Which tires do you prefer for your Sonic

[RMinNJ]

Continential PureContacts

I have the hankook tires on my car I have almost 62,000 on them going to get new ones, but not sure what to get. any suggestions for all season, I drive every day to work. I get about 37 miles per gallon. any help would be greatly appreciated. already got prices for extreme continental and Pirelli and verenti r6. I kind of like the continental pure contact with eco plus technology.

Ok.. here goes... my mixed review of the 15 inch Continental PureContacts with EcoPlus (195/65/15):
Have about 1000 miles on them.

I had about 30K on the original Hankooks but could not bear another winter in them..I thought I would die with even a dusting of snow.

So I got the PureContacts based on the TireRack reviews and Tirebuyer reviews...my local Tire place was able to match the price. My choices had been narrowed down to the GoodYear EagleSports, Continental PureContacts, or (if I went to Costco) the Michelin Premiers. The PureContacts seemed to have better reviews...even pulled more Gs in the TireRack tests than the EagleSports (which are #1 in their category).

The Good:
The PureContact live up to the reviews with handling compared to the Hankooks. Traction light never comes on. I can take turns much faster even
with my tall 65 sidewall on these 15 inchers. Car feels stable..I can actually bring it up to faster speed and it feels solid. This is what I was most worried about most with new tires...that they would have that squirmy floating feeling..these do NOT have that. I have not had snow yet but I feel confident they will do well in a light snow...of course anything would do better than the Hankooks. So no regrets here.

The Bad:
Life is a series of compromises. The PureContact have a very high snow and ice rating on tirerack. I believe that because these tires are noisy. In the straight line you may feel you have snow tires on the car. Go around a curve at your new higher speed and you can hear the tires. (I believe the Hankooks with their straight no sipe tread were chosen to be quiet on Sonic ?)
Also my mileage has gone down about 1mpg or so. Again, I think this is due to the tread on these ...its not straight like the Hankooks. It could be because they are new or my state switched to Winter gas blend. So for noise and MPG (does tirerack even rate mpg) it does not live up to the review.


Did I consider returning them? For about 10 seconds. I do not know what other tire to get ..Maybe the EagleSports(low treadwear rating) or Premiers ($$$ and they come preworn in treaddepth) If your looking for a plush quiet tire these are not it. If your looking for a good handling tire and still have the tall 15 LT wheels these do live up to the Tirerack reviews in that department.

 

[KartRacer]

I have the hankook tires on my car I have almost 62,000 on them going to get new ones, but not sure what to get. any suggestions for all season, I drive every day to work. I get about 37 miles per gallon. any help would be greatly appreciated. already got prices for extreme continental and Pirelli and verenti r6. I kind of like the continental pure contact with eco plus technology.

1st, you got 62000 out of the Hankooks and your thinking of buying something else based on extremely limited usage by others on the forum?
I think you should rethink your choices based on your facts.
Everybody wants to badmouth the Hankooks, but I find the to be fine. Won't pay double for some tire that will yield 50% mileage so I can drop a name on here.
Sorry if I've insulted someone but this is the way I see it.
Oh I forgot still running my Hankooks and will buy them again in another 20 or 30 thousand miles.

 

[MORTIS]

1st, you got 62000 out of the Hankooks and your thinking of buying something else based on extremely limited usage by others on the forum?
I think you should rethink your choices based on your facts.
Everybody wants to badmouth the Hankooks, but I find the to be fine. Won't pay double for some tire that will yield 50% mileage so I can drop a name on here.
Sorry if I've insulted someone but this is the way I see it.
Oh I forgot still running my Hankooks and will buy them again in another 20 or 30 thousand miles.

Now That's a rare thing to read on this forum. We almost never hear folks say anything positive about the stock Hankooks. That's good because I really don't like the thought of having to buy a different set of tires for my new 2015 Sonic.

 

[The Champ]

I think you should rethink your choices based on your facts.
Everybody wants to badmouth the Hankooks, but I find the to be fine. Won't pay double for some tire that will yield 50% mileage so I can drop a name on here.

Well, some of us want to be able to get from point A to point B in the winter time. The OE Hankook's lousy in the snow and wet.

My Goodyear Eagle Sports were much cheaper than the Hankook's and are a very good all season tire.

Why would anyone want to pay more money for a lousy tire?

 

[RMinNJ]

The stock hankooks last a long time. I could have gone another 25k miles one them easy. They are quiet and great gas mileage.
But I wanted something that handled better and that I could get through a small amount of snow.

 

[KartRacer]

Both of you are located in a region that winter snow is an issue. We have plenty of snow here in Mo but roads are generally clear and dry in 24 hours. Now I understand that MN and NJ have other conditions. Snow on the roads here may only raise their ugly head 6 or 8 days a year! So I use tires for the rest of the days. If it's too bad, screw it I stay home. Retirement does have its spiffs

 

[The Champ]

You may not get much snow in MO, but it does rain there.

On a scale of 1 - 10 (1 being unacceptable and 10 being superior) - consumer reviews of the Hankook 428 rate the Hankook a 4.6 for hydroplaning resistance and 4.7 for wet traction.

When asked "Would you buy these tires again?" - the ranking was 1.9.

Out of 36 different Grand Touring All Season tires - they rank 36th in overall performance.

At tirerack.com - the top rated Pirelli P7's are $108.00 vs the bottom rated Hankook 428's $113.00.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surve...ratio=55&diameter=16&tireSearch=true&filter=y

So why would I pay more money for the Hankook's?

 

[KartRacer]

You may not get much snow in MO, but it does rain there.

On a scale of 1 - 10 (1 being unacceptable and 10 being superior) - consumer reviews of the Hankook 428 rate the Hankook a 4.6 for hydroplaning resistance and 4.7 for wet traction.

