Thinking about new tires

[Pete]

I am starting to get quotes on new tires, and in doing so, I have gotten prices on Michelin (need to take up bank robbing to buy a set of them) Bridgestone, and Continental keeps coming up. Anyone have any experience with Continental? I see them on some high end European cars, and they seem to have a good reputation. Continental has a reasonable price, and warranty, just wondering if anyone on the site has any experience with them. I have used Bridgestone in the past and have had good luck with them.

[michaeldterry]

I bought the Firestone FS400's when I replaced my tires last spring and have been very satisfied with the ride and the wear. I also found the Michelins to be uncomfortably high priced. They certainly are proud of their tires! :rolleyes:

[BillhymerMD]

Mine need to be replaced as well. I currently have Toyo on the coach that are beginning to crack after several years.... Does anyone have an opinion on Toyo?

[ajducote]

Pete,

Would you mind posting the cost of the tires you have had quoted?

I am also looking to replace my steer tires and the Michelin quote from a local truck place fro 2 tires mounted and balanced and new valve stems was $1700.00

[Mark3101]

My family had a small trucking business (205 tractors-575 trailers) and used ONLY Michelin. We tried the others, but had much, much better luck with Michelin, and over the years, they just got better and better. We even switched our retreads to Michelin from Bandag and had substantially better life with that too. The prices were reasonable and the dealer as well as Michelin took very good care of us.

I wont't buy anything but Michelin. I know they cost a bit more than some of the others, but I think they are worth it.

[truk4u]

If anyone is near Atlanta and needs tires, contact me, I can get you a discounted POG price on mosts brands including Michelin. I have partnered up with a good friend who owns Action Tire and they have 37 location's around Atlanta. I will be helping Action with Lifeline Batteries and in return we will have a tire source for POG members.

If you have no intentions of going to the Atlanta area for tires, please don't bother with a price quote, I don't want to waste their time.

[Pete]

Andre, Just a scattering of prices I have gotten thus far.....Prevost Michelin $897.51 including FET...does not have labor, mount, and balance in the price. Firestone 607.93 includes mount, balance. Toyo 562.00 includes mount and equal. Bridgestone 692.52 includes mount and balance. Continental 556.58 includes equal. All prices except Michelin include mount and balance or equal, and taxes.

I am still waiting for quotes from other suppliers, and will post as soon as I get them. As best as I can tell, the brand preferences are as scattered as the prices. Some claim good service, and some claim bad service on all brands. I just have difficulty paying almost twice the price for the Michelin tires, when few of us put a limited number of miles on our coaches, and have to replace tires based on age rather than miles.

[Sid Tuls]

Mark what part of small did I miss 205 tractors? Just joking. I bet you had your hands full. The boys have 35 cattle trucks and all I hear them complain about is I can't wait to just get sub- haulers. That's all they run is Michelin on their trucks. They used to run retreads on the trailers but quit doing that a couple of years ago.

[GDeen]

Pete,
Not specific to truck tires, but I did just replace the high dollar performance tires on my Audi. Went with the Continental version due to excellent reviews and less price. Very pleased so far - quiet, good grip and about 1/3rd less cost.

I know some folks are going Chinese, but I have too much experience with poor QC on chinese oilfield equipment.

[LA-HODAG]

You might want to consider the Kumho KRS-02. I have them on all positions on my bus and am very satisfied with both price and performance. They are as quiet and ride as nice as the Micheliens I replaced and have been trouble free over four years on the drives and steers. In November I changed out my remaining Micheleins on the tag axel by getting new steers and moving the old steers back. Cost $965 for two tires, balance (Equal) and install, all taxes and disposal of the two old ones. Kumho is made in S. Korea. They make everything from racing tires, regular automotive and heavy equipment tires.
Disclosure: My law firm represents Kumho Tire in the US but this endorsement is unsolicited and uncompensated. I truly like the tires.

[joelselman]

Be aware...1 quote on Michelin doesn't mean "that's the price". I recently shopped a michelin tire and was quoted from 700 to 950 for the same tire. I BELIEVE the last quote I got from Prevost for 315's was 700 or less.

