Foo - Your Mazda 3 - or, lets just talk cars.

I've seen a few people around here have them... at any rate, I've got 17" alloy rims, and high-performance tires. 28,XXX miles and they're needing replacement.

First: The indicator is pretty worn, but not really bad. I'll need tires before the snow flies- is it a dumb idea to intend another 1,000 miles on my drive to CO? I hoped once I get out there I can find a shop that will rotate them as needed, my current does.

The tire recommended: Pirelli P6 Four Season 90H (P205/50R17/XL) tire. (Current is V-rated)... will an H over a V really gain me much more significant use? What am I trading in performance?
Pirelli's: $114 each. Ouch.

I was told: I don't have a lot of options for a tire with that rim. Seriously?

My baby:
http://www.carseek.com/intc/large_images/07360MazdaMAZDASpe14352.jpg

Will you be going 149 MPH (V) or only 130 MPH (H)? I think you're fine with either. For everyday use, I don't think you'll give up much.

But if it makes you feel better, my tires are $225 each.

that does make me feel better.
Naw, I try to keep under a respectable 100mph, as my red car tends to be a speed traop.

I had a few other things done (to the tune of $200 today) and was hoping to hold off on tire tires until I get to CO, as I didn't want to dump in another nearly $300 :(

Thoughts on riding these out another 1000 to get there? Frankly, I won't have anything to do the first few days, so that'll give me something to do :)

I've seen a few people around here have them... at any rate, I've got 17" alloy rims, and high-performance tires. 28,XXX miles and they're needing replacement.

First: The indicator is pretty worn, but not really bad. I'll need tires before the snow flies- is it a dumb idea to intend another 1,000 miles on my drive to CO? I hoped once I get out there I can find a shop that will rotate them as needed, my current does.

The tire recommended: Pirelli P6 Four Season 90H (P205/50R17/XL) tire. (Current is V-rated)... will an H over a V really gain me much more significant use? What am I trading in performance?
Pinirelli's: $114 each. Ouch.

I was told: I don't have a lot of options for a tire with that rim. Seriously?

My baby:
http://www.carseek.com/intc/large_images/07360MazdaMAZDASpe14352.jpg

Don't worry about it. You'll have to sell it and buy a Subaru when you get out here. (State Law) ;)

First. Drive out here on the current tires. As long as they're in ok shape (not bald), you'll be fine.

Second. The rating is the speed rating of the tire. H is rated to a max of 130 mph while V is rated to 149 mph. If you're unsure about anything, go with the recommended tire, but just doing a couple quick looks, I've found plenty o' tires for your car.

Check out this website. (http://www.tirerack.com/index_w.jsp) It can be a bit overwhelming with options, so if you need some help sifting through tires, let me know. I'm pretty decent with tires. :)

what do you mean by the indicator is worn?

Indicator blocks on the tires, I think? http://www.aa1car.com/library/tire_wear.htm

Indicator blocks on the tires, I think? http://www.aa1car.com/library/tire_wear.htm
indeed.

If your indicator blocks still show depth, you'll be fine for the drive.

Don't worry about it. You'll have to sell it and buy a Subaru when you get out here. (State Law) ;)

First. Drive out here on the current tires. As long as they're in ok shape (not bald), you'll be fine.

Second. The rating is the speed rating of the tire. H is rated to a max of 130 mph while V is rated to 149 mph. If you're unsure about anything, go with the recommended tire, but just doing a couple quick looks, I've found plenty o' tires for your car.

Check out this website. (http://www.tirerack.com/index_w.jsp) It can be a bit overwhelming with options, so if you need some help sifting through tires, let me know. I'm pretty decent with tires. :):lol: no, no subaru for me. i like my little toy.

oh, yeah by a lot of options I meant "under what is my ideal price point"- in the past, I've been able to get standard, and much less 'spensive tires. my usual shop only had 3 tires under $180ish. gr.

So, thinking I'll get out there ok on them? Super, I'll probably do that. :D

I took crap tires to 50,000 miles and the wire of the steel belt was exposed. Not advised as my car guy pretty much said I was lucky I wasn't dead. Pirellis are awesome and I think they are worth the money.

