I'm a little nervous about keeping the factory Eco-plus tires on my Mariner. I've read that they don't perform well in rain and snow, and while we don't get alot of snow here in Philly, we get plenty of rain and ice all winter long. On top of that, the availability of replacement tires also concerns me, especially with the idea of my wife and baby out there on the road. I am seriously considering swapping the Eco's out for a more mainstream tire (read: available), but I don't want to totally sacrifice my fuel economy.
I'm wondering whether there are better choices in a Low Rolling Resistance tire. I tried emailing Michelin and Goodyear, and they offered the following recommendations:

Michelin Cross Terrain SUV

Goodyear Integrity - "Help provide strength and toughness for miles of fuel-efficient driving"

Goodyear Eagle RS-A

I also looked at this document on LRR tire choices, but it's from 2003 and some of these tires aren't made anymore. I guess from the list, the only "mainstream" tires that are still made and come in a P235/70/R16 are:

Michelin LTX M/S
BF Goodrich Long Trail T/A

http://www.greenseal.org/resources/r...resistance.pdf

I'm not familiar with most of the other makes and I used to have Firestone's on my Explorer back in the day (when they had "the problem"). Not only did that not comfort me, but the performance of those tires in the rain was terrifying. I will avoid Bridgestone/Firestone products.


Anyone have any thoughts, insight, suggestions????


(and don't just try to convince me to dump the Eco's so you can have them!!! - though if I do dump them you guys will have first crack at them (only 5,000mi)

 

I don't have any good answers (except that avoiding Firestone has been my moto ever since I bought a car that came with 500 Radials that blew chunks (literally)). But I'm wondering if I could piggy-back to say that I'm getting ready to look for studded winter tires and wondering if anyone has insights. I'm also about to search for a set of rims, and wondering if mags from the regular Escapes should work as well, or close to as well, as the "Hybrid" wheels? I prefer to get a second set, as they're on the car about the same amount of time as the "regular" wheels.

 

Hi Tim and Andy

One point I think you guys may or maynot know about is the vehicle identification block (VID) programmed in the PCM. Changes in the Tire/Axle Ratio may generate DTC code P1635 and or P1639 if the PCM has not been reprogrammed. There is an acceptable range, but when vehicle speed, tire size, axle ratio as well as speed control don't match, you may have problems. Failure to properly program tire size in revolutions per mile, (rev/mile = 63,360 divided by tire circumference in inch) or axle ratio, may result in the DTC codes above. The dealership can reprogram the VID block.

Rim and tire size must match the stock tire circumference to an acceptable range, or the VID block needs reprogramming.

GaryG

 

I intend to stick with the same size tire so I don't expect a problem there.

 

Where did you read this? I'd like to see it.

 

Gotta throw my two cents worth in regarding these tires. I'm not a tire expert but since I do have two of these vehicles, both with the stock tires on them, I do speak with some experience.

I went through the end of the 2004-2005 winter with the '05 and all of last winter with both FEH's. We had several decent snowfalls and we have had a lot of rain since I bought these cars and at no point did I feel like the vehicle was unstable or losing control. I also have a wife, an almost 4 year old and an 8 month old - I don't screw around when it comes to safety. Cost is no object.

There have been a lot of people state that the LRR tires are a harder rubber therefore they don't adhere to the road well. I don't see it. I feel as confident in the Hybrid Escapes (both front wheel drive only) as I would in any front wheel drive vehicle. Would I drive it in a blizzard or in an icestorm? Probably not. But, I wouldn't drive it in those conditions regardless of what tires I had on them.

I work a lot of overnight shifts and during the winter I am quite often on the road well before the plow trucks get out for the morning commute. These cars do well. If yours is AWD then you are that much better off but even the front-wheel version is pretty sure footed.

If you do decide to take the stock tires off and want to get rid of them, there are several people on here looking for an extra set who would be more than happy to take them off your hands.

 

I wonder how much SOFT/HARDNESS of a tire really matters on ice. Probably not much at all.... I'm not convinced that once you have water under your wheels on a slick surface the softness of a tire is going to mean a thing. I'll make a bet it would only matter on dry pavement where the tire could have a certain amount of "stickiness".

Also... All tires are rated for traction, treadware, etc.... They have a traction rating of A, there shouldn't be any problems with them on that account.

 

I guess I could rephrase it to say that I've read that some people who replaced them found they got much better traction/performance from their new tires than from the eco plus tires. Aside from that, I also am concerned about being able to even buy these tires 2 years from now. I'd be pretty pissed off if 8 months down the road I hit a pothole or a curb and damaged a tire only to find out that I couldn't get a replacement and would have to buy a whole new net of tires.

 

Um.... but you are buying a whole new set of tires now. At least in that case you would have gotten two years of miles out of the ones you have...I miss the advantage on that one....

 

I'm surprised at how often this comes up. I've gone through a Michigan winter with them, and had no troubles at all, in fact, they did better then the Explorers Continentals ever did.