Hello all,

Looks like I'm going on that search for the inevitable tire replacements. I'm hoping there are some knowledgeable experts out there. Even not, feel free to share your option.

What I found so far, and this hasn't been that big of a search so far, is some tires at Walmart that is hitting on just about every sorting parameter. These Antares here (first tire). I'm not trying to set some new lane-change record. Just some good tires that aren't going to break the bank is what I'm after. I guess the one thing I can see on the tires pointing out above, they don't have any warranty on them, do they? BTW, they did still come up if I had 40,000-60,000 in the Treadwear warranty search parameter.

Thanks for reading this and look forward to any advice.

 

Not a GD owner, but do have some input from being a GK owner...

Sharing a post that I made some time back. I no longer have this car or tires, but I can tell you that while I had them I loved them. They drove nice and quiet and for a high mileage rating, they blew away the factory Firestone's. They never felt like I was rolling them over if I asked a little too much of them in a corner, but I also didn't buy them for the twisty roads.

Firestone Champion Fuel Fighter
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/3rd-...-included.html

 

The reviews are overall positive on them. I have never heard of that brand but looks to be Chinese. For that price might be worth trying them out. You also might be able to get a Hankook, Kumho, or Cooper for not much more. Check TireRack.

 

I've owned countless sets of tires at this point in my life.

Here's my basic suggestions...
1. Skip tires made in China or Korea
2. Don't buy from Walmart, Sears, or any other mass merchant of generic products. The tire companies build the tires to Walmart, Sears, etc specs. You are NOT getting the actual tire built to the tire companies specs. Walmart's buyers do NOT know as much about tires as the tire manufacturer
3. If it's a tire sold at TireRack, check there for reviews. Their testers and customers give some good feedback.
4. Watch for manufacturer rebates. With tires the size of our Fit, you can score big with a $100 off rebate on a set of 4 tires. I bought two sets for our Fit last time around cause the rebates made them so cheap.

 

I recommend checking out TireRack if simply because the quantity of reviews is much greater than any other site, so you can get a better feel for peoples' real life experience with them. TireRack and DiscountTire also tend to have deals pop up around holidays with big rebates, like GAFIT mentioned.

 

Kumho's are Korean and are very good tires so not all are created equal.

 

I've read quite a few feedbacks on TireRack, DiscountTire, and Walmart. If you just read the ones on the "verified customers" at Walmart.com, you get a little better of a feel for what the tires are all about. Yeah TireRack does a better job of squeezing out info like having the customers put info on the mileage tabulated and stuff like that, but I never saw where they had more "knowledge".

And yes this goes against alot of my "better judgement". I've always been a staunch opponent of things from China* and getting anything from Walmart goes against who I am too! I guess I can legitimize this purchase by claiming to be a foot soldier and testing undiscovered areas for others.

My Fit isn't really that polished and I'm really not seeing where I'll be using it for >40,000 miles. I do like the Fits and can see myself getting another one, but I don't seeing myself keeping this one that long.

*Chinese Carbon Fiber forks on your bicycle anyone?

 

My Fit has General ALTIMAX RT43 I had installed a few weeks ago. I ordered them from Tirerack The original owner had Tiger Paw tires on it, they were loud, and felt squirrelly. The Altimax tires are night and day, quiet, corner great, excellent in rain, hopefully good in snow as they claim. My Kia Sedona has Kumho Crugen HT51 tires on it and they are amazing... So don't leave the Kumho tires out of it. Kumho are great tires. If you want garbage tires, get Perelli, or low end Goodyears, Firestone. Every Firestone tire I have owned has been terrible. The Fireturd Affinity's that were on my 2015 Civic, worst tires I have ever ridden on, complete garbage.

 

Crap!!! My Specialized Sirrus is fully carbon!!! 99% of bicycles are made in China.

 

They have upped their quality and just from having some sales, they read the writing on the wall. It's gotten better, but man it was dicey at the start! I still wouldn't trust any carbon stuff from China. ................. Maybe after >1000 positive reviews.

 

If we're naming specific brands, I don't like Hankook's. Owned two sets now and both are sub par.

My Dad's Kia came with Kumho's. They held up well, but were very poor for handling. Soft sidewalls and ill handling characteristics. If mileage is your goal, they are fine. I'm sure their higher end performance stuff is better, but their mainstream stuff is not performance material.

Our Fit has done well with Yokohama and Bridgestone through the years. Have had Nitto's and Michelin's on other cars recently and both of those were good as well. Basically, you get what you pay for with tires. Shop and know what you're getting for your money.

 

Continentals - I will swear by them since they are a decent price, and come with 12 month or 2/32nd road hazard warranty (I found out after getting a bubble on mine hitting a pothole).
Plus, if you want an aggressive street tire, they are one of the few options in the sub-17in range (no Michelin Pilot Super Sports for us).
I have Continental Extreme Contact Sports on both my Fit and S2000, and could not be happier (although I haven't put in any track days with either car on these tires).

