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Best tires for the Prius?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by gqscientist, Jun 12, 2007.

  1. gatsby_88

    gatsby_88 Junior Member

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    Re: MXV4+ after 5k miles

    Hmmm; I just got the Primacy MXV4's and love them. For me they are dead quiet; I have no issues with noise. I do believe the ride is a little rougher than the Integrity's, but not much - probably due to, as you stated, the higher speed rating and its stiffer sidewalls. The drastic increase in performance justifies the stiffer ride IMO. I haven't noticed an MPG hit, but temperatures have been wildly changing here too to really know for certain.
     
  2. lakerholic

    lakerholic New Member

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    I'm leaning heavily toward giving the Kumho Solus KR21s a try in the 195/60/15 fitament.

    640 treadwear rating and 862 rev/mile - which seems exactly like that of the Michelin's that have been getting rave reviews.

    Plus the tire is affordable, gets great survey reviews on TireRack and I've had good experience with Kumho in the past.

    85,000 mile warranty and factory backed roadhazard as well, btw.

    Link for details: Tire Specs for Kumho Solus KR21

    The 195/60/15s are at the top.

    Would be interested in thoughts.
     
  3. artie

    artie Member

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    I have the Goodyear Triple Tred, 195s, 62,000 miles on 'em, 80,000 mile warranty, plenty of tread left. They perform just fine, not noisy, steady on the f-way, no slip sliding yet. I like them, got 'em at Discount tires after testing a cheap set from Korea for one week, then trading for the GY comfort tred, I think it was called, one week and then trading to the TTs. I recommend them.
     
  4. wildscaper

    wildscaper New Member

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    Thanks for all of the good information about replacement tires. I'll try to find Michelin Hydroedges at my local COSTCO. I have 69,800 miles on my originals. I can't say I've ever had any real problems with my OEM Integritys but am looking forward to an even longer lasting tire and one that will increase my safety margin on wet roads and snow. My 05 Prius, with a lifetime mpg of 53.9 over about 170 tankfuls, rides hilly and in winter, sometimes icy, snowy country roads as well as commuter traffic in northern Virginia and occasional long trips to Maine and northern Vermont.

    Craig in St Louis. Virginia
     
  5. treehuggergeorge

    treehuggergeorge New Member

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    hi rae and rain...
    i am a huge fan of the hydroedges... i had them on my 00 corolla... i was speachless... how are they on the prius? any mpg hits so far?
     
  6. doktorboogie

    doktorboogie New Member

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    I bought a new complete set of BridgeStone Potenza G009 from FireStone and got a super great deal on them. I ended up paying $340 for 4 tires, installed, with the road hazard package.

    At first I got significantly less MPG, 32mpg compared to 42mpg that I was getting on the original GoodYear Integrity's. I contacted FireStone and they were willing to put on new Integrities for free if i wasn't happy, but I continued to wait. Then as time passed (about 3 weeks) the mpg slowly started to increase to 39mpg on average. My driving style and route didn't change, I think my car was "getting used" to the tires. I have no way to explain this.

    Then I went to the dealership and had them run the codes to see what was wrong, if anything. They said everything was ok, and when I left the shop I started getting 44mpg. I think something they did at the dealership reset the computer.

    Otherwise, I've been driving on these tires for about a month and I love them. They handle great in the rain and in regular conditions. I even have less issues with the "traction control" than i used to before. I am just waiting for the heat of AZ to start up so I can see how good/bad they are in our scorching summers.
     
  7. Rangerdavid

    Rangerdavid Senior Member

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    what ever tire you purchase, be SURE to purchase only the OEM size.. anything larger, wider, etc., will only decrease your mileage. I purchased hydroedges in a 210 size instead of the 185. Much wider tire, and I have to pump them up to 48-46 to even come close to mileage that the OEM goodyears were producing. They are really good tires though.:eek:
     
  8. dagrunner46

    dagrunner46 New Member

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    I have really liked my Hankook 16" snowtires. I bought an extra set plus a set of wheels and they have been wonderful.
     
  9. captnpops

    captnpops Junior Member

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    The hyroedge is a great all-around tire for any area where there is a chance of water and snow.. I also have the ice-x's for dead of winter as they are an exceptional snow tire and rated the highest on ice of any studless snow tire; anyone that drives freeway speeds will find a significant different in a good tire vs the oem's
     
  10. Doc Willie

    Doc Willie Shuttlecraft Commander

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    Tires do "break in." The rubber hardens with time, the sharp edges of the tread wear off, chemicals that are used to preserve the tire in storage out-gas, the ply belts flex, the layers move against each other, etc. Just observe how quickly the sidewalls, if left untreated, lose their "new" appearance. Probably that is about the time that mileage increases.
     
