Hi!

A local dealer just proposed a set of 4 Nankang 245/45 18's for my 2005 Maxima.

Anyone with any knowledge on these tires?

That dealer said that the Hankooks are crappy (H104 or H105) , the Falkens 452's are expensive and not worth it. The Bridgestones & Pirellis are even more expensive. In Canada even though the dollar is almost at par now. A set of Pirellis or Bridgestones or Michelins in 245 will set you back anywhere from 300 ea to 400 ea!

The Nankang NS II's are only $160 ea installed & balanced. that's pretty good.

 

What I found out is you pretty much get what you pay for in tires.

 

Hmmm, I got 4 Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS s for $180 US each...

 

They are okay tires, like RHmax said..you get what you pay for.

 

yea, as he said you get what u pay for. If you were in NY i would tell you where you can get a set of 4 new nankang tires for $400 with installation and balancing. Ive brought a set of nankang tires for my maxima and i had to change them within a few months. I didnt like the performance and handling.

 

Well, the Nankang's UTQG's are 340 A A

I picked up 4 Nexen's (a few weeks back) based on a few of the things i read here and around the net for $170 CAD a pop. They're rated 340 AA A, which is the highest rating for both traction and temp and they have same wear rating as the Nankang's you're looking at.

Honestly though, they basically feel like $170 tires, not bad, but not great. I don't feel like i was ripped or anything but don't expect to be wowed either.

Just my 2 cents. Good luck!

 

Has anybody used/bought Kumho's for the SE with stock 18s?

Just wondering, I've used Kumho's on my previous cars and personally found them very inexpensive, BUT excellent tires.

 

Hey Guys, Thanks for the replies. I really appreciate the feedback.

And you're all right...as a born and bred sales rep (Industrial Sales) I understand the premise of value. It is true that you get what you pay for.

I wonder now that I've read most of you feedback if I wouldn't be better off getting a set of Falken 452s if they are that much better than the Nankangs especially when the difference is 25% or 200 per tire instead 160.

Even the 4 Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS s for $180 US each. Which should cost the same in Can $ as we're pratically at par now. Are Potenza's better than Flakens?

 

Falken's that are expensive? Falkens are the best "bang for buck" tire out there...

 

Between nankang and nexan, there isn't really a price difference but nexan is a bit better than nankang. Nexan will smoother ride as well in comparison to nankang.

 

I have those exact tires on mine, I bought the car with em on there. They are pretty good for grip and wet traction but a lil noisy especially when cold. And one of them is a wawawawa tire which is a little annoying, might be a broken steel belt in there. I prefer khumos or yokahamas. Ive had khumo asx on 2 different cars, pretty descent dry traction, good wet, sidewalls are a little soft if youre looking for a high performance tire, smooth ride, but the big thing is they have a treadwear rating thats pretty high so they will last a long time.

 

wow.. i pay $111 per tire for my 255/35/20... nitto nt 555. and thats a damn good tire. never woulda guessed 18's would cost so much

 

...until you got hit by their lies on treadwear... my friend got a set on his CTS and I recommended a set to my bro-in-law's TL. They go bald after 10Kmiles on the CTS and around 15Kmiles on the TL. They're cheap and good however. But the tread life is 1/4 of what they print on the sidewall.

 

I think you need to open a shop on the org!

 

Tread life is really depend on how you drive.

 

Each company has their different meaning of treadwear, so keep that in mind. One company's number will be different than another tire company. So 340 on the falkens will be different than the bridgestones/firestones 340 (good luck finding a high performance tire with 340). Dont forget to check out the Toyos as well as they are a great tire for the money. Very happy with mine.

 

EDIT:Oops, the UTQG is given by the manufacturer, you're right. But the gov't can (but i'm sure never will) inspect them to see if their numbers are correct.

Thanks for the heads up.


Here's the info.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete....jsp?techid=48

"The NHTSA has the right to inspect the tire manufacturer's data and can fine them if inconsistencies are found."

 

..............................

 

I used to think the same way, but found out eventually that there are exceptions.

 

I paid $300 for 225/45-17 4 years ago on the NanKangs. I can't believe the price has gone up so much. If you are just looking for tires, these are great. If you want performance and luxury (quiet, smooth ride), then look elsewhere. I went through my set in about 20k.

What's wrong w/Kumhos?

Jae

 

You don't need to spend Michelin price to get good tires. Some less expensive tires are good for a few thousand miles (noise/wear), but some will last much longer for a little more.

 

unless if i missed it what series and what tire brand are most of you guys gettin after changing them

 

Too bad you have the Maxima SE. With the SL, I can get Yokahama YK520 tires (225/55X17) from Direct Tire for less than $120 each. I really like the way they ride, and the tread seems to be lasting very well.

I got them because they had the best customer writeups of any of the 16 different 225/55X17 tires I was considering.

My son has them in 225/50X17 size on his TL/Type 'S', and likes them also.

Unfortunately, the YK520 does not come in 245/45X18.

Many of the 16 225/55X17 tires I considered cost between $200 and $300 each.


EDIT - If I had an SE and money was a factor, I think I would look at Kumho for a good tire at a good price.

 

...................................... too...

 

There's nothing wrong with Kumho's, they're great and as I mentioned before, inexpensive.

By great I mean grippy (is that a word), they're a little noisy like all performance tires.

The problem I have is that I haven't found any Kumho's for the stock 18's (Maxima SE). Do they have any? Where, what store?