| MDXinWI |
| New to forum and just wanting some advice on choosing 4 new tires for my 2001 MDX touring. I do mainly street driving with some highway driving in "all-season" Wisconsin. I'd like something with great traction/handling. My price range is $100-$150 ea. Any suggestions? |
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| phins2rt |
quote:
Originally posted by MDXinWI
New to forum and just wanting some advice on choosing 4 new tires for my 2001 MDX touring. I do mainly street driving with some highway driving in "all-season" Wisconsin. I'd like something with great traction/handling. My price range is $100-$150 ea. Any suggestions?
:welcome: MDXinWI,
Try searching on tires and you will find more info than you probably want. This is a very discussed topic here. Good luck. |
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| LabMeister |
These tires are recommended by Consumer Reports for year-round grip (in rank order), if you can find them in your tire size:
1. Goodyear Fortera HL Edition
4. Kelly Safari Signature
5. Dayton Timberline HT
The Michelin Cross Terrain is actually good for winter driving but didn't do very well in handling and ride compared to the 3 above. Plus, they're more expensive. Hope this helps. |
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| Sinecure |
| I ended up with Yokohamas last fall. I don't recommend them if you have to drive in snow at all. They're fine on dry summer roads and in the wet. I prefered the Michelin CTs in the snow, but I'm certain there's something better out there. |
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| MDXinWI |
| I've been looking closely at the Goodyear Forteras which I can find online (via Sam's Club) for around $137 ea which seems like a good deal if I can hold out another 4 weeks until they are in. Thank you for your responses! Much appreciated! |
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| JeffK |
Strongly suggest that before you buy the GY Forteras you read the many, many threads on tires.
Keep an eye towards the difference between passenger and truck tires.
Unless you are extensively going off road, you are much better off with passenger tires, like the GY Integrity, priced at under $100.
A truck tire with its knobbly tread will do well in mud. Because of the stiff sidewall, it will handle off trail potholes better than a passenger tire.
However, the downside is much poorer handling, poor wet traction, high rolling resistance (lower fuel economy) noisier (much noisier).
Also consider that your MDX is now 4 years old and the ride/handling will be no better than the weakest link, which in your case, because of mileage and age is your suspension.
I was recently in the GY store to have a flat fixed and the salesmen tried to get me to buy a new set of Forteras. When I started to question him, explaining that the only off road driving I do is in parking lots, he was left with "Well the Forteras look so much better". He admitted the shortfalls of a truck tire vs. a passenger tire in normal driving. Oh one last thing: The Forteras cost 50% more than the Integrity!
Finally, if you go to tirerack.com for a comparison, remember that truck tires are compared against other truck tires and passenger tires vs. other passenger tires. So a good handling truck tire, will not, I repeat will not, handle as well as an average handling passenger tire.
The ratings just mean that the good handling truck tire handles better than other truck tires.
JeffK |
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| DaleB |
Nice advice, Jeff!
Along with Jeff's suggestion of <$100 tires I would like to add my recommendation for the BFG Traction T/A Spec. Not a pretty tire, but rides better than the CTs, has the same temp/traction rating as the CT, and has a higher treadwear number than either the CT or Integrity.
Just a good all around tire for everyday driving. But very non-exciting :)
In my theory, one reason it's cheaper is because it's seldom advertised. You can find them for $77 the last time I looked at TireRack. If you definitely want a premium tire with good sidewall protection, the GY Forteras are hard to beat, as well as a few others, and they will still keep you under the $130-150 range for the most part. |
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| LabMeister |
| You also need to consider the load index. You want to get as close as possible to what the manufacturer suggests. The X is heavy enough as it is. Even more so when you have passengers and cargo. You would want your tires to be able to handle all that weight. |
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| teggy |
| Just remember-you get what you pay for. IMO integrity is a horrible tire. |
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| DaleB |
quote:
Originally posted by teggy
Just remember-you get what you pay for. IMO integrity is a horrible tire.
