# Tire advice for Van



## Big D (Jun 23, 2009)

I need new all season tires for my mom-mobile. Is there any brand I should avoid? I've had a couple of people tell me to stay away from BF Goodrich. Anything else?

I have a 1997 Pontiac Montana (Transport), 4-door, extended.

Remember I DO live in Canada and am faced with icy road conditions & deep snow in winter and potentially scorching temps in summer. My driving is mainly city.

I want all-seasons because I live in Calgary after-all. We get chinooks. (it's a warm dry wind coming off the rocky mountains that can change our temps from a very frigid -40 to an amazing plus 18 in a matter of hours). 

Thanks for any advice
D


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## RDWD (May 11, 2009)

What is snow?


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## jctgumby (Apr 23, 2009)

Down here we call it Freezing Rain or an Ice Storm...Up north it is a little bit fluffier and they can play in it and they call it Snow...I googled it!!!


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## KMKjr (Jan 9, 2009)

P215 70R15's?

Go with a touring tire for longevity and normally have a more aggressive all season design.

Pirelli P6 or P4 are nice but a bit pricy.

Cooper CS4 Touring are a good budget tire.

Yokohama Avid Touring S are on sale now (through us anyway)

But go with winter tires anyway. For $500.00 you can get a good inexpensive set and they will pay for themselves the first curb you didn't slide into. Any all season tire is only a 2 1/2 or 3 season anyway at best.

Ultimately with tires, you get exactly what you pay for. Go cheap, you get crap.


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## Big D (Jun 23, 2009)

jctgumby said:


> Down here we call it Freezing Rain or an Ice Storm...Up north it is a little bit fluffier and they can play in it and they call it Snow...I googled it!!!


Have you ever had a snow cone? It's kind of like that....without the flavouring...unless you find the yellow stuff on the ground. If you do DON"T EAT IT!!!!

Sometimes it's light and fluffy and really pretty to watch fall. Sometimes it's wet and heavy, a real ***** to shovel, but great for snowballs, snowmen...um snowpeople...and forts.

If you have a standard front wheel drive vehicle, it can be a real hoot to drive in....sigh I miss my Honda.

Tomorrow's lesson will be.......


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## Big D (Jun 23, 2009)

KMKjr said:


> P215 70R15's?
> 
> Go with a touring tire for longevity and normally have a more aggressive all season design.
> 
> ...


You guys still have curbs in NS? We have ... I'm not sure what you'd call them, but they're just sloped. It's kind of cool in winter because you don't hit a curb instead you launch onto someone's front yard.

I appreciate the info. I'll look into it. This year it's going to have to be all seasons. I really need a summer set and can't afford 2 sets right now.

D


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## Big D (Jun 23, 2009)

Well today was the day. I went with Bridgestone Turanza EL400.

I ended up driving out of there $1334.36 poorer. Tires and all the stuff that goes with it (mounting, balancing, environmental fees, etc), tie rod & ball joint (**** no more massages on the way home from work), alignment (woo hoo I can drink coffee and drive again), machine rear drums, oil change and winterize.

I told the BF that in order to pay for this I'm going to have to start charging for services rendered, but for some reason he didn't see things my way. Sigh....


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## Masher (Jan 16, 2009)

I have the Turanza series on my wifes Acura and they have performed and held up really well.


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## Big D (Jun 23, 2009)

Good to hear. 

I have to admit I kinda miss the bald tires. I have picked up so many little stones. All I hear it tick, tick, tick when I drive. Either that or the ex has planted a bomb LOL


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## Big D (Jun 23, 2009)

Figures. I get the new tires and the tranny goes. In Calgary my van is selling for between $1200 & $1700.... in working condition so it wasn't worth putting any more money into it. I decided to cut my losses and sell it for parts. If anyone wants it, let me know.

On the positive side I found a 1995 Pathfinder in pretty good shape....and my new tires are the same size...cool...AND when it gets to the point that this is not really road-worthy, I can put some big, bad-*** tires on this and go muddin.

I knew there was a reason I didn't put my "mudinmyblood" sticker on the van. It was meant for this vehicle.


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## TX4PLAY (Jan 18, 2009)

Sorry to hear about the tranny in your van especially after putting all that coin into new tires but at least you can re-use them like you said. 

On the other hand, How much are you going to let the "canooter valve" go for? I may be interested with Christmas around the corner it would be a great stocking stuffer for the wife..


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## Big D (Jun 23, 2009)

$500 for the whole van
Canooter valve alone...how much are you willing to pay ??


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