said they would be happy to sell me a set like this to replace my stock 2006 15" wheels or I could purchase these on my own. Any comments?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Peter4997 @ Jul 25 2007, 08:17 PM) [snapback]485112[/snapback]</div>

Here is the set up I am thinking about:

Enkei 17 inch RS-M wheels (very light - only 15 lbs)
Goodyear Eagle F1 All Season 205/45 Tires

(sorry for duplicative post - see other one for links: http://priuschat.com/Considering-rim-upgrade-t36377.html )

 

Which tire is quieter at highway speed, Goodyear triple tread or Comfortread? Is there a significant difference in wet road handling between these two?

 

Ok I have a question for all the tire experts out there, as I am most certainly not one!

I noticed the size is different than the stock tires, can you mount them on the stock rims without any issues? Does this make the tire closer to the tire wells?

I know the stock is 185/65-15 and saw you got Goodyear Assurance Tripletreads 195/60R15.

I guess this is why I couldn't find the tires on tirerack.com when I was looking for the same size


Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

The 195's will be fine for your use. Any dimensional change is minimal and a non-issue.
My 205 TT's are excellent!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BethlehemPrius @ Jul 29 2007, 09:51 PM) [snapback]487248[/snapback]</div>

Hi BethlehemPrius,

The main current thread on this issue is called "Tire Upgrade Lessons Learned", and was started by NYPrius. You can find it at http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=21271&hl= or just do a search of "Tire Upgrade". The thread is now 9 pages long, but worth it. Or, if you're short on time, just read NYPrius' very detailed start of the thread.

But to answer your question briefly, it is my understanding that the stock rims and the wheel wells take the wider 195/60R/15 tires and 205/60R/15 tires (and maybe even wider ones) without a problem. Many PriusChat members have put the 195/60 and 205/60 on their stock rims and report no problem whatsoever. In the Tire Upgrade thread you will find very detailed discussions of the pros and cons of the various sizes, the various replacement tires out there, and the effect and consequence of putting different tires on the car (handling, comfort, mpg, etc).

I just ordered a set of Goodyear Assurance TripleTreds size 195/60R/15 on Friday from TireRack, and will be installing them on my stock rims on Monday or Tuesday. If you search TireRack by either brand or 195/60R/15 tire size, you will find them.

One other thing: The 2006 and 2007 Prius have a tire pressure monitor sensor (TPMS) in each stock rim/tire valve. You should expressly warn your tire installer to avoid damage to the TPMS and to not change the tire valves. Also, fyi, with TPMS, you can't use Inflate-a-Tire or similar products --- they clog up the TPMS.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dr Ed @ Jul 29 2007, 07:56 PM) [snapback]487220[/snapback]</div>

Here's how Goodyear ranks them on a scale of 1 - 10:

Quiet - CT a 10, and TT an 8

Wet Handling - CT a 9, and TT a 10.

Snow Handling - CT a 9, and TT a 10.

I believe that the TireRack customer reviews of the two tires are substantially the same.

I went with the TTs because of its superior handling.

BTW, the TTs are also a fairly quiet and comfortable tire --- they're about the same as Integrity in those respects.

 

Here is the method to calculate Tire Diameter:

Width x Aspect ratio (decimal) x 2 + Rim Diameter in mm (25.4 x inches) = diameter in mm

Sample Calculations:

Touring Model:
195/55 x 16 = 195 x .55 x 2 + 25.4 x 16 = 620.9 mm

Standard Model:
185/65 x 15 = 185 x .65 x 2 + 25.4 x 15 = 621.5 mm

See Tire Rack page for more details:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/tec...;currentpage=39