Best all-season tire for Subaru Outback for W Coast and winter ski trips

[mountainwalker]

Yokohama Avid TRZ’s, Bridgestone Turanza Serenity or other?

 

I'm looking for a used Subaru Outback and researching best tires for it. Don't know which model year I'll pick up yet, hot on trail of best values in the areas in which I'm looking. Planning to drive the car on the W Coast in N California after relocating now from the NE, mostly for drives of 5 to 45 min during the work week, and occasional weekend trips, including ski trips to the mountains in winter. I’m looking for a top quality all-season tire that will handle well in summer and winter conditions.

 

I’d sincerely appreciate your advice as I’m very careful about tires every since I bought my first car in college, a 7 year old Volvo, which had tires that checked out well enough, but in a medium rain storm, driving 30 mph on a Cliffside with one lane in each direction, with no sudden acceleration or steering moves, the car fishtailed 180 degrees, and I was lucky to “land” the car in my lane close to the inside of the road against the mountain. Some oil leaking down from a town above the road may have caused the road to be slick, but as soon as I put brand new top end all season tires on the car, it handled 10x better and safer. Never experienced that kind of slippage again.

 

In response to this question on Yahoo Answers, this poster below who owns 2 subarus recommended Yokohama Avid TRZ’s http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Yokohama&tireModel=AVID+TRZ . I checked the reviews on Tirerack and the TRZs have an average overall rating of 8.52 out of 737 reviews, which is very good.

http://www.tirerack.com/survey/SurveyComments.jsp?additionalComments=y&tireMake=- - - Yokohama&tireModel=AVID+TRZ&tirePageLocQty=&commentStatus=P

He was negative on Michelin for value and quick wear:

 

“I'm not sure if they're available in Australia, but I ran Yokohama Avid TRZ's on my 98 Outback.. they have a 700 tread wear rating, and the rain/ snow traction is excellent (I know not a lot of powder down there, but in a sudden downpour, they are amazing).. I drive mostly on-road, over 60 km one-way to work, and have taken them off road on occasion.. really surprising for an all season car tire. From my experience here stateside, Michelin is way overpriced, and the treads are too soft to get any real life out of; they do handle well though. Had nothing but bad experiences with Pirellis, may be just me. I'm currently running Dunlop Dirrezas on my 07 WRX.. and they have been wonderful so far. Stick like glue, and good in the rain. They are a summer- only tire though” * 4 weeks ago Source(s): 17 years in the repair trade, employed with a national tire distributor; owner of two Subarus.

 

I spoke with Tirerack.com and these 2 tires were their top picks for performance + value for all-season tires for the 2000 Subaru Outback Ltd Wagon:

 

Bridgestone Turanza Serenity 225/60R16 $126 H sped rated - rated for 70,000 miles, supposed to offer just a little more responsive handling and a drop quieter ride than the Yokohama Avid TRZ, thanks to the stiffer tire, rated as a grand touring tire. There are fewer reviews for this than for the Yokohama Avid TRZ, but it appears well rated, though winter/snow ratings appear a little lower than the Yokohama Avid TRZ. Rated to 130 mph (as if I'd drive a Subaru Outback even close to that speed). Someone on Edmunds mentioned: “The Serenity has replaced the Turanza LS series which for several years was the top tire on the Tirerack reviews for whatever category they were in.(do not confuse the Turanza LS with the ELs which are often OEM and suck) whether the Serenity is as good as its predecessor remains to be seen.”

 

Yokohama Avid TRZ 225/60R16 $94 T speed rated4/ - rated for 80,000 miles - rated as a touring tire. Very large number of ratings and very highly rated, both for summer and winter conditions. Considered an excellent mix of quality and value. The Yokohama Avid TRZ also got a very good review in Yahoo Answers.

 

There was a $75 rebate for four Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Tires I held from Saturday in the event I picked up an Outback I was evaluating that needed new tires – that one didn’t check out well, so may have to drop this order and lose the rebate, unless Tirerack has a free return up to 30 days on all orders. If I want them, would have to let Tirerack know today. The Bridgestone rebate brings the cost of a set of 4 Bridgestone Turanza Serenity very close to the cost of a set of Yokohama Avid TRZs. I’m sure the rebate will be available again if I need it.

