# Tire Experts. best hi mile tires for Honda Civic LX



## pcgirl54 (Dec 22, 2009)

Dh has a 2006 Civic LX Sedan and commutes 30k miles a year to work almost all highway miles. He has Goodyear Eagle which are rated for 40k miles and although this is his 2nd set of tires since he has the car 3.5 yrs that brand is OEM. We live in the Northeast so snow and ice are a factor for 5-6 months.

I have heard about Goodyear Assurance tires that are rated for 80K miles and Firestone Affinity 70k miles. One dealer said do not buy Japanese tires and another said buy Yokohama they are better engineered and the tread is more evenly applied. That last person said we won't get 70 miles off the other tires.

Is the hype is true that one does get 70-80 miles ?  The added cost does not seem prohibitive.  I would rather buy tires that last longer than spend $600 every 18 months for a set of tires.
Quotes were $575 for GY Eagle
                  $603 GY Assurance
                   $438 FS Affinity(Buy 3 /1 tire was free sale has probably ended)

Our son told us tirerack.com has good prices but then one needs to have them installed and that costs extra plus we work long hours and rather have it done at once.

I read that sometime the higher mile tires are not good in snow/ice.

Thoughts on best brand that gets high miles and wears well for someone who drives in winter conditions for 5 months. There are so many different brands it's really too much to deal with and I want to but tires before the next storm

Thanks.


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## GadgetRick (Dec 22, 2009)

I would go to tirerack.com and read reviews of the types of tires you want. Then decide where you'd like to buy them.


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## Twinkstarr (Dec 22, 2009)

GadgetRick said:


> I would go to tirerack.com and read reviews of the types of tires you want. Then decide where you'd like to buy them.



DH used tirerack to get the reviews for a new set for my Audi. Ended up with a set of Michelins this time. 

Went to one of our regional tire places and DH got a really good price on them!


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## MILOIOWA (Dec 22, 2009)

I work for a Dealership and have been the "tire expert" for the last 8-9 years. It is somewhat true that a tire with a higher mileage rating MAY not perform quite as well in slick conditions. This is due to the tire being composed of a harder compound. Yokohama makes excelent tires and you will find a great balance of wear, traction, ride, and price especially in the Avid line. I don't know much about Firestones since I work for a Ford dealership and since the recall on the Wilderness tires fiasco we aren't partnered with Firestone any longer. Michelin, in my opinion, is terribly overpriced and simply relies on a very strong brand image and ingenious marketing. The G-year Assurance line seems to be a very good product, but they have been very hard to come by in many sizes. If you want an affordable tire with an 80 or even 100k mileage rating, look at the Hankook mileage plus, or Optimo lines. VERY good tires. If you want more of an all around tire, the Assurance, (if available) or one of the Uniroyal Tiger Paw tires will do great for you.


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## MILOIOWA (Dec 22, 2009)

Also remember that an alignment, new suspension parts such as balljoints, tie rod ends, and struts, along with regular rotations and proper air pressure are of DIRE importance if you want your tires to last to their ratings. One other thing, if you have a local Ford dealership, check them out for price and service. Ford will match any competitors quote on a like tire, and also often have other perks that other distributors do not have. 

Good luck and Merry Christmas!


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## brucenecho (Dec 23, 2009)

*Do not look at millage*

I had a set of tires that refused to wear out. The problem was that they rode rough,  had poor traction and were just plain terrible. I hated them.


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## thheath (Dec 23, 2009)

Michelin tires are normally reasonably priced at Costco also the last time I was there they had a special of $70 off a set of 4.  

I have been buying tires at Costco for years and I am very pleased with their service.  Considering they don't do other repairs you'll never get that scam about trying to sell you shocks, tie rods, un-needed alignments, etc.


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## pcgirl54 (Dec 23, 2009)

Thanks for the updates. I will check Costco and also check with the Ford managers I deal with. Never thought of calling Ford for Honda. Funny!

I would not want to buy tires that get hi miles but a rough ride or are poor in snow conditions.

We are diligent about our car repairs since we commute so far. I do not want to get stuck on the highway. I watch for upsells of things that are not essential versus the things that need attention now.


