Results 1 to 9 of 9
-
23 September 2010 #1
Dave T. Super Moderator
- Join Date
- 03 Aug 2010
- Location
- near Seattle, Washington
- Posts
- 1,515
- Saab(s)
- 1999 9-3SE (2013-2015), 2005 9-3 (2005-2013), 1990 900 (1990-2003)
Bias in favorite tire brands
I'm a bit of a bigot with tires. Some of it is bigotry, some of it is snobbery. Certain brands of tires, I like. Of course, sometimes I think a particular tire model is not so good so I'll avoid it.
In general, my tier A is Dunlop, Pirelli, and Goodyear. I like the sound of the Dunlop name and it's my #1 choice. It's no longer a UK company but sounds like one. The Pirelli P6 Four Seasons is a very mediocre tire and standard on some Saab 9-3 so I didn't buy another set but I still like the Pirelli name.
Tier B is close to the top. Continental and Michelin are there. So is Nokian but I worry that tire availability might be less. Michelins tend to be far more expensive than other tires in my tier A and B.
Tier C is Bridgestone and Yokohama. I still would buy Tier C without hesitation.
Tier D are the small brands. I worry about replacements. Brands include Fulda, Vredstein, Gislaved, Semperit, etc.
Tier E, I really don't want even though some of them may be reputable. Kumho, Hankook, Federal, Ohtsu, Sumitomo, Barum. Linglong, Sunny and Blue Streak, I won't even touch.
-
23 September 2010 #2
Frank Administrator
- Join Date
- 30 Jul 2010
- Location
- USA - Netherlands
- Posts
- 7,901
- Saab(s)
- previous: 2006 9-3, 2001-06 9-5, 2011 9-4X
Yokohama, Continental and Michelin are on the top of my list. Michelin tires are usually quite a bit more expensive and I have had good experiences with all three. I do like the Pirelli name and marketing and have had good experiences with some of their tires.
I never would buy any of your Tier E list. Small brands on your Tier D list like Gislaved (Continental) are sometimes owned by larger companies so that wouldn't stop me from buying them. Continental also makes General tires.
One a side note.. I read an article recently about a world shortage of rubber so tire prices are increasing.
I can spend hours researching and reading about tires. I even consider the look of the profile, sidewall and the difference between directional and asymmetrical tires in my tire decision. Tirerack lists the place of manufacture for each model/size and somehow I rather buy a tire made in Germany than one made in Brazil. I liked the old Continental ExtremeContact symmetrical/directional tires but don't like the newer asymmetrical design at all. Perhaps that's just me..
-
24 September 2010 #3
Likewise.
For me, Mich is the default choice. It might be irrational due to the long relationship between Citroen & Michelin, but I've always found them to be absolutely superb tyres. Yes, they're a bit more expensive, but they last, so the cost-per-mile is no more.
Except they don't make any performance-oriented tyres in c900 standard size. Only "Energy Saver" low-rolling-resistance. Which are only H-rated. As I realised too late, after fitting a pair. Hiho. They're OK, but nothing special. They do seem to have had a slight positive effect on economy, but at the expense of a bit of grip and feel.
I've gone Continental for the latest pair - PremiumContact 2. Good, but I'd have the Pilot Primacies back.
The others on my list would be Avon or Vredestein - if pennies were short, Avon as a no-brainer. Vredestein more of a left-field Tier A. I nearly went for Sportrac 3 instead of the Contis, and have Snowtrac winters.
As for the "owned by..." - don't care. If anything it's going to make me less likely to buy. I'd rather have an unknown but reputable indie than a B-team from a big-boy.
For the ones I've not mentioned, they'd probably be "avoid", largely to uncertainty (I don't want to chuck £150+ on a pair of tyres that turn out to be over-rated junk or only last ten minutes). The cheapie rubbish is a no-brainer, but I'd also avoid Pirelli - their usual offering over here, in c900 sizes, is the P6000. Awful, awful tyre. Thoroughly unpredictable in the wet. So that goes down as a firm "Thanks, no thanks" for me.
-
06 October 2010 #4But looks is not a factor when I buy tires, though I am tempted at times.
-
06 October 2010 #5
Scott Hutchings Too much to do, no time!
- Join Date
- 30 Jul 2010
- Location
- Mississauga, Ontario
- Posts
- 418
- Saab(s)
- 2009 9-7X 5.3i
See, we can agree on some things! ;-)
Michelins are my first choice.