I agree, especially if you look at the owner's surveys.
Here specs of the most popular tires.
I would say for normal driving, light to med. loads..
The BFG can't be beat for the price.
For a premium tire, more load capacity, etc.. the Fortera.
Goodyear Integrity
T speed rating, Load 103, UTOG: 460-AB avg. price: $85
BFG Traction/T
T speed rating, Load 103, UTOG: 620-AB avg. price: $90
Michelin C/T
T speed rating, Load 103, UTOG: 420-AB avg. price: $150
GY Fortera
H speed rating, Load 104, UTOG: 590-AB avg. price: $145
Of course there are other tires more suitable for strictly performance, etc. as well as those for more off road performance. |
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| Ceenit |
Great summary.
I have the BFG's on my Volvo and they have been great tires. I'll probably go with them on the X when the time comes around. |
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| texrb |
quote:
Originally posted by JeffK
Strongly suggest that before you buy the GY Forteras you read the many, many threads on tires.
Keep an eye towards the difference between passenger and truck tires.
Unless you are extensively going off road, you are much better off with passenger tires, like the GY Integrity, priced at under $100........................
However, the downside is much poorer handling, poor wet traction, high rolling resistance (lower fuel economy) noisier (much noisier).
JeffK
Jeff - Absolutely true! I just put 4 GY Integrity's on my 2001 that were new car take-offs with under 500 miles. Paid $200 for the set. The ride is way quieter than my CTs & I avg 2 MPG better than before. I hated to have to get the tires 2 months before my lease end, but 2 of the 4 tires were nearly bald (trad wear indicators were showing) because I forgot to rotate the tires. The other 2 were ok, but it was such a good price for the set, I replaced all 4.
I also disagree with all those that hate the GY Integrity - I had Integrity's on my '01 RX300 with no problems & have noticed no problems with them so far on the MDX. |
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| JeffK |
Thanks.
I also lease and may have to replace mine before lease end, although at this point they look like they will make 50,000 miles.
I have several friends near the end of their leases and they also need tires.
I think I know what you mean by "take off" but please post and how and where you found them.
JeffK |
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| Echo2625 |
The new Goodyear Fortera Silent Armor tires are the only way to go!
Excellent traction in all conditions. Very quiet ride. Great handling and now they put kevlar in the mix to make the tire vitually bullet proof. The kevlar also makes the ride much smoother.
Try the Fortera Silent Armors!! |
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| texrb |
quote:
Originally posted by JeffK
Thanks.
I think I know what you mean by "take off" but please post and how and where you found them.
JeffK
I bought them at Discount Tire (a chain in Texas). They were tires a customer took off his new car & traded in for different tires. Many places will do this if you have under 500 miles - so these were virtually a new set for $35 less per tire ($50 ea vs $85 ea). |
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| markn |
Because of all the handling problems I was having with my 04 while pulling a 2,500 to 3,000 lb enclosed trailer even while over inflating the tires I decided to try replacing the OEM tires. I used Consumers Report (Nov 04) rating of SUV tires as a guide that I was able to get at the local library.
I recently replaced my 10k mile Michelin CT's ( rated 19th of 22 tires and worst in handling) with the new GY Fortera SA that rated #1 overall. The difference in handling is DRAMATIC while towing and even without the trailer. No longer does the trailer make the MDX use the whole lane swaying hard enough to require two hands to drive next to and behind semis. The MDX is now firmly planted and the swaying is completely gone in any situation that only requires one hand to steer.
I took the old Michelin CT's home with me after installation of the new Forteras and the sidewalls on the CT's are some of the softest I've seen and probably are the contributing factor to the poorest handling in the Consumer Reports test.
The new Forteras were $591 delivered to my installer from the tire rack and only $71 to mount and balance. The MDX now handles more like a car and still as quiet and comfortable with these new tires. These are an excellent choice for tire replacement.