Wear-ability is determined by a treadwear number. UTQG listed the P6s as 400 AA, so 400 for wear (higher is better and I think it is totally arbitrary or just too complicated in calculation for to me figure out - for reference my Pirellis are listed as 760 and warrantied for 70,000 miles), and great traction and temperature ratings.

I find TireRack ratings (http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Pirelli&tireModel=P6+Four+Seasons) to be very helpful.

Indicator blocks on the tires, I think? http://www.aa1car.com/library/tire_wear.htm

Yeah, no **** sherlock... I meant what did she mean when she said they were worn?

If the indicators are showing and worn, that's bad. If there's still tread left, but they're close, that's not so bad.

However, if they're close, a 1000 mile road trip at this time of year isn't a good idea. Snow, ice, rain other generally crappy weather calls for good tires.

My sister's Infiniti G35 uses the same tire size, and there indeed is a poor selection of tires in that size. Speed rating and wear rate are only loosely correlated. Look at the treadwear rating to get a good indication of how long a tire should last. (Higher treadwear rating = longer life.)

Personally, I don't skimp on tires. They're the only thing actually touching the road, and therefore they bear an awful lot of responsibility for both performance and safety.

I don't really want to pull you up on your spelling but do you mean Pirelli's or is Pinirelli a brand in the US of A?

$114 for Pirelli's that size sounds CHEAP.

Anyway I'm not sure what they cost in the US of A but I'm a fan of Maxxis car tires. They are inexpensive and I think that they easily outperform better know and more expensive brands.

Here's what the make in your size, http://www.maxxis.com/Products/Product-Search-Results.aspx?divisionSearch=/AutomobileLight-Truck.aspx&searchType=2&sectionWidth=205&rimDiameter=17&aspectRatio=50&pageRef=45

The tires with a UTQG number of 280 and very soft high performance tires and the ones with a UTQG number of 420 will have very good wear.

Anthony

Perhaps I just haven't been looking very hard or paying attention, but I don't think I've seen Maxxis car tires in the US at all.

That's true. Maxxis doesn't sell car tires all up in here.

That's true. Maxxis doesn't sell car tires all up in here.

Ohh well. Strike that one out. Since I've heard you talk of Maxxis bicycle tires I thought you might have had Maxxis car tires as well.

Anthony

The tires with a UTQG number of 280 and very soft high performance tires and the ones with a UTQG number of 420 will have very good wear.

Anthony

The other factor you have to take into account is the grip. A long wearing tyre (speaking of spelling errors, Anthony...) is probably going to have poor grip where as a softer one that doesn't last as long will generally have better grip. Depends on your driving style too. If you drive fast it like a sports car and want maximam grip then the softer ones are the better choice, at the cost of greatly reduced tyre life. If you just cruise around at the speed limit and don't drive fast and want maximum life from the tyre then a harder one would be better. Something about halfway between the softest and the hardest would be a good compromise I think.

I've seen a few people around here have them... at any rate, I've got 17" alloy rims, and high-performance tires. 28,XXX miles and they're needing replacement.

First: The indicator is pretty worn, but not really bad. I'll need tires before the snow flies- is it a dumb idea to intend another 1,000 miles on my drive to CO? I hoped once I get out there I can find a shop that will rotate them as needed, my current does.

The tire recommended: Pirelli P6 Four Season 90H (P205/50R17/XL) tire. (Current is V-rated)... will an H over a V really gain me much more significant use? What am I trading in performance?
Pirelli's: $114 each. Ouch.

I was told: I don't have a lot of options for a tire with that rim. Seriously?


$114 for a Pirelli tyre is cheap. My car takes and odd size tyre (145R15) and only Michelin makes that size.:cry: It is getting hard to get that particular tyre and they cost at least $155 each. My previous car's tyres cost $185 each.

If your wear indicators are worn, then I would replace the worn tyres before you drive to CO. Worn tyres will grip fine in the dry, but in the wet...

Eew don't get me started on tires. www.discounttiredirect.com Is all that needs to be said. I use Kumho tires.

hm, after a little interweb research I'm starting to see $114 isn't bad, and its looking like a good tire. I'm going to take another look once the sun comes up and see where the tread wear is at. thanks foos :)

I got the mazda3 GT sedan whose tires are gradually wearing out too at 23XXX miles. Although that could just be the way I drive..

