Advise on replacing tires

[a***@gmail.com]

My 1999 Lexus RX300 has approx 120,000 km (75,000 miles). It has
Bridgestone Dueler H/T all season tires. I believe that they are the
original tires (?)
Recently, during a bad freezing rain day, my car skids over 10 ft
distance when I tried to stop at an intersection. Mind you, this
happened to be a bad day with over 200 bumper accidents on the same
day all over the town. This is in the canadian central region when
temperature can dip to -40F (or -40C), and there can be lots of snow
in the winter. We usually drive in the city, not much highway
driving. We also do not use the car very much ( I commute using a
public transportation most of the time). Perhaps we drove about 7500
miles (1200 km) per year. I do not plan to have regular and winter
tires (too much work to change every year). However, I like to feel
secure when driving, particularly in the winter time (therefore the
4WD SUV instead of regular car).I have questions about replacing the
tires:
- What is the general life expectancy of all season tires? Is 75,000
miles common, or is it time to change the tires? The last time we
serviced the car, the Lexus dealership told me that the tires are
still OK. I assume that they checked the tread thickness when they
rotate the tires.
- What is the best performance brand and model for all season tires
that grips the road well in icy winter conditions? Is Bridgestone
Dueler H/T the best?
- How much does it cost approximately for replacing the 4 tires?
- Should I stick to the Bridgestone Dueler H/T?
- Could brand tire name be mixed among the four wheels?
- Does a certain brand and model car fit better for a certain brand
and type of tires?
- Could you just change 1 or 2 tires at a time, or should you replace
all 4. I think we plan to keep the car for a couple more years. So far
the car has been great and it is still working flawlessly.
- What other brand tires that also fit best for the 1999 RX300?
Michelin cross track? Yokohama Geolander?
Any comments will be appreciated. Thanks

[Elmo P. Shagnasty]

In article

Post by a***@gmail.com
My 1999 Lexus RX300 has approx 120,000 km (75,000 miles). It has
Bridgestone Dueler H/T all season tires. I believe that they are the
original tires (?)
Recently, during a bad freezing rain day, my car skids over 10 ft
distance when I tried to stop at an intersection. Mind you, this
happened to be a bad day with over 200 bumper accidents on the same
day all over the town. This is in the canadian central region when
temperature can dip to -40F (or -40C), and there can be lots of snow
in the winter....

wow, and you're on 75,000 mile, 10 year old tires?

Post by a***@gmail.com
We usually drive in the city, not much highway
driving. We also do not use the car very much ( I commute using a
public transportation most of the time). Perhaps we drove about 7500
miles (1200 km) per year. I do not plan to have regular and winter
tires (too much work to change every year). However, I like to feel
secure when driving, particularly in the winter time (therefore the
4WD SUV instead of regular car).I have questions about replacing the
- What is the general life expectancy of all season tires? Is 75,000
miles common, or is it time to change the tires? The last time we
serviced the car, the Lexus dealership told me that the tires are
still OK. I assume that they checked the tread thickness when they
rotate the tires.

The *tread* may be within specs, but the rubber is all gone to hell by
now.

And besides the 10 years, 75K is pushing ANY tire--even if that's on two
year old tires.

Post by a***@gmail.com
- What is the best performance brand and model for all season tires
that grips the road well in icy winter conditions? Is Bridgestone
Dueler H/T the best?

There is only one: Nokian WR. Those tires absolutely ROCK. If you're
not going to get dedicated winter tires, get Nokian WR.

[Jerohm]

Post by Elmo P. Shagnasty
In article
There is only one: Nokian WR. Those tires absolutely ROCK. If you're
not going to get dedicated winter tires, get Nokian WR.

I concure, these are damn good tires. Not the cheapest or easiest to come
by however.

[a***@gmail.com]

There is only one:  Nokian WR.  Those tires absolutely ROCK.  If you're
not going to get dedicated winter tires, get Nokian WR.

I concure, these are damn good tires.  Not the cheapest or easiest to come
by however.

To get tires appears to be difficult in our town. The market appears
to be tight. Michelin tires are not in stock, and even that, they only
have low stock in other cities. Yokohama tires (Geolander) have to be
ordered from another cities in the west coast. Dealership is also
scarce. Bridgestone H/L Alenza tires are out of stock, and DK where
you can get one. However, strangely, one tire dealership is selling
Nokian WR G2 tires and have lots in stock. I look at the tires and it
has good grooves and soft (which may be good for winter driving).
However, it is only rated for 80,000 km. Michelin has 100,000 or
110,000 km.
Has anyone else using Nokian WR G2 tires? How is the performance in
snow, ice and winter? Will the tire wear out quickly in the summer?
I never heard Nokian tires before, and the company is located in the
Nordic country (Finland). It just sounds like a cellphone name
"Nokia". Their website indicated that they sell lots of tires in the
Scandinavian countries, Russia, etc.
The price is very competitive, 15% less than Michelin LTX or Latitude
Tour, and over 20% less than the Bridgestone Alenza,
Any other comments about this Nokian tires? Two replies above appears
to agree that it is an excellent tire. Thanks for the info.

