Kumho Solus all weathers, so tricky to find at a store store

[dragon2knight]

If you don't mind going up a notch to 175's I swear by Westlake RP18's. I've been using them on several different cars for around 4 years now with zero issues. They work great in the snow for an all season and they are plenty good enough for rain. They have real life 40-45,000 mile life and they are stupid cheap, like I had reservations cheap. I'm glad I fought past that and tried them out. They get rave reviews all over the web and Walmart usually carries them as well, usually for the best price to boot, not too sure about up there though. Here's an Amazon link as they are usually the ones I go for:

https://smile.amazon.com/Westlake-RP...s%2C186&sr=8-1

[dspace9]

I have 2 sets of used allseasons already: Dunlop Endasave 14" on my Mirage right now, and in my carport I have a set of very used Bridgestones on my old steelies.. So if I upgrade my tires tomorrow it's either new set of winters, or new set of all-weathers. Which are a new thing, a combo winter tire and all season in one. That is what I want. I also don't want to order online if I don't have to.

So I plan on looking into ordering in either Nordman, Hankook or Pirelli 14 165 winters. I want to stay narrow because narrow tires help in the snow. Maybe the difference is negligible I dunno. Thanks

Mark said to ask my local Ford dealer that I do business with, and I did like a month ago, but they didn't seem to follow through and seemed swamped about winter tires already..so I dunno there either. I will take my tire business elsewhere then.

[dragon2knight]

I have 2 sets of used allseasons already: Dunlop Endasave 14" on my Mirage right now, and in my carport I have a set of very used Bridgestones on my old steelies.. So if I upgrade my tires tomorrow it's either new set of winters, or new set of all-weathers. Which are a new thing, a combo winter tire and all season in one. That is what I want. I also don't want to order online if I don't have to.

So I plan on looking into ordering in either Nordman, Hankook or Pirelli 14 165 winters. I want to stay narrow because narrow tires help in the snow. Maybe the difference is negligible I dunno. Thanks

Totally understood. As for size difference between 165 and 175, it's negligible for sure. I've been cutting through some nasty snow the last few days with ease. Hope you find what your looking for!

[dspace9]

Thanks Dragon2Knight if things were different I would just drive over to Port Huron Michigan and buy the tires I want there. I might have luck. Canadian tire does carry Kumho brand tires but in other sizes. We will see, I have some vacation time booked off the next few weeks, I'll keep you posted. So far I have been driving with my all seasons all year round. I find with my manual transmission my MIrage is pretty good in bad weather.

[Mark]

If you don't mind going up a notch to 175's I swear by Westlake RP18's. I've been using them on several different cars for around 4 years now with zero issues. They work great in the snow for an all season and they are plenty good enough for rain. They have real life 40-45,000 mile life and they are stupid cheap, like I had reservations cheap. I'm glad I fought past that and tried them out. They get rave reviews all over the web and Walmart usually carries them as well, usually for the best price to boot, not too sure about up there though. Here's an Amazon link as they are usually the ones I go for:

Having good luck with a cheaper brand tire is always a good thing to share. Likewise sharing a negative experience with tires also helps members spend their money elsewhere & reduces headaches!

Whenever I search for 175/65r14 Walmart tire options, Westlake RP18 tires are always the cheapest tire they offer. They are usually less than their Douglas tires. I can tell from just their tread pattern that they would be decent in snow. Although rubber compounds do change with lower temperatures, too.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Westlake-...65R14/55180273

Some of the positive reviews are Mirage owners. Thus, you are not alone in your opinion of them!

I am glad more 165/65r14 tire options have appeared on the market in the past couple years.

[Mark]

I have 2 sets of used allseasons already: Dunlop Endasave 14" on my Mirage right now, and in my carport I have a set of very used Bridgestones on my old steelies.. So if I upgrade my tires tomorrow it's either new set of winters, or new set of all-weathers. Which are a new thing, a combo winter tire and all season in one. That is what I want. I also don't want to order online if I don't have to.

So I plan on looking into ordering in either Nordman, Hankook or Pirelli 14 165 winters. I want to stay narrow because narrow tires help in the snow. Maybe the difference is negligible I dunno. Thanks

Mark said to ask my local Ford dealer that I do business with, and I did like a month ago, but they didn't seem to follow through and seemed swamped about winter tires already..so I dunno there either. I will take my tire business elsewhere then.

