watching buyers of expensive replacement tires go into shock

[ccap41]

Originally Posted By: stro_cruiser
The thing that puzzles me is when I see a set of huge aftermarket wheels with THE cheapest, nastiest tires ive ever seen on them. Ive got some Michelins on my standard 15" wheels and im very happy

I notice this as well.. drives me nuts.

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: ccap41
Originally Posted By: stro_cruiser
The thing that puzzles me is when I see a set of huge aftermarket wheels with THE cheapest, nastiest tires ive ever seen on them. Ive got some Michelins on my standard 15" wheels and im very happy

I notice this as well.. drives me nuts.

A few days ago I parked next to a tuner car. Big coffee can exhaust tip and probably an aftermarket muffler. It had these wider than stock low profile tires on aftermarket rims that stuck out of the wheel well and an extreme negative camber. They weren't huge by any stretch, but I suppose they had to be small to keep from rubbing against the wheel well. I don't remember the name other that it must have been some total cheapo no-name. I suppose it was so cheap that the owner isn't going to worry too much when it has to be replaced every 10K miles due to the setup.

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: y_p_w
A few days ago I parked next to a tuner car. Big coffee can exhaust tip and probably an aftermarket muffler. It had these wider than stock low profile tires on aftermarket rims that stuck out of the wheel well and an extreme negative camber. They weren't huge by any stretch, but I suppose they had to be small to keep from rubbing against the wheel well. I don't remember the name other that it must have been some total cheapo no-name. I suppose it was so cheap that the owner isn't going to worry too much when it has to be replaced every 10K miles due to the setup.


The kids call that "stanced." And no matter how hard you try to explain that camber is diminishing returns, they all want to run 10+ degrees of negative camber.

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal


The kids call that "stanced." And no matter how hard you try to explain that camber is diminishing returns, they all want to run 10+ degrees of negative camber.


Its the automotive version of baggy pants.

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: spasm3
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal


The kids call that "stanced." And no matter how hard you try to explain that camber is diminishing returns, they all want to run 10+ degrees of negative camber.


Its the automotive version of baggy pants.


Around here it would be skinny jeans.

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Originally Posted By: y_p_w
A few days ago I parked next to a tuner car. Big coffee can exhaust tip and probably an aftermarket muffler. It had these wider than stock low profile tires on aftermarket rims that stuck out of the wheel well and an extreme negative camber. They weren't huge by any stretch, but I suppose they had to be small to keep from rubbing against the wheel well. I don't remember the name other that it must have been some total cheapo no-name. I suppose it was so cheap that the owner isn't going to worry too much when it has to be replaced every 10K miles due to the setup.


The kids call that "stanced." And no matter how hard you try to explain that camber is diminishing returns, they all want to run 10+ degrees of negative camber.

I searched for the phrase and looked for examples. Most were of ones that barely fit in the wheel well, but where the top of the tread is still completely under the wheel well, but barely. The one I saw was actually sized pretty small but where the top of the tread stuck out from the wheel well. Also - it might have been -3 degrees of negative camber. I have seen the setups where they're practically riding exclusively on the inside edge of the tire.

Now I've also seen the opposite, like big trucks riding on 15" wheels with low profile tires. That's as equally strange looking to me.

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: y_p_w

Now I've also seen the opposite, like big trucks riding on 15" wheels with low profile tires. That's as equally strange looking to me.



The dumbest for a truck is the 22-24 and low profile tires, really on a truck?

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted By: ccap41
Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
Tires are one of those things that only a tiny fraction of car buyers even think about, until the spec on their car comes to bite them in the [censored]. All these big, fat wheels with oddball sizes on new cars is making it normal to spend thousands replacing tires.

One thing I notice a lot of down here is people putting small car tire sizes on old beater trucks and SUVs because they are too cheap. Please keep your Explorer or Blazer on 195/60R15s away from me!


