Wife's car has worn out the tires. 205/55/16. We put on the Kumho Platinum LX in Feb of last year. These lasted 43k miles. For $84 each from the Tire Rack, tell me why I shouldn't just do it again for another 40+k miles? I see the michelins that would likely last 60k miles, but they're $150. Continental for $120. Are any of these REALLY worth 30-50% more money?
Caveat: No cheap no-name tires. I'm OK throwing that stuff on my cars/trucks, but the wife gets quality.
Do you like them? That's the real decision.
I find A/S Continentals (specifically the DWS) to be excellent in nearly all weather, so I gravitate towards them for my year-round cars.
Im loving the continental tires i put on the daily. I feel like its moneywell spent over the falken i normally r un, but life expectancy remains to be seen
Supposed to be 80k tires, paid close to $600 for the set.
Never was happy with kumho.
Consider these:
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=227
As for the Continentas/Michelins being better, I think it depends what value you put on a tire that has maybe 5% more grip (10 or 20% in the wet) and maybe 20% less noise (for example). Is that tire 50% better? To some yes, to some no.
Ive had 3 sets of Kumho now. Ive been happy with performance, especially considering the cost. The kumhos replaced some Michelin ltx’s on 1 vehicle and so far the performance is just as good. Sometimes they feel even grippier and obviously cost a heck of a lot less. I think the last set was less than 1/3rd the price of the Michelins i wanted.
And i put them on my wifes rogue.
bobzilla said:Are any of these REALLY worth 30-50% more money?
Well, you've already decided that cheap name brand tires are worth 50% more than cheap no-name tires, even though I highly doubt that the tires themselves perform 50% better. So while looking at it purely on a percentage basis they'll never be worth it, there is also an absolute dollar value to it as well.
As my Fit slowly and steadily chugged right up the hill like the little engine that could, right past all the other 2WD's getting stuck on lesser performing tires, to make it home to my family one night during a rare snow storm this past winter, that one instance made it worth every penny extra that I paid for the DWS' over any cheap (name brand or not) tires. I feel the same way about the extra paid for the Defender LTX on our family hauler minivan, that handled the snow storm even better than the DWS on the Fit.
I've been running a set of the Conti DWS on my Ralliart wagon for a probably about four years. I can't comment on Mileage, I don't have access to the invoice atm. I love them. They're the best all-season tires I've ever had. Great grip for a street car, especially good in the rain. No vibration or weirdness at speeds up to about 118.
The car's going to get a set of the Conti sports, or depending on what I want to spend, a set of Firehawks next year.
The miata had a dead battery yesterday morning, so I took it to autocross. They're obviously not good autocross tires, but I knocked down some decent times. My first ever class win (only one entry). 
Are we happy with them? Well this is the 4th car we have had them on. They’re quiet enough, smooth and handle the E36 M3ty roads.
I have a general dislike for general tires. I’ve never had a set that wasn’t load, rough or had no grip.
We put a set of Goodyear’s on the old Rio but I wish I’d have bought the kumhos then. They were cheap and I know what you get with cheap tires ($57 each mounted at the time).
i sold enough tires to know that you can go too cheap.
In reply to bobzilla :
I have never owned a Goodyear tire that I liked.
Duke said:In reply to bobzilla :
I have never owned a Goodyear tire that I liked.
You know, now that you mention it....
Continentals are on Mazdaface and will be replaced by another set. The wife's Scion has Bridgestone ecopias. They were ok for the first 45k miles then got really bad in the rain. They will be getting replaced with Continentals in the very near future
You get what you pay for. Michelin Defender's have a 80k mile warranty for $128 each, and for that mileage they'll be quieter, safer and more comfortable.
morello159 said:You get what you pay for.
To a point. The directlly competing Continental TrueContact Tour is currently higher rated in the TireRack customer ratings and performed significantly better in the TireRack testing...And will still save your nearly $100 per set vs the Defender T+H.
morello159 said:You get what you pay for. Michelin Defender's have a 80k mile warranty for $128 each, and for that mileage they'll be quieter, safer and more comfortable.
I sold enough tires to know that the estimation on tire wear is only moderately better than voodoo. Ive seen the same tires on the same type of car with two different drivers that had HUGE differences in wear. I refuse to run her tires past 3-4/32, so no matter the tire, they get replaced once they get that low. At that point the "safer and more comfortable" is negligent.
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