 

I'd sincerely appreciate your advice – I’ll be a first time Subaru owner and haven't had to keep a car for a few years now, so haven't bought tires in years.

[nickb21]

I'm looking for new tires as well, wrong coast though... I'll mention upfront that we don't get too much snow here (only two or three times this past year) so I run all-seasons year round. If I lived in a more snowy place I would probably have winter snows.

 

Currently running Yokohama Avid V4s, which are great grip wise, but I'm not thrilled with the wear.

 

The Turanza Serenity's are in my list of top 3. Along with the Potenza G019 Grid (replaces G009) and the GoodYear Triple Tread. My local tire place is offering the TripleTreads for ~$105/tire, and there is a $40 rebate. I did a lot of reading and the TT's are recommended by a lot of folks. Plus the warranty is 80k miles.

 

I think it's just personal pref. The Turanza's w/$75 rebate is a good deal.

 

No decisive help here, just my thoughts..

[mountainwalker]

Still helpful, really appreciate it.

[mountainwalker]

Can anyone comment on the grip of the Turanza Serenity, Yokohama TRZ, Potenza G019 Grid (replaces G009) and the GoodYear Triple Tread on snow and ice? Not for constant snow/ice driving, but occasional weekend winter driving heading to mountain winter sport areas.

[idosubaru]

dedicated snow tires are huge. there is no comparison between all seasons and snow tires. $400 over 4 or 5 years = $100 or less a year for the biggest safety improvement you can make on your vehicle.

 

go to tirerack and check out their reviews, they have a fair amount. i'm sure other tire stores probalby have online reviews as well. i'd use a search engine or known tire sites like that for tire feedback.

[mountainwalker]

Hi grossgary,

 

I've been using tirerack search and searching on forums. I was hoping to find one all-year tire that would be adequate given that I'll be driving the car 95% of the time in a warm area.

 

My one question on snow tires, which I never had to purchase on my old Volvo living in NY and heading to ski and snowshoe areas a few times each winter in Vermont and upstate New York - when I start out driving from a relatively warm flat area like Silicon Valley/Bay Area, and drive to a place like Lake Tahoe, will the snow tires be a problem on the warm flat roads on the way to the mountains? Would you keep the snow tires on your vehicle the whole ski season in a warm area like that?

 

I would never want to change my wheels every other weekend in winter.

[aircraft engineer]

Dedicated snows only make a big difference IF you are in the snow enough to warrant it.

 

Otherwise you might just as well have good multipurpose tires.

 

Snows here twice a year if we're unlucky.

 

Lately been more of an ICE problem - and only studs will help in that. Trouble is that near Seattle drivers think that they can GO in anything - forgetting that it isn't the GO - it's the STOP that's the problem, usually, on paved roads.

 

Running the snows has 2 main issues - the rubber is softer usually and the tire wear goes WAY up for the time on the car;

they are L O U D!! generally (but if you LIKE that buzz siren, that's your call)

[mountainwalker]

That's why I was looking for all-years, thanks for confirming I was going the right way. It just seemed crazy to get snow tires for a few weekends each winter, when most of the time the weather outside will be sunny and warm. I've never had to deal with a transition like that - in NY winter you head out in cold, drive through cold and return in cold.

[four-fleet-feet]

Re your snows coming off when you aren't in the mountains:

 

Do you have room for a second set of wheels? The only way you'd be able to do a swap that often is if you bought a second set of rims and put your snows on them. Even then, it's a hassle to swap all 4 unless you have an air (and torque) wrench. Drive them in town on non-ski days and the sound will drive you batty, and as aircraft-engineer said, they wear quickly. For the cost of the tires it's not worth wearing them out like that. Storing them's a PITA, too. Do it wrong and your tires aren't any good the next year.

 

I'd find a good set of all-weather tires which will get you good traction in the rain AND which have good wear ratings. Remember, if you're going to Tahoe the main roads (the passes) are plowed, and it's only into the ski area itself that you will really need to worry about. If it's so bad you NEED real snow tires + chains to get there (not just chains on your all-weathers), I'd reconsider going.