With the Forteras inflated to 35 psi the gas mileage has dropped slightly less than 1 mile per gallon as these tires are rated as more adhesive in Consumers Report when compared to the Michelins. |
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| Mahereb |
:4: I'm really surprised no one mentioned any thing about Bridgestone duiler Alenza performance highway all season.
I believe they are the best on wet and snow and are sold for $150.00 each or less. |
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| mdxforever |
Thats a truck tire and has its ups and downs like Jeffk mentioned.
If you are considering the BFG Traction T/A (good recommendation) you might want to look at the Kumho Solus KH16 in the same price range as well.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...re1=yes&place=0
Interesting though, that while tirerack specializes in tires and has a plethora of specs on their website, they dont specify (or atleast give an idea of) the rolling resistance for any tires. |
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| mdx4nx3 |
I'm leaning towards the Fortera Silent Armour for my 2002 w/ 46K miles. In doing some pricing research I ran across the General Tire "Grabber UHP" at the Tire Rack site.
The cost difference is around $40 less per Grabber tire and the tread appears fairly aggressive. However, some of the posted reviews indicate that the Grabber may be a bit more noisier due to the tread design.
I'm in CA, so no worries about snow just rain. I'm looking to replace my CTs before our next rains in Oct/Nov timeframe.
Can anybody give me some feedback on these tires as replacements? |
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| DaleB |
quote:
Originally posted by mdxforever
Thats a truck tire and has its ups and downs like Jeffk mentioned.
If you are considering the BFG Traction T/A (good recommendation) you might want to look at the Kumho Solus KH16 in the same price range as well.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...re1=yes&place=0
Interesting though, that while tirerack specializes in tires and has a plethora of specs on their website, they dont specify (or atleast give an idea of) the rolling resistance for any tires.
A friend who does long highway commutes, is ready for a set of tires. He has Kumho on there now (a Corolla) and with the tires just at the wear limit, he has separation appearing in 2 spots along the shoulders of both front tires. Scary stuff! Steel wires and all. Of course, I can't testify to his driving style or maintenance practices when he is driving alone.
But he says it's never happened to him before. |
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| Echo2625 |
Goodyear just announced that they are going to offer their Triple Tread tires in sizes for SUV's and light trucks!
This is an awesome tire. Great traction in all weather conditions. Smooth ride, excellent braking and very quiet.
You might want to check these out before making a decision....The Fortera Silent Armor is awesome but this new Triple Tread may be even better for higher end SUV's |
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| mdxforever |
| I have Tripletred on the Accord and I would jump for them if they made them in the mdx size and rating. Would be interesting to see the price though as the car tire was anyway on the higher side of $$ in its category. |
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| LAN |
Hey folks,
My Michellin CTs needed replacement at 43k. I was happy with those tires, but wanted better ride and better snow performance. I know that's kind of a tall order, getting the best of both worlds. Recognizing that this isn't a sports sedan, I was willing to give up a little handling. I looked up on TireRack.com and my survey led me to conclude that the Bridgestone Dueler Alenza H/L were superior to the Michellins and most of the other tires I've seen on this board. I got them for $480 total before tax at Discount Tire, and there's a $75 rebate until 10/15. I've only put 10 miles on them, and I've noticed noise, ride comfort and braking are greatly improved. I've yet to see if hanldling is better or worse. They're rated better in the snow. (My opinion is the the CTs weren't very good even when they were new).
I would have to say these tires aren't as spiffy looking as the CTs, but they're not ugly like BFGs, nor cheap looking like some no-name brand.
If you don't see me with an update on this thread, consider that a positive. I'll be sure to chime in again if these tires don't perform as indicated on TireRack.com. |
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| Rick_James |
I have toyo proxies ST
they seem to perform great in both wet and dry conditions. feels like I can drive my X as a sports car ;) |
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| A2MDXer |
quote:
Originally posted by Echo2625
Goodyear just announced that they are going to offer their Triple Tread tires in sizes for SUV's and light trucks!
