Passenger, Touring, Performance, etc., which tire is "best"?

I am confused by tire classifications like passenger, touring, performance, etc. Which one is 'best' for a 'normal' person---let us say someone like me? :-)

(1) I drive about equally in city and highway.

(2) I live in an apt, with no room to store winter tires, so I do need all-weathers.

(3) I value safety (good grip) most, then comfort/quiet, and tire life last. For a safe and quiet ride, I wouldn't mind changing tires more often.

(4) I live in midwest, there is some rain and snow but it is not exactly arctic. Maybe 3 months of snow per year?

(5) I walk to work, so driving is mostly discretionary. Which is why I know little about cars. :-). Other than getting caught in unanticipated bad weather, mostly I can choose not to drive during particularly bad weather.

Which tires, tyoe or brands or models, are best for me? 'Best value' if you have an opinion? My car is Camry, tire size is 205/65/15. Thanks.

Reply to
RPS
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If value means anything, you don't want performance.

This site can help -

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Reply to
Hopkins

You want PASSENGER tires. I'd suggest Goodyear Assurance ComforTred. They might be a little pricey, but they will give you good traction year-round, and should wear pretty well if you keep them rotated and keep your car aligned properly. -Dave

Reply to
Ted B.

Reply to
Henry Kolesnik

I think you would be best served with All Season Touring tires. These will give you good solid performance over a wide range of conditions. They will stop and turn well for you, and they will be about as quiet as can be expected. And they will give a good life. They won't be the "best" at anything, but they will be good at almost everything. Certainly they will provide a casual driver such as yourself with all of the qualities you are likely to exploit.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

Get a set of michelin harmony tires and you will love them. If you want something else, try the goodyear tripletred tires.

As for buying cheap rubber, remember that only 4 rubber contact patches the size of the palm of your hand hold you to the road.

Reply to
Car Guy

Reply to
Car Guy

I would go to your local tire dealer, tell them your requirements and let them lay out some choices for you. If you were satisfied with the tires that came originally with the car the tire shop should be able to come very close to replicating the ride, traction, comfort and wear characteristics. If this is of any help had very good luck with a set of Yokohama tires on a Volvo 960.

Reply to
John S.

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Greatly appreciate this reference. However, this has introduced a yetanother category to me: "grand touring"! My basic conditions are as follows: I don't drive to work, so can avoid some of the worst weather. Lots of pot-holes on some of the roads I have to take. Not much rain but Midwest snow (3 months/yr?). Summers can touch 95 deg.

Most driving is within 25 miles (speed 45-60, roads can be bad), but we do take a few 500 miles trips (speed average 60-80, good roads).

I care about safety first, then quiet ride, then smooth ride, and tread wear the last.

Which of these groups fit me: Passenger, Touring, Grand Touring, and Performance?

Reply to
RPS

There is a lot of marketing spin that goes into those terms, so precise definitions will be hard to come by. A passenger tire is going to be at one end of the spectrum...it will get the job done at a reasonable price, be comfortable riding and get decent milage. At the other end of the spectrum is a performance tire, which will probably be harder riding, somewhat more precise feeling and get low milage.

Rather than spending time trying to decipher those marketing terms, I would to to a reputable local brick and mortar tire shop and describe your driving habits. Use their expertise in picking a tire with the correct balance of milage, comfort, high speed handling, poor weather performance and cost that will best fit the way you drive. Compare their advice with a competitor and make a choice.

The car and tire size you mentioned are both very common and you should have a wide range of choices. If it were me I would try to replicate the ride and milage of the tires that came with the car.

Reply to
John S.

Now that everybody in the group has had their say, I'll tak my shot. Delta. Get a Traction tire.

Why? Deltas are very inexpensive, but they are good for the money you are spending. I have had 2 sets of Deltas through the years and they have a very good balance between ride, handling and grip in inclement weather. You also say you don't drive often, except when the weather IS bad, hence the traction tire. They have a good load rating and treadwear rating and an excellent grip rating. The two time I have owned Deltas I never had to change tires for the seasons. Unfortunately, the model I had is no longer available, but just walk into a Delta dealer and tell them you want a traction tire. The ONLY drawback I can see is they are slightly noisier than other tires.

Reply to
hachiroku

I've run Delta on my cars for the last, oh, what seven years or so.

I got fed up with the big chain stores and went to a family-owned local dealer and he recommended Delta Vistas. They were fantastic for the price. They no longer make the Vistas, but I'm running the Delta Sentinels and the Delta Essexs. But are good tires, the Sentinel seems a tad noisy than the Essex, but they are still fairly quiet. Much quieter than the Potenzas that came with the darn Camry.

My dealer did recommend I avoid the Delta Fortune, their low-end tire, since I do a lot of poor road driving (gravel, dirt), he thought the Fortune might not hold up well.

Reply to
timbirr

I will stick with the Michelin Harmony tires as the top pick. They are smooth, quiet, and comfortable and decent in wet and snow. They are not the cheapest, but if safety and quality is on top of your list, then these tires will please you. Tirerack

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has good reviews about these tires (look up reviews, and toyota, and pick a year). I have put this tire on my Buick, a Corolla, and a few other cars and the folks are very pleased. Check with Sams Club/Costco for prices as I found Sam's Club to offer good price.

Reply to
Car Guy

Interesting. There was another brand that was taken over by Delta, sold as Akuret and made by Otsu Rubber in Japan. Can't get them anymore.

185/60-14's for my Corolla GTS ran all of $42, and they too were great!
Reply to
hachiroku

My last set of new tires (for my old Caravan) were Michelins also and bought at Sams Club with free mounting and balancing. I couldn't find them cheaper anywhere else. When I need new tires for my Sienna I'll go back to Sams Club.

Reply to
Dbu_^

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