Planning ahead for that legal date when I have to take off the studdies and this year, I have to buy new tires as the el cheapos I had were totally spent. I have a particular tire in mind but was wondering if anyone here has any real experience with them. I have done my research, read reviews but am looking for some real world input. I am a um.. frugal person, yeah, lets put it that way so I am not looking for stupid expensive tires but I do NOT want cheapo-depot tires either. The tire in question is the General Altimax RT. I currently have the General Altimax Arctic studded snow tires and I love them and for the price they are an awesome deal. The price is great on the Altimax RT also, and have very favorable reviews, but I am still not 100% sure. I know that these cars are a little on the heavy side which may cause faster wear and I admittedly am not the most gentle driver and the roads here, well, its Maine, they suck. I would like to keep the factory size (185/75-14). If anyone knows these tires and would/can recommend something else in a similar price range that would be great too.
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-Kilted Chaos Manager-

I have had great luck with Michelin Symmetry tires on two 240's. In both cases, they lasted an honest 100,000 miles and could have gone another 5-10K if I had used them until they were totally worn out. Really helped with the ride and handling, too.

These are not cheap tires at about $115-$120 per. However, I think that tires, brakes and suspension parts are areas where you do not want to skimp. Buy the best that you can afford and save money elsewhere.

After much shopping around and comparing reviews etc, the tires I originally chose seem to be the best *that I can afford* right now. I found a great guy that is a former volvo pack-rat and am buying a set of steel wheels from him next week, they need much wire brush/paint/primer work. He is also throwing in the chrome trim rings too and is looking around to see if he still has the small center caps all for $20/ea. Having the 2nd set of wheels will save me $160/year and in 3 years that will be another set of tires worth of savings.
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-Kilted Chaos Manager-

I agree. Buy the best tires, brakes, suspension parts you can afford. After trying some cheaper tires I'm back on the Michelin bandwagon. Bought 4 new MXV4's for my 850. They now have about 20k on them and still look new. The MXV4 could still be the best all-around tire out there.

OTOH, if you don't intend to the keep the car very long then cheaper tires make financial sense.

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95 855 GLT Sportwagon 220k, 90 244 DL 300k+ - after 11 years has a new home

I would also consider the Kumho Solus KR21's. Had them on my 240. Ride well, fairly quiet, handle decently. The negatives are they don't last a long time and they aren't good in snow but you'll be using your snows anyway. Overall, a pretty good cheap tire.

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95 855 GLT Sportwagon 218k, 90 244 DL 300k - after 11 years has a new home

Are you planning to put your new tyres on another set of wheels? That would sound a good plan. Store your snow wheels in the dark for when it goes white again.

I would love to, but I dont really have the money to do that unless I find some at a junk yard
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-Kilted Chaos Manager-

I can see from the map that you're rather hidden away there but getting hold of a set of steels shouldn't be too difficult. Don't know if you have steel or alloy at the moment. It's pot luck what you find at a pick 'n pull but sometimes you get lucky and get good tyres too. Always worth a ring around or dropping into any you might pass on your travels. Anyone here from Maine who has any? Not me I'm in the UK!

I have steelies right now and I love the look of them (would LOVE some center caps) and would also get some more steelies for the 2nd set. Sadly the nearest pick & pull is close to an hour away and no where near my travels, that would be a dedicated trip just to look around. I do however need to go to one for a new frint right fender, headlight, corner light, grill, bumper trip and air damn. I hit a deer last summer and still have not fixed the damage yet. Priorities, need to fix damage before I get the nice extras, but having a second set of wheels would save me money by not having to do the tire swap (mount/balance) 2x/year.
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-Kilted Chaos Manager-

Perhaps following up the offer on this link would solve your wheel problems. Good luck.

http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/volvo/1559098/220/240/260/280/great_find.html

That is my post.

I am getting the steel wheels from him next week. $20/each but they need some serious wire brush/primer/paint love.
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-Kilted Chaos Manager-

What shape are your snow tires in? If they are not top notch - why not pull the studs and buy new snows in the fall?