[charlesebrownjr]

I had Prevost Jacksonville replace all 8 of my tires on Nov. 1, 2010 for $643.11 each. Have had Toyo and Goodyear with equal. I much prefer the Michelin tires for ride and handling and are very quiet.
The previous set of Goodyear's were ruined because of the equal not sufficiently balancing the tires. Could not tell driving the coach but got to noticing the tire ware. Also, I believe the Toyo's are only rated at 65 MPH, the Goodyear's maybe 70 (ck. their web site info) the Michelin's are rated for 100:eek:. (just kidding) 70 Mph. The Goodyear's seemed to be good tires till I ruined them. They were around the $550.00 +/- price. All the vehicles I have had with Michelin tires, I can't say that I can remember ever having a problem. Good Luck

[craiglenz]

I bought 8 Michelins in Eugene Oregon for $710 mounted in November this year. Like others I had prices all over the map as high as $1100 a piece quoted to me. There definetly isnt a standard Michelin price. Mine are XZA 2 Energy. The coach is new to me so I dont have anything to really compare them too but they ride just fine near as I can tell. But hey like I said its a Prevost so I dont really have anything to compare them to. I thought they were a fair deal.

[Reagan Sirmons]

Pete. Please call Beasley Tires in Houston on highway 59 and use my name as reference. (281) 449 2365. I deal with the owner Bob Beasley or his son Michael. I do not know where you are getting your prices on Michelins but from my view, you are way off. Let me know if you are going to call him and I will give him a heads up. He is very, very honest and I have purchased at least five sets of tires from him in the last 60 months. I could be wrong but I would give Bob a try. very best,
Pres

[Terry J. Sturgis]

I bought Michelin 255/80R22.5 XZE for $400.00 each. I know a guy at Belle Tire and he got a friend of his to buy them for me at fleet prices. Mounted and balanced. I sorta had to buy Michelins as my truck came with the 255's, whice are made by Michelin for the business class trucks.

[Pete]

Reagan, I have talked to Mike Beasley, very cordial. I am still getting prices, and will contact them again before my search ends. Thanks, I may be calling you.

[AmeriStar]

Tires are one of my favorite subjects. Prices can be all over the board, and sadly there are some tire dealers that will take advantage of you when you pull up with a high dollar motorhome.

Our motorcoach company uses roughly 60 new 315/80 22.5 tires per year. In our history we have both purchased and leased tires from several manufactures. Leasing is at first attractive, with the promises of only paying for what you use, but we have returned to owning our tires which is best for our purposes.

We have used Firestone FS400's, Michelin XZA 2's - XZE, Goodyear 149 RSA's - Goodrich 234's and Continental HSL 1 Coach.

My parents raised me to say nothing about the bad.

With that said we have converted all of our over the road commercial coaches to the Continental HSL 1 coach tire.
It is specifically designed for motorcoach use. A little taller tire than the others, with really good wear. Great ride and quiet running with low vibration, 5 rib tread pattern.
In addition we like this tire because it re-caps really nicely. These tire carcases are usually worth 130 - 50 dollars for trade.

The price is usually competive with the Firestone and Goodrich tires.

[Woody]

We bought our coach a year ago with 8 new Continental 315's - HMS 45+ if that means anything.

They are for all practical purposes SNOW tires and make a good bit of noise, but they are new with less than 10,000 miles.

Would it do any harm to replace the steering tires with something with a quieter tread design and would that really make a difference in both noise and steering?

[Pete]

Thanks Ameristar, I was leaning toward the Continental tire. The ones quoted with the best price was the Eco. Any experience with it?
Thanks for the input from someone who has actual experience with Continental.
Pete

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

Pete, I still LOVE my DOUBLE COIN Tires. They have worked flawlessly and are higher load rating than any of the others out there.

If you want to contact the Vice President of the company to talk with him about a set for your bus, here is his information. Aaron C. Murphy (888) 226-5250 http://www.doublecoin-us.com/

MUCH BETTER PRICE than any of the other tires out there, and a Houston Truck rep will do the install.

Gary S

[Mark3101]

Mark what part of small did I miss 205 tractors? Just joking. I bet you had your hands full. The boys have 35 cattle trucks and all I hear them complain about is I can't wait to just get sub- haulers. That's all they run is Michelin on their trucks. They used to run retreads on the trailers but quit doing that a couple of years ago.