Superb quality, long life, and very quiet on the road (I have Michelin Pilot Sport A/S+ on the car right now and they transformed it!!!).
Continentals would be my second choice, but only the DWS model.
And I take the "pickiness" even further as noted above.
Conti can make a very good tire, but just because they have one doesn't make the rest of their line up good.
I willl say that the model they replaced, the Conti Extreme Contacts, were exceptional in the rain, right to the end of their life.
I hope the Pilot Sport A/S+ lives up to their reputation as a great tire in the rain just as well.
As for winter tires, it all depends on the climate you live in.
Where I am, the Gislaved seem as though they were designed for the winter we have (they are a Swedish company and their climate is very similar).
I've run those for 2 years now and find them to be a perfect fit, for the weather and the car.President, The Saab Club of Canada
www.SaabClub.ca
-
08 October 2010 #6
Am I the only one who picks tires because they are black, mostly round and sitting at the curb on garbage day?
I still can't believe the deal I got on some almost new looking Snowtrakkers that way...
-
08 October 2010 #7
Mike Moderator
- Join Date
- 30 Jul 2010
- Location
- Rochester, New York, USA
- Posts
- 1,985
- Saab(s)
- Saab-less
Being a student, I get the best tires I can afford. My summer tires are nothing special Continental something-or-others. Decent tire, not great, but they squeal rather easy around corners. For winter tires I have Cooper WeatherMasters... best winter tire I could afford at the time. They do excellent in actual snow, but the slide/slip rather easy in slush and/or wetness. Scared me a couple times, but I wouldn't call them "unsafe" but something I'm going to enjoy getting rid of at the end of this winter (if they wear accordingly).
As for brands... I don't care what the brand is, but I do look at the big names first, but from there I mostly go by ratings/reviews I can find on the web. I know they can't all be trusted, so they are read with a grain of salt.
-
15 October 2010 #8
- Join Date
- 20 Aug 2010
- Location
- Medway, MA USA
- Posts
- 19
- Saab(s)
- 2006 9-5 Sportcombi/2003 9-3 Arc
I can only judge from my personal expierence with tires.
My rating would be as follows:
#1 Bridgestone (Potenza RE-960, Blizzak WS-60). Potenza is an incredible rain tire, and tread depth is holding up. Love my winter tires also. Big Bridgestone fan here.
#2 Michelin (Only number 2 because I only purchased one set and they were really good, but did not last long).
#3 Pirelli (P6- Only had them because they came with the 9-5. Bad tire IMHO)
#4 Goodyears that came on my Jetta VR6 (had two sets of them, hard tire slid allot with them).
#5 Kumos (sad to say I bought a set. They were the last set on my VR6. Worst set of tires I have ever gotten)Sell Crazy Somewhere Else
-
29 October 2010 #9
Sam Carlson Tutorial Bot
- Join Date
- 14 Aug 2010
- Location
- Medford, MA
- Posts
- 684
- Saab(s)
- '90 900 LPT with a flat-nose conversion
I drive so little in the summer that I just keep my Nokian Hakka NRWs (Now discontinued by Nokian and replaced by Nokian Hakka WR) on year-round. After four years and 25000 miles, they are still doing OK. I shall keep using them until they are no longer safe. Traction could be better on a dry road, but I just don't care (I've four-wheel-locked on wet concrete and I still slide in a straight line--gotta love c900 chassis) and I never thrash my car enough to make any difference round corners or accelerating (gotta love N/A ).
A local junkyard (Minnesota) sells good tires from unfortunate cars that got scrapped right after being re-shod. I once found a set of four beautiful Goodyears like that, for under $150. Came back the next day with my checkbook and they were gone.Ask me a question about your c900! I promise I either can answer it or know someone who can
Similar Threads
-
Winter Tire review - post yours here
By SaabScott in forum Tech TalkReplies: 1Last Post: 12 March 2013, 16:40 -
Winter Tire Question
By Aaron in forum Tech TalkReplies: 15Last Post: 09 November 2012, 07:08 -
Why The Different Tire Sizes on Aero XWD?
By CarbonFlash in forum Saab 9-3 (2003-2014)Replies: 4Last Post: 18 December 2010, 21:39 -
Tire prices going up, several sources. Consider buying some now?
By Dave T in forum Tech TalkReplies: 1Last Post: 08 October 2010, 16:53 -
Your favorite Saab jet fighter
By SaabKen in forum The ClubhouseReplies: 3Last Post: 04 August 2010, 06:36