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please help w/Tires

5649 Views 32 Replies 12 Participants Last post by  THEROK
Have a 2006 RRS SC with 79K miles. Bought new and take care of it like a baby. Have had no significant problems other than I am needing to buy my FOURTH set of tires!!! Got about 32K on the stock Contis. Got about 29K on the second set of Contis. Decided to to go with Michelin Diamaris for the third set and will not get much more than 20K miles. I rotate every 6000-7000 miles and don't do any off roading with the vehicle. Does anyone have any suggestions for a good street tire that doesn't end up costing an arm and a leg and gets better than 20K?? Any suggestions will be appreciated.
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20k might be a little low but I don't see anything wrong with getting 32k miles out of a 275 40 20 tire...
I was happy getting 32K but am looking for an alternative to the high priced Contis
I've been really happy with the Nitto NT 420S (285/50/20). At almost 20k on them now, with very little treadwear, plus they are much less expensive than the Pirellis.
gbrown3622 said:
Have a 2006 RRS SC with 79K miles. Bought new and take care of it like a baby. Have had no significant problems other than I am needing to buy my FOURTH set of tires!!! Got about 32K on the stock Contis. Got about 29K on the second set of Contis. Decided to to go with Michelin Diamaris for the third set and will not get much more than 20K miles. I rotate every 6000-7000 miles and don't do any off roading with the vehicle. Does anyone have any suggestions for a good street tire that doesn't end up costing an arm and a leg and gets better than 20K?? Any suggestions will be appreciated.
Where do you live, what type of climate, etc?
I've replaced the stock Continentals on my 06 RRS SC with Hankook RH06 Ventus ST and have been very satisfied. Here were some things that I considered when making my decision:

1) They have the same 106 load index.

2) The Hankooks have a treadwear/traction/temperature rating of 420 AA (vs 280 AA for the Conti's) Reviews also reflect the short life expectancy of the Continentals

3) They are rated M+S (mud and light snow), the Conti's are not. (I live in Miami, but am likely heading up to the Northeast for lawschool this fall.)

4) The Hankooks are far more quiet as far as roadnoise.

5) The Hankooks are available for about $120 a piece vs. ~$350 for the Continentals.

The Continentals do have a higher speed rating... 106Y vs only 106W for the Hankooks. So basically the Conti's are rated to 186 MPH while the Hankooks are only rated to 168 MPH... Aren't we limited to 140 MPH? Anyone trying to go any faster in a RR needs their head checked.

I've only put about 2,000 miles on the Hankooks, but from what I've read... seems like a good deal.
Hope this helps. :thumb:

-Alex
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Everyone has their oppinions on tires and here is mine.

Your tires are the only part of your car that touches the road/ground....You sure thats the area that you want to cut cost on?
I personally have always only stuck to the major brands... Michelin, Conti, Bridgestone, Pirelli, Dunlop... All of which make OEM tires for some high end cars... Porsche, Land Rover, Mercedes Benz, BMW...

When was the last time you saw one of those cars come with Nitto or Hankook tires? You spent $65k+ on a car how bad is 1k-1.5k per year or two really going to hurt your pocket book? I understand cutting cost with DIY projects and stuff like that but cutting costs on materials when it comes to Tires / Brakes... NO THANK YOU!
TriGem2k said:
Everyone has their oppinions on tires and here is mine.

Your tires are the only part of your car that touches the road/ground....You sure thats the area that you want to cut cost on?
I personally have always only stuck to the major brands... Michelin, Conti, Bridgestone, Pirelli, Dunlop... All of which make OEM tires for some high end cars... Porsche, Land Rover, Mercedes Benz, BMW...

When was the last time you saw one of those cars come with Nitto or Hankook tires? You spent $65k+ on a car how bad is 1k-1.5k per year or two really going to hurt your pocket book? I understand cutting cost with DIY projects and stuff like that but cutting costs on materials when it comes to Tires / Brakes... NO THANK YOU!
My rule of thumb for tires is don't buy American - they are overpriced due to high wage and union costs and are no better than the offerings from Yokohama, Toyo, Kumho, etc which are usually half the price. Remember, they all have to be DOT approved so as long as you get the correct load ratings and size, and aren't doing anything extreme, you will be fine with a $175 Yoko vs a $400 Michelin...made in America with pride my ass.
TriGem2k said:
Everyone has their oppinions on tires and here is mine.

