14 Forester XT - Replace or Keep ~ 3.4/32” Average Tread Depth

[benjamming]

How many miles do you think will be put on them this year? Do I figure correctly that it's ~15k miles annualy? If so, then I don't think they'll last the season. I mean if you figure 1-2/32 per 5k (maybe, just maybe 10k) then they will be true slicks in spots (32). But I sure don't like to replace tires which have 4/32.

Why would you have an alignment performed now? Just install would keep that cost down it seems. Further, you're not able to remove & replace tire assemblies at your home or buddy for free? Then that would make it a no-brainer & put them back on until they wear a little more & then replace with installation & alignment.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Wear bars on summer tires are set at 2/32”. I recently replaced a set of summer tires at that point.

Certainly if you ask a tire shop, some will tell you to replace winter tires at 4/32. That’s probably good advice.

Some folks just keep the worn winter tires on for the last summer, but I saw a set on a guy’s car and the rubber was chunking and looked like crap and probably rode like that as well.

 

[Nick1994]

Where did you get these installed? Discount Tire does warranty work pretty easy. I'd go and ask the tire shop about a warranty pro-rate and what they recommend.

 

[The Critic]

If your area sees minimal precipitation, wait until the end of season. Tires age.

 

[BLND1]

Goodyear Assurance’s came stock on my 2021 Atlas.

I have no complaints and I’ll probably get 45k out of them.

For a family hauler they feel fine.

If money is tight and you aren’t at the wear bars I’d rotate them and run them through the season.

 

[gathermewool]

I’ll have to get back to this thread later with updates, but I wanted to share some good news:

A family member left me thousands of dollars after she passed. I haven’t lived close enough to visit often, but every time I was in the area my family stopped by and took her out to eat. I didn’t realize she thought so much of us to leave this amount of money. She lived a good long life and it was time for her to go.

I’ll be researching and getting a good set of tires ASAP.

As a fun anecdote, she didn’t keep many pictures out in her home, but she had my senior picture from the early 2000s, where I have a poor excuse for a mustache, buzzed haircut and am posing like a model (I don’t have the face to model, unless it’s the “before” shot). Anyway, she always kept it out. My wife saw it for the first time on a visit a while back and rolled her eyes. She would have ignored me in high school, that’s for sure.

 

[onemig]

I also have a 2014 Forester XT. Check out Vredestein Quatrac Pro. I have around 2k miles on the set right now and I’ve been very happy with the tires. It is listed as a GT tire in tire rack’s website, but if you go to Vredestein’s site, it seems more of an UHP all season tire. Wet and dry grip is good in my opinion.

 

[JustinH]

walmart stocks a goodyear reliant for $126.00

 

[supton]

I’ve taken ties to 2/32 before, think I am past that now. I just accept that I will only get 40k to get down to 4/32, and live with that.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

My thoughts - 1st sorry on loss of relative. If she was in pain at least that is no more. It was nice that she thought about you and your family and able to help.

You have winter tires so no need to go with any all weather version. The Avid Ascent GT's you already have get good reviews for wet grip and ride. What did you like or not about them? How hard do you push them normally vs. daily driver duty. If looking to change I would look at best wet grip, noise, ride comfort and then your more fun extreme grip.

I've never tried since I'm all daily drivers, sitting in traffic etc. I don't know if they come in your size or if you could tweak slightly width/height to fit. The Michelin Pilot Sport 4 All Season seems to get great reviews from many around here for the grip wet and dry.

As a daily I put Pirelli AS+2 on my Accord and very happy with the low noise, ride and wet grip. Pirelli AS3 is the new version getting good reviews but not a "performance" version.

225-55-18 is stock size? The Michelin PS4AS comes in 235-55-18 if that extra 1/4" inside clears.

	225/55-18	235/55-18	Difference
Diameter inches (mm)	27.74 (704.7)	28.18 (715.7)	0.43 (11) 1.6%
Width inches (mm)	8.86 (225)	9.25 (235)	0.39 (10) 4.4%
Circum. inches (mm)	87.16 (2213.88)	88.52 (2248.44)	1.36 (34.56) 1.6%
Sidewall Height inches (mm)	4.87 (123.75)	5.09 (129.25)	0.22 (5.5) 4.4%
Revolutions per mile (km)	726.93 (451.69)	715.76 (444.75)	-11.17 (-6.94) -1.5%

225/55-R18 vs 235/55-R18 Tire Comparison - Tire Size Calculator | Tacoma World

235/55-R18 tires are 0.43 inches (11 mm) larger in diameter than 225/55-R18 tires and the speedometer difference is 1.5%

www.tacomaworld.com

Costco also has their Michelin sale deal going currently so they could order them for you. I did a different size than stock and just had to sign the "release waiver" thing saying yes I know not stock size. I did the same when I put H rated not V rated on my 4 cyl Sonata.

 

[gathermewool]

My thoughts - 1st sorry on loss of relative. If she was in pain at least that is no more. It was nice that she thought about you and your family and able to help.

You have winter tires so no need to go with any all weather version. The Avid Ascent GT's you already have get good reviews for wet grip and ride. What did you like or not about them? How hard do you push them normally vs. daily driver duty. If looking to change I would look at best wet grip, noise, ride comfort and then your more fun extreme grip.

