What kind of tires do I need to get?

Question

I have a 2003 Toyota Echo (P175/65R14) it came w/ intregrity Goodyear tires, but our local Firestone is having a huge tire sale. I don't know what brand to get. I want to get a GOOD set of tires b/c I'll be moving 8 hours from home next fall & I be driving home every now and then, but also don't want anything outragously expensive. Just good tires & at good price.

Answer 1

I work in the tire industry, if there is one thing I know about, it is tires.

P175/65R14 81S is a hugley popular tire size. Virtually every small import sedan made in the 1990's used this size, so there are a lot of choices out there for replacement tires. There are no bad tires - all are very durable and "safe" - but some are much better than others. Here are my recommendations based on years of dealing with evyer kind of tire on a daily basis in a harsh climate.

If you plan to shop at your local Firestone store then the options you are likely to be shown include;

The LeMans. This is an inexpensive entry-level "private-label" brand sold only through Firestone locations. Perfectly adequate if you are on a tight budget but if you an afford better do it.

The Firestone FR710 is a much longer lasting, better wearing, better traction tire and about mid-priced. It comes with a 65k mile warranty. If you live in the snow belt and they have the option of the Bridgestone Insignia SE200 I would take that instead though. The internal designs of both are the same, they just have different tread patterns and I prefer the Bridgestone in climates that see snow.

If you want a really nice riding, good traction, long wearing tire then there are two from Yokohama I can recommend - the AVID Touring or the slightly more expensive AVID TRZ. Both have 80k mileage warranty's but are priced competitively with many 60-70k mile tires and both are great performers. You won't find these at the Firestone store though.

If your on more of a LeMans budget but want Firestone or Yokohama type quality then a great, if sometimes hard to find choice is the Kuhmo Touring A/S 795. This is a very nice 70k mile warranty tire priced like many major brands 50-55k mile tires. Again, this is one you won't find at your Firestone store so check your local phone directory and make some calls. If you want a lot of tire for your money, this is the one.

Answer 2

A few years ago I think that was a brand that was having a problem or it might have been Firestone. I always buy Michelin they last longer. I had one tire that lasted for 100,000 miles. Some people say that they give a hard ride, but I never felt that problem. I think you have good tires for what driving you plan on doing. There will be other sales before the fall. They are usually around a holiday weekend.

Answer 3

The best tires you can get are bridgestone. If you wanna splurge, you can spring for pirellis, because they are the best kind you can get. But if you're looking for good tires at a good price, you should buy goodyear tires. Don't buy firestone because they wear out too quickly and they tend to be defective. Remember that if tires are so cheap that you can't believe the price, you'll be putting yourself and your family at risk.

Answer 4

Firestone tires are good. Your Firestone dealer may also offer Bridgestone tires, as they are the same company. Bridgestone tires are a little better than the Firestones. Either would be fine in most situations. I use Bridgestones on my truck.

Almost any tire will be OK as long as you take care of them. Don't scrape them against curbs, and keep them properly inflated.

Answer 5

Firestone should be fine....... they're the same company as BRIDGESTONE, the company who supplies the tyres used in Formula1 racing, so they know a thing or two about making tyres....... Goodyear are good too (also made racing tyres for Formula1 until about 10yrs ago).

Answer 6

well first off youll want a set that matches the factory size. what youll want is a tire with long treadlife, perhaps 60k miles plus rating,but also with high heat,and traction values. preferably AA if you can afford them. the heat value is a measurement as to how well the tire dissipates heat from itself,and how well it will grab a hot pavement. the wet traction rating is how well the tire can grab wet pavement, IN A STRAIGHT LINE, many people misbeleive it involves cornering but it doesnt.