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Flat tire

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by HPrimeAdvanced, Jun 26, 2017.

  1. CoastRider

    CoastRider Active Member

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    After reading this thread, I feel like I am living on borrowed time in my 2016 Prius with Toyo tires.

    No tire problems to date, car is 16 months old with nearly 15,000 miles. The Toyo's seem to perform fairly well, however I notice excessive tire noise and road noise. Even on smoother pavement.

    Inflation pressure is +2 over factory specs. Anything higher than that and the ride was too harsh, for me. The Toyo tires create quite a loud "hum" and rumble. It's very irritating. I may end up getting the Defenders sooner than I had planned.
     
    #41 CoastRider, Jun 27, 2017
    Last edited: Jun 27, 2017
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  2. HPrimeAdvanced

    HPrimeAdvanced Senior Member

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    I am planning on getting "Defended" today. Jose @AMERICA's Tire said he'd give me credit for my 3 used Toyo Nanocrapper tires and my newer still Bridgestone Assurance (50 miles!) tire.
    The adventure continues. I'm glad to say my new donut spare assembly rests safely, carefully protected in my garage!! Har, har!!

    .
     
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  3. HPrimeAdvanced

    HPrimeAdvanced Senior Member

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    Mr. Arc, thanks for the idea of AAA with 100 mile towing. I wasn't aware that they towed that far! But in the haze of my anguish, I used the SOS button in my Advanced, which really was most excellent in providing police and tow service pretty quickly: cop was there in about 1 hour, tow truck about 1.5 hour.
    If I hadn't had the pressure of the waiting new client (who took forever to answer my calls/texts to apologize!!), the 40-mile tow to my house with AAA would have saved me some money!. I think I'd have had the tow go to America's Tire which is about 1 mile from my house and get the new Defenders. Of course hindsight is always 20/20! And that damn customer was still waiting!!

    .
     
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  4. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    The rear tires are more susceptible to nails and screws. They lie flat on the road until the front tire hits them, launching them into the air. Sometimes when the rear tire gets to them they are pointy side up. DItto for other hazardous road debris. Find the Youtube video of the manhole cover that the front wheel tipped up on edge in time for the cover to flip the car over! Sometimes it's your day. :(

    The main problem is being "trapped" in a dangerous position on the road. It may just better to trash a tire moving to a safer place. A tire is less expensive than a car, and your life is priceless!
     
  5. HPrimeAdvanced

    HPrimeAdvanced Senior Member

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    Yeah, sitting waiting in the car for an hour and a half, at a precarious location, I was grateful that I hadn't lost control of the car, nor gotten hit by people trying to get around me! It's definitely the best of all possible worlds!!

    .
     
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  6. ArcPrime

    ArcPrime Active Member

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    AAA towing has 3 different levels. Basic one is less than 10 miles I think. I learned in a hard way a few years ago we had to tow my daughter's car for 40 miles that costs us a few hundred bucks it's like $13 buck each mile over the basic. So we upgraded to the Plus level it's like $130 each year for two of us. There is another level up costs more, for me 100 miles tow should be good enough for anywhere in the So Cal region.
     
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  7. HPrimeAdvanced

    HPrimeAdvanced Senior Member

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    Oh, I have the basic level; couldn't have used that to get home. My Prime Advanced with the SOS and free towing to nearest dealer is therefore the best solution for this cheap SOB!!
    On the POSITIVE side, they gave me $35/each for my 6172 mile Toyo Nanocrapper tires, and $100 for the "Goodyear Bridgestone" 50 mile tire. The cheats at Capistrano Toyota lied to me, they said they were selling me a Bridgestone. Tell everyone: they are cheats!! Back to the good stuff, Jose told me about the $100 rebate on my Best Rated" Michelin Defenders T+H,
    rated to 139mph (Mr. Wilson), and sold to me for $110/ea + $15 hazard insurance ("we can't fix it, you get a new tire. You can't find us when you have flat, bring photo of damaged tire and receipt, and we'll refund your money!).
    Bottom Line: $432.27 - $100 (rebate)= $332.27 It could have been a lot worse!

    .
    Have to put in a plug for Jose at Fullerton location of America's Tire: He's a man of his word, and I feel that I was treated very well!!
     
    #47 HPrimeAdvanced, Jun 27, 2017
    Last edited: Jun 27, 2017
  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    What a lot of rigamarole tho: if Toyota would get show some of their cosmetic "designers" the door, and get a few more engineers, maybe they could get a temp spare in there. And get the hatch floor level, while on a break...

    You had a spare, but are reluctant to take it along, because, well: there's precious little space left in the hatch as it is, and the dang thing could turn into a projectile in a crash.
     
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  9. CoastRider

    CoastRider Active Member

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    Henri, America's Tire website shows two different types of Michelin defender.

    Defender A/S 90,000 Mi $108
    Defender T+H 80,000 Mi $110
    (195-65R-15)

    What does the T+H mean ?

    Edit: I think I found it. One has a higher speed rating. Please post again after you get the new tires and let us know how you like them. You certainly can't go wrong with the mileage warranty. And I am also interested in knowing if the Defenders are QUIETER. My noisy Toyo tires are driving me crazy. But maybe my regular Prius is overall just more loud than your Prime Prius.
     
    #49 CoastRider, Jun 27, 2017
    Last edited: Jun 27, 2017
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  10. PT Guy

    PT Guy Senior Member

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    Michelin Defender T+H Tires | Michelin USA

    Defender T+H is the newer version. I can't find what the initials mean. It does have an H speed rating vs. T for the old Defender. While I'll never drive at the 130 mph H speed rating limit, it does require better internal tire construction which I value, especially the cap ply.

