Replacing Tires

Initial Review, 30,000 Miles on Tires
May 10, 2012

I bought these tires for their promoted wet weather traction capabilities. I wasn't sure about the directional tread design though. The van had the Goodyear version of this tire before that were worn out. They preformed well when new and I've not had any major problems. One rear tire was replaced early on with a new one when it blew out the side wall after hitting some sharp road debris up in MI. They seem to always look low on air even though I run 37 lbs. pressure in all four tires and monitor the pressure weekly. The fronts are nearing the outer wear bars. Partially my fault,I should have been more diligent in rotating front to rear, but I would still have thought they'd last longer. The fronts are getting noisy too. I am considering ordering a set of 4 of the new Michelin Defenders since they are more traditional in tread design and look to have longer life potential and a possibly a quieter ride. I'm not looking for a Ultra-high performance tire on an Odyssey, not planning on running any road ralleys. Whether it's the tires or not, the Odyssey gets an honest 25 MPG on the highway and my family and I got 28 MPG coming back from VA with a slight tailwind.I really appreciate Tire Rack's reviews and look forward to continue to use them as my tire source.

Initial Review, 2,000 Miles on Tires
May 17, 2012

Bought these Conti Eco Plus for my SUV. OEM's were Bridgestones, which were noisy and harsh. Replaced them after 28K with half the tread left. Tried Goodyear Fortera Triple Treds, which were a small improvement for the first 15K miles, then they got very noisy and harsh also, but I wasn't about to replace early again with so much money tied up in rubber. I ran them for 60K uncomfortable and loud miles. Got these Contis after reading MANY reviews. Love them. They are very quiet and smooth riding. Neither of the other two brands were anywhere close to these when new. My MPG is just slightly higher. I only have 2K on them, but as of now, they are the best tires I've ever owned, and that includes some pricey Michelins on my other vehicles.

Initial Review, 600 Miles on Tires
May 19, 2012

I have been complaining about the noise and the vibration every since I put the tires on my truck I only have 600 hundred miles and goodyear is going to replace my tires already what was Goodyear thinking when they put this tire on the market.

Initial Review, 15,000 Miles on Tires
May 21, 2012

For the price, there simply is not a better tire on the market in my view.
I believe these tires offer me about 95% of the performance of the PS2s they replaced at about half the cost. In addition, the treadwear goes well beyond what other tires have offered based on my driving style.
They are getting a little loud now after 20000km of driving, but nothing outside of what one would expect. Very predictable tires with no serious drawbacks at all. Highly recommend for drivers looking for an alternative to expensive European tires for their BMW.

Initial Review, 60,000 Miles on Tires
May 10, 2012

A very good all around tire. ~60,000mi on them and they just hit the replace tire monitor strip. I will be purchasing these tires again for my car soon.

Initial Review, 16,000 Miles on Tires
May 12, 2012

This tire replaced the OEM that went over 60,000 miles. Initially, the ride comfort and noise level was acceptable. The traction, both wet and dry, is excellent. As the tire aged, the noise level increased. At 15,000 miles, the noise sounds like I'm running winter tires with a very aggressive tread. The wear is still very, very low and traction is still excellent. The tires run smooth at all speeds, but are very noisy on certain types of pavement. As a tire for a performance car, this is hard to beat for the price and the traction and handling. As a tire for a car that should have a nice, quiet ride, there are others out there that will beat this tire.

Initial Review, 6,000 Miles on Tires
March 02, 2012

Great tires...for grandpa's Buick! Very quiet, smooth riding tires. Noticeable improvement in fuel economy over OEM Goodyear RS-A's. However, if you do ANY spirited driving, be warned: these tires have flimsy sidewalls compared to the RS-A's. I've had to pump these "balloons" to 36psi up front, 34psi rear just to maintain a semblance of performance. Above 70mph, there's a vibration that rebalancing hasn't solved. My fault for not sticking to a true performance tire. I can't wait to replace these. But given this tire's treadwear rating, I may be waiting a while...

Initial Review, 35,869 Miles on Tires
May 19, 2012

I have to give these OEM Dunlaps that came on the FIT a high grade because they have provided highly reliable and flawless performance for 36,000 miles, even under the most oppressive conditions.

They came as Original Equipment on my Base 2009 Honda FIT. I don’t expect to get more than 40K out of any OEM tires, and I replaced these early because I was going to be away on the road a lot this spring and summer. These tires could have easily went 40K, but rubber that has been on the road for more than 3 years on any tire starts to show its cracks, hardens a bit, and safety becomes an issue.

I drove these tires Hard and they never failed. I took them non-stop for 14 to 16 hours at a clip from Los Angeles to Portland, to Vancouver B.C. and then back to LA along the Coastline. I took them from Los Angeles to NYC in just 3.5 days, at high speeds, in both desert high temps and freezing low NY winter temps. Through snow and slush in the brutal 2010 winter in NYC. Back and forth, from NYC to Washington, DC. From NYC to LA via Savannah, New Orleans, Houston, & Phoenix. Countless trips from LA to San Diego and back. Hot summer road trips from LA to Las Vegas and back, and LA to Phoenix and Tucson and back. LA to San Francisco many times. All that, in addition to all the city driving in NYC and LA, through the potholes and bad streets, and constantly jamming them into curbs parallel parking. They just didn’t fail, they run fast and accurate, with great gas mileage. Never a flat, never a repair—all 4 tires still had the original May, 2009 air in them from Japan when I changed them out in May, 2012 . Incredible.

