Not unless they have a tire franchise. I pay attention to tire reviews, especially when similar tires are compared. Tire owners can’t compare several tires against each other. They have one set of tires, not several. Figure out what kind of tire you want, like standard all season or grand touring all season, and find tests. You might find as I did that there are less expensive tires that perform as well or better than more expensive ones.
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I replaced the original Firestone Affinity tires by Michelin Defender on my 2012 Corolla because of road noise. Michelin Defender tires are much more quieter and offer a better ride.
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It was interesting that when I wrecked a Michelin tire with 1500 miles on it and needed an exact replacement, the Acura dealer was actually cheaper than the tire store. They admitted they couldn’t match the price but they could install it that afternoon. The Acura dealer couldn’t put the tire on for four days. Huh? That’s what I said. So at any rate bought the tire at the dealer, and the tire shop mounted it, and I put it on in my garage. Car on the road again. I don’t care about $20-30 price difference but I do care if the wife is without a car for a day.
I try to stay local if I can. Same tire store, the wife was headed 200 miles out of state Saturday morning and had to be there on time for an event. Late Friday when I got gas, I noticed a tire a few pounds down and after an inspection found a nail in it. So I was at the tire shop at 7:45 before they opened and by 8:05 I was on my way again. One of the guys started a few minutes early. I shoulda tipped. At any rate I like to spend my money local.
I like Generals too. I’m on my second set. Quiet, good traction, made in US etc. I use Michelins though on the Acura. I just don’t get the mileage like I used to though with Goodyear 15" when I’d get 110,000 on a set, interstate driving.
The Firestone Affinity tires on my Corolla have lasted for six years but only 29,000 miles. My mechanic says the tread is low and they are dry rotting. Does that not speak well for these tires?
My General Altimax are made in the Czech Republic - maybe by Barum - but General has been considered a USA tire company. Maybe they still make some models here. I had Barum bicycle tires from Czechoslovakia a few decades ago. Very pleased with all of them.
If you have done any research you should know that tires also have an age factor as well as wear. In some areas 5 to 7 years is all that they should be used . Also it appears you only drive 5000 miles a year and that usually means more stop and go driving with more turns. That will wear tires faster.
I’d have to check my book to see which plants but both my Generals and Michelins were made in US plants by checking the plant code on the tires. I have a warm spot in my heart though for the folks in the Czech Republic since they became free and wouldn’t worry about tires made there either.
I was there (Czechoslovakia) as a college student in 1971. Very sincere and cultured people, under the Russian boot at the time, but dealing with it intelligently.
no, it speaks poorly. Only 29k and rotting after 6 yesrs, not good at all. I expect 50k and 10 years at a minimum. My Yokohamas have 36k and still have 75% tread left.
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I expect 50k and 10 years
Yes, from replacement tires. Original equipment don’t seem to last that long. My wife bought a new car last fall, it has 11,000 miles on it now. It came with Michelin (not sure of the model), which I’ve never been a big fan of. By the way they’re wearing so far I’m guessing they will be worn out right around 30,000 miles.
$50K+ for a car with tires that only go 30,000 miles. They’re kind of loud too.
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IMHO Consumer Reports is a better source for unbiased product information than websites. Think about it, on a website anybody wanting to post a review can post one. The poster may be an employee of the product’s company, or they may hold a grudge about that company. Maybe they got a flat tire and decided to post some negative reviews about that tire’s manufacturer to get even. The posted reviews on websites can often provide some good info, but they could be very biased so you can’t trust what they say with any certainty.
I bought four tires for my own Corolla recently. I wanted to buy one of the Consumer Reports Michelin recommendations but Michelin no longer makes that tire in a 13 inch wheel (the wheel size they used in the early 90’s on the Corolla). So I opted for a Hankook tire instead. It’s not quite as good of quality as the Michelin imo, but it rides & tracks well and is working ok so far.
Make sure -this is critical – when choosing that it matches up to the tire specifications required by Toyota for your car, which will be listed in the owner’s manual and probably on a sticker on the driver’s side door post area (visible with the door open). Best of luck.
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I saw some Nokian all season that I liked and I intend to buy then about April 10th when the snow is gone. I don’t even remember the price but 225 65 17 tires all seem to be pricey. For your car I might get Snow King or some of the less expensive ones like those. VIP sells them but I don’t know where you live. Town Fair Tire has Mastercraft and I might say to get Glacier Grip and run them all year long.
In the southwest I have seen tires with date codes that indicated that they were only 4 years old with significant dry-rot. Most tires last 6 to 8 years here, dry-rot is a common problem with modern tires.
The tires on my car were take-offs from a used car with a date code from 2008, in May while I was waiting for the discount at Costco to come into effect one of the tires deflated in the employee parking lot due to a split in the sidewall.
The new tires that I purchased are Michelin Defender, I have installed used tires on my car in the past but if I have to pay for tires I select something of quality.
No,mine did not dry rot…impossible after 6 years.
I put Michelin premiers on my 2004 corolla last fall and so far have been pleased with them. They replaced hankook h727’s which were the second set and only lasted around 45000 miles when warranted for 80000. I admit I didn’t get them rotated as often as I should have after the local tire dealer I got them from closed. The originals were Bridgestone that lasted around 55000 miles. I got the Michelin premiers from Blains farm and fleet with a buy three get one free sale and the size needed came up discontinued in there system for 70.49 a tire and then a 70 rebate. I read tire rack and went back and forth to different tire places before deciding on the tires I bought
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Depending on where you are 6 years is sometimes the age limit on tires. - and if I am doing the math right, you’re only driving 5,000 miles per year. That means you won’t see a benefit from long wearing tires - the tires will become too old before they wear out.
My experience is No! Like most of the general population, they have a very small window into the huge population of tires, and they frequently start off with assumptions and prejudices - and that ultimately leads to incorrect diagnoses and unsupported opinions.
So I think your best bet is to stick with one of the major brands. Those brands have grown over the years because they deliver a good product.
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One more factor to consider in buying tires is service. Tire Rack won’t be there to help you if there’s a defect or road hazard issue with your tire. Costco won’t send a truck out to help you with a flat tire on the side of the road.
After a very short time period, you have to deal with the tire manufacturer for warranty service anyway. Also, many people have a roadside service rider on their auto insurance.
I prefer using an on line store for my tires because I can get exactly what I want with the assurance that enhancing I trust mounts and balances the tires, and aligns the suspension.
I got the same results at Discount Tire and did it all just by driving to the place .
If I want a specific tire, I have to change stores to get what I want for the most part. Even the chain stores like Discount Tire are only as good as the people that run it. I’ve had unsatisfactory experiences at the local Discount Tire, and stopped using them. The one place I got good service for the most part was Mr. Tire, but that changed when the chain was bought by Monro Muffler.