Help--Need Advice for Car Tires

[Banana]

My Olds is about due for new tires and I've been checking out TireRack.com. Will prolly end up with a Dunlop. Please help with following:
1) Three of my tires have 40K miles on them. One has about 15K (No thanks to a well-placed 3-inch nail :|). Should I change all four? If I keep the newer tire, do I have to replace the other three with identical ones (GY Eagles)?

2) Any recommended tires besides the Dunlop above? 225/60-16 is the size, and I live in rainy Florida (no snow )

Thanks for input!

1YP

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: 1YellowPeril
My Olds is about due for new tires and I've been checking out TireRack.com. Will prolly end up with a Dunlop. Please help with following:
1) Three of my tires have 40K miles on them. One has about 15K (No thanks to a well-placed 3-inch nail :|). Should I change all four? If I keep the newer tire, do I have to replace the other three with identical ones (GY Eagles)?

2) Any recommended tires besides the Dunlop above? 225/60-16 is the size, and I live in rainy Florida (no snow )

Thanks for input!

1YP

Yes, you should change all 4. If you're gonna be cheap, throw the newer on the back (non-drive wheel). Make sure that the two up front are matched mileage/wear wise.

 

[Sluggo]

Any experiences I have had with Dunlop tires is positive, pretty good tires for the money.

Do all four tires, and save the other as a full size spare (get a GM rim for the salvage yard), or sell it in the local rag for a couple of bucks.

 

[T2T III]

Yes, replace all 4. I thought about going the TireRack.Com option, but realized that I would forfeit the road hazard warranty that is offered (free replacement, free flat repairs, etc.) Instead, I decided on 4 Good Year Viva 2 tires from Wal-Mart. The tires I needed (P205/65R15) ran $47.## each + $9.76 for mounting and balancing. These tires are not touring tires, but are all season tires with a 60,000 mile treadwear warranty. Wal-Mart also has the Viva tires which are touring tires for $68.00 (in the size I listed) for $68.##. Your tire size is a bit bigger, so expect to pay a bit more.

I was driving around tonight in the rain and the Viva 2 tires were gripping the road pretty good. Much better than the General GS4 tires that I replaced.

 

[3L33T32003]

Call Tire Rack and ask them what would be good for your car. They know their crap and do not want to rape you with overpriced tires. I have been using them for years and always call to get the best deals.

 

[T2T III]

Originally posted by: 3L33T32003
Call Tire Rack and ask them what would be good for your car. They know their crap and do not want to rape you with overpriced tires. I have been using them for years and always call to get the best deals.

With regards to getting your tires installed from Tirerack.com, where you have had the most success? What rates do you usually pay for mounting and balancing?

 

[NTB]

Change all 4 and keep the 15k tire as a spare - assuming you have a full-size spare and not a donut. Even if you do, go to a junkyard or something and pick up a cheapo rim that will fit the car; it's only temporary after all.

Nate

 

[Banana]

Thanks for the responses. Guess I'll do the 4 tire replacement. I have a donut spare, so I'll keep the newer tire in the garage in case I run over another nail . . .

More input from the lunchtime crowd?

 

[LittleWolf]

Originally posted by: 1YellowPeril
My Olds is about due for new tires and I've been checking out TireRack.com. Will prolly end up with a Dunlop. Please help with following:
1) Three of my tires have 40K miles on them. One has about 15K (No thanks to a well-placed 3-inch nail :|). Should I change all four? If I keep the newer tire, do I have to replace the other three with identical ones (GY Eagles)?

2) Any recommended tires besides the Dunlop above? 225/60-16 is the size, and I live in rainy Florida (no snow )

Thanks for input!

1YP

The Dunlop A2's is gonna be fine for you. Not to make fun of your Olds, but if you had a sportier car, I would have recommended some other tires. But for the Olds, the A2 will do great. I personally bought the A2s a while back. Great tires for the money. Just don't try anything suicidal in rain or snow.

 

[radioouman]

I have the Dunlop SP A2 on my Saturn. It's a pretty decent tire. It is excellent on dry pavement and on wet. It suffers a bit in the snow because of the wide rubber strip down the middle of the tire. It has soft sidewalls and absorbs bumps well. It is also fairly quiet while driving, but you hear it when you stop.

 

[Banana]

Originally posted by: LittleWolf
Not to make fun of your Olds, but if you had a sportier car, I would have recommended some other tires. But for the Olds, the A2 will do great. I personally bought the A2s a while back. Great tires for the money. Just don't try anything suicidal in rain or snow.

Excuse me?! My Olds has 195 good ol' GM pushrod V-6 HP! Granted, the dash may look like it got microwaved, but it is one badass car (mine doesn't have shiny wheels ).

1YP

 

[Quixfire]

Originally posted by: 1YellowPeril
Thanks for the responses. Guess I'll do the 4 tire replacement. I have a donut spare, so I'll keep the newer tire in the garage in case I run over another nail . . .

More input from the lunchtime crowd?

Good plan, I did this with my Escort GT and it came in handy when I got a wrench, yes I said wrench, imbedded in my tire.

 

[Banana]

Originally posted by: Quixfire
Good plan, I did this with my Escort GT and it came in handy when I got a wrench, yes I said wrench, imbedded in my tire.

A wrench??!! Too bad you don't have a pic.

Originally posted by: Tiles2Tech
With regards to getting your tires installed from Tirerack.com, where you have had the most success? What rates do you usually pay for mounting and balancing?

TireRack.com has a feature where you input a ZIP code and get a list of garages and estimated installation rates.

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

Definitely replace all 4. I know a lot of people are going with Kumho these days. The tires are dirt cheap and good performers. You might even try your local tire shop or one of the chains b/c many carry Kumho.

 

[ScoobMaster]

I put 4 of these Sport A2s on my 99 Stratus two months ago - been GREAT so far (I previously owned a set of Dunlop D60s that were great as well). I got them at Sears on sale - before you laugh - Sears was actually CHEAPER than Tirerack with that sale. Go figure?!!

 

[radioouman]

Originally posted by: ScoobMaster
I put 4 of these Sport A2s on my 99 Stratus two months ago - been GREAT so far (I previously owned a set of Dunlop D60s that were great as well). I got them at Sears on sale - before you laugh - Sears was actually CHEAPER than Tirerack with that sale. Go figure?!!

I take it that you don't drive through much snow... I think they are fantastic until I have to drive through more than a dusting of snow.