Cooper CS5 Reviews?

[99Saturn]

Looking specifically at the Grand Touring version.

Shopping around for tires for 3 cars right now ('99 Saturn SL2 - 185/65/15, a '06 Cobalt LS 195/60/15 and a '06 Cobalt LT - 205/55/16).

I haven't seen as many reviews (good or bad) for the CS5s as I have for other tires. With some of the tires that I have had on my "short list" getting to be older model, I'm wondering if the CS5s are worth it compared to other options.

Given the weather in our area NY, I typically look for a good mileage warranty and some better winter performance.

Anyway, reviews? Are they worth considering? Anyone have experience with snow performance?

 

[yvon_la]

Should be some writing on the rim.make sure the width match that .

 

[jstutz]

I put the CS5's on my van before i sold it. We only had them on for about a 1000 miles before we sold it so I dont have any long term experience with them.

I thought they were a pretty nice tire. They were not loud going down the highway and rode/handled pretty well. My only complaint was that the shop had a rough time balancing them. I took them back twice to get balanced and they were never perfect. Not terrible but always had a slight shimmy around 65 - 70 MPH.

 

[tommygunn]

The CS5 could be worth it with the rebate.

Too bad you just missed Kumho's rebate in May, because their LX Platinum is an awesome tire.

Some tire companies limit the rebates to 1 or 2 per household, so possibly you could get the CS5's on two cars and then another brand on the third to maximize your savings. The Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max is another good tire worth looking at and currently on rebate.

 

[faramir9]

Originally Posted By: tommygunn
The CS5 could be worth it with the rebate.

Too bad you just missed Kumho's rebate in May, because their LX Platinum is an awesome tire.

Some tire companies limit the rebates to 1 or 2 per household, so possibly you could get the CS5's on two cars and then another brand on the third to maximize your savings. The Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max is another good tire worth looking at and currently on rebate.


Yep, you can triple-stack rebates on the CS5 at DTD through Monday. Great deal. You can get 185/65R15 for essentially half-price---$150 vs. $300---after the rebates are applied. Other sizes are similar.

I never rode on the CS5, but the CS4 and its cousin the Mastercraft Touring LSR are perfectly fine.

 

[99Saturn]

Originally Posted By: faramir9
Originally Posted By: tommygunn
The CS5 could be worth it with the rebate.

Too bad you just missed Kumho's rebate in May, because their LX Platinum is an awesome tire.

Some tire companies limit the rebates to 1 or 2 per household, so possibly you could get the CS5's on two cars and then another brand on the third to maximize your savings. The Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max is another good tire worth looking at and currently on rebate.


Yep, you can triple-stack rebates on the CS5 at DTD through Monday. Great deal. You can get 185/65R15 for essentially half-price---$150 vs. $300---after the rebates are applied. Other sizes are similar.

I never rode on the CS5, but the CS4 and its cousin the Mastercraft Touring LSR are perfectly fine.


Yup that's exactly why I starting looking at them. $80 savings past the RT43s which is what I was going to go with on the Saturn.

 

[Smokescreen]

I have the CS5 on my Corolla for about a week now. Not really much time to give an honest review. If you have a rebate it only sweetens the deal on a tire that is worth the money, unlike some of the more premier tires that don't deliver the extra.

I had 2 sets of CS4's which were good. No tires seem to make it to the tread wear rating, but I have found the CS4's came a heckuva lot closer than the Defenders did...by a long shot.

 

[CapriRacer]

Originally Posted By: yvon_la
Should be some writing on the rim.make sure the width match that .


I just want to comment on this as a criteria for choosing a particular tire.

It's Booooogus!!

First, the tire size is the important thing.

Second is that there is an allowable rim width published by the tire manufacturer along with other tire specs. In the case of the allowable rim width, it's govern by the tire size and is the same for all tire manufacturer - because it comes from the tire standardizing organizations.

Third, is that the tire manufacturers design their tires around those specs published by the tire standardizing organizations. And while the tread width is not something specified by the tire standardizing organizations, it turns out that a tire designer is almost obligated to chose something close to the rim width just because of the geometry of a tire's shape. There made be some reasons to be on the wide side - or on the narrow side, but not only are we talking a little, tire manufacturers test tires, so any particular shortcoming would become apparent and something to avoid in the future.

So I think this kind of advice doesn't serve any useful purpose and just clutters the potential buyer's mind with criteria that does help..

 

[novadude]

I just ordered a set of V-rated CS5 ultra 235/55R17. Can't beat the current $70+$50 rebate at discount tire direct right now.

 

[CharBaby]

Originally Posted By: jstutz
I put the CS5's on my van before i sold it. We only had them on for about a 1000 miles before we sold it so I dont have any long term experience with them.