Your tires are the only part of your car that touches the road/ground....You sure thats the area that you want to cut cost on?
I personally have always only stuck to the major brands... Michelin, Conti, Bridgestone, Pirelli, Dunlop... All of which make OEM tires for some high end cars... Porsche, Land Rover, Mercedes Benz, BMW...

When was the last time you saw one of those cars come with Nitto or Hankook tires? You spent $65k+ on a car how bad is 1k-1.5k per year or two really going to hurt your pocket book? I understand cutting cost with DIY projects and stuff like that but cutting costs on materials when it comes to Tires / Brakes... NO THANK YOU!
The only reason you don't see cars in America with Yoko's, Toyo's or Hankook is that those tire manufacturers just aren't big enough to compete with the major players, yet I find it ironic that they produce tires that are equally as capable. Also, Joe American wouldn't really like it if his new American Chevy Silverado came with Toyo Open Country's (a GREAT tire, better than BFG's) right??
TriGem2k said:
Everyone has their oppinions on tires and here is mine.

Your tires are the only part of your car that touches the road/ground....You sure thats the area that you want to cut cost on?
I personally have always only stuck to the major brands... Michelin, Conti, Bridgestone, Pirelli, Dunlop... All of which make OEM tires for some high end cars... Porsche, Land Rover, Mercedes Benz, BMW...

When was the last time you saw one of those cars come with Nitto or Hankook tires? You spent $65k+ on a car how bad is 1k-1.5k per year or two really going to hurt your pocket book? I understand cutting cost with DIY projects and stuff like that but cutting costs on materials when it comes to Tires / Brakes... NO THANK YOU!
The NHTSA tests all the tires sold in this country... They are all compared evenly, and the results and ratings are worth looking into.

I had Hankook Ventus tires on my M3 and they were the most solid tires I ever owned. Great handling, good treadwear life... These seem to be living up to standards as well. :thumb:
I am in the same boat, looking to replace the stock Conti's for a 2007 SC with the 20's.

Does anyone have any experience with Bridgestone's Dueler HP Sport?

I live in the Southwest and need a good highway/dry tire, no snow or rain here.

I have seen quite a few of the Dueler's on Caddie's and the BMW x5's and x6's but haven't seen them on any RR's around here yet.
Ukraine Range said:
TriGem2k said:
Everyone has their oppinions on tires and here is mine.

Your tires are the only part of your car that touches the road/ground....You sure thats the area that you want to cut cost on?
I personally have always only stuck to the major brands... Michelin, Conti, Bridgestone, Pirelli, Dunlop... All of which make OEM tires for some high end cars... Porsche, Land Rover, Mercedes Benz, BMW...

When was the last time you saw one of those cars come with Nitto or Hankook tires? You spent $65k+ on a car how bad is 1k-1.5k per year or two really going to hurt your pocket book? I understand cutting cost with DIY projects and stuff like that but cutting costs on materials when it comes to Tires / Brakes... NO THANK YOU!
The only reason you don't see cars in America with Yoko's, Toyo's or Hankook is that those tire manufacturers just aren't big enough to compete with the major players, yet I find it ironic that they produce tires that are equally as capable. Also, Joe American wouldn't really like it if his new American Chevy Silverado came with Toyo Open Country's (a GREAT tire, better than BFG's) right??
What your stating doesn't make sense to me... You say they can't be major players because they are smaller companies correct? Wouldn't that mean that they spend less cash per tire testing their tires? Do they really spend the cash in development? Do they run these tires hundreds of millions of miles in the most extreme situations? Do they take them to extreme cold climates and extreme hot climates and see what happens after running them for hundreds of miles? Major companies such as Michelin don't test one tire, the test EVERY size of that particular tire as well. Ever notice that sometimes there is a size missing in their line up? You're telling me that a smaller company suddenly came up with the resources to develop that tire size and then spent time testing it?

