A week ago I noticed a big nail in the sidewall of one of the tires (Bridgestone Turanza EL470) of my '09 Sport, and when I took my car into the dealer yesterday they told me I'd have to buy a brand-new tire ($168 installed). What would you guys recommend: just replace it, or buy a set of aftermarket tires?

I've been mostly pleased with the snow performance of the Bridgestones (important because I live in Minnesota where there's snow on the ground what seems like half the year), but the noise level seems a bit high and I really hate how easily the wind buffets the vehicle around. I'll of course take any more cornering, braking, or accelerating performance I can get too . Any recommendations on good all-season tires for me? If there aren't any noticeably better than the Bridgestones, then I'll probably just replace that one tire.

Thanks!

 

yah, those are killers. tires themselves are worth no more than $50, but they charge you an arm and 2 legs.

see if you can get the same tire at Tire Rack - Your performance experts for tires and wheels

if not, you can try getting a similar performance tire in the same size and use it
on the rear. not the best option but most economical. unless you do a lot of
spirited driving, chances are, you probably wont be able to tell a difference.

or do a pair and keep that one good tire as spare for next time...

my FitS is a dd so im not too picky about tires... you can tell cause i use
shitty Falken 912's.