I guess I was comparing to the big guys like JB Hunt and the likes. Yes, we did have our hands full much of the time! We had four shops and did ALL our own maint./repair/tire work. We used the Michelin retreads and they performed very well and we used them on drive axles and trailers. You had to really look to even tell that the Michelin was a retread...they looked identical to the new tire. We routinely got 10 years out of a Michelin casing! Lots of time we could cap 3 times and get good life. Michelin just keeps getting better all the time.

I can see where the price could chase people away from Michelin if they are priced as high as what some have posted here. Our buses won't usually get the kind of miles or wear and tear that a truck gets, so maybe another brand could work for some people, but I plan on sticking with what I know is a good product....even if it costs a little more than the others.

I have not yet priced tires for the bus, but I am sure I can get a good deal from the dealer we used when it is time.

[Will Garner]

Andre, think buses not trucks. If you have a tour bus company nearby give them a call about pricing on Michelins. I bought some from a local tire dealer and yes those were to me on the high side. I needed two more and spoke with the tour bus company where I have maintenance work performed. Prices were about 2/3rds that of the tire dealer. Sure wish I had gone there for the other tires, I could have saved hundreds of Lewbucks!

[garyde]

Prevost in Mira Loma has always had fair pricing on Michelins. Including balancing and mounting they are my choice.

[Pete]

Kevin, I took your advice and just had 8 new Continental HSl 1 Coach tires installed, with Equal. All info I could gather seemed to be positive and the ride is very quiet and smooth. Hope they are as good as most folks say they are!
Thanks,
Pete

[AmeriStar]

Pete, you won't be disappointed. This is the BEST tire we've found for motorcoach application, hands down. Pricing is somewhat higher than Firestone or Toyo, but the Continintals will give your many more miles.
As for our friends at Michelin, WAKE UP, you are no longer the best tire available, and your pricing needs to reflect that.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

What we need is not long tread life, unlike the needs of commercial operators, we need tires with a high resistance to the factors that cause sidewall cracking, and ultimately tire failures as a result.

I know it can be done because I am using a set of tires with snow treads that are now 18 years old on a trailer I use to haul my Bobcat and trackhoe. They have no evidence yet of cracks in the sidewalls due to age despite the fact the trailer sits outside. Aircraft tires last years with no evidence of sidewall cracking. My Bobcat tires are 12 years old, no cracking. Ditto for my Gator tires.

I think POG members would be pleased as punch to only get 100,000 miles of tread life if the casings would go 10 or 15 years.

Listen up tire manufacturers.

[truk4u]

My friend in the tire business sells the take-offs from his Bus and RV customers to local and long distance trucking companies that then run them until they are wore out who then get a casing credit for re-capping. At least he gives the RV customer a credit for the take-offs. This is a normal practice for the tire companies and if you don't get a credit for your take-offs, your getting hosed.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Forgot to mention........Double Coin tires still hold air. At the time Roger and I bought ours they were about 1/2 the price of comparable Michelin tires. I have tag axle Michelins with a 2003 date code with zero signs of sidewall cracks so I continue to watch them very closely, but continue to run them. When I do decide to replace them I will shop for the best price and this time the new ones will go on the steer axle. The last time the Double Coin went on the drive and Michelins went on the steer, but unless someone knows why Michelins can justify their pricing I cannot bring myself to pay what they want.

[Seabyrd]

Have you tried Sam's Club.? They were by far the cheapest for us but we had to order them and wait a week for them to come in. Michelins for under $675 a piece !! Same tire quotes from other places were up to 150 more. We also specified manufacturers dates being new etc. They don't install them here in Lufkin ( they might in Houston) so we had them picked up and installed by Gateway tire.. Saved many $$$$$


Andre, Just a scattering of prices I have gotten thus far.....Prevost Michelin $897.51 including FET...does not have labor, mount, and balance in the price. Firestone 607.93 includes mount, balance. Toyo 562.00 includes mount and equal. Bridgestone 692.52 includes mount and balance. Continental 556.58 includes equal. All prices except Michelin include mount and balance or equal, and taxes.

