The Most Important Purchase For Your Vehicle -ETCG1 

Most important purchase is insurance. And clothes. I once got arrested for not having either of those things while driving.

I completely agree. My '04 Accord coupe originally came with Bridgestone Turanza tires. They were ok, but I always found them to be a little noisy and lackluster in snow. When it came time for new ones about three years ago, I researched tires and ended up spending a lot of money to put on Michelin Primacy MXV4s. They have been fantastic. They wear slowly and evenly, provide excellent traction and handling in all conditions, and are way quieter than the Bridgestones. For all the years and miles you have a set of tires on your car, it's an important decision.

I would say this is one of the most important purchases for your car. These are the 3 things you should never cheap out on. Tires-Get good priced tires, AVOID RETREADS Steering/Suspension Parts, Get new replacement OEM or third party that meet or exceed OEM, NEVER GET USED. Brakes, get good pads and discs.

I agree with tires. You can have all the power, fancy suspension, rally AWD and it doesn't mean crap if your tires aren't good enough.

I love the starting, It's so 80's lol

insurance... for when you wrap your car around a tree because you bought crap tires.. :P

I have an 80's car ..without power steering. So for me a new set of tyres is like power steering. For 6 months at least.

I have to say the best investment in my car would not only be the tires but the entire suspension system. Bushings, ball joints, struts, springs, brakes & things such as alignment. As you said they're your interface with the road and cheeping out on any part of that system could result in not only wearing at your tires and other components prematurely, but could also result you have an accident.

I love the Elvis clock in the background. Love your videos. They always contain useful information and you are a personable source. Keep up the good work dude.

Tires #1, Regular oil and oil filter changes #2.

etcg1 you are 100% right no matter what kind of vehicle you drive as soon as you get those new set of tires your vehicle feels like brand new and i had the experience on my wifey's awd infiniti g35x never been so happy to invest my money with such a sorpresive positive result like when i bought her car a new set of tires...she was amazed with the vehicle handling after she drove away from the tire shop. i couldnt believe how happy she looked after that experience and ppl this guy is the nothing else but the best technician repair guy ever.

Tires are the only thing that improve acceleration, braking, handling, and traction. Can't think of any other part that does ALL FOUR.

I just bought 4 brand new michelin tires and I agree with the description of the video, The change is dramatic!! I love it! This is the first time I'm able to afford to buy 4 new tire for my vehicle; I've had about 11 cars so far. From now on I will buy a set of new tires for every car I buy.

I like to put a good brand rotor(slotted) and premium brake pads along with the best Michelin tire I can get for my wife's car and my truck. The families safety is number one. Great video Eric.

Interesting thoughts. Good information. I remember my first truck. It was a Datsun small pickup. I just loved back then to do burn outs and smoke the tires and leave my mark. Yet those tires only lasted for two weeks. I asked my dad if he would put another set on. His reply was, "I bought the first set for you, now you can put tires on the truck.". Boy did I ever learn my lesson.

Continue. Loose or broken parts just don't put the driver in danger, it puts anyone on the road in danger. Same goes for tires. If you tire blows from lack of care, you are at risk along with anyone you are driving around. ERIC, I'd really like to see a video about poor maintenance to vehicles and the risk you run. This could be from tires, loose parts, or even loose body part( I've seen bumpers fly off cause damage to vehicles behind them.) safety first! Awesome videos Eric . Keep it up!

