If the original thread was about the Bridgeston Dueler, the Alenza's have a great reputation.

On the Firestone/Bridgestone/Explorer side issue, it was my understanding that the problem was a multiple issue:

- owners of Explorers weren't diligent at checking tire pressures
- Explorers had low tire pressure for ride comfort
- Bridgestone tires had a fault that was exacerbated by the above two statements

That said, the Bridgestone Dueler Alenza has had a good reputation for longevity, ride comfort, noise, and safety - at leaast from what I have read. These are my next tire, once the OEM Michelins wear out. Right now, I have 42000 miles on them and expect to get another 3-5000 miles from them.

Again, in my experience, many vehicle owners are negligent in checking tire pressures at least monthly. I check mine every two weeks or after a significant temperature change.

 

The Dueler Alenza's get poor gas mileage. I know, I just bought some and my mileage dropped by an average of 2 mpg. The problem is they are 4 lbs. heavier than the OE Goodyear tires, that extra unsprung weight translates into lower fuel economy. I'm going to try the Yokohama Avid V4s. They weigh 29.5 lbs. and have a .3 wider tread width than the Dueler Alenza's.

 

It doesn't make sense that adding 16 pounds drops mpg by 2. Significant increase rolling resistance? I'd be interested to know if your mileage goes back up with those Yokohama's. 2 mpg less is 10%...not insignificant for this vehicle. I've got a few more months on my Michilens...05 330 with 63k miles.

 

Do you record every tankful or just periodic checks? I am curious if this is a seasonal thing, temperature related or truly a 2 mpg drop. Do you routinely check tire pressures and adjust as the temperature varies?

My OEM tires are Michelins and I have no idea what they weigh. Do you have the weights of the Goodyears? You say the Yokos weigh 29.5 so I would like to compare all three weights.

My final question is, if you have decent tread left and you spend the money on replacement tires, solely for fuel economy, then it may actually be cheaper to run the Bridgestone's until they need to be replaced. What do you think?

Gary

 

I would NEVER buy tires without first consulting Consumer Reports. They have safety tested all the major brands and I trust their recommendations. They also have a pretty good selection guide to help you choose the best TYPE of tire for your vehicle (performance, ride, all weather, performance-all weather combo, etc).

I saw a report on TV the other day about tire stores selling OLD tires (tyres to my Brit friends). Some being sold as new, were up to 8-9 years old. Tire manufacturers recommend not driving on tires over 6 years old, regardless of the mileage. They get dry rot and chemical compound decomposition, even sitting on the shelf. The code for a tire's manufacture date is usually found on the inside wall, where you have to crawl under your vehicle to read it. It also has an unusual code to specify the year and week the tire was manufactured. For example, 3307 means the tire was manufactured in the 33rd week of 2007. Your tire salesperson will tap dance like Mr Bojangles if you ask him/her when the tire was manufactured. If you see a BIG sale, it is often to get rid of tires that should not even be sold.

Tires and brakes are two things I would never cut corners on. I recommend thorough research and good buying decisions when your family is at risk.

 

The Alenzas offer superior traction in almost all conditions. Increased traction = increased rolling resistance which can result in lower fuel efficiency. On our RX 300, as LBCDan reports, we did have a 1-2 mpg drop in both City and Highway MPG. (Not based on the trip computer but based on actual calculations.) But compared to the worthless Goodyear Integrity's which I and my wife could spin the tires on dry pavement, it's a price worth paying. At least on an RX300, the Alenza's offer a much more secure driving experience especially in wet weather. With the old Integrity's when it rained, we just didn't feel secure driving the RX.