  11. timg

    timg Junior Member

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    Would the Michelin Hydroedge still be the tire of choice for warm weather driving? I have Michelin X-Ice tires on steel wheels for winter and need to buy some new non-winter tires pretty soon when I switch back to the stock rims. I'm looking to stay with the OEM size and I'd looking for as little impact on MPG with the new tires as possible.
     
  12. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

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    Well, yes, your 210s are a few steps removed from the ideal mileage set up, but there are other considerations. 195 is standard in Europe, as opposed to the 185 in North America, and can give better handling and stability without too much of a mileage hit. One of the best tires, according to the TireRack survey, is the Goodyear TripleTread, but it's not available in a 185. 195 TTs would be my choice.
     
  13. M. Oiseau

    M. Oiseau 6sigma this

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    Just put on Michelin X-Radials and am very happy. Picked them over the Hydroedge because they have better low rolling resistance ratings.

    So far they're quieter, give a more stable ride, track better, and (according to the MFD) mileage is unchanged at low 50's for mixed driving. I'll reserve judgement on the mileage until I go through a few tanks and do my own calculatin'.

    I'll be driving up to Springfield, MO for a soccer tourney this weekend which will give me some highway miles to report on.
     
  14. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    Yesterday, I replaced my old HydroEdges with new HydroEdges.

    Even with the original softer treadwear rating of 760, instead of the current 800, they still would have easily made it to 80,000 miles just fine. The official distance I traveled with them was 77,558 miles.

    But with March sometimes being the snowiest month of the year and the reality that this new set will outlast my ownership of this Prius (looking forward to the upcoming new model), it made sense to go for it. So I did! The total came to $531.01, including tax & fees.

    And wouldn't you know it, we got snow right afterward. Wow! Brand new tread makes quite a difference. The drive this morning immediately brought back memories of how impressed I was with the tires first time around. I'm glad I decided to get them again.

    .
     
  15. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    That's an odd question.

    Back when I got my first set, the opposite was being asked. Everyone knew how great they performed in warm weather, but there was almost nothing known about what they were like in winter.

    Needless to say, the $531.01 that I just spent clearly indicates how much I like them all year long.

    .
     
  16. hilary1691

    hilary1691 hilary

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    Looking for feedback what tires to buy for fuel economy and safety.

    Our 2005 Prius Goodyear Integrity (made in japan) Low Rolling Resistance (LRR) factory tires are getting bald at 30,000 miles.

    Lithia Motors Toyota dealer recommends Yokohama 80K tire, run at 44psi pressure. Service manager knows nothing about fuel economy, except "no complaints to date".

    My Schwab dealer recommends Toyo Eclipse 70K tire, knows nothing about fuel economy ("try em for a week").

    My son replaced his first factory set with Goodyear Integrity after trying tire dealer recommended and seeing a drop in gas mileage (before he learned about LRR). He recommends Goodyear Integrity for best fuel economy.

    Looking for feedback what tires to buy. Best All Weather tire for mostly local, occasional long distance (we live in Southern Oregon). We drive economy in town and fast cruising, not aggressive. Ave 42-4 mpg in town 46-50 mpg highway.

    We'd appreciate feedback on what tires to buy for fuel economy and safety.

    Thanks

    Hilary
     
  17. fgoodyear

    fgoodyear New Member

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    I had the Michelin MXV4 Energy tires as OEM tires on my 2002 Hyundai XG350L. They were worn completely out before 30000 mi. I called Michelin. They said that 25-30 K is as good as you should get. Replacement was $140 a tire. Needless to say I would never buy them again. I'm used to the old Michelin X and the MXL. I got 60 to 70 K out of either. AND they didn't cost 140 a tire. I have gotten better wear and handling out of BF Goodrich Touring T/A's on the same car for $79 a tire. So, needless to say I would never recommend Michelin MXV4 Energy tires.
     
  18. cyberprius

    cyberprius Mtn Bikes don't need foglights

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    Hilary, I am an Oregon native -- GASP -- although I left to attend college in Arcata, Calif. -- double GASP -- before returning to marry an Oregon native who had never left -- I HAVE REDEEMED MYSELF!!

    Les Schwab is nowhere the tire dealer they used to be, my dear dad tells me, but he says they still sell good Toyo tires. Unfortunately, the nearst Les dealer to me now is some two hours away, so I use our local "unofficial whatever falls off the back of the truck" dealer. The tires are cheap and I can listen to him sing the Grateful Dead while he works on the car.

    Anyway, I would suspect if the local Les dealer says the Toyos would be a good choice, they probably would be. For the 20-some years I lived in Corvallis, our family used Toyo tires pretty much exclusively, except for the tires that came on a new car. We never had a problem with the tires, although the last few years I was there we had several problems with service.
     
  19. resoh02

    resoh02 Member

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    :blah::blah::mad:
    This isn't a political site its for Prius, do it somewhere else
     
  20. resoh02

    resoh02 Member

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    :mad::mad: This is not a political site, beat the drum somewhere else