Which tires do you prefer for your Sonic
- Thread starter Chevyjay
- Start date
Fyi
A lot of information here on properly inflated tires. See page 7 specifically for tire's crash role in regard to inflation status.
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811617.pdf
A lot of information here on properly inflated tires. See page 7 specifically for tire's crash role in regard to inflation status.
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811617.pdf
Free tires for life? Yeh, I would stick to the Hankooks myself with that kind of a deal! I have Hankooks on my Forester and I've been happy with them.
The Champ
New member
Hope that "deal" didn't cost you anything.
I took my OE Hankook's off at 2700 miles because they are just simply lousy tires.
For reasons unknown to me, I assumed they came with goodyears like my cavalier did.. But the Hans look OK. I wont know for sure until my car comes in.
I bought an LTZ, and ya know how the back and forth goes.. Told em I'd think about their offer... Was headed for the door when the sales manager offered the tires for life. The only hook is I have to bring it in every 5k to rotate the tires... and they have to do it. First two years is free, then 25 bucks with all the free coffee and doughnuts I can stand while they do it.
However, I wont let that chain me down. I'll give em a year, and maybe one new set to get the benefit.. at least once.
The Champ
New member
FWIW - here is a link to tirerack's info on the OE Hankook's:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...5HR6H428&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes
Click on the "Survey" link below the tire photos to see the ratings and then go to the reviews to read the comments.
The current first comment:
"These were OE equipment with my Sonic and they are without a doubt the worst non-bald tires I've ever driven upon. Absolutely terrible in even light snow....these are downright unsafe for winter driving. I understand that every manufacturer has to cut corners somewhere on a small car and GM clearly decided it was gonna be the tires for this model. My recommendation is to replace them as soon as possible."
To me, even free is too much to pay.
As far as the terms to "qualify" for the free tires for life it seems to me that it will be easy for the dealer to consider the offer void before you ever need to replace the tires.
I do believe in rotating tires to extend tire life, but every 5,000 miles is a little excessive. And I don't drink coffee or eat donuts, so that is no incentive to waste my time at the dealership....
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FWIW - here is a link to tirerack's info on the OE Hankook's:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...5HR6H428&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes
Click on the "Survey" link below the tire photos to see the ratings and then go to the reviews to read the comments.
The current first comment:
"These were OE equipment with my Sonic and they are without a doubt the worst non-bald tires I've ever driven upon. Absolutely terrible in even light snow....these are downright unsafe for winter driving. I understand that every manufacturer has to cut corners somewhere on a small car and GM clearly decided it was gonna be the tires for this model. My recommendation is to replace them as soon as possible."
To me, even free is too much to pay.
As far as the terms to "qualify" for the free tires for life it seems to me that it will be easy for the dealer to consider the offer void before you ever need to replace the tires.
I do believe in rotating tires to extend tire life, but every 5,000 miles is a little excessive. And I don't drink coffee or eat donuts, so that is no incentive to waste my time at the dealership....
Wow!
Talk about lousy reviews!
I would at least give them a try for a while, you might get lucky (wishful thinking?) and have better results than most of these reviewers. In the meantime, start putting money aside for a replacement set! I doubt the dealer is going to give you a new set of tires after one year unless their totally worn out. And what are they going to replace them with? Another set of Hankooks? I sincerely hope things work out for you but I wouldn't count on it.
The dealer I bought my 2013 Sonic from gives free oil changes and tire rotations for life. Will they use Dexos approved synthetic oil or whatever bulk oil they have on hand? Will they find things "wrong" when I bring my car in for a tire rotation in order to make a few extra bucks? No thanks, I'll use my trusted regular mechanic.
The Michelins I just bought came with the following:
"FREE mount and demount, nitrogen inflation, installation, tire rotations and maintenance, TPMS re-programming, lifetime flat tire repairs, mileage warranty, alignments and suspension check, and lifetime tire maintenance."
LorbeerTLC
Member
Reviews...
OMG, The Champ!
That review was so flame-broiled! I'm still trying to silence my smoke detector!
I had to go to that site just to verify that flame-throwing response and sure enough, there it was. To be fair, there were a few positive reviews. But the main "dagger-to-the-heart" was driving in the snow. Wow!
Then I came across this review and just lost it:
"I'd rather wrap the rim in duct tape and use it as a tire before putting another set of these on."
