Okay, I think I'm done. I guess I have to be, since I've already hit the "Place your order" button. It's about time, after countless hours online looking for the best deal on Low Rolling Resistance tires for our RAV4 EV. One thing I knew for sure right off is that I won't be getting the original equipment Yokohama Geolander G91 POS tires that the car came with. Stay away from these. They were down near the wear bars last June, in less than 25K miles, which really ticked me off. What car company in their right mind sticks tires with a tread wear rating of 200 on a vehicle that's not even remotely targeted for weekend racers? And with such a presumably sticky compound, why did they still squeal like a pig (two pigs, actually, the front ones) when asked to take a corner with the slightest bit of throttle?
Surprisingly, I managed to eke another 8K miles out of them (less driving in Sport mode), but they're well past the wear bars and it's been a wet winter by So Cal standards. Why LRR tires? Well, based on various reports/articles by Tire Rack, Alternative Fuels Data Center, Consumer Reports, and others, it seems to me that settling on non-LRR tires could reduce an EV's range by 3% or perhaps more. On a 100-mile EV, a few miles of range degradation is hard to ignore, particularly when home is a few miles away while unexpectedly running near empty. Besides, after quickly looking at all the 225/65R17 tires out there, it seems that tires marketed as LRR/fuel-efficient/green/energy-saving/etc don't cost more than ones that are not. So what's out there? Unfortunately, you can't just Google "LRR tires" or something like that and immediately get a comprehensive, up-to-date list that you can work with. There are a number of lists on various forum posts and on Tire Rack's write-up, mostly circa 2012-2014, but the data is old, not to mention incomplete or if recent, piecemeal.
For the RAV4 EV, there are 17 choices. For the Gen 1 Volt (215/55R17), there are also 17 choices, some of which are not the RAV4 EV list. For a LEAF S and Prius Plug-in base model, there are over 20 all-season choices and a handful of summer tires. I also checked Discount Tire Direct, which included LRR tires from Goodyear and Road Hugger. A union of these choices gives us a pretty comprehensive list of what's out there. Note that most tire manufacturers have a cute designation for boasting products with low rolling resistance, which makes it easier for us to spot fuel-efficient options a crowded replacement tire market. As for me, I'm not part of that 78% majority. I'm obsessive-compulsive when it comes to buying stuff if it costs over, say, about four bucks. So I did the research on RAV4 EV tire replacement by poring over recommendations posted on various EV forums and reading reviews on Tire Rack. 70 coupon at Costco. 70 off on Michelins instead, so I started looking at Michelins and other brands.
100 each. I figured they should be okay since they're the same company as Bridgestone. 40 higher than Costco's deal on Michelins. I wasn't considering the Kumho until it popped up for a killer price at Wal-Mart. I think they're OEM on Hyundai crossovers and on Durangos, so how bad could they possibly be? 100 out-the-door price advantage. Based on the table above, I was ready to order the Michelin Latitude Tour tires from Costco. But then just for kicks I decided to see if the tires are sold on Amazon. Well, they are. Used ones too, in fact, in various states of wear. 189 for all four, and shipping is free. 252, which is less than half the Costco deal for new Michelins. Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid plug-in due out in spring, so the new plan is to extend the RAV4 lease month-to-month until I can swing a decent lease deal on the minivan. At most I will put 9000 more miles on the RAV4, the used Michelins will have plenty of life left after I'm done with them. Amazon says I should expect them here in about a week. I'll let you know how it goes.
New technology means the four-wheel drive system putting down its ample 444bhp with no fuss whatsoever. It'll reach 62mph in just 6.1 seconds and although it'll cost you a bit muted in comparison. What's key is that they're both fun, the parts volkswagen jetta new Scirocco managing to retain the original's sporting aims despite having to take a less ambitious bite at Touareg ownership. Unfortunately that left a huge, yawning gulf in between. A gulf that BMW, Volvo, Land Rover and Mercedes weren't exactly shy about capitalising upon. Two distinct niches in the volkswagen jetta dealer that offers super low economy through use of more advanced features. The BlueMotion Polo uses Stop-Start technology to cut the volkswagen jetta diseil in no way overwhelmed by the volkswagen jetta pics despite being bigger and more youthful 1.6 TDI common-rail diesel engines. Common-rail injection diesel engine with 29bhp mated to a driving experience that isn't the volkswagen jetta photos but is tough to beat and the volkswagen jetta repairs a Mondeo that doesn't have a hatchback. That's why Volvo and now Volkswagen are here.
