New tires and bad shop experience

[Bob24]

I took my M45 to have the the Blizzaks removed and the summer sport 19 inch wheels and skins put back on. Since I bought the car in the winter, I doubt I put more than 100 miles on the summer Potenza's prior to putting on the Blizzaks on winter dedicated 17 inch wheels.

I unloaded the 4 19 inch wheels and was getting ready to drive off when the assistant manager stopped me and had me look at the tires. The tread was pretty sorry I have to admit. I was hoping to get a summer's worth of driving out of them, but they were indeed worn too much to make that a safe bet.

These tires only had 20k on them and they were down to the wear bars. Not real good IMO. Oh well. I went home and did some research on Tire Rack. I saw a lot of really expensive tires with really short tread lives. I know that maximum performance tires are soft and thus wear out quickly.

I settled on these Kumho Ecsta Platinum LX tires with a 60,000 mile tread life rating. I called the shop and he had been researching options as well. This shop is well known as upsellers of the highest order.

Anytime you bring a car in there you can expect a call a half hour later letting you know all the problems they found during their "courtesy" check along with their estimates for fixing them.

The guy was pimping these BF Goodrich tires like nobody's business, every time I mentioned the Kuhmo's he would tell me about how great these BF Goodrich tires were and how he could really stand behind them. The guy was relentless. I finally had to stop him and ask him point blank if he could get me the Kumho's or not. I made him match Tire Rack's price which I always do and he ordered up the tires.

Of course, I got the customary call a half hour later telling me that a couple of my belts (power steering and serpentine I believe) had chunks out of them and needed replacement ASAP. They always make the situation sound dire and safety related.

The guy was pushing me to have the belts done there and I told him that all my work will be done at the dealer and under warranty. He told me that the warranty wouldn't cover wear and tear items like the belts. I told him I wasn't sure but I thought they would. I was insistent that I call the dealer to see if they would cover it and if not call him back and let him do the work since I was on "borrowed time" with these belts.

I did call my service advisor at Infiniti and he said he had never heard of belts in that kind of shape at 24k. He wondered how the guys at the tire place could sleep at night.

I am loving the Kumho's and loving the fact that I might actually get more than a summer's worth of use out of them.

[GJEMD]

Always insist and observe that the tire center torque the lugs to 90lbs. The most notorious trick is to run the lugs way up and warp the rotors on a car with 30,000 and then they sell you a brake job.

[M35 Sport]

I was also looking at those same kumhos. How many miles have you put on them so far? Are they quiet? How is the steering?

[GJEMD]

kumhos are noisy

[M35 Sport]

kumhos are noisy

Which one's do you have?

[Bob24]

I was also looking at those same kumhos. How many miles have you put on them so far? Are they quiet? How is the steering?

So far, I really like the Kumho's. I ran them for years on my BMW. The OEM Potenza's had a treadwear rating of 140, the Kumho's have a treadwear rating of 600! And, they are over a $100 a tire less. 4 times the wear at 2/3rd's the price is math I can live with!

I don't pay attention to noise too much since I always have my radio blaring or am yacking away. Steering response is fine.

The user ratings from others who own these are great on Tire Rack. I am in Minnesota and I like that they are an all season tire. That means I can get another couple weeks or so on the front end of winter and get the them on a little earlier in the spring. This will save the tread on my Blizzaks for the heavy stuff.

[M35 Sport]

So far, I really like the Kumho's. I ran them for years on my BMW. The OEM Potenza's had a treadwear rating of 140, the Kumho's have a treadwear rating of 600! And, they are over a $100 a tire less. 4 times the wear at 2/3rd's the price is math I can live with!

I don't pay attention to noise too much since I always have my radio blaring or am yacking away. Steering response is fine.

The user ratings from others who own these are great on Tire Rack. I am in Minnesota and I like that they are an all season tire. That means I can get another couple weeks or so on the front end of winter and get the them on a little earlier in the spring. This will save the tread on my Blizzaks for the heavy stuff.

Thanks. I have narrowed my next set of tires down to about 4 brands. I also noticed the 600 tread wear rating. Very useful for me since I drive 100+ miles a day. Did you get them from tire rack?

[Bob24]

Thanks. I have narrowed my next set of tires down to about 4 brands. I also noticed the 600 tread wear rating. Very useful for me since I drive 100+ miles a day. Did you get them from tire rack?

Nope, I made the local place match Tire Rack's price though.

[Q45tech]

Just as long as you understand that higher treadwear index have poor wet braking distances compared to oem you might lose 15-25 feet in a WET panic stop from 50 mph. 1-2 car lengths is sometimes important.

Inexpensive tires usually are good until they have 8,000 miles then down hill from there.

[Bob24]

Well, almost $1,000 out the door isn't exactly cheap. However, I know that an all season tire is giving up a bit in some areas and gaining some in the others. This isn't my first set of Kumho's and I know what to expect and would tell anyone that asked that they are a quality tire.

In Minnesota, an all season tire can make good sense as well.

[GJEMD]

Inexpensive tires usually are good until they have 8,000 miles then down hill from there.consistent with my experience with Kumho. I had the only 235/45/18 made by Kumho.I got rid of them @ 20,000. could not get rid of the increasing noise with ware.