 

bridgestone re71r get some

 

I disagree. I bought a set of Kumho's based on price for a Dodge Stratus I owned. First 10K miles I was happy with my purchase, figured it to be a great purchase based on ride and cost. After that, they turned hard as a rock, and would feel every bump in the road. Never again. Never had that issue with the Bridgestone, Firestone, Good-Year or BF Goodrich I've owned. I guess if my tires were bald and I was selling the car I'd buy a set, but never for anything I intended on keeping

 

I''ve had two sets of the Continental Extreme contact tires on my wife car. One set of the DWS Dry, wet & snow and the other were just the dry and wet. Couldn't be happier. Currently on my Fit I have a set of Firestone Indy 500's. Overall not bad other than a little road noise which is expected based on the tire category. I have snow tires for the winter which is good since under 39 degrees they were a little sketchy

 

Agreed. I had the Continental ExtremeWinterContact on my BRZ (16in wheels) and they were fantastic for almost 4 years (even swapped them to my wife's Impreza in year 4); would have run them through the 2018 winter if I hadn't blown one out on a pothole.
My little RWD Subaru never got stuck in 3 Toronto winters (including a few major ice storms for good measure), and was a hoot on fresh snow in empty parking lots. Downside was squishy handling when the ground was dry, but you can't really hold that against a winter tire (especially after downsizing).

That being said, the Contis are a bit more expensive - I've been planning on switching to the Firestone Indy 500s for my next set of summer tires. Would love to hear a bit more about your experience (handling, braking, acceleration, MPG).

 

Overall I'm happy with them. My selection was based on the Tire Rack's sales associates recommendation. Unfortunately there's limited selection in 205/50/16 that I run on the Fit.

As for comparison that's difficult for me. My wife had a VW CC running a 235/45/17 vs the 205/50/16 on the Fit. The tires were 1-1/4" wider, but the car was heavier. Albeit probably factory tuned for better handling. I also regularly autocross my WRX and sometimes Fit. I've run 255/40/17 Bridgestone RE-71R, 235/45/17 Dunlop Direzza ZII* Spec, and 245/40/17 BF Goodrich Rival S 1.5 and Bridgestone RE-71R. I've autocross the Fit with 215/45/16 Rival S and 205/50/16 Bridgestone RE-71R. With all that being said I really don't push any of my cars that hard on the street. No where near the limit of adhesion. But I can still tell the Indy 500's aren't as good as the RE-71R. They aren't as noisy as the RE-71R, but seem noisier than I remember the Continental DW or DWS to have been? It could have also been the VW CC was better insulated against NVH since it's a higher line car?

Again, the Indy 500's fit my needs. They were in a performance category that I feel OK with that they will provide decent wear, yet be aggressive enough to provide confidence in case I need to swerve out of the way of a pothole or animal running across the road. Only downside is they really aren't very good under 39 degrees, which was a warning from Firestone. I know this because I switched from my winter tires too soon and got stuck driving on them with a sudden cold spell. Scared myself on a freeway on ramp at about 40 mph for a ramp that I usually take at 60mph. I actually think there worse than RE-71R under 39 degrees? I know this because last fall at the last autocross of the season Chicago's temp swing happened during an autocross and the temps dropped to the 20's.

If you're asking if I'd buy them again, the answer would be YES. They were only like $100 each in the 205/50/16 if I remember correctly? Price vs performance they seem OK?

Hope that helps?

 

Thanks! That's what I was looking for - unfortunately they don't come in 15in.

 

I'm actually asking this as a question, NOT a statement of my opinion or fact one way or another BUT....

" Skip tires made in China or Korea"

Is that fair to say now?
The reason I ask, is in the industry that I currently work, we buy machines and equipment. The latest machine we bought, was built in China.
Now the vendors, who do have vested interest in selling the machine swear by the quality. In fact saying that the quality and safety standards for the equipment being assembled in China, is actually higher than industry standards in North America.

No doubt that many Chinese Branded Tires are significantly cheaper than corresponding big name brands.
But is the idea that they aren't any good, or shouldn't be trusted valid? Or is that maybe antiquated or even prejudice thinking from passed era's?

As much as tire manufacturers want us to think tires are all "Rocket Science" in the end, they are all just tire and tread. Seems to me if that is good? The tire should be good.

That being said, I'm too whimpy to really try an off brand, or go with the cheaper tire. Victorian upbringing and the ghosts of now passed on ancestors scream "You Get What You Pay For! " from beyond the mortal veil. So I end up usually paying the premium for a more well known brand. But it's not so much the idea that I'm afraid of a tire manufactured in China or Korea, but more the idea that "You Get What You Pay For".

But tire prices are getting IMO ridiculous. If I could find a discounted brand of good quality? Well I'd like to save 100"s of dollars on my tire purchase if I felt the tires were safe, and..good.

Just wondering if I'm crazy to change approaches, and look for that "bargain" when I get new tires...which should be in about a year.

 

I don't think you are crazy to think that way as I generally believe you do get what you pay for with most things, but not all. Is Acura more reliable then Honda because it "cost" more? The Chinese have stepped up their game significantly in manufacturing and technology. Is it worth taking a chance, probably depends on what it is.

That being said I took a chance with my latest summer tire purchase. I was running BFG Sport Comp 2's which are an excellent tire but mine were wearing bald and needed replacement. Went to Tire Rack to order another set and they were having a blowout sale on a Riken Raptor tire. Never heard of them but for under $60 a tire and 4 star reviews from auto x reviewers I went for it. Glad I did as they have been great and I saved some serious money. Time will only tell how they hold up but so far they have been great. Are they as great as the BFG's? Probably not but I can't do a side by side comparison and from what I remember for the BFG's these are just as good (especially for daily, not racing). Hey, if they wear out in 2 summers or start sounding like a freight train lessened learned but I don't foresee that.

Riken by the way is a Michelin brand that appears to be European but seems to be coming over here from what I could find about them.

There is a lot of science and technology that goes into tires design, chemical makeup and that is definitely an advantage to a good company that has been in the game a long time. This is why I felt more comfortable going with the Riken because Michelin backs them up and they know tires.