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

I have 18 inch Honda Ridgeline (5 spoke) wheels on my van. These tires are expensive, but I bought them because they had the best customer reviews in my size. I have put 6,000 miles on them and I couldn't be happier... I'm glad I spent the extra money! They are SUPER quiet; even my wife commented on how quiet the tires are. I recently drove through a torrential down pour and there was no hint of hydroplaning or skittishness from the tires. I could not say that about the Michelin MXMV4's that I replaced... even when they were new. I cannot comment on the winter performance of these tires, but I run Blizzaks anyway. My only complaint is the tires tend to flat spot over night, but they smooth out in about 5 miles. As long as they smooth out quickly, I don't mind. If you by these tires, have them re-balanced after the first 1,000 miles and make sure they balance them warm, and without the vehicle sitting for too long. You will not be disappointed with these tires.

Initial Review, 2,500 Miles on Tires
May 07, 2012

Have only had these tires a short while; replaced the OEM Bridgstone PolePosition RE050 RFT's; I did not have the same problems as other BMW owners, but after three sets, wanted to try something new. Read all of the reviews on Tire Rack and went with the SS's. Amazing. Took a few day's to get used to the lack of a sidewall not made of concrete, but man what a difference. Purchased the Continental ContiComfort Kit for emergency tire repair, and it stows away perfectly within the small storage area in the floor of the trunk. Back to the tires, I feel like I am riding on rails. Cornering, acceleration and hard braking are all met with positive road feel and feedback. I typically drive with a "Drive it like you stole it" mentality (when traffic permits, and have to say these tires are the most "sure-footed" of any tire I have ever used. These tires are also a much smoother and quieter tire on the Fwy (than the RFT's). In 6th gear at about 3000 RPM, my car glides along at about 90MPH, and these tires, while responsive, feel like i am driving a down pillow. What a change. There are other reviewers (look at the (Z06 guy) who have some track time on the tires; I can only compare to the RFT's which I had for the last 4.5 years, but for the money, comfort and ride--will never go back. Oh, not to mention, four tires, the ContiComfortKit, and BMW install, still $200 cheaper than the RFT's...
Hope this will help any of you on the fence about switching from RFT's, save your spine-you will not be disappointed. Will try to update this review when I get to 10-15K.

Initial Review, 77,000 Miles on Tires
May 13, 2012

Best tire I've owned. Wear rating was 65,000 and with 77,000 miles and counting, it looks like they will go another 10,000 or perhaps 20,000 miles before replacement is necessary. Best part however is the smooth and quiet ride. It is as quiet now as it was brand new. Very impressive tire.

Initial Review, 3,000 Miles on Tires
May 08, 2012

Very good tire for the value. I used them as go-flat replacement in my BMW with sport suspension and 18" wheels and the ride was much better in terms of comfort and noise with almost no difference in handling to the original run-flats. I am using them in my MB and just bought 2 extra ones to replace front tires (rear one have 3000 miles) which are the previous General model but with 30k in them.

I recommend highly this tire. However, I must say that the General tire model they replaced (Exclaim UHP) somehow felt they had better handling. Pity General discontinued it.

Initial Review, 6,000 Miles on Tires
May 08, 2012

THIS IS MY SECOND SET OF KDW's FOR MY 2006 SCION xB ... THE FIRST SET WAS A 215/45-17 BECAUSE I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE RIDE QUALITY AT THE TIME , AS I WAS DOING 90 MILES A DAY ROUND TRIP OF MOSTLY HIWAY DRIVING ... I ROTATED THEM EVERY 5 THOUSAND MILES AND RAN THE PRESSURE AT 40 PSI AND THEY WORE PERFECTLY SMOOTH ALL THE WAY DOWN TO BASICALLY NO TREAD AT ALL ...

SO FOR THE SECOND SET I DROPPED THE SIZE TO A 215/40-17 , AS I WASN'T DRIVING THE LONG ROUNDTRIP DAILY ANYMORE ... YES THEY ARE A BIT STIFFER ON THE RIDE , BUT NOTHING THAT BOTHERS ME AT ALL ... SO FAR THEY DO FEEL A BIT MORE AGGRESSIVE ON THE ROADS AND TURNS THAT I ENJOY PLAYING ON ...

I HAVE JUST OVER 1 HUNDRED THOUSAND MILES ON THE CAR , AND I USED THE FACTORY STEEL WHEELS FOR WINTER DUTY WITH A SET OF SNOWS ALL THE WAY AROUND ... MY GUESS IS ABOUT 40 THOUSAND MILES BEFORE I REPLACED THEM ... THE OTHER AWESOME BONUS WAS WITH THE REINFORCED SIDEWALLS I HAVE NEVER BENT OR DAMAGED MY RIMS , I RUN A SET OF KONIG HOT SWAPS ...

