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Tourevo tires wearing out way too soon

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by TrueBlue, Jun 28, 2011.

  1. TrueBlue

    TrueBlue New Member

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    I have an 04 Prius and use it a lot for work. I've been through the Integrities, then a set of TTs, and now have a set of Toyo Tourevos, purchased from Les Schwab. The TTs were okay, but I found them to be quite noisy on the highway and also not great on wet roads, ice and snow. I purchased the Tourevos partly because I wanted to have the convenience of Schwab's service, but also because they seemed like a very good tire.

    The tires are rated to last for 80K miles. I currently have 33K on them and not a whole lot of tread left. I took my car into Schwab and they said I have perhaps 6-10K miles left on the tires. That means I'll probably get around 40K out of these tires, not the 80K that was predicted. Schwab will cover them under their warranty and I will get a new set for 50% off. BUT, I am limited to buying new tires at Schwab.

    Schwab says this premature wear may be due to the model of car they are on. They say they work better on some cars than others. I don't really understand that?? I drive quite conservatively and the miles are predominantly highway miles. Why should the model of car make a difference?

    I have kept the tires inflated at 42/40, as recommended on this forum. A while back, Schwab insisted I lower that to 35/33, the Prius recommendation. Is it possible the increased pressure contributed to their early wear, in anyone's opinion? I gathered that the higher pressure was supposed to do the opposite?

    I would appreciate hearing if others have experience with these tires on a Prius and any other input as well. Thanks.
     
    #1 TrueBlue, Jun 28, 2011
  2. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Can you provide some pictures of the tire and possibly tread depth info? You could use a penny inside the tread to show depth if you don't have a depth gauge.

    Thanks!
     
    #2 F8L, Jun 28, 2011
  3. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

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    No merit to the request to lower the tyre pressure. Pictures of the tyre wear pattern might say if alignment is needed, but presumably the dealer would have said so.

    I also have an '04 Prius. The OEM integrities made it to 37k miles or so, Zi-Ex were gone in 38k (and returned about 1/2 the warranty.) Since then the car has Michelin Hydroedges and is finally wearing at a rate perhaps lower than the warranty. I like the ride (although I am probably not picky,) the dry and wet handling is really good, and the snow handling is acceptable.
     
    #3 SageBrush, Jun 28, 2011
  4. TrueBlue

    TrueBlue New Member

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    #4 TrueBlue, Jun 29, 2011
  5. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    If the tread appears evenly wornlthen I doubt pressure had much to do with you problem. It may just be an issue with the tire compound, your road surfaces and how you drive. Bad roads will eat up tires just as agressive driving will. :)
     
    #5 F8L, Jun 29, 2011
  6. TrueBlue

    TrueBlue New Member

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    Today a guy who works at Costco tires, and used to work at Les Schwab, told me that the Tourevos are not very good tires. In fact, he said that the Eclipse that Schwab sells, with a 70K warranty, is actually a much better tire.

    The one he recommends at Costco is the Michelin X-Radial DT, with an 80K warranty. A set of four 195/65R15s installed for $430. He says that he believes the Michelins will last for 60-90K miles on the Prius.

    Any opinions on his opinions?
     
    #6 TrueBlue, Jun 29, 2011
  7. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    I don't have any direct knowledge of the X-Radial but be careful what you buy as it may drop your MPG drastically. :( There are plenty of great LRR tires that are high mileage so you might want to look at those. http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...esistance-replacement-tires-current-list.html
     
    #7 F8L, Jun 29, 2011
  8. The Critic

    The Critic Resident Critic

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    My dad has a set of X-Radials from Costco on his 92 Toyota Previa minivan. He has about 72,000 miles on his set of X-Radials, and the treads are now measuring between 4-5/32". The tire is not "sporty," but they are quiet, good quality (no out-of-round issues), and have delivered reasonable traction.

    If you want a set of good long lasting tires, I think the X-Radials are a solid choice. However, I would personally opt for the Primacy MXV4 that Costco also sells. That is because the Primacy MXV4 offers better fuel economy (Green-X technology), better traction and better handling. Treadlife should only be slightly less than the X-Radial.
     
    #8 The Critic, Jun 30, 2011
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