New tires - Costco options?

Like you, my front Integritys were shot at 30K. I picked up a couple of Michelin X Radials at Costco. Now at 46K, I'm ready to replace the last two Integritys. I've been happy with the Michelins. As I recall, they were about $100 each installed.

I've never had front tires go so quickly, or had such a different wear-life between front and rears. I wonder if the regenerative braking is a factor?

Karl

 

At Costco, we got the Michelin Hydroedges put on Rudy.
These are amazing tires, especially with the torrential rains and occasional snow/ice we get here.

 

I have about 25k on my HydroEdges and they are barely worn at all. The car has about 28k on it--I pulled the Integrities @ 3k.

 

I went for the Hydroedge at Costco [when they had the added $60 off], but I have to say, my mpg took a fairly large hit - going from the low 50's to mid 40's with no change in driving habits. However, the ride is much better, and handling feels MUCH 'safer', so I consider it a reasonable trade-off.

 

Yup, the mileage took a huge hit. 25k later, I still have lots of tread and the mileage is MUCH better...

 

I got the X-Radials, since they were more highly rated than the Hydroedges by Consumer Reports (and we don't have to worry about torrential rains in San Diego...). I've been very satisfied with them, and I didn't notice the huge mileage hit that most people had with the Hydroedges.

 

I got the hydroedges just before a winter x-country trip--NoCal to Montreal, via the Canadian Rockies. And we DO get torrential downpours up here in Sonoma County. They proved themselves in a sleet storm going over said Rockies when, with almost any other tire we researched for my particular needs, I'd have been hydroplaning off of a Rocky.

And http://www.tirerack.com/ rated 'em high for all weather and wear. The mileage hit was DEFINITELY worth it for my purposes.

It's all a matter of your particular needs, innit?

OP--where exactly in LoCal (nomenclature courtesy of MarinJohn--blame him for amusing me!) are you geographically? Rainy bit? Do you travel a lot out of your home zone?

 

Yeah, the general consensus seems to be that although the performance might not be quite up to the level of the Hydroedge in certain areas, the Costco/Sam's X-Radial (or Michelin Harmony, Sears Agility, or Discount Tire Destiny) also doesn't take as big a hit in fuel mileage, either, and is still a vast improvement over the OEM Integrities.

 

My New Balance tennies are a vast improvement over the OEM Integrities...

 

We just got the Michelin Hydroedge's for our '04. 'Haven't had a chance to check for MPG drop, but am wondering if any of you have upped the tire pressure over the #s recommended on the door jamb. I plan to try that, if the MPG turns out lower. I read that some folks are running replacement tires about 4 psi +, with some good results. Anyone tried this yet? That's well under the max psi stated on the tires' sidewalls. Our OEM integritys, even with rotation and religious attention to recommended pressure, wore on the outside edges, but had maybe 40% tread left in the center, with 34K. That's often a sign of underinflation. We get all our rain in winter in Sacramento, so didn't want to waterski through a season on those tires. The new Hydroedges ride better and quieter, but you'd expect that in a new tire with all its rubber hitting the road.

 

I run the Hydroedges at 42/40, or thereabouts (sometimes it's 41.5/39.5). Mileage has taken a bit of a hit, but how good of MPG can you be getting if you hydroplane off the road?

Oh, and the cold weather, and short trips, have more impact on my MPG than my tires do.

 

I have not driven in the hard rain (since we havn't really had any) with my Integritys overinflated but I can say that I'm not seeing any additional wear by having them inflated at 56/54.

I'm considering the Sumitomo HTR 200 as a replacement unless Michelin comes out with something better before then. Or maybe the Nokian. Grr I can't decide. lol

 

What she said. Exactly.

If you don't live in an area of extreme COLD precipitation (the occasional flurry or hailstorm's ok), but you do get lots of rain...I'll take the mpg hit over the hydroplaning in a heartbeat.

 

2 Prii: one got Pilot Exalto 195/60R15, one Michelin X

Our 2004 Prius got the Michelin X, an enormous improvement with no fuel economy hit. Very happy with handling & wear.

Chose 195/60R15 Michelin Pilot Exalto for the 2005 Prius. Fuel economy hit of 2-4 MPG overall, with the lower, wider tires, but better handling than the X's. Speedometer reads high (47 MPH indicated is 45 MPH actual.)

The X's have picked up nails as if magnetized; Costco's been great about patching.

Either is a good choice.

 

5 - 7 is quite large. So, are your shorter trips concurrent with the new tires? Shorter trips are very detrimental to MPG, so if those trips are new, they are definitely a contributing factor to your lower mpg.

 

Glad I found this thread. I was told by the dealer after my last minor maintenance that I would need new tires "soon." I will probably spring for the X-Radials as well, but I will wait for the next run of Costco Tire coupons.

What I found curious though is that this is my 40K maintenance and these tires are the ones that came with the car when I bought it new. Did I get freaky Integrities? I try to maintain 42/40.

 

I also bought the Michelin HydroEdge tires with the $60 off sale for 4 tires at Costco.

My old Integrities lasted 50K miles.

I am experiencing a slight mileage hit. From about 58mpg to 53mpg.

Air pressure is 42 front, 40 rear.

The handling has improved significantly with the HydroEdge relative to the Integrities on both wet and dry surfaces.

I'm at $56K miles and the treads are barely worn.

Dave

 

Hi Prius chatters.
I just heard from my Toyota service (in for the 20,000 check at 21,800) that my tires were very wormn on the outer edges, and will need new tires "soon". That seems crazy to me! I see that most seem to get ~30,000 out of the (lousy) original tires. I asked about checking the alignment, but they told me you shouldn't check alignment with worn tires (this also sounds ridiculous--you can only align a car with new tires?). I am also suffering from SEVERE winter drop-off in mileage (Avg 35 instead of 47 in warmer months) but I am in NY and the winter has NOT been severe. Toyota shrugs and says that everything is controlled by the computer and there is nothing they can do. So I have 2 questions, maybe 3. One I think I know the answer to: misalignment will cause a dropoff in mileage, I would assume, due to increased friction. Do others experience this severe a dropoff in MPG in the winter? In previous years I've had more like a 5mpg dropoff. Have others needed tires at 21,000? I try to maintain 40psi pressure (though, oddly, after I take it to toyota, it's always back down to around 35psi). ( Just talked to Toyota again, and they said that's what they generally see on the OEMs--20-25k. ) Tried to talk me into Michelins, but I will shop around for 'em.

I guess I am just ranting because they are not helping me with my mileage, my tires are shot at 21k, and my coolant pump is making weird noises but they say it is fine.

Any comments would be great. I generally love my Prius, but really kinda hate my dealer service. Also, recommendations for a good all-season tire with better-than-oem winter traction that doesn't take too much of a hit on mileage,I'd be appreciative!

John