Dirt Cheap Quality Tires?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,582
Likes: 137
From: SoCal CA
I am running the general's on my 97 MN6 in stock sizes. They are great tires! Excellent wet/dry traction and quiet compared to the Michelin Run flats they are replacing. Now, don't get me wrong- the ZP's are very nice tires (over the stock run flats) but what you pay for two of them, you have a set of 4 of the Generals.
my 97 has a moddfied suspension (04 Z06 springs, 04 Z shocks and C6 Z51 sway bars) and the generals grab a lot more in the turns then the ZP's did....the ZP's were not bald either I blew one out when a guy cut me off and I replaced all 4 tires at that time.
I would certainly buy them again - they are very nice tires!
my 97 has a moddfied suspension (04 Z06 springs, 04 Z shocks and C6 Z51 sway bars) and the generals grab a lot more in the turns then the ZP's did....the ZP's were not bald either I blew one out when a guy cut me off and I replaced all 4 tires at that time.
I would certainly buy them again - they are very nice tires!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 8,466
Likes: 51
St. Jude Donor '17
^^
I dont think anyone takes savings to the extremes on that post. My car cost me $27k and it has nothing but high end parts under the hood. I dont mess around when it comes to performance, Trick Flow heads, custom cam, FAST intake, Yank tc, Intro billet wheels, Royal Purple, I got them. I also know that some things arent worth their price and that includes a lot of tires. So call me cheap if you will but line up your car to mine and tell me how my exhaust sounds as I leave you way behind. BTW, its a Hooker exhaust I bought at Autozone for $375.
For me its about what works, period. Who cares what magazine or show your product is on, it just has to perform.
(Just checked 295/35r18 @ TireRack $193ea.)
I dont think anyone takes savings to the extremes on that post. My car cost me $27k and it has nothing but high end parts under the hood. I dont mess around when it comes to performance, Trick Flow heads, custom cam, FAST intake, Yank tc, Intro billet wheels, Royal Purple, I got them. I also know that some things arent worth their price and that includes a lot of tires. So call me cheap if you will but line up your car to mine and tell me how my exhaust sounds as I leave you way behind. BTW, its a Hooker exhaust I bought at Autozone for $375.
For me its about what works, period. Who cares what magazine or show your product is on, it just has to perform.(Just checked 295/35r18 @ TireRack $193ea.)
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 8,466
Likes: 51
St. Jude Donor '17
While I don't have alot of driving experience with them, I work with the aforementioned tires almost every day, we have many high-end customers. I get a chance to know and understand their construction, and to closely observe their characteristics.
The biggest problem when comparing tires is that there is rarely an accurate opinion. When it comes to tires customers can rarely compare their capabilities when the tires are similarly worn/aged. A set of worn out Ps2s will always handle worse then a new set of Falken FK452s. but when you look at the quality of the tires themselves the Michelin is leaps and bounds more advanced.
The Michelin has three totally different advanced compounds across the face of the tire for differing road conditions and temperatures, it has internal construction that allows for a soft, supple, sidewall while being able to maximize tread contact with the road under load. The rubber across the tire is so sharply and cleanly pressed that it looks like it was cut by a cnc machine.
The Falkens are a soft tread compound that is grippy at average conditions and temperatures, with a generic casing, where you either have stiff sidewall, bad ride, good cornering, or vice versa, and a generic tread pattern that happens to be the proven directional "V" design. I have very little confidence that there is actually any engineering put into the tread pattern of these generic tires.
Another factor that makes a huge difference in tire comparisons is the condition of the rest of the vehicle, if an alignment angle is off, or a technician has done a bad alignment, then a car with race slicks couldn't handle as well as a car with snow tires.
My personal opinion? Put me in the group of "You get what you pay for"
Heck if you purchase Michelins new PS A/S Plus you can get superior performance then the falkens and I will (almost) guarantee you, you'll get DOUBLE the life out of them. (first UHP low-pro tire with a Treadlife warranty)
(Oh, By the way, unless you happen to get Michelins PAX runflat system, ALL RUNFLATS SUCK)
Jake,
National Tire and battery, Sales Associate
The biggest problem when comparing tires is that there is rarely an accurate opinion. When it comes to tires customers can rarely compare their capabilities when the tires are similarly worn/aged. A set of worn out Ps2s will always handle worse then a new set of Falken FK452s. but when you look at the quality of the tires themselves the Michelin is leaps and bounds more advanced.
The Michelin has three totally different advanced compounds across the face of the tire for differing road conditions and temperatures, it has internal construction that allows for a soft, supple, sidewall while being able to maximize tread contact with the road under load. The rubber across the tire is so sharply and cleanly pressed that it looks like it was cut by a cnc machine.
The Falkens are a soft tread compound that is grippy at average conditions and temperatures, with a generic casing, where you either have stiff sidewall, bad ride, good cornering, or vice versa, and a generic tread pattern that happens to be the proven directional "V" design. I have very little confidence that there is actually any engineering put into the tread pattern of these generic tires.
Another factor that makes a huge difference in tire comparisons is the condition of the rest of the vehicle, if an alignment angle is off, or a technician has done a bad alignment, then a car with race slicks couldn't handle as well as a car with snow tires.
My personal opinion? Put me in the group of "You get what you pay for"
Heck if you purchase Michelins new PS A/S Plus you can get superior performance then the falkens and I will (almost) guarantee you, you'll get DOUBLE the life out of them. (first UHP low-pro tire with a Treadlife warranty)
(Oh, By the way, unless you happen to get Michelins PAX runflat system, ALL RUNFLATS SUCK)
Jake,
National Tire and battery, Sales Associate
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: It's true money can't buy happiness, but it is more comfortable crying in a Corvette than on a bicyc
St. Jude Donor '13
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,582
Likes: 137
From: SoCal CA
Tires just came in. They look really good. I measured the width at about 11 3/4in and thats with no air. Its raining today so tomorrow I should have them mounted and I'l be able to take some pics. The rubber feels pretty sticky just by running your hands across them. so far so good.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,055
Likes: 0
From: Jax Florida
The best C5 tires based on performance and cost...
Kumho MX (better performer, slightly higher cost)
General Exclaim UHP
Vredestein Sessenta
Firestone Wide Ovals are inexpensive, but they don't perform anywhere near those listed above.
For typical daily driving, there's no reason to spend a million dollars on tires unless you want to impress the kids at the local Sonic or the shine-and-show crowd.
Kumho MX (better performer, slightly higher cost)
General Exclaim UHP
Vredestein Sessenta
Firestone Wide Ovals are inexpensive, but they don't perform anywhere near those listed above.
For typical daily driving, there's no reason to spend a million dollars on tires unless you want to impress the kids at the local Sonic or the shine-and-show crowd.
Last edited by Ryan L; Dec 17, 2008 at 10:17 PM.
