GeoffM

I have no clue. The tread on all four tyres of our Dodge Grand Caravan (people carrier) is nearly down to the indicator in the grooves so the tyres need replacing. I've never bought a whole set of new tyres before, usually just make and mend a couple at a time. Must be either crap roads or crap tyres or both!

So, at the risk of sounding asking a highly subjective question, what kind of tyre should I be looking for? At the lower end of the budget. No snow, very little rain, no off-roading (!), erm what else?

I'm also wondering about going for a national chain like Pepboys or a mom'n'pop kind of place...

jeffreyhy

The kind that are spelled with an 'i'.
On a more serious note, check Consumer Reports tire evaluations. Regards, JEff

Mummy in the foothills

We usually go and buy at Costco, they have good prices. When they didn't have what Dh wanted we went to Americas tire company, during one of their sales.

markwm

Look for the kind that help to keep you and yours safely on the road!!!

Go for a well known brand - preferably the same as those fitted by the vehicle manufacturer. Yes, they may be expensive and you could get cheap tires. You really want to drive your family around on cheap tires?

Have a look at the brakes while the wheels are off. If the discs look scored and/or pitted or unevenly worn you need to get that checked out; similarly if the pads look very thin they need replacing.

A decent shop will tell you if they find anything.

Bink

I would go with a medium price point tire on that case Geoff. I don't know what you have up there. I go to Discount Tyre here in Houston but don't know if they're a national chain.

GeoffM

But one can buy expensive stuff that doesn't last and cheap stuff that does last!

Thanks for the tips, everybody.

Voltore

Costco. Got sick of bait & switch of most tire companies! Got my last set on my CRV there. They do the job!

ChocolateBabz

I had to buy a full new set in Feb. I ended up with a set of BF Goodrich from Sams Club (like Costco), they were doing free installation. I was about $500 for all 4. Of course these were for my VW Bug.

Poppy girl

Funnily enough I am sitting here taking a break from tire shopping and making calls, some of them are thieving bastards ie the well known folk, Costco came out the most expensive which was a shocker, I have been quoted anything from $400 to $781 for 4 tires, yes I am aware that a known brand is more expensive but I care not the cheaper the better lol....so shop around and ask them if they will beat price match other quotes

Poppy girl

Yes they are and they price match

GeoffM

Went for Pepboys in the end, just can't trust the reviews of the little shops on the interweb. About $600 all-in, including alignment. Need oil change too which I'm not sure Costco does, plus you have to wait for the tires to be delivered to Costco? Maybe I only looked at ones that needed ordering. Thanks again.

Havnfun

Husband swears by TireRack.com he has bought tires for my car (Mercedes GLK350) his car (Mercedes CLK550) sons car (Mazada Miata) and his dad's car (Honda Accord). They have affiliations with places that will install the tires for you and will ship them directly to them.

Pulaski

Very true, but I agree with Markwm, the same tires your vehicle was fitted with are likely the best - some combination of quietest, most efficient, and longest lasting. I have put 60,000. - 100,000 miles on three sets of Michelins on my Accord, and just put a fourth set on as we approach 250,000 miles. While they're not cheap tires, the cost per mile is comparable with cheap tires only warrantied for 30,000 - 40,000 miles. Everything else counts for nothing if you can't trust the tires to keep you on the road.

BTW I always get tires from Tire Kingdom, I find the prices as good as anyone and they're open until 8pm.

Bob

Michelin are great and worth the money, but they are expensive.

Cooper Tire/Mastercraft, worst we've ever had, utter bag of shite that barely lasted 12K miles.

Yokohama, they were good on the previous car for all weather.

Fuzion, we've got them on at the moment and seem pretty decent, good in the dry and snow, not as good in the wet as some others, well a bit louder in the wet, but they were cheap.

Hankook, another budget brand, little noisy but pretty decent for the money.

Nokian, they're the best snow tyres ever but my word you pay for them.

Mummy in the foothills

Yokahama were the noisiest we've ever had. but they lasted fine.
Michelin's were the quietest, and lasted well too.
Now I have Uniroyal Tigerpaw on the backs (no idea where Dh got them) nice and quiet too.
and Nokian on the front (Dh is a tire guy at work I don't ask too many questions)
I am a nail magnet and manage to kill tires on a regular basis.