 

Don't get the largest tire you can get; read your new car's manual before you go tire shopping. Somewhere in it, the largest tire which can be used with chains is listed. PAY ATTENTION to that max size! If you get the wrong one you won't be able to chain up at all.

 

Don't want to chain up? Learn to like it. After all, the most expensive chains are much cheaper than a new set of four rims and four snow tires (even on Craigslist it's not cheap), and they're a heck of a lot easier to store. Just pack a set of clean clothes to change into, some tarps to lay on, and a flashing magnetic light for your car so others can see you. Have a snowmobile suit? Works great for chaining up. Don't use your good ski gear. If you have the rest of your snow gear along (shovel, sand, kitty litter, that kind of stuff) you're all set.

 

Good Luck on your Subaru hunt! You'll just know when you find the right one. It's just a feeling you get. Don't worry, there's one out there for you.

[mountainwalker]

Re your snows coming off when you aren't in the mountains:

 

Do you have room for a second set of wheels? The only way you'd be able to do a swap that often is if you bought a second set of rims and put your snows on them. Even then, it's a hassle to swap all 4 unless you have an air (and torque) wrench. Drive them in town on non-ski days and the sound will drive you batty, and as aircraft-engineer said, they wear quickly. For the cost of the tires it's not worth wearing them out like that. Storing them's a PITA, too. Do it wrong and your tires aren't any good the next year.

 

I'd find a good set of all-weather tires which will get you good traction in the rain AND which have good wear ratings. Remember, if you're going to Tahoe the main roads (the passes) are plowed, and it's only into the ski area itself that you will really need to worry about. If it's so bad you NEED real snow tires + chains to get there (not just chains on your all-weathers), I'd reconsider going.

 

Don't get the largest tire you can get; read your new car's manual before you go tire shopping. Somewhere in it, the largest tire which can be used with chains is listed. PAY ATTENTION to that max size! If you get the wrong one you won't be able to chain up at all.

 

Don't want to chain up? Learn to like it. After all, the most expensive chains are much cheaper than a new set of four rims and four snow tires (even on Craigslist it's not cheap), and they're a heck of a lot easier to store. Just pack a set of clean clothes to change into, some tarps to lay on, and a flashing magnetic light for your car so others can see you. Have a snowmobile suit? Works great for chaining up. Don't use your good ski gear. If you have the rest of your snow gear along (shovel, sand, kitty litter, that kind of stuff) you're all set.

 

Good Luck on your Subaru hunt! You'll just know when you find the right one. It's just a feeling you get. Don't worry, there's one out there for you.

 

Which all-season tires do you like? Any of the above?

 

Will chains work fine with most all-year tires? Have never used chains before. And I do have the equivalent of a snowmobile suit - my old military winter suit designed to wear over clothes. You could go out in PJs with that thing on and it's like you never got out of bed...

[mountainwalker]

 

Good Luck on your Subaru hunt! You'll just know when you find the right one. It's just a feeling you get. Don't worry, there's one out there for you.

 

I know there's one out there for us and we can't wait! But we'll probably have to buy it without ever seeing it live, which means I really have to do my homework and rely on a good local garage inspection and checking service records.

 

Any advice on models to avoid/look for and features to avoid/look for? I have another post going for that. People have warned against 2000-2001 saying that those were transition years under GM,and have said 2002 was an improvement, and then 2005 was newer generation and an improvement.

[idosubaru]

i'm only familiar with living in areas where significant snow is possible and it is worth the safety here. ski resorts and living in the mountains are two completely different animals. and yes snow tires aren't very good performers all around.

 

ha - rotating every weekend you're traveling would be super annoying! no way i'd do that, i'd just use that as an excuse to buy another soob (which is why i've owned like 30 and have 4......or 5...or i think 6).

 

i haven't heard much about the 2000-2001 "transition" year stuff. the 99's (and a handful of 2000's) have delayed shifting (auto's) and speedometer issues.