This is an awesome tire. Great traction in all weather conditions. Smooth ride, excellent braking and very quiet.
You might want to check these out before making a decision....The Fortera Silent Armor is awesome but this new Triple Tread may be even better for higher end SUV's
Just to update a thread from a few months ago....
I cannot find the Triple Tread in the MDX size (especially for 17" wheels - the smallest size is 265). The Triple Tread tires look great but I am in need now so I am going with the Silent Armor. |
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| eRauL |
quote:
Originally posted by A2MDXer
Just to update a thread from a few months ago....
I cannot find the Triple Tread in the MDX size (especially for 17" wheels - the smallest size is 265). The Triple Tread tires look great but I am in need now so I am going with the Silent Armor.
I just got the SilentArmor last week. Love it. Highly recommended. |
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| LAN |
Hi folks,
I just wanted to update you with my experience with the Bridgestones Dueler Alenza H/Ls. I think they're wonderful tires. They're must quieter than the Michellin CTs. They soak up bumps a lots better over the rough spots on US 101 in the Bay Area. Almost as quiet as our BMW sedans. If only Acura had done better wind noise suppression over the windows, etc.
So far they're what I expected from the TireRack reviews, especially since I was calibrated on the CTs. So, I assume this is the best tire compared to the Goodyears et al. I can't compare from experience, of course.
I'll come back next month after I've had time in the snow with them. I'm sure anything is better than the CTs.
Thanks |
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| carguy1234 |
quote:
Originally posted by LAN
Hi folks,
I just wanted to update you with my experience with the Bridgestones Dueler Alenza H/Ls. I think they're wonderful tires. They're must quieter than the Michellin CTs. They soak up bumps a lots better over the rough spots on US 101 in the Bay Area. Almost as quiet as our BMW sedans. If only Acura had done better wind noise suppression over the windows, etc.
So far they're what I expected from the TireRack reviews, especially since I was calibrated on the CTs. So, I assume this is the best tire compared to the Goodyears et al. I can't compare from experience, of course.
I'll come back next month after I've had time in the snow with them. I'm sure anything is better than the CTs.
Thanks
A guy I work with just got those same tires and is real happy with them. Driving is getting tougher here now as it gets colder and the roads are frozen now. I was thinking the Michelin CT's were going to be ok, since they get through snow fine, but now that the temp has dropped I'm sliding all over the place with the CT's.
Alenza review:
http://tr-prod.tirerack.com/tires/t...%20H/L%20Alenza
CT's review doesn't look that much worse however:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...oss+Terrain+SUV
I would rate them a 4 on ice though. I miss the Nokians from my last car! |
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| mdx4nx3 |
UPDATE : I ended up gettng the Fortera w/ Silent Armour in OEM size. I've put on around 4K and they are worth the cost. No regrets. I ended up getting them at WheelWorks. They matched a $50 rebate promotion with Americas Tires, so the total cost came to $650 w/ lifetime balance & rotation. So long Michelin CTs!!!
quote:
Originally posted by mdx4nx3
I'm leaning towards the Fortera Silent Armour for my 2002 w/ 46K miles. In doing some pricing research I ran across the General Tire "Grabber UHP" at the Tire Rack site.
The cost difference is around $40 less per Grabber tire and the tread appears fairly aggressive. However, some of the posted reviews indicate that the Grabber may be a bit more noisier due to the tread design.
I'm in CA, so no worries about snow just rain. I'm looking to replace my CTs before our next rains in Oct/Nov timeframe.
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| New MDXer |
| How are the Fortera Silent Armours in the cold and snow? |
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| Echo2625 |
quote:
Originally posted by New MDXer
How are the Fortera Silent Armours in the cold and snow?
The Forteras handle the snow great!
We had a ton of snow last year and early this year and nothing stops the X and my other SUV with the Forteras on them.
Better ride and quieter than the Cross Terrains as well. |
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