#1 rated tires by Consumer Reports. I'm surprised!

[v8Toilet]

I got the Consumer Reports Issue on All terrain tires and all season tires for SUVs and Trucks. The Top rated All terrain tire is the Dayton Timberline A/T, which is only $55. It has an above average rating in everything except snow traction, which is rated average. It has a 5-year unlimited mileage warranty!

The Top rated All season tire is the $ 85 Toyo M410 Open Country radial. It has an above average rating in all categories. This tire has a 50,000-mile warranty

The much praised $95 Michelin LTX tire on this board is rated 5th in the 7 tire lineup. It has average snow traction, and just about average everything else. The Michelin LTX tire has no treadwear warranty.

I don't have any information on road noise though. Would anyone here who might have any one of the top rated tires be able to give me an idea on road noise?

Thanks

[akauth]

Originally posted by v8Toilet
I got the Consumer Reports Issue on All terrain tires and all season tires for SUVs and Trucks. The Top rated All terrain tire is the Dayton Timberline A/T, which is only $55. It has an above average rating in everything except snow traction, which is rated average. It has a 5-year unlimited mileage warranty!

The Top rated All season tire is the $ 85 Toyo M410 Open Country radial. It has an above average rating in all categories. This tire has a 50,000-mile warranty

The much praised $95 Michelin LTX tire on this board is rated 5th in the 7 tire lineup. It has poor snow traction, and just about average everything else. The Michelin LTX tire has no treadwear warranty.

I don't have any information on road noise though. Would anyone here who might have any one of the top rated tires be able to give me an idea on road noise?

Thanks

For a highway tire, Michelin LTX m&s or a variant of it (like from sears) is going to be quietest and smoothest riding (michelin does had a little tendency to "ring" on concrete though vs being whisper quiet on blacktop). Nokia's WR may compare to that in road noise, I'm not sure (but I'm probably going to buy a set). Cooper's HT will be pretty quiet and smooth riding too, but Mich is a little better (at a much higher price). Michelin is actually pretty decent in snow too due to the siping, even better on deeper snow, but it's on ice and very light snow that the hard rubber compound isn't so hot. On rain it's awesome - again due to the siping. Nokia's all weather tire (very hard to find) is superior to any highway or AT tire on snow though. That's where they made their name - superior performance snow tires. They might be as quiet and smooth riding as LTX m&s though. Maybe not quite so quiet, but still luxury quiet. Michelin LTX m&s is a good compromise tire that is hard to beat and you're going to pay for it.

The Toyo open country 410 is better than the Michelin LTX m&s in almost all conditions but it will be noisier and not as smooth. Michelin isn't that great in dry conditions (due to the hard rubber, again, but under dry conditions stopping isn't really an issue).

For an AT tire, Toyo Open Country AT (not one tested in that survey, unfortunately) is supposed to be quieter than Michelin AT and certainly smoother and softer riding and I know that Bridgestone's AT is also quieter than Michelin's. BFGs AT will be louder than any of these three, but be darn good in "real" snow and certainly superior off road. Good in rain. Ride will be a little harder. The Dayton AT is problably a good compromise AT tire that isn't too expensive. Won't last as long as Michelin (certainly won't last as long on gravel and sharp rock), but you won't pay nearly as much either. I'd look at the Toyo Open Country AT if you want a "well behaved" AT tire and the BFG AT if you want an "off-road" AT tire or incredible longetivity. The Dayton's are "fairly priced" and do a good job. Pay more, and you'll get more.

The only problem with AT tires is that in light snow, they usually don't perform that well (relative to a highway tire tuned for snow). In heavy snow, it's like they are in mud which is what they are really designed for.

If you were looking for a good all around quiet tire and didn't care too much about off road, the new SUV from Michelin is probably the most expensive tire you can put on (short of sport truck tires) but you are getting what you pay for. It's great in rain, great on dry, good in snow, decent on ice. It's the top of the heap but you are going to pay for it.