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## Passepartout (Dec 23, 2009)

DW put Michelin Hydro-Edge from Costco on her Prius. They have a high mileage guarantee, are rated 'all season', and were pretty highly rated by Consumer Reports. They have already out-lived the OEM tires- not saying much- and not showing wear. I think they are a little noisy on concrete pavement, but maybe that's the car.

Jim Ricks


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## MILOIOWA (Dec 23, 2009)

thheath said:


> Michelin tires are normally reasonably priced at Costco also the last time I was there they had a special of $70 off a set of 4.
> 
> I have been buying tires at Costco for years and I am very pleased with their service.
> 
> ...



Sounds like you were taken advantage of at some point. But the fact is, that most cars, b the time they reach 50-60k miles need at least a front alignment, and many need suspension components to ensure that the tires they buy wear evenly.It has alot to do with your driving style and conditions. The fact is, these parts DO wear out especially now adays that 90% of them are non-greaseable, and they will in fact impact your tire wear.


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## thheath (Dec 23, 2009)

MILOIOWA said:


> Sounds like you were taken advantage of at some point. But the fact is, that most cars, b the time they reach 50-60k miles need at least a front alignment, and many need suspension components to ensure that the tires they buy wear evenly.It has alot to do with your driving style and conditions. The fact is, these parts DO wear out especially now adays that 90% of them are non-greaseable, and they will in fact impact your tire wear.



It sounds like you're in the auto repair business...

If Costco thinks I need something they will tell me and there is no conflict of interest or BS.  I challenge your assertion that most vehicles in the 50-60K range need alignments unless there has been damage or other unusual circumstances.

I personally haven't been taken advantage of in years.  With age comes wisdom and experience.

PS:  We have a local Sears’s auto repair shop that screws everyone that comes through the door and lies through their teeth.  My wife has 2 older lady friends that were both taken advantage of.  One had a 2008 Honda Accord with less than 6K on it and they talked her into 4 new tires and an alignment when she stopped by to have the air pressure checked while shopping.


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## LUVourMarriotts (Dec 23, 2009)

I have a 2003 Accord.  The standard equipment tire was a Michelin.  It was absolutely horrible in the snow.  At about 50k, I replaced them with Goodyear Assurance TripleTred tires after reading reviews/ratings on MavisTire.com and TireRack. (I have nothing to do with them, other than being a customer of Mavis Tire)  I was specifically looking for an all season tire that would be good in the snow.  These tires have been very good for me in the snow.  I have a pretty steep driveway about 100 feet long, leading up from the street.  With the Michelins, even with 2 inches, I could not get more than 30 feet up the driveway.  With the GY's, I can make it all the way up with as much as 3 or 4 inches on the ground.

The TripleTred tires are a bit expensive, but they have been great for me.  I just replaced them again this year with another set of TripleTreds.  I am now at 130k, so the first set lasted 80k miles.

I also agree that balancing and/or alignments are necessary to keep your tires wearing properly.  Not frequently, but over some time.  The roads these days are so bad, this is unfortunately necessary.


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## pedro47 (Dec 23, 2009)

We use Costco tires department for our vehicles. No problems if you need a special set of tires they will order them for your vehicles.


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## Rose Pink (Dec 23, 2009)

DH had yokohamas put on my mazda.  He also put them on DD's hundai.  They are "stickier" than standard tires and grip the road better.  Of course, they don't last as long, either, but I'd rather have tires that grip even if they need to be replaced more often.

We also had expensive Michelins that were very good.  They wore out before the warranty period so got replaced for free.  That was a sweet deal.


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## MILOIOWA (Dec 23, 2009)

thheath said:


> It sounds like you're in the auto repair business...
> 
> If Costco thinks I need something they will tell me and there is no conflict of interest or BS.  I challenge your assertion that most vehicles in the 50-60K range need alignments unless there has been damage or other unusual circumstances.
> 
> ...