I would say that a part that is near, if not on par with tires is the control arm bushings. They may be a part nobody thinks about, but they are important all the same. The control arm bushings keep the wheel pointed in the same direction when the suspension cycles. They keep the wheel from moving back and forth in the wheel well despite the direction the tire is pointed. They keep the wheel from moving in or out in relation to the wheel well despite the direction the wheel is pointed. If those bushings are worn out, the tire can move independent of the car. That may or may not sound significant to you until you realize just what that means. When you step on the brake, the tire wants to slow down faster than the vehicle. The bushings keep the tire from moving back in the wheel well and keep it from trying to turn in relation to where you have it pointed if it can't move back, just like the wheel on a desk chair spins in relation to it's axis when you roll it backwards and forwards. The friction on the wheels produces drag which causes them to spin around since their pivot axis is off center. It's the same with the wheels on your car. Worn bushings allowing the wheel to shift will change the direction the tire is pointed, which will change the direction the vehicle is moving in relation to the braking force. If you've ever had brakes or tires that were worn unevenly you might know what I'm talking about. You step on the brake hard and the car tries to dart off the road one direction or the other. The same can happen when you drive over a large bump or pot hole. The same can happen when you turn the wheel and the suspension shifts because of the play in the bushings, making the wheels point in different directions. Also, you don't have to get performance matched tires unless you drive the vehicle in a way that would usually be considered aggressive. Most tires these days are made from different compounds or in a different way than they were even 15 years ago. 10 years ago. Hell, some are totally different than even 2 years ago. That may not sound important until you realize just how many old vehicles are out there. The tires on my truck for instance, are 22 years newer than the truck. In that time, billions have been spent finding better compounds that last longer and wear better in an effort to get people to buy tires. Granted, that money usually goes to the high performance tires, but it does trickle down over time. I feel fairly confidant when I say that the tires I have on my truck now most likely grip and wear better than the tires that were intended for the truck when it was designed, just as older tech has been left for better designs since cars were invented. I've seen the same with brakes in most cases. Yes, buying high performance racing brakes will probably stop your car better than the cheapest stock brakes there are. That said, most people don't NEED more than the stock brakes. I have a video on my channel showing how even heavily worn stock brakes can actually do a dam good job preventing me from hitting animals in the road at 60mph. I also show just what I mean by heavily worn on there. Not quite steel on steel, but close. I now have new cheap stock brakes on my truck and if I'd bothered to save the footage I'd have at least 5 more videos of me stopping well before hitting deer crossing the road. The times that performance brakes really start to stand out is when you're using them heavily and very often over a short period of time; like in a race. I do agree that having the same size tire on each side of the axle is important. I also agree that the cheapest is often not recommended. I disagree though that sticking with the manufacturer's recommended tire is important. I've owned a few cars where the speedometer is actually a few mph slow across the board when tested with multiple gps based speedometers. I found that simply by increasing the tire size SLIGHTLY I was able to correct that error. Not only did I now have a perfectly accurate speed reading, but I believe the car rode better and handled better. I say that because the tire is larger which means it has a larger side wall to absorb bumps and a more gentle curvature, and therefor has more area in contact with the ground when it's compressed under the weight of the vehicle even when properly inflated. Yes the sidewall can flex minutely more in turns, but the car isn't being driven in a way that would require stiffer sidewalls than stock. Lastly, I agree that informing a person that their car needs work separate from what they asked you to do IS a nice thing to do. One thing I've noticed that bothers me most is that mechanics either over-hype or don't tell people how severe the problems are. Is the coolant leak more important than the brake leak? Is the bad rotor more important than the oil leak? Is the uneven wear on the caliper indicative of a larger problem with the vehicle? When I do repairs for friends and family, it's usually because they bought a beater for around $500 and it needs a lot of work. That doesn't mean it can't go down the road as is or that it needs all the work done at once. Informing a person what needs to be done immediately and what can wait and for how long is less daunting than handing them a list and implying they bought a scrap heap. Nearly every car that I've suggested someone buy that needs repairs is still on the road because the repairs have been prioritized by severity and cost. Sure, they may end up spending a total of 2 or 3 thousand on the car by the time their done with all the repairs, but they also have a car that is reliable and will last them several years. Provided they don't crash them or sell them.

My father told me to never waste my time with cheap shoes, cheap booze, or cheap women. I can add tires to the list. Never waste my time with cheap tires.

Just put some Michelin Premier A/S tires on a 2006 Toyota Matrix 4WD. Spent $570 on a full set (included install, balance, etc) So far so good: Smoother over bumps and more sure footed-especially on wet roads. I'm hoping to get a big improvement in snow this winter. I spun and skidded out 3x last winter on my old set-real sketchy.

I got a set of Hankook H272's on my 98 Honda Civic and I must say those are the best tires I have ever had on that car. 100,000 mile warranty too! Can't really beat that. Handling in the snow is amazing, handling on the highway is great and have excellent hydroplaning resistance. 100% recommend them.