Yeah 114 isnt bad. Are you getting snow tires too? CO residents?

I am a lifelong customer of Discount Tire. They have locations everywhere, they are fast, will price match and bargain, and they repair flats and check pressure for free.

I always go ahead and get the replacement certificates. Adds a bit to the price, but I have had quite a few tires replaced by them for free using that program.

Luckily, you are buying tires now that oil is back around $60 per barrel. Tire prices should be lower now than they were a few months back when oil was $120 per barrel.

I've seen a few people around here have them... at any rate, I've got 17" alloy rims, and high-performance tires. 28,XXX miles and they're needing replacement.

First: The indicator is pretty worn, but not really bad. I'll need tires before the snow flies- is it a dumb idea to intend another 1,000 miles on my drive to CO? I hoped once I get out there I can find a shop that will rotate them as needed, my current does.

The tire recommended: Pirelli P6 Four Season 90H (P205/50R17/XL) tire. (Current is V-rated)... will an H over a V really gain me much more significant use? What am I trading in performance?
Pirelli's: $114 each. Ouch.

I was told: I don't have a lot of options for a tire with that rim. Seriously?

My baby:
http://www.carseek.com/intc/large_images/07360MazdaMAZDASpe14352.jpg

You should have TONS of options for that rim size. The trouble is that you live in a place where it snows, so the best tires aren't really an option for you unless you want to get a second set of wheels to mount winters on. This can be done fairly cheaply if you buy some used ones from a high school kid wanting to get aftermarket rimz for his fly ride. As long as they're the proper size and bolt pattern, they probably don't even need to come from another Mazda3.

Pretty much any all season in the "High performance" category should work for you. The V speed rating is better than H, so whichever one the stock tires have is the one you should look for when looking at replacements.

I'm not a fan of cheap tires. You can only accelerate, brake, and turn as fast as the tires will let you. Go to tirerack.com and punch in your tire size. I've heard the kumho ecsta ASX isn't too bad.

a 205 width seems narrow for a 17" wheel, but i guess if the car is pretty light...

the first set of tires i bought when i had my first mazda 3 ran 245 a tire for a 205/50/17 decent all season.
you drive a nice *fast* car, dont skimp on the tires.

You should have TONS of options for that rim size.
Correct


As long as they're the proper size and bolt pattern, they probably don't even need to come from another Mazda3.

Well.....I personally think she has to be more careful with this. You forgot one of the most important factor in selecting a wheel (rim): Offset. She has to make sure the offset of the new rim will work with her car. If not, she may not have enough clearance of her front brakes or maybe her new wheels will stick out of the fenders.

Most import wheels (especially FWD vehicles) will work. Most OEM wheels are around +45 or +50 offset (if I remember correctly) But not all.


a 205 width seems narrow for a 17" wheel, but i guess if the car is pretty light...
You shouldn't make a comment like that without knowing the width of her wheel? If she has a 17x9.5 wheel, then yes......a 205 tire is too narrow, but if she was running a 17x5.5 wheel, 205 tires become too WIDE for the wheel.


Lastly, I think this goes for everyone. Please don't give give vague advice, such as: Buy Bridgestone Potenzas, they're great!

That may be true....but do you know how many different models of Potenzas there are??? Some of them are HORRIBLE while others are top notch.

Artifice, do your own research. If you want to keep the price around $100/tire, you have a very very very very limited for a "good" tire.

Here are my recommendations. (scroll down to look for the performance rating....notice that it's al green):

For $115, Bridgestone Potenza G 019 Grid http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Potenza+G+019+Grid

For $105, Dunlop SP Sport Signature http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Dunlop&tireModel=SP+Sport+Signature

For $147, Yokohama ADVAN S.4. (note: these are ULTRA high performance all seasons......so much better performance then the two tires above, but it'll probably wear faster) http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Yokohama&tireModel=ADVAN+S.4.

To make a point about how I can say "Potenzas" are great, here are some Potenzas that cost $225, but the look at the rating......it's HORRIBLE!!!! http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Potenza+RE92A&partnum=05VR7RE92A&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes&place=1


One last thing, the Pirellie P6 Four Seasons you were thinking about buying. They go for about $100 http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Pirelli&tireModel=P6+Four+Seasons

But they are garbage compared to the tires I recommend above. If you get them, you're basically paying the same amount for an inferior tire.

