When my son was strapped for cash and could no afford top rated tires, he bought the least expensive from Costco, and had very good service from them. He paid about $70 a tire complete wth balance and installation. Costco also gives free rotation every 8000 miles or so.
Whatever you do, don’t drive another mile on a tire with a bulge.
I just called a local tire shop where I used to have my old car serviced. Please tell me what you think of his advice. He said that since I do almost completely local driving that is harder on tires and he thinks it is good that I got 25,000 miles on my original Hankooks. He said it is a waste of money to buy more expensive tires as the life expectancy of even the best is not that long, given the local driving. He suggests Hankook ($177 incl balance & tax) or Yokohama Invigor (146 + 13 to balance + tax). He can get me the Continental PureContact for tomorrow. They would cost (165 + 13 to balance + 13 tax) and $16.50 per tire if I want to get Road Hazard. When I asked if Road Hazard would include free rotations and balancing and alignment, he said that balancing only needs to be done once and alignment is not included. Rotation is included. Alignment would cost $84 and he thinks I should have alignment done when I buy the new tires. Is this true?
Costco has the Michelin Primacy MXV4 in stock for 195 + 15 to install, which includes Road Hazard (not alignment). In addition, they have the $70 off if you buy 4 tires. They carry the Defenders but it would take too long to get them.
Now I’m totally confused about what to do! Should I get the Continentals or the Hankooks or the Yokohamas at the local shop or the Michelin at Costco? Price is not the first consideration. I can handle the Michelin price too, but don’t want to throw out good money if they are overkill. Also do I need an alignment? Please help me make a decision! I especially want to know what you think of the local shop guy’s advice.
Thank you!
@meemajudy The shop was trying to tell you that for the little driving you do, all local, you don’t need to spend too much on tires. If you were strapped for cash even the cheapest tires from Walmart would be OK from a safety point of view.
You have to decide how much highway driving you are going to do, especially in hot weather.
For pure long life, the Michelin X is unsurpassed, and affordable. However, There are good buys in Continental and US brands such as Goodyear and Firestone. Bridgestone is a good reputable Japanese brand often made in Canada or the US.
Based on your driving I would not waste money on premium tires; most of the wear you will encounter will be from parking and turning corners. For your type of driving, all tires are safe.
I drive about 200 miles round trip to visit my grandkids probably six times a year. Occasionally drive 50 miles to New York City. It sounds like the local shop is reliable, from what you say. I am not good at making decisions, as you can tell, I’m sure. Which would you do, given my situation?
Thank you SO much! 
With the prices pretty similar I might go for the Michelins. I usually don’t get an alignment but the bubble may have resulted from hitting a curb, so I’d get an alignment.
You might want to ask about the Generals. I just got rid of a couple Hankooks and got a set of Generals about the same size for a little over $600. They seem to be a quiet and decent tire in snow too. Made in the US. I believe Continental owns General now.
Your old tires can indicate if an alignment is needed. It is possible that due to rotation, tire wear due to misalignment can be difficult to judge. Someone making the decision should know your miles since your last rotation and the last rotation pattern. A common tire rotation pattern is rear to front, opposite side. Front to rear, same side. Simply advising that an alignment is needed because you bought new tires shows a lack of concern for a customer’s money or the inability to read tire wear. It could even be true that your vehicle does need an alignment. Normally it’s not likely. Does your vehicle have steering pull? If not, the need for an alignment is less likely.
The need for an alignment is always a source of doubt and a question by car owners. The safe answer is yes, get an alignment. You can counter that with a good application of skepticism.
Just my 2 cents, but brand name and price doesn’t always come as the first consideration for me.
I factor in the UTOG rating which is on the side of every time. This refers to tread life, traction, and temperature rating.
The tread wear will have a number (400,500,etc) with the higher the number generally meaning longer tread life.
Traction and temperature ratings are A, B, and C with A being the best.
Normally an alignment may not be needed but you state this tire had a bubble in it. A bubble is generally caused by damage due to a pothole, curb strike, etc. so in this case an alignment at 25k miles might be justified.
If the alignment shows something even mildly out of whack then there could be concern about something in the suspension being bent.
To everyone who helped me:
I went to Costco this evening and got the Michelin Primacy tires (4). I don’t know if it is my imagination or not, but the car seems to ride so much better!
I really appreciate everyone’s advice! I learned so much and you were all so very helpful and responsive. This forum is wonderful and you are all doing real good for people like me! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! --Judy
You made a good decision, Judy!
As long as someone can afford to do so, it is always better to replace all 4 tires, rather than having an odd mix of tire brands and amounts of tread wear.
And, not only do Michelins typically give a smoother ride quality than other brands, but most Michelin models also feature long tread life. IIRC, the Primacys also have the potential to improve your gas mileage by 1 or 2 mpg.
Don’t forget to use the free tire rotation service at Costco, as this will save you a whole lot of money vs having to pay your regular mechanic for this service. They will even re-balance your tires without charge, if that is needed.
And, remember that your purchase included a road hazard warranty for the life of the tread. If you get a puncture, Costco will repair it free of charge. If a puncture cannot be repaired, they will give you a new tire!
I recently bought a set of Primacy tires for my car and am pleased with them as well. They are quiet, grippy, and do very well in wet weather. I’m glad you got that dangerous tire replaced, and I think you did the right thing by replacing the whole set. My gas mileage actually went down a little with the Michelins, but other than that, they are in every way superior to the General tires they replaced, which were about 50% worn. But I’ve always had bad luck with General tires.
What is the speed rating on new tires? Are they “V” rated like your former tires? What was total package cost? 800 or so?
Speed rating is V. You’re right on with the cost. 780 + 14 X 4 (mount & balance) + 6 (NJ Tax) + 4 (tire disposal) - 70 coupon + 51 (7% tax) = 835. Thanks again!
Some people are more in tune with how their car handles and really will notice a difference in ride quality with new tires. 2 different brand tires with the same ratings can have totally different feel. But no tires should be worn out at 30k miles with conservative driving habits.
"…But no tires should be worn out at 30k miles with conservative driving habits. "
First, most tire wear occurs in the cornering mode. Straight ahead driving is almost free. So if someone drives around the downtown area, their mileage is going to be quite different than someone who has a 100 mile commute. It’s quite possible to wear tires out in less the 30K if the driving conditions are mostly turns.
Second, some high performance tires just will not wear to 30K. They were designed for grip - and that’s what they do - at the expense of wear.
I agree Capri. Especially since so many new cars today are being delivered with Z-rated tires. Those things just don’t last like the S-rated tires. But ohhhhhhhh they’re fun to drive on!
I was going to suggest the Michelin Primacy MXV4. I had a set of those and they were the best tires I ever had.