I agree Eric ! I brought a set of Michelin tires on my 1977 Ford Crown Victoria police interceptor and the ride and handling change for the better. it has less road noise and the car is not hydroplaning in the rain. Excellent advice !!

I agree 110% Eric. Back in 2008 I had tires that were about 4 years old and managed to spin out on the highway on 93 South in MA on a rainy night. Luckily I didn't hit anyone or damage my car. From then on I realized how important tires are. Since then I've stayed on top with tire care checking pressure and sidewalls.

I agree with you Eric, tires are the best investment. My first car, a 1978 MGB had some tires my Uncle steered me towards (cheap stuff, but new, so...) and I had them a few years. When I had some money I got new tires myself and the difference in the car was night and day. It drove soooo much better, smoother, handled better, was quieter. It really was like a new car. I always try to put good tires on my cars. I put winter tires on them usually too. One request, tell people not to be a dumbass and only change their front tires -- the rears are more important for safety than the front. ALWAYS put your best tires on the rear. You can easily tell when your front tires hit ice or hydroplane, but not the rears. You have no direct connection with the wheels other than your butt, and so it is almost impossible to tell when you are losing traction in the rear. Great videos!

One of my best moves was replacing the p series (passenger car) of tyres with lt (light truck) tyres on a mini pickup. Many places did not want to replace p205/75r15 with lt215/75r15 but Canadian Tire did. It even corrected my speedometer.

Agreed. People like to complain about the softer sidewalls but I've been very pleased with the DWS on my Audi. Excellent performance in the dry and wet, affordable, and excellent warranty.

Completely agree its mind-blowing how people skimp out on tires, everything about a car it's performance, fuel, economy, safety, fun, comes down to 4 tiny contact patches with the pavement, its moronic not to get possible tires any vehicle.

What you said about using the OEM tires that came on your car rings very true in my ear. For example, my 1997 Lincoln Town Car came with Michelin Symmetry all season tires on it. When I purchased the car it had GoodYear tires on it. They were okay, but they were absolutely useless in the snow. I had Symmetrys installed on it, what a difference. The ride became 100x better, the snow traction was great, and I gained a couple MPG's as well. The factory put that specific tire on the car for a reason

I agree. Tires really change the handling characteristics of the car. The traction on wet, dry or snowy roads are better. The handling becomes sharper. Your brake distance becomes shorter. Brakes are important too, but if your tires cant grip the road, your stopping distance will be longer.

My wife has a 03 Odyssey EX-L with 300,000 miles on it. It's on its 3rd set of Pirelli P4 Four Seasons Plus tires. The car rides, handles, and brakes awesome with them. Like you, I don't ever skimp on tires, especially on the car my wife is gonna drive with my three kids in it. My dad always told me since I was a kid that cheap things always turn out to be expensive in the end!!!

Good tires are indeed very important for your safety and comfort.

Eric, I highly agree with you on this topic. Having said that, I'm too cheap to go for Michelins, unless they're on a clearance sale. I tend to go for other brands such as Continental or Hankook. I'd like to note that it's also very important to look for the manufacturing date of the tires you're buying. A lot of times, the price will be lower because they have been sitting in some warehouse for years.

I agree with you fully Eric. Once I bought Goodyear Eagle F1 tires, and those tires were really something (that was like 10 years ago). Never had such tires on my car, they were superb. Expensive, but worth every dime. Those things gripped like no ones business. You really had to drop the clutch to loose traction. Very cool tires. I don't know if they are as good today but back then those were one of the best tires I had a chance to ride on. And I can tell you I've tried lots and lots of tires before and since, but those were at least couple of levels above others. They did wear out quite fast tho. Not super fast, but faster than most others which is probably why they gripped so hard.

I remember when I bought my 88 Corvette I thought the wheel bearings were getting bad since I had this noisy rolling/growling sound that is typical for a wheel bearing on its way out. Replaced both rear bearings - no change. Checked front, were fine. I was puzzled and a couple of months went by. Then I got 4 new HIGH QUALITY tires just because the old ones were 5 years old and all was well after that. Instant cure and way smoother handling.

