H727 great deal and first impressions

[faramir9]

After two weeks and 600 miles I am impressed with the Hankook Optimo H727. I was even more impressed with the deal I got on them: too good to pass up.

The deal: Once both rebates arrive, (both approved) the total OTD cost for a set of H727 in 185/65/14, with a wheel alignment and lifetime rotation/balance, will be $280.47 installed. Unreal.

$308 for four tires from DTD-eBay.
$51.01 for mount/balance/install at Firestone, with a coupon and without tire disposal. (Got a few bucks for the old rubber at a local shop.)
$71.01 for wheel alignment at Firestone, with a $5 off coupon and 10% off for using my Firestone charge card for the first time. (That card entitles the cardholder to free lifetime rotation/balance.)
45 cents in postage on mail-in refund.

Subtract $100 DTD-eBay rebate and $50 Hankook rebate. Even better: One of the hubcaps came off the day I got the tires installed, so Firestone ordered me a set of four new hubs to make it right.

First time I tried the order online/install local route, but all the stars lined up here. If anyone can beat this deal, please let me know. (Actually I might have been able to save a few more bucks on the alignment with a better coupon I found after-the fact, but I am not complaining.)

So: Too early to say much in way of a review, but three days after the H727s were installed I took a 400-mile round-trip uphill to upstate NY. A clear improvement over the previous tires, especially in the combination of smooth, quiet ride and decent steering response. (Better at both ends, by far.)

No rain on that trip but I got a chance to try them out in cold rain showers after I got home. No problem there. We shall see about snow/slush soon enough, but I expect them to do well there. Ask me again two years from now, if I still have the Saturn then.

One nit-pick: The specs say the initial tread depth is 11.5/32, but my gauge reads closer to 11, even. If that's the worst thing I can say these must be pretty good tires.

They were made in Korea, date code 1712, aka April 22-28, 2012. I ordered them on Nov. 2, they arrived Nov. 6, installed Nov. 7. Would have preferred USA-made tires, but I can live with South Korea-made products when no USA-made alternative is in the same ballpark for both price and quality. (Getting hard to find 14" in the newer higher-end models.)

These will be the last tires I put on this car, barring road hazard. In the unlikely event I still have the Saturn in five years, when the treadlife warranty expires, I expect these tires will still be on the car, at least for three seasons.

Will update down the road as the miles add up. Thanks for listening.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Last year I got the same set Hankook Optimo H727 in 185/65/14 with lifetime rotation/balance for around $200 installed(without alignment) at local America's Tire. At that time it had $100 rebate from AT and $50 rebate from Hankook.

I'm trying to buy local, with price match, for services and especially for mileage warranty. I'm still looking for lowest price online but using it for price match which my local AT always do.

 

[faramir9]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Last year I got the same set Hankook Optimo H727 in 185/65/14 with lifetime rotation/balance for around $200 installed(without alignment) at local America's Tire. At that time it had $100 rebate from AT and $50 rebate from Hankook.

I'm trying to buy local, with price match, for services and especially for mileage warranty. I'm still looking for lowest price online but using it for price match which my local AT always do.


Sounds like a good plan. You got a great deal last year. Unfortunately there is no DT/America's Tire within 200 miles of my home.

How do you like your H727s so far? Thanks.

 

[mechtech2]

The soft sidewalls on those 727s like a bit more pressure .
Less wallowy on turns and transients.

 

[HTSS_TR]

The weather in So Cal is very mild all year, and very little rain about 10-15 rainy days a year or less. The Hankook H727 sidewall is fairly soft as pointed out by Mechtech2, I have 38 F/36 R while the recommend is 32 all around. The tire is quiet and its performance/handling is as good as a 14" tire can be on a 1991 wagon.

The tire has about 14-15k miles and tread depth is down to around 7/32", I think it may not lasted more than 40-50k miles, it has 100k miles warranty.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

I have somewhere around 15,000-18,000 miles on the H727's that I put on my 2006 Elantra in mid-2011. I've been very satisfied with them in all weather conditions. My driving style is pretty conservative, and even in modest snow or wet conditions they've felt very solid. For a comparatively inexpensive tire I've been very pleased.

