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I have a 1994 850 wagon which will need new tires (all 4) in a month or so. I'd like recommendations from other Volvo owners on a good balance between quality and low price. Here are my driving conditions and preferences:
I drive daily on a winding, steep mountain road at about 35 mph and on a highway, never over 80 mph. I never encounter snow but lots of rain (SF Bay area).
Important to me are: 1. safety 2. long tread wear/value 3. low noise from tires
What brand and model do you recommend?
-Tina
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i just bought a set of yokohama AVS db S2's on my turbo 850. they are excellent tires, just the right balance of ride, performance, and most of all they are super quiet. @ 92 bucks a pair they are not cheap but definitley worth it.
mark
96 850T
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Michelin MXV4-Plus
Quiet, smooth, lots of tread life, excellent wet grip, very good performance.
Overall best for your needs.
--
Jack
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i use BFGoodrich Touring TA's from Sam's club, cost about 60.00 each. i like them alot and they are great on a wet road.
Dan
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posted by
someone claiming to be Dave F
on
Fri Dec 12 11:47 CST 2003 [ RELATED]
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I currently run Bridgestone Potenza RE950s (195/60-15). I have found they handle the rain and mountain passes in Colorado nicely. Paid around $75-80 a tire.
Dave
96 855R
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Assuming you know the importance of weight, speed and wear ratings as well as appropriate sizing, I have Cooper, "Viper" directional tires, H rated, 205/60 size on my '94. Love 'em and will be replacing them with the same.
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This is what I'm putting on my 95 850 turbo in about a week.
(Cut and paste this address into your web browser.)
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Kumho&tireModel=Ecsta+HP4+716&partnum=96HR5HP4&index=3&vIndex=3
Kumho Ecsta 716s. $37 each. Rated superior or excellent in all categories.
Tirerack.com is a great place to shop for tires. Delivered to my door, or one of their installers, in 3 days.
Good luck,
--
Erwin in Memphis, '88 745t 190,000 miles, '95 855t 92,000 miles
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I have been running Dunlop Qualifiers. Good tires, however a little loud in the rain. Cost per tire was $105.00, but thats Canadian dollars.
Other than the noisy wet driving, they have been good tires so far, and Ive put about 15,000 KM on them already. Tread looks like it will last quite a while.0
--
1993 854 - Hopefully the next million mile Volvo
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I put 2 Dunlop Sport (something-or-others) on the front in February at the recommendation of Just tires, and they are already shot! They are trying to tell me my alignment went out, but I think they are full of it. The rear tires that have been on there over a year are still fine 9of course they are now on the front because I had them rotated). So I am avoiding Dunlops now, and I want to see if Just Tires will give me a credit because the tires wore out so fast!
-Tina
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Yes, avoid Dunlops...they are way too soft. Check out the thread on the Kumho's...maybe you posted there earlier on this board. I recommend the Bridgestone Turanza's, but have had the BF Goodrich Touring T/A's on the car too and they were decent tires. I'd say that if you have a SAM's Club near you and can get them for $60 each (like someone else mentioned) I'd go for that with the kind of driving you described. As far as the sub $40 Kumho's mentioned here, I'd avoid them. Your car is just way to heavy for them. They might drive nicely at first but I would be afraid of bulging on the sidewalls and quickly dissapearing tread. I think you'll find the outer tread going because of cornering, like you saw with the Dunlops if the sidewalls do hold up. I hear they also aren't very good in colder weather. I have the Kumho 712's on my Protege and they are fine but the car becomes dangerous in the snow...any snow, even a milimeter. With the steep grade you will be climbing and going down each day I wouldn't chance it with those tires, not to say that all Kumho's are the same. Another thing I can add about the Kumho's is that they are somewhat loud. If I crack my window in the Protege on the interstate I can't hear the radio...I have to really crank the sound to get any enjoyment out of my CD's. Anyway, not to trash the Kumho's. They are a good tire and a great buy for the right car.
--
Current owner of a '04 V70 2.5T. Previous owner of a '94 850 Turbo Wagon
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FYI,
The $40 Kumho 716s in 195/60X15 have the same load rating as the $108 Bridgestone RE750 in 205/50X16. An 87, which is 1201lbs per tire. The vehicle's GVA(xle)R, which I don't approach, is near 1200lbs, putting the tire only halfway into it's load range if I were to load the car up to it's limit. For the price they're worth a try. If they aren't up to the job I'll be the first to post about it.
BTW, the 1999 Volvo S70 comes stock with a 195/60X15.
As far as speed ratings go, they indicate a tire's running at the rated sustained speed. H rated = 130mph, V = 149, W = 168...
I'm moving down in rating from V (RE730s) to H (Kumho 716). Just because the car is capable of speeds in excess of 130mph doesn't mean I need to pay for that much tire. The fastest I've ever driven the car, on an empty interstate, is near 100 for a very blast. Well within the capabilities of H rated tires.
