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Post by Think Floyd on Jan 5, 2021 23:55:02 GMT -5
My new front wheel drive Hyundai has an oddball sized tire (205/55R17). The stock tires are Nexen N Priz AH8. While they give a smooth and comfortable ride, far too many user reviews state that they're terrible in the snow, with one review even saying that they're dangerous! It hasn't snowed since I bought the car so I have no first-hand experience, but I can't just dismiss so many bad reviews.
That said, my tire of choice over the past 6 or 7 years has been the General Altimax RT43. This tire performed very well in the snow with my previous little front wheel drive car (I never drive through deep snow), but it's not available in 205/55R17. A friend who's a "car guy" is the one who recommended the Altimax tires years ago. When I told him that I can't get the Altimax in this new size, he suggested switching to the Altimax 225/50R17 because they're the same (actually ALMOST the same) diameter and shouldn't interfere with computer stuff or the speedometer.
My first thought was that changing sizes might void the warranty, which I wouldn't want to do on a brand new car. However, research shows that the dealer would have to prove that any damage was caused by the change in size. Correct? Incorrect? With previous cars I've always had a huge selection of tire choices, but with this tire size I only have a handful of decent quality options. I want an All-Weather tire that's good in the snow along with good wet and dry performance. When I look at "Top 10" lists and expert reviews of All-Weather tires, very few are made in my size. And among those few, even though the "experts" rated them good in the snow, actual consumers seemed to feel differently.
I don't know what to do. Would the General Altimax 225/50R17 be considered a direct replacement for the 205/55R17 and I shouldn't worry about it? What if the dealer gives me a hard time when I take it in for my free oil changes and tire rotations? Or, should I play it safe and go with the "best of the rest"? After reading hundreds of reviews, my choice would probably be the Vredestein Quatrac Pro, but no one really carries them and I'd have to have them ordered from TireRack which may or may not be a hassle. Or, maybe one of the Continental models, but I've read too many reviews about poor performance in the snow. I could really use some advice. Thanks!
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Post by Think Floyd on Jan 6, 2021 0:04:17 GMT -5
I'd also appreciate any recommendations for a quality All-Weather tire. Or maybe even a snow tire that can be used all year round? Thank you.
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Post by K4 on Jan 6, 2021 9:25:34 GMT -5
You are fine going with a 225/50.
The dealer cannot void your warranty for changing tire sizes unless it causes damage to the car, and this size change will not.
I like ultra high performance all seasons so my tire recommendations probably won't fit your driving style or car.
Eagle F1 A/S
Pilot Sport A/S 3+
Both of those will be great in the dry and wet, and very good in the snow.
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Post by slacker 🐨 on Jan 6, 2021 9:28:45 GMT -5
Many say all weather tire is an oxymoron, but I've had excellent results with the Pirelli Cinturato. They're not cheap, but I've been driving in Iowa on all season tires since the late 70's and these are, by far, the best all around tire I've found.
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Post by walshb 🦒 on Jan 6, 2021 9:37:34 GMT -5
FWIW, I've ordered from Tire Rack several times, with no issues whatsoever. They have recommended dealers in most areas, and can even ship to a dealer, if you decide to do that.
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Post by slacker 🐨 on Jan 6, 2021 9:50:58 GMT -5
FWIW, I've ordered from Tire Rack several times, with no issues whatsoever. They have recommended dealers in most areas, and can even ship to a dealer, if you decide to do that. Me too. |
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Post by justin on Jan 6, 2021 12:12:19 GMT -5
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Jan 6, 2021 12:32:14 GMT -5
I'm going to go the opposite way. Remember that reviews are only one aspect of a body of data that tell a complete story. Your car is new and your tires are new, and you're going spend somewhere around $600 to replace your tires based on bad reviews? Tires are tested by the NTSB and if they were unsafe it would've showed in the tests. Yeah, I know the NTSB isn't always right, but bear with me.
