M35 2wd tire pressure

[AG-M35]

I did the search and saw some interesting info, but....

The door sticker says 33 all around / The owners manual says 35 all around....

The tires are the Goodyear Eagle 245/45R18.. I'm not a fan of American tires and don't have any good or bad info about these, so they stay until whenever...

I know the dealers like to soften the tires to give a better ride. The tire manufacturers say higher to give better tire life. Max on this tire is 44psi, which, I think, would equate to solid rubber tires...

I started out at 38 all around and it was like driving a truck. You could feel every dime you drove over. There's just no road shock buffering... Highway speeds in some states, would give you a headache.

Over the past 4 weeks, I've driven about 5000 miles and have incrementally dropped the pressure and the best ride so far has been at 34 psi, but I'm a bit skeptical

On an up note, on the straight and flat, I recorded over 27 mpg, at times and I know the pressure had something to do with this...

Any comments? thx

[auditech10]

I always go with 38 on my 18s and when the 20s come will go up to 40-42. You did exactly what you should have, you drove the car with different pressures and you made notes of each. Good job

[AG-M35]

The problem lies with the fact that it drives pretty nice at 33, but I'm afraid of accelerated tread wear.

[szh]

Somewhere near 36psi is probably the right place to be for load index reasons. However, if 34psi is the most comfortable for you, then keep it there! But, do check it often ... tire pressures tend to drop 1 to 2 psi every week to other week. This is natural. You will not see much perceptible difference in wear between the recommended 33 or your setting. Also, how accurate is your tire gauge?

You did not mention which Eagle tires you have. The Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 is an excellent tire in wet weather and it is what I have been using for a while (since my other favorite was discontinued(. Not the absolute ultimate in response or handling, but outstanding in wet - braking or road handling. A bit noisier than a Touring tire, of course, but way superior in all other ways!

So, if you have the Eagle F1 GS-D3, then stick with it. Else, consider using one of the other tires mentioned in my spreadsheet in the stickies above (the Michelin Pilot PS2 is probably one of the best tires in the world for this car - pricey too, though).

Z