Car Tire Dealer

Initial Review, 300 Miles on Tires
November 30, 2012

I bought my 2008 CR-V as a certified preowned car from my Honda dealer in 2011. It was in mint condition, had every possible option, and only 23,000 miles on it. HOWEVER, it had those ---awful Bridgestone Duelers that my '97 CV-R came with when I bought it brand new. My mechanic, who checked it out before I bought it, noticed that it had two different models on the front and back. The front tires were pretty much brand new and the back at about half life. I couldn't wait to get them off my car! They handled ok, but were noisy and the ride was so-so, on the rough side. I noticed the car would make a wooo wooo sound when driving and had the dealer check it out, but found nothing wrong with the bearings, axle, brakes, etc, so figure it was the tires. The older tires were getting pretty bad, starting to crack, etc and I HAD TO get new ones. I looked for months at this tire and that tire, getting rave reviews on the one hand and horrible reviews on the other. Finally I found these with nothing other than pretty much great reviews. I realize they are a fairly new model and there aren't any reviews with more than just a few thousand miles on them, but I thought I'd give them a go anyway. I love them so far. Very quiet and very smooth riding, in particular on asphalt. I feel like I'm riding on a cloud. They handle very well and I was just able to drive on them in a nice rainstorm, even deliberately going through a big puddle and they were great! I got them just after our small snowstorm, therefore can't say how they'd handle snow. So admittedly, this is a "first impression" review, on only a couple of hundred miles of driving, but so far, so good. I'm anxious to see how I feel after many thousands of miles of driving on them, and feel pretty confident I'll still be a happy camper. Only time will tell.

Initial Review, 48,000 Miles on Tires
December 23, 2012

I was getting the Mini's annual check-up, oil change, etc., when the Mini dealer asked me if I'd like to go ahead and replace 4 tires. His exact words were, "It's time for your third set of tires." The car at the time had about 39k on it, and it was my first set - the garage manager was stunned. He didn't believe me asking again if I had every changed the tires - no. This is the first set and they have life left in them. I bought my own torque wrench and socket and rotate them myself about every 5k or so. Frankly it makes it easier to clean the wheels. Driving for us is average around town with about 4 or 5 1,500 mile highway trips tossed in. We don't drive agressively and don't do curvey roads more than usual. ONE NOTE: One of the tires has suffered three flats, all puncture wounds, all debris from road including one object that was literally 1/4" square. All three times I was able to have tired repaired with no issues. here's the kicker - all three punctures were within 5 inches of each other on the SAME tire over about 15 months' time. I wish my luck were that good on the lottery.

It's now time to buy again and my wife said, "Why wouldn't you buy these tires?" I guess that settles it. I'm very pleased.

Initial Review, 1,000 Miles on Tires
December 22, 2012

I ordered these tires on 12/12 and the were delivered to the local Goodyear dealer on 12/14, as promised (they have an excellent relationship with Tirerack). I had to have all weather tires since this is my daily driver and living in the South we get quick, short notice rain showers, especially in the warm months (10/12 months). This car weighs 2500 lbs...there in NOTHING that will keep it from hydroplaning; you just have to slow down. I looked for weeks at LOTSA tires and tire reviews. On paper, the Yokohamas were the best, by far. Well, they are better than expected. When these wear out I will buy another set! Graet tires, great service, great price ($600;
ordered/installed/lifetime B/R).

Initial Review, 4,000 Miles on Tires
February 10, 2011

These came on my certified pre-owned Audi A4. The dealer installed them prior to delivery. Maybe it's the Quattro system on my car, but I had zero trouble driving on inch-thick ice and snow at moderate highway speeds (50 mph). I was very surprised at this, as these tires do not make obvious claims about being good in snow/ice by the way the tread pattern was designed. They were a little noisy when brand-new, but they seem to have gotten quieter and smoother after initial break-in. I think a set of Continental ExtremeContact DWS will be in order next time around. I had those on my old BMW and they were AMAZING, but I would not be opposed to having these Hankooks again. I already have a giant screw in one, so it's likely ruined. I recommend road hazard tire coverage if you live in Atlanta, lots of rubbish in the roads here.

Initial Review, 25 Miles on Tires
October 31, 2012

Less than 50 miles, too soon to provide any meaningful rating so will update as we accumulate mileage. But this is to provide a history, and no better place to start than at beginning.

About 12k mi/year, combined DC Metro beltway & city. My wife & toddler's car.

Day after hurricane Sandy...less than thrilled with wet traction on the OEM Bridgestone Duelers and replaced at 32K. Planned on getting new rubber anyway before winter arrives.

