Ok, have a tire question.

On my 2006 MC I have the stock tire brand and size (P175/65/15 Pirellis). The left rear tire is nearly gone and the right rear appears not long for this world, while the fronts appear OK. I know I need at least one if not two new tires and herein lies the problem.

1. I am tired of shelling out $140 each for the Pirellis for what (to me) is unimpressive tire life. The most I have gotten out of any one tire is around 35k. Due to some mishaps, only two of the tires are the same age so I cannot give an exact mileage. My car has 48K on it now. What other brand has anyone found to have a better durability with the same or better dynamic qualities of the stock tire? Is it ok to have different tire brands on the same car (i.e. replace the back 2 with a different brand and wait for the fronts to go before switching them out)? Or am I looking at buying 4 new ones at the same time?

2. I would like to change tire size if I have to replace all 4. What larger width and/or lower aspect is ok to use? What kind of speedo/odo error would this cause? Change in vehicle dynamics?

My driving style is occasional corner carving (30%) and commuting with a mix of city/highway (30%/70%). Some degradation of ride comfort is ok, but no log wagon.

Excuse my ignorance on the topic and I appreciate any input.

 

NigelTC

If your budget would allow it is always best to have a matching set of tires. If not then at least the same in the front/back is the next best. Since you have an MC you can forego the runflat tires and get some nice wider, longer lasting rubber. When looking for a tire and you want a good tread life find something around 300 or more. As for size try a 205/50 15 it is shorter than stock but this helps with the low end gearing to help make the MC quicker on it's feet without much sacrifice in fuel economy. The speedo error is about 4% with this size of tire so if the speedo read 100 you would be doing apprx 96.3.

Hope this helps any other questions just ask.

 

If you've got worn tires, then replacing just one per axle is not a good idea. Even if they are the same size (175/65/15), the tread depth will be significantly different. This will cause one to have a different diameter, and the worn tire will rotate more than the new tire. This could cause problems for your ABS in the rear, and cause problems for the traction control and differential in the front. So it's typically best to replace tires in sets of two (unless one is nearly new anyway).

Also, if you are getting unsatisfactory tire wear, please have your alignment checked. You could be scruffing away good rubber if the toe is significantly off of spec. Some places will check it for free even (NTB, for example).

For your 15" wheel, a good upgrade option would be 195/60/15. Going to a wider and heavier tire will have some drawbacks to fuel economy and acceleration, but it will give more grip in corners. If you go to TireRack.com, you can see the specifications in the different tire sizes for overall diameter and revolutions per mile to compare to what you have in order to determine the effect on speedometer and mileage (.5%, 2%, 4%, etc...).

As for which tire would be best for replacing your Pirellis, it depends on your needs in a tire. Do you want something with maximum dry grip at the expense of winter traction? Do you need something for all 4 seasons? Do you want maximum tread life or better grip for corners? Those are just a few of the questions you'll need to ask yourself to help determine what is most important for YOUR needs. The best tire for me or someone else may not be right for you, after all.

 

Replace all four tires at once. Even if there is some usable tread on some tires. Always get a four wheel thrust alignment with new set of tires purchased. Set the alignment to stock specs. Cost about $90

You don't really want to mix different size tires front and rear or mix different classes of tires. For best results use four tires that match. It will be worth the effort if your budget allows. You can use various sizes from 175/65-15, 185/65-15, 195/60-15 or 205/55-15. The more narrow tires give a little less weight and less handling but lower rolling resistance and higher mpg along with cutting through deep snow a little better. The wider tires are more aggressive looking, handle a little better and allow for lower profile and stiffer sidewalls- slightly firmer ride but still OK. I think for you the 195/60-15 is best and 205/55-15 is quite usable. These sizes allow for a good selection of tires while 175/65-15 is very limited.

Since you live in Illinois and have some cold weather if not some snow and don't want to have separate winter wheels then use an All Season tire. These also last a little longer than Summer tires. They will be fine for daily street driving and commuting and will last over 30,000 miles but road hazards may shorten their usable life if you are not careful.

Costco can be a good source of Michelins so check in your area for-

Grand Touring All Season
Michelin Primacy MXV4 $109 each 195/60-15 H speed rated, 620 treadwear
The same tire in V speed rated is $148 each and not needed for you- V is more expensive because it can handle heat generated by higher speeds better but H rated is OK for an MC used for street.

This is not for track and high speed cornering but rather for general use and will work fine with the MINI. It's smooth and comfortable, quiet and will last a long time for any weather.

If you want a bit better handling then-
195/60-15
Ultra High Performance All Season tire
Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS Pole Position $82 each 400 treadwear
H speed rated and will work fine for any MINI.
Good street tire and comfortable but also good handling and can be used in any weather.

For more information you can contact Alex@tirerack.com