You worded this perfectly. All these new vehicles coming with 17's and up to 22's for OEM f150s/Rams/GM twims. Even on smaller cheaper cars now they have 17s with 40-45series sidewall making them expensive, at least for the person who thought they bought a cheap car(also finding out that they need DEXOS approved oil when going to get their oil changed at a quick shop expecting 20 bucks). . . .

Even my non-turbo Regal, hardly a "performance" car of the BMW class, came with 18" wheels. I'd love to switch out the painted silver wheels for something with chrome, but at that $$$ize --!

 

[mtndew_dad]

I have 7000 miles on a set of Cooper CS5 Grand Touring tires on a Honda Odyssey. So far, very pleased.

 

[hattaresguy]

Lots of peeps are broke, I run a lot of credit checks as part of my job and you would be amazed at how tapped out most people are.

A lot of people can't save up money for a large expense like tires, but they can budget XXX a month to lease something decent. The smarter ones spend the extra $30 a month for the "maintenance package" that covers two oil changes and a set of tires.


I can totally understand why Mr shiny Range Rover can't cough up $2k for good rubber, its the same reason he is probably renting from me instead of parking that nice truck in his own garage.

 

[ccap41]

Originally Posted By: Benzadmiral
Originally Posted By: ccap41
Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
Tires are one of those things that only a tiny fraction of car buyers even think about, until the spec on their car comes to bite them in the [censored]. All these big, fat wheels with oddball sizes on new cars is making it normal to spend thousands replacing tires.

One thing I notice a lot of down here is people putting small car tire sizes on old beater trucks and SUVs because they are too cheap. Please keep your Explorer or Blazer on 195/60R15s away from me!


You worded this perfectly. All these new vehicles coming with 17's and up to 22's for OEM f150s/Rams/GM twims. Even on smaller cheaper cars now they have 17s with 40-45series sidewall making them expensive, at least for the person who thought they bought a cheap car(also finding out that they need DEXOS approved oil when going to get their oil changed at a quick shop expecting 20 bucks). . . .

Even my non-turbo Regal, hardly a "performance" car of the BMW class, came with 18" wheels. I'd love to switch out the painted silver wheels for something with chrome, but at that $$$ize --!


Yeah, I don't know if the manufactures realize what they are doing to some people. Because a lot of people still think they can get their oil changed for 20 bucks and all four tires for a few hundred bucks and that just isn't a reality with probably ANY 2015 vehicle. I mean I am fine with it as I do my research and am into cars plenty but when I worked at a shop and somebody would roll up with a flat on a 2013-2014 and want an oil change and a new tire(some fancy low profile that most one just keep in stock) they were shocked that they needed 0w-20 oil(syn) and a $200 tire. Then I got to hear how they can't afford that. Between the ignorant consumer and the manufacturers they need to figure something out in informing the customer upon purchase of things like this. Heck, they can probably sell service packages this way.

 

[HangFire]

Originally Posted By: ccap41
I mean I am fine with it as I do my research and am into cars plenty but when I worked at a shop and somebody would roll up with a flat on a 2013-2014 and want an oil change and a new tire(some fancy low profile that most one just keep in stock) they were shocked that they needed 0w-20 oil(syn) and a $200 tire. Then I got to hear how they can't afford that. Between the ignorant consumer and the manufacturers they need to figure something out in informing the customer upon purchase of things like this. Heck, they can probably sell service packages this way.


Maybe part of the problem is shops are charging big money for synthetic oil changes when it only costs $5 more per jug at Walmart.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted By: ccap41
. . .
Yeah, I don't know if the manufactures realize what they are doing to some people. Because a lot of people still think they can get their oil changed for 20 bucks and all four tires for a few hundred bucks and that just isn't a reality with probably ANY 2015 vehicle. I mean I am fine with it as I do my research and am into cars plenty but when I worked at a shop and somebody would roll up with a flat on a 2013-2014 and want an oil change and a new tire(some fancy low profile that most one just keep in stock) they were shocked that they needed 0w-20 oil(syn) and a $200 tire. Then I got to hear how they can't afford that. Between the ignorant consumer and the manufacturers they need to figure something out in informing the customer upon purchase of things like this. Heck, they can probably sell service packages this way.