Came to tirerack.com first and reviewed and filtered and sorted everything out. Tire dealer didn't have my first choice (Goodyear Tripletreds) in stock so, like an impatient customer, went with second choice: Dunlop Signature CS. We immediately feel huge improvement in wet grip during constant rain. It's like night and day, however it is compared to poor factory OEMs. But already feel more confident.

Will update at meaningful intervals. Thank you.

Initial Review, 500 Miles on Tires
December 03, 2012

Stock tires on 2010-13 Subaru Legacy with 17" alloy wheels are the Turanza EL400-02. They were reasonably acceptable on my 2010 Limited model, however, for 2013, the Legacy's suspension was tightened up to decrease body roll by 40%, resulting in an ultra-stiff & harsh ride except on only the smoothest of roads. The base model with 205/60/16 tires isn't as harsh but the 17" 50 series tires on the Premium & Limited models pick up an excessive & unacceptable amt of road feel & roughness. After several trips to the dealer & mucho correspondence with Subaru of America, I decided, at only 3K miles, to take them off and replace them with the new Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus tires. The difference was amazing - the vehicle is transformed - I've lost only a minimal amt handling compared to the stock EL400 & the car still handles way better than comparable '13 Altima, Accord, Camry, Sonata & Optima - all of which I test drove, the Serenity Plus tires are not only quieter but most importantly take the edge of the feeling of getting your teeth knocked out at every expansion joint or patch in the road for a smoother more comfortable ride. Never in my 53 years have I ever had a new set of tires in the same size make such a positive and profound difference in a vehicle. If you're unhappy with the ride of your 2013 Legacy - I highly recommend the switch, you won't go wrong. Haven't rated them for snow yet, but wanted to get this up asap in case anyone's been as frustrated as I have been with the 2013 suspension changes. If you have a similar mid-size car like those mentioned previously with low profile tires - my guess is that you'd be even more satisfied with upgrading to the Serenity Plus - as many previous Michelin owners here on this blog have attested to.

Initial Review, 46,000 Miles on Tires
November 26, 2012

These tires came with my Cadillac and have provided excellent wear and performance. There is still quite a lot of tread remaining and they do not show any cracks. However one of the tires has developed a annoying whomping sound like it has a flat spot and a scrubbing feeling while turing and accelerating. The whomp is especially noticable at city speeds (30 to 40 MPH). I had the dealer balance and rotate the tires but it just moved the noise to another part of the car. I had an independent mechanic inspect them and he affirmed that the was a high spot in one of the tires. These tires have a lot of tread on them however I find that I have to replace them if I am to enjoy the quiet and smooth ride of this Cadillac.

Initial Review, 32,000 Miles on Tires
November 05, 2012

These Michelins have given great service. There is plenty of tread left and the overall performance is about what you'd expect from Michelin.I have never been disappointed with this brand. I have used them on three of my wife's cars and all have given good value.
On this truck I am primarily looking for good treadwear, low noise and decent wet/snow and dry traction.This tire delivers. Keep an eye on the inflation and rotate them at about 5k miles and they should last a long while. I waited to write this review til I had some time/miles on them and there is still plenty of tread left to get through this and probably next winter.
I replaced 10 ply Goodyear Silent Armor Pros, from a local dealer, that did not go 30k. So trust Tire Rack, (I've bought many winter tires, brake parts and shocks from them), and Michelin.

Initial Review, 9,600 Miles on Tires
October 24, 2012

Less than 10K and Michelin is pro-rating due to dry rot and deterioration. There are chunks coming off of the tread too. I had to use a Michelin dealer to achieve the pro-rate and obtain new tires (which were deemed dangerous and defective by Michelin and the dealer). Sadly, I am now finding that I have to pay for another mount and balance (not covered by the pro rate)as well as another large chunk of change for the four tires. If it weren't for the fact the car is going to be traded next year and I get nothing if i don't replace with the same tires I would purchase another brand. I would like to note that this has nothing to do with Tire Rack. They shipped a new (checked the mfg date)fresh tires to me when I bought them 2 years ago. This is all on the manufacturer.