I don't want to come off as a d!ck, but you can't listen to someone that says, "Pirellis are great" or "stick with Yokos" or "try some Kumhos". You need to know the specific model of each.


In case you're wondering, I have these tires in 235/45-17. Not the best, but for about $100, I'm happy with them for the past 3 years. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Continental&tireModel=ContiExtremeContact

For $105, Dunlop SP Sport Signature http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Dunlop&tireModel=SP+Sport+Signature


i have this tire on my car now, and it has been wonderful and i have about 20k on them. great tire for the price.

last time i bought 17" tires were 8000 miles ago, and they cost 250$ a piece, so....


anyway, go to discounttire or tirerack and you'll be set. unless you have a problem with brake rotor clearance, you can downsize and get some cheap steel 16" winter wheels with all season or winter tires, (atleast for the front), and then put these back on come april

my coworker had one.
He mentioned that there was a flaw in the earlier models where if you kicked the door hard enough, the lock would open.

don't be surprised to see kick marks or dents in your driver side door if you got an older model. (http://www.canada.com/globaltv/calgary/features/consumer_advocate/story.html?id=5c17f9ed-2d90-477e-991f-424d9cd883a6)

last time i bought 17" tires were 8000 miles ago, and they cost 250$ a piece, so....


anyway, go to discounttire or tirerack and you'll be set. unless you have a problem with brake rotor clearance, you can downsize and get some cheap steel 16" winter wheels with all season or winter tires, (atleast for the front), and then put these back on come april
Horrible advice. You guys may know everything & everything about bikes, but what you just told her to do is downright dangerous.

She has a FWD car and you think "geez, just put new tires in the front and you're set". That solves the [GO] portion of her problem.

What about the [handling] & the [stop] portion of the equation? (much more important than [go] IMO)

Let's see what happens here. She has a brand new 16" non studded snow tire up front. She drives and that baby is able to stick on the road (especially when there's snow/ice on the road). She goes through a sweeping turn.....

Guess what happens next? Ever heard of oversteer? That's when the rear of your car wants to get in the front of your car. Since the rear tires are all seasons (and they're pretty worn), the traction in the back is FAR less than the fronts. Front tires have traction, rear tires don't. You'll start to slide out.

And this is even worse when it comes time to hit the brakes (especially when you're braking while your steering wheel isn't pointed forward completely). You hit the brakes, front brakes do 60 - 70% of work? Weight of vehicle transfers to the front. Front winter tires are able to hang. Rear of car suddenly feels light. Rear tires already have little to no traction. Guess what? Get ready to spin out.

That's why drift car drivers use a soft compound tire in the front and a hard compound tire in the rear.....less traction in the rear = easier to initiate a drift.

When you start drifting at 30mph on a slight bend on a cold wet (snowy road), you can thank your front snow tire / rear all season tire set up.

Are you getting snow tires too? CO residents?

If I were in CO, I'd get a second set of wheels with snow tires for sure. Heck, I have them now -- one set of wheels with Dunlop SP Sport Maxx (summer tires) and another with Dunlop SP Winter Sport (winter, of course).

I'm not a fan of all-season tires, though, at least if the temperature doesn't get very cold. But I like to drive with a little verve, too. ;)

Artifice, if I were you, I'd get some new all-season tires now, and get a full set of snows on cheap wheels when I get to CO. Like others have said, when they're down to the indicator, wet grip is going to suck -- and, speaking as someone who grew up in the Great Plains, you don't know for sure how the weather is going to be for your drive.

small point: i see folks quoting UTQG (Uniform Tyre Quality Grade) numbers.

these are not as useful as one might think. UTQG baselines are set on a manufacturer-to-manufacturer basis, so a 250/AA/A Dunlop isn't the same as a 250/AA/A Michelin.

just something to keep in mind - don't assume that tyre A will last longer than tyre B just because B has a higher wear number. it may, but there's no guarantee.

small point: i see folks quoting UTQG (Uniform Tyre Quality Grade) numbers.

these are not as useful as one might think. UTQG baselines are set on a manufacturer-to-manufacturer basis, so a 250/AA/A Dunlop isn't the same as a 250/AA/A Michelin.

just something to keep in mind - don't assume that tyre A will last longer than tyre B just because B has a higher wear number. it may, but there's no guarantee.

