Sc 430 Replacement Tires

[cwhtrains]

Has anyone replaced the OEM run flats on a 2002 SC430?

I have 23,500 miles on mine, and have found them lacking in the snow the last four weeks here in Indianapolis, Indiana. I'm thinking by this fall they may be ready for replacement. Any thoughts or suggestions on a more all weather tire for this car?

[bchui]

I hate those run-flat. Any suggestions on replacements?

[AWJ]

OK, I know there's no zealot like a recent convert, but still...

Swapped the stock Potenza's for Pilot Sport A/S -- and I could tell the difference pulling out of the parking space. Another 50 miles and I'm happier every mile. Steering is better, road feel is better, noise level is lower, if not as quiet as I would like. The whole car feels much more lively. I'm a cheapskate (hard to say that with a straight face while owning this car ), and it took me two months to bite the bullet, but the Costco sale pushed me over the edge (knocked the price down to $996.96 -- whoo hooo!  ) - but it was a good choice in terms of increased pleasure in the car.

I would have gone with Sumitomo HTR+ (~$300 cheaper) if I lived in a less soggy locale - tests very similar to the Pilots, except in the wet.

I highly recommend changing the older runflats - seems such a shame what they do to this car.

I may still trade performance for noise, even if it means 17" wheels and Turanza-LZ's, but I will try this for a year first.

Borrowed from another site, written by SCamp.

[stanj]

AWJ replaced with Pilots. What did you do about a spare? Or are you traveling without one?

[zeta]

i don't think that's AWJ's car. it was from another person's post.

[AWJ]

Correct, I have a jzz31 the 430's are jzz4x. There apparently is a spare donut kit available from Lexus. But it costs an arm and a leg rite now. Hypothetically, one could buy another SC430 wheel (I've seen them on e-bay) and shoe it to retain for spare use. Maybe leave it in the garage and come get it when the uneventful situation occurs or leave it in the trunk, though I suspect it would be too big and probably take a lot of space. Or you could get a set of aftermarket wheels, rumor has it that the sensors can be swapped to new rims, and buy 5 instead of 4 and keep the new extra wheel around. Or try to find a spare from another vehicle that will work in emergency situations, I'm sure there is something out there with the same bolt pattern. Possibly a spare from a SC300/400. They have the same bolt pattern and carry a full size spare ;) .

[cwhtrains]

Does anyone have any experience with Dunlop SP Sport 5000M DSST Ctt as replacement tires for a 2002 SC 430?

I had a warranty replacement (free replacement) on two of the original tires and the local Lexus dealer gave me a choice of the Dunlops above or the original equipment. I went ahead and chose the Dunlop since the original tires had been the pits, and it looked like the Dunlops had much better all season tread.

Clayton

[joedoc]

i used the Dunlop SP Sport 5000M on my SC400. they were very quiet and had good performance even in the snow. (i still had to put 100 lbs of barbell plates in the trunk every winter though. ) i have since upgraded to 17 inch wheels with toyo tires. i have 4 of the dunlops with only about 15-20k miles if you are interested (16 inchers)

[Sadistic]

Being a tire guru I figure I should blurt out my opinion ;)

Dunlop SP5000's are great tires. Very inexpensive, and for the money you can't get a better deal IMO. There are a lot better tires out there, but cost goes up also. I think any tire you choose is going to be better than the runflats, as long as you don't go with a cheaper Toyo, or a Sumitomo.. Anything like that.. Any 17-18" tires that costs 80-90 bucks isn't worth buying.. You get what you pay for, I can garuntee you that.

[Velocity]

I recently replaced the Potenzas with Yokohama AVS db 2 for the SC 430. Very satisfied so far. They cost $185per tire at NTB. It feels like a different car. :D

[Sadistic]

I recently replaced the Potenzas with Yokohama AVS db 2 for the SC 430. Very satisfied so far. They cost $185per tire at NTB. It feels like a different car. :D

They are good tires, and with your Sears service agreement you'll be pretty safe. Lifetime rotating and balancing, and if you were so inclined Road Hazard coverage.

