Which Tires????

[Don M]

The tires on my Camaro are still in good shape, but it's only a matter of time before they will need replaced. They have a relatively long tread life warranty and I think I'm starting to see some dry-rot from age (very minor though). I can't/don't want to put it up for the winter, so I'll need good tires for year round.

I know the smart answer is to get performance tires for the "good" months and dedicated rims with snows for the "bad" months, but unfortunately being a single-income family of 4 makes that impossible. So an 'all-season' it has to be.

For whatever reason Chevrolet decided to curse Camaro owners with "one-off" tire sizes, on my car it's 245/55R18 (try looking that size up on TIRE RACK and see how many options you get ... exactly 4). My stock tire, a BFG Radial T/A spec, a Kumho Ecsta PA31 - which I've been told by several sources has very poor wear characteristics. A Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval - which isn't exactly an all season, and a Goodyear Ultra Grip dedicated snow tire, which would be nice, BUT I would tear it up fast driving on it in warm weather/summer conditions. Very short tread life is not an option.

Now, if I look at POLICE-rated tires, Goodyear's RSA/police comes in a 245/55R18 (which happens to be THE standard tire/size for ALL Ford Police Pursuit vehicles from the factory) where the "standard" RSA does not. I had decent luck with the RSA on my Z24 (the canary yellow Cavalier I totaled in '06) they were decent in the snow and with my driving habits (95% steady state highway - no tracking or other hi-jinks), I got almost 60,000 miles out of them.

Lastly, I just learned about a brand new tire from Cooper, the Zeon RS3-G1. It's rated as a high performance all-season radial, BUT it's only been out a few months and there is no feedback on how it does in the snow & slush.

So just for tires, I am looking at between $800 - $1,100 for tires/mounting/balancing + an alignment, so this is an investment I can only make every few years.

Just as a fun fact, new rims are ~200 each, not including tire pressure sensors etc, so you can see why having 2 sets of tires is out of the question.

Please help me decide!

[FUNX650]

The tires on my Camaro are still in good shape,
They have a relatively long tread life warranty

I can't/don't want to put it up for the winter,
so I'll need good tires for year round.

So an 'all-season' it has to be.

For whatever reason Chevrolet decided to
curse Camaro owners with "one-off" tire
sizes, on my car it's 245/55R18
My stock tire, a BFG Radial T/A spec...

for tires, I am looking at between $800 -
$1,100 for tires/mounting/balancing
+ an alignment...

Isn't the BFG Radial T/A Spec
an 'all season' tire?

BFGoodrich#Radial T/A Spec (http://m.tirerack.com/tires/TireDetailsServlet?tireMake=BFGoodrich&tireModel=Radial+T%2FA+Spec&sidewall=Blackwall&partnum=455TR8RADTA2&AID=10398365&PID=7913187)

The reasons for GM/Camaro's engineers
(along with their tire co. counterparts)
"engineering" these tires specifically
for this vehicle are many and varied.

I'd say consumers' Safety; road handling
abilities; and tires' tread-life...are a few.



Bob

[TTQ B4U]

I'll pm you buddy here in Columbus. He will hook you up. I'll call you later too.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk

[ScottB]

I have found a lot of value in the Toyo brand, I consider them a Japanese Michelin. I am not particularly found of Goodyear Tires, they just never seemed to hold up and handle like others. Michelin are very good but have firm pricing models and highest pricing overall, but handle very well and wear out quickly. I currently have Pirelli's which are on the new Camaro also, to date they handle well and seem to show only the slightest of wear.

Consider ordering tires online .. often times you have low shipping, great prices, and no tax. Then you can have your local installer put them on.

[Don M]

I've had people tell me that the T/A specs are everything from the best tire there is in the snow for the Camaro (barring a true snow tire) to "It will turn into a slick once snow etc gets packed into the tread."

I'm just paranoid I guess since there seems to be so few tires to chose from and that they are not cheap, so I don't want to make a costly mistake. I really have no idea just how the BFGs work in the snow, since after I bought the car, we didn't have much of it.

Like I said, ideally I would have two sets of rims & tires, one with snows, the other with high performance all seasons on them (because summer tires tend to suck in the rain, and we do get a lot of that here at times).

