Originally Posted By: Picky1
Thanks folks for the insights, please keep in mind that the tire size I am looking at is 225/45/18 V speed rated. Narrowed it down to the following tires due to price, performance, preference, and assessability:
- General RT43’s
- Cooper CS5 Ultra Touring
- Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus (due to Costco rebate, and the potential to get my current tires pro-rated)
Any experience with any of these tires in respects to handling, MPG, and winter weather?
The Serenity Plus is not available in 225/45-18
Originally Posted By: Fsharp
So you're getting aftermarket 18 inch wheels and 225/45r18 size tires now?
Enough with the RT43's and CS5's. You should get something that's less popular on here and then be able to tell BITOG about something new.
He didn't like my suggestions
Originally Posted By: Cressida
Originally Posted By: NO2
....The "H" rated tires perform a bit better in bad weather than the "V" tires ...
Is this considered to apply for most tire manufactures? Is it believed to be because of a different tread compound since often the V rated versions have a lower tread life warranty? However, that might be because of a softer compound and I would think that the softer tread compound would perform better (i.e. grip / traction) in cold winter temps than a harder and longer lasting compound that the same tires may use in their H version? So this subject is confusing
I've looked at several tires that are available in both the H and V ratings and the price difference is not material.
If the OE speed rating for the car is V, he MUST use V or higher (in fact, most of the good tires in this size are W-rated, including the CS5). Most tire shops will not install tires of a lower speed rating than the original. The only exception is for winter tires (mountain and snowflake). The "all weather" WRG3 is legally a winter tire because of that symbol, so using a lower rating is OK, but these tires have a very short tread life and are expensive.
Cooper's warranty is 60k for both H and V-rated versions of the CS5 Ultra. For the W-rated CS5's, the warranty is 50k.
General's warranty for the RT43 is 65k for both H and V. The RT43 in the OP's size is V-rated.
Bridgestone's warranty for the Serenity Plus is 80k for H, 75k for V, and 50k for W. But the Serenity Plus doesn't seem to be available in 225/45-18 in any speed rating.
Out of the three on his short list, Cooper wins because they're US-made and will be the best price by far during DT/DTD's labor day promotion.
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For the tires I suggested earlier:
Kumho's warranty for the TA71 is 60k in both V and W speed ratings (the TA71 in his size is W)
Falken's warranty for the ZE950 is 45k for W, and 60k for H and V (the ZE950 in his size is W)
The Sumitomo P02 and Falken ProG4 are the same in terms of warranty
General's warranty on the G-Max is 40k
Dunlop's warranty on the Signature HP is 45k
Kelly's warranty for the Edge AS is 55k