True, but you can be sure that one brand's 300 will wear longer than another's 200.

Where it starts getting really sketchy is in the 200-160 range, where manufacturers hope to get in the market for Street Touring autocrossers. 160 is the minimum rating allowed, which prevents full-on gummy race tires and helps keep costs reasonable. But if a tire is rated at a claimed 160 but seems to perform too well, then the manufacturer's claim comes under scrutiny, and that particular tire could even be banned from competition.

Well.....I personally think she has to be more careful with this. You forgot one of the most important factor in selecting a wheel (rim): Offset. She has to make sure the offset of the new rim will work with her car. If not, she may not have enough clearance of her front brakes or maybe her new wheels will stick out of the fenders.

Most import wheels (especially FWD vehicles) will work. Most OEM wheels are around +45 or +50 offset (if I remember correctly) But not all.

This is why I said probably. Especially if you're putting snow tires on them, which are typically narrower or at least the same width than the stock all seasons, the offset becomes less important. Factory wheels from a Porsche or a Corvette won't fit, but I'd be willing to be that a set from a Focus or a Civic would.

Anyway, cheap tires are not necessarily bad. There are some cheap tires that suck, but the Korean brands like Kumho are fine, even if they cost less than the Japanese and European brands.

If wheel offset (and bolt circle diameter, and centerbore size, and brake clearance) is a concern, Tire Rack is the way to go. They research this stuff more than any other online source and simply will not sell something that won't fit -- it's too much of a liability issue. They would not sell me anything that was non-standard even if I begged and pleaded. That's a hassle for people who want something different, but great for everyone else (which makes up probably over 99% of the driving public).

Hey OP, I have the same car as you except its an 04. Check out these tires from treadepot.com. I am currently using the same tires and have no complaints at all. I am getting snow tires for the winter, as these do not work well in the snow and ice. I will be putting these tires back on in the spring though.

http://www.treadepot.com/images/9ship.jpg (http://www.treadepot.com/tirelist.html#)225/45R17 ECSTA ASX 94W BSW REIN For a great value in an ultra high performance tire, go for the Kumho Ecsta ASX. This recently released tire provides a comfortable ride with all-season traction and superior performance. read more... (http://www.treadepot.com/tirelist.html#)
http://www.treadepot.com/prodimg/asx_tr.jpg (http://www.treadepot.com/tirelist.html#)

Mileage Warranty 30,000
UTQG 420 AA A
Performance Rating 94W
Sidewall
BSW
$86.00Each http://www.treadepot.com/images/addtocart.jpg (http://www.treadepot.com/tirelist.html#)

wow, cheaper to ship than bike tyres and at the same price! (except you should buy in 4s instead of 3s or pairs) :lol:

small point: i see folks quoting UTQG (Uniform Tyre Quality Grade) numbers.

these are not as useful as one might think. UTQG baselines are set on a manufacturer-to-manufacturer basis, so a 250/AA/A Dunlop isn't the same as a 250/AA/A Michelin.

just something to keep in mind - don't assume that tyre A will last longer than tyre B just because B has a higher wear number. it may, but there's no guarantee.

Am, no, the standards are set by DOT, thus the UNIFORM part. Now, in practice, how manufacturers and/or independent testing companies interpret and extrapolate the wear data from the tests is a bit subjective. Should they stretch too far, however, they are subject to inspection and significant fines.

So, a Dunlop and Michelin 250/AA/A should be roughly the same in terms of performance, wear, heat resistance, traction.

Horrible advice. You guys may know everything & everything about bikes, but what you just told her to do is downright dangerous.

She has a FWD car and you think "geez, just put new tires in the front and you're set". That solves the [GO] portion of her problem.

What about the [handling] & the [stop] portion of the equation? (much more important than [go] IMO)

Let's see what happens here. She has a brand new 16" non studded snow tire up front. She drives and that baby is able to stick on the road (especially when there's snow/ice on the road). She goes through a sweeping turn.....

Guess what happens next? Ever heard of oversteer? That's when the rear of your car wants to get in the front of your car. Since the rear tires are all seasons (and they're pretty worn), the traction in the back is FAR less than the fronts. Front tires have traction, rear tires don't. You'll start to slide out.