[Major Lazy]

Not sure where you plan on skiing but up here (Mt Baker, Stevens pass, Crystal, Snoqualmie pass) its a very very rare day you need more than some good regular tires. Just carry some cable chains for when it gets deep, use them to get up then down to decent wx again. The subie will probably go until your dragging the undercarriage (and a little more actually). Just remember go FAST uphill and SLOOOOW down

 

Dude, your going skiing for goshs sake, chaining up is no big deal

[mountainwalker]

Not sure where you plan on skiing but up here (Mt Baker, Stevens pass, Crystal, Snoqualmie pass) its a very very rare day you need more than some good regular tires. Just carry some cable chains for when it gets deep, use them to get up then down to decent wx again. The subie will probably go until your dragging the undercarriage (and a little more actually). Just remember go FAST uphill and SLOOOOW down

 

Dude, your going skiing for goshs sake, chaining up is no big deal

 

Agreed. Can you recommend a good brand of chains and a good source?

 

How fast can you drive with chains on?

 

About how long does it take to put them on or take them off?

[Major Lazy]

Agreed. Can you recommend a good brand of chains and a good source?

Les Scwhab (if you dont use them you get your $ back)

 

How fast can you drive with chains on?

pretty slow (25 or so, but keep in mind that if its deep enough to need them theres not much faster you could go anyway, just kind of a pain for that little bit till you get to the chain down lane)

 

About how long does it take to put them on or take them off?

10 min or so (after the first time which takes a little more)

[mountainwalker]

So this is what a knowledgeable Tirerack.com rep had to say about these 4 tires below. "The Avid V4S will be the most responsive of the tires we have discussed. The Goodyear will be slightly louder than the TRZ, it will be subtle. The Goodyear is kind of a unique tire, the only thing it sacrifices to the TRZ and the Serenity is a little ride quality and a little noise.

 

If ride comfort and noise is your number 1 goal, choose the Bridgestone,

If bad weather performance is most important, choose the Goodyear

if sporty feel, then choose the V4S

If long tread life, the Goodyear or the TRZ"

 

Had a few questions on these tires below for anyone who has used them:

 

- Bridgestone Turanza Serenity all year grand touring (replaced the Turanza LS series which for several years was the top tire on the Tirerack reviews for whatever category they were in) - Question - overall has very good reviews, but have seen some reviews that complained of not enough traction on some snow/ice. Are these poor performers on light snow/ice? How much better do they handle than Yokohama TRZs?

 

- Yokohama Avid TRZ all year touring - supposed to be a little lower speed rating, a little softer handling and a little noisier than the Turanza Serenity.

 

- Yokohama Avid V4 performance - Question - does it sacrifice much bad weather performance? How does it do in wet conditions and light snow/ice?

 

- Goodyear Fortera Triple Tread - poster said it was recommended by some people who say it offers good winter traction - long tread life - warranty is 80k miles. Question - how does it perform in dry warm conditions?

[Bluestone]

I've got the Yokohama Avid V4s on my Sube and am quite pleased with them....I'm on my second set. Nice handling and really good performance in rain. They do grip the road nicely. Dunno about ice/snow; I've not driven in those conditions so far.

I've purchased my tires from Big O Tires. Their prices seem to be competitive and lifetime rebalancing is included along with tire rotation.

Their service has been quite good; one thing that impressed me is their use of a torque wrench to tighten the lug nuts( at least at the Big O that I've been to in Berkeley) rather than an air wrench which many other places use.

I've had the experience many times before of finding my car's lug nuts so tight that I could barely budge them. Once, a lug nut was on so tight (having originally been grossly overtightened by a gorilla with an air wrench:rolleyes: ) that I broke a wrench trying to loosen it.

I've toyed with the idea of purchasing tires from Tire Rack but figured that after getting the tires I'd have to schlep them to an installer and pay for the installation, and then pay for any future rebalancing, and probably rotations, too.

So the ultimate savings in cost wouldn't likely be significant, if at all.

The Yoko Avids are are third on Tire Rack's survey of customer ratings for high performance all-season tires, not too shabby.

But the Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S tires, rated #1 on the survey, look especially good; I just might go for those next time around.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Yokohama&tireModel=AVID+V4S

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Michelin&tireModel=Pilot+Exalto+A%2FS

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyresults/surveydisplay.jsp?type=HPAS

[four-fleet-feet]

+100 for Les Schwab's chains. I've owned NOTHING but LS chains for 17 years. No complaints!

