Clarty
Clarty New Reader
5/28/14 9:03 p.m.

OK, I know there will be the wiseacre with the "cheap helmet" comparisons, but I'm in the market for some inexpensive tires for the family truckster.

It is a 1988 Mercedes-Benz 300SE, and it's been sucking the family budget dry, but it's a nice old car as well as my daily driver year-'round.
I use winter tires in the winter, so the cheapies are just for summer.

Discount Tire has Barum Bravuris 2s for $69 a piece, $72 if I go with 215/60s instead of the 205/65s.

Mills Fleet Farm has cheapie tires, too: Starfires. Don't know much about them, but their pricing is pretty low.

An independent tire shop has Uniroyal Tiger Paws and Cooper CS4s, both of which are more expensive than the Barum tires.

Any suggestions? I'd love to go with Michelin Defenders, but the budget won't allow that right now.

Tom Suddard
Tom Suddard GRM+ Memberand Associate Editor
5/29/14 12:13 a.m.

I loved the generals I put on my 1984 300SD. Give tire rack a try—I think I paid something like $50 each for them.

Kenny_McCormic
Kenny_McCormic UberDork
5/29/14 12:21 a.m.

Of what you've said, the CS4 or Tigerpaw, rest are crap. Look at whatever hankook is slinging currently as a T speed rated "touring" tire, or the general equivelent(RT43 I think), maybe look at Fuzion, that's owned by bridgestone.

Wally
Wally GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
5/29/14 5:57 a.m.

I get Tiger Paws for the Malibu and generally get 70,000+ miles on them.

RoughandReady
RoughandReady HalfDork
5/29/14 6:40 a.m.

Whatever has tread at the pic-a-part.

ebonyandivory
ebonyandivory Dork
5/29/14 6:50 a.m.
RoughandReady wrote: Whatever has tread at the pic-a-part.

This. I haven bought new tires since my '78 Landcruiser.

cdowd
cdowd Reader
5/29/14 8:02 a.m.

I put 2 used 17" 80% tread tires on my BMW last summer for just over $100. If the budget is tight that is the way I would go. Or look at the tire rack which is what i usually do.

EvanB
EvanB GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
5/29/14 4:48 p.m.

Why not just run snow tires all year?

dean1484
dean1484 GRM+ Memberand UltimaDork
5/29/14 5:05 p.m.

We have put Fuzion's on severial cars at the shop I help out some at an I put a set on the 94 mustang about a year back. For the $$$$ not a bad tire at all. I would get them again.

chuckles
chuckles HalfDork
5/29/14 6:36 p.m.

TigerPaws are awful in the rain.

Wally
Wally GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
5/29/14 7:37 p.m.

In reply to chuckles:

I haven't had any trouble with them even with the over active ABS in my car. I tried a couple cheapo tires that make the ABS come on if there was even a threat of rain.

Streetwiseguy
Streetwiseguy UberDork
5/29/14 7:47 p.m.

How do I phrase this correctly...Coopers are a good bad tire...no... They are a cheap expensive tire...no...We sell lots of them, they are better than Chinese Walmart junk, but not as good as a Michelin.

Clarty
Clarty New Reader
5/29/14 10:31 p.m.

How about a set of Kumho Solus?

Clarty
Clarty New Reader
5/30/14 10:59 a.m.
Clarty wrote: How about a set of Kumho Solus?
Kenny_McCormic
Kenny_McCormic UberDork
5/31/14 3:32 p.m.

These are cheaper and score higher on the TR surveys http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Fuzion&tireModel=Touring+%28H-+or+V-Speed+Rated%29&partnum=16HR5FZTOUR&fromSurvey=true

KyAllroad
KyAllroad Reader
5/31/14 3:53 p.m.

Price a set of Riken Raptors. Actually a very good tire I bought off eBay and am exceptionally pleased with.

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