I had my 2003 Avalon XLS fitted with a new set of tires today. I went with the Michelin HydroEdge 215/60/16. They are slightly taller and wider then the OEM fitment of 205/60/16.
The car sits noticeably taller and handles excellent. Totally different feel over my worn Michelin Harmony's. I am able to hit turns a lot faster and can stay at the inside bottom of the curves with ease.
I am going with stiffer stabilizer bushings next to firm up the turns a bit more. Not trying to rig it, but looking for a bit more lateral and cornering stability. The tires added a lot of what I am looking for.
Road noise is non existant on the HydroEdges. The cabin is whisper quite. The expansion joints in concrete are barely noticeable as well. These are very smooth riding, awesome handling tires. My Avalon sits a bit taller due to the tire size I selected: 215/60/16.
I had Michelin Harmony's prior to the HydroEdge's and the Harmony's were somewhat noisy on concrete surfaces and terrible (hear every bump in road) on expansion joints.
I got 71,000 miles out of the Harmony's but couldnt stand the noise they created.
My new HydroEdges have a 90,000 mile treadlife warranty. The HydroEdges are by far the best passanger car tire I've ever owned over the past 25 years. I highly recommend these tires.
Road noise is non existant on the HydroEdges. The cabin is whisper quite. The expansion joints in concrete are barely noticeable as well. These are very smooth riding, awesome handling tires. My Avalon sits a bit taller due to the tire size I selected: 215/60/16.
I had Michelin Harmony's prior to the HydroEdge's and the Harmony's were somewhat noisy on concrete surfaces and terrible (hear every bump in road) on expansion joints.
I got 71,000 miles out of the Harmony's but couldnt stand the noise they created.
My new HydroEdges have a 90,000 mile treadlife warranty. The HydroEdges are by far the best passanger car tire I've ever owned over the past 25 years. I highly recommend these tires.
Doesn't our cars require tires with speed rating of "H"(130mph)? I'm just wondering cause the Michelin HydroEdge has a speed rating of "T"(118). My tire place won't even put on a tire if it's not the right speed rating.
The load rating (the number which proceeds the sped rating, i.e. 94 in the HydroEdge case, is 94T) is the attribute to which limits fitment.
You dont want to reduce your load rating specification. The original load and speed rating is 92H on the Avalon XLS 16" wheels.
The Harmony's I just took off the car were also a "94T" rating and they lasted 5.5 years and 71,000 miles and still had some tread left. No issues.
Sounds like your tire shop is "upselling you" as the higher the speed rating equates to a higher price tire. Just my opinion. Last time I checked I never took my Avy above 85 mph. And the temperature rating is an "A" for the tires I have owned ("T"), henced no operating temps issues within the "T" rating of 118 mph.
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2003 Toyota Avalon XLS Diamond White Pearl
2004 Lexus GX470 Darado Gold Pearl
The load rating (the number which proceeds the sped rating, i.e. 94 in the HydroEdge case, is 94T) is the attribute to which limits fitment.
You dont want to reduce your load rating specification. The original load and speed rating is 92H on the Avalon XLS 16" wheels.
The Harmony's I just took off the car were also a "94T" rating and they lasted 5.5 years and 71,000 miles and still had some tread left. No issues.
Sounds like your tire shop is "upselling you" as the higher the speed rating equates to a higher price tire. Just my opinion. Last time I checked I never took my Avy above 85 mph. And the temperature rating is an "A" for the tires I have owned ("T"), henced no operating temps issues within the "T" rating of 118 mph.
My Avalon is an XL which came with 15" rims and tires. This site tells you your car original tire size: http://www.sizemytires.com/
Michelin HydroEdge is rated at 92T not 94T which means you just reduced your loading specification. And I paid lesser with the right tires. http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/fil...clr=*&x=32&y=8
My Avalon XLS is the higher end version with 16" tires, and my Hydroedges are 94T as per the tire sidewall on the vehicle. You are be looking at the lower end 15" wheels. I stated my wheels are the 16" 215-60-16 aspect ratio, an allowable alternative tire size to the 215/60/16, not the lower end, 206/60/15 as you published. See below for clarification
I know about the horrible ride on the Goodyears. I know what your going thru. I had, for a short period of time, Goodyears products on Corvetts, Explorer, Mustangs and Camaros, only to get them off ass soon as possible. There is a reason Goodyear is OEM selection, they are cheap, and offer initial low rolling resistance, but then they start to roar and are slick as an onion skin after about 15k.
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2003 Toyota Avalon XLS Diamond White Pearl
2004 Lexus GX470 Darado Gold Pearl
For the 2nd time, My Avalon XLS is the higher end version with 16" tires, and my Hydroedges are 94T as per the tire sidewall on the vehicle. You are be looking at the lower end 15" wheels. If you are going to state facts, at least do due dilligance, I stated my wheels are the 16" 215-60-16 aspect ratio, an allowable alternative tire size to the 215/60/16, not the lower end, 206/60/15 as you published. See below for clarification
I know about your horrible ride on the Goodyears. I know what your going thru. I had, for a short period of time, Goodyears products on Corvetts, Explorer, Mustangs and Camaros, only to get them off ass soon as possible. There is a reason Goodyear is OEM selection, they are cheap, and offer initial low rolling resistance, but then they start to roar and are slick as an onion skin after about 15k.
Gonna be a long road ahead for ya, well at least you have what the book is tellin ya.
Hey, I was just trying to solve my problems and help out at the same time. Anyway, I changed out the Goodyears for some Michelin Exalto but then the noise is still there. The noise gets louder the more you accelerate. So I took it to a mechanic and it came out to be a wheel bearing hub that is making all the noise. Anyways, thanks.
Im glad you found the root cause of the noise. As for the Exalto's, I did consider them but they only had a traedlife of like 40k miles or so.
I was thinking of trading the car in for a new Avalon which is why the mileage on the new tires didn't matter. I've put over 240,000 miles on this car but it's still going strong though.
I was thinking of trading the car in for a new Avalon which is why the mileage on the new tires didn't matter. I've put over 240,000 miles on this car but it's still going strong though.
Excellent to hear of that mileage. In that time period, you must have found a brand of tires/ brakes/ etc. that provided the best service.
Care to indulge us with any favorites?
I replaced tires recently with Michelin Primacy MXV4 and they are significant improvement over my Dunlaps(A4), I thiink A4. Anyway Dunlap are not as good as Michelin. These Michelins are a lot quieter, but on some Interstates in PA I did hear the tires going over the road separaters.
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