195/65R15 shortage?

[eljefino]

Driving me batty. Maintain three cars running this size-- two prii and my kids' Camry got upsized from 14 inchers. I try to keep a stash around but am down to one, so have been shopping for more.

Good used ones are going for $25 or more, which is absurd when new ones start at $50. A size up or down there are plenty of out there.

Speaking of which, the $50-75 range is full of unknown Chinese knockoff brands. I have to wonder if these are placeholders for the "real" tires that are unobtanium.

There were some Mastercraft touring tires on sale for literally 48 hours but then went back up in price.

So I spot some Kumho KU27s on walmart.com for $62 and jump at the opportunity to buy some. Now I get a message that they're back ordered.

What gives? Doordashers and taxi Prii running an unexpected amount of mileage? Poor planning on every makers part? I reiterate, other sizes don't have it this bad.

 

[atikovi]

Good used ones are going for $25 or more, which is absurd when new ones start at $50. A size up or down there are plenty of out there.

1) I wouldn't mind paying $25 for good used ones.
2) So why not go a size up or down if there are plenty of those?

 

[Timmastertech]

My 2 primary wholesalers have inventory of almost anything you could want in that size at the moment. I quoted a set in that size earlier today

 

[slacktide_bitog]

The Nokian WRG4 seems to be in-stock, and so is the Douglas Touring A/S

 

[mrsilv04]

Wal Mart has some 70,000 mile Primewells (through Simple Tire) for $58 each. Seems cheap enough to me, and took less than 5 minutes to find.

Robot or human?

 

[c502cid]

Shoot, my Walmart had a stack of them in that size on clearance for $30 last month. I was wishing I had a use for them.

 

[eljefino]

Wal Mart has some 70,000 mile Primewells (through Simple Tire) for $58 each. Seems cheap enough to me, and took less than 5 minutes to find.

Robot or human?

Huh, doesn't show up in my search. WM must have cookies trying to get me to buy only more expensive stuff. Good find!

 

[eljefino]

2) So why not go a size up or down if there are plenty of those?

Interchangeability and ABS compatibility. I might swap an axles worth with my wifes car for whatever reason. I still have one set of snows in 185-65-15 but they lessen my already-precious ground clearance.

 

[nickaluch]

Ku27 is the best deal out there for the money that's why on backorder

 

[CharBaby]

Just yesterday I was looking at tires and I was curious about the General AltiMAX RT43. I wanted to see if they were still available since the RT45 are now on sale.
I saw Altima RT43 on closeout at the TireRack for ~$87 in 195-65-25. This may be more money than you're willing to pay for tires especially for multiple vehicle with the same size however the RT43 are still available and a good tire at that.

 

[JTK]

The Nokian WRG4 seems to be in-stock, and so is the Douglas Touring A/S

I think those Nokians are 3 mountain peak rated as well.

 

[jsean]

Anyone here used the Primewell PS890 or have experience with how good/bad they are?

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Are these Sentury at DTD junk? Worried since they can't spell.

https://www.discounttiredirect.com/buy-tires/sentury-touring/p/35401

 

[Rmay635703]

I got a pair of 195/60r15’s for $25 brand new clearance

Sadly the rears have worn a lot faster than I am used to so now I am in the market for more, bleh hate the post pandemic retail environment.

For me I love running cheap energy saver tires (been getting them for $50-85) but good lord 195 Ecopias are $1XX each.

Even the old Integrity energy savers are bloody expensive. (Used to be a $50 tire all day)

A local place sells ancient but brand new tires at semi reasonable prices (3-7 years old) I’m almost tempted to try them but given the age of their tires I would be forced to have them mount (the local places randomly crap their pants if a tire is over 3 years old)

 

[KalapanaBlack]

Haven't shopped for this size, but I run a 205/65R15 and in the last 2-3 years, most mid- to upper-tier touring lines have begun to only offer 17"+ sizes.

 

[eljefino]

Anyone here used the Primewell PS890 or have experience with how good/bad they are?

They piqued my interest, LOL. Of note the tread pattern has cross-cuts that will quickly fade away with wear then it'll be down to boring looking circumferential tread.

 

[Nick1994]

Are these Sentury at DTD junk? Worried since they can't spell.

https://www.discounttiredirect.com/buy-tires/sentury-touring/p/35401

I put them on my Camry and they were really lousy. Not really good at anything and they wear really fast. But it also only gets city miles so

 

[Elroy the Brave]

Anyone here used the Primewell PS890 or have experience with how good/bad they are?

I just had 2 in a size P215/60R17 installed on a car today.

Honestly, I had my doubts, but they were cheap so I gambled and went with them. We'll see how they are.

 

[jsean]

They piqued my interest, LOL. Of note the tread pattern has cross-cuts that will quickly fade away with wear then it'll be down to boring looking circumferential tread.

I noticed that too lol. But doesn’t the same problem exist for the Kumho KU27 too?

I’m obviously no tire expert - but to my untrained eyes, the Primewell tires seem decent. @CapriRacer - any thoughts?

First image is the KU27 and the 2nd image is the Primewell.

 

[nickaluch]

I noticed that too lol. But doesn’t the same problem exist for the Kumho KU27 too?

I’m obviously no tire expert - but to my untrained eyes, the Primewell tires seem decent. @CapriRacer - any thoughts?

First image is the KU27 and the 2nd image is the Primewell.

At 26k miles on ku27 I haven't seen it yet so hopefully not. I'm really happy with the kumho so far but I will say I don't recommend them for snow