Yes I am in the auto repair business. However I am in Iowa so i have no vested interest in the OP's willingness, or lack there of to buy from any particular facility. Maybe Hawaii has immaculate roads but here in the midwest, our roads are full of potholes, cracks, and debris. It is actually very easy for a car to be knocked out of alignment over the course of 50K miles. Also, we see quite a few cars that come right off the transport brand new that are slightly out of alignment and I'm sure many go unnoticed. So if I am spending 400 or more dollars on a set of tires, you can bet that I am gonna pay that extra 100 bucks or so to make sure that they wear evenly. Also, if someone at a Costco here in Iowa, or a walmart for that matter told me I needed a repair done other than an oil change(and even that is a stretch for most walmart techs) I would immediately have a FACTORY TRAINED (or well-trusted independant mechanic) look at the vehicle. There is no doubt that there are crooked repair shops out there. But there are many honest ones, and dealerships make their money off of repeat customers. Screwing someone out of $$ for new tires or parts that are un needed will eventually come back to bite you and totally not worth the tiny amount of money it would net them. Also, if a shop tells you you need a repair done, demand that they show you. Ask to see the worn part, and compare it to a known good part. Also, never settle for the quoted price. Most all dealership parts depts. price using a matrix of some kind through the shop. Meaning a % over the suggested list price. Politely tell the advisor that it sounds like a little more than you can afford and may just take it to your local mechanic, unless they can "somehow" come in at a little better price. You will be surprised what they will knock off. Remember, dealerships are being closed all over the country. If they can compromise, still make some m oney, and make you happy they have won in the big picture. Not only did they get the sale, but they made the customer happy and most likely they will return for that service in the future. There, I'm off my soapbox.


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## cgeidl (Dec 24, 2009)

*Like Michelin and Costco*

Ialso got my tires at Costco and like their warranty anf free wheel rebalancing and rotation. Got 91,000 on my last ones on a Lexus 400 and never got that type before. I get them checked the first of each month at Costco .Thay have very precise good equipment.Went once to a new Firestone store and they over filled my tires by almost ten pounds. Checked with two different gage. I called them but they didn't even seem that concerned. Went to Costco. Like the service and tires filled with nitrogen supposedly hold the air better. I seldom lose mor ethan part of a pound each month.
Costco also pays their workers a decent wage which I like . Don't know how ths compares to most other tire dealers. I like everything about the tire service other than there are no appointments and the last tires I had installed was on my third trip and I came a half hour before they opened bringing coffee and and the morning paper.


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## GadgetRick (Dec 24, 2009)

MILOIOWA said:


> Yes I am in the auto repair business. However I am in Iowa so i have no vested interest in the OP's willingness, or lack there of to buy from any particular facility. Maybe Hawaii has immaculate roads but here in the midwest, our roads are full of potholes, cracks, and debris. It is actually very easy for a car to be knocked out of alignment over the course of 50K miles. Also, we see quite a few cars that come right off the transport brand new that are slightly out of alignment and I'm sure many go unnoticed. So if I am spending 400 or more dollars on a set of tires, you can bet that I am gonna pay that extra 100 bucks or so to make sure that they wear evenly. Also, if someone at a Costco here in Iowa, or a walmart for that matter told me I needed a repair done other than an oil change(and even that is a stretch for most walmart techs) I would immediately have a FACTORY TRAINED (or well-trusted independant mechanic) look at the vehicle. There is no doubt that there are crooked repair shops out there. But there are many honest ones, and dealerships make their money off of repeat customers. Screwing someone out of $$ for new tires or parts that are un needed will eventually come back to bite you and totally not worth the tiny amount of money it would net them. Also, if a shop tells you you need a repair done, demand that they show you. Ask to see the worn part, and compare it to a known good part. Also, never settle for the quoted price. Most all dealership parts depts. price using a matrix of some kind through the shop. Meaning a % over the suggested list price. Politely tell the advisor that it sounds like a little more than you can afford and may just take it to your local mechanic, unless they can "somehow" come in at a little better price. You will be surprised what they will knock off. Remember, dealerships are being closed all over the country. If they can compromise, still make some m oney, and make you happy they have won in the big picture. Not only did they get the sale, but they made the customer happy and most likely they will return for that service in the future. There, I'm off my soapbox.



Well-said.

If someone makes money off making suggestions of what you should buy it doesn't mean they are trying to screw you. Sometimes people are making a good suggestion.


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