I am still waiting for quotes from other suppliers, and will post as soon as I get them. As best as I can tell, the brand preferences are as scattered as the prices. Some claim good service, and some claim bad service on all brands. I just have difficulty paying almost twice the price for the Michelin tires, when few of us put a limited number of miles on our coaches, and have to replace tires based on age rather than miles.

[Seabyrd]

Pete... here is the link to Beasley tires in Houston... they gave us a good price a few months ago and they will install too.. http://www.beasleytire.com/ good luck..

[Pete]

Larry and Diane, I tried the Sam's club in Houston, and was told they did not have 315's. Apparently, the person I talked to must have been filling in in the Tire department from fruits and veggies that day, because you were able to get tires from Sam's. The Continentals I bought were $589.95 each, mounted, balanced (or with equal which I chose) and taxes. I bought them at Southern Tire Mart, who have some 55 branches across the southern states and Nevada, which I found to be somewhat comforting, in case I need a tire replaced. I also spoke with Beasley Tire in Houston. Very nice and helpful, but were more expensive than Southern Tire.
Now to be able to find time to give the tires a workout...and see how they perform....so off to the Oysterfest in a few weeks. Look forward to seeing everyone there!

[dreamchasers]

Pete,

I am curious if the tire dealer you dealt with mentioned anything concerning a rebate for your old tire carcase. I keep reading that the tire carcases are worth money for retreads. I seems each time I have have purchase tires, the dealer charges for taking the tires to get rid of them? What am I missing?

What is the process?

Hector

[travelite]

The tour bus operator that I use for new tires, Burke Christian Tours, Denver, NC, is the only place I've been to that's given me a credit for my old tire's. They do it by date code, they don't give much for a tire that's 5 years or older. Less than 5 years will bring a good credit. I don't have my receipt in front of my so I can't tell you exactly how much. IIRC it was around $100 per old tire - don't quote me on that till I verify it. :)

[Seabyrd]

Pete...
Glad you got your tires and its a done deal.. You're right that Sam's don't carry the 315s.... they had to order them. I'm glad you're all fixed up and happy... it can be a real ordeal up here in Lufkin getting the things you need...
Look forward to seeing you at the Oystefest..
Larry

[truk4u]

I just got a fellow Pogger a price of 698.45 out the door, mounted and balanced for Michelin's in Atlanta, even though I don't think he ever followed through.

[Pete]

Hector, I sent you a PM.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

I am getting close to needing to buy a new set of tires. My purchase of Double Coin tires brought more than a few comments, especially those comparing Michelin tires and all other options available to us.

So I started poking around on the internet to see what is out there in tire land. That inspired me to dig into Double Coin a little bit because they have been good (except for one damaged by an unknown road hazard) and I did not want to rule them out.

Well ladies and gentlemen......in poking around the Michelin site I did a search and found that Michelin and Double Coin are not competitors because Michelin owns Double Coin.

http://www.michelin.com/corporate/EN/search

Michelin and Double Coin have created a joint stock company in Shanghai.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Just to put this in perspective I just shopped Tennessee and find I can get a set of 8 Michelin tires for $8320, or a set of Double Coin for $4600.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/315-80R22-5-Double-Coin-RR200L-8-tires-/250853541916?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a6809481c

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/315-80R22-5-Michelin-XZA-2-Energy-lot-8-tires-/250853376403?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a6806c193

[travelite]

Jon,

I thought the price per Michelin tire (315/80/22.5), using FMCA's Michelin Advantage tire program, is $553 per tire. I know a person who just bought tires this week using the FMCA program and that's exactly what they paid.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

If that is the case, Michelin tires are CHEAPER than Chinese Tires, although we really don't know what the country of origin will be on Michelin.

[truk4u]

Just remember you need the "out the door price" and that 533.00 Michelin will end up between 700 and 800 bucks.

[Seabyrd]

Sams Club can get Michelins for you for $700 each had to wait a week for them excluding tax.. We had Gateway tires install them.

[Ledo]

I just got a fellow Pogger a price of 698.45 out the door, mounted and balanced for Michelin's in Atlanta, even though I don't think he ever followed through.