My local mechanic who services our driver's education cars was swamped with tires this fall. I called to have the brakes serviced on our Chevy Impala (new rotors and brake pads), & it took 2.5 weeks before he could get at it.

I wouldn't expect anyone to have 165/65r14 tires in stock in my area. I don't understand your reluctance to order the exact tires you want from someone else or doing it yourself? Certain tires do sell out & remain out of stock for quite some time. If you really like something, I would get them sooner rather than later. Not to be critical of you, but I would have my new set of tires ready for this winter long before the tire rush. I did mine this summer when I had more free time to mess with them & tire shops aren't swamped with work. Having a second set of tires allows a person to do that.

I didn't realize you have two sets of rims. If you could find a good all-weather tire, I would go with that in Canada, too. If I liked them, I would get a second set when the first set is about half worn down in a couple years. At that point, I would start using a newer 2nd set during the winter months & the older 1st set during the warmer months. By the time the 1st set is worn down completely, you can repeat the cycle. That's provided you keep your Mirage that long & don't buy a new Hyundai Venue or something. An all-weather tire that handles snow & rain seems to make good sense for where you live.

As far at the 165 vs 175 width, I am a firm believer in narrow tires for hill climbing through snow. If you drive mostly flat roads that may be a non-factor for you?

I only suggested the Ford dealership because you go there for other service on your Mirage. I am not afraid to be bold when it comes to my money. I would pick the tire I want (knowing I can get it at a certain price at a tire vendor on line) & approach whoever I want to install the tires. If they can't get that particular tire, politely ask them what they would charge to mount/balance tires brought in. I wouldn't settle for something I don't want.

Example: Tirerack.com carries the Vredestein Quatrac 5 (Eggman has clarified that for us). I have good relationship with my local mechanic. He could care less where the tires come from. If I didn't have that good relationship with him, Tire Rack has 9,000 independent installers that mount/balance tires for them. I plug in my zip code and Hartje Tire & Service comes up. I have never done business with them, but they are 18.8 miles from my house. I can have the tires shipped directly to them from Tire Rack, & they will mount/balance them. My local mechanic is 11.9 miles from my house. If I really wanted Vredestein Quatrac 5 tires, & I felt my local mechanic was swamped with work (which he has been). I don't have a problem driving an extra 7.1 miles to have an independent Tire Rack installer do the job for me.

I never settle for tires, because they are in stock. I expect to have to order the tires I want. If I mentioned Vredestein to my local mechanic, I already know what he would say. Go ahead & order them yourself & bring them in.

I am just sharing different approaches I have used to buy tires. I try to give my small town guys a shot. I am not going to waste their time asking for 165/65r14 Cooper tires, because I know Cooper starts at size 175/65r14. Because the 165/65r14 size is so odd, I would go in asking for a very specific tire. If you insist sticking with the factory tire size, most tire places aren't going to argue that. If they can't get what you want, they should be willing to help mount/balance whatever is brought in. If not, they aren't much of a tire business in my mind.

[Mark]

My "tire situation" in short is that I want to buy All-Weather 14" tires by Vredestein or Kuhmo, and I find most stores don't carry them. Canadian tire carries Kuhmo, so I will visit tomorrow and see if they can order them in for me. I won't bother calling.

Thanks to forum folks who gave me some tips regarding online car parts stores out of Canada. I'd rather get in person if I can... I will have to be selective what county I buy in because mine is better with the old covid than other counties nearby with more people and infections and more closures.

If I can, easier route for me is just order tires in person, somehow; I am picky though, only wanna buy new all-weathers by either Vredestein brand, or Kuhmo, both tires that aren't that popular here and especially not in 14 inch. No tire swapping for me twice a year.

However I watched Bundesliga soccer all day today from Germany live, and I saw ads for both tire brands on the moving billboards they have in the stadium. Anyway harder tires to find at the big chain tire stores in Canada. Walmart is my next store I'll try. Cheers

I can see this becoming a screw up because the Kumho tire says all-weather, but is listed under all season. And there is another all season Kumho tire for sale at Canadian tire that is also 14 inch and all season, but apparently does not fit the Mirage. Entirely different tire.
So I just gotta get specific.