 

Stay away from the Bridgestones. I've heard nothing but complaints from people at dog shows = they wear fast and the sound will annoy you. Makes a lot of dogs howl.

 

I have Michelin snows for my Imp right now, and I'm happy with them.

 

Really, this isn't like the East, where tires Really Matter. You want Temp A tires, Traction A tires, and Speed - well, if you stay legal who cares? (Don't go below a B, shoot for A). My Michelins and my Goodrich non-snows hit all 3 with A's and I've been out in white-knuckle weather with no worries save for 'is that idiot going to hit me?'

 

FWIW, they're from Costco, the cheapest Goodrich they had in 205/60/15 - and they're just fine. $319.00 for all 4 out the door (ok, they were on sale for $60 off for 4). My bad, though, since I went with the largest tire for my car WITHOUT checking to see if they were good for chains. They're not; 195's were the largest chainable-size for my car. That meant I had to spring for snows and 4 rims. Funny thing is, the Goodrich tires are so good I never needed to put the snows on! Pulled them off in March.

 

You need to buy tires for your everyday driving, not the weekend ski trip. Don't overbuy! Your main worries should be Temp and Traction, in that order. Buying sticky tires means you'll wear through them in a hurry, or be in the tire shop getting them fixed from all the trash you'll see on those California highways.

 

Just make sure you buy the tire size which goes WITH chains for your new car and you can't go wrong. Get your chains from Les Schwab, save the receipt in a findable place, and go get your skis and goggles ready when the time comes!

 

(FYI: chaining up in your summer driveway is sooo much nicer than waiting until you're ready to go skiing, by the way. Practice a few times until you can do it fast and bloodless in the comfort of home - you'd be surprised how many people DON'T)

 

Goodyears were my 3rd choice. They're ok, but I note the Michelins/Goodriches have a greater turnover in the Northwest, which means the tires are fresher. If you don't know how to read date-of-manufacturer codes on tires, find out before you go tire shopping. Not to point fingers at any one store, but those who don't check often get the oldest stock. Since Subarus need four tires at once, that can get costly if you get a 4-year-old shelf-stored tire with 3 2-month-old ones. If that one tire wears out fast, you either have to find one with the exact wear OR have one cut down to fit OR buy 4 new tires, since you're dealing with a car sensitive to that issue. Most buy 4 new ones, since the other two are difficult at best.

[mountainwalker]

 

Really, this isn't like the East, where tires Really Matter. You want Temp A tires, Traction A tires, and Speed - well, if you stay legal who cares? (Don't go below a B, shoot for A). My Michelins hit all 3 with A's and I've been out in white-knuckle weather with no worries save for 'is that idiot going to hit me?'

 

FWIW, they're from Costco, the cheapest Michelins they had in 205/60/15 - and they're just fine. $319.00 for all 4 out the door (ok, they were on sale for $60 off for 4). My bad, though, since I went with the largest tire for my car WITHOUT checking to see if they were good for chains. They're not; 195's were the largest chainable-size for my car. That meant I had to spring for snows and 4 rims. Funny thing is, the Michelins are so good I never needed to put the snows on!

 

Just make sure you buy the tire size which goes WITH chains for your new car and you can't go wrong. Get your chains from Les Schwab, save the receipt in a findable place, and go get your skis and goggles ready when the time comes!

 

Goodyears were my 2nd choice. They're ok, but I note the Michelins have a greater turnover in the Northwest, which means the tires are fresher. If you don't know how to read date-of-manufacturer codes on tires, find out before you go tire shopping. Not to point fingers at any one store, but those who don't check often get the oldest stock. Since Subarus need four tires at once, that can get costly if you get a 4-year-old shelf-stored tire with 3 2-month-old ones. If that one tire wears out fast, you either have to find one with the exact wear OR have one cut down to fit OR buy 4 new tires, since you're dealing with a car sensitive to that issue. Most buy 4 new ones, since the other two are difficult at best.

