Aaaah, got it. Three peak designs. Not sure where 50yosm lives in NY…All-weather tires have the 3-peak mountain and snowflake symbol like winter tires have.
M+S doesn't cut it. That M+S designation is based on geometric properties of the tread. In fact, even some summer-only tires have M+S on the sidewall, such as the BFG Comp-2
I think 50yosm lives in or near NYC. I survived Western NY winters for my first 25ish years of driving on all seasons just fine. Three of my 4 cars have all weather tires now, but I have absolutely no concerns about driving the M+S tires all winter long. And believe me, we get some serious snowfall here.
Agree; I’ve survived my whole life with just M&S tires near NYC. I do tend to out winter tires on a car that I may need to drive in snowstorms, but that’s a luxury for added perceived safety, not a requirement.
Walmart charges $18 for installation per tire.
Bought these for my girlfriend (was deceased before the tires were, so was never sure about the tread wear). They seemed pretty quiet but wondered about the wear. Bought the Douglas for my Soul cause they were in stock but those Solaris seemed a lot quieter and potentially better handling. Might be my next change if my eighty year old carcass is still around in a few years. Tell me more about your experience.
I’ve lived in that exact area all my life. NJ is smack between those spots. I grew up five miles outside of midtown.50yosm is from NYC, while the OP is from Maryland. Both are places where all-weather tires are a good idea
Yeah you've survived with regular M+S all-season, but why not upgrade to 3-peak all-weather if available? They don't necessarily cost more than regular all-seasons, but they're definitely cheaper than needing separate winter tires, if you don't get New England/Great Lakes level snow
If you're near NYC and use all-weather tires, you might not need to use separate winter tires anymore. All-weather could mean the difference between needing separate winter tires and not needing them.
That’s a very old tire name - guess after Pirelli - they landed with Zafco …
Zenna === Advanta. I wouldn’t let even my enemies install those or LingLongs/Leao/Atlas.
I would actually like to try Chinese tires at some point. Maybe Lexani
I am hesitant to buy Generals again, at least for this car. I have gone through two sets of the RT43 V-rated tires on her, which were supposed to be 65k mile tires. Both sets wore down to 3/32nds by 40k miles like clockwork. I'm not a crazy aggressive driver, but in Maryland people are animals on the road so you do have to be assertive. Maybe that had something to do with it. When they had tread they were absolutely great tires even in the snow, some of the best I have owned in fact, but I was definitely disappointed that they didn't hold up to the rated mileage.
She is from 2007, so these are likely the last set of tires that I ever put on her if they last the rated mileage. I only drive her about 5k miles per year to and from work and almost all highway (although a lot of stop and go because Maryland/DC beltway congestion is among the worst in the country), so it would take 15 years to hit the "warranty." If she is still kicking by that point I will send Toyota a fruit basket and they can buy me a new set of tires
.My Pilot recently got a set of Continental CrossContact LX25. They cost a penny, but that is the vehicle that I load up the wife, kid, and dog and drive across state lines and through the snow, so it was worth the extra money for piece of mind when it comes to quality and safety in the tires. I drive the Camry alone so all I really need is something that isn't going to be bald in 15k miles or send me into a ditch in the winter.This is not only for the OP, it's for anyone looking for "cheap tires" as the title states.
I am of the school of, look for better brand name tires...CHEAP(er)!"
Look for tires that actually have a decent rating for the areas that are important to you!
I am not a fan of cheap private label tires. I've been there & done that and I hated them every time!
I'm sure that there are some decent ones but it's a gamble!
Cheap tires are just that! They're CHEAP! They're black, round & hold air! But it doesn't mean that they're le$$ expensive to own if you have to buy tires again and pay for installation all over again.
For example in August 2025, I just bought 4 Pirelli Scorpion A/S PLUS 3, with TR instant rebate(at checkout) & Pirelli $100 GC for less money than the least expensive(CHEAPEST) tire in my size(that didn't have anything to offer). At that time, Bridgestone, Continental, Michelin and others had similar offerings going on. Look for better tires...CHEAP(er)!
Black Friday is coming, keep an eye out!
I just had a set of these put on my 2021 Equinox yesterday. I was in a pinch as I got a non-repairable flat the night before and the Continentals I had on it were 50% worn, if not more. Ran over something at 4am on my way home from work. Left rear went from the TPMS *ding* to 0psig in about 5 seconds and I had to drive about 1/4 to 1/2 mile on the completely flat tire to get to a marginally safe spot on I-190.. in the pouring rain and darkness. That was fun.
