Summer Tire Recommendation

[karnog]

I have an '06 Town Car and am looking for summer tire recommendations. Even though I have factory rims, due to their size (225/60R17), I'm not finding as many options as I had hoped. I currently have winter tires (Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2) and will be switching them out in April sometime. I do quite a bit of highway driving and am primarily looking for a smooth, quiet tire. Any input is appreciated.

 

[oktowncar]

I have an '06 Town Car and am looking for summer tire recommendations. Even though I have factory rims, due to their size (225/60R17), I'm not finding as many options as I had hoped. I currently have winter tires (Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2) and will be switching them out in April sometime. I do quite a bit of highway driving and am primarily looking for a smooth, quiet tire. Any input is appreciated.

All I ever use for a smooth quiet ride is Michelin Tires

 

[karnog]

All I ever use for a smooth quiet ride is Michelin Tires

Yes, I'm looking mostly at Michelins right now. I don't see a dedicated summer tire that would fit, so I'm currently looking at the CrossClimate2. Thanks!

 

[oktowncar]

Yes, I'm looking mostly at Michelins right now. I don't see a dedicated summer tire that would fit, so I'm currently looking at the CrossClimate2. Thanks!

Go over to discounttire.com. They have a great tire matching system to help you choose which would be best suited for your Town Car

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[karnog]

Go over to discounttire.com. They have a great tire matching system to help you choose which would be best suited for your Town Car

That's pretty handy. It has CrossClimate2 as the #1 pick but also shows a few others I'll read more about. Thanks!

 

[bbf2530]

I have an '06 Town Car and am looking for summer tire recommendations. Even though I have factory rims, due to their size (225/60R17), I'm not finding as many options as I had hoped. I currently have winter tires (Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2) and will be switching them out in April sometime. I do quite a bit of highway driving and am primarily looking for a smooth, quiet tire. Any input is appreciated.

Hi karnog. Just another thought: If you are looking for a smooth/quiet tire, you would be better off with a good quality All-Season tire which is geared towards smoothness, quietness and ride comfort. That is not what Summer-only tires are designed for.

Summer-only tires are usually strictly high-performance and ultra-high performance rated tires. They are designed for performance cars/sports cars which are driven strictly in warm weather. They will wear fast and not be a "smooth, quiet tire", since smoothness and quietness are not prime concerns for your average performance/sports car owner. High speed handling is.
And let's face it, high speed handling is not a prime concern for most Town Car owners.

The reality is...A good, ride-comfort oriented All-Season tire will provide a smoother, quieter, softer ride and better tread life etc., than a summer-only tire.

Also...once the temperatures drop below ~40°F, you will need to swap out those Summer-only tires for your winter tires, since simply driving once on them in temps of 40°F and below can/will damage them. It can also be dangerous, since they quickly lose grip in freezing, below freezing weather.
In fact, you will actually need to swap them for your winter tires before the weather will hit 40°F or below (it only takes once to damage them). So you will have little leeway to drive into the fall/winter, according to when it gets cold by you. Essentially, if you have an odd day where the temperatures drop below 40°F in the fall, you will not be able to drive your car.

If you do some research on Summer-only tires, using expert tire sources and the tire manufacturer sites themselves, not Internet opinions, you will find all of these warnings and information. A good place to start, would be to utilize the Research section and the "Tire Decision Guide" on "The Tire Rack" website. The Tire Decision Guide will help you find tires that fit your priorities, which are smooth, quiet tires: https://www.tirerack.com/content/tirerack/desktop/en/homepage.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0dyhv-Hb_QIVFc3ICh308wsDEAAYASAAEgLQnfD_BwE&ef_id=EAIaIQobChMI0dyhv-Hb_QIVFc3ICh308wsDEAAYASAAEgLQnfD_BwE:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!3756!3!347550706734!e!!g!!tire rack com&gclsrc=aw.ds

And the Discount Tire website is also good, as "oktowncar" recommended.

Let us know how you make out and good luck.

 

[karnog]

Hi karnog. Just another thought: If you are looking for a smooth/quiet tire, you would be better off with a good quality All-Season tire which is geared towards smoothness, quietness and ride comfort. That is not what Summer-only tires are designed for.

Summer-only tires are usually strictly high-performance and ultra-high performance rated tires. They are designed for performance cars/sports cars which are driven strictly in warm weather. They will wear fast and not be a "smooth, quiet tire", since smoothness and quietness are not prime concerns for your average performance/sports car owner. High speed handling is.
And let's face it, high speed handling is not a prime concern for most Town Car owners.

The reality is...A good, ride-comfort oriented All-Season tire will provide a smoother, quieter, softer ride and better tread life etc., than a summer-only tire.