[dhoosee]

I am DYING to get rid of my Potenza run-flats! They are completely ruining the driving experience for me. They make the car feel like it's running on four rocks, cornering is uncertain with the feeling that the tires are rolling over on their sidewalls, the noise that they generate is unforgiveable and especially loud with the top up between 30 & 40mph. But probably the worst reactions are encountered on bumpy stretches of road; if the car picks up on a crack or crest in the road, it pulls violently to one side or the other, so much so that you fear that you're going to be pulled right off of the road unless you make an immediate, firm correction. Lexus should be truly ashamed for offering such crappy tires for such a beautiful automobile. My 2002 IS300 has a better ride than the SC!

I was considering Continental SportContacts in a 255 vs. 245 wide tread. Has anyone else tried the slightly wider sized tire on their stock SC430 rims? Also, has anyone else experienced the violent pulling and jumpy road manners described above with their run-flats? My car is a 2002 with 16,500 miles. the tires are pressured up properly and the car tracks straight on smooth, level roads.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

[ooo]

Am picking up my 2002 SC430 - 15k miles with new tires installed today!. After a lot of reserch and waiting for our size to be produced in the PZERO Nero... I got rid of the crappy ridiculus bridgestone run flats that ruin an otherwise wonderful car...

I'll let everyone know. These tires had the best overall rating, plus the quietest and best handling at tire rack - are the new Pirelli Pzero Nero M+S $193 per tire. nice price too! Better since the Lexus dealer charges $360 to remove crap tires, balance and mount new ones - the runflats are BEAR to remove and requiree four strong men to do and the sensor has to be reset if not broken when tires are removed from rim... and had to order the spare kit - rim, plate, bolt, and tire. Didn't opt for the ridiculus priced $137 beauty spare tire cover. LEXUS should give us this stuff for free since they F#$kED up this car with those terrible run flats in the first place! What a bunch of jerks for not truly taking care of their customers! I got tired of complaining to Lexus and posting here!

Check out my past posts from last year.

Anyway I'll let everyone know in a couple days how the new pirellis do on the SC430.

[Bly]

I wrote to Lexus customer relations about the terrible and dangerous handling with the runflats. They ended up giving me a five hundred dollar customer satisfaction credit. You should definitely write to them. I told them exactly the same thing that you're saying about the car being dangerous with the runflats on uneven roads as a result of sidewall steering and that they should never have released the car with the runflats. They came through with the dough. I switched to Continental extreame contacts. The only problem I've had was that I had one out of round tire which Continental eventually replaced. I also find that they flat spot after sitting over night but that goes away in a mile or two. They're great in the rain and pretty good in the snow. I contacted Continental about the flat spotting and was told that it's because of the Nylon belt used in high performance tires.

[dhoosee]

Wow! thanks for the input, Bly! If you have the exact address that you wrote to, could you post it in this forum? I would love to write to them and get in on some of that customer-satisfaction $$$. I plan on buying the spare tire kit from Lexus, so that would certainly help defray some of the cost.

You mentioned the performance that you get with your Conti's in the snow and rain, but are they relatively quiet and do they smooth out the bumps and potholes well compared to the run-flats? I'm also assuming that you are not experiencing any more of the pulling and sidewall steering as you did with your old tires.

Your post gave me renewed faith that yanking those run-flats will make life with the SC a lot more pleasurable! Thanks again.

[Bly]

I wrote to Lexus Motor Corporation

P.O. Box 2991

Mail Drop L 202

Torrance, Ca 90509-2991. The tires made a huge difference in the ride, quietness and handling of the car. In fact, had the car stayed the same way it was with the runflats I wouldn't have kept it. It was horrible with the runflats.

[dhoosee]

Thanks again, Bly. I really appreciate the information. I'll write to Lexus and post here if and when I get an answer back from them.

Gotta get moving, though....spring is on it's way!

Cheers!

[ooo]

First of all i must say that any real tires will be better than the run crap flat tires.

I picked up my SC430 a couple days ago. Pirelli Pzero Nero M+S. I almost cried how they trasnsformed the car. Day and night. Feels right, feels great! I feel like I've got something under me.. the runflats felt like i was riding on the wheels from about 5K to 15k miles. From day one i hated the bridgestone run flats. No more dodgy feel, no more loud tire noise, no more no grip.

Also i noticed the car is much quicker because these tires grip and hug the road. Cornering, stopping, cruising, you name WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wish I had done this from day one! Did I say these tires are very quiet! I've herad the Michelin Pilots have a drone sound at 35 to 45 mph and are about $330 more for a set of four.