I've never used them in deep snow (10+ inches), and when we get snow that substantial I drive the pickup. But in lesser snows (6 inches + or -) they've done just fine. In our rural area we're the last to get the roads plowed, therefore snow performance is significant, and I have no complaints about the 727's.

 

[VicVinegar]

They should be decent in snow. In my time living in Upstate NY, I only had one set of all seasons that were truly bad in winter weather and they were the notoriously bad Firestones that Honda put on OEM. The Tire Rack page for them was hilarious.

 

[CharBaby]

My daughter has the H727's on her '06 Mazda3. Not an optimum tire for a Mazda3 in regards to ultimate handling/braking but, the H727's are an optimum tire for her driving style and our climate.

The Mazda handles just fine on it's own with it's wonderful susspension and good solid braking performance. High(er)Performance tires would enhance all aspects of the car itself, but, she doesn't need THAT!

Again, she needs a tire(like the H727) for the all weather performance that the tire provides for everyday normal type of driving in Rochester-Buffalo-Niagra Falls, NY and expecially in the foul weather. None of us have driven lately in that Blizzard of '77 type of driving(where the whole city was burried in snow!) So, this type of snow traction remains to be seen

She also likes the fact that there has been no need for a winter tire changeover as the H727's have done fine in the Western NY winters with good snow traction, controlable on ice(with minimal ABS intervention) and very good hydroplaning resistance during the downpour of rain. And the handling/cornering, although not optimum, doesn't suck considering the H727's "T" speed rating! I'd like to see an "H" speed rating in these tires with all of the good qualities remaining the same.

With 23,000 miles on the tires now, they still look new(ish) and are wearing well and evenly. The tires are quiet and smooth and there has been only one rebalance since the install. They do balance nicely and stay that way for a good long time compared to other tires we've had(Ahmmm,G/Y!)

 

[faramir9]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
The soft sidewalls on those 727s like a bit more pressure .
Less wallowy on turns and transients.


Yep; I have them at 35 psi all-around. Might drop that to 32 in the rear to see how that feels; I will very rarely have passengers in the back seat. Thanks for the tip.

 

[faramir9]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR


The tire has about 14-15k miles and tread depth is down to around 7/32", I think it may not lasted more than 40-50k miles, it has 100k miles warranty.


Now there is a red flag. Do you park in the sun, drive only in the city, carry heavy loads, etc? Have you checked the wheel alignment?

I will reach the 5 years before the 100K miles on the treadlife warranty, though most likely I will trade in the car before either happens. Most reviews I read give high marks for treadwear, though some are skeptical of the 100K miles claim. Also note that tread wears fastest in the beginning of a tire's life, or so I've read.

Still....the rate of treadwear you mention is not a good sign. What vehicle?

 

[faramir9]

Originally Posted By: Char Baby

And the handling/cornering, although not optimum, doesn't suck considering the H727's "T" speed rating! I'd like to see an "H" speed rating in these tires with all of the good qualities remaining the same.


You might be right, but I wonder if Hankook simply did not bother trying for an H rating with this tire---aimed at the bread-and-butter mass market. It does have a cap ply and it corners better than the average T-rated all-season, in my limited experience with it so far. (True, a Saturn SL1 is no Mazda3.)

Not sure we will see an H-rated tire with an alleged 100K mile warranty any time soon.

 

[CharBaby]

No, not 100K but, 60K-80K would be nice!

 

[waltb]

I have these tires on a Subaru Outback. They have been good tires in all weather. I have about 60K mi on them now and they are close to being worn out. They are not 100K tires at least with the hills in PA The only issue is near the end they have gotten quite loud.

 

[doitmyself]

For those with premature wear, please heed this advice. My Yokohama Avids only lasted about 55 thousand, a common complaint at Tire Rack for this 80K tire. My tires had very even wear, indicating no alignment problems and/or they received proper rotations. When I went in for a nail repair, the dealer offered a hefty pro rating on new tires. Along with other rebates, etc., it was a deal I couldn't refuse. I could have squeezed another 5 -10K out of the tires, but with winter coming on, I was concerned about safety.

Just sharing my experience. Take advantage of the stated 100k mileage claims when purchasing new tires.

I talked my daughter into the H727's for her Escort based on good reviews. So far, they are doing well.

