[hikingmike]

I'm getting new tires very soon. I'd love to buy wheels but can't do it, so I'm just going to continue at the stock size for now. I'm looking for advice on tire options.

My xB (2012) came with Goodyear Eagle RS-A tires, and they are ok, but I wonder if there is something I can improve. They handle ok, and maybe are a slightly rough ride. They have kind of loud road noise but maybe that's just the character of the xB. Wet traction is decent. Snow traction, well I kind of float around a little but it's predictable.

I see the ratings for those tires are relatively pretty low so I wonder what else there is that would be similar price but better for me. Improving road noise and ride quality would be nice if I can keep other performance the same.

TireRack lists Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval all season as another choice (and I think that's what my repair shop listed as an option as well). Those have better ratings overall, slightly better in ride quality and noise, and much better in snow. Much less survey submissions though with 32 vs the 3,000 surveys of the Goodyears.

There is also a BFGoodrich G-Force Super Sport all season that does even a little better in TireRack ratings with 137 surveys - most categories, but slightly behind the Firestones in snow and treadwear.

Then there is a Yokohama Avid Envigor with just slightly better ratings still than the BFGoodrich in most categories including ride quality and noise. 1,000 survey submissions.

That's about all that comes up in TireRack when I put in "High Performance All Season" and speed rating "H".

Any Hankook, Bridgestone, Pirelli, Continental, etc I should check out? There is an DiscountTireDirect deal going on at Ebay but it ends today. It's really tough to navigate the choices there. I figure I'll end up going with my shop anyway since they are reasonable including mount and balance. Michelin Pilot Sport I've had before and would be great I'm sure but probably don't need to spend that much more.

Any thoughts from other previous owners of original Goodyear Eagle RS-A tires? Thanks for any tips!

 

[BrickPig]

I replaced my steelies early on with 7" wide 16" alloys but ran the OEM Goodyear RS-A tires until they needed replacement.

I replaced the OEM tires with Yokohama S Drive tires in 225/50R x 16 tires and was pretty happy with them. Better grip and more predictable than the Goodyear RS-A tires.

I recently replaced the Yokos with Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval (Summer) tires, same 225/50R x 16 size. They generate more squeal and lean in the turns than I remember with the Yokos, although TireRack rates the Firestones better than the Yokos. Maybe it's because I'm remembering the Yokos when they were near the wear bars (and thus performed in the dry at their best) versus the new Firestones which as of this writing still have nearly full tread depth.

For tires, I put priority on a reasonably quiet ride (this is my daily driver) and good cornering. Wear is a secondary consideration. I don't need or consider all weather or snow performance so that's why my replacement tires are Summer/Performance tires. Your experience and needs may vary.

BTW other folks have run 225/50R x 16 tires on the OEM steelies, no problems. Tires look beefy but will fit fine.

Have fun shopping!

 

[hikingmike]

Thanks for your input BrickPig! Good info.

I too favor the quiet ride and cornering, and wear life is kind of secondary. Though I don't need anything beyond what are rated similar to the Goodyear Eagle RS-A, H-speed and High Performance All Season.

The Yoko Avid Envigor might be a good way to go then with our experience with the Gooyear Eagle RS-As and your experience with the Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval as reference points... and the TireRack ratings. (even though it's not the same Yokos you had)

I don't really want a fat look. Do you mean beefy like tall, or like bulging out a little, or wider than the wheels and more road contact? Maybe a little bulge would be ok.

 

[BrickPig]

"Beefy" as in bulging out a little.

 

[hikingmike]

I'm just following up here. So far I definitely like the Yokohama Avid Envigors I ended up getting, and the $60 rebate is already spent. They were billed by TireRack reviews as having pretty good wet traction and it feels like they have better wet traction than the Goodyear Eagle RS-A I had previously. They also have slightly less road noise I believe. It hasn't snowed here yet, seems like the rain won't stop though, **** El Nino. So I haven't had a chance to check the supposedly very poor snow traction yet.

Overall I think they are a small step up, so all good.