So we took the '06 Kia Sportage to our home in FL and parked it in the garage. The Sumitomo tires are just about worn out and will need replacement soon. My issue is this: it will get driven maybe 1500 miles a year and sits in the garage most of the time. The tires will likely time-out long before they wear out. I wonder what my sweet spot is for good traction, hopefully not TOO prone to flat spotting and good at holding air while the car sits for a month or more at a time. No point in really costly tires that will last 80,000 miles. My initial thought is to look at Sumitomo again...they were cheap, traction is good and they probably have 40,000 miles on them. Not complete bottom-feeders but certainly not Michelin.
tires for a car that is mainly parked
- Thread starter CincyDavid
- Start date
Well I guess that if you've had/have good luck with the Sumitomo's, certainly get'em again.
Only you know whether or not you should get new rubber or just keep what's currently on the KIA now considering how few miles a year that you"ll be driving the Sportage.
Only you know whether or not you should get new rubber or just keep what's currently on the KIA now considering how few miles a year that you"ll be driving the Sportage.
I'd get another set of the Sumi's. Good everyday prices without rebates. New tires should be less prone to flats, picking up a nail, hydroplaning, kind of like a safety device, cheap insurance. Prob a step up from Westlake, Nanking, entry level GY's.
Originally Posted by CincyDavid
Not complete bottom-feeders but certainly not Michelin.
I'd rather take my chances with a set of Sumitomos, over taking my chances with getting another horrid set of Michelins.
Not sure why people continue to think that Michelins are so great. Worst set of tires I've ever owned.
Not complete bottom-feeders but certainly not Michelin.
I'd rather take my chances with a set of Sumitomos, over taking my chances with getting another horrid set of Michelins.
Not sure why people continue to think that Michelins are so great. Worst set of tires I've ever owned.
Not sticking up for Michelin however, in many ways the Michelin tires that I have owned(mainly OE) were among the best(I should say the nicest) tires I've driven on.
Not in every regard though such as the most extremely foul weather but, in the everyday-ness of the average 4 seasons(weather & temperature) that I experience in my area.
However, Michelins are waaaaaay to expensive to repurchase which is why I buy other highly rated/score/reviewed tire brands.
Not in every regard though such as the most extremely foul weather but, in the everyday-ness of the average 4 seasons(weather & temperature) that I experience in my area.
However, Michelins are waaaaaay to expensive to repurchase which is why I buy other highly rated/score/reviewed tire brands.
Check out the Starfire Solaris AS on Walmart.com. Prob the best deal right now in my size of 205 55r16 H. Since most of the rebates ended in May. Just under 50 per tire right now. Made by Cooper and good reviews.
Got Westlakes on my Accord. $169 a pair installed. I find them relatively quiet, decent riding tires. I'd buy them again.
If my wife and I would be the only drivers I'd just leave the existing tires, but her elderly parents may visit and use the car and I'd feel better having fresh rubber on it.
I just bought a couple new Kumho Solus TA11's for my 2016 Versa (185/65-15) on eBay. These tires have an A traction, B temperature and 700 treadwear rating and are considered a 75K mile tire. I paid about $60 a tire. I used to run Kumho tires regularly on an '88 Ford Escort that I used for a daily driver for nearly 20 years. I never had a problem with them and they would usually run about the number of miles they were rated for.
I don't pay much attention to the age of tires unless they are showing lots of dry rot. Several years ago I took a spare that was about 20 years old and ran it on a daily driver with no problems whatsoever. Over the nearly 45 years I've been driving and approximately 1M miles I've drove on many tires that were much older than the 6 years tire manufacturers recommend changing them at. I've also got a car that doesn't get a lot of driving and sits in the garage 98+% of the time. The tires that are on it are over 10 years old (probably more like 12 years old) and I wouldn't hesitate to start across the US on them.