 

[CharBaby]

Ya know, I don't ever expect to get close to the actual mileage rating of any mfg's tire. Maybe the tire mfg's get their high mileage rating while testing the tallest tire in that model, i.e., 275-70-**

When if fact, most of my tires are along the lines of 205, 215 or 225. And the 225's will probably go the furthest mileage(closer to the mfg's mileage rating)

IDK what the tallest H727 that Hankook makes but, 100,000 miles is a bit of a stretch for us to achieve. The only H727 we have in our fleet is 205-55-16. Although they're wearing well at 23K miles & ~8/32nds remaining, I don't think they'll make it past 60K-70K miles...A good showing BTW! And we don't like taking a tire down to 2/32nds. Maybe 4/32nds!

 

[faramir9]

Originally Posted By: Char Baby
Ya know, I don't ever expect to get close to the actual mileage rating of any mfg's tire. Maybe the tire mfg's get their high mileage rating while testing the tallest tire in that model, i.e., 275-70-**

When if fact, most of my tires are along the lines of 205, 215 or 225. And the 225's will probably go the furthest mileage(closer to the mfg's mileage rating)

IDK what the tallest H727 that Hankook makes but, 100,000 miles is a bit of a stretch for us to achieve. The only H727 we have in our fleet is 205-55-16. Although they're wearing well at 23K miles & ~8/32nds remaining, I don't think they'll make it past 60K-70K miles...A good showing BTW! And we don't like taking a tire down to 2/32nds. Maybe 4/32nds!


The tallest size (ratio-wise) for the H727 is 235/75/15, per the Hankook site. It also comes in 205/70/15 and 215/70/15, as a nod to the Buicks and '90s Crown Vics, etc. I would have gotten 175/70/14 for my Saturn had it been available---but it wasn't.

Not sure I understand why taller tires would last longer/wear slower than lower-profiles, at least in standard passenger-car sizes. I figured driving conditions and vehicle weight played a role. Anyway, I never plan to run a tire down to 2/32 if I can help it. The practical point of a treadlife warranty, as posted upthread, is to get credit for prematurely worn tires when you buy the next set. My sister and her hubby did that with their Avid TRZs.

BTW, the H727 did great in our first snow of the year on Tuesday, though by the time I hit the road the plows and salt trucks had been out. After three weeks and about 800 miles I am happy....

 

[CharBaby]

Taller tires will turn slower(less revolutions per mile) and cover the same ground. It's the "less revolutions per mile" that I was refering to.

But, I can't answer for how a tire company comes up with their Mileage Rating i.e., 80,000 or 100,000 mile wearout warranty

 

[faramir9]

Originally Posted By: Char Baby
Taller tires will turn slower(less revolutions per mile) and cover the same ground. It's the "less revolutions per mile" that I was refering to.

But, I can't answer for how a tire company comes up with their Mileage Rating i.e., 80,000 or 100,000 mile wearout warranty


Now that's interesting: must confess I never thought of revs per mile as a factor in treadlife before. Any of our resident tire experts know the scoop here? Thanks.

 

[CharBaby]

Well yeah! Take a really tall tire and a really short tire of the same brand/model.

I just don't believe that the, Oh for example...185-65-14(23.4" overall diameter) will last as long as the 235-75-15(28.8" overall diameter). Even if both tires are rated at the same mileage wearout warranty(what ever that may be)!

They may be close but, there has to be some differences, don't you think?

It's not often that I know someone with the same brand/model of tires as myself but, for example... As a comparison(don't confuse these sizes with my statement above), my wifes '01 RX-300 had OE G/Y Integrity's 225-70-16(OD 28.4"). My buddy has a '08 Prius with the same Integ's, 185-65-15(24.4" OD). Both sizes rated at 60,000 miles.

We got 60,000 miles he got 35,000 miles. There was no way he could get 60K even if he drove'em til they were bald.

Now, I understand that this will all be different with tire brand/models, driving style etc. So many variables!

I always got longer treadwear out of a taller tire than any shorter tire that we have ever had.

Yes, they were different brands, styles, speed ratings etc. So, it's really hard to measure exactly unless you buy the same exact tire in different sizes for your own 2 different vehicles, and measure it that way. But, who's going to do that?