freekraz Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Hello all, Can anyone recommend a cheap set of tires for a 2001 Legacy sedan. This is my spare car. It has 80,000 miles, runs like a top, but needs tires badly. I think I'll be driving about 3,000 miles a year on these, including some winter driving. Can't seem to get a quote of less than $375 for a set from any of the local tire shops. Any suggestions? Jeff in Boston Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishy Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 In a situation like that for a 3000mi/year I'd be pretty tempted to get a set of cheap or used snow tires. That way you're covered for any weather and with the low number of miles the wear rating and fuel mileage difference of snows versus all seasons won't make much difference.I freqently run snows year-round on my subarus anyway because even in the summer I might go adventuring down a woods road or something like that and the extra luggy tires help out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Find a tire shop about 30 minutes outside of the city. Much lower prices in the country. I agree though. If it'll be your winter car put a set of snow tires on it. SnowTrakkers or WinterForce are good and usually pretty cheap in the size you need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olnick Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Keep an eye on Craigslist. A couple of years ago my son got a matched set of brand-name tires with minimal, even wear for $150. You've got to be careful of course! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
987687 Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 $375 honestly isn't a bad price for a set of new tires mounted and balanced. Granted, you're probably getting crap... I second craigslist, etc. I've gotten some really good deals on tires. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 getting a decent set of used tires would probably be much more cost effective for your needs. tires will 'dry rot' long before they wear out if not used (driven on) for extended periods. UV damage from sitting in the sun will hasten the process. there are many shops in my area that will sell decent used tires - price varies depending on condition/wear. check the tread wear & depth - make sure it is even, check tread area & sidewalls for cracking - tiny cracks in the sidewall are indicators of dry rot, as are cracks at the base of the tread lugs. another alternative if you dont want to go used would be an online tire store, such as http://www.tirerack.com/index.jsp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 find out what Subaru wheels fit your vehicle (15" and 16" or just 16") and look for a set of Subaru take-offs on craigslists. All Subaru's have the same bolt pattern except SVX and certain STI's, which won't be priced in this range anyway. So as long as you buy a diameter/wheel big enough to clear your front calipers you can use any Subaru wheel. make sure the tires aren't old - the rubber degrades significantly with time, partiuclarly depending how they're stored. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 cheap tires generally don't do great in the snow and you shouldn't run snow tires in the winter, so i don't see how you could fit snow tires in your equation even though i highly recommend them depending on circumstances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caboobaroo Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 Also make sure you're not buying old tires, like 10+ years old. They have a tendency to separate after you start driving on them. If you're not sure what year they were made, the DOT code will tell you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 Recommend Ohtsu tires. They are made in Japan, and also sell under the Falken tire brand. Ohtsu model 7000 tires sell for about $50 each, so a set bought through someone like Simple Tire on line can deliver the tires for about $250, including shipping cost. Have someone like Wal-mart install cheaply. The best thing about Ohtsu tires is that they are great tires for a low price. I installed a set of 4 on daughter's Jeep Wrangler, and they perform just super. I highly recommend this unknown brand. Log onto Simple Tire.......... https://simpletire.com 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freekraz Posted July 18, 2014 Author Share Posted July 18, 2014 Hello all, Thanks for the very useful suggestions. Particularly the Craigslist suggestion! I found a guy not too far away selling a set of Forester alloy rims with 85% good tires for $100 less than the cost of new tires alone. (I think it's a good deal, and it'll be great to get rid of the super-rusty original steel wheels.) Question: Are there any issues with switching from the original 205/60 R15s to 225/60 R16s? Will the speedometer read a little less than actual speed? Thanks in advance, Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 Your speedo will read maybe 1-2 mph lower then before. No big deal, speedos aren't exactly precise to begin with. Are you sure the "two size larger" tires will fit your car without rubbing the suspension or fenders? There would be a greater potential of this on the front, as the wheels get turned, and more apt to rub something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olnick Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 Good going! If the seller will let you, try a "test fit" before you purchase. Put at least two on the car (one front & one rear) and inspect the clearances. Even drive the car a few yards, go lock-to-lock with the steering, both left & right. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freekraz Posted July 18, 2014 Author Share Posted July 18, 2014 Can anyone say DEFINITIVELY if the 215/60 R16s on the forester rims will fit on my '01 Legacy sedan which now has 205/60 R15s? I will probably not have a chance to road test them... Here is a link to the listing which shows how they are being used on an Outback wagon: http://tinyurl.com/nxrebbk And here is a photo: Thanks again for your advice, Jeff in Boston Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olnick Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 Just to clarify--are you talking about 215/60 R16s or 225/60 R16s? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olnick Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 This site might help you compare sizes: http://www.rimsntires.com/specspro.jsp Just enter your present specs in the top left and the "new" size in upper right. Then you can get an approximate analysis in the lower right. I think the rim size is 6.5 and offset 48. (Someone please correct me if I'm wrong!) Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olnick Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 And . . . everything you'd ever want to know about Subaru wheel/tire specs (courtesy Joe Spitz, Cars101)!!! http://www.cars101.com/subaru/tiresandwheels.html#outback Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbolt1003 Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 I vouch for Craigslist, too. I picked up a tire/wheel set for $40. Guy just wanted to get rid of the set. He had them lying in his garage but didn't have the Impreza anymore. Deals are out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 (edited) to see the changes in different tire sizes try this: http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html enter your sizes in the appropriate boxes and it will show & tell you the differences. It will also tell you how much your speedo will change and which way (faster or slower)... my 95 Legacy came stock with 185/70R14s - after a forester strut lift I am running 205/65R15s with no rubbing or any other issues. could have run the stock 98 Forester size - 205/70R15 - but it was mighty close to rubbing in front on turns, so I opted to drop the sidewall just a little. on a side note, the tire size calculator said my speedo would be too slow by 5.4% (60 on speedo would actually be 63.2)- using a GPS speedometer app to check it, it is almost dead on... Edited July 19, 2014 by heartless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freekraz Posted July 19, 2014 Author Share Posted July 19, 2014 Hello all, Thank you for the great website suggestions! Really good tools. To recap: I am now running the stock '01 Legacy steel wheels with 205/60 R15s. The Forrester rims I am considering have 215/60 R16s. (One of my postings was incorrect, good catch Olnick.) The tire comparison tool seems to indicate that clearance around suspension will be fine, but I might have wheelwell/fender clearance problems. One ambiguity is I am not sure of the offset on the stock setup. I think I will have to ask the seller for a swap and a ride prior to purchase. We are meeting at a WalMart halfway between our homes. So it won't be terribly convenient. But I'll bring my shop jack and my lug wrench. I guess I also have to wonder if the stock nuts will work with the alloy rims... Thanks for all the help. Jeff in Boston Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olnick Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Yeah, all those numbers get tricky! Back in the '90s standard offset was 55mm. Then around MY 2000 they introduced 48mm. The difference is about 1/4". But the Cars101 page doesn't make it clear. You could pull one of your stock wheels and check--the offset might be stamped on the inside of the rim. I have a gut feeling you're gonna' be just fine. But the only way to know for sure is to swap on the "new" wheels and test them. Good question on the nuts. Scope out a nearby Pull n/ Pay yard just in case! Good luck--hope it all goes well for you. (Then post some pix for us!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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