Putting new tires on my rusty old clunker 94 buick made it feel brand new. Fixed up the shake in the steering wheel and my gas mileage. Ran as smooth as butter especially once you hit 4th gear. I decided my tires were a priority before fixing my leaking intake. Some say buying new tires is dumb but I didn't feel like taking my chances with a set of used tires especially if you can get a good deal on a set of new.

I agree that tires are the most important investment you can make for your vehicle. I work at a tire shop as a tech, and most of the time when people come in complaining about ride quality, it is either the wheels or tires that are bad. I bought my first vehicle this past winter, and got some new wheels and tires in a bundle. Slightly used, but only a for a week. They are offsize, at 255/70R16, rather than the 245/75R16 that came stock. Same load range, but it makes my tahoe squat.

I purchased 4 new oem mxv4 for my accord coupe...hands down best investment so far.

I just put on new Good year ultra grip 9 on my mini cooper. I cant believe how much grip they have. I recommend these winter tires, they are the best i have ever experienced. Good video Eric!

That's a good thing to point out. We bought rear tires for one of our tractors and talk about EXPENSIVE like upwards of $1500 PER tire (18.4-38 bias ply). We found a pair that had been sitting for a while at the tire shop for $600 a piece. They were just looking to get rid of them.

I bought the new tires for my "03 Civic in the middle of winter after a blizzard. The old ones had no tread and the new ones (granted I went super cheap) were amazing. I had grip for days in the snow. Huge difference.

I agree with your opinion on tires. I give the same advice to others. Additionally, financially permitting, seasonal tires are even better. Seasonals will almost always out-perform all-seasons, to the best of my knowledge. However, they also cost more and must be bought as separate sets (summer and winter).

I have found that with my 2004 VW Jetta, with brand new tires, the wheels can spin while shifting. Especially in lower gears. 1st to 2nd, sometimes, the tires spin a bit. Your insight has led me to drive this car differently than when it had the stock tires on it. Awesome info Eric.

Yes i 100% agree with you eric tires are most important thing on your car. I've been been buying Michelin tires for my car so far i used these brand tires are awsome. These type tires if you take care of them they will do in return. Thanks eric for your info, ive watched all your vids and i learned alot from you.

Other than tires though I'd say the front brakes. Replaced my rotors and pads back in 2012 and the difference was night and day. It stopped like nothing, my front end didn't vibrate anymore, and it was a fun experience. Also learned that most auto repairs can be way easier said than done.

I had 4 miss-matched tires from a junkyard on my 1st car as a teenager. After spinning out a few times on slightly damp roads, I spent a few paychecks on some new rubber. Nowadays, I buy the best no matter the cost. My life, my wifes, and the potential person I may hit's lives all depend on it.

Because of this video (not the others I've watched)... I'm subscribed now. Truth. I learned the same thing from my own experience, and I'm not a mechanic. My recent tire purchase for my Subaru Legacy 2011: Hankook Ventus S1 noble2 215/55R 16" from Tire Rack. Like night and day from the crap stock tires on there, even when those stock tires were brand new.

Agree. I've also had the experience of spending a lot of money on what you thought was a good tire, only to have it come out to be less than expected. After that I was stuck with the set for three years until they wore out and I could upgrade again. Once I had the next set, it was that whole night and day thing again.

Proper tire pressure is critical for fuel economy, safety, and longevity. Info for pressures is on drivers side door jam. Checking pressure is most accurate when tires are cold. Best time to do this is in the morning when car has been sitting overnight. Also, once the Sun hits the tires it can warm them up, increasing PSI. Use a good dial gauge for accuracy (I hate those cheap pen gauges). They run between $20-$30. Oh, and don't forget to check the spare tire.

Two caveats with buying the same tire as original. First OEM vs aftermarket tires of the same brand and model are often different because the vehicle maker provides the tire maker with a list of specs and the tire maker might make a unique design to compete with other tire makers to win the bid (which will be large orders). Second, what if the OEM tire sucks, like the ones that came on my Matrix? They had an odd, uneven wear pattern, in spite of good alignment, noisy, and a short life. I switched to another brand and model highly rated at TireRack and life was so much better. I currently went back to the original OEM brand, but a high rated (at TR) model that's been so far so good.