In mud though, you're dead meat. Their LTX m&s (in light mud) or an AT tire (deeper but not no holds barred mud) is a better choice.

Consumer reports is a decent magazine (and I subscribe to the online version), but I've completely disagreed with some of the conclusions they've drawn sometimes. They set up some weird circumstances to "test" something sometimes. Then people follow their advice without questioning how they "got there".

If you want a more legitimate testing, I'd look for one done by an auto or truck magazine. They're more qualified to test tires.

It's a pain because you've got to search them out, but a great source of comparison is shop managers that use the same tires you do in brands you like. They swap tires and can tell you what they liked and disliked. Find a manager who had Michelin but swapped them for Bridgestone's and he'll tell you why he did it and if they'd do it again.

Sometimes they can be swayed by the brands they specialize in. For example, go to Big O and they'll mention their Big O Dual groove AT in the same breath as Michelin LTX. They'll lean toward their house brand (which is a decent tire by the way) but some of that is economics and not pure advice.

Toyo has been rated #1 for quality for the last five years running by tire dealers, but what they don't tell you is that also included merchandising support and things like that (which you don't care about but dealers sure do!) in addition to pure tire quality. So you have to look at "how they got there", not just the results.

Oh, Michelin's "no treadwear warrantee". If you've ever owned Michelin or BFG ATs, you'll understand why that really doesn't matter. They last forever......

They do have flaws sometimes and they do go bad, but not like other brands. But you're going to pay more for that security (and probably never go back to another brand once you've tried Michelin).

Alan

[tampatundra]

consumer reports bases alot of its decisions on value.
michelins are the best tire out there BUT they are also the most expensive. thats a negative for CR

you won't find a more rounder tire thats excels in all other catagories.

[akauth]

Originally posted by tampatundra
consumer reports bases alot of its decisions on value.
michelins are the best tire out there BUT they are also the most expensive. thats a negative for CR

you won't find a more rounder tire thats excels in all other catagories.

You're right, they are about value. The problem is that it makes perfect sense to pay 20% more for a tire that is going to last 50% longer. But they don't look at it that way (unless they are looking at toilet tissue, then they count the sheets).

Personally, I think when you buy the best, in the long run you're a lot happier.

Alan

[KLS]

Originally posted by v8Toilet
I got the Consumer Reports Issue on All terrain tires and all season tires for SUVs and Trucks. The Top rated All terrain tire is the Dayton Timberline A/T, which is only $55.
......
Thanks

Dayton is one of Bridgestone-Firestone's brands.


Ken

[fdjanzen]

Originally posted by akauth
If you were looking for a good all around quiet tire and didn't care too much about off road, the new SUV from Michelin is probably the most expensive tire you can put on (short of sport truck tires) but you are getting what you pay for. It's great in rain, great on dry, good in snow, decent on ice. It's the top of the heap but you are going to pay for it.

Put these on my wife's RX300 and it really made a BIG difference on cornering coming up the hill. (Going down for that matter!) Also, when we had them installed it was raining and I noticed a HUGH difference on how they handled under wet conditions. They're rated great with snow, but guess I won't get to find that out for myself for a little while yet! I plan on going with these when I buy new tires for the Tundra.

Frank

[KLS]

Is anybody running the Michelin Pilot LTX tires? They seem like a fine tire for anyone strictly on-road.

Ken

[akauth]

Originally posted by KLS
Is anybody running the Michelin Pilot LTX tires? They seem like a fine tire for anyone strictly on-road.

Ken

I think Tundra Rose does. She loves them I think. (I'm pretty sure it's TR.)

Alan

[v8Toilet]

Just for the record Consumer Reports does not rate their tires or anything else better than a more expensive tire because it's cheaper. That's just plain you know what.

Thanks guys.