This price looks like a no brainer to me for Michelin's.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Just remember you need the "out the door price" and that 533.00 Michelin will end up between 700 and 800 bucks.

Assuming that is the price of the tires, it is also the out the door price for me. I break down my tires and mount them so all I want is someone to stick them in the back of my pickup truck.

[Ledo]

Oh man that pains me just to consider that. Besides I don't have a jack handle for my bottle jack.

[TG Transport]

I've been running the Toyo tires now for several years. They were on the bus when I bought it and I have just rotated replacements in as needed. I find them to be reasonably priced, smooth riding, and durable.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Oh man that pains me just to consider that. Besides I don't have a jack handle for my bottle jack.

I will admit I would rather eat bees than horse 142 pound tires around. But the advantages of doing them myself outweigh the effort. First, I ain't getting any younger and it is so easy to justify sitting on my butt watching others work so I lie to myself and convince myself there are benefits doing this kind of work. First, it is an ideal opportunity to really get a close look at stuff not usual visible with the wheels and tires in place. The bus is supported on stands and I can pull all the wheels and go ever everything slowly. I need the time to sit on my butt so this is as good an excuse as any. I look for hub seal leaks, cracked discs or drums, check hoses, and maybe even take on some other work as long as the wheels are off. I am due for drive axle shocks so that may be on the agenda.

After I break down the tires and wheels there is no better time to give the wheel a good going over with my buffer. This is especially true of the drive wheels whcih are a pain to buff and polish when the hub is sticking through them on the bus.

When I mount the tires I get a chance to mount them so the date code is actually visible. Little stuff like that makes me happy. Finaly when I mount the wheels back on the bus I am pretty sure I will be more concerned about the torque than the tire guys who normally crank up the PSI and drive the nuts home with the 1" impact wrench. Finishing the job provides me with an excuse to treat myself to an adult beverage.

[Larry W]

I talked with a Michelin rep at the Madison FMCA rally. He told me the program works like this. Order the tires from the FMCA web page. The tires will be shipped to the Michelin dealer you choose. The tires will be billed by Michelin to your credit card. You have to pay the dealer for mounting etc. On the price list the rep showed me 315's were about $570. Did not look to close as have about 24 months till it's tire time. Hope my info is correct as it has been almost 2 months ago.

[Liam]

I discovered by accident that if I joined the FCMA they have a volume dicount with Michelin, so I used it buying 8 new XZA2-Energy tires and paid $553 + $52.83 FET for each. (discount only applies to the tires, not the mount/ballance). Saved a grand. These are the tires Prevost recommends on their new busses.

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

I still stand by my purchase of all 8 Double Coin tires for my bus. They have worked flawlessly and have never given me a problem.

I really like the fact they are rated for 10,000 lbs each tire, and now that I know they are owned by Michellin I FEEL EVEN BETTER about my purchase.

If your bus has a heavy front end like mine did ( and Loc it wasn't just cause I was sitting up front ) then you might consider these tires, instead of having to spend $4k to upgrade to 365 fronts? Just saying.

Gary S.

[RussWhite]

I am seeking some first hand expereince with the FMCA Michelin Advantage program mentioned a few times in this thread.

Here is the link to the instructions:

http://www.fmca.com/join-family-motor-coach-association/member-benefits/fmca-connections/3448

The sentence that is being a problem for me is:

Because of a contract between FMCA and Michelin North America, the dealer is unable to give you an invoice with an accurate price.

I visited my local Michelin dealer and was told they are not capable of providing a price since Michelin will not tell them. All they can do is give me an estimate of the cost if selling directly to me and promise that whatever Michelin charges will be less, but just how much less they do not know.
I am not very happy being expected to make the purchase and later be sent an invoice. Now it's their program and I understand they can make the rules and do it as they wish. What I am hoping is someone may actually have the correct price I will be charged for the tires from Michelin. Everything besides Net Invoice and FET will be set by the local dealer - Mount and Balance, valve stems, and disposal fee.

The FMCA site does offer a link to common tire size prices under the program, with the note they may change.

http://www.fmca.com/images/stories/pdf/michelin-prices.pdf

In that document my front tire size is listed:

315/80R22.5 XZA2 c/n 76184 at Net Invoice $586.18 FET $52.83 Tot. $639.01
local dealer quoted that tire at a total of $849.35

That is a pretty healthy reduction. Dealer said they expect the reduction would be like fifty bucks per tire from FMCA.