Dang, there goes the smoke detector again...
opcorn:
FWIW - here is a link to tirerack's info on the OE Hankook's:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...5HR6H428&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes
Click on the "Survey" link below the tire photos to see the ratings and then go to the reviews to read the comments.
The current first comment:
"These were OE equipment with my Sonic and they are without a doubt the worst non-bald tires I've ever driven upon. Absolutely terrible in even light snow....these are downright unsafe for winter driving. I understand that every manufacturer has to cut corners somewhere on a small car and GM clearly decided it was gonna be the tires for this model. My recommendation is to replace them as soon as possible."
To me, even free is too much to pay.
As far as the terms to "qualify" for the free tires for life it seems to me that it will be easy for the dealer to consider the offer void before you ever need to replace the tires.
I do believe in rotating tires to extend tire life, but every 5,000 miles is a little excessive. And I don't drink coffee or eat donuts, so that is no incentive to waste my time at the dealership....
OMG, The Champ!
That review was so flame-broiled! I'm still trying to silence my smoke detector!
I had to go to that site just to verify that flame-throwing response and sure enough, there it was. To be fair, there were a few positive reviews. But the main "dagger-to-the-heart" was driving in the snow. Wow!
Then I came across this review and just lost it:
"I'd rather wrap the rim in duct tape and use it as a tire before putting another set of these on."
Dang, there goes the smoke detector again...
opcorn:
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dannyg
Member
Ouch! I bought my 2015 Sonic in February here in Maine and it was cold with lots of snow. Yes, the Hankooks are lousy in the snow in my experience. They seem fine otherwise, I would just call them summer tires not all-seasons! Right now I'm driving my old AWD Subaru in the snow, but next fall I'll pick up some wheels and real snow tires for the Sonic to run Nov-Apr. Maybe even get them studded. Swap over to the stock wheels/tires May-Oct.
Wow!
Talk about lousy reviews!
Well, the dealer I bought from (Page Chevy for yall in Northern Va), was the coolest bunch in the 50 mile radius of home plate. After the paperwork, got the tour of the shop, and met the shop manager. Clean and laid back crew, and was told the tire rotation would only be a 15 to 30 minute affair. Replacements would always be stock hans unless they were out... Said they would sub it with whats in house if that happened.
I double checked the "miss a rotation, no tires for you!", and was assured that wouldn't void the offer. I only average about 8000 miles a year, so it wont be like I have to go in every month or so... I took it as a nice jester on their part, and wont chain myself to it. If the tires are super God awful, it's no biggie to flip em. When I bought the truck, that dealer gave me free lube/trans/axle fluid changes for life.. but I never did take it in for that. After that hot rod is back together, I am taking it in for all that... only because it's been 26 years, and me and the posse think it would be funny.
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ahtoxa
New member
The cost of WAY less then a thousand dollars over life of car is hardly worth driving on those turds. An Average Sonic owner spends, what, $400 on tires every 2-3 years? That's a minor expense compared to tolerating terrible snow traction, poor hydroplaning resistance and wet traction.
I agree. I didn't realize the tires were that bad until I read the reviews.
The Champ
New member
At 8,000 miles per year, the tires will only have 56,000 miles on them at the end of 7 years. For safety purposes, I won't run a tire that is over 7 years old (not 7 years on the car - 7 years from date of production).
Will the dealer replace tires that are too old to be safe - or are they going to insist that the tire tread is worn out?
Regardless - with a vehicle driven so few miles per year - I don't think it even pays (at $25.00 per time at your friendly dealer) to rotate the tires - just buy new tires every 5 years and you'll have better quality/safer tires for your money.
The OE Hankook's that come on the Sonic are "super God awful"....
severedevil
New member
omg the stock hancooks are sooooooo horrible. i never realized how sh*tty they were till i replaced them with pirelli p7s. sooo much better. those hancooks were bald at 45k miles(mainly highway). the road has never been so smooth and quiet with these new tires. chevy made a horrible and cheap choice with those crappy hancook tires.
Brad Ferrell
New member
I'm in love with my Michelin Pilot Super Sports.
PapaSmurf805
Member
Installed the Continental Extreme Contact DWS 215/45ZR17 on the LTZ. Very happy with them.