 

What's the name of your Michelin tire? You're in Seattle - how do they perform in wet? How are they on light snow/ice (I will chain, just curious how they do without)?

 

By going with a tire size that let's you chain up, are you giving up anything in handling, fuel efficiency, etc.?

 

With a VDC-equipped Subaru, isn't the even tire issue reduced or eliminated?

 

Where can you find guidance on tire date-of-manufacturer codes? Anything you can share here?

 

Temp A tires = what does Temp A rating mean?

 

Traction A tires = what does this mean?

 

and Speed = which speed rating would you go for?

[StructEngineer]

I think I have a similar need as you. 90% non snow application and every so often go skiing up in the mountains. I'd recommend BF Goodrich Traction T/A's for this need.

 

Good call on not going for snow tires. They're downright scary in warm/dry conditions. There's a performance winter category of tires out there, though in my experience don't perform any better than good allseasons.

[mountainwalker]

 

FWIW, they're from Costco, the cheapest Michelins they had in 205/60/15 - and they're just fine. $319.00 for all 4 out the door (ok, they were on sale for $60 off for 4).

 

How loud is the ride on your Michelins? How are they for noise compared with the Turanza Serenity and the Goodyear?

[four-fleet-feet]

What's the name of your Michelin tire? You're in Seattle - how do they perform in wet? How are they on light snow/ice (I will chain, just curious how they do without)?

 

By going with a tire size that let's you chain up, are you giving up anything in handling, fuel efficiency, etc.?

 

With a VDC-equipped Subaru, isn't the even tire issue reduced or eliminated?

 

Where can you find guidance on tire date-of-manufacturer codes? Anything you can share here?

 

Temp A tires = what does Temp A rating mean?

 

Traction A tires = what does this mean?

 

and Speed = which speed rating would you go for?

Oboy, let's take 'em in order. First, I totally forgot the Michelins are my SNOW tires, they're 1500 miles away with my other rims in aircraft-engineer's garage while I'm in sunny Arizona (here visiting Mom). Since he's out and about I can't ask him to go look at them, and his wife wouldn't know how or where they are:rolleyes: ...

 

What I'm running, right now, are the Goodrich Touring T/A's that were previously mentioned by Struct Engineer. No problems driving them down from Seattle, whether in rain, sleet, or ice in the passes. These were the $319. Costco tires (went back and edited my earlier post), and I've had this tire model on another vehicle. They wear very well, aren't noisy, and stand up to long freeway drives with aplomb. I can put an average of 25-45,000 miles a year on a vehicle, and in 17 years of using Goodrich (or Kirkland) tires on my old S-10 I remember 5 flats, all from road debris. That's over 348,000 miles. Costco doesn't sell tire junk. I could get at least 60k on each set of tires, and I expect to do the same with this set.

 

As far as noise, the Goodrich are very good at highway speeds. The Michelins do have that snow tire whine (more like a howl at 65 if it's only rain-wet). Remember, the weather you'll see out here is nothing like you're used to in the winter. When you have to face the daily grind of freeway with snow tires, and it isn't snowing or remotely icy, you will grow to hate the sound - fast. They're also squirrelly on dry pavement if you hit an oil slick.

 

The Goodrich are very good on dry, hot pavement. I can stop on a dime here, and it's nearly 100 degrees already. Yet, before I bought my snows, I was running them in the heavy snow storms Seattle had in January - with no problem at all (and no chains). Many cars were in the ditches, but I sailed right on down the road.

 

I know nothing about the VDC, so can't comment.

 

As far as tire codes and dates, if you have a Costco card, go to the nearest one and chat up the tire people. They will gladly show you where the dates are, the codes, and even tell you what they all mean. Basically, the Temperature/Traction/Speed codes are indicators of how tough/sturdy/reliable the tires are. An A/A/B may cost less than a A/A/A, but if you're a speed demon you might not like them. I wouldn't buy a B/B/B if you paid me, and if the tire has a C in there, forget it.