I totally agree with you I finally invested into 4 new tires for my 91 ford probe and it really was like night and day like I was driving a new car!

I love tires and am always looking for the best tire for my car

My uncle buys cars for my aunt (who is a nervous driver with not so sound judgement) with the philosophy that the car should "be able to get out of its own way." That is to say like you said, Eric, that you like to give your wife every advantage you can get for her car. Indeed, tires are a huge part of that.

I put a new set of Michelin LTX M/S2 on my truck, a 2000 Ranger. Before that I had BFG Commercial truck tires in it. Like you said, the difference is night and day. I based my choice on tire rack reviews and consumer report reviews. I don't have to deal with snow, so your choices may vary.

I'm like you Eric. I buy my tires from tirerack as well after doing the research myself. And I'm not shy about spending more. I own a 2003 Mazda 6s (3.0L V6). It was the sport edition of that car in 2003 and came with expensive Michelin tires. Since then I have bought more Michelin and Yokohama tires and currently have Yokohama Ascend 50 series tires on my car. I love them. They are not quite as soft as the originals but have a 740 treadware rating and and "A" traction rating so it's not bad. They handle well in dry and wet. And a set of 4 cost me $600 but they are worth every penny. Keep up the good work. Stay dirty. Lol.

Eric i own a 1.8s 2004 mx5 with 195/50/15 tyres on 15x7 enkei wheels. The car is in perfect condition regarding road holding in general (new set of kyb shocks, new oem pads and brake fluid, correct tyre-pressures, wheel alignment etc). After reading a lot of tyre reviews i bought a set of Dunlop Sport Blueresponce 195/50/15 H. Problem is that after 8 months of use the abs is super-sensitive and the tyres are not very grippy especially at the last few meters of braking just before stoping. (The good thing about these is that they are very quite and the ride quality is very good). According to tyre-labeling Dunlop Sport Blueresponce has an A on wet, B on noise and is very quite. Has anyone else had the same problem with mine on these tyres? (Love your channels)

Absolutely agree with tires being an important investment. I put a set of cheap tires on my 00 Civic, and the ride quality/comfort DRAMATICALLY improved (my older tires were bald Goodyears...don't know which specific ones). In response to important investments on your vehicle...alongside with tires, BRAKES. Having good brakes can often save your life (in terms of emergency stopping).

valid point my friend, for highway vehicles. For farm equipment its actually a good idea to buy tires that are new but have been sitting a while because the rubber hardens up some. Corn stalks will tear the hell out of nice new "soft" tires. but that really has nothing to do with the video. haha

Tires may very well be the most important investment you could make for your vehicle. I recently replaced all four tires on the my Sonoma and the difference between 10+ year old A/T Radials and my the A/S (not what I wanted, but what I could afford) radials is amazing. Much better ride, Much more secure footing, better traction all around, and they don't do have bad for light offroad use as well.

Michelin defenders are THE choice for your odyssey. It came with symmetrys , and they were comfy but not good in any weather. Trust me. I was a michelin dealer. In the early days of good hyundais great tires hid a lot of sins related to the suspension. Those hyundais came with the michelin mxv4plus. The most expensive tire in that group. Smooooth... You have the right idea on car parts priorities! "It's where the rubber meets the road."

I agree, Eric. Although I'm not a fan of the stock tires on my 2007 Honda Civic, I've found that for about the same $, Tire Rack sells a great alternative. I'm on my second set of Continental ExtremeContact DWS All-Seasons. The first set went 60k miles. The DWS has been excellent summer and winter both here in MD and back in western PA and northeastern OH where our family still lives. I have recommended Tire Rack many times, even if you just want to research tires and then buy them locally.

Bought a used truck with brand new tires, a brand I had never heard of. Come to find out they are a regional tire chain with their own "brand". I was told by quite a few locals that these tires were "junk" tons of problems and that I would not be happy with them. Scared, I looked up some reviews on them. What I found was very negative reviews from people that have different vehicles than mine, no one with the same truck as mine seemed to have any issues. 50k later, I love these tires. I have kept them rotated, and my truck rides great compared to others of the same type that I have driven. Even had one patched for free by the local shop that sells them (even though I'm not the one that bought them they still stand by their brand). Still have a lot of life left in them; and, when they wear out, I will buy the same ones for my next set. So for sure check out the tires before you buy them!!!