Keep in mind that the performance of a tire has a whole lot to do with driving conditions and individual driving habits. I would wait until I had some empirical evidence--personal experience with the tires in snow--to see if the reviews are a true reflection of the tires' performance.
It may turn out that the tires really are like snow skis, but I doubt it. It's also possible the reviews are overblown BS, generated by multiple user accounts belonging to a competing tire company.
How many times have you enjoyed a film that got panned by professional critics?
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BigBadJohn
Wholenote
I Lurk, therefore I am.
Posts: 222
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Post by BigBadJohn on Jan 6, 2021 12:45:23 GMT -5
FWIW, I've ordered from Tire Rack several times, with no issues whatsoever. They have recommended dealers in most areas, and can even ship to a dealer, if you decide to do that. Me too. Me three. Have used Tire Rack several times with no issues. |
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Post by K4 on Jan 6, 2021 13:24:04 GMT -5
+1 Peegoo Since it is a new car with new tires before I spent the money on a different set, I'd see how they handle the snow. If you feel they are good, why waste money?
EDIT
On my first post I missed the new car part and thought you had worn out tires.
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Post by budg on Jan 6, 2021 14:45:50 GMT -5
I just used Amazon for tires on my wife’s car . Free shipping and they too had garages that did the install work. Tires shipped right to garage , showed up for my appointment, in and out in less than an hour. 25 dollar a tire for mounting and balancing. Totally happy.
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Jan 6, 2021 14:48:11 GMT -5
Drive gently on them in the snow to assess their performance and effectiveness. If they seem to work really well and then all of a sudden let go...that's pretty much how every all-season radial tire designed for cars performs in snow  |
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Post by modbus on Jan 6, 2021 16:14:42 GMT -5
FWIW, I agree with Peegoo 100%, I wouldn't get rid of brand new tires based only on some bad reviews.
However, my son's Impreza has Pirelli P4 All Season P205/55R16 tires, and they've done fine in the snow. The Impreza is AWD, of course, but no complaints on the tires.
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JDC
Wholenote
I STILL say: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"
Posts: 528
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Post by JDC on Jan 6, 2021 16:18:48 GMT -5
I've been considering a new set of tires, as well. I've been getting the "your tread depth is below the safe level" talk from Discount Tire the last few times I've been in for a rotation. I can't see buying (for example) 90,000 mile guarantee tires, though, as this car (while it's been great, all these years...bought new in 1996) either:
1)Doesn't have 90,000 miles left in it OR
2)I don't have 90,000 miles worth of driving left in me considering my pandemic level driving rate.
It's been about a year since I put more than a few hundred miles a month on the car.
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Post by Think Floyd on Jan 6, 2021 16:31:19 GMT -5
Wow, thanks for all of the replies!
Yes, I do realize that I should wait until it snows again to evaluate these Nexen tires so I can have personal experience with them. However, I believe that selecting the right tire is an important decision. Dealing with some OCD, the need to plan ahead to avoid problems, and a fear of making the wrong choice (which could result in an accident) makes this very difficult for me, as I worry WAY too much and tend to overthink and overanalyze things.
That said, I do appreciate everyone's comments, recommendations, and advice. Of course, with me being me, it will probably snow again before I can make a decision, but that would actually help me make a decision! And, should I need new tires, I'm not as worried anymore should I need to change the size.
There is another option for me: I could just go with dedicated snow tires for the winter, and the stock tires (or something different) for the rest of the year. Did I mention that I hate making these kinds of decisions?