I've never tried since I'm all daily drivers, sitting in traffic etc. I don't know if they come in your size or if you could tweak slightly width/height to fit. The Michelin Pilot Sport 4 All Season seems to get great reviews from many around here for the grip wet and dry.

As a daily I put Pirelli AS+2 on my Accord and very happy with the low noise, ride and wet grip. Pirelli AS3 is the new version getting good reviews but not a "performance" version.

225-55-18 is stock size? The Michelin PS4AS comes in 235-55-18 if that extra 1/4" inside clears.

	225/55-18	235/55-18	Difference
Diameter inches (mm)	27.74 (704.7)	28.18 (715.7)	0.43 (11) 1.6%
Width inches (mm)	8.86 (225)	9.25 (235)	0.39 (10) 4.4%
Circum. inches (mm)	87.16 (2213.88)	88.52 (2248.44)	1.36 (34.56) 1.6%
Sidewall Height inches (mm)	4.87 (123.75)	5.09 (129.25)	0.22 (5.5) 4.4%
Revolutions per mile (km)	726.93 (451.69)	715.76 (444.75)	-11.17 (-6.94) -1.5%

225/55-R18 vs 235/55-R18 Tire Comparison - Tire Size Calculator | Tacoma World

235/55-R18 tires are 0.43 inches (11 mm) larger in diameter than 225/55-R18 tires and the speedometer difference is 1.5%

www.tacomaworld.com

Costco also has their Michelin sale deal going currently so they could order them for you. I did a different size than stock and just had to sign the "release waiver" thing saying yes I know not stock size. I did the same when I put H rated not V rated on my 4 cyl Sonata.

I have wider tires on the Legacy than stock. They came on the STI Enkei wheels I bought years ago and I’ve stuck with them for the latest set of tires.

I assume the wider tread might help with wet and traction and will likely improve dry traction. It will also help on ice, but not snow, though that’s not a concern since I have winter tires/wheels

I don’t see the sale on Michelin tires at Costco. I know they switch between Michelin and Bridgestone, with the latter being on sale for $150 off now. I got the Crossclimate2 for my Legacy on sale last year at Costco.

I‘ll look into your (and everyone else’s) recommendation, thank you. I’m considering the Bridgestone Weatherpeak ($858 OTD at Costco). They don’t appear to like to be pushed as hard other options, but with this being 99.99% driven with the wife and kids aggressive/sporty driving is almost a non-issue. It would only come into play during emergency maneuvers.

I will consider summer tires, but the reduced tread life and comfort are major negatives.

 

[The Critic]

I’ll say that my neighbor’s 14 Forester has a set of CrossClimate2’s that he is extremely happy with. According to him, ride comfort and wet traction are outstanding – and he is not a car guy at all. I just rotated them yesterday and they are at 8/32” all around after 20K. We do rotate every 5-6K.

 

[gathermewool]

I’ll say that my neighbor’s 14 Forester has a set of CrossClimate2’s that he is extremely happy with. According to him, ride comfort and wet traction are outstanding – and he is not a car guy at all. I just rotated them yesterday and they are at 8/32” all around after 20K. We do rotate every 5-6K.

I really like them on the Legacy, though MPG did take a hit. I am strongly considering them for the Foz, even at off-sale prices. The risk I CAN take is wait until the Bridgestone sale ends on 11April to see if the Michelins go back on sale. Again, this money that I just got is a huge boon, but that doesn’t mean I want to waste money. A couple hundo a’int not nothin’.

What do you think about leaving the winter tires on vs re-installing the Yokohamas until I make a choice? The Blizzaks are down to 7-8/32”, but I don’t plan to run them much below 5.

 

[The Critic]

I really like them on the Legacy, though MPG did take a hit. I am strongly considering them for the Foz, even at off-sale prices. The risk I CAN take is wait until the Bridgestone sale ends on 11April to see if the Michelins go back on sale. Again, this money that I just got is a huge boon, but that doesn’t mean I want to waste money. A couple hundo a’int not nothin’.

What do you think about leaving the winter tires on vs re-installing the Yokohamas until I make a choice? The Blizzaks are down to 7-8/32”, but I don’t plan to run them much below 5.

They will go back on sale, just wait.

I’d run the Yokohamas instead of the winter tires.

 

[gathermewool]

They will go back on sale, just wait.

I’d run the Yokohamas instead of the winter tires.

I think that’s what I’ll do.

//

I should also have posted pics of the tires.

 

[odie]

Replace , better to be safe than sorry . Could cost more than the new tires .

 

[gathermewool]

Someone posted a sneak peek of the next Costco sales ad an Michelins will be back to $150 off on the 12th!

 

[Jmlo96]

My question is how much is your insurance deductible? I wouldn't drive on those tires if I got any amount of rain.

 

[gathermewool]

My question is how much is your insurance deductible? I wouldn't drive on those tires if I got any amount of rain.

I think I’m at $300 right now. I realized I wasn’t saving much with the $1,000 deductible so I lowered it.

The larger concern is the safety. Regardless, the money we were just given will go toward new tires. The Costco sale for the Michelin tires I want starts on the 14th. I’ll swap the winter setup for the tires-to-be-replaced setup this weekend in prep’s. We don’t have any real driving planned before then.

 

[gathermewool]

I spoke with the tire center at Costco and they won’t order the tires before the sale starts on the 12th. I totally get why, but it never hurts to ask.