Can anyone recommend some all-season tires for my 2001 Maxima? The current tire size is 215/55/r16 and I'd like to stay with that size/rim. I need the best possible all-seasons to use year-round, preferably something that you've had experience with. Also, I live in Ottawa Canada, so snow traction is important as well.
check tire rack they have a survey rating system that people fill out with what they think of a tire. used it twice so far and I've been very happy with the tires
Thanks Dave, but I gotta ask.. wouldn't the 225 size you suggested be not only bigger in width (10mm), but also have a marginally bigger sidewall? Or are you suggesting the difference would be so marginal that there would be little or no change in driveability, speedometer, etc.?
Yes, because .55*225 is more than .55*215 it will be ever so slightly larger. However, the difference is so small for 10mm that it disappears in with speedo error, tire pressure error, etc. For more info, go to
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and fine the "Plus Sizing" discussion in the Tire Tech section.
First, you can find the tires you have and see what category they fall into. In Ottawa, you'll definitely want a set of All-Season tires, unless you have a set of winter tires.
Personally, I think ultra-high performance all-season or high performance all-season would be a good choice. These tires should ride responsively but not uncomfortably firm. Just check the scores for the tire in the snow category to see that they aren't on the low end for all-season tires. Pay attention to price - you can spend $800US, or $350US. Personally I've found good tires for $400 US to be a good balance. (Installation/disposal/tax/etc usually another $100US).
I've never bought tires from Tirerack - I just use them for research and price comparison. My local tire dealer likes me because I've already made up my mind when I arrive.
They talk about performance and appearance improvements, but really it's common practice to also consider the +1cm size. Many tire shops will do this w/o even mentioning it b/c it's common.
I also ran the numbers on size - the theoretical diameter change is .84%. The speedo error would likewise be .8% - certainly small enough.
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