Go Back   EcoModder Forum > EcoModding > Off-Topic Tech
Register Now
 Register Now
 

Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 08-25-2011, 11:38 PM   #1 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Kodak's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 346

Canyon - '07 GMC Canyon 2wd regular cab
90 day: 24.95 mpg (US)
Thanks: 41
Thanked 39 Times in 24 Posts
Tires: Do you trust CR and TireRack?

When buying tires, how much consideration do you give to Consumer Reports and Tire Rack reviews? I know that the 'surveys' section of TR is actually just customer feedback - not specific testing results. (Although some tires are tested and graded by TR for certain criteria).

Right now I am reading reviews with caution, because consumers have varying expectations for tires and different conditions of use.

Some reviewers have made FE claims - good and bad - that were simply too great to have been attributed to rolling resistance alone.

Anyway, I'm curious what resources you use when researching tires.

Thanks for reading.

__________________
EcoDriving: Turning more fuel into usable forward motion.
  Reply With Quote
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 08-26-2011, 12:18 AM   #2 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Victoria , Australia.
Posts: 499
Thanks: 20
Thanked 46 Times in 33 Posts
Kodak,
A couple of places I use when I am chasing tyres.
One is a local consumer magazine (Compare products and find independent product reviews with Choice.com.au - CHOICE) which has tyre tests but has some odd priorities when deciding which is the "best buy" in any category.

Another is online forums both for general performance and vehicle specific topics. There is usually someone willing to post an opinion about their favourite brand.

Finally any other person owning the same car as I do.
Supermarket car park meetings or friends and relatives all provide objective feedback most of the time.

Peter.
P
  Reply With Quote
Old 08-26-2011, 02:01 AM   #3 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
mcrews's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Texas
Posts: 3,523

The Q Sold - '02 Infiniti Q45 Sport
90 day: 23.08 mpg (US)

blackie - '14 nissan altima sv
Thanks: 2,203
Thanked 663 Times in 478 Posts
i PURCHASED Kuhmos ecsta 4 yrs ago for my 02 Infiniti Q45 based on researching Tireracks data. I had never heard of Kuhmo and took a great deal of grief from the 'experts' at the infiniti forum.
I am on my 4 th set!!!! I get about 35,000 a set and I spend 1/2 of what the factory Michelin tire would cost.
I have been completely satisfied with the information, and the pricing.
__________________
MetroMPG: "Get the MPG gauge - it turns driving into a fuel & money saving game."

ECO MODS PERFORMED:
First: ScangaugeII
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...eii-23306.html

Second: Grille Block
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...e-10912-2.html

Third: Full underbelly pan
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...q45-11402.html

Fourth: rear skirts and 30.4mpg on trip!
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post247938
  Reply With Quote
Old 08-26-2011, 08:07 AM   #4 (permalink)
Administrator
 
Daox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Germantown, WI
Posts: 11,203

CM400E - '81 Honda CM400E
90 day: 51.49 mpg (US)

Daox's Grey Prius - '04 Toyota Prius
Team Toyota
90 day: 49.53 mpg (US)

Daox's Insight - '00 Honda Insight
90 day: 64.33 mpg (US)

Swarthy - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage DE
Mitsubishi
90 day: 56.69 mpg (US)

Daox's Volt - '13 Chevrolet Volt
Thanks: 2,501
Thanked 2,585 Times in 1,553 Posts
I think user reviews are helpful, but I always take them with a grain... well more than a grain of salt. If there is any technical info I do not assume they know what they're talking about and generally just use them to get the general vibe that most reviews give off.
__________________
Current project: A better alternator delete
  Reply With Quote
Old 08-26-2011, 11:07 AM   #5 (permalink)
Pishtaco
 
SentraSE-R's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Bay Area, California
Posts: 1,485

Mean Green Toaster Machine - '06 Scion xB
Team Toyota
90 day: 48.92 mpg (US)
Thanks: 56
Thanked 286 Times in 181 Posts
IMO, user anecdotes are useless, and CR tests are nearly so.
__________________
Darrell

