# Tires: Firestone vs Kelly



## Cornhusker (Mar 20, 2003)

I'm shopping for tires for my pickup.
I'm calling around getting prices, and while I don't want the most expensive tire out there, I do want a good quality name brand tire that will last me a couple years.
I drive on a lot of gravel roads, and cheap tires wear out pretty fast but the name brands seem to hold up well.
One place has Firestones for $134.96 mounted and balanced, another has Kelly Safari for $139.43.
Both places will have to order them in and will take a couple days to get them.
Any opinions on which tire is best?


----------



## palani (Jun 12, 2005)

Coop manager told me years ago that Michelin and Firestone were of the same quality, that he could re-tread either brand twice and still have value left on the carcass. Course he was talking semi tires.


----------



## poppy (Feb 21, 2008)

I drove 24 miles of gravel a day on a 72 mile mail route. The Michelins never lasted me a bit longer than the off brands, as long as I stayed away from the $50.00 cheapies. I had better luck going with the 6 or 8 ply tires which did last longer, but for the difference in cost, I'm not sure I saved anything. Gravel eats tires.


----------



## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

What size are you looking for?


----------



## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

I love my Cooper DIscovery ATR tires. They pull hard and stop well on ice/snow. You may not like them as they rock drill though.


----------



## Cornhusker (Mar 20, 2003)

Nevada said:


> What size are you looking for?


P245/70R16



lonelytree said:


> I love my Cooper DIscovery ATR tires. They pull hard and stop well on ice/snow. You may not like them as they rock drill though.


Rock drill?


----------



## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Cornhusker said:


> P245/70R16


Check onlinetires.com. Search by size.

http://www.onlinetires.com/tires/

They have highway tread tires for $73.78 (SUNNY 106S), and a pretty good looking knobby tread & raised white lettering for $81.99 (MEDALIST Radial Sport King A / T 106S).

I've bought tires from them before. They ship fast. Shipping to northern Nevada from their store (LA area), was about $15/tire. I had them mounted at Walmart for $3/tire + $3 balancing.


----------



## Timberline (Feb 7, 2006)

I'll be happy to ask dh for you when he gets home. He owns a tire store (has for 11 years), he know all about the different brands, warranties, etc. 

It's so funny, because he'll come home and ask me why so and so was here. He recognized the tire tracks in the driveway. We walk through the parking lot in Wal-Mart and he goes along saying, "Did those, did those, oh he bought those from _____". Yep, the man knows tires.


----------



## poppy (Feb 21, 2008)

Nevada said:


> What size are you looking for?


Are you buying them out of country too?


----------



## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

poppy said:


> Are you buying them out of country too?


No, too expensive to ship. Cerritos, California will do.


----------



## poppy (Feb 21, 2008)

Tire sales is a racket. We were looking to put new tires on my wife's car. Pep Boys ( a big chain here, not sure if they are nationwide ) had an ad in the paper of buy 3 tires and get the 4th one free. I called them and the tires were 3 for $420.00 and the 4th free, but you had to pay for the 4th tire to be mounted and balanced. The total was a little over $450.00. I called the little local tire shop and the tires, exact same brand, model, and size, were only 4 for $300.00 mounted and balanced.


----------



## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

When I replaced my tires last year my tire dealer had Primewell black wall tires for $80 apiece and I was short of cash so I bought them. They're a China owned company but have held up nicely for the first 20000 miles. 

I was surprised to see the same tire on county sheriff cars that visit my mechanics shop. When I asked my mechanic he told me that the Primewell tires on the cruisers and my truck were a good quality tire for a decent price and held up well under aggressive driving conditions. He projected that I should get 60,000 miles out of the set.


----------



## VERN in IL (Nov 30, 2008)

http://www.tirerack.com/

... pick your tire and READ the rated reviews!


----------



## Cornhusker (Mar 20, 2003)

Thanks for the input and the link folks 
My pickup is 5 years old, has 53,000 miles and still on the original tires.
It's time for some new skins.


----------



## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

Kelly is made by the same company as Good Year I believe.


----------

