What are currently the most fuel-efficient tires?

[oil pan 4]

How bad you you need wet traction in AZ?

[Piotrsko]

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

How bad you you need wet traction in AZ?

Probably the same as you need snow tires. When the folks lived in Yuma, there would be these "monsoons" that flooded everything for an hour or so.

[Xist]

We didn't have much rain this year, although we had a couple inches of snow on Monday and Tuesday.

[oil pan 4]

Well I was able to replace worn out ecopia tires that were aired up to 44 psi with Michelin energy saver tires at 36psi and saw no reduction in range or efficiency and I was watching for it.
Old worn out tires are supposed to be the most efficient they will ever be.

[oil pan 4]

Ya, when a tire is worn out that's when it's most efficient on dry pavement.

[Xist]

Two Big O shops in the Phoenix area had signs saying "Buy 2, Get 2 Free."

It seems like the better the deal, the more restrictive it is. At best it is probably select tires by select manufacturers in select sizes at select locations and of course you pay for all of the services.

However, we couldn't find anything on-line. I had wanted to drive past Big O to see if this location had signs, but I forgot and drove straight home.

They don't show anything of the sort on the website and the cheapest tire they show for my car is the Epic Tour AS, with an unspecified warranty:
Tires: $44.99 each, $179.96 total
Tire tax: 8.00
Disposal fee: $12.00
Mount and Balance: $74.00
Sales tax: $14.58
Total: 288.54

That is cheaper than I have seen, but I am not eager to drive an old car with cheap tires through canyons and over mountains with poor cell service. $108.54 of that total is taxes and fees, 60% more.

I found one thing saying they charge for the roadside coverage, which would be another $40.

In this case 2 free tires would cost $198.54. The most expensive tires they show are Michelin Cross Climate + for $120.99 each. It would be $617.16 out the door, but $462.29 if I only paid for 2 tires, but all of the services.

Of course, if you click for a quote, it takes you straight to scheduling an appointment.

[oil pan 4]

The first time the energy saver tires give me just enough range to barely make it home they make up the difference in price over cheap tires. The second time they get me home they pay for them selves.

[Xist]

I ended up going with Costco. They sold me Bridgestones for $406.43 out the door. They don't advertise being LRR, but it doesn't seem like there is a good ROI there, and my tires never last as long as they are supposed to. The warranty rarely does anything for me, either, unless they happen to fail with lots of tread left.

I bought 2 tires when I bought the car and had it aligned. The remaining tires were down to 1/8th of an inch after 50,000 miles and they were rated for 80k! Maybe I should have returned to Discount and seen what they would give me for the prorated warranty, but Costco was over $100 cheaper.

They were $112 each and contractually they owe me 3/8ths. My math says they owed me $84, so I saved over $20 by going to Costco.

Funny how I then spent well over $20 inside Costco...

The tire monkey said that since I didn't rotate my tires every 5,000 miles and get an alignment every two years I forfeited my warranty, but I am sure that if I claimed that I did they would find another reason to refuse to honor my warranty, or, for all that I know, they would have said "Whatever" and approved it.

Why was the Costco guy bound and determined to prove that Discount didn't owe me anything?

[oil pan 4]

Discount tire sucks.
They exist to screw people over and sell new tires.
Cosco was definitely the better choice.

[Xist]

Also! Discount doesn't have huge rotisserie chickens for $5!