I'll apologize in advance for a dumb girl question...I have owned other cars in the past, but none as new or fancy as my Prius.

Two weeks ago, I bought a used 2004 prius with 27,500 miles on it. I thought the tires were a little low so I went to the gas station to check them tonight. The tires were each at 30-31.5 psi, and the max listed on the tires is 44, so I bumped them all up to 40-41.5 psi (it gets so hot during the day, I don't want to risk getting them any closer to the max). I am hoping this will help my FE, which has been pretty dismal so far, even for a newbie.

While I was adding air, I noticed that all four tires matched and said "Integrity" (I assume this is the brand name?) Can someone who bought their 2004 new tell me if these are the original tires to the car? It seems like they have very little tread left on the most raised area (I'm almost sure they will fail the penny test). Does this mean I need new tires already? How long do the original tires typically last? I have heard of really cheap 40,000 mile tires, but tires that are worn out by 28,000??? How long did most people's original tires last? The car was originally purchased in March of 2004. Thanks in advance!

--
Hillary

Yes, those are factory rubber. They are ok on dry, not bad on wet, not so great in snow. Check the tread depth and you might consider going out and getting quality rubber on the vehicle. I recommend Goodyear comfortreads, or Michellin Harmonies. But whatever you do, do not get cheep rubber. This car really handles very well in snow with good rubber on it.

A word on inflation pressures. Your front tires should be 2psi greater than your rears, or better stated, a 2psi difference from front to rear with the front always being the higher pressure. So, if you run 40 psi in the front, you should run 38 psi in the rear. The factory placards that should be on the driver’s door post indicate factory tire pressure. You can use that, however most folks here think it is a little low, however it is the recommended pressure and your ride will be pretty darn good at that pressure with factory rubber. On the other hand, new quality rubber at higher pressures seems to deliver very good ride for most folks.

If your tires do not pass the penny test, they should be replaced. If your tires were run at low inflation for a long time, that would increase the wear on them and would explain the short lifespan you suspect.

Please post more questions if this is unclear or you want more clarification on other stuff.

It has been said:
Hybrid drivers come in 3 flavors, greenie, techie and cheapie. Pick any 2.
2005 Prius, Melinium Silver over gray, package 5 (AI)

I have the original factory tires on my 2005 Prius, Goodyear Integrity. 26000 miles and in desperate need of replacement. I have been thinking of the Goodyear Assurance Comfort Tred. They have good review in Consumer Reports. I am hesitant to replace the original Goodyears with more Goodyears though. Has anyone replaced theirs with the Comfort Treds and if so, I am interested in the best PSI to maintain the MPG.

We have had our 2004 Prius since it was new and at 46,000 miles we still have the original GY Integrities on it with replacement in its near future. The tires have lasted this long with little wear because they have never been set lower than 42/40 psi, usually up much higher than the max. sidewall pressure. Don't worry about the pressure expanding beyond 44psi, that's what it's rated for COLD, any expansion is fine and will return to normal once the tire cools down. Whatever tire you decide on to replace your Integrities, be sure to look at Rolling Resistance, if it's available information about the new tire. Higher rolling resistance will mean lower mileage regardless of the psi.

-Justin Fons
www.MilwaukeeHybridGroup.com