Are the differences between tires/brands really that big?

[purbeast0]

I'll be the first to admit I'm far from a gear head and don't really know much about cars. Last Friday I got a flat tire on the way home from work and since my tires are worn, I'm looking to just get a new set of 4. I've had my current tires at least 50k miles.

I have an Infiniti 2008 G37S. Other than the stock tires that came on it when I got it in 2012, which were summer tires, I have only had 1 set of tires, the ones that are on there now. They are all season tires. I went with these ones:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=General&tireModel=G-MAX+AS-03&frontTire=245WR9GMAS03&rearTire=44WR9GMAS03XL&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&autoMake=Infiniti&autoYear=2008&autoModel=G37&autoModClar=Sport Model

For a set of 4 it's $650.

Now I also see some Yokohama tires that are $640 for a set of 4. And then there are BF Goodrich tires and a set is about $690. Then there are Michellin which are $887 for the set.

As for reviews they all have decent reviews, with 4 stars for the cheaper 2, and then the last 2 have like 4.5 stars. But it's hard to just know from reviews, since it varies by car, how many there are, etc.

So I guess what I'm asking, is paying $200 more for the Michelin going to make a noticeable difference, and in general, do people think it's worth it to spend more for better tires? Or should I just go with the ones I've had before or try another type of tire?

The tires I have now have been okay to me. They definitely weren't as low profile as the tires that came with the car, but then again, they are all season and not summer tires (if that makes a difference in profile, I don't know, just an observation I made).

I'm not sure if this link works for you all, but this is the link to the 4 types of all season tires they have which fit my car.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSearchResults.jsp?cameFrom=SelectTireSizeRedirect&tireIndex=0&autoMake=Infiniti&autoYear=2008&autoModel=G37&autoModClar=Sport+Model&frontWidth=225/&frontRatio=45&frontDiameter=19&frontSortCode=57259&rearWidth=245/&rearRatio=40&rearDiameter=19&rearSortCode=57375&skipOver=true&minSpeedRating=V&minLoadRating=S

 

[dave_the_nerd]

I'll be the first to admit I'm far from a gear head and don't really know much about cars. Last Friday I got a flat tire on the way home from work and since my tires are worn, I'm looking to just get a new set of 4. I've had my current tires at least 50k miles.

I have an Infiniti 2008 G37S. Other than the stock tires that came on it when I got it in 2012, which were summer tires, I have only had 1 set of tires, the ones that are on there now. They are all season tires. I went with these ones:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=General&tireModel=G-MAX+AS-03&frontTire=245WR9GMAS03&rearTire=44WR9GMAS03XL&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&autoMake=Infiniti&autoYear=2008&autoModel=G37&autoModClar=Sport Model

For a set of 4 it's $650.

Now I also see some Yokohama tires that are $640 for a set of 4. And then there are BF Goodrich tires and a set is about $690. Then there are Michellin which are $887 for the set.

As for reviews they all have decent reviews, with 4 stars for the cheaper 2, and then the last 2 have like 4.5 stars. But it's hard to just know from reviews, since it varies by car, how many there are, etc.

So I guess what I'm asking, is paying $200 more for the Michelin going to make a noticeable difference, and in general, do people think it's worth it to spend more for better tires? Or should I just go with the ones I've had before or try another type of tire

Well... Michelin is the only tire brand that I've ever heard people go, "I'm never buying another tire that isn't a [tire brand]." So that's an anecdote, but it might be meaningful?

That said, a lot of companies make good tires. Brand is one thing, but so is the model (each manufacturer probably has a couple tire designs worth looking at.) Most auto magazine type publications do occasional tire roundups, where they write 5,000 words about which tire is better for what.

But it's not so much that [brand X] sucks and [brand Z] rules. It's usually more a matter of balancing tradeoffs. Harder rubber gives longer tread life and sometimes better mileage, but negatively effects handling, winter traction, noise. More aggressive tread patterns give better handling in inclement weather but increase noise, and might even have worse dry traction. And so on and so forth. So you want to decide what's most important to you and buy the brand/model that fits your needs closest.

I would probably ask the dealership for an all-season* recommendation, then maybe ask around at the indie mechanic I go to, and probably a Discount Tire or something. But it depends who you trust. (Do you trust us randos on the Internet? Should you?)

* I don't know where you live, but in Minnesota, selling a new car with "summer" tires is downright irresponsible, unless it's explicitly not a daily driver** type car.

** I always headscratch a little when I see a Porsche or, one time, an MG, in the Costco parking lot. I mean, what could you be shopping for, when most of the stuff they sell won't fit in the car?

The tires I have now have been okay to me. They definitely weren't as low profile as the tires that came with the car, but then again, they are all season and not summer tires (if that makes a difference in profile, I don't know, just an observation I made).

