# Tires **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 5, 2012, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tires/608504 "2012-01-05T14:17:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tomcar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tomcar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomcar)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tires/608504/1 "2012-01-05T14:17:07Z")
Who has figured it out? What company makes the best tires for the least amount of money? What company charges the least for balancing, disposal, etc? Ive got a sedan with 16". I’m looking for all season but good in the winter. Any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tires/608504/2 "2012-01-05T15:43:09Z")
**Who has figured it out?** No one, I’d venture. **What company makes the best tires for the least amount of money?** The question is so broad as to be unanswerable. Best in what way? Treadlife? Traction? Wet traction or dry traction? Braking traction or cornering traction? There are so many variables, so many gradations of those variables, so many different combinations of those variables and their gradations, and so many different perceptions of which of them are most desirable that it’s impossible to determine a “best” tire. **What company charges the least for balancing, disposal, etc?** And so many purveyors of tires that figuring this out is a ridiculously huge task. Unless you’ve got oodles of time to gather and sort through all the relevant information, you’re probably best served by contacting some good tire stores with knowledgeable personnel and letting them guide you in selecting a tire that best fits your needs/desires and your budget. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tires/608504/3 "2012-01-05T17:18:25Z")
> [@tomcar](#): > > Who has figured it out? > > What company makes the best tires for the least amount of money? Unless you are very poor, tires are a terrible place to skimp - especially if you are looking for good winter performance. Having said that, there are some good values. Check [Tire Rack’s ratings](http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyresults/surveydisplay.jsp?type=AS) for relative winter performance for tires that fit your car. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tires/608504/4 "2012-01-05T17:26:15Z")
Are you living someplace where you need good winter traction? I spent all my life up to this point driving with all-season tires in winter, and got winter tires this year for the first time - I’ll never go back to all-seasons in winter again. Get some good winter tires if you need them - it makes a HUGE difference! ---
**Author:** ![tomcar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tomcar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomcar)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tires/608504/5 "2012-01-05T17:33:12Z")
Thanks for taking the time to answer guys. What tires do you guys use? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tires/608504/6 "2012-01-05T17:38:10Z")
Sorry, I don’t know the exact tires - I went to a local tire store that I trust, and they put some appropriate tires on my car. I’ll go look later and get back to you. ---
**Author:** ![tomcar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tomcar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomcar)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tires/608504/7 "2012-01-05T17:49:03Z")
Cat, I am actually thinking along those lines. Like most things, money is the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tires/608504/8 "2012-01-05T19:36:32Z")
Well, the last set of brand new tires I got were Goodyear Eagle GT and I loved them. I have actually driven lots of different sets of brand new tires (on lots of different vehicles) and the GTs are near or at the top for all season. ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tires/608504/9 "2012-01-05T19:41:24Z")
I bought Michelin Primacy MXV4 tires for my car, and I’m happy with their winter traction. Consumer Reports rated them highest for all-season passenger car and van tires. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tires/608504/10 "2012-01-05T19:42:02Z")
> [@tomcar](#): > > Thanks for taking the time to answer guys. What tires do you guys use? If your looking for winter tires, I recommend Nokian Hakkapeliitta. My Wife runs them on her Jeep. Since winter is so long, we run them year round and get about 30,000 miles out of them. They don’t make the Nokian’s big enough for my Pathfinder and am currently running Cooper Arctic Claws. Also run them year round. I like them. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tires/608504/11 "2012-01-05T20:05:59Z")
> [@tomcar](#): > > Cat, I am actually thinking along those lines. Like most things, money is the problem. Where are you located? That info might particularly help people to recommend a tire dealer (since there are a number of regional chains). I’ve been going to Discount Tire for a number of years now. The service there has always been good, and they usually have some manner of deal going on. I just got a new Ford Mustang, and they put a pair of Bridgestone Blizzak snow tires on the rear wheels. We haven’t had much snow here yet, but I’ve definitely noticed a relative lack of slipping on the snow and ice which we _have_ had, so the tires seem to be passing the test so far. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tires/608504/12 "2012-01-05T21:31:46Z")
I have 17-inch Hankook Optimo H727 on one vehicle and 13-inch Michelin X Radials on the other. Very happy with both. Oh, and I have snow tires for the car that takes the 13s. I think they’re called Weather Master or something. ---
**Author:** ![tomcar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tomcar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomcar)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tires/608504/13 "2012-01-05T21:51:30Z")
I am in Columbus OH. There are Discount Tires, Tire Discounters, Firestone, Goodyear and NTB. That’s all I can think of. It really just blows my mind how many types of tires there are. I am appreciating all the recommendations! ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tires/608504/14 "2012-01-05T22:10:53Z")
> [@tomcar](#): > > I am in Columbus OH. There are Discount Tires, Tire Discounters, Firestone, Goodyear and NTB. That’s all I can think of. > It really just blows my mind how many types of tires there are. > I am appreciating all the recommendations! I’ve had several good experiences with Tire Discounters, albeit in Northern Kentucky. In one case my brother-in-law brought his car in because he thought the alignment was off. He lives in Chicago, and they knew that, but told him that his alignment was fine and he didn’t need their services. They didn’t even charge him for the alignment check! Another time I had them (but a different store) check my front tires for wear and they said “We could sell you tires, but you don’t need them yet. You can get another six months out of them.” I give them max points for honesty.