L-300 New Tires??

> "Private" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I do not disagree, the point I was trying to make is......
>>
>> Tires are a very important safety critical item and deserve careful
>> attention to maximize safe operation. They are a costly consumable that
>> is second to only fuel and aprox equal to oil changes in total cost.
>> This significant cost can be minimized by careful monitoring of inflation
>> and wear and by frequent rotations. Tire maintenance does not require
>> extensive experience or significant time and is well within the
>> capabilities of most any car operator. Tire inspection and rotation does
>> not require a significant investment in tools nor does it require a
>> workshop. The only tools that are required are a quality tire pressure
>> gauge and a tread depth gauge, both of which can be purchased for $10-25
>> total, a second set of 4 rims will cost $20-150. These small
>> investments will easily pay for themselves during the service life of any
>> car and normally much sooner.
>>
>> Many people will claim they are too busy and prefer to have tire
>> maintenance performed by others at time of oil change but I submit that
>> DIY will be both cost and time effective and give the added benefit of
>> allowing inspection of brakes, suspension and exhaust systems at the same
>> time.
>>
>> We both know that the primary cause of both tire failure and short tire
>> life is underinflation. I suspect we will agree that the most common
>> cause of engine damage is failure to check oil and coolant levels and
>> that the easiest way to obtain good engine life is frequent oil changes.
>> Our cars are a big investment and a substantial yearly cost, simple
>> maintenance will substantially extend service life and minimize total
>> cost. IMHO depending on others to do this maintenance leads to missed
>> oil changes and maintenance, depending on a garage or dealer to do all
>> this work is IMHO a guarantee of over paying for this work.
>>
>> Good luck, YMMV

"Bob Shuman" > wrote in message
...
> Private,
>
> Agreed on all points made. Underinflation is a major factor in both tire
> wear and reduced fuel consumption/mileage. All tires and oil/other fluids
> need to be checked at regular and frequent intervals. Back in the old
> days of full service gas stations, the driver had some help with doing
> this at the recommended intervals of every fill up.
>
> On getting more miles from the tires, I've found that running them higher
> than the manufacturer's placard on the side door is a good practice. Most
> newer tires are max cold pressure 44PSI, and I run them 35PSI or so even
> if the manufacturer recommends 26PSI. For max cold 35PSI tires, I run
> them at 32.5PSI. This can take a slight toll on the suspension components
> and give a slightly harder ride, but pays dividends with fuel mileage,
> longevity and wear.
>
> I generally use Michelin tires and regularly get 60,000 miles on some
> fairly heavy vehicles that are hard on tires. For the Saturn, less
> expensive tires seem to last fairly long too as long as they are
> maintained and the vehicle is properly aligned. These cars are so light
> that they are not as hard on the tires. This is my experience. YMMV.
>
> Bob

As usual, we substantially agree.

Larger vehicles require higher pressures to carry the higher weight. Mfgs
of lighter vehicles often spec lower pressures to improve ride quality which
has led to tire failures on SUVs operated in hot weather. On my SW series I
find 32-33 seems to work well in the summer but I like a little lower
(29-30) for winter traction on snow or packed snow. I use higher rear
pressure (approaching max) when heavily loaded in the rear of the vehicle
but these higher pressures will cause the center of the tread to wear faster
than the edges (when lightly loaded) and can cause the tire to be more
easily damaged by gravel or rough potholes. This is one of those times
where monitoring the tread wear with a proper tread depth gauge helps to
determine the best pressure to run, Front tires especially will tend to
wear the edges of the tire if run underinflated.

IMHE, S series cars are easily knocked out of front alignment and this will
cause rapid front tire wear and can be difficult to repair and realign.

I agree that lighter vehicles are much easier on tires, and the tires are a
lot cheaper. IMHE lighter vehicles are a LOT easier on all wear con$umable$
like tire$, brake$ and clutche$ as well as FUEL$$$ and is one good reason to
choose light over heavy as much as possible.

Good luck, YMMV

I would recommend using www.tirerack.com as an aid, even if you do not
purchase tires through them. I do this every time I need tires. Like a
person trying on shoes, every vehicle is different. Just because it's a
name brand and it was a great tire on another car you had, does not mean
it'll be good on the one you have now. The MOST important and greatest
thing about tirerack is you can select your car and make sure if you read
anything, read the user ratings/reviews!! These are ratings from people
like you who have the exact same car as you, so you can't get any better
recommendations than that...You'll see the same tire that gets great ratings
on one vehicle, get crap ratings on another....Find the best tire for your
vehicle in your price range and criteria that's important to you (mileage
warranty, road noise, etc), then see if you can find it locally for a good
price. You can also work the site in reverse. I've gone to BJ's to see
what tires they have for my Vue, wrote down the model numbers, then gone
home to see the user ratings for them and actually found they had good
ratings, and were cheaper in the long run as BJ's has "free"
mounting/balancing/3K tire rotations vs. buying them on tirerack as you have
to pay to have them mounted & balanced by someone...

Anyway - Good luck...

IYM

> wrote in message
...
> Thanks for all the information! I know the dealer is out for buying new
> tires so who do you guys reccomend? Who will give me the best deal for
> the money, Costco, Big O, Walmart, etc? And what brand do you think
> will give the best ride for this model Saturn? Dunlop, Michelin,
> Goodyear, etc? Thanks!
>
>
>
>

I got a good set at Sam's club. Got the set of 4 for (as I recall) $85 each
with included mounting and balancing.

BF Goodrich P205/65R15 92H M+S they were the mid grade with a decent
sidewall. I always go for all season, long life and good handling. The
cheaper tires seem to have very thin sidewalls which are more prone to
punctures and have less stability. It's always good to be able to swerve to
avoid an accident and know that the vehicle *will* respond properly.
I had the dealer replace the tires just once since inspection was overdue
and they wouldn't pass it (make big boo-boo face here). With a 4 wheel
alignment was close to $800 AND the tires only lasted 30K miles. Was same
tires the car came with that were pretty soft.

Under-inflation has two down sides. Since the tire flattens out where it
meets the road, as it flexes at those points, it creates heat that can, in
extreme cases, cause tire failure by fracture of the steel cords or by
delamination of the layers. Flattening also reduces the effective diameter
of the tire and hence reduces the distance one revolution of the wheel gets
you. Both factors contribute to worse MPG.

Oppie

> wrote in message
...
> OK I need your help! I was at my dealer this past weekend getting an Oil
> Change and they said that I only have 15% thread on all my tires and
> they need to be replaced. They gave me a quote of around $700! for all
> four replacements with an alignment, and labor. This seems a little high
> to me, so I was wondering if I could get a better deal somewhere else?
> What tires do you recommend for this Saturn? Thanks!!
>
>
>
>
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

Any thoughts on the Bridgestone Potenza's G009 tires? I have been doing
a bit of research and I have about four different makes, and models in
mind for replacements. The one I listed seems to have some great
reviews. Thanks!

You might be surprised. I would check out prices before making that
asumption.
> wrote in message
...
I know the dealer is out for buying new
> tires so who do you guys reccomend?