I have a pair of old pliers that have narrow jaws and have pulled studs from a couple of tires. Narrow jaws are good because you have to push the pliers into the tire a bit to grip the stud well.

Just try one stud and see how it goes.
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'96 855R,'64 PV544 driver, '67 P1800 basket case, '72 Yamaha Rd400, '68 Honda 350-4, '12 XC70, the first 5 are mine, heh, heh, 525,000 miles put on 10 bricks James A Sousa

Not really liking that option for a couple reasons, first, snow tires make lousy summer tires, the are too soft and will wear too quickly, also studded snows are more expensive than non-snow tires so I would be wearing out the more expensive tires just to have to buy another set at the end of the year. Either way I am buying new tires, and I will have tax return monies very soon to do it with too.
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-Kilted Chaos Manager-

I only made the suggestion in case your tires were in poor shape.

Myself, I loved the set of studded snows I had on our '90 744 TI.

When they were shot, I was able to drift all the way around an 1/8 mile oval rotary circle - don't worry too much about safety, it was empty and relatively safe, dry road and right next to our police station.

One thing you might do to make your money go a bit further is to think, looking forward, about your next car.

In my case, my last set of 740 snow tires were sized to fit 850s - they were not much bigger, and my tire shop ( A REAL tire shop - a family shop that I have dealt with since 1963) helped me determine the correct pressure to use.

The following year I had a nice set of 1 year old, low mileage snows for my wife's new '95 855.
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'96 855R,'64 PV544 driver, '67 P1800 basket case, '72 Yamaha Rd400, '68 Honda 350-4, '12 XC70, the first 5 are mine, heh, heh, 525,000 miles put on 10 bricks James A Sousa

I am not planning on buying a car anytime soon (in the next few years) unless something catastrophic happens to one of ours now. I look at safety first usually, which is why I have studded snows all around on my car in the winter, I like to keep them usable for a couple more winters. Same for the other 3 seasons as I often have kids in the car with me and also am a vol. fire fighter, so shoddy tires (well worn snow tires) are out. If I get 3 years (spring summer fall) out of this next set I will be happy. I put many miles a year on my car. They are only $68 ea. but have mostly all positive reviews.
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-Kilted Chaos Manager-

No experience with said tire but I take issue with this part of your post:

"I know that these cars are a little on the heavy side"

Not really. We are under 3000#'s and I challenge you to find a modern car that is (save some performance cars and a couple of subcompacts) so light.

On tires, with a few exceptions, about any modern tire is going to be equal to or greater than the abilities of a 240's suspension unless it has recently been brought up to factory-fresh spec's (all new bushings, new-condition ball joints and tie-rod ends, strut inserts and shocks, etc). As a result, I always focus on the braking performance (wet and dry) and the tread wear rating (I prefer something closer to 800 than not).

how many doors, parts,did you take of your 240 to get it below 3000lbs?
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Rene

Believe it or not, IIRC, the sedans are a little under 3000 lbs. and the wagons are slightly over. I know, they feel heavier than that.

Solidly built! They aren't called bricks or Swedish tanks for nothing...:)

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95 855 GLT Sportwagon 220k, 90 244 DL 300k+ - after 11 years has a new home

And early (1975-1979) wagons were below the 3000# mark by like 4#'s.

Curb wieght, 1990 Volvo 240 DL Sedan, Manual: 2857#. 1976 245 (no DL or GL, jut base) 3071#.

Looks like I was wrong about the early wagons but if you did a dry weight (stupid measurement except for calculating shipping charges), I would have been accurate.

Heck, even my 940 Wagon is only 3300# which is not much more than a modern Chevy Cruze.

I know what you mean, my 850 wagon also weighs only about 3300 lbs.

It is surprising when compared to the modern day cars, isn't it?

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95 855 GLT Sportwagon 220k, 90 244 DL 300k+ - after 11 years has a new home

Even better, look up the footprint of a current gen Civic...then look up the dimensions of a 240. It is not just American's that have grown...