I'm not sure what you mean here. Low profile is determined by sidewall height. If you put tires on the car that were the same size (e.g., 245/40R19) as the car came with, the profile has the same lowness.

The second number (40) refers to the sidewall height - the smaller the number, the lower the profile. Low profile tires tend flex less, and so handle better and are associated with "sporty" handling.

 

[nakedfrog]

Yes.
The question is, what are your driving habits? If you basically just drive like a normal person, any of the tires you have listed are probably fine for you.

 

[herm0016]

Well... Michelin is the only tire brand that I've ever heard people go, "I'm never buying another tire that isn't a [tire brand]." So that's an anecdote, but it might be meaningful?

same here.

If the tires on your car are the stock size, they will be the same profile. The tread may creep down the sidewall a littler further and make them look larger though.

look for reviews. I really like the nokian entyre 2.0 that we just put on the volt, I also like the cooper all terrains on my truck, but I value smoothness and low noise for the car, so no coopers. I like Michelin as well, but they are too gd expensive when you can get something 99% as good for nearly half the price in the case of all terrains for my truck.

 

[purbeast0]

Thanks for the comments.

As for the sidewall comment, I'm not even sure what tires were on the car when I bought them, other than they were summer tires. They could have been different sizes though I'm not even sure. It definitely appeared to be lower profile though. Maybe it was in my head lol.

 

[purbeast0]

Yes.
The question is, what are your driving habits? If you basically just drive like a normal person, any of the tires you have listed are probably fine for you.

I typically am driving fast and passing people in the left lane. I'll usually be going 80 on I95 which is 65 speed limit. But a lot of people are going that speed, I'm not the only one going that fast. It's the flow of traffic.

I'd say I drive pretty aggressive though as far as I enjoy taking turns kinda quickly since my car can handle it. I like to accelerate pretty quick from a stop too, just because it's fun with manual lol.

But I'm not too sure what exactly you mean by "driving habit" to be honest, if it's more than I explained up above.

 

[NutBucket]

Driving habits refers more to cornering, wet road and stopping performance. That's what the extra money really buys you. High speed stability is included too but below 80 you're not likely to notice a huge difference.

Generally speaking, any "brand name" tire will perform well for the average driver. I absolutely would not recommend buying Chinese (or low-end Korean) tires. Tires are the most important safety device on your vehicle....make more important than brakes.

 

[Torn Mind]

Made in China tires ought to be avoided.

Such as these listed in the following link:
http://www.carsdirect.com/car-repair/4-tire-companies-to-avoid

Among manufactures with quality, it is more about specific models rather than the entire brand itself.

 

[deathBOB]

Tire rack has a bunch of reviews. Better tires definitely make a big difference. Don't cheap out, a $200 difference is nothing when your going to have them for tens of thousands of miles.

 

[Bardock]

^this, tire rack is the shit. I buy them there and have them installed locally and none of the local people can beat tire rack on price, shipped. I used to use bridgestone until I had two flatspots on two separate occasions, once in an exited ramp during a spirited exit. Have rolled on Khumo ever since. They aren't as good in the rain as the bridgestones but they last longer. The reviews on tire rack as spot on, I base my purchasing on them. FWIW I get all seasons. I used to roll on summer tires but got tired of paying huge money for low miles. And the summer tires were scary in snow

 

[purbeast0]

Yeah I had summer tires in snow with rear wheel. Not fun.

Gonna just pony up and get Michelin. Talked with my neighbor too who owns a shop and he also said its worth it. He's gonna install them for me too.

 

[nakedfrog]

I typically am driving fast and passing people in the left lane. I'll usually be going 80 on I95 which is 65 speed limit. But a lot of people are going that speed, I'm not the only one going that fast. It's the flow of traffic.

I'd say I drive pretty aggressive though as far as I enjoy taking turns kinda quickly since my car can handle it. I like to accelerate pretty quick from a stop too, just because it's fun with manual lol.

But I'm not too sure what exactly you mean by "driving habit" to be honest, if it's more than I explained up above.

If you haven't noticed any specific issues (losing traction/control during a turn, wheel spin when accelerating from a stop, etc) I wouldn't worry about dropping another $200 on the Michelins. Honestly, at that price point I'm not sure if they're actually better than the General/Yokohama/et al, or if they're just getting a brand-name premium.

 

[nakedfrog]

Yeah I had summer tires in snow with rear wheel. Not fun.

Gonna just pony up and get Michelin. Talked with my neighbor too who owns a shop and he also said its worth it. He's gonna install them for me too.

Well, you'll have to report back in a while and let us know if you end up thinking it was worth it

 

[tweakmonkey]

You get what you pay for. You might save money by putting a longer lasting / cheaper / less sporty / offbrand etc. and if you drive like a grandma you might never notice. But everything from braking performance, stability, low speed traction and similar weather traction is effected. Just make sure you get something comparable.

