It is almost time for tires. The Hankooks on my Transit have lasted awhile but they are a horror show in the snow and not great in the rain. I've narrowed down my choices to the Cooper Discoverer HT3 and the Michelin Agilis Cross Climate. I'm sticking with the stock 235/65/16 size. So I'm looking for a good compromise between longevity and snow/rain traction. The van mainly transports my kids to and from school, running a mix of highway and city cycle. It does take an occasional long highway trip maybe once a year or 18 months.
I've read that the Michelin is 3 peak rated and is outstanding in snow, rain, and at high highway speeds. It is a directional tire. It is expensive. I don't know much about the Cooper, but I like that it is made in the USA by an American company and it has a 50k warranty. The Michelin does not carry a mileage warranty but it is said to last a very long time. I've not heard anything bad about either.
I'd say I'm leaning toward the Michelin at this point, but would still love to buy a US manufactured tire (Not necessarily from a US based company, although that would be nice, too). Goodyears are priced way too high and don't seem to offer anything more than these, unless they came with a big rebate.
I'd love to hear from anyone with experience with these two tires, particularly on a Transit, but other applications could still give me good info. Heck, I don't mind hearing about other tires, too, but I'm leaning toward these. Michelin right now has a $70 rebate on a set of 4, so that gets the price a bit closer. At the end of the day, I want a good all around tire that lasts and does ok in the snow. I know it is a Transit, and effectively 1 wheel drive, but I think even racing slicks would do better on snow than the Hankooks.
I've read that the Michelin is 3 peak rated and is outstanding in snow, rain, and at high highway speeds. It is a directional tire. It is expensive. I don't know much about the Cooper, but I like that it is made in the USA by an American company and it has a 50k warranty. The Michelin does not carry a mileage warranty but it is said to last a very long time. I've not heard anything bad about either.
I'd say I'm leaning toward the Michelin at this point, but would still love to buy a US manufactured tire (Not necessarily from a US based company, although that would be nice, too). Goodyears are priced way too high and don't seem to offer anything more than these, unless they came with a big rebate.
I'd love to hear from anyone with experience with these two tires, particularly on a Transit, but other applications could still give me good info. Heck, I don't mind hearing about other tires, too, but I'm leaning toward these. Michelin right now has a $70 rebate on a set of 4, so that gets the price a bit closer. At the end of the day, I want a good all around tire that lasts and does ok in the snow. I know it is a Transit, and effectively 1 wheel drive, but I think even racing slicks would do better on snow than the Hankooks.