    The Michelin chat person said, "If you are looking for mileage I recommend Defender, if you are looking for comfort and extreme wet traction we recommend the Premier." I think she meant tread life, not gas mileage. I'd pick the comfort and wet traction for my driving.
     
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  11. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    It is interesting how tire quality seems to correlate so directly to getting flats.
    You'd think all tires, even cheaper ones, would be pretty resistant to getting flats.

    But years ago, I had a new Nissan Pick-Up, and I forget the brand of tires on it from the dealership. But for some reason, those tires would pick-up nails, screws, debris..whatever and get a flat.
    Even thought they were factory OEM's....they were so new, the tread looked so good, I kept suffering, hoping or thinking it was just bad luck every time I got a flat.
    After about the 3rd or 4th flat in nearly as many months, I finally just gave up and had "Good" tires put on.
    I remember the guy at the tire shop being incredulous, and telling me how I didn't need new tires because there was plenty of life left on my original set.
    At that point I didn't care. Once I bought better tires...the flats stopped.
     
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  12. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    IIRC the new Defender T&H have lower mileage warranty?

    New and not improved? (n)
     
  13. CoastRider

    CoastRider Active Member

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    At America's Tire shop:

    The Energy Saver is the most expensive, and has a 50,000 mile warranty. $143

    The Premier A/S is the next most expensive, and has a 60,000 mile warranty. $123

    The Defenders, $110, have the longest mileage warranty of 80,000 miles. (supposedly).

    I agree with PT Guy. Comfort and wet traction are very important. And for me, also quietness. I am hoping to get 20,000 miles out of my Toyo tires before they turn into the "Nanocrappers" that Henri describes. :)
     
    #53 CoastRider, Jun 27, 2017
    Last edited: Jun 27, 2017
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  14. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Ok, found this at Tire Rack: Michelin Defender T+H | 195/65R15
    • Size: 195/65R15
    • Sidewall Style: Blackwall
    • Serv. Desc: 91HLoad Index 91= 1356lbs (615kg) per tire
      Speed Rating “H”= 130mph (210kph)"
    • UTQG: 820 A B - tread wear 820, traction A (best), temperature range B
    • 832 revs per mile
    So compared to the NANOENERGY A29 tire: Toyo NanoEnergy A29 | P195/65R15
    • Size: P195/65R15
    • Sidewall Style: Blackwall
    • Serv. Desc: 89SLoad Index 89= 1279lbs (580kg) per tire
      Speed Rating “S”= 112mph (180kph)"
    • UTQG: 300 A B - tread wear 300, traction A (best), temperature range B
    • 832 revs per mile
     
  15. HPrimeAdvanced

    HPrimeAdvanced Senior Member

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    Mr. Wilson, I'm ticked! I was under the impression that my new Michelins were like my old Michelins; they're not in that significant area of heat tolerance. All my previous Michelins were AA. These are only AB! Gnarr, gnarr. The only excuse is that they were made in Dumperville (the U.K.!); the British swine can take a French engineering masterpiece like the Michelin Tire, and subvert it to a second rate level. Nobody likes the British do they!!?? Now we know why!!. Brits stick to your tea and crumpets and leave our cars and accessories alone!!

    .
     
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  16. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Inspect the tires as all of the information is embossed on the sidewalls. It wouldn't be the first time the product and a web site description were off. Alternatively, check the receipt.

    Bob Wilson
     
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  17. HPrimeAdvanced

    HPrimeAdvanced Senior Member

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    Uncle Bob, I did just that as soon as I read your post. It's all true, it's all so horribly true!!. Oh well, this idiot should have looked harder at the fine print and the actual tires! On the plus side, the tires appear quieter, to answer another poster, but it's difficult with all the varied road surfaces in my area. Certainly the new tires do have a much better precision of feel, tight, nimble and joyfully responsive! They also feel more cushy, comfortable, as though padding has been added! You put all that together with a claim of 80,000 mile life, and the grin comes back!. The price seemed pretty reasonable based on prices I'd heard from other tire buyers. Oh, I now have the "new" alloys, which are finally seeing daylight after the omission of the factory wheelcovers. They look great!
    Now I've got to solicit family and friends for wheel caps, since I'm over budget!!

    .
     
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  18. CoastRider

    CoastRider Active Member

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    For A traction and A temp, we would have to move up to the Premier A/S. I think your Defenders will be just fine. Lots of good reports from other forum members who have the Defender.

    If they truly do last for 80,000 miles, I would never need to buy more tires for the rest of my life! :) For average, conservative, every day driving I've always had very good performance and reliability from Michelin tires.

    Note: soldier guy was happy with his Toyo tires, he replaced them at 45,000 miles but said they would have easily gone to 50,000. He replaced them with Yokohama tires. He has a 200 mile+ commute every day.
     
    #58 CoastRider, Jun 27, 2017
    Last edited: Jun 27, 2017
  19. ArcPrime

    ArcPrime Active Member

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    For my experience most of the time tires wore out before max thread life due to out of alignment of wheels.
     
  20. Prius from Dad

    Prius from Dad Senior Member

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    My experience with Yokohama "Blue Earth" tires, that were OEM for my 2012 v, that I inherited from my Dad, was that they were very fuel efficient (51.6 mpg for 125k miles), fairly quiet, and lasted 100k miles (except for 1 that got a screw in the sidewall) and yes, they were overinflated. On my Prime, I have Dunlop Enasave 01 A/S. I'm waiting to see how they preform. If they prove to be less than the Blue Earth's then I will go back to the Blue Earth's when they need replacing.
     
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