Help me out! Buying tires for 07 Camry

[07i4]

My tires are down to 4/32 and needs replacement. What do you guys think about these tires?

http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/sea...0&rd=16&cs=215

Safety is my priority. Then noise. Mileage should be 60K or more. We get some rain in winter but no snow.

Is "Yokohama AVID Touring-S" a good choice?

What about "Michelin Destiny" or "Michelin Primacy MXV4" at considerably more? Are name brands (Michelin/Goodyear/Bridgestone) worth it?

I never drove over 90 mph. Does speed ratings matter?

[Cparise]

Originally Posted by 07i4

My tires are down to 4/32 and needs replacement. What do you guys think about these tires?

http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/sea...0&rd=16&cs=215

Safety is my priority. Then noise. Mileage should be 60K or more. We get some rain in winter but no snow.

Is "Yokohama AVID Touring-S" a good choice?

What about "Michelin Destiny" or "Michelin Primacy MXV4" at considerably more? Are name brands (Michelin/Goodyear/Bridgestone) worth it?

I never drove over 90 mph. Does speed ratings matter?

YOKAHAMA S-DRIVE

[workerant]

Originally Posted by Cparise

YOKAHAMA S-DRIVE

www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=131

sorry for the none link but TN don't like this link.

[Paul3637]

There are so many threads on this, they need to be consolidated somewhere. Moderator?

I put Primacy MXV4's on my 09Camry V6 after the worthless OEM Bridgestone Turanzas wore out in 8,500 miles. I used 215/17/55 because I also switched out the wheels for Avalon Limited 17" 9 spokes. Ex wife put 205/60/16 Primacys on her 2002 Lexus ES (same size as 07-11 Camry) and loved them (she got a new 2011 Highlander last Jan). The Primacys are whiisper quiet and have great traction and handling and have a 60,000 mile treadwear warranty.

See the latest thread on this issue in the Avalon forum (same issue) mine is post #3 - (and no, i don't work for Michelin)

Tires

(and follow all my backward links)

I have never seen a single complaint about this fantastic tire.

[Note: The above post in this thread by workerant sends you to a tirerack link to be copied and pasted and when I followed it - it went to high performance summer tires so should be of no relevance here, especially if you have an I4.]

Some call the Primacy "pricey" quoting absurd tire rack prices that ...... with shipping ....... and third party wheel mount and balance could cost well over $1,000 ...... but Costco, NTB and other places run specials on them constantly. I have my receipt in front of me from 3/27/09 when the list price was $155.99 per tire. NTB in Olathe KS had a "special" (and they also match COSTCO pricing which the ex wife got) so here is what my receipt shows:

4 tires $624 + Tire disposal fee $12 + King Royal Tire service (road hazard, lifetime balance, lifetime flat repair, lifetime rotations) $108 - (minus) price adjustment and tire concession credit $140 + shop fees $13 + all taxes $51 = Total price $668. (The ex wife got them even cheaper six months later with COSTCO match.)

Now ..... that was in 2009 so add the price increase since then for a set of 4 which is about $65 would bring the total to $733. Then add to that the "after the purchase peace of mind" I got when I brought the car in for its 40K sercie yesterday at Bob Tyler Toyota in Pensacola FL and the tech that did the inspection measured the tread depth of each tire and said "these tires are wearing perfectly" ... you sure must take good care of your car - even the oil still looked clean when I drained it (4,700 miles on the oil). Note: car has never even been aligned.

OK....... enough said.

[07i4]

Tempting. It does cost a lot. Although I can opt for the H speed rating of Primacy MXV4 (130mph) and save about $85 for 4 over the V speed rating ones.

Do you guys think I need to get their "TPMS Rebuild Kit"? It is for the Camry tire pressure sensor. Is it supposed to wear out?

P.S. Engine oil that looks clean after 4700 miles? I don't think engine oil will look clean even after 700 miles!

[Paul3637]

Originally Posted by 07i4

Tempting. It does cost a lot. Although I can opt for the H speed rating of Primacy MXV4 (130mph) and save about $85 for 4 over the V speed rating ones.

Do you guys think I need to get their "TPMS Rebuild Kit"? It is for the Camry tire pressure sensor. Is it supposed to wear out?

P.S. Engine oil that looks clean after 4700 miles? I don't think engine oil will look clean even after 700 miles!

*********************
The UTQG standards: Whether for treadwear or H vs V, etc, the standards are not government enforced and are essentially meaningless as they are inconsistently applied amongst tire manufacturers. My H rated Primacy handling was so far superior to the OEM Bridgestone V rated tires it was like driving a diffenent car.

