Looking for feedback from Hankook 727 and Michelin Primacy tire owners

195/60R15 is the best size because it's closest to the OEM 185/65R15 in diameter/revolutions per mile, which means it will have the least speedometer error.

Also, overall you'll have better handling and braking with the wider width of the 195s.

Whenever getting tires that are not the OEM size, you should use a tire size calculator to determine what the effect on your speedometer and odometer will be. Here's the popular Miata Tire Size Calculator:

Tire size calculator

 

I finally had my Hankook 727s installed on my 2005 Prius yesterday. I went with the 195/60/15 size to replace my worn out Michelin Destiny tires of the same size.

Unfortunately, I cannot give you accurate feedback about the tires because I had to have my shocks & struts replaced as well. I incorrectly thought that the issues I was experiencing were attributed solely to my worn out tires. It turns out my issues were mostly related to worn out shocks & struts. My shocks & struts were so worn out that my tires were prematurely worn out as well.

So, here's what I can tell you. I absolutely could not be happier with my "new" Prius. It feels like a brand new car. My '05 had 75,000 miles when I took it in yesterday. Now, with new Hankook 727s, new shocks, new struts, and an alignment it feels like I'm riding in a brand new car. The ride is much, much quieter. I attribute that to the new tires. The ride is super smooth. I attribute that to the shocks/struts. The handling/steering feels grippy, responsive, and rock-solid. I attribute that to all the work I had done. More importantly, I feel like I can coast forever when I take my foot off the accelerator. My real-time mileage was about 5-6 mph better today on my normal commute. I also attribute this to all the work I had done, but I'm sure the new tires are an important factor.

Anyway, I'm sorry that I can't pinpoint exactly how the Hankooks have improved the performance of my '05 Prius, but I can say that I am absolutely blown away by how much better the ride is now. I had no idea what I was missing and wish I would have had the shocks/struts checked out sooner.

 

quote:scotk

"It turns out my issues were mostly related to worn out shocks & struts. My shocks & struts were so worn out that my tires were prematurely worn out as well".


###I've never heard of SHOCK/STRUT failure at only 75,000 miles on a PRIUS.

***Did the tire installer talk you into replacing the SHOCKS/STRUTS?

 

Good question. I had my work done at a Sears Auto Center. The reason I went in was because I was noticing that my ride was suffering badly. I felt that I was swaying, getting blown around by the wind, and the overall ride felt splashy and loose. I was also experiencing a lot of slipping and loose traction in wet or snowy conditions - much more so than ever before since I've owned the car. I simply thought I needed new tires.

The first thing they did at Sears was show me the uneven tire wear that was occurring on my tires. They were severely worn out around the outside edge, but still had 30 thousand miles remaining on the warranty. Next, they showed me my shocks/struts and two of them were leaking. This, they said, was a sign that the shocks and/or struts were worn out and they recommended replacement.

So, I asked them to give me a few minutes and I did a google search on my phone while I was waiting. I read a few articles that confirmed that all the things I was noticing about the poor ride quality of my Prius could actually be signs of worn out shocks and/or struts, and not necessarily from the tires. I learned that wear can be pretty subjective, but original equipment shocks/struts could wear out after 30 or 40 thousand miles, but usually last around 50 or 60 thousand miles. I read that things like leaking, rolling, swaying, & bottoming out are all signs that could point to worn shocks/struts, and these were all things that I was experiencing.

So, back to your original question. The answer is no, the auto guys did not talk me into new shocks/struts. They simply showed me all the areas of concern and, after a few google searches, it was easy to decide to have the shocks/struts replaced. They said they would still put the tires on, whether I did the extra work or not, but I made the decision to just stay there and have all the work done in one day.

As I stated before, I feel like I'm driving a brand new car and I couldn't be more pleased. I read a quote in an article that stated something like, "By the time you think you may need new shocks or struts, it's usually way past the time to have had them replaced." In my particular case, I think this turned out to be true.