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PostPosted: Wed Apr 05, 2017 12:14 am 
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Certified Bonneville Nut
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Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 8:53 am
Posts: 5403
Location: Las Cruces, NM
Year and Trim: 1993 Buick Park Avenue
1994 Buick Regal Custom
Okay, it's a lot of words, it may take 2 seconds.

For those that don't already know, I live in the desert southwest, one of the hardest places on tires.

The story usually unfolds like this:

The first 2 years of a tire lifespan are great. Dry traction and wet traction are great, life is grand!
The 3rd year, wet traction is starting to fall off, and venturing out in the nasty snowy/icy weather warrants caution. This is also where the dry cracking starts to develop.
The 4th and 5th year leave you pretty sketchy in the wet weather, and completely hopeless in the snowy slush. This is usually the part where all of the idiots crash at the first hint of snow around here.

The last set of tires on the Park Avenue were Wal-Mart specials, pulled off after around 5 years of service on account of some scary looking sidewall cracking. Not just standard weather cracking, but it looked like the sidewall was trying to crack in half. They literally still had half tread left on them (I don't put but 15-25k miles down in this time frame).

I replaced them about 30 months ago with another round of Wal-Mart Specials, same model, only 1 size up (215/70R15 vs 205/70R15). It seems that the next size up seems to have better weight handling, and bear the load of the pig heavy front end better. Life is still great with these, although admittedly, if I wanted to scrutinize them, I will say that the noise could be a bit less, but it's not exactly a deal breaker, especially with as much sound insulation the PA drags around.

So, in my book, another success story with cheap tires.

Only, the Regal is now up for tires. The current units are passing their 3rd year of service, but 2 tires were also worn out of round when I got the car. They are Falken Sincera SN-828 tires. They seemed to work just fine in the time I had them, albeit suffering a bit from the narrow tire syndrome (not as bad as the PA though).

Someone put it perfectly on a forum in regards to tires.... You can pick 2 of the 3: Price, Grip, Longevity
My choices are Price and Grip, because I have yet to encounter longevity as a factor in my application.

So, here's the dilemma, I like to get up on the wheel and drive sometimes, and every now and again overcook that protected left turn for a bit of fun. Admittedly, though, it's a bit of fun that rarely views the FE1 suspension as restrictive.

So, when I see these tires turn up, I find myself intrigued: https://www.amazon.com/Achilles-122-All ... hilles+122
(an example, same brand/model, but not the size I need)
They also are the cheapest of the bunch by $15/tire, even moreso than the openly "Budget Minded" Mastercraft tires.

Soooo.... have I got this all wrong? I am of the mindset that I will be hard pressed to see the difference of a 'good tire' vs a 'cheap tire' in my application. Thoughts, opinions, criticism, and general insults to my intelligence (or lack thereof) welcome.

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~Randall~
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1993 Buick Park Avenue - 197k - Some odds and ends done - Simply won't die
1994 Buick Regal - 78k - Bone stock - Always ready for a good kicking
1990 Oldsmobile 88 - Gone to a better place


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 05, 2017 1:02 am 
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Joined: Wed May 13, 2009 10:45 pm
Posts: 5827
Location: CHICAGO
Year and Trim: 2006 STS-V, 2004 GTO, 2009 G8 GT
I'm not against being frugal (because I am), but there is a difference in getting something good that is cheap and buying something cheap that is cheap. These tires you link to are most likely Chinese made knock-offs and fall into the later category.

In your size (205/70-15??), at Tire Rack, General Altimax RT43, which is a pretty decent tire, at around $67/tire. Kumho SOLUS TA11 are $64/tire. I'd spend the few extra bucks over those achille's (because they'll be your achille's heal eventually), for either of these tires any day.

Edit: I just went and looked at the further details of those Achille's and sure as poop, "country of origin" China.

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Retired Bonneville Owner and former GM Tech:
2004 Pontiac Bonneville GXP: Black/Ebony *SOLD*

Summer Toys: Combined 827 RWHP / 877lb/ft RWTQ
2004 Pontiac GTO: Impulse Blue Metallic/Black/M6: lots 'o mods, 415 RWHP / 405lb/ft RWTQ!
2006 Cadillac STS-V: Light Platinum Metallic/Light Gray/A6 - Spectre CAI, Magnaflow exhaust, Speed Inc. tune, 412 RWHP / 472lb/ft RWTQ

Daily Drivers:
2019 Chrysler Pacifica Limited: Mommy's new RGC
2015 Chrysler Town & Country Limited Platinum: Kids new RGC
2007 Chrysler Town & Country Limited: Sold to neighbor
2009 Pontiac G8 GT: L76, Sport Red Metallic
2003 Chevrolet Suburban 2500: Doeskin Tan - 8.1L Big Block... new plow truck
1999 Chevrolet Suburban: Sunset Gold Metallic - Daddy's winter beater and plow truck


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 05, 2017 10:17 am 
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Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 10:30 pm
Posts: 20960
Location: MN/IA
Year and Trim: '17 Silverado 1500
Yeah, the market is flooded with cheap Chinese tires. I wouldn't trust my life with them, nor would I expect much. But for under $300 M&B for all 4 tires, I guess I wouldn't complain if they die after 2 years...

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Think about it. You’re tooling down the road in your Prius, knowing full-well that this thing being green is as big a sham as federally mandated ethanol-enriched gas, Russia pulling out of Ukraine, and Obamacare.


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