 

[exar333]

You get what you pay for. You might save money by putting a longer lasting / cheaper / less sporty / offbrand etc. and if you drive like a grandma you might never notice. But everything from braking performance, stability, low speed traction and similar weather traction is effected. Just make sure you get something comparable.

Tires are something no one should compromise with. When you put you, your family's lives, or someone's else in danger, only then do you think 'should I have skimped on cheap tires?' To be fair, its not just $$$, but your driving habits and environment. Living in the north, I cannot go back to anything all-season during the winter. Ever. I also want to know if I hit a patch of water, will these tires keep traction or hydroplane instantly and I crash?

Push comes to shove, I would buy a slightly cheaper car and get good (not crazy expensive or anything) tires over just affording a more expensive car with cheaper tires. It may make a huge difference and it is too late once you realize it was a mistake.

 

[Midwayman]

The one thing more expensive tire usually have is more consistent performance over their life. They usually have a dual or more compound tire that changes as it wears. New they might seem similar, but at half life the more expensive tires run a different compound to help compensate for tread loss.

I don't cheap out on tires, but I'm a fan of continental's design choices Their DSW is a great tire.

 

[KentState]

Never had a bad experience with Michelin. Only brand that I can say that about.

 

[agent00f]

I'll be the first to admit I'm far from a gear head and don't really know much about cars. Last Friday I got a flat tire on the way home from work and since my tires are worn, I'm looking to just get a new set of 4. I've had my current tires at least 50k miles.

I have an Infiniti 2008 G37S. Other than the stock tires that came on it when I got it in 2012, which were summer tires, I have only had 1 set of tires, the ones that are on there now. They are all season tires. I went with these ones:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=General&tireModel=G-MAX+AS-03&frontTire=245WR9GMAS03&rearTire=44WR9GMAS03XL&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&autoMake=Infiniti&autoYear=2008&autoModel=G37&autoModClar=Sport Model

For a set of 4 it's $650.

Now I also see some Yokohama tires that are $640 for a set of 4. And then there are BF Goodrich tires and a set is about $690. Then there are Michellin which are $887 for the set.

As for reviews they all have decent reviews, with 4 stars for the cheaper 2, and then the last 2 have like 4.5 stars. But it's hard to just know from reviews, since it varies by car, how many there are, etc.

So I guess what I'm asking, is paying $200 more for the Michelin going to make a noticeable difference, and in general, do people think it's worth it to spend more for better tires? Or should I just go with the ones I've had before or try another type of tire?

The tires I have now have been okay to me. They definitely weren't as low profile as the tires that came with the car, but then again, they are all season and not summer tires (if that makes a difference in profile, I don't know, just an observation I made).

I'm not sure if this link works for you all, but this is the link to the 4 types of all season tires they have which fit my car.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSearchResults.jsp?cameFrom=SelectTireSizeRedirect&tireIndex=0&autoMake=Infiniti&autoYear=2008&autoModel=G37&autoModClar=Sport+Model&frontWidth=225/&frontRatio=45&frontDiameter=19&frontSortCode=57259&rearWidth=245/&rearRatio=40&rearDiameter=19&rearSortCode=57375&skipOver=true&minSpeedRating=V&minLoadRating=S

Michelin passenger tires are consistently top tier, at least from personal experience & hearsay. Better tires tend to grip bit better, turn-in slightly sharper, last somewhat longer and so on. Whether that means much depends on how sensitive you are to driving minutia and just how hard you push. Most people don't stray near the edge of adhesion, but better grip might offer some additional insurance so to speak.

 

[purbeast0]

The price of the Michelin was like $945 shipped, vs the other ones would have ran around $750 shipped. So it's almost $200 but at that price and as others pointed out that these will last years and 10s of thousands of miles, the $200 extra for better tires really is a no brainer when looking at it that way.

These are the ones I ended up getting.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...ar=2008&autoModel=G37&autoModClar=Sport Model

 

[Meghan54]

I can only speak from my limited experience of buying tires over four decades, but once I bought a set of Michelin, the only tires I've found comparable was a set of Continentals. I was a skeptic until then, as was my wife.

I've driven tires from a lot of brands over the years and the worst two were a set of Uniroyals and a set of Kumhos. Both miserable with deplorable wet grip and ride, but the Uniroyals did last 98k miles, which was both nice and very frustrating, given that I'm a very frugal person and just couldn't get rid of a set of tires when there was lots of wear left on them. On the other hand, the Kumho set I put on one of my vehicles didn't even remain on the vehicle for 6 months before I ripped them off. They made the Uniroyals feel like Michelins.