You are 100% correct, Eric. When people ask me about changing their suspension or getting coilovers, I tell them not to bother and just get better tires.

Very true, I put a brand new set of Hankook Optimo whitewall tires on my station wagon and the difference is amazing! Very much worth the investment.

I'm the same way I love a new set of tires, I have a 2003 F150 and I got a new set the first part of last year, went with cooper, but I went with a size smaller than stock, stock is 255/70/16, I got 255/65/16, just a little bit of a lower profile, I get better mileage, the truck looks way better, it's just a 4.2l 2x4, anyway I love your videos and am glad I found your channel

So right about the tires. I had a 99 accord with MXV4 stock tires that ran about 143000 km. Put on so el cheepo tires car never drive the same. With regular rotation I only go about 40000km and didn't handle and drive as smooth as it use to. I learned my lesson. Hondas especially because it has that sporty ride and you feel the road u need good tires to suit your whip.

I definitely agree about tires. I drive a 95 Pontiac Bonneville I purchased for six hundred bucks needed some work did the work 50,000 miles later tires wore out, spent $600 on a set of continentals. one of The best investments for this vehicle. Granted I've put a lot of new parts on this car try to only install parts with a lifetime warranty. At 150,000 miles now hopefully I will wear out this brand-new set of tires and have to buy another set for this car.

Disagree on Hondas. My 2008 Honda Pilot came with HORRIBLE tires. They were extremely noisy. I replaced them with some Bridgestone Dueler Ecopias (from tirerack), which turned out to be much quieter.

I'm with you on tires. Last year I lost my job and needed tires, so I decided to cheap out on tires. Big mistake!!!! I have a 04 Civic and live in the mountains at the 3,500 ft elevation. Long story short, I bought some Falkens 912's and my car became undrivable in the first snow storm. So, I was forced to buy another set of tires/rim combo just for the winter. Maybe next time I should have done my research and not cheap out on tires.

I'd actually agree with that. Changing my tyres to some quality ones made a better improvement than anything. The car drives like it's on rails wet or dry and even on the gravel. While it was fun drifting around corners in the wet, I'd rather have the enormous amount of confidence driving my car hard and be able to take corners quickly rather than slide. In the past, I'd had some bad experiences having to brake suddenly and cheap tyres were the culprit then too.

The most important purchase for my vehicles is dedicated winter wheels (steel rims plus winter tires) that I can swap myself in 30 minutes per car and I'm ready for winter. Having dedicated winter tires allows me to put more wear on the all seasons set of wheels (closer to 2/32) and not have to replace them when they would get dangerous in winter conditions. Before having the winter wheels I was replacing tires at around 4/32 because they were getting dangerous on snow or ice even though they were still perfectly fine for the other 3 seasons.

A year ago i took a risk and put 22560r17 tires on my my 13 cx5 awd, stock was 22565r17 a smaller tire. I got better fuel economy and i really liked how the vehicle handled i switched brands as well yokahama geolander to uniroyal tiger paw awp3. I agree tires are a critical item shouldn't cheep out

if you bought or are driving an older car or a car with 10 years worth of miles on it having a good look at the bushings back and front. especially the ones on the controll arms. sometimes they are gone completely, but also if they have some flex in them it could be well worth it to change them out. they are cheap and when they aren't very firm anymore it can cause suspension noises and a car that seems to follow tracks in the road. and a indirect steering feel can often be solved that way as well. i've noticed that very few mechanics pay very little attention to this and almost never mention it. maybe because most people don't think it is worth it or maybe they just don't look at these things if it isn't part of the yearly roadworthyness inspection, i don't know. but it really influences the feel and confedence of the ride so i think it is well worth to have checked.

I don't have much experience with agricultural equipment its true, so on that account I'll defer to your judgement. However on off road tires that you'll operate aired down or on rocks a newer compound is typically less likely to puncture or chip than a older one. For me the fact that newer tires will work better (and normally last longer) on the road is a bonus, its this lack of punctures or chipping that I rely on when hundred of miles for anywhere.