[akauth]

Originally posted by v8Toilet
Just for the record Consumer Reports does not rate their tires or anything else better than a more expensive tire because it's cheaper. That's just plain you know what.

Thanks guys.

V8, I think what tampatundra was alluding to in regards to pricing was "best buy" status.

If you go through their reports you'll find a general trend that if something does "almost" the same thing as the top rated item but is significantly cheaper. It's get the "best buy" which connotates a "better rating". Sometime the most expensive item does get the best buy though!

Pure results don't come into play in stating how well something works, but it does come into play when recommending to another (as they do) the performance per dollar spent. I'm assuming I know what you value.

The problem that comes with that is the assumption on what constitutes "value". I'd pay $150 for a set of michelin SUV tires and someone else would think that's nuts. It's "way over priced". I doubt that consumer reports would ever rate michelin's SUV tire a best buy (when it is the best tire!!) when a Cooper HT does almost as well for a *lot* cheaper.


Alan

[randyeverett]

I agree that it usually makes sense to buy the best tire for the job, and all things being equal-----------you will probably get the best return for your money with Michelin's.

For years, I tried all manner of "high-end" name brand tires on our ambulances, with sometimes terrifying results. We've had multiple occurances of blow-outs (at highway speeds) with essentially new Goodyear and Firestone tires. Also, belts slipping, premature wear-out, cupping, balancing problems, etc. The tires were checked daily for proper air pressure and we never ran a tire beyond 50% tread-wear. This was not just a safety issue, but also a revenue issue. The lost revenue from not being able to transport just one patient could equal or exceed the cost of a set of Michelin's. So, It didn't make sense to run anything but the most dependable tires made, regardless of the price.

The last 3 years that I managed that ambulance service, we had no tire related failures------none. After I left, the new manager made himself look good by buying the lowest bid tires. Of course, all the tire related issues have returned.

Sadly, to most peoply, tires are just tires. I push my personal vehicles to their limits and I want the best combination of tires, brakes, & engine possible. What was it that the tire manufacturers used to say about Ford in reference to Ford's specifications for OEM tires? Something like:

"Ford has three requirments for it's tires-------black, round, and cheap. And they're not to picky about the first two".
Oh, well..........JMHO
Randy

[v8Toilet]

If you value good dry stopping distances over price than the cheaper better rated tires above stop better on dry roads.

[akauth]

Originally posted by v8Toilet
If you value good dry stopping distances over price than the cheaper better rated tires above stop better on dry roads.

Yeah, that true, but it's usually not on dry roads that you have a problem. It's on wet or snowy roads. That's why Michelin are still good tires. The hard rubber compound wears well, but is not that great on dry roads. But usually that's okay, because any tire is going to stop "okay" on dry roads.

But's in the marginal conditions or in comfort or longetivity (which makes an expensive tire as cheap or cheaper in the long run due to extended tread life - with or without a warrantee) that a premium tire shines. You're paying for the engineering and or materials that just can't be done by paying less for a tire.

You can't get BMW performance on a hundei budget. But you CAN still get a pretty decent product that does most of what the premium products does for less, but they still aren't the premium product. Most of the time you get what you are paying for. If you want optimum performance, you're going to pay for it. But value it how much you're willing to pay (or give up) for the bundle of results you get from something and that's a personal call.


Alan

[Reggie Ours]

I must have terrible luck...I put Michelins on my wife's 4-runner, and they need replaced already. They are 80,000 mile tires, but we only have 27,000 on them. We rotate and balance every other oil change, (6-7000) they are all wearing even. Hopefully I won't have any problem getting new ones pro-rated.
Reg

[geojim]

I must have terrible luck...I put Michelins on my wife's 4-runner, and they need replaced already. They are 80,000 mile tires, but we only have 27,000 on them. We rotate and balance every other oil change, (6-7000) they are all wearing even. Hopefully I won't have any problem getting new ones pro-rated.
Reg

What model Michelins do you have?