I'D HIGHLY RECOMMENT THESE TIRES TO ANYONE THAT WANTS A FUN , GREAT HANDLING TIRE ...

Initial Review, 99,000 Miles on Tires
May 07, 2012

I rotate, align and keep tires inflated religiously. My Toy 4R currently has 228,000 miles on it and this is the SECOND set of tires I have owned! The Dunlops that came on the vehicle at purchase lasted (with conservative-but fast driving and a 5 tire rotation) until 75,000 and I purchased the Michelins. I know numerous friends and one family member who work for Michelin and they attested to their company's quality, etc. so I paid (top dollar) for what I thought was the better quality. I was hoping for 100,000 miles and have been VERY happy to finally be replacing them at 150,000!! Granted tread wear is now boarder line "ticket-able" so they're getting replaced. Durability and road noise/quietness is what I look for the most. As I shop for new ones, I'm not leaving the Michelin product line.

Initial Review, 1,200 Miles on Tires
May 05, 2012

I bought this tire for one reason, dry traction, and it has unbelievable stick. I have yet to break this tire loose from the pavement unless there was gravel/sand present on the roadway. I've been upgrading my tires over the last several purchases one pair at a time, replacing only the fronts with stickier rubber and moving the old set to the rear. My car is front wheel drive and doesn't have much horsepower but the suspension and chassis are built for the twisties. I have taken sharp right handers and broken the rear loose with BFG KDW's while the Kuhmo XS didn't even get fazed in the front. One of my favorite loops (banked merging ramp) I could exit no higher than 56 with the KDW's before the front would scrub and understeer. With the Kuhmos, I've attained 63 with no tire scrub and the speed is limited by my lack of horsepower, not traction.

I didn't rate the ride comfort or noise level of the tire because, frankly, if that matters, you probably shouldn't be looking to purchase this tire. I also have not had to drive on them in the rain yet but when I do I'll be taking it easy as it isn't rated for wet use. It is purpose built for dry traction and doesn't disappoint. Traction is great when they're cold and amazing once they're warmed up. Looking forward to testing them at the track.

Initial Review, 60,000 Miles on Tires
May 08, 2012

I am very pleased with the Altimax HP tires. I have had issues in the past with tire wear on this particular vehicle. However, the Altimax HP tires have lasted over 60,000 miles. They will need to be replaced soon, but I was not expecting them to last that long! Much softer ride than other tires that I've had on the civic. Also, road noise is considerably decreased. I will not buy any other brand of tire for my vehicle. Altimax HP wins!

Initial Review, 20,000 Miles on Tires
May 09, 2012

Replaced the OEM Dunlops at 67000 miles. Still decent tread, but wanted better tread for snowy and icy winters. So far, after 18 months and 2 winters, no problems with the Hankooks. My only concern is treadwear. Seems low for only 20k miles. Still, a comfortable and quiet tire.

Initial Review, 4,000 Miles on Tires
May 17, 2012

My 1990 Miata is set up with numerous chassis braces, aftermarket anti-sway bars, stock springs and ride height. These tires were very good in all catagories when new. After one year and about 4000 miles the tread became very hard making the car marginal at best in any wet/low traction situation, including roads coated with salt residue. I replaced them with a set of Dunlop Direzza Star Spec's for summer, and a set of Michelin X Ice2's on steel wheels for winter. Both are excellent tires and worth every penney spent.

Initial Review, 11,000 Miles on Tires
April 27, 2012

Had to replace these tires with only 11,000 miles on them, hit a small pot hole and and a bulge on one of the tires. The ride was not to bad, but the road noise was unbearable, unless you were on smooth pavement. The steering was heavy with these tires. On dry pavement the traction was very good. Wet roads traction was not bad, but on snow, forget it they are worthless. Do not buy these tires.
Bought a new set of Michelin Primacy MXM4 and wow what a diference. Better handling ultra quite.

Initial Review, 1,500 Miles on Tires
May 16, 2012

I was looking to replace Toyo Proxes 4 all seasons with another more up to date ultra high performance all season. My top priority was wet traction and resistance to hydroplaning, since my BMW has no electronic stability programs. After reading extensive reviews and studying the tread patterns and designs, I was attracted to the very aggressive v-groove design of the Generals which is similar to what Formula 1 racers use for racing in the rain. This design allows huge amounts of water to be pumped out from the contact area of the tread to the sides of the tires. I just recently drove through torrential downpours, deep puddles at highway speeds and a very deep pool of water, in excess of 6" at about 25-30 mph with stellar results. At the highway speeds there was minimal deflection when hitting the standing water and when I went through the deep puddle, the tires generated an immense stream of high pressure water shooting straight up at about a 45 degree angle, like a deep V offshore fishing or speed boat, and the car steered straight like an arrow. Steering feel and grip in the wet was exceptionally good, feeling as good in the wet as in the dry.