Somebody put 18" wheels on my Tahoe, I got the 16" OEM wheels and took it to get new rubber. The service writer questioned the tire size as it was visually smaller... I believe Struts/Springs or shocks is also a huge improvement in the way a vehicle handles.

I replaced the Falkens on my Mazda6 with a set of Nexxens and the improvement overall was incredible.

As a person who works a technician in a " tire store ", I would say tires are the best investment. I would also say having your alignment checked is a very important thing at the time of new tires. I see a of people with vehicles with over 100k on them with bad tire wear, and decline having an alignment. After about 15k the wear shows and we get blamed because the tires wore bad.

I agree. I just got new higher end Michelin tires and they are way better than the factory ones were (same brand, but cheaper). I can literally drive like it is dry out in wet weather.

Good tires. I can't agree more. My car came with Michelin tires, I put Yokohama tires on it and they were ok but were a very loud tire but I saved a few bucks. Next time I needed tires I'd had enough, I bought the very same OEM michelins on it and man I love it! Also, The next important thing to me is a good set of brakes.

Uniroyal TigerPaw!! Those things are nearly winter tires and they're amazing.

If I learned anything in my jeep adventures, it's that you're 100 percent right that tires are your most important investment in any vehicle! Additionally I can tell you that I wholly believe having good tires have saved my arse more times than I can count, some say breaks are the most important and I can see the logic in that, but if you have good breaks on bad tires you're going to lock up wheels and be thrown out of control. So you've invested on Brimbo breaks because you're a "ricer," to use the parlance of our time, but totally cheap out on tires because "stance bro" and you're eating them up left and right. Well, that car is going to the junk yard after you're done with it to say the least.

I am so happy with my new Nokian summer Tyres for my old Mazda 626, it is always a good idea to buy quality tyres! Thanks for the video :)

Glad you stuck with Michelins on the Odyssey. I have a 2000 with 260,000 and between MXV4, some Toyos, Symmetrys, and a few others, the MXV4s have been the best. Also put them on my '91 Accord and they made the car amazing.

You right Eric! Most important investment on my car are tires and preventable maintenance. Changing all lubricants religiously,changing belts (V-belt),hoses and even thermostat,before any of this break down.

My first experience with new tires involved my first car, a 1975 Chevy Nova. It had balding tires, can't recall the brand, and I decided to up the ante and put some Yokohoma tires on the old beater. WOW! You're absolutely right, a GOOD set of tires on a new/old car, really changes everything! Ever since then, I make it a point to research what works for what car. I'm excited to try some Nitto NT05's on my 300zx, but I have thoroughly enjoyed my Vogue tires on my Toyota Matrix. Thinking about Yokohama Geolanders or something of the sort for my Grand Cherokee next.

Tire Rack... they rock!

Agree, never try to save on tires! I got a brand new set of Michelin's this summer and they are phenomenal. Second to tires got to be shocks... good shocks can change the quality of a ride drastically.

If you're looking at a used car to purchase, look at the tires first. Nine times out of ten, that will tell you what you need to know. If you have four quality matching tires with good tread left, the car has probably been very well taken care of. If the tires are mismatched/bald/cheap Chinese tires, that will give you a strong clue as to what you can expect from the rest of the car.

I'd agree but also I'd say right up there with tires is make sure they check the brake pads / shoes, grease the wheel bearings, and replace the shocks. All of those are not that much money and they make a world of difference. Also one of my own personal things is OIL! Change it on time, every time, and USE A GOOD QUALITY OIL! I personally recommend Valvoline Max Life or Mobile 1 synthetic I won't use anything else in my vehicles unless it's an emergency and I can't find my brand then I do an oil change ASAP.

i work at a dealership and just today i had a vehicle come in for an oil change and a tire rotation. they needed two tires(two were at 2/32", two were at 4/32"). also was due for some mileage service(90k service or something). they bought a front dif service, rear dif service, transfer case service, transmission fluid flush, coolant flush, front and rear brakes, brake rotors, brake fluid flush, and an air filter. service wise thats almost 95 percent of the stuff you can service. they virtually drove off in a new car.