My six rears are 11R24.5 XZE2 c/n 88507 Dealer quote $516.79

Anyone have a Michelin/FMCA price on that one?

I sure could save a lot if Jon wanted eat more bees and put them on for me:o

[Liam]

Easy answer. Just call the FMCA office and they will give you the accurate price. I just did that. The dealers really don't know the answer, mine didn't even know about the program but was happy to learn. Also, I discovered one very loose lug-nut after just a few miles and several that needed to be re-torqued, so take the "have them re-checked after X miles" deal seriously.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Russ, Ain't no way I am mounting your tires. Not a fun job.

But when I do dismount and mount my tires I at least put the date codes out, inflate them per the Michelin chart and torque the lug nuts properly. But Liam is right about retorquing them. Over the years I have had two with loose nuts. The nuts did not come off, but they weren't tight either. (21 years times 80 lug nuts times ???? many tire changes means the risk of loose nuts is low, but it is still worth retorquing.)

[RussWhite]

Thanks Liam and Jon,

FMCA did get back to me and the answer is puzzling. On the front tires the Advantage program was significantly less, and on the rears it was more. So I guess I would use the Advantage program just for the fronts.

Here are the results:

315/80R22.5 XZA2 c/n 76184 FMCA 586+53=639 Local Dealer 849
11R24.5 XZE2 c/n 88507 FMCA 541+34=576 Local Dealer 517
( numbers rounded)

Does not include mounting, balancing, stems, and disposal.

Thanks,
Russ

[Reagan Sirmons]

I replied to this thread once before but I do not understand the confusion. I called Beasley Tires here in Houston. They agreed that the FMCA has a program very beneficial to the membership of FMCA. I asked for a turn key installed walk out price and received a guaranteed price of $705 for all eight tires...there was no conversation of invoices, questions of invoices, etc. Their dealer cost on the tire is normally $685 without the program before fed, state, installation and balancing.... They stated ths is a very good deal. I believe anyone who is giving a prevost owner the run around is doing so to protect their margins. Michelin provides the tires to the dealer at a lower price ... my thoughts.
Pres

[Liam]

BTW the XZA2-Energy in my 22.5 size just came off factory backlog so I got DOT dates of mid-Sep (days old) as opposed to tires sitting at the dealer for a year. Some debate - but many feel the aging process starts at birth and not mounting so I was thrilled to get "still warm" tires!

[terryweber]

hi i need 4 drive 315/70/22.5 also 2 sterr tires 365/80/22.5 . terry cel 5194654101 will be in atlanta mid nov

[terryweber]

any dealer on hwy75 from detroit to miani.. will be heading south in 3 weeks

[garyde]

Russ, Ain't no way I am mounting your tires. Not a fun job.

But when I do dismount and mount my tires I at least put the date codes out, inflate them per the Michelin chart and torque the lug nuts properly. But Liam is right about retorquing them. Over the years I have had two with loose nuts. The nuts did not come off, but they weren't tight either. (21 years times 80 lug nuts times ???? many tire changes means the risk of loose nuts is low, but it is still worth retorquing.)

I agree with Jon, there are a lot of loose nuts in this group! The other thing I remember from a Michelin Seminar, to change the subject a little, the tires are organic in the sense that the more they are used, the healthier they remain. The motion and flexing creates a chemical reaction which keeps the tire from hardening. so, don't rely just on date stamps to determine the health of your tire.

[truk4u]

Terry,

Here's a link to Action Tire in south Atlanta, ask for Rick the owner and mention POG and my name: http://www.actiontireco.com/Scripts/default.asp

[terryweber]

If anyone is near Atlanta and needs tires, contact me, I can get you a discounted POG price on mosts brands including Michelin. I have partnered up with a good friend who owns Action Tire and they have 37 location's around Atlanta. I will be helping Action with Lifeline Batteries and in return we will have a tire source for POG members.

If you have no intentions of going to the Atlanta area for tires, please don't bother with a price quote, I don't want to waste their time.

yer i need 6 tires