I need to buy a new set of tires for my '03 Max as the fronts are getting pretty worn and the backs are totally worn out with tread bars showing. I have 18" Forged SE-R rims from an Altima, and they run 225/45 tires right now (Came with the car when I bought it, so I didn't buy them). Thing is, these tire prices seem outrageous. My father has an '06 Max with stock rims, and he just picked up an entire set (No, I don't remember the brand but they weren't Chinese tires) but it was just under $500 installed. Every set I've found is like $800+ after installation. Christ that's outrageous, is this because of the 18" wheels? Could I run 225/50's or would those rub?

I've been back and forth so many times looking at every tire brand. Uselessly, I find someone who says "Omg, Falken tires are good!" then I find "Omg, Falken tires are the worst I've ever had! Never buying again!" Ad infinitum for every brand except the stuff that costs way too much anyway (Michelin, Pirelli, Dunlop). Actually I've seen a few even saying those weren't worth the cost. So I'm at a total loss here. Am I really going to have to pay nearly $1,000 for tires on the car? Because of so **** it, I'll just pay the extra cost for the even better tires. What's $1,000 if I'm paying ****ing $800+ for tires?

I just want a reliable, quiet riding (none of those noisy *** tires I've heard), decent handling (I don't race, don't care about that) set of tires. They need to be all-seasons because it snows here in the winter, sometimes barely and sometimes moderately (Not enough to justify snow tires). All these tire shops are killing me with their discounts that only apply to the cheap *** tires anyway (Buy 3, get the 4th free - if you want those cheap shoddy Chinese tires!). Just want some other opinions here. I'm ok with spending around $600-700 for all 4 mounted, but $800 just seems ridiculous.

Sidenote, wtf is with this BS about summer tires and all-seasons? Does everyone just have money to throw away to buy 4 summer tires and 4 winter tires? Christ, that would cost $1,600+ for tires if you bought two good sets of tires. Why should I even need to do that? Some winters it never even snows here, but I need usable tires in case it does snow...

EDIT: Thanks Fakie, had no idea there was a whole section just for tires. Could a mod please move this thread there?

 

http://forums.maxima.org/tires-wheels-53/?styleid=2

 

Just by the nature of your tire size you are automatically getting into a sort of Performance or Ultra Performance type tire. I'm sure you could go with 225/50/18 but I don't think they'll be much (any) cheaper.

Looks like you could be sub $100 a tire for a Chinese/Walmart brand but for something your more comfortable with from a name standpoint I'm not sure you are less than $125ea. 4 tires, mount and balance, disposal fees, taxes puts you at $700ish. Less of course if you are in good with a tire guy.

Have you tired looking for "slightly used" on Kijiji/Craigslist? Might be an option.

PS - If you don't get snow in the winter don't bother with winter tires. If you have the potential to get a decent amount of snow then ensure you get all seasons that have a decent rating in the snow-ice. Summers + snow = crash!
The economics of buying summers and winters is actually pretty good iff you are going to using the car for a long time. Costs twice as much up front but you are only using each set half as much so they last twice as long.

 

^
Don't cheap out on tires is good advice

 

Really didn't think I was being cheap with my price but I guess...just amazing. I mean what kind of tire can I put in this car if I just want a vanilla tire that isn't performance at all? Like just one that will make it ride good, and not hydroplane in water - and not be 100% useless in snow like a summer tire? Do they even make a generic "passenger tire" for this wheel size? I drive on expressways mostly, no twisties. If I am paying nearly $900 which is looking the case for Michelin Pilot A/S3's or $800+ for the Continental DWS, should I just go for the hazard warranty too? I hate like hell to spend that much on a tire and potentially risk blowing a huge chunk of money on replacing one if something unlucky happens to them.

I just had my Bridgestones I thought I settled on blown out of the water. Their online price didn't include tax or hazards...fml. So I thought they were just under $700 turns out $735 is their price and $800 with hazards. Ugh.

 

225/45/18 for $562 for four after rebate on ultra high performance all season tires with great ratings.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....omCompare1=yes

Install should run you about $100-150 which puts you in your spending zone.

 

The Continental PureContact are also $534 after rebate & they have a 70K mile treadlife warranty so they should last quite a few years. They also have an 8.6 score on Noise comfort on tirerack's user survey which is a very good score.

Continental PureContact with EcoPlus Technology

 

Cheap tires are expensive!

From my own experience: the "expensive" Bridgestone Potenza 960 cost me $15.3 per 1000 miles, while the "inexpensive" Falken Zieh 512 cost me $28.30 per 1000 miles. And that ignores quality - in terms of handling, noise, and hydroplaning resistance, the Falken was not even close to the 960!

The Pilot A/S3 is a very good choice. I just bought a pair to replace my 960's. I am very happy with them - they are quiet and they handle well.

 

I had the Hankook Ventus S1 Noble 2 mounted about 4-5k miles ago, quiet, nice in water, snow and ice. Usually always purchase tires from Costco, but for that exact size prices have not come down at all, and my usual incredible economy option of BF goodrich Super Sport have not been available for long time now. I don't think Costco carries BFG anymore, at least in CA. Michelin and Bridgestone are the two brand they carry, and either one has many options from ~$600-$1000, easy. But really appreciate Costco lifetime everything, and their warranty rebate/refund program the best in the market.

Wanted to go cheap as i could without compromising quality. Quietness, fuel efficiency and winter traction were going to be the deal sealers. All the ones I was looking at were top tires(out of ~30 tires) in Consumer Reports tires shootout, in UHP all-season

1. Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3
2. Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric All Season
3. Continental Extreme Contact DWS
4. Hankook Ventus S1 Noble 2
5. BFGoodrich g-Force Super Sport A/S
6. Pirelli P Zero Nero All Season
7. Cooper Zeon RS-A

Side note, the Michelin's A/S 3 tested so good, the beat almost all the tires in the UHP summer tires shootout in handling, braking. To cap it off, quiet and the best treadlife of all, but I wanted something cheaper than ~$8-900 for tires. Hankook had $80 rebate and i brought from https://www.onlinetires.com/contactus.php. I think the Continentals had scored 'poor' with either snow traction or ice braking, so was not recommended.

But I'm in CA, so may check around for better deals/prices, but I like their customer service and best prices i've found online.

 

Funny how reviews can all be very different depending on the source. I owned some DWS's a few years back. Great tire. Actually bought them because on Tire Rack they got a better score than the Mich A/S 3's and had the best rating in snow/ice of all the Ultra High Performance All Season tires.

 

the A/S 3's were only released nine months ago.

 

Hey my bad. It must have been some other Michelin's at the time. I looked at today's Tire Rack Survey and assumed it was those. Anyway my point was that this survey ranks a tire very differently than the OP's survey. Makes you wonder if there is any bias in the ratings.

OP the current set I have are the General G-MAX AS-03's which I found to be a decent price at the time and according to my non-scientific butt dyno are pretty comfortable with decent grip for my style of driving.

 

For the money, I have had excellent results with the Falken ZieX line of tires. I put them on my 03 GLE back in the day and will be putting them on my current 02 GLE when my tires wear down.

For the money, they are a great tire.. very good grip and wear. I put the V rated ones on my old Max, but realized I should have just gone with H because I had the oem 17" rims.

I got them off discounttiredirect.com and had them shipped to the installer. All in all, I spent about $600 for 4 tires w/install.

Not sure what anyone else's experience has been, but the Falkens have been phenomenal for the price. Good luck!