Perhaps the most frequently asked question I encounter on a daily basis -- well, maybe a close second to "How much is this tire?" -- is "What is the best tire for my vehicle."
My answer more often than not is, "Define best."
Some people consider a tire the best because it lasts longer. To others, the best tire is one that offers the best traction on wet and dry roads. Or in snow. Or on ice. Or on the moon. Or on all types of road conditions.
The truth is, the best tire for your car is the one that best fits your application and your driving habits and conditions. Consider this: a person living in an area of the country that sees 100+ inches of snow every winter and wants to buy Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires (one of the best Max Performance Summer tires we carry) to run all year will be very disappointed with the tire's performance during the winter months. months.Similarly, a family who uses a minivan to take the kids to soccer practice will find that the Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec wears too fast and hydroplanes on standing water. In both instances, two very capable, top-of-the-line tires were chosen incorrectly for their application.
And if you are buying less than a set of four tires, always replace your tires with the exact same tire that is on the vehicle right now. Even if we sold you the shiniest, most expensive, jewel-encrusted tire in the world, you will never see the full benefit from it. Tires of different brands, tread design, tread compounds, sidewall density and categories will behave differently on the road. Mixing up tires opens the window for excessive tread noise, under/oversteer, and braking issues.
So, before buying tires, do your research and ask yourself, “Self, what do I consider to be the most important features of a tire?" That way, we can make a better recommendation and make sure you are happy with your purchase from Tire Rack.
My answer more often than not is, "Define best."
Some people consider a tire the best because it lasts longer. To others, the best tire is one that offers the best traction on wet and dry roads. Or in snow. Or on ice. Or on the moon. Or on all types of road conditions.
The truth is, the best tire for your car is the one that best fits your application and your driving habits and conditions. Consider this: a person living in an area of the country that sees 100+ inches of snow every winter and wants to buy Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires (one of the best Max Performance Summer tires we carry) to run all year will be very disappointed with the tire's performance during the winter months. months.Similarly, a family who uses a minivan to take the kids to soccer practice will find that the Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec wears too fast and hydroplanes on standing water. In both instances, two very capable, top-of-the-line tires were chosen incorrectly for their application.
And if you are buying less than a set of four tires, always replace your tires with the exact same tire that is on the vehicle right now. Even if we sold you the shiniest, most expensive, jewel-encrusted tire in the world, you will never see the full benefit from it. Tires of different brands, tread design, tread compounds, sidewall density and categories will behave differently on the road. Mixing up tires opens the window for excessive tread noise, under/oversteer, and braking issues.
So, before buying tires, do your research and ask yourself, “Self, what do I consider to be the most important features of a tire?" That way, we can make a better recommendation and make sure you are happy with your purchase from Tire Rack.
Any suggestions on a Toyota Sienna. I have looked at the suggestions from Consumer Reports. The top tires that they suggested under the "All Season S and T Rated" tires seem to have road noise issues on the Sienna, some even suggesting that because the van is so heavy it effects the performance of what are normally good tires. I run snow tires (General Altimax Artic) from mid October to Mid April. However we can see snow earlier and later than that but it is not the norm. The Van has about 90,000 on it and I think it is a great van so would like to keep it for a few more years. Any suggestions. Price is a factor but safety is higher. Thanks -Ted