I fully agree with this I have had the same story but on a motorbike, half the amount of wheels so it's twice as important to have great tires on the motorbike, I have known of a few car accidents caused from bad tires and plenty (thankfully) saved with great tires

There are also "bad" tires from day one -- over time the flaws show up. Had dealer put set on, and do $3500 suspension work (car was just out of warranty). Steering wheel was crooked and it drove like it was out of balance & alignment when I got back (told me that was just the way some cars are). 2 year later - still trying to fix the shaking, another shop said they could not replace more parts, but noticed the tires were visually not round -- tried a new set and it drove perfect!

New tires are indeed a night and day experience. As well buying high quality tires. I put Michelin AT/2 tires on my 10 year old 4Runner. It has never driven as smoothly or as quietly. They are also great in the snow and mud. So much better than the original equipment tires. Spend the money. You will be happy.

I have always thought Michelin tires were overpriced but that is just my opinion. I have seen were after a couple of years the sidewalls crack on them. They are a good riding tire but just not worth the money. I have had pretty good luck with Cooper tires and I was shopping around for tires for my 94 Chevy Silverado and I got a killer deal on some Hankook tires. I actually got them cheaper than a set of cheap Chinese tires I was looking at. We had a set of those crappy Dextzero tires that Wal-Mart sells that was on my wife's Nissan Rogue when we bought it and those were some awful tires. I had them replaced with a set of Cooper Discovers and have really been pleased. Tires are just a matter of opinion though. Enjoy the channel!

Tires are important but I think good brakes are just as important because both contribute to distance during an emergency stop. We all know that stopping in time can be the difference between going on your way or ruining your day.

I've saved up, bought THE best tyres I could for my bike. Didn't notice any difference, but it's nice to know they're the best quality tires for money.

The most expensive single purchase I did for my car was a set of summer tires. This winter I am going to buy a new set of winter tyres too. It's hard to part with money but is absolutely necessary. The tyres I had last winter had good thread and were a good brand, but too old. I lost control and had to replace front and rear bumpers, driver door + glass and front fender and other plastic bits from underneath the car. I am pretty sure if I had new blizzaks on I would have kept the cost down.

I believe that the most important investment is taking care of the vehicle especially if it's new it's one of the biggest investments and if you take care of the vehicle it'll take care of you and you won't have a day where the brakes are gonna cost you $1000 because you didn't replace the pads and grease the friction points and now you need to replace the caliper pads rotors and maybe even tires if it was bad enough

Tires, brakes and all fluids changed the first 3 things I do and that includes back flush the cooling system. I don't know how many vehicles that have 5 year antifreeze in them and they eat the radiator, heater core and hoses up. Not to mention if the tank fails. That stuff ends up in the transmission! I would even change the transmission cooler.

I can't say much for larger tires, but for summer tires on a sporty car the Hankook Ventus Evo V12 are simply amazing. Running 225/40/R18 on my car and the reviews definitely speak for themselves.

Going to any race/autoX event tires are said to be #1. I lean more toward engine a little more than tires. When the driver is aware of the traction, and every fraction of a second doesn't matter, you can get by and plan ahead to some extent. Kinda hard to work with an engine that can't get you from point A to B with no trailer to cater it.

You're very right about the extra work getting done to save expensive new tires Eric! In 2012, I got 5 new tires for '89 Suzuki Sidekick form tirebuyer.com. Stock size, but much beefier General Grabber AT2s. Even got one for the spare. Not cheap. So first mistake, took it to a chain for installation. 2nd mistake, bought 5 year alignment package. Got it back pulling to the right. Took it back, was told I needed inner tie rods. Did the work, still pulled. Told I needed outer tie rods next. Did the work. Still pulled. (See where this is going?) At that point, I'm in these tires for $700 and got conned into $600 worth of repairs and didn't get it fixed. What do they blame next? Steering gear! Quoted me a futher $900. I live with the pull.... hate that I got taken. I suspect a caliper because the right front wheel resists spin more than the left....but was told it could also be the front diff. Ended up getting another car for daily use. I'm digressing, but you get my point. My daily car is a 96 accord and I spent $400 at a private shop (lesson learned) and got Falken Ziex ZE329 tires and even with "shot" ball joints, inner & outer tie rods, and shocks (not falling for that again) it glides like its floating on a cloud. Love em!