I usually buy premium ( expensive ) tires for my cars. My last set was Continental ExtremeContact DWS which I was not very happy with. Cost me almost $1,000 with taxes and installation ( Yes, tires are more expensive in Canada ) After using them for 8 months, I am finding these $ 1,000 Ultra High performance tires are worth only about $ 200 - $ 250 .... which makes me wonder....

Driving an LS means I can afford the tires, but there are a lot of low price alternatives out there that are tempting me to give them a try.

I have never bought inexpensive tires, but wanted to know if anyone here has and what you thought about them. How good or bad are inexpensive tires really for everyday use and easy relaxed driving.

 

I'm touchy about vibrations. I fought with Kumho KR21 on my Avalon for years. Finally a balance specialist shop determined that one was not concentric. They steered me towards Michelin. Other than that, I loved the quiet soft ride on the KR21s. I'm thinking that higher quality tires should not have problems with concentricity or heavy spots.

 

Cheap tires equals potential for buyers remorse for a long time. Check out tire rack for ratings and watch for the GY Comfortred Tread Touring double rebates at SearsI got em like a hundred something a piece could not be happier. Get V rated tires

 

I'm currently running bridgestone re960 and not a problem yet although the are pricey

 

What do ya mean 200-250 dollars? Aren't you the guy with "wandering" problems for ages? Tires may not be the things to cheap out on?

 

I've heard that the best tires as far as vibration and noise are the highest speed-rated tires. You may not need the speed but they are manufactured to tighter tolerances so they don't overheat at rated speed. Pricey I'd guess.

 

you read the first post wrong, I spent $1,100 on tires. My car wondered on expensive tires, lol, ( the tires, now used for 5,000 miles are only worth $250 IF I can sell them ... odd right ?

That is what I thought too and so I bought Z rated tires ( 186 mph rated, lol ),
Expensive and I dont like them, because of the wandering !

 

I stick with Michelin tires for last 30 years because they have never let me down....always smooth and quiet...never a blowout or weird wear patterns. I have rarely defected to another brand just to try something else and in each case regretted it. Michelins usually cost more but I think they are worth it based solely on my own limited purely anecdotal experience. I know the tire shop guys love how easy they balance. YMMV.

 

Yup, Michelins are excellent - and also the most $$$ tires out there. I have tried other less costly tires and have found them to be excellent too. I have never bought the cheap tires -ever.
The 18 inch Continentals for my LS were the most expensive tires I ever bought. I hate them. I have never taken a tire off after 8 months and tried to sell them. It's a first.

by the way, what does YMMV mean ?

 

It is hard to find anyone who wants used tires yet alone the size one has out of the zillion sizes out there. I am like a broken record I have had Michelins in a V rating and the Comfortred Touring in a v rating are as good or better. Stu if ya want a cheap tire wait for the Goodyears they are on sale regularly at sears double rebates. They where like dirt cheap, with the rebates I have like 10 k on em now and they drive great. #1 above the primacies in the ratings on TR.

Michelins will never let ya down but ya gotta pay. the old Assurances where a good tire the comfortred is the newest upgrade. 70k for a V rating ain't too shabby. Jab is a very wise fellow.

 

I meant H rating on the Michelins V on C Tred

 

As soon as I buy new 17" wheels, I may try the V rated Comfortreds, or just get Michelins.

Sears is a catalog store in Canada, the no longer carry tires.

 

Bridgestone Turanza Serenity is an extremely quiet, comfortable tire with great wet traction as well. Likely it is comparably priced with the Continentals but slightly less than Michelins I believe.

 

Yeah Michelin tires are very well known for the least amount of road force or vibration issues. They do have a low treadwear rating though so they will tend to wear slightly faster than your cheaper higher treadwear tires.

 

Stu, after reading through your "wandering" thread, I doubt that the make/model of the tire is your problem. The Conti DWS are very highly rated on TireRack and Discount Tire Direct. Since your 17" setup is better, but still not good?, I would think that the problem at least in part is w/ your car.
This is not to say that nothing is wrong w/ your present 18" wheels and/or tires as they seem to really exacerbate the odd handling. However it is probably not the design of your components, but some flaw in their production. Could be one of your wheels is significantly out of round. Haven't really seen that, but I have experianced off tires a few times that caused pulling/wandering. These were found in not one, but two different model sets of top line Dunlops and a set of highly rated Generals. Odd thing is that they all balanced well on the Road Force machine!
For what its worth I am running a set of summer DW Contis on my Acura and they handle well and are surprisingly comfortable w/ low noise.