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new 2004 owner (noobie), can someone school me on tires?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by srossnz, May 8, 2010.

  1. srossnz

    srossnz Junior Member

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    Hi guys, have seen a few tire threads but as you know with forums everyone wants an answer to their specific questions so here goes. I picked up a minty 2004 yesterday, so far LOVE it! The tires are a bit worn and since I saved so much $ opting for a 2004 I have some cash left over and would like to get a nice set of tires. The current tires are Firestone firehawks 195 60 R15 88H. NZ roads are not the greatest in my area and we are heading into a wet season.. So I would be interested in wet handling, comfort but at the same time the reason I got the Prius was to save on fuel costs so do not want to get a tyre that will destroy my MPG. Just trying to find the right balance. Also, I see people going with 195/65/15 how does that affect mpg? Lastly PRESSURE, my current tires are 32psi and I see some folks running 42/40? I assume this gives improved mpg but likely poor traction as a trade off? Thanks!
     
    #1 srossnz, May 8, 2010
  2. socratesthecabdriver

    socratesthecabdriver Member

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    atletiko bilbao just scored one on real madrid hahahaaaa and they are playing one man les hahahaaaaaaaaaa


    doesent running the car over inflated put strain on other parts of the car wearing them out sooner?
     
    #2 socratesthecabdriver, May 8, 2010
  3. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

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    In my experience inflating to max sidewall pressure improved handling especially on wet pavement. Soft tires are making contact only on the edges.
     
    #3 JimN, May 8, 2010
  4. Hopopotamus

    Hopopotamus Junior Member

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    I have Michelin HydroEdge on my 2005 and they are really good on snow & wet roads. Milage is about 51-54 mpg per tank and u get 100000 mile warranty. Mine r set at 42 psi so there is little road noise but I don't really care about that. There is Green X option for this tire but they are more money and less warranty.
     
    #4 Hopopotamus, May 8, 2010
  5. Rae Vynn

    Rae Vynn Artist In Residence

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    I have Michelin Hydroedges, too, on our 2007. We've had them a couple of years now, and have been very happy with how they handle "wet" roads.

    I should mention, where we drive/live, torrential rainstorms are the norm...
     
    #5 Rae Vynn, May 8, 2010
  6. srossnz

    srossnz Junior Member

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    Thanks for the info :)
     
    #6 srossnz, May 8, 2010
  7. The Critic

    The Critic Resident Critic

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    Michelin Primacy MXV4 is a always a solid choice.

    Inflate the tires to 38/36 at a minimum, and have a proper 4-wheel alignment performed.
     
    #7 The Critic, May 9, 2010
  8. spitinuri

    spitinuri Member

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    I purchased Goodyear Fuelmax for my Prius a couple of months ago. I am averaging 47 mpg at highway speeds (70mph). I also have them inflated to 52/50 psi front to rear. Road noise is down and handling is greatly improved.
     
    #8 spitinuri, May 9, 2010
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