And this is even worse when it comes time to hit the brakes (especially when you're braking while your steering wheel isn't pointed forward completely). You hit the brakes, front brakes do 60 - 70% of work? Weight of vehicle transfers to the front. Front winter tires are able to hang. Rear of car suddenly feels light. Rear tires already have little to no traction. Guess what? Get ready to spin out.

That's why drift car drivers use a soft compound tire in the front and a hard compound tire in the rear.....less traction in the rear = easier to initiate a drift.

When you start drifting at 30mph on a slight bend on a cold wet (snowy road), you can thank your front snow tire / rear all season tire set up.



im just going to go out on a limb, and say that the biggest problem most people have driving on the snow, isnt that theyre getting too much traction on the front relative to the rear, resulting in oversteer



as far as UTGQ ratings, my current tires are worn at 8000 miles, according to 280 treadwear rating, replacing 140 tires that lasted 25,000 miles, under the same driving conditions. you make your own conclusion.

Am, no, the standards are set by DOT, thus the UNIFORM part.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=48&

Am, no, "When looking at UTQG ratings it is important to realize that the Department of Transportation does not conduct the tests"

It is assumed that the testing methods are uniform and adhere to certain guidelines. How much you trust those folks is up to you.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=48&

Am, no, "When looking at UTQG ratings it is important to realize that the Department of Transportation does not conduct the tests"

Yeah, no kidding. But they SET THE STANDARDS to which the tests are conducted, thus the uniform part. The standards are not internal and independent to each manufacturer.

And if you had bothered to read my post before attempting to display your overwhelming brilliance, you would have seen that I indicated that manufacturers or independent testing companies do the tests and interpret the data. Maybe I could have been a bit more clear and direct about that rather than assuming you'd get that if they're interpreting the data, they conducted the tests.

:rolleyes:

im just going to go out on a limb, and say that the biggest problem most people have driving on the snow, isnt that theyre getting too much traction on the front relative to the rear, resulting in oversteer

Most people? Nope, they won't have this problem. But in this particular case, it'll probably happen. Did you see the reason for my comment? Someone suggested putting brand new winter tires on the front while leaving the worn out all seasons in the rear. What do you expect to happen what you do that? Lots of oversteer.

Yeah, no kidding. But they SET THE STANDARDS to which the tests are conducted, thus the uniform part. The standards are not internal and independent to each manufacturer.

And if you had bothered to read my post before attempting to display your overwhelming brilliance, you would have seen that I indicated that manufacturers or independent testing companies do the tests and interpret the data. Maybe I could have been a bit more clear and direct about that rather than assuming you'd get that if they're interpreting the data, they conducted the tests.

:rolleyes:

except the baseline is company-specific. they present a tyre for test as the baseline model - its treadwear result becomes the standard (say a reading of "100") that all the others from that company are measured.

so if Michelin uses a longer-wearing baseline tyre than Pirelli (or shorter-wearing, for that matter), it changes the comparison across the board. so every 1 point in a Pirelli wear number might be equivalent to 0.9 in a Michelin (or 1.2). there's just no way to know.

i'm just trying to say that the UTQG numbers are good to look at, but not as some "Unified Field Theory" of tyres. because they're just not comparable enough for that.

You shouldn't make a comment like that without knowing the width of her wheel? If she has a 17x9.5 wheel, then yes......a 205 tire is too narrow, but if she was running a 17x5.5 wheel, 205 tires become too WIDE for the wheel.
its 6" or 6.5" wheel width, depending on package so the 205 is the right size. I was trying to say that the 17x6" ratio (and corresponding 205 tire) seemed narrow for the overall diameter. tall wheels are fashionable, but I was expecting a wider wheel/tire on a "sporty" mazda with 17" wheels.

I agree with BarracksSi, get new all-seasons now and consider a 2nd set of wheels w/ winter tires. You might be able to get them used for a good price, otherwise i'd recommend Tirerack. They will mount/balance the set before shipping them. I like the dunlop winter sport M3 for mixed weather driving.

