A "Which Tire Question"

[KIZ FAN]

after about 40k on the Nitto's I have to say they are an amazing tire! They suite the car so nicely and the handling in wet/dry is perfect.

[AlexRuiz]

I am planning on the Cooper Zeon RS3-A when it is time to replace tires. The only thing that worries me about them is that the chimps at consumers reports recommend them I know, i know, even a blind squirrel can find a nut once in a while.

[~tc~]

I've never gone too wrong buying things rated highly by CR.

[gmkizashi]

I had Yokahama Advan Envigors put on my 2010 SLS FWD at about 32k miles. Same speed rating as OEM-don't know it off top of my head.

Now at 55K seem to be wearing better than OEM. I'm averaging 30-32 mpg on highway trips cruising 70-75

I don't notice any difference in dry or wet handling versus OEM outside of my belief that they seem better and seem to be good all around.

[chazyouwin]

I've purchased several sets of Yokohama tires over the years, including some in the Avid series and also a few sets of snows. I've never been disappointed. As to reviews, I would consider as carefully the TireRack reviews as I would the CR.

[Firefly]

Vendor ratings, like ratings on board like this, work well if there is a good quantity of reviews from the same car. You won't find many Kizashi reviews on TireRack or whatever, so CR is a good resource.

[jimmerz]

jimmerz,

Did he say what the complaints were on the Falkens? I was leaning toward them a little more.

Thanks

Tread life was poor.

[Bob225]

I have about 15k miles on my Continetal Extreme DWS. I love the handling of the tires, especially in the rain. We had a mild winter last year so I can not give a rating on snow conditions. Tires are not loud and have a nice sporty tread pattern.

[Zeid]

I only got ~12k miles out of the Dunlops that came with the car. Swapped them off in the winter for snow tires. Was very disappointed with their lifespan.

Had the Continental DWS tires installed on Friday along with a four-wheel alignment...it's now Monday. Drove it on various surfaces and road types over the weekend, and drove the same commute to work I do each day.

Night and day difference.

There used to be road noise and vibrations that I thought were part of the Kizashi's lack of sound insulation or aerodynamics. Was I wrong.

Now the cabin is whisper quiet, accelerates faster (front wheels were pigeon toed b4 alignment), is getting better MPG, handles like a champ, and the ride is even much better over bumps, expansion joints, and the various road surfaces. Can't wait to see how they perform in the rain.

I read 1000 reviews over the past few months and finally decided on these. A little over $200/each at my local Dunn Tire store (which includes EVERYTHING + rotations and balancing for the life of the tires), I could not be happier with this choice.

Also be sure to get a four-wheel alignment. I drive very cautiously on local streets but here in the snowbelt region, potholes and deep sewer caps quickly throw any car's wheels out of alignment. 45 MPH at a hole in the road or a high speedbump will do damage, regardless of how good of a driver you think you are.

Owe it to yourself and your Kizzy to be PROACTIVE and save your tires/suspension/steering by getting an alignment; it's the most overlooked piece of maintenance that unfortunately costs the same as two oil changes but extends the life of your car if you plan on keeping it for more than two years. PLUS it drives MUCH better too!!!!

[ah_Perth]

Good advice Zeid (plus keep the tyre pressure up!!)