Say it aint so!

I checked Tirerack. Apparently the EP20 doesn't show a treadwear guarantee....it has no info really. BUT the EP100 has a 50K warranty.

We do need a guinea pig to test these out!

 

What about the Michelin energy saver a/s, it seems like a great tire, michelins always are, but there is also no treadlife guarantee.

The GY FuelMAX & the BS SE002-02 are the only fuel economy tires that have a treadlife guarantee.

I personally would recommend staying away from the fuel economy (LRR) tires. Go with a good tire that is reasonable in price and can maintain its comfort/drivability level for many miles.

Everyone talks about LRR tires saving you maybe $50 over the life of the tire, but if you have to replace them 3 times as often then there is no savings. Also if you have to replace tires every 30K, then how green is your hybrid really? you making the tire industy produce 3x more tires and CO2 emmissions are increased and landfill/recycling waste is increased.....

please think about the big picture when you drive a hybrid.....

 

You've thrown a lot of assumptive and unsubstantiated numbers into your post. Who are these "everyone" you mention?

 

I bought the best Goodyears that Wal-Mart offered, and I am regretting it HORRIBLY! My gas mileage has decreased substantially from averaging 45mpg to 34mpg, seriously! I should have known better, but I was in a situation where all four tires had metal showing and wal-mart didn't want to put the tires back on the car, in fear of a reaction if something happened to me after I left there. Soooooooo, I bought the best tire they had and forked out a lot of wasted dough. I literally get upset each and every day that I look down at my mpg and see 34. UGGGGGGHHHHH!

 

Jeffrey,
Does Wal-Mart have one of those deals where if you're unhappy with the tires you bought from them that you can return them? If so, maybe you could shop around to see what other tires you might want to try. If Wal-Mart stocks those, see if you could make a switch. If they have a money-back deal, maybe you could get new tires elsewhere and return the Goodyears to Wal-Mart for a refund.

 

Unfortunately, I've had the tires for a while now. I commute to work 60 miles each way so I'm averageing 600 miles per week. It didn't take long for me to get some wear on them. I will have to look at my receipt and see if there is anything I can do. Don't get me wrong, the tires themselves are great, quiet, good tread pattern, good temperature rating, and 50,000 mile treadlife. But not so good on our cars. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

I stepped up and bought a set of the Ecopia EP100s today. After doing a little research and talking to Bridgestone, it turns out the EP20s are OEM tires for the Prius and they don't carry a warranty, whereas the EP100s carry a 50K warranty.

I bought my set of four and put a few miles on them. My first reaction is that the ride is quieter, more solid, and corners seem to tighter. I notice less road noise, particularly when hitting bumps, cracks in the road, and reflectors. It's probably too early to tell, but this is my Day 1 experience.

The tread is pretty beefy, and it looks much more substantial than the original Bridgestone 02s or whatever they were.

So far so good. I will provide updates later.

Lansing

 

The new Yokohama DB Super E-spec tire was introduced yesterday. Yokohama claims very LRR, lightweight, quiet, superior handling, and good tread life. This new tire's claim-to-fame is that it's made with orange oil, reducing petroleum content by 80 percent.

 

Cooper GFE (Greater Fuel Economy) is another new one. The picture on their site shows a very traditional all-season tread pattern.

Lansing, thanks for posting re your new Ecopias, and please do post with mileage results.

 

I'm also ready to pull the trigger on a set of Ep100s - Currently $85 at the rack - I'm wondering about the size. My experience has always been that a narrower tire will yield better MPG - Stock size is 195/65-15, but a 185/65-15 is available (slightly lower cost too). The OD is 1/2 less which I figure is no big deal. Has anybody tried this size on stock hybrid wheels?