Need new tires - suggestions?

Q

Quinton

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Before too long our LS Sport is going to need new tires. I was curious on what tires and sizes you guys suggest? We live in Kansas where we get all 4 seasons so I would like to run an all-season tire that leans more towards the sporty side (we don't get too much snow here usually).

And what size should/could I run? I don't really want a lower profile but maybe a little wider would be nice.

Any good place online for nice deals?
Thanks!
 
Quinton said:
No one?
Click to expand...
I put some 245/45/17 Sumitomo HTR+ on my car and they have been holding up well (as long as you take care of them, they will take care of you). Many people have had good luck shopping on tirerack.com, however, I just went to Sears and got them put on for around $560 with road hazard (which I would highly suggest getting as there is a Sears almost anywhere and you can get your tires replaced pro-rated).
 
DLS8K said:
I put some 245/45/17 Sumitomo HTR+ on my car and they have been holding up well (as long as you take care of them, they will take care of you). Many people have had good luck shopping on tirerack.com, however, I just went to Sears and got them put on for around $560 with road hazard (which I would highly suggest getting as there is a Sears almost anywhere and you can get your tires replaced pro-rated).
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Thats a pretty good price. I just have a problem putting japanese tires on an american car. My Mustangs and Mark VIII got nothing but goodyears. Back in the 80's when I first started driving all the japanese tires had too soft a compound cuz they made them for lighter cars. Im sure that has changed but I still cant see putting them on my car. I luv the Michelin Pilots on my car now but most likely wouldn't have bought them myself. I guess when it comes to cars I am very patriotic.:)
 
Michelin Pilot Sport A/S....you won't regret it!

Contact Ryan DeBerry with East Coast Tires at 800-560-7834. He'll beat any price on the web.
 
I've ran:
- Yokohama A032R
- Falken AZENIS RT-615
- Bridgestone Potenza RE750
- Goodyear F1 GS-D3 - currently

Bridgestone were good - hoping the Goodyear are better...
 
DLS8K said:
I put some 245/45/17 Sumitomo HTR+ on my car and they have been holding up well (as long as you take care of them, they will take care of you). Many people have had good luck shopping on tirerack.com, however, I just went to Sears and got them put on for around $560 with road hazard (which I would highly suggest getting as there is a Sears almost anywhere and you can get your tires replaced pro-rated).
Click to expand...

Have you driven these tires in the snow? What tires have you guys actually driven in the snow? I have same size Continental Extreme Contact which are great, but I tried two winters now and they just won't allow me to drive at all in the snow. Some cats stole my car last winter and literally didn't even make it around the corner. The tires slid them right off the road. It's funny I told the police that it would be impossible for them to make it that far - and I was right.
 
Quinton said:
No one?
Click to expand...
i'm running on my second set of michelin pilot sport a/s. i have the 2000 ls8 sport w/ 17" rims. they inspire confidence in the ls
 
Snow? What the heck is this 'snow' you talk about?

My LS will NOT ever see snow. The current tires have a 'unacceptable' rating in snow...
 
Quik -

I have the Regular Eagle F1 GSes on my Cobra...That statement of 'unacceptable' is quite true. Got into my first accident as a result. :-(

Got stuck in snow storm last winter...didn't realize they weren't all-season at the time...I live on a hill...Slid down past my street, hit a guard rail, ran over a stop sign. Lots o' fun. $3k of damage.

-Matt

PS Any updates on that supercharger? ;-)

PPS Anything under 60 degrees the Eagle F1s are terrible.
 
I've ran the OEM Firestone Firehawk LH tires my 2000 5spd twice.
They are OK in the snow and handle decent but they wear pretty fast. After 1 year of wear they were still good in dry but not in the snow. Between the two pair of firestones I ran Pirelli PZero System Asimmetricos. They gripped like a train on rails but were terrible in the snow. Not that I had much of chance to try them in the snow. These tires wore to nothing in the 6 months I had them. By the time snow came around I had no tread left. Remember the higher performance you buy the more money you spend the softer the tires are and faster they are going to wear. I am on the 4th set of tires in 63K. I used to drive very aggressively in the corners. Now that I calmed down a bit I also looked for something that was a good mix between handling, wear and snow/rain. I found these: Avon Tech M550 All Season. I am very happy with them. They are good in the snow/rain, handle great and the wear is a lot lower than I expected. The price wasn't bad either. Avon is a British company I think, so I wasn't too upset about going foreign.

I have found tirerack to be good, but shipping usually brings the price up to what you can get them for locally. Call around to as many local shops as you can. Ask what they have. Also use tirerack for a reference see if the local guys can get the same tires you found on tirerack. Some places might even match tirerack’s prices.

