Need new shoes for the Vibe, maybe an alignment?

"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck)
11/06/2016 at 18:42 • Filed to: Buy American!

Finally time to replace these... “Mastercraft” tires that came with the car. I’d like to get something with a little more sidewall and a lot better quality. Suggestions?

Also, not quite sure but tires on the front seem to be visibly wearing out unevenly...

DISCUSSION (25)

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
11/06/2016 at 18:45

BFG KO2.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
11/06/2016 at 18:47

Honestly Mastercrafts are some of the better economy tires.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
11/06/2016 at 18:49

Really? Hmm good to know then!

TheHondaBro > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
11/06/2016 at 18:50

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > TheHondaBro
11/06/2016 at 18:51

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee
11/06/2016 at 18:51

Also, as tires get closer to the end of their tread life, the difference in wear due to steering scrub does start to become more obvious. I can’t really see much of the wear from the pictures, but as long as the wear is the same on both sides, and not obviously due to under- or over- inflation, and it’s not a huge amount of wear (like a 1/4" difference across the tire) it’s probably okay. But it wouldn’t hurt to check the alignment if it’s been a while.

dogisbadob > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
11/06/2016 at 18:51

Ronal Bears are fucking awesome. Stop the hate :o)

Junkrat aka Rick Sanchez: Fury Road Edition > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
11/06/2016 at 18:55

I believe they are made by Cooper I think. They are far from the worst tire you can buy. I’ve had them on a few work vehicles and they weren’t too noisy, wore pretty well, and weren’t hard as a rock.

dogisbadob > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
11/06/2016 at 18:58

Mastercraft is a decent tire, even if the greatest. Made by Cooper. There will probably be some good sales for Black Friday

Could be alignment, could be shocks, could be both (and you should get an alignment done whenever you replace struts). Too bad you just missed the big rebate promo for the shocks, though (but they’ll run it again in March). Quick struts are awesome.

Are you looking for all-season tires or separate summer/winter?

Junkrat aka Rick Sanchez: Fury Road Edition > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
11/06/2016 at 19:01

I have Toyo’s on my Civic right now, but meh. I had a set of Pirelli Cinturato’s on my Focus and was very happy with those. They were a bit of money, but they were a big step up from the Continental’s that came stock. I got almost 85k miles without rotating them.

His Stigness > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
11/06/2016 at 19:02

I really like Michelin Defenders for passenger cars which are not sporty cars. They have a 90k mile tread-life warranty and are a very comfortable, quiet, and safe tire. Michelin also honors their warranty hands down.

Your tires don’t look uneven in the pictures, but it’s always a good idea to get an alignment after a new set of tires.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
11/06/2016 at 19:04

I’m impressed with the Firestone Precision Tourings the previous owner put on my S10. I don’t know if they make them in the Vibe’s size though since I’m guessing they might be a truck tire (S10s tires are small enough they might be car tires too.) But, they’re incredibly quiet, grippy, and seem to be wearing well.

On the tire wear, it’s most likely the alignment is out just a bit. Could just be from lack of rotation too.

Frenchlicker > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
11/06/2016 at 19:11

I remember when we got our first set of Mastercraft tires, they were dirt cheap. The same set costs more than double now. I always liked them.

shop-teacher > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
11/06/2016 at 19:27

The General Altimax RT43 is a great all season at a very reasonable price. I’ve put them on two cars now. MontegoMan put them on his Milan as well and loves them. I’m going to put a set on my father-in-laws Equinox next. I would have put them on my Sierra if they came in the right size.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > TheHondaBro
11/06/2016 at 19:32

YES!

getFuckedHerb > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
11/06/2016 at 19:34

and you have a lot of life left in those unless it’s about to snow where you live.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > dogisbadob
11/06/2016 at 19:36

All season. We don’t have much of a winter up here.

jkm7680 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
11/06/2016 at 19:41

Linglong Mastergreatwalls

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > getFuckedHerb
11/06/2016 at 19:48

Lately, it’s been fishtailing like crazy in the rain... Tire pressure is fine though... Hasn’t felt the safest.

dogisbadob > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
11/06/2016 at 20:08

cool! Then my recommendations are

Dunlop Signature HP or Signature II
Falken Ziex ZE950 or Azenis FK450
Kumho Solus TA71
Cooper CS5 Ultra

MyJeepGetsStuckInTheSnow > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
11/06/2016 at 22:18

Michelin Premier A/S are fantastic. Tons of grip in the rain.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > dogisbadob
11/06/2016 at 22:26

I can second the Kuhmos - Solus 14"-ers came stock from the factory on my ‘09 Accent and were always a decent all-season. Never used them in any snow (Canada, so, you know....winter tires for winter, eh?), but they have decent grip in dry weather and rain.

I’m still running 4 on my car right now until I get them swapped over,
though this will be my last season with them as they won’t pass inspection after this. My current set is actually made up of two of my original Kuhmos, and 2 of the exact same from my brother’s old set to make one good set that would last me through this year. New all-seasons are on the cards for next year...

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee
11/06/2016 at 22:31

Very much check the alignment!

Bad roads here in the Fall before last wrecked my rear alignment (unbeknownst to me) enough to screw over my rear two winter tires of an almost-new set through the late fall-winter-spring following to the point I have to sell them now.

Two are perfectly fine (the ones that were on the front), but the ones that were on the rear have really bad inner wear from out-of-alignment camber to the point they are crazy noisy. Somebody could prob get another season from all four as a set, but I wouldn’t trust running those two again following that, lest (even with an allignment) the cambered tires still wear on those edges somehow...

wafflesnfalafel > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
11/06/2016 at 23:07

Michelin Primacy MXM4s or Defenders

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
11/06/2016 at 23:24

Yeah, probably a good idea to check the alignment. I forget how fragile cars can be... the MJ’s alignment is awesome despite the shitty roads it’s pounded down. (I’ve lived in Saskatchewan. Lol) But that’s a pair of solid axles for you.