I think it would work just as well for most cars to have a 15" or 16" wheel and a tire with a deep sidewall, instead of the "slightly thicker than a rubber band" profile so many have now. On a performance or sport car, sure; and the owner should do his research before buying; but popping such low-profile setups on most sedans is overkill.

 

[JustinH]

Many of the new cars sold in the US are going to longer drain intervals, and full synthetic oil.

My new RAV4 is a nothing special 4 cylinder toyota engine.

It is spec'ed for 10k oil change intervals with 0w20 full synthetic.

Tell me that is not a cheaper cost of ownership than doing 3 oil changes with dino, 3 filters at 3,000 miles.

Or even 2 changes, at 5k intervals.

A lot of people do not see the big picture.

 

[teddyboy]

Originally Posted By: edwardh1
I have been in costco several times now when the owner of a (insert expensive car name here) like a high series BMW or Lexus asks about "what do new tires cost"? and gets told the price by the tire tech, the buyers sometimes says "gee that high but not unbearable", and the tire tech says well thats per tire not a set of 4.


One of the things that I always check before buying a new car is the tire size and price for a set of four. A set of Michelins for the 97 Camry is $500 out the door at Discount Tire with tire insurance (we have a low wall). The Michelin's for my wife's 14 Camry SE will be over $900 when the time comes. Given the way that we drive, the 195-70X14 that will have 4/32 tread depth when removed at 80K miles make way more sense than the V rated 17 inch 55 aspect ratio tire on the 2014. It's freaking 4 cylinder car for heavens sake!

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: teddyboy
One of the things that I always check before buying a new car is the tire size and price for a set of four. A set of Michelins for the 97 Camry is $500 out the door at Discount Tire with tire insurance (we have a low wall). The Michelin's for my wife's 14 Camry SE will be over $900 when the time comes. Given the way that we drive, the 195-70X14 that will have 4/32 tread depth when removed at 80K miles make way more sense than the V rated 17 inch 55 aspect ratio tire on the 2014. It's freaking 4 cylinder car for heavens sake!

Newer 2014-2015 Mazda6 has 19" option, that will bite owners when time to replace 19" tires.

I agree that a family sedan with 4-cyl engine that make less than 200 HP don't need larger than 16" wheel/tire.

A performance sedan/coupe with more than 250-300 HP may be okay with 17-18 wheel and 40-45 ratio tire.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: ccap41
Yeah, I don't know if the manufactures realize what they are doing to some people. Because a lot of people still think they can get their oil changed for 20 bucks and all four tires for a few hundred bucks and that just isn't a reality with probably ANY 2015 vehicle. I mean I am fine with it as I do my research and am into cars plenty but when I worked at a shop and somebody would roll up with a flat on a 2013-2014 and want an oil change and a new tire(some fancy low profile that most one just keep in stock) they were shocked that they needed 0w-20 oil(syn) and a $200 tire. Then I got to hear how they can't afford that. Between the ignorant consumer and the manufacturers they need to figure something out in informing the customer upon purchase of things like this. Heck, they can probably sell service packages this way.

Small tires aren't necessary the answer either. Good tires simply cost money.

I just had a new set of tires installed on a friend's 2012 Civic last week. The car takes 195/65-15.

A set of Michelin Premier A/S tires were $650 out-the-door jn that size with road hazard. And that price doesn't even include the alignment.

 

[Mr Nice]

$650 is very reasonable for new tires on a Civic.

 

[jcwit]

Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
$650 is very reasonable for new tires on a Civic.


Particularly for those on Social Security or on a VA Disability. Yup, Very reasonable.

 

[Rand]

Originally Posted By: jcwit
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
$650 is very reasonable for new tires on a Civic.


Particularly for those on Social Security or on a VA Disability. Yup, Very reasonable.



No smilies guys I can tell who is trolling or sarcasm.

but there are plenty of tires available in the 300$/4 range in that size.

including the well liked:
general altimax rt43