Wondering whether to buy or not to buy a Hybrid Camry / Prius

I can attest to the above, I ran a bit above the "recommended" 35 front/33 rear on the OEM Integrities and still had the dreaded more wear on the outside.

Max sidewall pressure on the OEM Integrities is 44 psi, so I definitely wouldn't say holy crap either. When I recently got rid of my last Integrities, the guy at Wheel Works (who said he worked at a Goodyear dealer prior) claimed the reason for the uneven wear on the Integrities unless you run at higher pressures was due to too much sidewall flex on those tires. He said running at the higher pressures compensates for that.

 

The Prius handles like a tuna boat when the tires are inflated at less than 40psi! The sidewalls flex and roll horribly.

 

Completely agree!
And you might keep driving another 5 years, then your Prius will be almost free! That's what my plan is. I have a 04 Prius bought at 106K miles, now 146K. I already put $3000 of gas savings in pocket. I don't expect any major repairs before 250K. So I am driving hard to earn another $7000.

It is true that if you have a Prius, you will most likely put all your weekend mileage onto it. Your other car will sit in garage more often than before.

 

Vanya, ditto on 2009Prius' advice: pay a Toyota mechanic to completely inspect the car before you buy.

 

The Prius wasn't designed or built to be a handling car.
Even still, tuna boat overstates the case.

I did say "off the top of my head", I can't keep all the vehicles straight. That's why I look at the sticker when I check the tires on my cars and/or motorcycles.

44 is way too high IMHO, you are going to get worse tire wear, a rougher ride, less handling capability and most importantly less traction. You want to adjust tire pressures to suit yourself, great, but when you go more than about 10% from the recommended, either way, you are starting to affect things most of the driving public has no clue about.
The car simply isn't designed for that.

Yes, you may have a better tire that grips better at 50 than stock at 35 -- although that seems a bit extreme. But OK, that same tire would likely ride, grip better at 38 than at 50. You don't really need true high performance tires on the Prius anyway. I'll put a performance tire on the 911, not on the Prius.

You are putting wayyyyyy too much thought into the pressure of a tire on the Prius. It isn't a sporting car, no matter what rubber you put on the thing, that isn't isn't reason to exist. You start doing track days in it, and then it is is something different; but driving back and forth to work and the grocery store? It needn't be so complicated.

For cold weather pressure reduction, not shrinkage really, sort of, but not really. The general rule of thumb, on passenger cars, is for every 10 degrees in temp change your looking at 1 PSI -- roughly. So if your garage is 60 and it is 30 out, you lost about 3 PSI.

My tires wear very evenly thank you. All 3 sets on the Prius have worn amazingly evenly actually. But then they are rotated every 10-20,000 miles.

 

I have really experience, pictures, and threads that say you are wrong. I've played around with 5 sets of tires on my Prius and all were overinflated yet showed even tire wear, longevity, lower rolling resistance and better handling. If you think the Prius doesn't handle better with higher tire pressure then I doubt you even own a Prius or have tested the ideas which makes your opinion moot.

 

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It's a comprise between mpg and comfort. A lot of people think the ride is uncomfortable at anything over the manufactures specs.

Go do a search on this forum and cleanmpg.com on this matter and let us know what you come up with.

 

The above is for a 3rd gen. The OP was considering a 2nd gen. This post is in a 2nd gen forum. The above tire size isn't even the size that comes on 2nd gens. 2nd gen non-touring came w/Goodyear Integrities. NO 3rd gen comes with those tires. The conversation we've had between dhanson865, F8L, SpikeVFR and myself involves only the 2nd gen.

I had some argument before either on here or one of the Yahoo Prius groups about the "recommended" tire pressure on the 2nd gen's door sticker (35 front/33 rear) being too low. I disagreed (at the time) and people told me about the edges wearing out first that will result from following the above. I was wrong. As I said, I kept it slightly above and still had the edge wear on the stock Integrities.

I spoke to a service advisor recently when I had an oil change done and although he claimed they aren't allowed by CA law to inflate to pressures other than the door placard ones, unless told ahead of time. He admitted that 35 F/33 R is too low. IIRC, he felt 40/38 was about right.

 

This is an example of real world experience.

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...24-integritys-over-35k-miles-50-psi-pics.html

Back before I started trying to measure this kind of stuff I would have agreed with those that say tire wear will increase or be uneven.

 

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Congrats! Welcome to the club!

 

Sounds really good. Was it about 16k?