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Post by Think Floyd on Jan 6, 2021 16:37:10 GMT -5
However, my son's Impreza has Pirelli P4 All Season P205/55R16 tires, and they've done fine in the snow. The Impreza is AWD, of course, but no complaints on the tires. It's funny... your son's Pirelli P4 205/55R16 tires don't come in 205/55R17 size! I don't understand why Hyundai went with a size with so few options. |
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Post by Think Floyd on Jan 6, 2021 16:42:55 GMT -5
Drive gently on them in the snow to assess their performance and effectiveness. If I'm lucky, it won't snow again... but I doubt it. A snowy test drive would have to be done when there is NO traffic. The only reason I have this new car is because the insurance totaled my previous Hyundai after a fender-bender. That was the first accident that was my fault, and it better be the last! |
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Post by Think Floyd on Jan 6, 2021 16:45:50 GMT -5
You are fine going with a 225/50. Those two tires calculate to the exact same diameter in inches (25.9"). A 225mm section width is pretty standard these days for FWD passenger cars, so in my opinion 225/50 can be looked at as a modern equivalent to 205/55. Thanks. Coincidentally, my "car guy" friend who told me that the diameters were the same is also named Justin! |
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Post by Think Floyd on Jan 6, 2021 16:53:33 GMT -5
I've been considering a new set of tires, as well. I've been getting the "your tread depth is below the safe level" talk from Discount Tire the last few times I've been in for a rotation. I can't see buying (for example) 90,000 mile guarantee tires, though, as this car (while it's been great, all these years...bought new in 1996) either: 1)Doesn't have 90,000 miles left in it OR 2)I don't have 90,000 miles worth of driving left in me considering my pandemic level driving rate. It's been about a year since I put more than a few hundred miles a month on the car. It's weird; no matter how high the mileage guarantee is on a tire, I've always had to replace it much sooner. We average maybe 9K to 10K miles per year, and I've never had a tire last longer than just under 3 years before the tread became too worn down. |
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Post by insanecooker on Jan 6, 2021 17:24:42 GMT -5
I could just go with dedicated snow tires for the winter, and the stock tires (or something different) for the rest of the year. That is what I do. They are not "snow" tires, but winter tires. Temperature in and of itself affects performance as well even before getting to snow. If you're driving a lot in the 30s and lower, that's the scenario for them. |
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Post by K4 on Jan 6, 2021 17:26:07 GMT -5
The manufacturers generally put on a decent all around tire. They don't want their cars crashing. I'll bet the person who gave the dangerous review went into a 20 Mph curve at 50 on an ice covered road.
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Post by Think Floyd on Jan 6, 2021 17:43:57 GMT -5
I could just go with dedicated snow tires for the winter, and the stock tires (or something different) for the rest of the year. That is what I do. They are not "snow" tires, but winter tires. Temperature in and of itself affects performance as well even before getting to snow. If you're driving a lot in the 30s and lower, that's the scenario for them. Actually I do know that they're called "winter" tires and that the composition of the tire helps maintain traction in cold weather (see... I do way too much research!), but I'm just so used to calling them snow tires! |
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Post by Think Floyd on Jan 6, 2021 17:54:50 GMT -5
The manufacturers generally put on a decent all around tire. They don't want their cars crashing. I'll bet the person who gave the dangerous review went into a 20 Mph curve at 50 on an ice covered road. You could be right. I know that reviews will never be 100% accurate (or true), but I still want as much info as possible when making a decision. On tirerack reviews, users can describe their driving as normal or "spirited". I take note of this, what they're driving (FWD vs AWD), and also where they live so I have some idea of weather conditions. That said, someone who likes to put the pedal to the metal even in slippery conditions will give a poor review to a tire that is great to others. |
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Post by K4 on Jan 6, 2021 17:59:21 GMT -5
Never know, you might like them better than the tires you want to replace them with. Give them a chance before you condemn them. Unless you just like spending money.  |
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Post by Think Floyd on Jan 6, 2021 18:26:49 GMT -5
Never know, you might like them better than the tires you want to replace them with. Give them a chance before you condemn them. Unless you just like spending money. To be honest, these Nexen tires are quieter than the General Altimax, and the ride is smoother. However, some of that could be due to the difference in suspension between this car and my previous car. Handling is fine, and driving in the rain seems okay; it's snow that I'm worried about. |
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