Quattro isn't all that different than tirerack.com. I copied & pasted all this from their site. I made two of their sentences bold print. If they have an installer near you, I would start there. They will gladly get you any tire Quattro offers, & they may have a better suggestion, too!

Always aiming to improve their services, Quattro Tires Inc. developed a network of affiliated garage to improve the buying and installation process for their customers. You will now be able to get your tires shipped directly to one of our affiliated garage to do the installation, saving you the time needed to receive the tires at home and the hassle of taking them to the garage yourself.
Supervision and progress of the delivery in affiliated garage :
In the “Cart” section, you are able to search by distance from your postal code to find the affiliated garage of your choice.
By selecting « Affiliated garage » the system will automatically fill-out the garage address in the «shipping address» form.
A representative of Quattro Tire Inc. will contact the customer and the affiliated garage 24 to 48hrs in advance to schedule the delivery of your order.
As soon as the delivery date is confirmed by our customer services, you will need to contact the affiliated garage yourself to take your installation appointment. It is important to take the appointment at least 2 business days after the estimated delivery date to prevent any complications in the event of delivery delays.
Unforeseen delays can happen during transport. During the high seasons, delays, partial deliveries or shipping error can happen. If this was to happen, simply call our customer service at 1-844-778-2887 to rectify the situation.
The installation prices are up to the affiliated garage and will be billed by the garage. Prices can vary depending on the tires size, tire type (i.e.: runflat, etc.), the wheel type (Steel or Alloy wheel, Rim or Mag, etc.) or even the vehicle they are mounted on.
The affiliated garage becomes responsible of the merchandise at the moment he receives the customer’s order. Quattro Tire Inc. cannot be held responsible for the loss or damage caused by the installation of the tires sent to the affiliated garage.
In the event of a tire presenting manufacturer defects, the affiliated garage or the customer must contact Quattro Tires Inc. so we can evaluate the issue. An arrangement will be made depending on the circumstances.
Quattro Tires Inc. as a distributor solely offers the manufacturers warranties. A tire showing signs of manufacturer defects covered under the manufacturer policies must be expertized before being compensated.
Depending on the circumstances and the customer’s approval, a security deposit will be taken to cover the value of the tire, shipping and taxes to replace the defective tire while it is being expertized by the manufacturer. As soon as the product is confirmed to be defective by the manufacturer, the deposit will be credited.
Products sold by Quattro Tires Inc. do not offer any road hazard coverage, unless clearly indicated.
For any additional information or questions, please do not hesitate to call our customer services at 1-844-778-2887.

[dspace9]

Thanks Mark! Looks like everything in Ontario is going into lockdown as of Boxing Day. Good idea though, maybe I should call Quattro.

I would like to stick with 165 14" tires if I can.

[Fummins]

Yeah, great suggestion Mark!

I just compared my chewed up 175/6514 to a stock half worn dunlop winter 165/6514. Both are unmounted, the 175 is maybe 1/2" wider and 1" taller.

[dspace9]

My local mechanic who services our driver's education cars was swamped with tires this fall. I called to have the brakes serviced on our Chevy Impala (new rotors and brake pads), & it took 2.5 weeks before he could get at it.

I wouldn't expect anyone to have 165/65r14 tires in stock in my area. I don't understand your reluctance to order the exact tires you want from someone else or doing it yourself? Certain tires do sell out & remain out of stock for quite some time. If you really like something, I would get them sooner rather than later. Not to be critical of you, but I would have my new set of tires ready for this winter long before the tire rush. I did mine this summer when I had more free time to mess with them & tire shops aren't swamped with work. Having a second set of tires allows a person to do that.

I didn't realize you have two sets of rims. If you could find a good all-weather tire, I would go with that in Canada, too.

I've always been reluctant ordering really big and bulky things online.

I know everyone does it, people even order treadmills online. I just never order anything big and bulky from online. I have no real explanation,

I'm just not home half the time, I find it easier to shop in person for big and bulky items. Maybe I need to get over this.