My Dunlop Enasaves 7 years later.....

[7milesout]

I've got right at 15k miles on The Blueberry. I've rotated the tars twice now. They actually look like they'll go at least 30k miles at least. They're not showing much wear. My plan is to go back with Vredestein Quatrac 5's when the time comes. Those tires will be $500 a tire by that time, at the current rate we're going.

I worked 7 years for Hyundai-Kia and very closely with MANY Korean vendors. I will not buy Korean tires, ever, if I can help it. But more power to ya, if you guys choose to do so. I'm sure that they're not ALL bad. But I was left with a very bad taste in my mouth in regards to Korean automotive products (after having worked for Toyota).

[Fummins]

I have had a few enasaves on the work cars that had some sidewall blisters. Never had one explode though. They did seem to be more prone to punctures. Seemed the more they wore the more nails and bits of metal they'd pick up. Maybe they're magnetic?

The cheapo gt radials and half dozen other makes of winter tires I've used over the years at work are a lot heavier and probably less prone to easy punctures. Either that or the fact that the tires are slightly too wide for the rims(185/60) and most drivers can't tell when they're flat. They can have 5-10psi and they still look fine to a hoople head.

[dspace9]

I've got right at 15k miles on The Blueberry. I've rotated the tars twice now. They actually look like they'll go at least 30k miles at least. They're not showing much wear. My plan is to go back with Vredestein Quatrac 5's when the time comes. Those tires will be $500 a tire by that time, at the current rate we're going.

I worked 7 years for Hyundai-Kia and very closely with MANY Korean vendors. I will not buy Korean tires, ever, if I can help it. But more power to ya, if you guys choose to do so. I'm sure that they're not ALL bad. But I was left with a very bad taste in my mouth in regards to Korean automotive products (after having worked for Toyota).

My Kumho winters have been excellent so far. But anything is better than running all seasons all seasons long like I was doing.

I would have been equally happy buying Italian Pirelli's or Dutch(?) Vredstein's, if the performance is there. Seems like most of the big name winter tires they have for sale for Mirages are all pretty good ones.

My sister had one of those Samsung washing machines that was recalled, and on hers the drum spun itself off its pivot. Crash and smash! Looked like the thing exploded from the inside. Kinda scary.

But they say LG has some of the highest quality products out there. So I dunno, I don't think one bad apple has to spoil the whole bundle.

Korean products are better than they were, didn't the Hyundai Pony have pressed newspaper for interior trim?

Another anecdote is that my friend swears by Honda, and says the new Hyundai he test drove already had rattles inside. I dunno, I drove a Hyundai Santa Fe around Alberta for a week, and heard no rattles, and got 8.0 L/ 100 kms on all seasons in a big SUV. So the Koreans are doing something better than other manufacturers regarding fuel economy and size. I heard Ford EcoSports get only 25 MPG. So that is good engineering if a hulking SUV gets 35 MPG.

If a Dodge Attitude is a Mitsubishi Mirage, or earlier iterations are Hyundai Excel clones, who is what anyway. General tools are mostly made in Taiwan

[Dark Magenta]

My original Enasaves have lasted most of the 50,000+ miles on my '18 I bought new at the beginning of '19. I did the first winter with them and got Dunlop Wintermaxx after that. The Wintermaxxs are a little bubbled on the sides (???) but the tread is super deep. I think I can make the Enasaves last another season...close to the wear bars, but not there yet. For the right price, I'd get them again...
Unless someone can recommend another high MPG 165/65-14 tire, I'll probably go with the Vredsteins.

[Mark]

LoL Mark, no way Jose would I ever pay the asking price of these Dunlops. No I bought some Chinese tires $200 shipped to replace these and will be writing a review on 'em complete with pictures next week.

Hopefully I dont "get what I deserve" for cheaping out. heh-Heh

Falken Sincera SN250A A/S are $55.14/tire @ walmart.com tonight. That's the cheapest that I have seen the 2021+ 14" Mirage factory tires.

Just for comparison, the Dunlop Enasave tires are $166.99/tire from the same vendor.

3 sets of Falkens would be less than one set of Dunlops.

[fc321]

Falken Sincera SN250A A/S are $55.14/tire @ walmart.com tonight. That's the cheapest that I have seen the 2021+ 14" Mirage factory tires.

Just for comparison, the Dunlop Enasave tires are $166.99/tire from the same vendor.

3 sets of Falkens would be less than one set of Dunlops.

Wow thanks for sharing that, the price is outstanding. I got my new Fortune branded tires in the mail yesterday and I am going to mount them on Tuesday. They say "Made in Thailand" and date code 1921 (May 2021)

I will create a seperate thread and a full review of those tires for the benefit of our forum community.

[7milesout]

Korean products are better than they were...

I don't have an issue with Samsung or LG. It's the vehicles I have an issue with. Because I was exactly in the middle of what they were doing, and how they do it. Here's the design philosophy of Hyundai-Kia: "How does Toyota do it? And how can we do it sort of the same, regardless of the fact that we don't know why they did it the way they did it."

If you ever watch the original Jurassic Park, the tall skinny dark haired guy says in the movie, something like, "You were too busy trying to see if you could, you didn't consider whether or not you should." That's how Hyundai-Kia works, sort of kind of. They're so busy trying to figure out what Toyota does, they don't bother with the why Toyota did it. That explains why Hyundai-Kia is better than most or all of the Euro-trash vehicles (because they copy Toyota to such a high degree). Yet, still, to this day, they can't come close to Toyota. Yeah, Toyota can produce a bad example, and Hyundai might squeak out a non-turd every now and then. But for the most part, every Toyota vehicle built will be better than the exact class competitor Hyundai-Kia vehicle.