I can can sleep at night knowing that when my car was built (whether it be the porsche or rover) and it was sent to the ends of the earth for testing that it had a specific tire/brand tested with it. Porsches even has companies stamp the letter "N" plus a version number on tires and sizes they approve.

I'll pay the extra buck for the "major" brand.

I'm not knocking those who don't or those who have a different opinion, I just rather be safe than sorry.
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TriGem2k said:
What your stating doesn't make sense to me... You say they can't be major players because they are smaller companies correct? Wouldn't that mean that they spend less cash per tire testing their tires? Do they really spend the cash in development? Do they run these tires hundreds of millions of miles in the most extreme situations? Do they take them to extreme cold climates and extreme hot climates and see what happens after running them for hundreds of miles? Major companies such as Michelin don't test one tire, the test EVERY size of that particular tire as well. Ever notice that sometimes there is a size missing in their line up? You're telling me that a smaller company suddenly came up with the resources to develop that tire size and then spent time testing it?



I can can sleep at night knowing that when my car was built (whether it be the porsche or rover) and it was sent to the ends of the earth for testing that it had a specific tire/brand tested with it. Porsches even has companies stamp the letter "N" plus a version number on tires and sizes they approve.

I'll pay the extra buck for the "major" brand.

I'm not knocking those who don't or those who have a different opinion, I just rather be safe than sorry.
The tires are tested by the US federal government. The NHTSA and US DOT has to approve the tire before it can go on sale in the United States. They are the ones that provide the ratings for the tires. They test them all equally.
TriGem2k said:
Ukraine Range said:
TriGem2k said:
Everyone has their oppinions on tires and here is mine.

Your tires are the only part of your car that touches the road/ground....You sure thats the area that you want to cut cost on?
I personally have always only stuck to the major brands... Michelin, Conti, Bridgestone, Pirelli, Dunlop... All of which make OEM tires for some high end cars... Porsche, Land Rover, Mercedes Benz, BMW...

When was the last time you saw one of those cars come with Nitto or Hankook tires? You spent $65k+ on a car how bad is 1k-1.5k per year or two really going to hurt your pocket book? I understand cutting cost with DIY projects and stuff like that but cutting costs on materials when it comes to Tires / Brakes... NO THANK YOU!
The only reason you don't see cars in America with Yoko's, Toyo's or Hankook is that those tire manufacturers just aren't big enough to compete with the major players, yet I find it ironic that they produce tires that are equally as capable. Also, Joe American wouldn't really like it if his new American Chevy Silverado came with Toyo Open Country's (a GREAT tire, better than BFG's) right??
What your stating doesn't make sense to me... You say they can't be major players because they are smaller companies correct? Wouldn't that mean that they spend less cash per tire testing their tires? Do they really spend the cash in development? Do they run these tires hundreds of millions of miles in the most extreme situations? Do they take them to extreme cold climates and extreme hot climates and see what happens after running them for hundreds of miles? Major companies such as Michelin don't test one tire, the test EVERY size of that particular tire as well. Ever notice that sometimes there is a size missing in their line up? You're telling me that a smaller company suddenly came up with the resources to develop that tire size and then spent time testing it?

I can can sleep at night knowing that when my car was built (whether it be the porsche or rover) and it was sent to the ends of the earth for testing that it had a specific tire/brand tested with it. Porsches even has companies stamp the letter "N" plus a version number on tires and sizes they approve.

I'll pay the extra buck for the "major" brand.

I'm not knocking those who don't or those who have a different opinion, I just rather be safe than sorry.
Every tire company goes through federally mandated testing. Again, any tire sold in this country has to be DOT approved, so you aren't really risking anything by not spending $400 on a Sh1tYear or Michelin tire. Go talk to someone who owns a Jeep Cherokee SRT8 and how their Goodyear Runcraps are splitting at the seam of the sidewall and tread making for a very unsafe condition, and how Goodyear doesn't want to cover that. By purchasing American tires, you are supporting high wages and unions which ultimately you pay for so Joe the Rubber Guy can make $30/hr for unskilled labor - YOU are ultimately paying for this. If you truly want to support America - don't buy products from unionized companies!! The Americans innovate, but the Japanese do it better and cheaper.