I try not to drive the LS in the snow at all if possible, rear wheel drive cars don't really belong on the road in the snow. Luckily I always have my beater to “rely” on
 
Thanks for all the replies thus far. I will probably end up buying a good/inexpensive tire locally but I just want to do my homework first. I know from experience that alot of the Sears, etc. mechanics don't know what the heck they are talking about sometimes so I don't want to rely on what they suggest.
Our LS came with Firestone Firehawk LH 235/50 17's. I'm debating if I should stick with this size or get a little wider tire (just to be a little different) and what brand I should get? If I were to go with 245/45/17 (as suggested above) how would they differ from stock size? Taller, shorter, wider, etc.?
Like I said we usually have decent weather here but I want my wife to have a stable tire in the rain and snow too.
How is this tire?
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/findTireDetail.do?sw=false&cs=235&pc=18523&rd=17&ar=50

Thanks!
 
Michelin is about the only tire I buy these days.

I had one set made in the USA. Another set made in Japan and the set I bought last week was made in "commie" Canada. :(

I am spoiled. They ride great and they last. They are also round. I have never had trouble getting them balanced. :D

:cool:


Hey guys, one more thing. It does snow down here. Here is Galveston last year.

d2.JPG


r2.JPG


s2.JPG
 
Quinton said:
Thanks for all the replies thus far. I will probably end up buying a good/inexpensive tire locally but I just want to do my homework first. I know from experience that alot of the Sears, etc. mechanics don't know what the heck they are talking about sometimes so I don't want to rely on what they suggest.
Our LS came with Firestone Firehawk LH 235/50 17's. I'm debating if I should stick with this size or get a little wider tire (just to be a little different) and what brand I should get? If I were to go with 245/45/17 (as suggested above) how would they differ from stock size? Taller, shorter, wider, etc.?
Like I said we usually have decent weather here but I want my wife to have a stable tire in the rain and snow too.
How is this tire?
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/findTireDetail.do?sw=false&cs=235&pc=18523&rd=17&ar=50

Thanks!
Click to expand...

i just put (4) 255/45/17 bfg g-force kdws tires on my ls. i love them. the only snow they will probably see is the 5" on the ground today. i have 4 16" ls wheels with new snows on them. i do believe the bfg's are ok in the snow though, as per the "kdws" title.
 
I also have the Sumitomo HTR+ in a 245/45/R17, they handle great and are wearing pretty well, I haven't had them in snow yet, but they have a very deep factory sipe running across the full face of the tread, I think this will help them bite into the snow, but as stated above, a wide tire and rear wheel drive arnt the best combo for snow!!
su_htrplus_ci1_l.jpg
[/IMG]
 
So how would your guys' tires sizes (245 and 255/45) differ from my stock size? Taller, shorter, same?
I love the looks of that tread of the Sumitomo.
 
try the kumho's before anything. first off, they're cheap, second, i hear they're pretty good. got the fusion (cheapest brand----subdivision of bridgestone) HR-1 all season. changed my oem 17" 235 50s to 17" 245 45s. they're doing pretty good......not sure but i think they're a bit too hard, but it handles. took the windy hwy 17 to santa cruz in 30 minutes. a bit scary at times though. you'll know what you'll be able to handle (not the car) after that drive. you can definitely feel the 50/50 weight distribution, but still scary.
 
as for size i think the stock size is 235/50/r17, a 245/45r17 would be a hair wider and very near the same height, and as far as price the sumitomos are a very good value i think i got mine for around $90 a tire
 
oh, Thank You! 255's it is.
Anyone have a side pic of the 255's? I don't want to take away from it's "smooth" look.
 
just my $.02

I'm up here not too far from ya in Iowa. We have very similar weather. After reading many reviews I am choosing to use the Kumho ASX's on my 18" "good weather" wheels. I also have a set of Bridgestone Blizzaks on my factory rims for when the snow really comes down. You might want to consider 2 sets because the Blizzaks don't last long, but are impressive in bad weather.
 
I've thought about that but for the most we don't get enough snow here to put up the money for them to sit around. If my wife drives with caution to and from work it shouldn't be a problem. I'm hoping the traction control, balanced weight distribution, taking off in 3rd gear instead of 2nd, using 3rd or 4th gear to slow it down instead of braking too hard, and adding 45lb plates in the trunk if need be will be sufficient. If it gets real bad she can just drive my lifted 4WD Pathfinder or our ole beater Ranger.
You get alot more (and deeper) snow up there then we do.
 
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