 

I do NOT recommend Wal-Mart for that reason (or for any car reason other than bug juice and other fluids - their tire people are somewhat clueless, in my experience); not only do they cost more than Costco, they have A/A/B tires which cost MORE money than 3As at Costco. Get a tire with a B only if you must. If you don't have a Costco card, I suggest getting one. The reason I got mine, years ago, was for buying tires. For that alone I get my money's worth every year. Their tires come with free flat repair, rotations, and balancing for life, road hazard coverage, and the tires are good. They're also along every highway in the West, so they're easy to find in California.

 

If you have a good, reputable tire store back where you are, it would be worth a trip in to talk to someone about what to look for on a tire. There are handouts they will gladly give you.

 

Still, no matter how cheap chains are back East on end-of-season-clearance, wait until you are here on the West Coast and get those Les Schwab chains. They're really good and worth every penny. They grip like nobody's business.

 

Go HERE for Les Schwab! Their site gives good advice on how to shop for a tire, what to look for in a tire, and lots of other info. Worth a read, if you don't have a local tire shop handy.

[mountainwalker]

OK, finally picking up our 2003 Outback next week. It definitely needs new all-year tires. It will be driven in the Silicon Valley/SF Bay Area most of the time in fair weather, and driven into the mountains for hiking and skiing. I’d like a tire that has excellent traction in dry and wet weather, handles well (not too soft) and won’t produce too much road noise, though a little noise is OK to get the traction. Just would like to avoid very load tire noise.

 

One forum poster earlier recommended these priorities: Temp A tires, Traction A tires, and Speed. four-fleet-feet recommended A/A/A tires. I'd love to take advantage of the Costco tires, but I may have to order tires from Tirerack and have them shipped out to the seller of our car to put on before meeting the seller - we each have a 2 hour drive and are meeting in Sacramento. There are very worn down snows on the car now, so I'm concerned about driving it back 2 hours from Sacramento. Maybe there's a Costco in Sacramento that could give me a specific tire appointment time right after we do the change of ownership.

 

I’m not just posting this information to get advice, but also to share what I’ve gathered and hope it helps other members.

 

Which of the tires below would you recommend/caution against based on the above uses and parameters?

 

I’ve gathered info from this forum and others, and questioned a fairly knowledgeable and helpful rep at Tirerack.com about these 4 tires:

 

-Bridgestone Turanza Serenity

-Yokohama Avid TRZ

-Yokohama Avid V4

-Goodyear Fortera Triple Tread

 

Then a forum member also recommended checking out Costco tires and this is what they had for the 2003 Outback. I saw these recommended by people as well:

 

-BFGoodrich - Touring T/A® Pro Series H/V

-BFGoodrich - Traction T/A®

-Michelin - Primacy™ MXV4®(Costco $148.99, Tirerack.com $128 per tire)

-Michelin - Pilot® MXM4®(Costco Price per tire: $165.99)

 

 

Here’s what the Tirerack rep said about the first 4 tires:

“The Avid V4S will be the most responsive of the tires we have discussed.

The Goodyear will be slightly louder than the TRZ, it will be subtle. The Goodyear is kind of a unique tire, the only thing it sacrifices to the TRZ and the Serenity is a little ride quality and a little noise.

 

If ride comfort and noise is your number 1 goal, choose the Bridgestone,

If bad weather performance is most important, choose the Goodyear

if sporty feel, then choose the V4S

If long tread life, the Goodyear or the TRZ”

 

Here’s more detail of the Tirerack.com rep comparison of the first four:

 

“Bridgestone Turanza Serenity 225/60R16 $126 H speed rated - The Serenity is a superior tire to the LS it replaced in every way, this tire is currently ranked 2nd in our survey results. Overall our customers really seem to like this tire. I have seen a few negative reviews as well, but please keep in mind that we have had almost 300,000 miles of customer feedback on this wheel, it is hard to base your opinion off of a few reviews.

 

Yokohama Avid TRZ 225/60R16 $94 - T speed rated - The TRZ has a longer tread life, is almost as quiet, but will not perform as well on wet roads as the Bridgestone. This tire is a standard touring tire instead of a Grand Touring all season tire.

 

The Yokohama Avid V4 S is a performance all season tire, this will feel more responsive, have a shorter tread life and a firmer ride. You will also notice a higher level of dry grip when pushed to the limit.