Aside for my feelings for Hyundai-Kia, I love the Korean guys I worked with and Korean culture. They are a great and loving people.

[dspace9]

I don't have an issue with Samsung or LG. It's the vehicles I have an issue with. Because I was exactly in the middle of what they were doing, and how they do it. Here's the design philosophy of Hyundai-Kia: "How does Toyota do it? And how can we do it sort of the same, regardless of the fact that we don't know why they did it the way they did it."

If you ever watch the original Jurassic Park, the tall skinny dark haired guy says in the movie, something like, "You were too busy trying to see if you could, you didn't consider whether or not you should." That's how Hyundai-Kia works, sort of kind of. They're so busy trying to figure out what Toyota does, they don't bother with the why Toyota did it. That explains why Hyundai-Kia is better than most or all of the Euro-trash vehicles (because they copy Toyota to such a high degree). Yet, still, to this day, they can't come close to Toyota. Yeah, Toyota can produce a bad example, and Hyundai might squeak out a non-turd every now and then. But for the most part, every Toyota vehicle built will be better than the exact class competitor Hyundai-Kia vehicle.

Aside for my feelings for Hyundai-Kia, I love the Korean guys I worked with and Korean culture. They are a great and loving people.

Jeff Goldblum, his next best role is when he plays a poet in the 1978 movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

What you're getting at is that age old philosophical idea that wisdom comes after intelligence. It takes an intelligent beast to build a spear with a rock, or send a man to the moon, or build a city, but it's wisdom that asks if or why that should be done? Sure it's amazing technology that we have bombs that can destroy the earth... but is that really a wise way of using our brains?

[Mark]

Wow thanks for sharing that, the price is outstanding. I got my new Fortune branded tires in the mail yesterday and I am going to mount them on Tuesday. They say "Made in Thailand" and date code 1921 (May 2021)

I will create a seperate thread and a full review of those tires for the benefit of our forum community.

If you purchased the Fortune Perfectus tires, they have a 65,000 mile warranty. The factory Falken Sincera SN250A A/S has none.

Personally, I wouldn't recommend the Falken Sincera SN250A A/S, but that was the lowest price I've seen for them.

I look forward to your future take on your new tires. Dunlop Enasave tires are also made in Thailand. Then again, Mirages are built there, too!

[Mark]

I don't have an issue with Samsung or LG. It's the vehicles I have an issue with. Because I was exactly in the middle of what they were doing, and how they do it. Here's the design philosophy of Hyundai-Kia: "How does Toyota do it? And how can we do it sort of the same, regardless of the fact that we don't know why they did it the way they did it."

If you ever watch the original Jurassic Park, the tall skinny dark haired guy says in the movie, something like, "You were too busy trying to see if you could, you didn't consider whether or not you should." That's how Hyundai-Kia works, sort of kind of. They're so busy trying to figure out what Toyota does, they don't bother with the why Toyota did it. That explains why Hyundai-Kia is better than most or all of the Euro-trash vehicles (because they copy Toyota to such a high degree). Yet, still, to this day, they can't come close to Toyota. Yeah, Toyota can produce a bad example, and Hyundai might squeak out a non-turd every now and then. But for the most part, every Toyota vehicle built will be better than the exact class competitor Hyundai-Kia vehicle.

Aside for my feelings for Hyundai-Kia, I love the Korean guys I worked with and Korean culture. They are a great and loving people.

I really don't follow your logic concerning vehicle and tire companies? I get Toyota produces a superior product to KIA/Hyundai, but I don't understand how that transfer to tires? So we condemn all Korean tire manufacturers, because KIA/Hyundai makes crappy vehicles? By the way - I don't feel that way. There are several automobile manufacturers making crap these days, & they are just one of them.

Tires are made all over the world these days. My Nokian (thought I was buying tires from Finland) snow tires were made in Russia.

If your logic was legit, I don't think Toyota would use Korean tires. Yet, I think Corollas have come with Hankook tires for years. Why would a superior company like Toyota do that?

Every tire brand has some tire models that are better than others. The factory Bridgestone tires that came on Subaru Forester were the worst winter tires I have ever driven on. I don't remember being stuck with an AWD vehicle before, and I was easily stuck with those. I put a set of Cooper CS4 tires (no longer made), and the vehicle was a beast in the snow.

If someone stated Toyota vehicles are better because they come with Bridgestone tires, I would just laugh at them. To me, tire brands & vehicle brands don't go hand in hand. If I judged my Mirage by its Dunlop Enasave tires, that would be silly.

If a person wants to buy factory size 165/65r14 tires, I think Nexen & Kumho are a couple of the best current options available. Their UTQG ratings & warranty are better than most 165/65r14 tire offerings.

If not, what 165/65r14 tire offerings in the States are superior? Tire companies like Hankook, Kumho, & Nexen have developed a decent reputation for mid-price tires. They are definitely better known than many new Chinese tires being offered in recent years. I am not saying Hankook are Michelin tires, but they aren't priced like them either. My 81 year old dad hated his factory Michelin tires on his current GMC Terrain. I have never heard him complain about any tires before.

Given today's tire market, I think it's hard to make a blanket statement about things like tires & what country they come from. If there was an awesome American made 165/65r14 tire, I would gladly give it a try.

So far, I've tried Thailand (Dunlop), Russia (Nokian), Taiwan (Federal) & Korean (Nexen & Kumho) tires on my Mirage, & I would say the Korean tires appear to be the best of the bunch so far. My opinion may change over time, but the Korean tires seem very competitive for the price. I surely don't see much else outside Vredestein tires (Apollo tires made in the Netherlands). My hope is some brands associated with Sentury Tires prove to be decent, too.