Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 16:48:22 -0400
Reply-To: machfive@EXCITE.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mark G <machfive@EXCITE.COM>
Subject: Baby got new shoes (tires)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
I'll preface this with a disclaimer, so as to (hopefully) prevent yet another flame war and/or someone from telling me how stupid I was to make this purchase...
"As a reasonable and responsible adult, I considered several sources, such as the current list discussion, the archives, the Michelin website, the Yokohama Website, etc. I combined this research with my needs, the amount and type of use the tires will see, and personal financial situation before making my decision. Therefore, I truly believe I got the best tires for the price for my current needs and situation."
That said, I went and bought the same Kirkland Signature LT 195 75R 14 tires that Phaedra uses (used). Two things sturck me when I did my research. 1) The same size Michelin LTX tires had the same load rating. A "C", as opposed to the safer "D". But the Michelins would have cost $41 dollars more per tire (I spent 61.99 per tire installed at Costco, which includes road hazard, mounting, stem, lifetime blanacing and rotation, etc.
They are selling these off and will not restock, BTW. They WILL, however, be glad to sell the LTX M/S for 102.99 installed...2) Phaedra went at least 30,000 miles throughout Mexico on these tires without one complaint. Anyone who has driven down there (I have, extensively,) knows that if the tires can handle some of those roads, then they should be okay here around So Cal.
Mostly, though, I felt like the "inadequate" load rating was more than offset by the fact that I had (from the PO,) two nearly bald Cooper passenger tires up front, and two REALLY OLD Michelin XZX'z (who knows how old those were...) on the back. Aside from being incorrectly matched, the four sidewalls were cracked and scary looking and the rears BARELY came off. I was afraid the impact wrench was going to break the wheel studs. I would NEVER have been able to get those off by hand if I'd had a flat.
So. In summary. If you want to buy Kirkland Signature (which were made by Uniroyal/Goodrich, supposedly,) buy them fast because there aren't that many left.
P.s.- Costco Item Number 187448. They will search around for you to tell you which store still has them.
Feeling much better around corners,
Mark1987 Vanagon Westfalia2000 Passat 1.8T 5SPD
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