When asked "Would you buy these tires again?" - the ranking was 1.9.

Out of 36 different Grand Touring All Season tires - they rank 36th in overall performance.

At tirerack.com - the top rated Pirelli P7's are $108.00 vs the bottom rated Hankook 428's $113.00.



http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surve...ratio=55&diameter=16&tireSearch=true&filter=y

So why would I pay more money for the Hankook's?

Apparently tire rack prices vary significantly by zip code. I see 134 on Pirelli and 114 on Hankooks. Guess it depends on wether they are worth 80 more in my location. So I guess to each his own.
Don't disagree that I would not pay more but I've seen the Hankooks locally for under $100 ea.

 

[RMinNJ]

If there is another all season Hankook that is better it did not make the tirerack list. I'm sure they're are a lot of good tires we are missing beacuse tirerack doesn't sell them. Some toyos and coopers come to mind.

 

[The Champ]

Apparently tire rack prices vary significantly by zip code.

The actual tire prices don't vary by zip code at Tire Rack. I was comparing the actual tire price only. Shipping charges will alter the final price a by zip code.

I've got a feeling you were comparing the prices on the wrong tires. The H rated Hankook H426 (not the OE tire - which is the H428) sells for $97 plus $17 shipping - the $114 price you mention.

The H rated Pirelli P7 All Season Plus sells for $106 plus $16 shipping for a total of $122. The H rated Hankook H428 sells for $113 plus $17 shipping for a total of $130.

Shipping charges are to my town in MN. I doubt that the shipping charges would be significantly different to MO.

Bottom line - the Pirelli is less expensive and a much better tire than the OE Hankook tire.

The highly rated Pirelli has a 70,000 mile treadwear warranty, the #36 rated Hankook has none.

If I needed to replace my tires today, I know which tire I'd buy.

 

[The Champ]

If there is another all season Hankook that is better it did not make the tirerack list. I'm sure they're are a lot of good tires we are missing beacuse tirerack doesn't sell them. Some toyos and coopers come to mind.

If you check my link to the "Grand Touring All Season" ratings, you will find the Hankook Optimo H725A which is rated 29th and the Hankook Optimo H426 which is rated 34th.

Now if you look at "Standard Touring All Season" ratings - the Hankook Optimo H727 is #6.

I've actually had a set of those on my company car - and they were SIGNIFICANTLY better than the H428's. They are actually a decent tire in the snow.

I drive over 50,000 miles a year for business in my company car - in all kinds of weather. I'm extremely fussy about what tires go on my vehicle.

It didn't take me long to determine that the H428's were junk. That's why they came off my car within 6 weeks of buying my car. I sold them for $250 on craiglist and spent $400 on my Goodyear Eagle Sports.

 

[kitt113]

tires on my Sonic 2012

1st, you got 62000 out of the Hankooks and your thinking of buying something else based on extremely limited usage by others on the forum?
I think you should rethink your choices based on your facts.
Everybody wants to badmouth the Hankooks, but I find the to be fine. Won't pay double for some tire that will yield 50% mileage so I can drop a name on here.
Sorry if I've insulted someone but this is the way I see it.
Oh I forgot still running my Hankooks and will buy them again in another 20 or 30 thousand miles.

Thanks for your input, I am just trying to compare what is out there before getting something put on before winter time, because we do get snow here from time to time and I travel mostly highway, with some back roads. just want to see what others may have put on their cars, since this will be my first time replacing them. yes I am surprised that I got 62 thousand on them to me which is great, and I want to try to get that of course on my next set of tires whatever they may be. thanks again for your help and everyone else's help and input. now up to me to decide.

 

[kitt113]

thanks everyone for your input on tires on my 2012 sonic. now I know its up to me to decide are the continental pure contact like a high performance tire? I just want to travel highways and some back roads and yes we have winter time here where I live. the tire price here for continental pure contact is 143.99 a tire, and the Pirelli price I got here was $155.28 a tire, so I am still looking at other tires also, just threw those prices out there I had just gotten from one tire shop I visited, and I have visited a couple of more besides this one. of course those prices don't include the mounting and disposal fee etc. so again thank you everyone for your input. just want to get this done this week or weekend.

 

[RMinNJ]

Which pirelli? Tirerack tested several we're discussing and had charts and graphs;

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=188


The michelin which is always pricey seemed favored. That said the pirelli did best in snow? But when I physically looked at the michelin premier at Costco you could tell it had less tread depth compared to tires next to it.

 

[kitt113]

Which pirelli? Tirerack tested several we're discussing and had charts and graphs;

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=188


The michelin which is always pricey seemed favored. That said the pirelli did best in snow? But when I physically looked at the michelin premier at Costco you could tell it had less tread depth compared to tires next to it.

on the quote they wrote up pir cint p7 a/s 93v.

 

[kitt113]

this is the chart I was just given by tire rack.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surve...012&autoModel=Sonic+Hatchback&autoModClar=LTZ

 

[RMinNJ]

Ok.. in the tirerack test above the P7s did best in snow. They are also rated #2 in the tirerack customer survey for handling etc..bested only by the Michelins.
I would have gotten them except they don't come in a 15 inch. My point being the Tirerack survey is usually pretty accurate...if the tires really suck people will write in and say so.

 

[kitt113]

Ok.. in the tirerack test above the P7s did best in snow. They are also rated #2 in the tirerack customer survey for handling etc..bested only by the Michelins.
I would have gotten them except they don't come in a 15 inch. My point being the Tirerack survey is usually pretty accurate...if the tires really suck people will write in and say so.

right I agree, I also need brakes on my car. so find out how much they are too.

 

[kitt113]

just ordered some continental pure contact with 70 k warranty all four tires out the door $633.28.