Boycotting Exxon since 1989, BP since 2010
Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac? George Carlin
Mean Green Toaster Machine
49.5 mpg avg over 53,000 miles. 176% of '08 EPA
Best flat drive 94.5 mpg for 10.1 mi
Longest tank 1033 km (642 mi) on 10.56 gal = 60.8 mpg
  Reply With Quote
Old 08-26-2011, 11:57 AM   #6 (permalink)
...beats walking...
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: .
Posts: 6,190
Thanks: 179
Thanked 1,525 Times in 1,126 Posts
...I apply the '80% Rule,' ie: 80% of what they say is profit driven, but the other 80% is actually useful, but only to a 20% degree (wink,wink).
  Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2011, 03:50 PM   #7 (permalink)
Banned
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Posts: 2,442

2004 CTD - '04 DODGE RAM 2500 SLT
Team Cummins
90 day: 19.36 mpg (US)
Thanks: 1,422
Thanked 737 Times in 557 Posts
I use TR this way:

User must have above 20k on tires.

Tire itself must have 10m reported miles.

Tire must rate highly/highest in sub-category (with exceptions that one may find on vehicle-specific enthusiast boards).

I also compare tires based on tire temp ratings, etc.

LRR is nice, but longest life is nicest (70k plus).

Once I make my choice I get DISCOUNT TIRE to come within 10-12% or so when complete TR prices (warranty, shipping, balancing, mounting included) are compared.

I go out of my way to find the best DT shop around. There are always differences between stores as to managerial quality.

.
  Reply With Quote
Old 08-29-2011, 12:12 PM   #8 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Kodak's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 346

Canyon - '07 GMC Canyon 2wd regular cab
90 day: 24.95 mpg (US)
Thanks: 41
Thanked 39 Times in 24 Posts
Thanks for the tips everyone. I'm probably going to wait until Consumer Reports reviews new All Seasons (I heard they may post an update in September). They've never reviewed the BFG Long trail T/A Tour (read: not the radial) and that's up there is my options list with the Continental CrossContact LX (LRR).

I'll read reviews with some skepticism.

Slowmover, good call on the tread life. I had a somewhat obvious light bulb moment the other day. It occurred to me that tread life not only means how long one will keep a set of tires, but also how long a tire will retain its best qualities. So a tire with excellent wet traction, but poor tread life will deteriorate (and be less grippy) more quickly and be bald sooner.

I'm imagining a graph in my mind where two lines intersect:



As an aside, I'm starting to think that UTQG ratings are not terribly useful when comparing from brand to brand (only within a given brand).
__________________
EcoDriving: Turning more fuel into usable forward motion.
  Reply With Quote
Old 08-30-2011, 06:27 AM   #9 (permalink)
Tire Geek
 
CapriRacer's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Let's just say I'm in the US
Posts: 794
Thanks: 4
Thanked 388 Times in 237 Posts
The UTQG treadwear rating test has a lot of built in variability, so using small incremental differences is probably futile. However, if you see a 100 difference, it's significant.
  Reply With Quote
Old 08-30-2011, 10:14 AM   #10 (permalink)
Banned
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Posts: 2,442

2004 CTD - '04 DODGE RAM 2500 SLT
Team Cummins
90 day: 19.36 mpg (US)
Thanks: 1,422
Thanked 737 Times in 557 Posts
So a tire with excellent wet traction, but poor tread life will deteriorate (and be less grippy) more quickly and be bald sooner.

I wouldn't always bet on it, but it's why I like the TR reviews to verify. There are vehicles where the best wet traction may be the best choice, and a sub-50k life worth the trade-off.

The tires on my truck rate poorly in terms of dynamic performance on the TR survey results. But I don't expect tires to make up for sloppy driving habits (not slowing in rain), having grown up on 10-12k mile average bias-ply tires. I just slow down for bad surfaces with these tires. The factory set was replaced at 120k with 4/32's remaining. The first replacement set might -- meaning but two sets of tires -- take the truck to 250k miles. This is not an uncommon experience with this tire line and this particular truck (and spec). One has to dig through an enthusiast site to find the good/bad.

I take it for granted that all tires hydroplane at 55-mph in the rain, but that some recover almost immediately compared to others. Not "scientific" by any means, but meant to be respectful of road, load, conditions, weather, etc.

.

  Reply With Quote
Reply  Post New Thread


Thread Tools




Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
All content copyright EcoModder.com