From: sml@plato.ds.boeing.com (Stuart Lewis)
Subject: Re: a stupid tire question
Organization: Boeing Defense & Space Group
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 06:53:34 GMT

In article <1992Dec17.091733.4956@newstand.syr.edu> mprisco@lynx.cat.syr.edu () writes:
>
>I was told that I needed to replace 2 of my tires (by a shop that
>specializes in tires...) so I've scraped up the bucks to buy 'em
>but wonder if I really need 'em.  Is there a good way to judge if
>your tread is too low to 1. give you decent traction (I live in
>the snow belt...) and 2. pass inspection.  Someone suggested the
>penny method, so I stuck it in the tread and on the Eagle GTs
>the tread come up just to, maybe a tad (technical term) over
>Lincoln's head.

That's the popular method.  What ever works for you - that's as good
as any.  Generally, I can tell by the way my vehicle handles on
cornering - especially on wet pavement which magnifies insufficient
tread.  My rule of thumb, if it looks like the tread is getting
pretty low... it probably is!

>................On the Invectas the tread on the outter parts
>of the tire came well over the head but in the middle didn't 
>cut it.  The GTs have about 10,000 more miles on 'em than the
>Invectas.  Any ideas?  The easiest shop for me to get to is Goodyear
>and of course they're gonna tell me I need tires!  Any help would
>be appreciated....  like do I need 4 tires?  why is the tread on
>the Invectas shallower in the middle?  The other consideration
>is that I only want to keep the car ('87 Subaru) another 11 or
>12 months....
>
>Thanks
>Margot (mprisco@cat.syr.edu)

Well, you'll never go wrong with Goodyears.  I had a Chevy LUV that
that I put 97k, yes, 97,000 miles, on a set of Arrivas!  Me thinks,
that worked so well, think I'll buy another set to replace these!
They didn't do quite as well.  Only got 92,000 out of those!  That
poor truck barely outlived that second set - gave up the ghost at
217,000 miles.  Anyway, I digress....  Goodyear is a quality tire
and you'll never regret buying a set.

But.  That's not what you really want to hear if you're going to
sell the car in a year.  You can do a lot cheaper than a Goodyear
and still get basically get a good radial.  You might try
Armstrong - pretty inexpensive, but they *do* wear fast.  Very fast.
A year would be about right!  Another consideration would be
retreads.  Some retreads are pretty good quality - and nothing, but
nothing is cheaper, new, than retreads.  I have a set of studded
snows all the way around on my truck - this is the 3rd season and I
think, by the treadwear, I can get 2 more out of them.  (Yeah, I
know, they're not Goodyears, but then, you don't put studded snows
on for performance either).

Kelly Springfield and Dunlop would be a less expensive tire also.
(when I say "less expensive," I mean compared to GoodYear, Michelin,
Uniroyal, B.F. Goodrich, &c; the higher end tires).  If it were me,
and I knew I was going to sell the car in a year, that's what I'd
do.  You probably have a local discount chain in your area also.
Try that out.  Here in the Northwest, we have Les Schwab (Howdy
Neighbor!).  They generally offer a pretty good variety and
selection of domestic and imported tires, as well as their own
custom label.

Good Luck
Stuart Lewis
sml@plato.ds.boeing.com