TPMS Kit: Never heard of it but when I switched from OEM 16" steel wheels and plastic hubcaps to 17" alloys the TPMS transferred just fine and at no charge by NTB. It also clearly works. After I moved from Kansas to Florida, we had an unseasonably cold day and the TPMS light went on since tire pressures drop in cold weather. Three tires were at 34psi and one was at 29psi. When I put air in the one with 29 psi, the light went out.

Oil clean after 4,700 miles: The advanced tech 2GR-FE 3.5L engine is known to have very little "Blowby" - in other words, it has very tight tolerences thus allowing almost no combustion byproducts into the crankcase. It is those byproducts that accumulate which cause oil to turn dark in color - then the detergents in the oil allow them to be held in suspension until the oil is drained. When I bought the car with 4 miles on the odometer, I drove it home and checked the oil ....... none was visible on the dipstick ... turns out it was so clear .... I had to put magnifier glasses on and use a flashlight to see the oil. As with all subsequent changes, it took (takes) over 1000 miles of driving for the oil to get enough color to see it on the dipstick without some kind of "assist." Because of those tight tolenences, the oil virtually never moves from the full mark on the dipstick ... this includes the 5000 miles I put on the car in 45 days when moving from Kansas to Florida making two round trips (over 1000 miles each way ...... driving 17 hours straight through... at highway speeds including well over 100 mph when I could get behind a Lexus or BMW with a fancy radar detector. When I check my oil right before taking it in for an oil change, it has color but never even comes close to looking dirty.

Now contrast that with LE 2.4L I4 I was given as a rental when someone rear ended me in an ice storm in Kansas. Due to the extensive ice storm damage all over the area, body shops were booked and parts were backordered so I drove the thing quite a bit. That thing was using way more gas than my V6 and I think .... something wrong here ... 7,000 mlwa when I got it so can't be air filter to be clogged ... so, despite 5,300 mile 5W20 oil change sticker, I check the oil ...... I pull the dipstick out and YUK, dark charcoal grey oil half a quart low. Drive it 1500 more miles and check oil ..... over a quart low so I put one in. Since you drive an 07 ... and I assume an I4 ... if it was built in 06 or early 07 with the faulty design ...... and your oil gets dark or burns it .... that may be the reason you can't believe oil stays clean in the V6. See
Kind of pissed right now: my '07 Camry is getting its engine rebuilt [see my post #27]
Note: The 2.5L I4 introduced beginning in 2010 model year uses no oil and has little blowby like the V6.

Have not owned a GM or Ford in over 20 years, but they all burned at least a quart every 2000 miles or so and oil always turned so black I'd change it every 2000 to 3000 miles. ...... OOPS maybe I should have started a new thread on this one.

[aznlunatic206]

I would like to suggest michelin mxv4's, they are great tires and grip really well. I would also suggest looking into continental dws.

[gdanaher]

I have Michelin Hydroedge. Wear rating of 800, tread warranty of 90,000 miles. Quiet running at speed, grip on wet pavement. Not the cheapest nor the most expensive tire. What else do you need?

[1holderone]

Ahh..this one I can definitely relate to..did ALOT of research on tires before deciding on the Michelins. Just like Paul said, the OEM Bridgestones are not good tires at all. Other than a semi smooth ride they were wore out on mine at 11k! As mentioned, you cannot go wrong with the Michelin Primacy MXV4 if you are wanting a ultra smooth ride, has good handling characteristics with a 60k warranty. That one is also Michelin's High Performance Luxury tire. However with that being said, I put a set of Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S V on my 09 LE V6 ONLY because I wanted a tire that was a bit more sporty and would make my car handle better. That tire is classed as a High Performance Sport All Season tire and I have to say it really made my Camry handle better and really grab the road. I have driven in rain storms at 65 mph down the interstate and the car NEVER lost grip or hydroplaned. It has a directional tread pattern that is designed for not only awesome dry handling performance but also in rain too. Because of that tread pattern tho, they only have a 45k warranty. I have 10k on mine and have rotated them twice, and they are barely showing wear. The Exalto's are exactly what I wanted and are very quiet and ride silky smooth. I went with the V rated tire but it is NOT required altho Toyota recommends it. An H rated tire is just fine for this car and both the MXV4 Primacy and Pilot Exalto's are available in an H rating. I would not go below an H rating and buy a T rated tire however. The ratings indicate the maximum safe speed the tire is capable of carrying under load--> V (149mph) H (130mph) and T (118mph) but also obviously conveys how well the tire is constructed hence the price increase going up in ratings. I certainly want the best built tire for safety reasons so as long as its H rated it is fine for a Camry. The V rated tire is a tad stiffer too which gives an edge in handling but a slight sacrifice in ride comfort. High Performance all-season tires have a higher speed rating than standard all-season tires. They generally provide better handling and braking, and usually have a lower profile (shorter sidewall height) and a wider footprint.