 

Oh yes, you found me out. You are so clever it is truely astounding. I don't even own a Prius, but enjoy going to bulletin boards of cars I don't own to discuss arcane pieces of opinions and facts of the car in question. Nothing better to do with my time, and I find it oh so exciting.

Wow, you have actual threads where you have written? Wow, well that is certainly concrete evidence, how could I possibly hope to counter such ireffutable proof? For as we all know, Google's Law states that "if it is written on the web, it must therefore be true"

It isn't just I who say (too) higher tire pressures can lead to adverse grip and thus degrade handling, increased center tire wear (thus shortening longevity, ability to disburse standing water as designed, etc), etc. It is tire manufactures, AAA, Consumer Reports, the major car magazines, etc.

As for rolling resistance, I never said it didn't decrease with tire pressure, if fact it absolutedly and unequivically does. That would be the pro side of the increased pressures. Like most things in life, there are pros and cons to increased pressures - above recommended levels at least. The pro is increased mileage due to decreased rolling resistance, the cons are harsher ride, reduced grip, center wear issues. The overwhelming consensous is that the increase in mileage is not worth the hit to ride and grip. Again, for a car driven in a safe and sane manner on the streets.

You could argue also a pro could be better steering feel and feedback due to less tire flex, could be interpeted as better handling; but you are also decreasing grip, so overall that isn't always true.

Just like those who think larger wheels and shorter sidewall tires always increase handling, that too has been proven false, but still people abide by it.

do what you want and for the reasons you want, but don't put out your ideas as factual for most people

 

LOL

I know it sucks to be wrong so then you have to slightly alter your own words to try and save face. It's ok. I have presented enough facts that support the idea that increased pressure can improve handling and promote even tire wear. Not one said that pressure and benefits remain a linear response so I'm not sure where you are getting that from but I've stated my opinion and backed it up with evidence. I'm not in the mood to argue with you any further.

 

what words did I "alter"
what facts have you offered? that you have posted your opinion? yeaup, you sure have. Doesn't make the opinion a fact, but yes, that you posted it is a fact.

I never said it was linear either...

pay attention to the "what happens part" and the "how do i determine" part

Tire Pressure - Cars.com

again pay attention to "tire pressure and gas mileage" that last part where popular mechanics, not me, but a well known and well respected publication, says "the savings in gas mileage was not worth the trade-off in the poor handling of the vehicle with too much air pressure in the tires."

Read more: High Tire Pressure Vs. Low Tire Pressure for Cars | eHow.com High Tire Pressure Vs. Low Tire Pressure for Cars | eHow.com


Tire Tech Information - Air Pressure - Correct, Underinflated and Overinflated


select the tab about pressure, see the point about too much air pressure and the part about how to choose the correct pressure
Tire Care Tips | Goodyear Tires

Michelin Frequently Asked Questions | Michelin Tires

Over-inflating tires is not a gas-saving move | Consumer News | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News | KOMO News

Debunking a Mileage Myth: Can You Really "Pump Up" Your Fuel Economy? - Popular Mechanics

Dunlop Tires | Care & Maintenance | Proper Inflation

Car Talk Service Advice: Tire Pressure

Car Talk | Summer Driving Tips | The Tires

Car Talk | Car Talk's Guide to Better Fuel Economy

Tips On Proper Tire Inflation - Car Care - Motor Trend

Drivers

Tires Last Longer With Proper Care

Edmunds Employees Put to the Tire Pressure Test - Edmunds.com

Over-inflated tires are a bad idea | Wheels.ca

but yeah, you are probly right, this is all just my opinion, on which I am clearly wrong. I have obviously paid off all these people and organizations to print untruths to back me up. It is all just a giant conspiracy against you, and only you....

 

OMG, the government is in on the conspiracy too!
Just look at the answer # 2!!!!
http://www.safercar.gov/Vehicle+Shoppers/Tires/Tires+Rating/General+Information+FAQ

 

You keep focusing on TOO MUCH pressure. What does too much mean? What are the numbers?

I've done it all and I've printed my experiences which are validated by thousands of other hyprmilers and racers. You simply post a bunch of links that do nothing to refute my experiences. Yes, going too high (some specific number based on the exact tire and vehicle in question) will eventually lead to the problems you claim will happen at any pressure above placard pressures.

Do yourself a favor and read more on these forums as well as the hypermiling forums and go experiment with different tire pressures yourself. Until you have experimented with multiple tires at different pressures I don't want to listen to any more of this drivel.