You can get a set of steel-wheels for winter-tyres for about $60-90 a set. Salt is rough on the clearcoat on nice wheels. :(

Hey Artifice, do you like your Mazda 3? I'm looking at helping my mom buy a car in the next few months, and I'm still weighing options, and always willing to listen to informed opinions. (I work part time as a mechanic, so I am already informed enough to not consider anything but Japanese/Korean cars.) Is it roomy? Reliable? Etcetera?

You can get a set of steel-wheels for winter-tyres for about $60-90 a set. Salt is rough on the clearcoat on nice wheels. :(

That's exactly what I did for my 2006 Mazda 3 -- I ordered (via tirerack.com) a set of 16x6.5 steel wheels and 205/55R16 Dunlop SP Winter Sport tires. They're awesome in the snow (orders of magnitude better than the stock wheels) and they have great wet weather performance, too. Having two complete sets of wheels and tires makes swapping them out easy. I can easily do this in my garage, rather than take them to a tire store to have one set unmounted and others remounted.

The stock 205/50R17 Goodyear Eagle RS-A tires have about 30K miles on them, and it's time for a change. They're adequate on dry pavement, but they've always sucked in the rain (and the level of suckage seems to be increasing as they wear/age).

Any suggestions for an all-season (but non-snow) tire with great rain performance?

When it comes to tires Tire Rack is the way to go. Customer service is excellent and they are quick to ship. That said anything kuhmo in the high performance all season is good to go. I autocross (form of auto time trial) and alot to people use Kuhmo's, even those with 400+ horsepower corvettes etc. They are a great value for the money and tend to last a long time. I have had Kuhmos last 2 seasons of racing and still give pleanty of grip on my Subaru. Also in my experience 90% of the time what ever comes stock on your car is garbage. Stock tires tend to wear quick and give minimal performance. You will usually do way better what ever you up grade to.

Tires used 01 Subaru Impreza RS
Stock Bridgestone RE92 - Horrible no wear no grip lasted 6 months

BF Goodrich KDW - Summer only but great grip

Kuhmo Exsta great grip cheap 1 season use, bought a second set.

Current Kuhmo ASX all seasons - great grip on 2nd year use.

I called the shop yesterday morning to go with the pirellis. They aren't any better/worse than what I currently have (which have been fine) and availability wise as I'm leaving tuesday I'd like to get em on my car and have it done with...


If I were in CO, I'd get a second set of wheels with snow tires for sure. Heck, I have them now -- one set of wheels with Dunlop SP Sport Maxx (summer tires) and another with Dunlop SP Winter Sport (winter, of course).

I'm not a fan of all-season tires, though, at least if the temperature doesn't get very cold. But I like to drive with a little verve, too. ;)

Artifice, if I were you, I'd get some new all-season tires now, and get a full set of snows on cheap wheels when I get to CO. Like others have said, when they're down to the indicator, wet grip is going to suck -- and, speaking as someone who grew up in the Great Plains, you don't know for sure how the weather is going to be for your drive.I guess maybe I'm underestimating what I might encounter in CO, but with regard to crap weather conditions for snow, its going to be hard to find someplace worse than MN. I like the idea of having snow tires- however considering my nomadic lifestyle, in most apartments I'd hardly have places to keep an extra set, so I'll have to do with 1 and ride carefully :)



Hey Artifice, do you like your Mazda 3? I'm looking at helping my mom buy a car in the next few months, and I'm still weighing options, and always willing to listen to informed opinions. (I work part time as a mechanic, so I am already informed enough to not consider anything but Japanese/Korean cars.) Is it roomy? Reliable? Etcetera?I love my mazda 3! I was coming from a pontiac grand am, so heavier and more powerful. For its size, it handles very well (MN winters = ice, snow, -30 degrees for a solid week). Its roomy, (ok, myself at 5') but one of my friends at 6'+ has one, and none of my 6' friends have had any issue with roominess.

I selected it because I really wanted a hatch- it pretty much can't be beat in the consumer reports.

Oil filters, tires... a few other things are bit more expensive maintenance-wise, but not unreasonable.

Its actually a very common size...there should be dozens of tires in the same price range and cheaper in that size...You may also want to look at Toyo or some others.

7 pages of tires in your size with ratings and prices. (http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Compare1.jsp?width=205/&ratio=50&diameter=17&startIndex=0&search=true&pagelen=20&pagenum=1&pagemark=1&RunFlat=All)