Also...once the temperatures drop below ~40°F, you will need to swap out those Summer-only tires for your winter tires, since simply driving once on them in temps of 40°F and below can/will damage them. It can also be dangerous, since they quickly lose grip in freezing, below freezing weather.
In fact, you will actually need to swap them for your winter tires before the weather will hit 40°F or below (it only takes once to damage them). So you will have little leeway to drive into the fall/winter, according to when it gets cold by you. Essentially, if you have an odd day where the temperatures drop below 40°F in the fall, you will not be able to drive your car.

If you do some research on Summer-only tires, using expert tire sources and the tire manufacturer sites themselves, not Internet opinions, you will find all of these warnings and information. A good place to start, would be to utilize the Research section and the "Tire Decision Guide" on "The Tire Rack" website. The Tire Decision Guide will help you find tires that fit your priorities, which are smooth, quiet tires: https://www.tirerack.com/content/tirerack/desktop/en/homepage.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0dyhv-Hb_QIVFc3ICh308wsDEAAYASAAEgLQnfD_BwE&ef_id=EAIaIQobChMI0dyhv-Hb_QIVFc3ICh308wsDEAAYASAAEgLQnfD_BwE:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!3756!3!347550706734!e!!g!!tire rack com&gclsrc=aw.ds

And the Discount Tire website is also good, as "oktowncar" recommended.

Let us know how you make out and good luck.

Thanks for the good information and explanation of summer tires. I thought if I stayed away from terms like Grand (Touring), Ultra, Performance, etc. for summer tires it would steer me away from the stiffer, sports-oriented tires but it seems that's about all that's offered for summer tires nowadays. I guess all-season is the only way to go now.

I'll check out the Tire Decision Guide on Tire Rack as well. I hadn't noticed they had that. Thanks!

 

[bbf2530]

Thanks for the good information and explanation of summer tires. I thought if I stayed away from terms like Grand (Touring), Ultra, Performance, etc. for summer tires it would steer me away from the stiffer, sports-oriented tires but it seems that's about all that's offered for summer tires nowadays. I guess all-season is the only way to go now.

I'll check out the Tire Decision Guide on Tire Rack as well. I hadn't noticed they had that. Thanks!

Hi karnog. You are very welcome. And just as an FYI...The "Grand Touring" category can be a good one for ride comfort. It is not meant to describe "Grand Touring" as in "GT", like a Mustang GT, Porsche Carrera GT etc. It is meant to describe "Grand Touring" as in long drives to tour and view the country/scenery/sights.

So don't automatically exclude it in your searches.

Let us know how you make out and good luck.

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[karnog]

Hi karnog. You are very welcome. And just as an FYI...The "Grand Touring" category can be a good one for ride comfort. It is not meant to describe "Grand Touring" as in "GT", like a Mustang GT, Porsche Carrera GT etc. It is meant to describe "Grand Touring" as in long drives to tour and view the country/scenery/sights.

So don't automatically exclude it in your searches.

Let us know how you make out and good luck.

Good to know! Thanks again!

 

[Norms1stTC]

Cooper Evolutions on my 02, smooth ride here. Minus the Pennsylvania potholes

 

[karnog]

Cooper Evolutions on my 02, smooth ride here. Minus the Pennsylvania potholes

Thanks, I'll check them out!

 

[HighwayStar]

I have also looked closely at CrossClimate2 for the next time I need Town Car tires.

That said, as others have pointed out, a true "summer tire" is really more of a performance tire, not the thing one normally puts on a Town Car.

On the other hand, if by "summer tire" you mean that you will in fact be swapping out these during the winter months for a true "winter tire" then I don't think the CrossClimate2 is really what you want.

Best I can tell, the CrossClimate2 is the closest thing to a true "All season tire" that you are going to get while still preserving ride quality, etc. I don't really like the term "all season tire" as few to none of them are truly a good tire for real winter driving, but most are more of a "three seasons in most of the country, with acceptable winter performance assuming you know what you are doing" variety. And of those the CrossClimate2 is probabally one of the closest to a true 4 season tire.

Thus, if you actually intend to swap out tires, I'm not sure the CrossClimate2 is really what you want, as it is more of a top of the line tire that you can leave on all year. Once you go to 2 sets for different seasons I think a less "spork" solution would be better.

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[karnog]

I have also looked closely at CrossClimate2 for the next time I need Town Car tires.

That said, as others have pointed out, a true "summer tire" is really more of a performance tire, not the thing one normally puts on a Town Car.

On the other hand, if by "summer tire" you mean that you will in fact be swapping out these during the winter months for a true "winter tire" then I don't think the CrossClimate2 is really what you want.

Best I can tell, the CrossClimate2 is the closest thing to a true "All season tire" that you are going to get while still preserving ride quality, etc. I don't really like the term "all season tire" as few to none of them are truly a good tire for real winter driving, but most are more of a "three seasons in most of the country, with acceptable winter performance assuming you know what you are doing" variety. And of those the CrossClimate2 is probabally one of the closest to a true 4 season tire.