As for Michelin, my wife was of much of the same mind as a lot of people...can't fathom how much different a set of Michelins are compared to almost anything else. I essentially overruled her objections to spending the money on a set and to her surprise, she actually noticed a big enough difference that she now hesitates to put anything else on our vehicles, Continental being the exception...we had a set of Contis on our Murano and they were quite good, good enough that neither of us minded having them at all.

But, the notion that you can buy 99% of a Michelin without spending 99% of the cost of Michelins is, frankly, misguided and typically made by those that have never owned a set of Michelins.

Michelins are that good. Smoother riding, quieter, outstanding resistance to hydroplaning (dry grip is the easy nut to crack for a decent tire manfacturer---well, except Kumho), easy to balance and keep balanced (for instance, the Michelins on my truck have been rebalanced once in 3 years, and that was really unnecessary, just did it to see, and it was free. The passenger side front tire actually has no weights on the wheel...it was balanced on installation.)

 

[NoCreativity]

I'm surprised at the love for Michelin.The pilots that came on my fusion were the worst tires I have ever had. They would hydroplane if it got too humid out. Maybe I need to give Michelin another try.

 

[WackyDan]

I'm surprised at the love for Michelin.The pilots that came on my fusion were the worst tires I have ever had. They would hydroplane if it got too humid out. Maybe I need to give Michelin another try.

The ones that GM, Ford, Etc put on their cars at the factory are not the same as the ones you can buy.... I'm convinced of it.

99 Dakota bought new : Good Year Wranglers lasted about 24k Miles
05 Malibu bought new: Bridgestones lasted not even 30k and were horrible in the rain even when new
12 F-150 bought new: Michelins are being replaced at 27k *** Disclaimer - Half that mileage is towing a heavy trailer... So they might have lasted longer.

Malibu swapped over to General Altimax tires and the second set lasted 50k miles and still had lots of tread before I replaced them with more General Tires due to age.

Dakota's best set I had on was a set of Michelins that lasted 40-50k. Set of Dunlops didn't do bad either.

About to put Cooper's on the F-150.

If you buy cheap tires, you get cheap tires... But I firmly believe the tires that come on a new vehicle are "different". I know... Doesn't make sense at all.

 

[Bardock]

There is such a thing as vulcanization of tires too. There are chemicals in the rubber that heat up and are released to make the tire stickier when it's hot. The longer a tire sits and the more heat cycles it goes through (heating up and cooling down), the more vulcanized it becomes. My mom has the Michiillen M+S and loves them. I stand by Khumo, they are made in Japan and they are cheap, hold up well. They are a bit noisy but so is my car's exhaust so I don't notice it. My brother runs Continentals and loves them, has had 2 or 3 sets.

 

[Torn Mind]

The ones that GM, Ford, Etc put on their cars at the factory are not the same as the ones you can buy.... I'm convinced of it.

99 Dakota bought new : Good Year Wranglers lasted about 24k Miles
05 Malibu bought new: Bridgestones lasted not even 30k and were horrible in the rain even when new
12 F-150 bought new: Michelins are being replaced at 27k *** Disclaimer - Half that mileage is towing a heavy trailer... So they might have lasted longer.

Malibu swapped over to General Altimax tires and the second set lasted 50k miles and still had lots of tread before I replaced them with more General Tires due to age.

Dakota's best set I had on was a set of Michelins that lasted 40-50k. Set of Dunlops didn't do bad either.

About to put Cooper's on the F-150.

If you buy cheap tires, you get cheap tires... But I firmly believe the tires that come on a new vehicle are "different". I know... Doesn't make sense at all.

Except that they stamp the same name as the one that can be bought from vendors. If they are using a different forumulation of rubber or steel belt arrangement, the costs of using two different compounds must be justified and so is stamping the same badge on the tires too.

Indeed, instead of speculation, do some real science and install the exact same name of tire (or closest comparable if discontinued) and try to feel the difference.

 

[herm0016]

But, the notion that you can buy 99% of a Michelin without spending 99% of the cost of Michelins is, frankly, misguided and typically made by those that have never owned a set of Michelins.

I tested about 10 different All Terrains on my F350 work truck over 6 years including Bridgestone, Michelin and BFG. I have a set of Coopers on my personal truck. I found the Bridgestone revo2 to be best for our work vehicles. We did the test because we were getting a lot of flats with the BFG KO. My truck loaded weighed 13k lbs and we drove about 40% off pavement. The Cooper AT3 rate better than the Michelin LTX and AT2 in several categories. If you have specific needs in a tire, there are manufactures that are as good or better than Michelin. Overall they are probably the best, but nobody is the best at everything.

wackydan: I really love the Coopers on my truck. Are you looking at the AT3? Here is a test Overland journal did including the Coopers. http://expeditionportal.com/where-the-rubber-meets-the-road/