Timestwo

My wife's car, which is a 2004 LS430 has 10,500 miles on it, all local driving, and I need new tires. I understand that local driving is the worst on tire wear, but can someone explain why they need to put "H" or "V" rated tires on a luxury sedan? I'm going to replace the Dunlops that are on there with MIchelin, but do I really need the speed rating?

ultra63

I replaced mine at 22,000 and they were the horrible Bridgestone Potenzas. The Falken fst-115's are cheap and quiet,
http://www.falkentire.com/main.htm

bigDlexus

The car will run without the speed rated tire, if that's what you are worried about.

What you will NOT get is any more support from the dealer about road noise, uncomfortable ride, bad wear patterns, etc.

ALSO- reputable tire sales places do not like to put on lower than rated tired, because then they become liable. So be careful if you by tires online hoping to have them installed- they may not install them for you, then you go somewhere shady and they scratch up your rims, etc...

Just do a thorough search on tires that wear longer and have harder rubber, but I wouldn't skimp on the speed rating if I were you. The speed isn't the issue, it's the soft compund that Lexus uses that wears fast that causes your problem.

Tammy

OEM builders consider the tire as vital part of the suspension design in their autos. One should maintain the original tire characteristics. It's matched to the vehicle weights, empty and full of people and luggage. To put on a tire with a lesser speed rating risks tire failure due to a tire with weaker,smaller cords and belts.

Michelin builds a good safe long lasting tire, one of the best common size tire makers. You'll be pleased with a set, right from the start.
But, as with any good tire, frequent balancing, correct inflation and rotation extend tire tread life substantially.

nthach

like Tammy says, places like Costco WILL NOT INSTALL anything lower than the rated speed for that vehicle, unless the OEM tire label says so. The LS is capable of hitting 130-150mph speeds. For that car, you can't go wrong with the Michelin Energy MXV4 Plus or the S8 for that. They are pricey, but if don't drive like a nut or take turns fast, they are a proven tire for heavy cars like the LS and you can get better mileage from the Michelins than the Dunlops. If the MXVs are too expensive, give Toyo or Yokohama a try.


Personally, I am going for the Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S in a 215/55-16 size on 1998-2000 LS400 wheels. My Contis barely even lasted 25K.

Timestwo

Thanks for all the info. It makes sense that the suspension was designed to work optimally with a given speed rated tire. What annoyed me is that my wife doesn't go faster than 50, if ever. However, I went with the Michelin MXV tires and so far, so good.

csq860

Wow, only 10,500 miles out of a set of tires and rarely going over 50 mph? Something sounds wrong, unless the wife is secretly doing burnouts at night in the Walmart parking lot. Have you had your alignment/front end checked?

As for the "horrible Bridgestone Potenzas" I had a set on my car when I bought it, no idea how many miles the previous owner put on them but I put about 14,000 on them then sold them when I upgraded to 18's, the Bridgestones still had over 7/32nd tread. And I ALWAYS drive over 50 mph, usually over 80, and sometimes well over 100. When it comes to wear road conditions and driving style play a big part, but regardless 10,500 sounds awfully low for any decent tire.

4TehNguyen

iTrader: (1)

MXV4 energy arent good tires, stay away from OEM tires on nearly all cars, you can find less expensive tires that perform better and will last longer than OEM

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....ergy+MXV4+Plus

nthach

MXV4s emphase on a quiet ride and economy.

4TehNguyen

iTrader: (1)

Replacing the OEM energy on my moms avalon the newer tires will last twice as long, ride smoother, ride quieter, provided more traction and were $20-$30 each less expensive than MXV4 energies. It was unbelievable how much better they were over OEM. I actually like driving that land barge now

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....nce+TripleTred

nthach

I want to put those on my mom's Sienna to replace the craptastic Dunlop SP Sport 4000T AS on it now...