 

The Goodyear Fortera Triple Tread is the best tire of this group in the snow, ice, and for hydroplane resistance. The only downside to this tire is that it would not be as quite as the Bridgestone or TRZ.

 

BFGoodrich - Touring T/A® Pro Series H/V (Costco)

• P225/60R16 97H

• Item #: 926168

• Limited 6 year manufacturer's warranty

• Limited 60,000 mile Manufacturer's Warranty:

• Helps achieve excellent mileage for 60,000-mile Manufacturer's Limited Treadlife Warranty*

• Helps maintain excellent traction in almost any weather, including snow

• Helps resist hydroplaning for confident handling in wetconditions, even at highway speeds**

Click here for more details

 

Price per tire: $96.99 (Costco)

Costco Price includes:

Shipping & Handling, Mounting, Balancing, Lifetime Services, Nitrogen Inflation, New Rubber Valve Stem, Environmental Tire Disposal, and the Costco Road Hazard Warranty.

 

BFGoodrich - Traction T/A®(Costco)

• P225/60R16 97H

• Item #: 776345

• Limited 6 year manufacturer's warranty

• Limited 60,000 mile Manufacturer's Warranty:

• Premium tread compound for excellent traction in dry, wet and snowy conditions**

• g-Wedge sidewall stabilizers reinforce sidewalls to helpdeliver spirited cornering and sharp reflexes in high-speed lane-change maneuvers

• Enhanced tread design provides long, even wear

Click here for more details

Price per tire: $105.99 (Costco)

Costco Price includes:

Shipping & Handling, Mounting, Balancing, Lifetime Services, Nitrogen Inflation, New Rubber Valve Stem, Environmental Tire Disposal, and the Costco Road Hazard Warranty.

 

Michelin - Primacy™ MXV4®(Costco $148.99, Tirerack.com $128 per tire)

• 225/60R16 98H

• Item #: 195490

• Limited 6 year manufacturer's warranty

• Limited 60,000 mile Manufacturer's Warranty:

• 60,000-Mile Warranty*

• Quiet, Comfortable Ride

• Confident Wet-Weather Handling

Click here for more details

Costco tires

 

http://tires.costco.com/TSSapp/TireResults.xhtml?cid=14749

 

Costco Price includes:

Shipping & Handling, Mounting, Balancing, Lifetime Services, Nitrogen Inflation, New Rubber Valve Stem, Environmental Tire Disposal, and the Costco Road Hazard Warranty.

 

Michelin - Pilot® MXM4®(Costco Price per tire: $165.99)

• 225/60R16 98H

• Item #: 971529

• Limited 6 year manufacturer's warranty

• Feel Every Curve

• Confident Wet-Weather Handling

• Quiet, Comfortable Ride

Click here for more details

Costco Price includes:

Shipping & Handling, Mounting, Balancing, Lifetime Services, Nitrogen Inflation, New Rubber Valve Stem, Environmental Tire Disposal, and the Costco Road Hazard Warranty.

[mountainwalker]

Went back and read recent posts - seems like the BFGoodrich - Touring T/A® Pro Series H/V (Costco) would be pretty good. Found a Costco tire center in Sacramento. Is the BFGoodrich - Traction T/A® any better?

 

Any advice appreciated - going to decide whether to ship from Tirerack just in time to local garage or go to Sacramento Costco tire center.

 

BTW, how much does a Costco card cost? We've never had one, urban dwellers that we've been.

[98obster]

sorry, I can't read for that long...I did read the first post and all I can say is you're in Cali, so I'd say All Seasons ain't gonna give you what you want the rest of the year- even a cheap touring tire like Kuhmo KH21 would be better.

 

With gas prices the way there are going-there's no point in skiing unless it's blower:banana: , so the last thing you want is an all season. In Colorado, and specifically in Boulder, people rock Winterforces all year round. So, I'd say get a winter set up with steelies and Winterforces that will last at least 3 seasons-even the 3rd season will be better than the new All Seasons I suspect (the tread is siped but much harder than an X-ice. just my humble opinion. do the math and decide-give your subie a fighting chance and have fun.

 

jon