Initial Review, 6,000 Miles on Tires
October 18, 2012

I bought this car with only 13000 miles on the original Michelins which were so mushy and squealy when driven quickly on back roads that I had to make a change or sell the car. I upgraded the wheels to 18x9's all around and put Toyo Proxes S/T's, which transformed the car into a sports car. The Toyos lasted 45000 miles and were incredible in all weather, including snow, but rode a bit rough and made a bit of noise. I put the Firestones on due to their Tire rack rating, as Toyo discontinued the tires I had. The Firestones handle wet driving as good as the Toyos, which is outstanding, are very good in the dry, with just a bit less crispness on turn in, but ride and noise are the best combination I've found yet in a tire which drives this well in all conditions. For a 5000 lb vehicle to drive this well takes a really great tire. I'm looking to buy a new Grand Cherokee Overland and I asked the dealer if they would swap out the OEM Goodyear Forteras for the Firestone S/T's - they laughed of course. You can't beat these for an all-weather SUV ... at any price

Initial Review, 20,000 Miles on Tires
September 28, 2012

I got these after a blowout on a used car which had the same tires. After 20,000 miles on the replacement set, the rear tires wore on the middle tread. The fronts were ok. In speaking to the Mercedes dealer, he stated this was a common problem for wider treads (265) since the tire was not structurally designed for the width. The tires tend to squat regardless if following the air pressure recommendation? Again, the fronts have good tread. The rear tires had good tread on the inner and outer surface. The inner channel (see pics) was worn out. I am a Michelin user on all cars but will avoid this style. I have switched to the summer performance which, interestingly, is rated better in the rain.

Initial Review, 10,000 Miles on Tires
September 08, 2012

Like other reviewers, my tires were a bit loud when they were put on the car and the dealer said they would quiet down after wear. Instead they have gotten so loud and the ride so bumpy that I am considering buying a new set of tires. I will never buy this brand tire again.

Initial Review, 185 Miles on Tires
June 25, 2012

WOW! For the price of a new set of tires I am driving a new car. My 2009 Volvo XC70 T6 has never handled so well. Not in the 27,000 miles of the soft, non-descript "boulevard" ride with the OEM Continental 4x4 Contacts. Not in the 225 miles of the better-but-bumpy, out-of-round Continental ExtremeContact DWS tires that were returned to the dealer for replacement after just two weeks. Now, with the Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus tires, I have a car that is fun to drive -- like my 2005 Subaru Outback GT of seven years ago. Who knew that the Volvo could handle so well. On the straight away the tires track true and feel rock-solid, with virtually no correction input needed. On sweeping Interstate on-ramps taken at high speed -- 70 mph+ -- the tires feel so steady, secure and "planted" that it would take a giant crowbar to break them loose. On the few runs at 85 mph I have never felt more confident. The bottom line: in the previous 27,000 miles driving the Volvo was simply something I did; now, with the new Turanza Serenity Plus tires on the car, driving is something I look forward to DOING!

Initial Review, 21,000 Miles on Tires
August 21, 2012

These are the 2nd set of summer tires for my daily driver. They are stickier and marginally quieter than the original Dunlop SP600s. These are great on the dry. On the track, they're almost as sticky as R-compound tires. They're a bit noisy, but not as bad as the Dunlop 600s, which sound like 4 bad wheel bearings (I actually took my car into the dealer just to make sure it wasn't the wheel bearings-that's how loud the SP600s are).

On the wet, they're okay. I don't believe on driving at the edge of tire grip in wet weather, but I do care about hydroplaning. These handle standing water pretty well. I haven't been caught in snow with these tires.

Getting over 20,000 miles (2 summers) for me is pretty good. This includes a couple of track events. I buy the stickiest street tires I can for my 944Turbo and my STI, and 20,000 is always my target. These at least met that goal for me.

I would definitely buy these again as daily driver/track tires, except that I love trying out different tires.

Initial Review, 40,000 Miles on Tires
June 19, 2012

I had to buy new tires for my car almost immediately after buying my new vehicle. The car came with Hankook tires. Absolutely horrible. Since the tread passed inspection, the dealer couldn't replace them. I did a lot of research to find a good set of touring, all-weather tires, and these Turanzas w/ Serenity had great reviews. Since I bought them, I have never looked back. These tires have performed VERY well. I live in MD, so I get a bit of every kind of weather. These tires have held up extremely well. Even now, as I approach their end of life, they still perform extremely well. Wet, dry, ice, snow, sand... doesn't matter. I highly recommend these tires to anyone that is looking for a good set of all-weather, touring tires with a quiet and comfortable ride. You will NOT be disappointed.

Initial Review, 11,000 Miles on Tires
August 04, 2012

These were OEM on the car when it arrived. By 5,000 miles of mild driving tire noise was loud. By 12,000 miles the howling noise from the tires was so unbearable above 30 miles per hour that you couldn't hear the radio and I couldn't bear to drive the car. Audi dealer said the noise was probably from "uneven wear" even though the tires were rotated, aligned and balanced every 3,000 miles. Dealer offered me a replacement set for $1,100 but turned it down to get something else.

