Tire Suggestion: Goodyear/Michelin

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otis24

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I will soon be replacing the tires on my 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan. I can purchase for cost at the dealership where I work. As a Ford employee, I get a $20 per tire discount on Goodyears or a 15% off the MSRP per tire on the Michelins. There is also a $60 rebate on top of that. The rebates and discounts come off of whatever the deaership sells to me for, so I get a great deal.

I'm looking for a tire that gives good traction in winter, and a long lasting tire. I've used UTOG as a primary filter. I'ver narrowed it down to three possibilities. They are Goodyear Tripletred, Goodyear Comfortread, or Michelin Defenders. The Defenders do not have a M&S rating. Which would you choose? Suggestions pleas.
 
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It might help if you listed the tire size, but if you want good performance buy seperate summer and winter tyres. All weather tyres wear faster and are rubbish in performance terms.
Michellin Alpin A4's in winter and if it is fairly dry in summer Michellin fuel savers last a long time. Goodyear Ultra grip 8's in winter and something else for the summer.

If you want to chech tire performance always look at the German RDAC test results:
http://www.adac.de/infotestrat/tests/reifen/default.aspx?ComponentId=29895&SourcePageId=0

You can drive on winter tires all year, although the wear rates are high and if you want to try that solution then Dunlop Winter sport SP's are better, BUT it depends on tire size. I keep my used DWS tires on until they wear down to 3mm and then bin them for my trusty old Michellin fuel savers, although the fuel savers are only average in wet conditions.
 
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I bought a pair of Michelins and a pair of Goodyear Comfortred and the Michelins, within a day of each other as a test, lasted longer than the Goodyear tires. Each had an 85,000 mile warranty. I bought the Michelins from Discount Tire and the Goodyears from National Tire & Battery. National Tire & Battery refused to stand by their warranty so they lost my business. My opinion, I would buy the Michelins.
 
The Michelins lasted longer and I would recommend them and would not recommend Goodyear tires at all. Each pair of tires that I bought were within a day of each other, and I used the test to find out which brand would last longer. It was Michelin all the way. Goodyear was a disappointment but at least I found the best tire brand for my vehicle, in my opinion.
 
Why , I have Michelin X-Ice Xi2 winter tires , best ones I ever had up to date , & my car s a PITA in winter use , just went perfect after X-Ice installed .
 
Michelin does offer tires other than the Defender.
The Primacy MXV4 is probably available in your size and is a better tire than the Defender, although it will wear out more quickly.
What other brands are available to you?
General makes some great cheap tires in the Altimax label, while Continental offers some good choices at a higher tier.
Another good cheap tire possibility is the Hankook H727.
Yet another is the Cooper CS4.
Lots of tire brands beyond Goodyear and Michelin.
I don't think you'd go wrong with the Defender, although I'd probably pass on the Goodgriefs.
If I were limited to Michelin or Goodyear, I'd buy a set of MXV4s.
There are a lot of other choices out there, though.
Do your research and then decide which tire represents the best ratio of price to value.
I can tell you from personal experience that the Altimax RT and HP are both very good, as is the Primacy MXV4.
I've got a set of Conti PureContacts ready to go, but haven't had them mounted yet.
I also have a set of Cooper CS4s on the way, so I have no road use of them yet either.
I've never had Continetal tires before, so we'll see.
My '97 Accord had a new set of Cooper Trendsetters on it when I bought it in '03 with 64K on it.
These cheap tires remained on the car until 132K.
They were pretty decent in rain and snow and they stayed pretty well in balance for the 68K I used them.
I guess that I'm trying to say that it's okay to think outside a Goodyear/Michelin box.
 
I have Michelin, Goodyear, Dunlop, BF Goodrich, Hankook, General, Continental and others available. I'm basing decision partly on rebates and discounts that I have available to me. The Hankook's and Yokahama's do not have a discount, so they are out.

Tire size is 215/65/16.

Budget does not allow for dedicated winter tires, or I would go that route. I went to a set of dedicated rear snow tires on my 2wd Chevrolet Colorado. Perhaps next year I can put dedicated snow tires on the mini-van.
 
Some of the Dunlops were rated Excellent according to Consumer Reports, at one time. You might think about the Dunlops. I had some on another vehicle and they lasted for many miles on that vehicle.
 
Quote:
Goodyear Tripletred
I had a set. Never again. It took seven to find four round ones. They were noisy and rode like bricks. I got rid of them before they wore out.

Sorry, but I truly do not believe that there is an all-season tire. Many 3-season tires. I run real winter tires in the snow for my family's safety and my piece of mind. The cheapest real winter tires do a better job than the best so-called all-season tire.
 
I had a set of short-lived Goodyear Fortera TripleTreds that lasted only 30,000 miles before being worn down to the wear bars. They have a rated UTQG of 740AB so I expected more treadwear than I got.

I have a set of Michelin LTX MS/2's that truly are living up to its rated UTQG of 720AA. 30,000 miles on them and I've only worn them down by 2/32"s. 1/32" of worn treadwear every 15,000 miles is phenomenal.

I'd go with the Michelin Defenders. They have the best UTQG rating of 820AB than any of your other tire choices. And considering my experience with Michelin living up to its treadwear ratings and more it's an easy decision for me at least: Michelin Defenders.
 
Originally Posted By: otis24
I have Michelin, Goodyear, Dunlop, BF Goodrich, Hankook, General, Continental and others available. I'm basing decision partly on rebates and discounts that I have available to me. The Hankook's and Yokahama's do not have a discount, so they are out.

Tire size is 215/65/16.

Budget does not allow for dedicated winter tires, or I would go that route. I went to a set of dedicated rear snow tires on my 2wd Chevrolet Colorado. Perhaps next year I can put dedicated snow tires on the mini-van.


With those choices, I would probably go Michelin or take a look at Generals. As a basis for comparison, I bought 2 General Altimax RT's (215 60 R16) for $95 each at Discount Tire on Friday (Price matched Treaddepot.) Good tire, I have used them before. Of course, they tried to upsell me to Michelins @ $55 more a tire, but the General is a good enough tire for the car that they went on.
 
I have Michelin MXV4s and am pleased with them. The Defender is probably fine as well. I haven't used the MXV4s much in the snow, but believe that they will be fine. My Michelin tires I have used have usually worked better in the long run than Goodyear. Had Goodyear Assurance Comfortreads a few years ago and they developed sidewall cracks in 2-3 years and the tradwear was not good at all. The Goodyears worked fine in the snow IIRC. The Goodyears look like they are the same tires I had a few years ago. Tell us what you have on there now and how they performed in the snow when they were newer-Had more tread.
It may be hard to find a lot of Michelin Defender reviews with Winter performance since I think they haven't been around long- maybe a year.
 
The "AB" rating is not reassuring.
Also, the Defender is only a T rated tire.
Two strikes against it in my book, and part of the reason that the Forester is getting Cotinentals instead of Michelins.
The Primacy MXV4s I have on one car are pretty good, but seemed like a poor value in the 225/55/17 size I needed.
 
I have never had a Michelin tire I liked yet, so that and the lack of the M&S rating for you in SD, I say Goodyear.
 
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