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Nitrogen is useful if you have a high performance car and you track it. For passenger cars driven on public roads, it's not worth it. That being said, low profile tires often require pressures in the 40's, mine are 44 psi and that's actually the recommended tire pressure for the rear as well. The fronts are 40.
Well it is the sports model but I hardly take it on the track. Mostly got the SX for the bigger motor going over mountains when traveling and the additional amenities.
OK, this is what I found out at the dealer. There is the beginning of dry rot in a line by the tread. He said I should have another six months on these tires so have enough time to shop around. My warranty is only for road hazard. They quoted me $579 for four new Kumho tires w free lifetime rotation which seems high.
Apparently in this climate rot gets the tires before the tread wears out especially if you keep the car outdoors. I may have to move some of my sports equipment and survival gear around and get in the habit of parking inside the garage. Thanks for all of your feedback.
...and, you shouldn't wait for the TPMS warning light to tell you that the pressure in your tires has dropped, as the TPMS is there to warn you of catastrophic pressure loss while you are driving. It was never intended to be relied upon on as a substitute for checking your tires with a hand-held tire pressure gauge.
Buy a hand-held tire pressure gauge, and get into the habit of checking the tire pressure every few weeks.
The pressure warning on my car comes on around 28psi; factory-recommended is 35psi. Running them like that constantly will certainly contribute to premature tire wear but it's hardly a "catastrophic" pressure loss. In fact it's not uncommon for TPMS warning to come on in single-digit (or lower) temperatures only to go off shortly after the tires are warmed up.
OK, this is what I found out at the dealer. There is the beginning of dry rot in a line by the tread. He said I should have another six months on these tires so have enough time to shop around. My warranty is only for road hazard. They quoted me $579 for four new Kumho tires w free lifetime rotation which seems high.
The price could be decent or a ripoff, depending on which Kuhmos you're getting. If you're getting Ecsta 4X KU22's and the price includes mount and balance and new valve stems and all that, the price is quite reasonable. If you're getting ASX's, the price is a little steep but not entirely out of line. If you're getting AST's, that price is a ripoff.
Thanks Drover. It seems I will be learning a lot about how to tell the difference in quality between various models of tires even within the same line. So many strange names these days. Any hints about country of origin or construction that I should be aware of in general other than I don't want retreads? For instance, what is the difference in the above three? I will be driving almost exclusively in Florida and need to take this early hot weather/sun rot deterioration into consideration.
Kuhmo is a South Korean company. Their tires are generally considered decent; their primary selling point is their competitive price point, especially for their higher-performance tires. My experience with Kuhmos is that they start to get loud as the tread wears down, so I tend to avoid them. Every once in a while though, they undercut their competitors so much that I bite the bullet and buy a set.
Since you're not getting your tires replaced under warranty, you're not wed to a specific brand. In your situation the best resource would be Tire Rack's Tire Decision Guide. If you use their guide, please consider buying your tires from them as they've taken the time to put together a lot of very useful consumer information about tires. They will ship to an independent shop of your choice, or they can recommend local shops for you. If you use a recommended shop, Tire Rack can provide a guaranteed installation quote. Even after paying the shipping cost you'll usually pay less than you would if, say, you pulled into a Firestone shop or a dealership.
I have used both Tire Rack and Tire Buyer in the past. Tire Rack charges shipping, Tire Buyer shipping is free and you get a discount the first time you buy from them. I used them six months ago and the tires arrived at my front door in one day.
Take your new tires to Wal-Mart for installation, balance and new valve stems cost approximately $16 per tire.
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