I have a 2014 Toyota Corolla with 17-in Alloy Wheels with a tire size P215/45R17. This was the first year from the research I have done that Toyota put P215/45R17 on a Corolla sport, historically they used P205/55R16.
I have 106,000 miles on my 2014 and plan to run it into ground. However, I find myself on the side of the road with a flat Goodyear Eagle/ Goodyear Assurance All-Seasons like I have an incentive to do so. Have bought 2 sets of 4, with and about 6 flat tires over that time span. Living in North East Ohio flat tires aren’t the most uncommon thing but it seems a little absurd.
Here is my question:
Do I need to stop buying Goodyear tires? Or is it a deeper issue with the durability of the tires that are made to fit this first years use of the 17 Inch alloy wheels? I currently have a bent wheel and am going to replace it, would there be any benefit in replacing all 4 wheels with something that fits a more forgiving tire size?
While I agree that a smaller wheel/“taller” sidewall tire would be preferable in regard to both ride quality and avoidance of bent wheels, I think that we need the OP to clarify the reason for his flat tires.
If his flat tires were the result of bent wheels or damage from potholes, then–yes–the smaller wheel/“taller” sidewall tire solution would work to his advantage. However, if the flat tires were the result of punctures from nails/screws/glass, then the aspect ratio of the tires has nothing to do with his “flat problem”.
Flat tires have always been a result of what I would best describe as “impact damage”, no flat tires from any sort of puncture or anything in that category.
Simple talk to a local tire and wheel shop to see what size wheels will actually fit your vehicle . A set of 4 decent wheels will not be that much and you can do a little online research of tires before you talk to them .
Of course the best place for tire and wheel info is Tire Rack web site.
Edit : it looks like you are driving about 17000 miles a year . Goodyear Eagle tires might not last much longer than 30000 miles. If you are not rotating every 5000 miles that could have a bearing on your flat problems . Do you really need performance tires ? I have 40 series tires on our Volvo and have only had 1 flat in 10 years . I only expect 25000 to 30000 out or our V rated tires.
I second talking to a professional and if I were you, I’d be interested in seeing if I could get away with a slimmer tire to improve efficiency and noise. This will of course be at the expense of traction. Additionally, with a higher sidewall, the handling will decrease due to tire flex. It’s going to be a trade-off regardless, but with normal day to day driving, I personally would rather have fewer flats, cheaper tires, better efficiency, and less noise at the loss of a bit of handling and traction.
Your term “impact damage” doesn’t mean much. Do you mean impact with curbs causing sidewall damage? Impact with potholes? Some other kind of impact?
From what you’ve said so far, it sounds like 45-series tires just can’t handle the condition of your roads. I don’t think it has anything to do with the brand of tire.