7-8 years seems to be the outer bound of when you really notice a diff in traction/grip compared to new so I now replace by year 6 or so. If you store it really well (room temp etc) then maybe you can stretch it out a bit more.

Living life on the edge. All the ladies must think you are such a bad boi.

Best advice. Ever.

My winters are like 8 years old and still supple.

That's okay but don't cry when you total you 35+k Corolla due to worn tires :)

Do you have to take the tire off the rim to replace a valve stem?

One of my winters seem to have a leak out of the valve stem and I tried to tighten the core but I feel like it still has a very slow leak. Tempted to just dump all 4 off at kal tire and have them all replaced

No, I went to Kaltire for a failed valve stem. They will unseat the bead and swap the valve stem out for a new one. It's an easy job for the techs and the tire doesn't have to come off.

If it doesn't have TPMS it's easy, pop the bead, cut the old one off, pull the new one in, air it up.

Not really necessary, but businesses would recommend because it covers their own asses. They're probably rushing through a ton of wheel changes on a daily basis, so if they missed something, they can catch it before the customer's wheel falls off when they return.

My wheels have never had any issues once they were torqued to spec the first time, and of course, given they're installed on properly in the first place.

If you ever do decide to try DIY, I would wait for sales as breaker bars and torque wrenches often go on heavy discounts at CT. Some CT's also offer "Loan-a-tool" program where you can borrow tools, put down a deposit (the cost of the item), and have the money fully returned once you return the tool.

Canadian Tire has a sale on a breaker bar set right now for $99.

...would you trust 'CHINESE' winter tires - $99/tire 16"

Ran Federal Himalaya WS2s for two seasons, they were quieter and had better steering than the stock Bridgestone Serenity's that were on the car.

East asian tires are fine for single purpose (think Nankang AR1 track tires, winter tires). Would not touch them for multipurpose tires like all seasons.

FYI Federal is Taiwanese, not Communist China Chinese. Are they awful as we want to believe? No. But are they the better than the competition? No.

Their tires are not bad. They likely manufacture a lot of tires for Michelin, Bridgestone etc. and change the formula slightly to market their own tires or they are old technology not sold by its original owner.

Having said that, I used a Federal summer tire (not a track tire) for a season of "driver education" and they were good, but not Michelin good. My alignment wore them out faster than expected, but that's what you get for $700/set of tires.

Having said that, yes, I would run these.

Looks like Nankang is Taiwanese too - a lotta 86 cup Northeast guys be running those tires.

Lemme adjust my statement: Taiwanese single purpose tires are fine imo.

Michelin always worth the money for Crossclimate, Pilot Sport A/S, and Pilot Alpin series where the tires are meant to be jack of all trades

maxxis is from taiwan too

they're not gonna be michelin good but really not any inferior than say dunlops or yokohamas made in thailand

Yes lol. My GOODRIDE tires roar like straight cut gears :lawl:

My beater Lolvo had Gislaved winters and performed about the same, but was a lot quieter.

I'm getting studded winters for my next set. COV dropped the ball so hard last winter.

So I always figured I had bad luck with these things because it was just me.. but now I’m convinced people in general are just completely useless.

I dropped my winter tires off at the port Kells Kal Tire because it’s relatively close to where my parents live and that’s where I store my winters.

I called the day before to confirm I can just drop them off to have the valve stems replaced etc. while loading them for transport I noticed one was completely flat, examined it further and found a nice nail it in, so I marked that and brought them in.

Dealt with a woman there who was either high on sonthing, just an air-head etc. whatever, I explained what I needed 3+ times. I need EVERY valve stem replaced and while you’re at it might as well do the TPMS as well, and remove the nail. She said the system was down or sonthing and wrote this incredibly poorly hand written note to go with my tires, so as I wheeled in my last tire I look her in the eyes.. so 4 valve stems, the nail, and the sensors.. she nods yes and proceeds to drop one of my rims on the face.. ok..

I go back to the counter with her and AGAIN reiterate, 4 valve stems, the nail, and the sensors.. and please check them over while you’re at it I’ll pay. She says ok probably won’t be done today (Saturday) but will he Tom

Fast forward to today, Wednesday, I call them because my dad was gonna pick them up, I say hey.. haven’t heard anything are they ready??? He says oh yea these two tires under bondaracers number, yes should be ready.

I say no no.. there are 4 tires.. they should have all been replaced.. he just shrugs it off oh ya good to go.

My dad goes, the women is adamant there are only two tires, he tries to call me but I’m in a meeting, he asks the person at the desk again.. pretty sure it’s 4.. she says nope only
These 2

So he goes home, finally call him back, I say no should have been 4.. so now he’s choked too..

I call in, get put on hold for 30 minutes, finally talk to someone in like yo.. wtf.. where are the other two tires?!??? I dropped 4 off. She puts me on hold for like 10 minutes, comes back and says she can’t find them… I’m like yooooo wrfff you gotta be fucking kidding me, that’s like $1000 in 2 rims and tires.. how can this happen????

She finally goes and looks again.. oh yea there here, he can come back and pick them up.. I’m like we’ll have they even been worked on?? Have the valve stems been replaced and the mail taken out?

Her - oh I don’t know I can’t tell..


What in the fuckkkkkkkk…

I am genuinely surprised by the poor service because I have always gotten top notch service from the 5 Road / Vulcan Way Kal Tire in Richmond. Used the Richmond Center Kal Tire a few times in the past as well, and also received excellent service.

But wow... that is just nuts...

Blood was boiling reading this.

"I can't tell"

What the FUCK?

lol same shit at lordco

hard to hire people now, having a brainless idiot is better than no idiot

Its hard enough getting people to actually show up to work and not call in sick when they're not sick.

Kal Tire can be hit or miss. I've only had excellent service at the Richmond No.5 Road Kal Tire (their service is good enough that the YVR fleet goes there), while my coworkers had horror stories at other locations.

Agree regarding Kal Tire. Have been going to the Fleetwood location for 10+ years. Used to be better, but is still pretty good. Went to the Marine Drive location near Cambie once last year... holy shit! Ended up in a screaming match with the front desk service agent. Never going back there again.

They've been hit or miss for me as well. I had a guy willing to hunt down the only set of the tires I wanted and have them shipped from Cranbrook at no cost, but then the same one told my brother his nearly new tire with a nail smack in the middle of the tread couldn't be repaired and had to be replaced. I told him to go back and get it and make them at least put it on the spare.

I like to imagine you guys were screaming about which tire is the best.

"Pilot Sport A/S 4 is the reigning king!! take it up your, CANDY, ASS."

"You LIIIEEEEE! Continental Extreme Contact DWS06, PLUS!!!!!!!!!!!"

"No!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" *throws a tire through the wall*

Lol so get this..

Kal tire phones me back today, she’s like “yes ok so the two tires you left with us we have checked the sensors and they are fine so we repaired them and changed the valve stems”

However.. can you please bring back the two you brought home in order for us to check those two… im like really?.. now I have to load them back up and lug them back there?…

But in hindsight after the conversation this leads me to believe that

A) they have no idea what they did to those tires, because why was I even charged for the TPMS sensors if two of the older ones were fine

B) they aren’t sure what was actually done on those two my dad brought home period so they are tripping now about what was actually done and if they are road worthy etc lol

Jesus fuck