I’m in the market for a new set of tires but I thinking, “Which tires should I buy?” I did a bit of research since tires last such a long time. Currently my set of Michelins have served me well for about 5 years for over 70,000 kms. When I bought them, I did not know that there were green tires. With the high fuel prices, every cent counts.
I saw the ad below recently where Michelin put 2 Peugeot side by side and allow them to roll back and forth. One car was fitted with low rolling resistance tires and the other fitted with normal tires. I’m not sure if Michelin tweaked the tire pressures but the one fitted with green tires kept on rolling several times after the car with the normal tires already stopped rolling.
The dilemma I face is choosing a newer tire from a different brand. Based on reports, the new tire is quieter with slight improvements in handling and grip versus the Michelins. The Michelins however have worn evenly and gave a very good mileage. Being an “involved driver” I prefer good handling but a quiet long lasting tire is my prime consideration.
Several days ago, I made friends with someone driving the similar car. Being even more frugal than me, he bought used tires for his ride. These used tires cost a quarter of the price of new ones. Initially I gave this some thought but decided against using used tires. The reason is, we cannot tell if the tire casing was damaged internally by the previous driver. Although I don’t drive fast, I hate the idea of a tire bursting when I’m driving at highways speeds. Even at slower speeds, a burst tire can cost hundred or thousands of damage to your car. I’d rather not take a risk on my life and my families to save a few hundred bucks.
I leaning towards the current brand of tire. Care to tell the rest of us your thoughts on tires?
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I’ve heard of horror stories of Michelins cracking insome climets. Although probably they are exaggerated, I have stuck with Japanese tires like Dunlop for years. They last a long time but is easy on the suspension too.
Since of recent I have come across this tire called “GT radial” (Malaysian tire?). Seem to be economical and long lasting too.
How about the thread patterns? Can you advice what sort of patterns are best for normal road driving?
Thanks.
Hi Bimal, I’ve been using Michelins for many years. Even in hot climate I don’t think it is a problem unless you are using a snow tire that’s designed for snow in normal use. Tread patterns don’t matter that much for “normal driving”. What is normal however is very subjective.
If you are a Schumacher wanna be, then get the best money can buy. It might make the difference between kissing the car in front or ending up in a ditch and having a close call. Note that such rubber will cost a hole in your wallet every time you replace tires, but if you the dough, go for it.