[Jerohm]

<***@gmail.com> wrote in message news:1a8b6890-e35e-4513-b120-:
:
:
:
... However, strangely, one tire dealership is selling
Nokian WR G2 tires and have lots in stock. I look at the tires and it
has good grooves and soft (which may be good for winter driving).
However, it is only rated for 80,000 km. Michelin has 100,000 or
110,000 km.
Has anyone else using Nokian WR G2 tires? How is the performance in
snow, ice and winter? Will the tire wear out quickly in the summer?
:
:
:

They are absolutely great for winter driving (especially for rear wheel
drive) and still a reasonably quiet ride in the summer. For a time, they
were THE ONLY all-weather tire with a snow tire rating ... I have no idea if
that is STILL true. They ARE soft and tend to wear faster than some other
tires. I don't put all that many miles on anymore, but would purchase
again.

[Jay Somerset]

Post by a***@gmail.com
My 1999 Lexus RX300 has approx 120,000 km (75,000 miles). It has
Bridgestone Dueler H/T all season tires. I believe that they are the
original tires (?)

Not likely -- you should be lucky to get 1/2 of this on the OE tires.

Post by a***@gmail.com
Recently, during a bad freezing rain day, my car skids over 10 ft
distance when I tried to stop at an intersection. Mind you, this
happened to be a bad day with over 200 bumper accidents on the same
day all over the town. This is in the canadian central region when
temperature can dip to -40F (or -40C), and there can be lots of snow
in the winter. We usually drive in the city, not much highway
driving. We also do not use the car very much ( I commute using a
public transportation most of the time). Perhaps we drove about 7500
miles (1200 km) per year. I do not plan to have regular and winter
tires (too much work to change every year). However, I like to feel
secure when driving, particularly in the winter time (therefore the
4WD SUV instead of regular car).

Traction and braking ability are very temperature dependent. With
cold (less than 0 F or -20C), you really need "real winter" tires --
the compound on summer and even 'all season' tires is just too hard
and inflexible to give gfood traction at these temperatures).

Post by a***@gmail.com
I have questions about replacing the
- What is the general life expectancy of all season tires? Is 75,000
miles common, or is it time to change the tires?

I really doubt that mileage claim.

Post by a***@gmail.com
The last time we
serviced the car, the Lexus dealership told me that the tires are
still OK. I assume that they checked the tread thickness when they
rotate the tires.
- What is the best performance brand and model for all season tires
that grips the road well in icy winter conditions? Is Bridgestone
Dueler H/T the best?
- How much does it cost approximately for replacing the 4 tires?
- Should I stick to the Bridgestone Dueler H/T?
- Could brand tire name be mixed among the four wheels?

No, don't mix tires. The same brand/style should be on all four
wheels.

Post by a***@gmail.com
- Does a certain brand and model car fit better for a certain brand
and type of tires?
- Could you just change 1 or 2 tires at a time, or should you replace
all 4.

Change all four. If you only do two, and you have front wheel drive,
the car will oversteer to a danmgerous extent when it gets slippery &
cold. If rear wheel drive, you will understeer and plow straight
through a slippery corner.

Post by a***@gmail.com
I think we plan to keep the car for a couple more years. So far
the car has been great and it is still working flawlessly.
- What other brand tires that also fit best for the 1999 RX300?
Michelin cross track? Yokohama Geolander?
Any comments will be appreciated. Thanks

For winter tires, it has been hard to beat the Bridgestone Blizzak
WS50s, although these have now been replaced with the newer WS60 (?)
model. When moving to a winter tire, it is best to reduce the tire
width by one grade, and increase the sidewall ratio, to maintain the
same tire circumference and correct speedometer/odometer readings.
E.G. 225/17/R50 >> 215/17/R55/.

