# Time for new Tires...Suggestions?



## cdb09007 (Aug 7, 2013)

Hitting 52k on the OEMs, not terrible but I don't want to take them through another New England winter. Trying to keep it less than $100/tire, not looking for specifically winter tires, but all-season/economy. I found Kumho Solus KR21's but I never heard of Kumho tires...anyone have these? Or have any good suggestions for tires?


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

Have you stopped at any local tire shops and seen if they have any deals? Needed tires in the spring, most 16in tires for my 1LT go for $90-$120, got Firestone Precision touring for $69 a tire.


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

I have a pair of Kuhmo KR21s on the Cav, and it's been through a few winters now, and they never presented any issues - that car was always a tank in the snow, so I'd have no issue recommending them (though I still detest all-seasons - but it doesn't make a ton of sense having dedicated sets of tires on an $800 car - though I might still do it). Kuhmo is a well-known brand, by the way.

I'm assuming you have the 16" wheels? According to Tire rack's surveys...

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surve...autoYear=2013&autoModel=Cruze&autoModClar=1LT

Looks like the Conti TrueContacts are your best bet - and they're an LRR tire.


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

I have used kumho in the past. they are a great tyre especially there kunho xs. the economy tyres from them grip well enough, and last a good while for the price but they ride harsh over hard roads and are noisy as can be. try the Goodyear eagle sport all season if you want max dry handling and a sporty tire with long life, it does how ever need a lot more competent driver when wet because its not that great in rain. for a really nice dry performance all season that does very well in wet go for the kumho ecsta PA31.


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

fort dryer years in your area and some fun http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...autoYear=2013&autoModel=Cruze&autoModClar=1LT

a super nice high performance all season that shines everywhere http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...autoYear=2013&autoModel=Cruze&autoModClar=1LT

these are not LRR because my next set wont be. i rather pay 100$ a year more for great traction and a fun tyre vs save a few bucks and have wimpy grip


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

pandrad61 said:


> these are not LRR because my next set wont be. i rather pay 100$ a year more for great traction and a fun tyre vs save a few bucks and have wimpy grip


Take a look at the Perelli Centurato P7 tires. These are LRR and have good traction.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/12-w...ion/99657-conti-pure-contact-impressions.html

Couple thousand miles in, my gas mileage has returned in full stride as well. Good in snow, and excellent in rain/dry conditions


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

in all honesty im going to a more common 18 inch rim and am slapping on some bridgestone potenzas ultra high performance summer tyres. car gets such great gas mileage and i drive very efficiently and beat eps ratings im sure with the non LRR tyres i will be at epa mileage. i also do monthly autocross events


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## 170-3tree (Nov 4, 2014)

I have 18's for my summer tires, run the potenza 970's. theyre great in the dry and rain, then a set of WS 80 blizzaks for winter on my 16's. The firestone affinity touring are pretty nice, a lot better ride than the 710's. They also make the non-directional potenza a/s in the 16" size, and they're pretty good all around.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

pandrad61 said:


> i also do monthly autocross events


This by itself calls for a tire with a lot better lateral traction than your standard LRR tire.


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

cdb09007 said:


> Trying to keep it less than $100/tire, not looking for specifically winter tires, but all-season/economy.


Seems like the OP is looking for something that provides decent wet/dry in the non-winter months, but doesn't suck in the snow. 

So sounds like an LRR would be perfect - extra fuel economy, at the expense of high-end traction of, say, a performance tire, which doesn't sound to be the goal.


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

125$ each but from what looks to be your needs might be a perfect option. in the snow and ice test it does rate lowest but for a very occasional low temps not bad and LRR

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...autoYear=2013&autoModel=Cruze&autoModClar=1LT


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

pandrad61 said:


> 125$ each but from what looks to be your needs might be a perfect option
> 
> http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...autoYear=2013&autoModel=Cruze&autoModClar=1LT


The Pirelli P7, Conti PureContact, and Michelin Premier A/S run circles around this one in snow traction, but otherwise it's a decent tire.


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

> The Pirelli P7, Conti PureContact, and Michelin Premier A/S run circles around this one in snow traction, but otherwise it's a decent tire.


 very true but OP needs to tell us exactly how often he will face snow, if its a once a year thing i would see it as a non issue but if 1/2 the year is 0 degrees well thats another ball game


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## cdb09007 (Aug 7, 2013)

I'd love to tell you, but like I said I live in New England. We'll have snow either from November to April or just February, lol.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

cdb09007 said:


> I'd love to tell you, but like I said I live in New England. We'll have snow either from November to April or just February, lol.


And it will be heavy wet snow coming off the Atlantic. You might actually be better served to get a set of dedicated snow tires to put on over Thanksgiving weekend and take off in late April.


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## cdb09007 (Aug 7, 2013)

Never had em, never needed em. Standard tires do just fine for me, and I know what not to do in the snow so that helps. 

I like the Conti's either True or Pure. I'll see if the local shop has them w/ a package.


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## revjpeterson (Oct 2, 2013)

I have an all-Kumho garage as of earlier this year. My wife's van has gone through 1 1/2 sets of the Solus KR21 mentioned in the OP, and they have been an excellent tire. I've gotten about 80,000 out of the tires that survived until their tread was down to 4/32. (Wife drove about 20 miles on a damaged tire and ruined the sidewall, thus the 1/2 set - not the tire's fault.) I'm going to be putting another set of the same on before the snow arrives this winter. We're in Iowa, so we get our share of snow and ice here. We had Uniroyal Tiger Paws on the van before these, and I traded them in with half the tread left, because it was getting stuck in 3" of snow and using traction control constantly with the slightest bit of precipitation on the ground. Since I switched it to the KR21 tires, I haven't had to pull her out of anything even once. She drives it regularly in snow that touches the bead of the tire, and I've driven through stretches where it was up to about the bottom of the lug nuts with no problems. Never tried deeper than that, because I'd just get out my Jeep and leave the kids at home. 

Our other two cars also have Kumho tires now. My Jeep has the Ecsta PA31 that was mentioned elsewhere in the thread. I've been 100% satisfied with their performance. I'd say they are better than the KR21 on snow or dry pavement, but the KR21 wins the contest on ice or wet conditions. My Jeep has the Kumho Road Venture SAT KL61, which have been amazing, especially in snow. I don't drive the Jeep much, except for snowy conditions or towing, so I've put about 20,000 on those tires and they have also impressed completely. In my experience, the Kumho rubber compounds have been some of the best I have seen at keeping their traction properties as the temperatures dropped. The rubber compounds on my Michelin, Uniroyal, Goodyear, and Firestone tires of the past have all gotten extremely stiff in cold weather, particularly below about 10F, and traction suffered dramatically. My Kumho tires have suffered no noticeable deficits to their traction or stiffness, even down to -20F.


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## izzone2000 (Dec 25, 2013)

I just picked up a set of Goodyear Assurance fuel max a few weeks back. $95 a tire and should last until I sell the cruze.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

izzone2000 said:


> I just picked up a set of Goodyear Assurance fuel max a few weeks back. $95 a tire and should last until I sell the cruze.


These don't work well in wet snow. They're ok in dry snow though.


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