[Don M]

Isn't the BFG Radial T/A Spec
an 'all season' tire?



Bob

Yes, but I guess I'll have to wait until the snow hits to see if there is anything I need to worry about.

[WillSports3]

If I can suggest something, Hankook Optimo 4S. It's a true all-weather tire, meaning that it can handle the summer and the snow as opposed to all-season tires which truly do not cut it in snow. Here in Canada, I see a lot of SUVs and pick up trucks missing front bumpers stopped on the side of the road with their hazards on because their all season tires tossed them bumper first into a pole. I would suggest asking or seeing about all-weather tires, all seasons really do not cut it in the snow. The only time all season tires are truly all season is if you live in Florida or Georgia. If your temperature gets below 32 degrees, then all season tires are 3 season tires.

[Octopiston]

The RSA's may be horrible on your Camaro. Had them on a Grand Am and they were fine, but they hydroplaned and did horrible in light snow on our G8. Continental DW summer tires did better in winter than the all season rsa's.
Cooper RS3 may be a good choice. I had the rs3-a on the g8, and it did well.

You might be able to find some cheap take off wheels, 19" like a G8 or second gen V, or stock 20" for a Camaro, and have better choices. I've seen take off wheels with tires for less than you could buy tires. Shop around, check out some forums etc.

[DaveT435]

I worked for Discount Tire Co for 28 years. Do yourself a favor and stop in one of their stores in your area.

[parshooter]

"All season tire" = 3 season tire.

[damaged442]

It's difficult, as I have yet to find a true high performance all season tire that does everything well. I have an Acura TSX, which came with Michelin Pilot HX MXM4 (225/50/R17). I was not a fan of these tires at all, or their $200+ each price tag.

Doing some homework, I came across Nitto Motivo, which classified as an all season ultra high performance tire, with a 60K mileage treadwear warranty. I got them delivered for $128/each and was extremely impressed with them. I do have a set of designated snows on other wheels, but I drove through a few inches of snow with the Nittos a few times before I swapped them over. Real world mileage was 52K before they needed to be replaced. I think they performed very well overall.

When it came time to replace the Nittos, it was more homework, and in the middle of a divorce, I was trying to save all I could. I came across the Cooper Zeon RS3a and acquired a set of those at less than $110 each. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about the Coopers, and presently have about 15K on them. They saw about a half inch of snow, prior to me switching. They handled OK enough, but I was definitely in a hurry to get the snows on!

Again, I see your choices are limited, and if I had your car, with those choices, I would be trying the Coopers. But then again, I wouldn't be driving a Camaro in the snow! LOL!

Good luck!

[Jaretr1]

If your tires are not worn, don't replace them until they are.

[Don M]

If your tires are not worn, don't replace them until they are.


Oh, I'm not. I'm just doing my research now so I'm better informed when the time does come since my choices in 245/55R18 are somewhat limited.

[Don M]

When it came time to replace the Nittos, it was more homework, and in the middle of a divorce, I was trying to save all I could. I came across the Cooper Zeon RS3a and acquired a set of those at less than $110 each. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about the Coopers, and presently have about 15K on them. They saw about a half inch of snow, prior to me switching. They handled OK enough, but I was definitely in a hurry to get the snows on!

Again, I see your choices are limited, and if I had your car, with those choices, I would be trying the Coopers. But then again, I wouldn't be driving a Camaro in the snow! LOL!

Good luck!

I've spoken with Cooper Tires and they recommended their Zeon RS3-G1 tire for the Camaro, which is an upgrade from the RS3A tires and is VERY new, it's only been out a few months. I definitely have some decision making to do over the next few months, HOPEFULLY, someone will post some snow experience with the G1s. The reviews I read about the RS3As were great.

And never fear, if I feel the weather is too bad for the Camaro, I have the wife's 4x4 Explorer to drive

[392hemi]

Check you the Conitnenal DWS06 (Dry, wet and snow)

Tire Test Results : Testing the Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Ultra High Performance All-Season Tire (http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=201)

I've had RSA tires previously and aren't great in snow. I got by with them, but nothing great.

I currently have RSA2s on my car from the factory ( Charger Scatpack) and they are meh in the snow.