I thought they were a pretty nice tire. They were not loud going down the highway and rode/handled pretty well. My only complaint was that the shop had a rough time balancing them. I took them back twice to get balanced and they were never perfect. Not terrible but always had a slight shimmy around 65 - 70 MPH.


This is the way my CS4's have been as well. Had'em balanced 2X and still ready for another try. This time I'll try the Road Force Balance(RFB).

 

[99Saturn]

Ended up pulling the trigger on 3 sets of CS5s (so hopefully these turn out to be good performers) - one for each of the cars listed.

After all rebates (assuming no issues):
- The Saturn @ $150 + mounting for the Grand Touring was too hard to pass up, particularly given where the Saturn is in it's lifecycle
- The Cobalt with 16" @ $238 + mounting for the Ultra - I am slightly torn but these were significantly cheaper than the P7s I was going with otherwise.
- The Cobalt with 15" @ $202 + mounting for the Grand Touring. I'm still strongly thinking that I should switch to the RT43s, especially with the now current rebate but there is at least a reasonably priced set around before the winter.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[rhhsiao]

I just ordered these to be mounted on my girlfriend's CR-V on Saturday. Total after rebates will be $410 assuming I keep the Certificates for Repair from America's Tire. If not, it'd only be $350 mounted including their regular pro-rating warranty.

Keep in mind that the rebate form states limit of TWO rebates per person or address.

 

[faramir9]

Originally Posted By: 99Saturn
Ended up pulling the trigger on 3 sets of CS5s (so hopefully these turn out to be good performers) - one for each of the cars listed.

After all rebates (assuming no issues):
- The Saturn @ $150 + mounting for the Grand Touring was too hard to pass up, particularly given where the Saturn is in it's lifecycle
- The Cobalt with 16" @ $238 + mounting for the Ultra - I am slightly torn but these were significantly cheaper than the P7s I was going with otherwise.
- The Cobalt with 15" @ $202 + mounting for the Grand Touring. I'm still strongly thinking that I should switch to the RT43s, especially with the now current rebate but there is at least a reasonably priced set around before the winter.

Thanks for the feedback!


It might be too late for this, but worth a try: Call DTD immediately and see if they will honor the "old" price, (expired today) on 185/65R15 for the 15" Cobalt. They might do it, if the tires have not been shipped yet.

That will save you $52, and the tires will work just fine---unless you are an extremely spirited driver, in which case a Cobalt plus T-rated CS5 is not what you want anyway....

 

[Ken2]

Originally Posted By: jstutz
I put the CS5's on my van before i sold it. We only had them on for about a 1000 miles before we sold it so I dont have any long term experience with them.

I thought they were a pretty nice tire. They were not loud going down the highway and rode/handled pretty well. My only complaint was that the shop had a rough time balancing them. I took them back twice to get balanced and they were never perfect. Not terrible but always had a slight shimmy around 65 - 70 MPH.
Don't assume it was a balance problem. The shake can be an out-of-round tire, or a tire with road force (side wall stiffness) variations. Or, that shop's balancer might be in need of repair or calibration...or the tire buster needs a remedial balancing course. (My last, very last, never again, set of Goodyears took seven tires to find four round ones.)

 

[faramir9]

Originally Posted By: faramir9
Originally Posted By: 99Saturn
Ended up pulling the trigger on 3 sets of CS5s (so hopefully these turn out to be good performers) - one for each of the cars listed.

After all rebates (assuming no issues):
- The Saturn @ $150 + mounting for the Grand Touring was too hard to pass up, particularly given where the Saturn is in it's lifecycle
- The Cobalt with 16" @ $238 + mounting for the Ultra - I am slightly torn but these were significantly cheaper than the P7s I was going with otherwise.
- The Cobalt with 15" @ $202 + mounting for the Grand Touring. I'm still strongly thinking that I should switch to the RT43s, especially with the now current rebate but there is at least a reasonably priced set around before the winter.

Thanks for the feedback!


It might be too late for this, but worth a try: Call DTD immediately and see if they will honor the "old" price, (expired today) on 185/65R15 for the 15" Cobalt. They might do it, if the tires have not been shipped yet.

That will save you $52, and the tires will work just fine---unless you are an extremely spirited driver, in which case a Cobalt plus T-rated CS5 is not what you want anyway....


I did not explain that as well as I could have. I meant that if the tires have not yet shipped, DTD might be willing to switch the 195/60R15 you ordered for the Cobalt to another set of 185/65R15, which should allow you to get all three rebates.

The 185/65 size should be fine for a Cobalt; the speed rating and load index are the same as the 195/60 and exceed OE spec. (88T vs. 87S) The speedo and odometer difference is just 1%. Now, as long as the tire-shop lawyers do not head you off at the pass, you could save enough $$$ to notice and get essentially the same tires as the ones you ordered.