I've gone through three sets of tires after removing the stocks and like several others on this forum have gone 205 55 16.


Discount tires has a great selection of tires for this size and I've had falken ziex's, Kumho's estca, and General Gmax...

Falken- wore out pretty quickly....not at all impressed with appearance or performance.

Kumho- Treads were not even all that low when I started noticing slipping on acceleration from a parking lot ramp while turning right. Also noticed increased hydroplaning....replaced them after I hypdroplaned into a divider on a bridge.


The generals have been great. already have 10k on them and they look good and grip great. Less road noise as well. MPG's have dropped but thats due to a few other issues in addition to the tires themselves.

Whatever you do, dont get the cheapest tires...they are usually chinese in origin. The ones I initially purchased arent even offered on their site anymore. I had them on for 200 miles and had them sent back. The amount of sidewall flex was crazy! I hit an expansion joint on a turn and felt like the rear beads were going to seperate...no bueno. paid more for the general's but feel like they are a good value.

 

Primacy MXV4 (not the MXM4, that’s the “performance” version) as the higher end costlier but more durable/long lasting tire -=OR=- Kumho PA31 as the budget end give a little here and a little there but still have a quality affordable tire. The PA31 are perfectly acceptable on light snow but I will say they are not good on ice (deep cold affecting the rubber). I also recommend sticking with stock sizing if at all possible (weight saving). I settle on 205/50/16 only b/c it is what was available and I needed tires but now that I been through it, I would recommend 185/55/16 (assuming prices are similar enough). If money is a not a concern, the Primacy MXV4 sounds like the tire for you. Something to consider when buying cheap tires -a decent mount/balance job isn’t cheap ($80-$120 for road force balancing). Tire saving is moot if you have to mount multiple sets of tires.

My stock tires latest 45K (3/32) and have been on the PA31 for ~7K miles through this winter (3rd snowiest PA winter on record). At $300 for a set to my door, I would do it again, and again, and again –until another/better tire comes along . https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/2nd-...-16-tires.html

 

+1


thanks for that note Silent. From what I've read, the Kumho PA31 is the way to go for anyone looking for the best value. I can't imagine any tire being good on ice. The PA31 on snow has had its share of accolades on tire rack. Their professional winter review done up in Sweden still has not been posted. Although I had every intension of getting the PA31 for my Vibe, I am thrilled with the price I got on the Pirelli P7 Plus. They provide an even softer ride than the MXV4s that replaced them. As a former Michelin man, I now can say that I have ZERO Michelins on my three cars. There simply are comparable and less expensive alternatives out there. Costco needs to get with it frankly. There are better options from online companies, and Costco simply carrying two highly rated tires in their inventory (MXV4 and Defender) is now no longer enough for me. Pep Boys as well as other firms now sell a very affordable lifetime tire rotation, flat repair and balancing package. In the case of Pep Boys, once you buy the package, it covers all the cars in your name, not just the tire you had them mount. Alas, less visits to Costco will mean less $1.50 hot dogs and soda in my stomach.

 

My Stock Duncraps lasted 38K. That is the lowest mileage I have ever got out of a stock tire.

I went with Continental DWS's in 205/55/16 for replacements. I have already put 5,000 miles on them, and the word continental is still visible in the tread. That's already 10 times better.

 

Good point. PersonallyI would prefer the P7 over the Primacy b/c I put driving dynamics higher than whatthe OP is looking for. Nonetheless, bothare too rich for my blood as a DD tire on a Fit. IMO, there is a tire for everyone but youhave to know your priorities. I’m not afan of Pep Boys or most big chains. Irather seek out a good local mech. (yes, they are hard to find).


DWSs do not sound like a good match to the OP’s priorities list or any of the UHP-AS tires. I read they are great tires and had the DW myself (without the “S”now) which has slightly more aggressive tread design. While traction is great, they are NOT known for long lasting or long term comfort –relatively speaking.

 

Tire selection on new cars is often the bandaid for the poor statistics in the cars original testing. Sometimes it's poor handling, poor gas mileage, poor braking distances, poor noise qualities, and sometimes it just comes down to saving a few extra bucks. Whatever the reason, your second set of tires should be based on the things that are most important to you and not about what the first tire shop in town has in your size.

 

Thanks for all the help, everybody. I ended up going with the General RT43's in the 185/60/R15 size. Will get them installed next week.

 

Don't forget "1st impressions" and a followup 10K review...

 

Whatever you do, DO NOT BUY GENERAL RT43.

Worst tires I've ever driven on.

Loud, poor dry/wet/snow grip, noticeable drop in fuel economy with them on, no comfy, just awful.

 

Oops too late Though this sentiment does not seem to be shared by many, at least on tirerack and a couple other sites/stores I looked at.

What did you end up replacing them with?

 

I purchased them four months ago, suffered a puncture a couple weeks later, was forced to buy five of the tires that I've hated more than any other.

I haven't replaced them, because they're new and relatively fresh; the moment the tread is low, they are gone and it'll be celebrated by all of humanity.

 

My original Dunlop tires lasted 50k miles. I replaced them with some cheap all-season tires (1 cm wider, same diameter) that now have 40k miles and still look like new. The mileage went down about 4 mpg on average with the new tires, so I'm not too happy about that.

 

Damn, I gotta get new tires too. Hankooks good?

 

Hankook's and Bridgestone are good tires

 

I am going to need new tires within 10,000 miles. Now that the stock Sport size has some decent choices I am thinking to switch from 205's and go back to stock 185's with LRR at the same time. Yokohama Avid Ascend seems to be the best choice for me and just waiting (hoping) on a rebate offer to happen before the end of the year.

In searching for best price on those I came across this very cheap tire I had never heard of. Achilles 2233 V-rated for $52 each. Anybody try these? I did a FF search and found the brand listed on some of the Asian members car mod lists but no reviews.
Achilles 2233 185/55R16 83V BSW BSW Buy online - tires-easy.com

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