[Ray O]

Post by a***@gmail.com
My 1999 Lexus RX300 has approx 120,000 km (75,000 miles). It has
Bridgestone Dueler H/T all season tires. I believe that they are the
original tires (?)
Recently, during a bad freezing rain day, my car skids over 10 ft
distance when I tried to stop at an intersection. Mind you, this
happened to be a bad day with over 200 bumper accidents on the same
day all over the town. This is in the canadian central region when
temperature can dip to -40F (or -40C), and there can be lots of snow
in the winter. We usually drive in the city, not much highway
driving. We also do not use the car very much ( I commute using a
public transportation most of the time). Perhaps we drove about 7500
miles (1200 km) per year. I do not plan to have regular and winter
tires (too much work to change every year). However, I like to feel
secure when driving, particularly in the winter time (therefore the
4WD SUV instead of regular car).I have questions about replacing the
- What is the general life expectancy of all season tires? Is 75,000
miles common, or is it time to change the tires? The last time we
serviced the car, the Lexus dealership told me that the tires are
still OK. I assume that they checked the tread thickness when they
rotate the tires.

The average life expectancy of all season tires is around 40,000 to 60,000
miles. Tires with a higher treadwear rating will generally last longer,
tires with a lower treadwear rating (under 300) will generally have a
shorter life. Tires deteriorate even without wearing, so they should be
replaced every 10 years whether or not the tread is worn down.

Post by a***@gmail.com
- What is the best performance brand and model for all season tires
that grips the road well in icy winter conditions? Is Bridgestone
Dueler H/T the best?

Check tirerack.com for tire ratings.

Post by a***@gmail.com
- How much does it cost approximately for replacing the 4 tires?

Including mounting, balancing, old tire disposal fees, etc., expect to spend
ssomwhere between U.S. $700 and $1000 for decent tires, depending on the
tire size and quality.

Post by a***@gmail.com
- Should I stick to the Bridgestone Dueler H/T?

If you are happy with their performance before they wore down, yes.

Post by a***@gmail.com
- Could brand tire name be mixed among the four wheels?

Yes, but the vehicle will not handle well not handle well in poor road
conditions and there will be accelerated wear on your center differential.
Best to replace 4 tires at once, especially if you have AWD.

Post by a***@gmail.com
- Does a certain brand and model car fit better for a certain brand
and type of tires?

In theory, yes, but practically, no.

Post by a***@gmail.com
- Could you just change 1 or 2 tires at a time, or should you replace
all 4. I think we plan to keep the car for a couple more years. So far
the car has been great and it is still working flawlessly.

Best to replace 4 at a time.

Post by a***@gmail.com
- What other brand tires that also fit best for the 1999 RX300?
Michelin cross track? Yokohama Geolander?
Any comments will be appreciated. Thanks

Check reviews at tirerack.com.

[j***@hotmail.com]

I doubt yours are the original. Dueler with a tread wear rating of 180
isn't likely to last that much longer than 18K miles. At least not
safely.

I would avoid Bridgestones/Firestones. Inexpensive tires are
inexpensive for a reason. I'd find a Michelin instead.

Tirerack reviews:
Would You Buy This Tire Again?
Most said: "Probably Not" (Average of 3.8 out of 10)

How Did This Tire Rank In Its Category?
52 out of 68 tires (Score of 5.8 vs best tire in category score of
8.7)

For example: "Initial Review, 25,000 Miles on Tires
September 20, 2008
Probably the worst tires I have ever bought. At 20K miles they were
75% worn. Traction and cornering are the worst. Will never buy from
Bridgestone again."

Post by a***@gmail.com
My 1999 Lexus RX300 has approx 120,000 km (75,000 miles). It has
Bridgestone Dueler H/T all season tires. I believe that they are the
original tires (?)
Recently, during a bad freezing rain day, my car skids over 10 ft
distance when I tried to stop at an intersection. Mind you, this
happened to be a bad day with over 200 bumper accidents on the same
day all over the town. This is in the canadian central region when
temperature can dip to -40F (or -40C), and there can be lots of snow
in the winter. We usually drive in the city, not much highway
driving.  We also do not use the car very much ( I commute using a
public transportation most of the time). Perhaps we drove about 7500
miles (1200 km) per year. I do not plan to have regular and winter
tires (too much work to change every year). However, I like to feel
secure when driving, particularly in the winter time (therefore the
4WD SUV instead of regular car).I have questions about replacing the
- What is the general life expectancy of all season tires? Is 75,000
miles common, or is it time to change the tires? The last time we
serviced the car, the Lexus dealership told me that the tires are
still OK. I assume that they checked the tread thickness when they
rotate the tires.
- What is the best performance brand and model for all season tires
that grips the road well in icy winter conditions? Is Bridgestone
Dueler H/T the best?
- How much does it cost approximately for replacing the 4 tires?
- Should I stick to the Bridgestone Dueler H/T?
- Could brand tire name be mixed among the four wheels?
- Does a certain brand and model car fit better for a certain brand
and type of tires?
- Could you just change 1 or 2 tires at a time, or should you replace
all 4. I think we plan to keep the car for a couple more years. So far
the car has been great and it is still working flawlessly.
- What other brand tires that also fit best for the 1999 RX300?
Michelin cross track? Yokohama Geolander?
Any comments will be appreciated. Thanks

