Darn banks selling off-lease cars

[George Bynum]

My step-daughter bought a '96 Toyota Corolla LE from a dealer friend with lease car connections. It seems very good, but apparently the tires were worn and CitiBank had them replaced with new CHEAP ones, Riken Raptor. If that were the problem, I'd live and let live ... but they replaced 195-65/15 with 195-60/15. These are 3% smaller and 3 load range "weaker", 91 to 88. The H speed rating was maintained. They live in the Research Triangle area of NC.

She and her husband are not high performance tire testers at all; would you recommend these be replaced (soon) with the correct size? Obviously when they are worn, the correct tire should be installed. Would you send a nasty-gram to Citi?

 

[Bryanccfshr]

"Would you send a nasty-gram to Citi? "

It wouldn't do any good.

If the tires can be determined to be safe for the application have them get some use out of them until they can get a new set.
I personaly have a low tolerance for poor quality tires(notice I don't equate that with inexpensive but often times they align)and replace them for my own piece of mind.

 

[Drew99GT]

Riken Raptor's, despite being cheap, are actually really decent performance tires manufactured by BF Goodrich for Discount Tire.

Toyota Corolla's don't need H-rated tires (doubt they could even muster the 130 mph!). I'd just keep them though. At stated speeds, especially highway speeds, the car will be going slower then what the speedometer reads. That will be the only real problem with them. I doubt the load rating will be a problem in a 2400 lb car, unless they load it up with 4 overweight people and the tires are severely underinflated.

 

[Drew99GT]

These tires have a load rating of 1,235 lbs per tires. A 91 load index tire is 1,356 lbs. Not a significant difference. In addition, some tires at the correct 195/65 size have the same load index as these Rikken's. I'd say it's a non issue.

 

[Drew99GT]

http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/readRev...SINT&cs=195

 

[Camu Mahubah]

Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/readRev...SINT&cs=195


I read the first page of reviews and it's hard to trust online reviews because one guy is saying there the best tires ever for the money and the next guy is saying there so loud he cain't stand them and wishes he could have test drove them. Overall the though reviews are positive so if they were on my car I would definitely keep them until they needed replaced. Unless you're rich run'em. One guy in the reviews said they have the exact of tread pattern as Michelin Pilots. I doubt that "exactly" but I would give the tires a chance.

 

[duaneb9729]

this sounds more like a repo car than a lease return car

 

[Mr Nice]

Really nothing to worry about.

 

[Drew99GT]

Originally Posted By: duaneb9729
this sounds more like a repo car than a lease return car


I was thinking the same thing! Someone will lease a 1996 Toyota Corolla???

 

[bdcardinal]

sounds like what a lot of used car departments at dealers do.

 

[bepperb]

I'd drive them. I doubt they'll hit 5000+ lbs where the load range will be a factor, and the speedometer I'd learn to live with.

 

[JHZR2]

If the car requires h rated tires, it is good they kept them, to maintain handling.

If the tires are new and matched, I'd keep them until indication of some quality issue.

At least tires were put on to keep the car roadworthy. The only question wrt tire size is if a drive wheel needs to use the spare, would the spare match up with the 60-size tire? Or, could some driveline damage occur?

 

[Rand]

with mini spares they are rarely the same size anyway.. and you get a generic note to make sure you put it on the rear axle only..

donut spares FTL.


I'd run them..


and yes I vote for repo car.

 

[fdcg27]

A '96 car just off lease and owned by a bank?

 

[Sayjac]

I don't know much about the Raptor tires but the DT ratings/reviews seem ok. As for the size, 195/60/15 is the size I went to instead of the OE 185/65/15 on an 01 Civic. I wanted a slightly wider tire, and that's what Honda went to on later model years.

In your case, same width tire with slightly lower profile. As for speedo, when it reads 60mph actual speed is 58. Not ideal perhaps, but not bad.

The H rating is fine, but as pointed out not an absolute necessity. OE Civic tire is H rated, I ran S rated Yoko Avids for ~68k with no issues.

So all in all, IMO nothing to be concerned about. Really don't see a safety issue here, and they are new tires. Should be fine.

 

[George Bynum]

Originally Posted By: duaneb9729
this sounds more like a repo car than a lease return car
I agree, but I had the real title; it was a Citi lease, expired Sept 09, 39 month. It only had 42k on it.

 

[George Bynum]

Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
Originally Posted By: duaneb9729
this sounds more like a repo car than a lease return car


I was thinking the same thing! Someone will lease a 1996 Toyota Corolla???
oops, 2006 ... can't type either.

 

[Sayjac]

Well, what's 10 years anyway?

Truthfully, I didn't even think about the lease, year aspect. Was thinking more about the tires. As said, I wouldn't be concerned.

 

[jcwit]

Do you really expect a seller to put expensive tires on a 13 year old car he's selling? Did the car also come with a 12 month/12,000 mile no questions asked warrenty.

 

[daves87rs]

I'm just not sure about it. The smaller size still bothers me.