Lexus wants $335 for the spare tire kit after i paid them $360 just for the removal, install, and balancing. I think that's BS. Should come with the car! The stupid motor cycle spare tire costs almost as much as one Pirelli PZero. RIDICULUS.

I will write and call Lexus.

[dhoosee]

Finally getting ready to get my tires. Going to go with the P-Zero Nero's. I am going to buy them and have them installed through Discount Tire here in Chicago.

Has anyone had runflats swapped out for non-RF radials at a tire shop like Discount, or Just Tires, etc..... I've heard that the runflats are a bear to get off, and that the tire pressure monitors could be damaged by amatures doing the job. Should I pony up the extra $$ and have Lexus install the tires, or can most of these shops do the job the proper way?

Any feedback either way would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[dcjaybird]

Just got rid of my 17000 Potenza runflats, and I'm again in love with the SC430...although I'm still hating Lexus for putting us through this :chairshot: Thankfully, a huge nail in one of my runflats (okay, so it was briefly nice that I could drive it afterwards) made me look at alternatives...especially after the dealer...and five other tire stores... said they weren't equipped to deal with the runflat repair or replacement! So I got four Michelin Pilots and $1200 later I've got a quiet ride, a smooth ride, no jerking from side to side as I stop on an uneven road surface AND I have a tire rated All Season as opposed to those only-Summer rated tires that had me stranded on a perfectly level road in a half inch of snow.

GET RID OF YOUR POTENZAS....!Removed! to Lexus and enjoy life and driving again

[rustybrick]

I just got my SC430 2005 (3.5 year lease) and I wanted to know which tires you recommend I should use to swap out the run flats.

The dealer told me the car only comes with run flats and that they are ok tires. I experience everything mentioned in this thread and I think I would like to replace the tires now, instead of mid way in my lease.

I really know nothing about tires and I would like to buy tires that work well for all year round. I am in NY and we do get snow in the winter. Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks again.

[Thienn]

DO NOT ever by Bridgestone Potenza! I have them on my 18" for the summer (summer high performance tires); these are the same tires use on SC430, 350Z, RX8... They were awesome when new but getting louder and louder after approximately 10k miles (go and search the web, there are lot of complains on these tires) I actually had one of the rear blew out after about 5k miles. Just put me 16" OEM wheels with Dunlop SP all season back and the car feels so much nicer. I know some people might say 18" wheels ride rougher but they were just about the same as the OEM when the tires were new! Will replace those Potenza after this winter.

[dcjaybird]

DO NOT ever by Bridgestone Potenza!  I have them on my 18" for the summer (summer high performance tires); these are the same tires use on SC430, 350Z, RX8...  They were awesome when new but getting louder and louder after approximately 10k miles (go and search the web, there are lot of complains on these tires)  I actually had one of the rear blew out after about 5k miles.  Just put me 16" OEM wheels with Dunlop SP all season back and the car feels so much nicer.  I know some people might say 18" wheels ride rougher but they were just about the same as the OEM when the tires were new!  Will replace those Potenza after this winter.

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[rustybrick]

So which exact model should i buy? size, etc.?

Thanks.

[dcjaybird]

The run flats were so bad, they were dangerous.  Poor handling--car pulled from side to side on a road that was not perfectly level; jarring ride on even the slightest bump; impossible to drive in even a half-inch of snow...makes you think Lexus and Bridgestone are in cahoots.  Yeah, they ran flat, but BFD.  Now I have great tires...but no spare if I need it. 

REPLACE those Potenzas BEFORE winter!  I tried to get Lexus to acknowledge that the tires are a mistake...even my dealer didn't carry them and when i had a flat, they sent me to NTB.  How's that for customer service and commitment to quality!  At a minimum they should be offering a free spare tire kit to everyone who needs it. I f I were a lawyer, I'd be pulling together a group to "complain."

DO NOT ever by Bridgestone Potenza!  I have them on my 18" for the summer (summer high performance tires); these are the same tires use on SC430, 350Z, RX8...  They were awesome when new but getting louder and louder after approximately 10k miles (go and search the web, there are lot of complains on these tires)  I actually had one of the rear blew out after about 5k miles.  Just put me 16" OEM wheels with Dunlop SP all season back and the car feels so much nicer.  I know some people might say 18" wheels ride rougher but they were just about the same as the OEM when the tires were new!  Will replace those Potenza after this winter.

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