I don't pay much attention to the age of tires unless they are showing lots of dry rot. Several years ago I took a spare that was about 20 years old and ran it on a daily driver with no problems whatsoever. Over the nearly 45 years I've been driving and approximately 1M miles I've drove on many tires that were much older than the 6 years tire manufacturers recommend changing them at. I've also got a car that doesn't get a lot of driving and sits in the garage 98+% of the time. The tires that are on it are over 10 years old (probably more like 12 years old) and I wouldn't hesitate to start across the US on them.
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I acquired a minivan (second vehicle) that I use to haul tools from jobsite to jobsite. Florida.
I bought four 'economy' tires that reviewed fairly descent for my needs. Wow, she was quieter on the highway, handled well in the rain, stopping power.... I was happy for the $700
Anyway, I had a job in Barcelona that was about 6 weeks and when I returned, that first rain storm, boy did the traction and stopping power suck.
I surmise that the compound had age hardened like that pair of old Sperry boat shoes I had lost for a while.
A few hundred miles wear and the performance returned to almost like new.
My point is, I think what should matter to you is the compound of the tire and how it is going to handle during your vacation. AND remember to be aware of my experience and drive accordingly, at least in the first few days.
I bought four 'economy' tires that reviewed fairly descent for my needs. Wow, she was quieter on the highway, handled well in the rain, stopping power.... I was happy for the $700
Anyway, I had a job in Barcelona that was about 6 weeks and when I returned, that first rain storm, boy did the traction and stopping power suck.
I surmise that the compound had age hardened like that pair of old Sperry boat shoes I had lost for a while.
A few hundred miles wear and the performance returned to almost like new.
My point is, I think what should matter to you is the compound of the tire and how it is going to handle during your vacation. AND remember to be aware of my experience and drive accordingly, at least in the first few days.
Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
I wouldn't worry about flat spotting.
My great-aunt and uncle have a 98' Plymouth Breeze that sits at least 7 months of the year here, sometimes more. A couple years it's sat the entire year. Every 2 years I take it to emissions for them after it's been sitting and hop on the freeway, surprisingly smooth with no flat spots. And it's got cheap Falkens on it now. They're 7 years old so I told them to replace them when they come back later this year.
My great-aunt and uncle have a 98' Plymouth Breeze that sits at least 7 months of the year here, sometimes more. A couple years it's sat the entire year. Every 2 years I take it to emissions for them after it's been sitting and hop on the freeway, surprisingly smooth with no flat spots. And it's got cheap Falkens on it now. They're 7 years old so I told them to replace them when they come back later this year.
Originally Posted by CincyDavid
If my wife and I would be the only drivers I'd just leave the existing tires, but her elderly parents may visit and use the car and I'd feel better having fresh rubber on it.
Oh I agree!
If it were always a nice sunny day in June, any tire(black & round) would suffice. But when the weather turns to a torential down pour and the sky turns dark, I want to know that I can get home safely.
If my wife and I would be the only drivers I'd just leave the existing tires, but her elderly parents may visit and use the car and I'd feel better having fresh rubber on it.
Oh I agree!
If it were always a nice sunny day in June, any tire(black & round) would suffice. But when the weather turns to a torential down pour and the sky turns dark, I want to know that I can get home safely.
I hate cheap tires. I would buy something decent and be safe.
I've had excellent luck with Sumitomo tires, they're a good value and have performed well for me.
Kumho and Hankook are two other brands that have been around a long time that tend to have good bang for the buck.
With tires I tend to shy away from the new(er) Chinese/East Asian brands that keep popping up (Linglong, Westlake, Milestar, GT Radial, etc.) Not saying they are bad tires but they don't have the track record the more established brands typically have.
Kumho and Hankook are two other brands that have been around a long time that tend to have good bang for the buck.
With tires I tend to shy away from the new(er) Chinese/East Asian brands that keep popping up (Linglong, Westlake, Milestar, GT Radial, etc.) Not saying they are bad tires but they don't have the track record the more established brands typically have.