Further, you're putting your faith in a name brand only, and not really seeing the big picture. There is a lot of value to be had in lower priced tires, because they don't have all these expenses built into them (again, primarily wages due to shitty unions in America). However, these American companies position that by saying 'made in America' means it's better. I myself will be going with Toyo ST II's when I install my summer wheel/tire package in a month or so. I ran Toyo T1R's on my Cobra, and my wife runs Kumho's Ecsta STX on her Lexus GX470. I would never sacrifice anything for price IF IT WERE WARRANTED but in the case of tires, you just don't need to spend a lot to get a good tire. Doing your research will lead you to these same conclusions.
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Thanks for all of the input everyone. I think that I am going to look hard at the Hankook and Toyo. by the way I live in the southeast and snow and ice are just not a factor
DOT only states a minimum requirement. They also regulate motorcycle helmets. So a $100 DOT approved helmet is no better than a $400 helmet that exceeds the requirements?

To each their own I guess. No worries, I was only stating my opinion. Oh and my tires are made in Germany :mrgreen:
Ukraine Range said:
and my wife runs Kumho's Ecsta STX on her Lexus GX470
I dunno Kumho Ecsta may sound good in Korean, but in engrish I gotta say it sounds a bit :think: ...especially for a woman
TriGem2k said:
DOT only states a minimum requirement. They also regulate motorcycle helmets. So a $100 DOT approved helmet is no better than a $400 helmet that exceeds the requirements?

To each their own I guess. No worries, I was only stating my opinion. Oh and my tires are made in Germany :mrgreen:
It may or may not be. If the two helmets are identical but one is produced overseas and one in the US or Germany (where standards of living are higher), then I wouldn't expect much difference. You're just getting Joe or Hans Lunchmeat's union salary and 'crafsmanship' built into the price. Seeking out value when and where it is available is the key to solid investing and sound decision making. It also helps build and maintain wealth in the grand scheme of things.
Ukraine Range said:
TriGem2k said:
DOT only states a minimum requirement. They also regulate motorcycle helmets. So a $100 DOT approved helmet is no better than a $400 helmet that exceeds the requirements?

To each their own I guess. No worries, I was only stating my opinion. Oh and my tires are made in Germany :mrgreen:
It may or may not be. If the two helmets are identical but one is produced overseas and one in the US or Germany (where standards of living are higher), then I wouldn't expect much difference. You're just getting Joe or Hans Lunchmeat's union salary and 'crafsmanship' built into the price. Seeking out value when and where it is available is the key to solid investing and sound decision making. It also helps build and maintain wealth in the grand scheme of things.
Are we discussing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marginal_utility on rrnet?

This is all too cerebral for me.

What happened to Kumho jokes? Like "hey, what's the load rating on those Kumho's?"
gooseyloosey said:
Ukraine Range said:
TriGem2k said:
DOT only states a minimum requirement. They also regulate motorcycle helmets. So a $100 DOT approved helmet is no better than a $400 helmet that exceeds the requirements?

To each their own I guess. No worries, I was only stating my opinion. Oh and my tires are made in Germany :mrgreen:
It may or may not be. If the two helmets are identical but one is produced overseas and one in the US or Germany (where standards of living are higher), then I wouldn't expect much difference. You're just getting Joe or Hans Lunchmeat's union salary and 'crafsmanship' built into the price. Seeking out value when and where it is available is the key to solid investing and sound decision making. It also helps build and maintain wealth in the grand scheme of things.
Are we discussing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marginal_utility on rrnet?

This is all too cerebral for me.

What happened to Kumho jokes? Like "hey, what's the load rating on those Kumho's?"
Yeah it has spun slightly in that direction but I was an Economics major so...load rating is 5 oz btw.
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