[j***@hotmail.com]

Also check out:

Goodyear Fortera:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Goodyear&tireModel=Fortera+TripleTred

Michelin LTX:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Michelin&tireModel=LTX+M%2FS

Post by a***@gmail.com
My 1999 Lexus RX300 has approx 120,000 km (75,000 miles). It has
Bridgestone Dueler H/T all season tires. I believe that they are the
original tires (?)
Recently, during a bad freezing rain day, my car skids over 10 ft
distance when I tried to stop at an intersection. Mind you, this
happened to be a bad day with over 200 bumper accidents on the same
day all over the town. This is in the canadian central region when
temperature can dip to -40F (or -40C), and there can be lots of snow
in the winter. We usually drive in the city, not much highway
driving.  We also do not use the car very much ( I commute using a
public transportation most of the time). Perhaps we drove about 7500
miles (1200 km) per year. I do not plan to have regular and winter
tires (too much work to change every year). However, I like to feel
secure when driving, particularly in the winter time (therefore the
4WD SUV instead of regular car).I have questions about replacing the
- What is the general life expectancy of all season tires? Is 75,000
miles common, or is it time to change the tires? The last time we
serviced the car, the Lexus dealership told me that the tires are
still OK. I assume that they checked the tread thickness when they
rotate the tires.
- What is the best performance brand and model for all season tires
that grips the road well in icy winter conditions? Is Bridgestone
Dueler H/T the best?
- How much does it cost approximately for replacing the 4 tires?
- Should I stick to the Bridgestone Dueler H/T?
- Could brand tire name be mixed among the four wheels?
- Does a certain brand and model car fit better for a certain brand
and type of tires?
- Could you just change 1 or 2 tires at a time, or should you replace
all 4. I think we plan to keep the car for a couple more years. So far
the car has been great and it is still working flawlessly.
- What other brand tires that also fit best for the 1999 RX300?
Michelin cross track? Yokohama Geolander?
Any comments will be appreciated. Thanks

[Colin]

Post by j***@hotmail.com
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Goodyear&tireModel=For
tera+TripleTred
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Michelin&tireModel=LTX
+M%2FS

Post by a***@gmail.com
My 1999 Lexus RX300 has approx 120,000 km (75,000 miles). It has
Bridgestone Dueler H/T all season tires. I believe that they are the
original tires (?)
Recently, during a bad freezing rain day, my car skids over 10 ft
distance when I tried to stop at an intersection. Mind you, this
happened to be a bad day with over 200 bumper accidents on the same
day all over the town. This is in the canadian central region when
temperature can dip to -40F (or -40C), and there can be lots of snow
in the winter. We usually drive in the city, not much highway
driving.  We also do not use the car very much ( I commute using a
public transportation most of the time). Perhaps we drove about 7500
miles (1200 km) per year. I do not plan to have regular and winter
tires (too much work to change every year). However, I like to feel
secure when driving, particularly in the winter time (therefore the
4WD SUV instead of regular car).I have questions about replacing the
- What is the general life expectancy of all season tires? Is 75,000
miles common, or is it time to change the tires? The last time we
serviced the car, the Lexus dealership told me that the tires are
still OK. I assume that they checked the tread thickness when they
rotate the tires.
- What is the best performance brand and model for all season tires
that grips the road well in icy winter conditions? Is Bridgestone
Dueler H/T the best?
- How much does it cost approximately for replacing the 4 tires?
- Should I stick to the Bridgestone Dueler H/T?
- Could brand tire name be mixed among the four wheels?
- Does a certain brand and model car fit better for a certain brand
and type of tires?
- Could you just change 1 or 2 tires at a time, or should you replace
all 4. I think we plan to keep the car for a couple more years. So
far the car has been great and it is still working flawlessly.
- What other brand tires that also fit best for the 1999 RX300?
Michelin cross track? Yokohama Geolander?
Any comments will be appreciated. Thanks

I installed GoodYear Comfort Ride after my original set of Bridgestones wore out. They are still like
new after 10,000 miles. Quieter and a better grip than the Bridgestone too.

[mcbrue]

Buy Michelin. Past 35 years I have not had any problems with any of
the sets that I have purchased. There is probaly some optimum model
for your car, so just call Michelin at an 800 number and ask for
customer service if your local dealer can't help. I think most big
discount places like Sam's have the reccomendations from Michelin for
the different model cars.