Unless you are racing you car you literally put in the recommended viscosity.
What is this shit.
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Buying car tires is very confusing
- Thread starter cantona222
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Unless you are racing you car you literally put in the recommended viscosity.
What is this shit.
Both require the exact same amount of effort, buy whatever it tells you to buy in your owners manual
Ordinaryundone
Member
What do you mean "vehicles today"? Just buy whatever the man behind the counter tells you to if you don't want to out any thought into it or do it yourself. Nearly everything is fine with synthetic oil unless you are driving an old car or a heavy duty vehicle.
Ordinaryundone
Member
3 whole choices! And WTF is diesel?! Why do I have to be a gear head just to drive my car
/s c'mon folks I know not everyone is raised around this kind of stuff but everyone should know at least the most basic maintenance and upkeep on the multi-ton metal death machine they roll around in. Tires and oil are baby tier.
AlmostMilk
Member
If you go and put 10w40 oil in your toyota prius because you live in a colder climate, you will destruction the engine. The numbers in the oil grad represents the viscosity of the oil. The W stands for winter or cold rating. The "man behind the counter" wants to put 5W30 in everything because it's the most common and cheapest. You need to put whatever oil is recommended by the manufacturer which can be found in the owners manual or on the oil cap. The type of oil (conventional/synthetic blend, high mileage, full synthetic) can be put in any vehicle it just changes the amount of time before your next oil change.
America's/Discount Tires usually has sales during the holidays which are better deals than TireRack.
Michelin and Pirelli are your premier tire brands. I've been using Kumho tires on my car and like them a lot. They're all season so they're not sticky like summer tires, but I'm not carving corners in my commuter car. Michelin Pilot Sports on my motorcycle.
Michelin and Pirelli are your premier tire brands. I've been using Kumho tires on my car and like them a lot. They're all season so they're not sticky like summer tires, but I'm not carving corners in my commuter car. Michelin Pilot Sports on my motorcycle.
That's only true if you have FWD, the wheels that "drive" your car will have more wear. I think if you have AWD you're supposed to replace all the tires at the same time (Lets say you have a flat that's not fixable).
Ordinaryundone
Member
Isn't the Toyota recommendation 0W-20? Though I've heard a lot of people suggest 5W30 is fine for Prius. Like you said it depends on his car, I drive a 93 Ford Explorer and I've used 10W30 since I got it but that's too much for something smaller.
Hesemonni
Banned
Yeah. Swapped them out for winters. I'm driving a 4WD and I didn't realize how bad they were until the first snow hit and suddenly I had trouble staying even on the road.
Felt relieved to go to work this morning without having to fear for your life during commute
AlmostMilk
Member
You are correct, the prius is a 0W20 rating. The clearances between the rods, bearings, and rings would not be able to handle 10W40 oil very well. With some older vehicles you can get away with using somewhat thicker oil because the clearances inside the engine have worn down so it's not damaging. IIRC your Explorer calls for a 5W30 oil so 10W30 is perfectly fine. Back when every car came with a cast iron v8 under the hood, you could get away with different oil grades because they could handle it. These days, engines are much more precise and fragile to vary too much. Just go with whatever is recommended by the manufacturer and change oil at recommended intervals and you will be fine.
0w all it means is that it starts better in cold climates, so if you're in snow, go with 0w.
This is a more recent thing as some otherwise reputable manufacturers supposedly have "second tier" locations which produce lesser tires (under the same brand name) for discount retailers like Sams, Walmart... So the only way to figure it out is to look at the tires' serial codes as the brand name is the same.
That said, unless you have some high performance desire, tirerack will not steer you wrong.
I have had great success over the past 15-20 years with BF Goodrich Advantage T/A which are all season and generally very affordable from Sam's for all our cars. They last 5 years then it's time for new ones.
Iorv3th
Member
You don't have to buy tires that often unless you have problems with them or put a lot of wear on them. I just go to my local tire place when I do have a problem, get their opinion and have them put on new tires if I need them.
Oh man I remember when I was in highschool a girl got her car and drove it around until it died on the highway. She did not know how to put gas in it or that you even had to........
Oh man I remember when I was in highschool a girl got her car and drove it around until it died on the highway. She did not know how to put gas in it or that you even had to........
rokkerkory
Member
Not really confusing, just go tire rack to learn more about what's recommended for your car.
You only should be changing all season tires like every 3 years so it's not much of a hassle.
You only should be changing all season tires like every 3 years so it's not much of a hassle.
AlphaSnake
...and that, kids, was the first time I sucked a dick for crack
Not sure if serious...
Are you aware that a huge chunk of automobiles are rear-wheel drive? And another huge chunk are all-wheel drive? LOL
This whole thread is hilarious.
ElectricBlanketFire
Member
You are overthinking this. Replace them when the treads start to get low or there is damage. An old trick people use to use is to put an American penny in the threads with lincoln's head pointed at the tire. If you can see the top of his head, it's time to replace them.
Make sure you have your tires rotated on schedule so your tires wear evenly. (Front wheel drive cars will wear the front tires quicker while the opposite for rear wheel. Some RWD with wider back tires can't be rotated. Just replace them. You should be able to tell by looking at them but if not, it's the "Width" rating.) That way you don't have to worry about replacing them two at a time. Go for all 4.
As long as you haven't changed the wheels, just keep the sizes the same.
If you still aren't sure of yourself, have your car inspected and tire inspection should be on the list.
