Pls Help With Tire Question

tealboy · March 2, 2008

I have a 2002 AWD RX 300 that i purchased used. It has been excellent for the past 3 yrs that i have owned it, but the tires it came with are very disappointing to me. Though they are a good brand, Kelly Signatures, they have become chopped out and are therefore noisy. I hate tire noise which makes me hate this vehicle. With gas prices at $3+, I'm not sure how long i will keep the vehicle since i really don't need a AWD SUV in Florida but for this reason, the value of the vehicle has fallen a lot since I bought it. It appears to be worth $19-20K with the add for low miles of only 50,000 (does that value sound realistic??).

Anyway, since i probably won't keep it that long, I don't want to buy Michellin LTX's which is what I have always bought. They are just too expensive. The Kelly's still have great tread life and if i were to get rid of the vehicle in the next 6-8 mos, it would be better to such it up and keep the kelly's but it will probably be another 18 mos before i get rid of the RX. So, I might as well enjoy it with better tires between now and then but don't want to break the bank.

Given the above comments, what would you recommend? I went to the Tires plus web site and read a few reviews and did not come to a conclusion other than the stock Integrity Goodyears are not very well regarded, unfortunately, bc they are cheap, which is good. Any help is appreciated.

Lexusfreak · March 2, 2008

What size do you need & how much are you looking to spend for a set of replacements?

:cheers:

RX in NC · March 2, 2008

If you have 16-inch or 17-inch rims, I believe that the all-around best bang for the buck is the Firestone Destination LE tire ordered from tirerack.com. Had a set on my wife's previous 2000 RX300 and have a set now on my daughter's 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Long-lasting, good-riding, straight-tracking tires that offer superb grip in wet weather as well as snow. They are so close to the Bridgestone Alenza in design, materials, and performance yet are far less costly. Go to tirerack.com, learn about them, and compare other tires there while you're on the website....

tealboy · March 2, 2008

225x70x16. these are stock size

ThisIsBob · March 2, 2008

... It appears to be worth $19-20K with the add for low miles of only 50,000 (does that value sound realistic??)...

WRT this question, you are in the ballpark as that is about what I paid for mine from a dealer in TX in December. As for the tires, I'd get the new ones. The better ride will help sell the vehicle.

Bob