I can swing 4 tires. Here's the deal, should I order the b381 off the internet and get my local guys to put them on? Or should I just get some tires from pepboys with an 80,000 warranty for about the same price and take the hit in FE. Do you think I'll get 40mpg on these pep boy tires instead of 50mpg with the 381's? Thanks for your help.

Actually I was just relating a story because I didn't have any
advice I thought was worth anything.

Frankly I don't know what you should do, if the tires are mostly worn
down (not much tread left), maybe just take it as a sign it is time
to replace them all. If they have a lot of tread left I would consider
a new pair on the back. Understeer is better than oversteer in my book.

Problem then is what do you do when the tire rotation time comes?
Buy 2 more? Then what? They will be out of balance for the next rotation.
But is it enough to be dangerous? I don't know. Not an easy problem.

But 35k is pretty close to the the 40k life expectancy right?
So chances are the tread is pretty worn.
Now that I think about it, replacing all 4 sounds safest.

After my wierd experience I lean towards better safe than sorry with
tires, I think that was what I was really trying to say, and let you make
the final decision.

If I were you I'd just get 4. But if you only get two I would think you should put the new tires on the front because they'll wear out faster there. No sense wearing down the already worn tires faster than necessary.

For what it's worth, I have 80,000 miles on the Bridgestone B381's on my 03 HCH, and they have lots of tread left and worked fine in the snow this winter. I'd guess they'll go close to 100k. The original Firestones on my 97 Civic 4 door went 94k. If you're getting the kind of mileage I have, I'd only get two new tires.

Thanks for all the help, no one in town has the b381's though. Maybe I'll order them myself and take them somewhere to get put on my HCH.

Has anyone gotten the Sumitomo HTR 200 a try? They are rated almost as well as the Bridgestone b381 for LRR, but are half the price. Any thought?

I had a blow out and got ONE at Tirerack.com.If the others are still in good shape why buy 4? Think of the WASTE!kevin

2004 silverblue 5 sp.

Which does your HCH have, the Bridgestones or Dunlops?

I replaced my Dunlops at 45K, but could have driven them to 55-60. I got excited about new wheels - because I went to 15" I got the tires too. I replaced mine with Continental ContiTouringContact CV95 - an LRR tire by their own admission. I like them much more than the Dunlops. Handling is much better, noise is a tad better.

I would not say that 4 new are required - I suppose the problem is once you mis-match them, a pair will always be running out before the other pair (and you can't really rotate them properly for very long). But I'd bet you still have some decent life left in the old ones. I'd say it's up to your finances. Buy 2 now, see if you can't go 30K and replace all 4, or do all 4 now and be done with it.

*** Retired after 65,000 outstanding miles ***

Depending on where you live, I would buy 2 sets of tires. One for winter driving and one for summer driving. That way you have the best combo for the conditions at hand.