Make sure you have your tires rotated on schedule so your tires wear evenly. (Front wheel drive cars will wear the front tires quicker while the opposite for rear wheel. Some RWD with wider back tires can't be rotated. Just replace them. You should be able to tell by looking at them but if not, it's the "Width" rating.) That way you don't have to worry about replacing them two at a time. Go for all 4.
As long as you haven't changed the wheels, just keep the sizes the same.
If you still aren't sure of yourself, have your car inspected and tire inspection should be on the list.
CarpeDeezNutz
Member
My old man is a mechanic and taught me a lot about cars, so getting new tires is pretty easy for me.
He's got this cordless impact drill now that shit is dope
He's got this cordless impact drill now that shit is dope
AlphaSnake
...and that, kids, was the first time I sucked a dick for crack
When the market is nearly 2/3rds not FWD, usually is incorrect.
YuriLowell
Member
It is a pretty simple process.
If your tires are age-cracked or over 4 years old, change them.
Run the penny test to determine if you have enough tread left.
If your tires are age-cracked or over 4 years old, change them.
Run the penny test to determine if you have enough tread left.
ElectricBlanketFire
Member
SoRuffShoNuff
Member
The "man behind the counter" won't just say get 5W30, he will look up your car in the system and it will tell him the recommended oil to purchase.
Super_Cobra
Member
I wouldn't worry too much about speed ratings. Unless you're planning on being on the race track. Just get some good all year round tires that are the same size as yours.
Autumn Wind
Member
On my 2013 Ford Escape SEL, I ended up going for a set of Michelin Premier LTX's. I even asked the guy if I could check the manufacturing date and it was 03/16 which is the third week of the year 2016.
Hesemonni
Banned
Wow. I would've thought US was mostly RWD too. I'll be damned. The ratio is bound to be even more towards FWD worldwide.From Car and Driver:
RWD is more expensive that's why.
gutter_trash
Banned
RWD is the most hilarious thing to witness in icy winters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us0ezSDewEs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us0ezSDewEs
nabe_shogun
Member
Pretty much only sports cars, luxury cars and pick-ups are RWD. Basically every economy car or sedan is fwd, which is most of what people buy.
AlphaSnake
...and that, kids, was the first time I sucked a dick for crack
From Car and Driver:
YouGotMe.gif
But that's US only and posted back in 2013. Since then the market has evolved considerably again and AWD sales are increasing a lot.
http://mx.coopertire.com/Customer-Care/Tire-Selector.aspx
Can this be any easier?
By the way, that was a plug, since the factory is a few miles away where i live.
Can this be any easier?
By the way, that was a plug, since the factory is a few miles away where i live.
David Incorporated Esq.
Member
If only there were a manual telling you how to maintain your tires. Perhaps one that was issued with the vehicle at purchase.
If only...
20w50 w/ zinc. Catalytic converters are for bitches. dealwithit.gif
If only...
20w50 w/ zinc. Catalytic converters are for bitches. dealwithit.gif
ElectricBlanketFire
Member
piratepwnsninja
Member
I used to write training software for plants that retread tires, meaning I had to watch/re-watch some of the driest videos in the universe multiple times, and tires still confuse the fuck out of me.
Baka Sempai
Member
From Car and Driver:
For as relevant as that chart may be, the reason why the FRONT tires wear out faster in ANY car is because those are the ones that make the vehicle turn.
More turning, more thread wear.
C'mon people !!!
David Incorporated Esq.
Member
I always replace tires after 4-5 years. All four at the same time. I usually check some tests in motor magazines and after that check online stores for good deals.
I have winter tires on the rims, same with summer ones. So replacement is easy, I just visit family friend who has hydraulic car lift.
Need to replace summer tires next year, but I think that I will go with current ones, because I am planning on car replacement next autumn.
I have winter tires on the rims, same with summer ones. So replacement is easy, I just visit family friend who has hydraulic car lift.
Need to replace summer tires next year, but I think that I will go with current ones, because I am planning on car replacement next autumn.
itwasTuesday
He wasn't alone.
Change them before they look like this. When the tire is worn down to that sideways "crest" the tire should DEFINATELY be replaced.
My summer tires from yesterday.
Nice set of maypops you got.
SatansReverence
Hipster Princess
If you live somewhere that does winter/summer tyres its onvious which ones you should be using.
Never buy the cheap ones.
Tyres have wear indicators.
Bad wear patterns are obvious.
Nothing wrong with rotating tyres/buying in pairs.
Never buy the cheap ones.
Tyres have wear indicators.
Bad wear patterns are obvious.
Nothing wrong with rotating tyres/buying in pairs.
Tire.
Tyre?
Also I need new tires.
I know you can't skimp on them, but I genuinely couldn't tell you a good brand of tires from some bootleg brand.
All I know are the big brand ones that literally everyone sees with their own shops on the side of the road. Goodyear, Firestone, etc.
Tyre?
Also I need new tires.
I know you can't skimp on them, but I genuinely couldn't tell you a good brand of tires from some bootleg brand.
All I know are the big brand ones that literally everyone sees with their own shops on the side of the road. Goodyear, Firestone, etc.
What are these, Yul Brynner model?
rokkerkory
Member
From Car and Driver:
88% with wrong wheel drive I see
AlphaSnake
...and that, kids, was the first time I sucked a dick for crack
Overall, Michelin and Pirelli are arguably the cream of the crop, followed closely by Bridgestones. Continentals are up there too. But there's a lot of brands with mediocre overall offerings that do have some stand out tires out of their entire catalogue. So always do your research.
Bitch Pudding
Member
Front wheel drive is the devil's work.
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