--
Erwin in Memphis, '88 745t 190,000 miles, '95 855t 92,000 miles
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I admit they sound like a steal, and I can't afford to pay $120 per tire, the price of some of the other suggestions. I notice tire rack has a 50k treadwear warrenty on the Kumho ECSTA 716, have you bought from Tire Rack before and do you know what limitations and conditions are on these treadwear warranties?
-Tina
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Hi Tina,
I've bought 4 sets of tires and a couple of singles from tirerack and their customer service can't be beat. Somewhere on their site you'll find a list of their contracted installers, usually a privately owned tireshop in your city, and they can ship the tires directly to them. You call and let them know and schedule a time for the install. I do business with a locally owned garage in my town and have the tires shipped to my house.
Tirerack's treadlife or roadhazard guarantee is something new, at least I didn't notice it last time I bought a set. I'd pass on it though. If the tire failed I think the manufacturer's warranty would cover it at a local outlet and regarding roadhazard warranties, if I manage to irreparably damage one on some road debris, at the price, I'd just buy another. But that's just me and I don't do extended warranty type add-ons anyway.
The last couple of times I ordered from Tirerack I spoke with Leigh. Very personable and knowledgable.
Give them a call.
Good luck,
--
Erwin in Memphis, '88 745t 190,000 miles, '95 855t 92,000 miles
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Not sure what the load rating is on the Bridgestone Turanza LS-H or LS-V, but it is a much better rated tire than the RE750's. Just for fun, check out the comparison tests between the LS-H, the Continental ContiTouringContact CH95 and the Michelin Energy MXV4 Plus on a Lexus IS300 sport sedan at: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testResultsModel.jsp?tireModel=Turanza+LS-H&tireMake=Bridgestone
The Bridgestone is quite impressive, and with 50,000 mile warranty! I especially like the braking distance on wet pavement! By the way, the Michelin Energy MXV4's came standard on my '04 V70 2.5T and I am using them now...I miss the Bridgestones :(
--
Current owner of a '04 V70 2.5T. Previous owner of a '94 850 Turbo Wagon
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Thanks that is very helpful advice. I regret buying those tires without researching for the sepcific car last time!
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Tina:
Where do you live? Sounds like my neighborhood and same type of driving conditions (Santa Cruz mountains). Interestingly enough, I regularly see a 94 wagon in my comings and goings.
Okay, these exact driving conditions and the tires:
I have used the recommended Michelins on my 91 turbo sedan, and even with careful driving, I have never managed oveer 21K on any set. My 95 854 turbo came with said Michelins, and I was determined not to spend the same outrageous $$ for tires that don't hold up (the handling is excellent, the wear mediocre). I researched tires at Tirerak and on this board and decided on the Bridgestone Turanzas (205/55/16). I went to Costco to special order them and discovered they now stock those tires. Sure, there are cheaper ones out there, but these are highly rated (better than Michelins)for all the factors we want--ride, cornering, handling in wet weather, and treadwear. In fact, they're one of the few V-rated tires with a tread wear warranty (40K miles). This sold me on them because I drive the Bonny Doon to Felton road every day. I've only had them on the car two weeks, but the mountain road and freeway driving show them to be excellent for all my needs.
Suzanne
PS: Forgot to mention these aren't cheap at $130 installed, but they're a good bit under the Michcelin price. And with the tread warranty, that should make them very reasonable indeed.
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posted by
someone claiming to be gwelfmike
on
Sat Dec 13 12:45 CST 2003 [ RELATED]
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I had ( see below) a 1990 Volvo 740 wagon and bought Dunlop Sport A2, love them, they handle well, are quite and did not cost me an arm and a leg. They handled two trips to the east coast in the last two years. They are holding up to a lot of mileage, 60,000 kms so far. I also have a 1994 Volvo 850 wagon as well and once the tires that are on it wear out I will be replacing them with the Dunlops.
Unfortunalty the 740 was in an accident two days ago. Some driver tried to cross five lanes of traffic and hit the front left side of the 740, forcing me to sideswipe a telephone pole with the right side of the 740. When the police and tow truck operator arrived they were amazed that the doors could still be open on the car.
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I do also live in the Santa Cruz mountains! My Volvo is dark grey, perhaps it is me you see, I take highway 84 to Stanford area. Wow $120 per tire is expensive, I paid $187 for 2 tires installed including tax for the previous Dunlops - but I guess you do get what you pay for! I have less than 20k on these and they're done in. If Bridgestone will stand by the tradwear warranty then it sounds worth the investment.
-Tina
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Tina:
I have a "tropic green" sedan (think of it as dark teal). Next time I pass a dark grey wagon (if I have my wits about me ) I'll wave. I live just off Empire Grade Road between the airport and Pine Flat but travel to various places in and out of the mountains. Small world.
Suzanne
'95 854T "Tropic Green" - 41K miles
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