What tires are best?

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twoqttsdad
Posts: 212
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012 12:41 am
Location: Hawaii

Don't be surprised if your mpg numbers lower by 1 or 2. The effects of hysteresis and the deeper tread depth. Tires tend to deliver better gas mileage (lower rolling resistance) as they wear down.
2012 SLS
Azure Grey
FWD CVT
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NiteRider
Posts: 179
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 9:22 pm
Location: State College, PA

twoqttsdad wrote:Don't be surprised if your mpg numbers lower by 1 or 2. The effects of hysteresis and the deeper tread depth. Tires tend to deliver better gas mileage (lower rolling resistance) as they wear down.

So far it's been about the same if not .5mpg better.
'12 Kizzy GTS - Azure Gray
'10 Jeep Liberty
twoqttsdad
Posts: 212
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012 12:41 am
Location: Hawaii

So far it's been about the same if not .5mpg better.
Not surprising given the extra load capacity of the Generals (98W), stiffer tire.

You could probably get even better mpg by bumping them up a few psi!
2012 SLS
Azure Grey
FWD CVT
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KuroNekko
Posts: 5170
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

I'm finally junking my OEM Dunlops as I'm forced to at 30,700 miles. I started getting a vibration at higher speeds so I took the car in for a wheel balance. The tires looked worn, but not exactly goners yet. I had them balanced at a NTB close to my house. I then took off for a 6 hour drive for a business trip to Ithaca, NY. On my way there, the car would pulse very noticeably at speeds above 68 MPH. I took it into another NTB in Pennsylvania and was told the Dunlops were too worn and the tires were the cause of the vibration, not the wheels. Unfortunately, they had nothing in stock for the Kizashi.

I made it to Ithaca on the worn Dunlops, but I'm looking to get new tires before my trip back south again. It's not only for safety but also because the drive up was not very enjoyable with the harsh ride, vibration, and insecurity of these worn Dunlops. I'm going to a tire shop tomorrow or the day after to see what they have in stock. My plan is to get the best tire in stock before I head to State College, PA for the next stop of my trip.

So far, I'm looking at a few tires and will get the set that's in stock. My top choices are the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3, Continental ContiExtremeContact DWS, and General G-Max AS-03 based on what the local tire store chain carries. I'm looking for UHP All Seasons as I'll be around Maryland/DC for the winter and need some snow traction.
I'm actually really looking forward to having a smooth ride and great handling like when I first got my Kizashi.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
krell
Posts: 235
Joined: Mon Jul 15, 2013 9:14 am
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I will be in Boalsburg, and State Collage. PA next weekend...Go with the Nitto Motivo loving mine......http://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/wheel ... ire-72179/
Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you're living?
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KuroNekko
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Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

The store did not have the preferred tires in stock, but could get the Michelins or Continentals in stock by tomorrow morning. I ended up ordering the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3. Both the Conti DWS and these Michelins Pilot A/S 3s have very comparable reviews from what I've seen, but the Michelins have a mail-in rebate to save $70 while the Continentals don't. It wasn't a hard choice at that point.

I'm eager to get these new tires put on and then drive the 3.5 hours or so to Penn State.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
bootymac
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Joined: Fri Jul 19, 2013 1:04 am

Great tires and a no brainer with the rebate! Let us know how you like them
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KuroNekko
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Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

bootymac wrote:Great tires and a no brainer with the rebate! Let us know how you like them
I've only driven them a few hundred miles so they are still in the break-in process.
That being said, they are a huge improvement over the worn Dunlops which is stating the obvious. The vibrations and road noise are gone. The car is rather smooth now, but road conditions have not been good enough to evaluate the tire alone on smoothness and quietness.

The grip is a great improvement. The OE Dunlops used to be good when new, but rapidly lost grip as they wore at an accelerated rate. The Michelins restored that road-handling grip and I can now drive the Kizashi more confidently in the corners.

I had to get an alignment done after they installed them. They checked the alignment and told me it was off. They gave me a spec sheet I'll upload when I'm home. It was a bit surprising as I had got an alignment not too long ago. However, I had it done again given with these new tires, I wanted everything to be optimal. They also did a wheel balance of course.

Over all, I'm pleased with the tires, but the initial experience was a bit ruined by the mess the mechanics left in my car. The interior had smears of brake dust everywhere. It was very unprofessional. Sadly, it wasn't until I left the shop that I noticed a large smear on the headliner directly above the driver's seat. I was furious as I keep my car's interior very clean. I went straight to a Walmart and bought some Meguiar's Interior Wipes which cleaned up the smear rather well. There's a faint trace that I'll attend to when I'm home but most of it came off. I had to get going so I didn't bother going back to complain, but it reinforces my reservations about others being in my car. Unfortunately for a tire installation, it's unavoidable.

Again, the tires themselves are great so far. The tread design is rather large and aggressive-looking. The side wall view is also quite a contrast from the OE Dunlops as the Michelin's large treads are visible from the side view. I'll upload pics when I'm home.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
Kelevra
Posts: 66
Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2012 4:12 pm
Location: Alaska

Sounds like you made a great tire choice. My 13 has close to 30K on it, and they are a bit worn. I have to say that they worked pretty well all along though, and I tend to drive rather aggressively.
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KuroNekko
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Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

Here's the tread pattern on these Michelins.
Another thing I like about these tires is that the sidewall extends out from the wheel enough to buffer it from low-speed curb rash. I like this design in tires because in city driving environments, curb rash is sometimes hard to avoid. I damaged one of my wheels a while back when I was parking alongside a curved curb. Basically, when I turned the car to follow the curvature of the curb at the front of the car, the rear wheel caught the curb. The OE Dunlops did not buffer the wheels much at all as the tire's sidewall did not extend out much. These Michelins look a lot better in this regard.
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2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
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