Thus, if you actually intend to swap out tires, I'm not sure the CrossClimate2 is really what you want, as it is more of a top of the line tire that you can leave on all year. Once you go to 2 sets for different seasons I think a less "spork" solution would be better.

Yes, I intend to swap out tires. I currently have winter tires (Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2) and will be switching them out in April and put them back on in November. So, I am hoping to find a soft, quiet cruising tire for April - October. I do quite a bit of highway driving and can log up to 20k miles per year (not just in those summer months but year-round). Interestingly from what I've found, even though those CrossClimate2's definitely seem to be a true all-season, they also are reported as one of the quietest and softest ride all-season tires. Which is why I'm considering them at this point.

Do you know of another brand/model that might be better in the quiet, soft-ride department?

 

[HighwayStar]

Yes, I intend to swap out tires. I currently have winter tires (Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2) and will be switching them out in April and put them back on in November. So, I am hoping to find a soft, quiet cruising tire for April - October. I do quite a bit of highway driving and can log up to 20k miles per year (not just in those summer months but year-round). Interestingly from what I've found, even though those CrossClimate2's definitely seem to be a true all-season, they also are reported as one of the quietest and softest ride all-season tires. Which is why I'm considering them at this point.

Do you know of another brand/model that might be better in the quiet, soft-ride department?

I honestly don't have another brand/model I would advise. If you are putting 20k on a year though then the CrossClimate2 might still be worth it. If they were a partial year tire and you were not putting on enough miles, they might dry rot before you got your $ worth out of them, but at that kind of millage you will probabally not have that issue. And I would think they do a very good job in the rain or if you get caught in a snow storm out of season.

 

[04 LTC]

I also run the same Blizzaks and am also getting ready to switch back to my all season tires. I have an earlier version of this tire, a store exclusive at Discount Tire. Been very pleased with them for 2 seasons now. Bonus-Discount will swap your seasonal tires every year for free when you buy them there.

Discount Tire | Tires and Wheels for Sale | Online & In-Person

www.discounttire.com

 

[karnog]

I also run the same Blizzaks and am also getting ready to switch back to my all season tires. I have an earlier version of this tire, a store exclusive at Discount Tire. Been very pleased with them for 2 seasons now. Bonus-Discount will swap your seasonal tires every year for free when you buy them there.

Discount Tire | Tires and Wheels for Sale | Online & In-Person

www.discounttire.com

Thanks, I'll look into them, although they may be hard to find. There are no Discount Tire stores around here and I couldn't find that tire in stock at any other local shops.

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[CARR142]

Thanks, I'll look into them, although they may be hard to find. There are no Discount Tire stores around here and I couldn't find that tire in stock at any other local shops.

TireRack will ship to store.

 

[karnog]

TireRack will ship to store.

Yes, got my Blizzaks through them, although I quickly found a lot of places won't install unless you buy through them too. I did eventually found a place to do it, but was surprised how many wouldn't because I hadn't bought the tires through them.

 

[bbf2530]

Yes, got my Blizzaks through them, although I quickly found a lot of places won't install unless you buy through them too. I did eventually found a place to do it, but was surprised how many wouldn't because I hadn't bought the tires through them.

Hi karnog. just in case you were not aware...You can avoid that issue by using a Tire Rack "Preferred Installer". If you look through the Tire Rack site, you can find their list of "Preferred Installers". On the home page, click on "Delivery and Installation", on the banner near the top: https://www.tirerack.com/content/tirerack/desktop/en/homepage.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgZKO9JDm_QIVyPvjBx1MXwRlEAAYASAAEgIe1_D_BwE&ef_id=EAIaIQobChMIgZKO9JDm_QIVyPvjBx1MXwRlEAAYASAAEgIe1_D_BwE:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!3756!3!347550706734!e!!g!!tire rack&gclsrc=aw.ds

There are thousands. I have at least a dozen in my area. One will almost certainly be listed in your area code. The prices for mounting/balancing/installation etc. are individually listed for each shop. Tire Rack will deliver the tires to your preferred shop and you will be notified when they arrive, so you can set up an appointment for installation. So you don't have to lug 4 tires around to a tire shop.

Personally, I use Costco for my tires. Prices are excellent, as good as or slightly better than Tire Rack. You get an included Road Hazard Warranty along with free balancing, rotations, flat repairs etc., for the life of the tires, etc.
However, two caveats:
First, you need to be a Costco member, so it is not for everyone.
Second...Their selection is far more limited than The Tire Rack. If I recall correctly, they only carry, Michelin, Bridgestone, Goodyear and I believe BF Goodrich. Someone will correct me if I missed anything.

Let us know how you make out and good luck.

 

[HighwayStar]

Another downside to Costco is that if you buy the tires with your membership card they are iffy about honoring the warranty for someone else.