Initial Review, 5,000 Miles on Tires
August 13, 2012

This set of tires came on my Mazda dealer-installed set of 18" RX-8 wheels (they are a Pirelli dealer). Ride quality is acceptable on these low-profile tires; I would have preferred the stock 16" RX-7 wheels, but this rolling stock does give the car a more modern appearance. Driving on broken pavement is harsh with my suspension setup, but that is mainly because the car's previous owner installed performance springs and adjustable shocks for road racing.

On new, smooth roads, the Pirellis ride quietly and smoothly. They steer responsively and stop quickly on hard braking. Dry grip is plentiful and the breakaway characteristics are progressive and easily controllable. Wet grip is adequate, but you can get better rain tires for the money. Fuel economy is also surprisingly good on long freeway stretches – I am getting close to 30 mpg in my RX-7, which is near its theoretical ideal. I'm expecting to get about 15 - 20,000 miles on these tires.

Initial Review, 32,000 Miles on Tires
July 31, 2012

Do to limited options through my local installers, I am reluctantly putting a second set of these OE tires on my GLK. 32,000 miles is not completely unacceptable as I consider myself a hard driver, but at a premium price, this tire isn't really worth it. A 235/50 R19 is a farely odd size tire, and if I could find them I'd be going with Bridgestone Dueler H/Ls at 2/3 the price.
I can't complain about the traction or ride so far. In dry conditions, even now with wear bars close to showing, it's pretty quiet and still corners well, but it is July and that's not the true test of a tire in the Northeast. During my first winter, these tires performed exceptionally well, although it could have a lot to do with the MB's 4-matic system which i have had on 4 cars now and swear by. But like many reviewers, I did notice a sharp decline in traction during this past winter in which the tread was probably about half worn.
At 32,000 I could probably squeeze another late summer/fall out of them except for the 2 small nails and a cut in one of the treads due to the incessant road construction near my home for the past year. Since I return the car in 6 months, I'm willing to forego the lack of treadware and hope this new set performs as well as my last ones did when they were new. Then pass the headache back to the dealer that gave it to me. But based on value, they would never be my first choice.

Initial Review, 500 Miles on Tires
June 29, 2012

I purchased these tires in lieu of the recommended Michelin. I enjoyed the ride of my Yokohoma Avids and saw this as an opportunity for a slightly cheaper buy and a quieter ride. I had to get the goodyear tires balanced 3 times and my car aligned twice. Something about the tires totally through my drive off. I paid the dealer to assess the vibration and noise I was experiencing since the tires were installed and they kept coming back to the tires being the issue, they verified that there was nothing wrong with the installation. tires rode great @ speeds above 60 though.

Initial Review, 20,000 Miles on Tires
July 29, 2012

Tires are on a car that I drive on average 80-90mph on the highway every time I'm on it. The car was bought used with 44k mi and I now have 65k mi with the same tires on the car. I don't know how many miles were on the tires before I bought it so there could be more! I do know this: These are LRR grand touring tires but perform like high performance tires. I've got at least another 10k mi. before I MIGHT have to change them out. In the snow, I only slid in slush because I was testing it's performance. In the rain, I can consistantly take off ramp curves at 50mph without drama. They've only recently once acted like they wanted to hydroplane while I was doing 85mph in a downpour. Slowing down stopped that. I did have an issue with air escaping one of the tires but filling the tires with N2 solved that. I take turns consistently around 35mph in the city and I don't have a problem with grip, even when city streets are wet. This (and any tire's) performance is greatly affected by incorrect tire pressure. They were squealing when cornering for a couple of days after I left the shop and checking my tire pressure, I found the dealer pumped up my psi. Reducing it to the correct pressure eliminated that. Last week to S. Carolina, they stuck firmly to the road as I was doing 90mph through the curves of W. Virginia and when I had to swerve (not careen) around a pail rolling around in the road.


I don't understand the bad experiences that other people have with this tire. This is an excellent tire....if you take care of it! You have to rotate your tires. You have to balance your tires. You have to check your psi on all your tires. Don't mislead others just because you roll around with 20 psi in your unbalanced tires that haven't been rotated in 10,000 miles and complain about premature wear, excessive road noise, soft sidewalls, or a blowout. Thats not a poor, faulty tire. That's a poor faulty operator.