Ok, rambled on enough there.. Go to tirerack.com and check out all the tires and reviews for your vehicle. Then call around to some of your local tire stores and ask their advice between a few models you picked out. Don't flat out ask them what they recommend because they will just try to sell you their house brand or what they currently are making a commission off of. Discount Tire is where I bought mine from and they did give me a good deal price matching another store. I have bought about 6 sets of tires from them and so far they have always treated me right. I declined the TPMS rebuild kit. I didn't need it. You mentioned the Yokohama's....they are also a great tire and certainly less expensive than Michelin. I think I would skip the AVID Touring S tho. The Yokohama AVID ENVigor is getting really good reviews. My Dad swears by Yokohama. I may try a set of those next time but right now I'm diggin my Micky's. When it comes to buying tires, it isn't a easy choice. All you can do is ask for advice from other Camry owners, go online read tire reviews, talk to a few tire shops and then make the best informed decision. It really comes down to what you want out of a tire, and which one will give you the best bang for your buck!

[mmm666]

I had michelin primacy mxv4 on my camry. I got 60,000 miles out of it. ( of course tread is abut 2/32 so on )..

Now I have BridgeStone Turanza Serenity ECO.. So far so good. 15,000 miles already.. The tire should last 70,000 miles.. So I think I can get 70,000 miles..

I rotate myself every 5,000 miles..

I recommend Michelin primacy mxv4. and rotate tires every 5k or 6k miles. good luck.

[molson.david]

I always buying tires with high UTQG index. I drive alot and want to have deep tread for as long as possible. most of today's long life tires pretty quiet and provide great traction at any conditions.
I had alot of different tires, my advise never buy cheap rubber: next year you'll need another set!
on other hand, I never been happy with Michelin-last just half of what it should, average or poor snow traction and way over priced.
so far Pirelli P4 four season-best tires I ever had. I know it not speed rated for camry, but like you I never drive above 80, 90 sometimes and for couple minutes only.
140 a pc for 225/55/17 might look alot, but I never had any issues with traction, already got 20+K on them and sure will get at least 30+ more.I rotate tires very seldom, maybe once every 8-10K.
My Michelin MXV4 lasted less than 20K and were 165 or so a pc.and I wouldn't say traction was exceptional.
TX heat and concrete roads sure ain't easy on rubber,but even KUMHO solus KH16 lasted longer and it was only 90 a pc.
go on Tire Rack and spend some time there before you spend your money.
look for tires with highest numbers of reviews and total miles per tire - less room for mistake.
heavy rain or wet snow on the road nothing is better than deep tread. and on dry asphalt you will not see much difference between high performance tire for 250 a pc and good touring tires. after all you driving camry, not carrera turbo.
but touring tires will for sure outlive performance and save you some presidents.

[07i4]

Just an update. I eventually went with Primacy. It is quite a sticker shock for me even with rebate. Camry tires are really expensive. Initial impression is good. Ride feels smoother but I have only driven 20 miles. My Camry runs about 7K miles per year. I hope to get 7-8 years out of these tires.

Thanks for the help out!

[1holderone]

Originally Posted by 07i4

Just an update. I eventually went with Primacy. It is quite a sticker shock for me even with rebate. Camry tires are really expensive. Initial impression is good. Ride feels smoother but I have only driven 20 miles. My Camry runs about 7K miles per year. I hope to get 7-8 years out of these tires.

Thanks for the help out!

Premium tires = Premium price, but you made a good decision going with the Michelin's! Keep 'em rotated and balanced every 5-6k and they'll last man.

[molson.david]

I hope to get 7-8 years out of these tires.

depend on climate tires will dry and start cracking in 5-6 years. so you batter use all of the tread before that.

[touringcamry]

For future reference H rated or higher tends to be safer because they will always have a cap ply that makes the tire much safer and robust than most T or below rated tires. The cap ply is used in high-performance tires rated H and above to prevent it from deforming at high speed. While it's present in some T rated tires, not all of them have it.