Mazda5 Tires: Issues & Replacement Recommendations

[5zoom]

I've got almost 30k on my original Toyo's on my 08 5AT and am wondered if anyone has gotten more than 30k on the original Toyo tires. The only thing I've done is rotate them every 5-6k. I've been very happy with the Toyo's, which I think puts me in the minority.

Also, with all the talk about going to 215's, I'm wondering if anyone has replaced their 205's and stayed with 205's. I'm more interested in fuel economy and physics wise, a wider tire to me means less gas mileage, even if its down in the single percentages.

[rodslinger]

I just put on a set of Sumitomo HTR Z III tires in a 225-45R18 on my 5-Sport this weekend. I am running a set of Mazdaspeed3 wheels and replaced the OEM Bridgestone Potenza RE-040 tires that were 215-45R18 sized.

My expectations - My expectations were not that high. I expected a signifigant decrease in steering response due to the increased sidewall width and tread squirm from a new tire. I also had low expectatinos of grip and comfort when compared to the Potenzas.

The reality - These tires really are great. Even though I went up a size, have a little more sidewall and the included tread squirm, I have not noticed ANY loss in steering response. They are a little quieter, just as smooth and cornering grip so far is as good or better than the worn RE-040's. These tires are also tracking much better and do not appear to be tramming as much as the old units.

Aesthetics - These tires are decent looking units. They have an asymetrical tread pattern so you can properly cross rotate and a nice finish on the sidewall. They give a nice, meaty look and help fill in the wheel wells.

So far I like them and may recommend them fully after a few more weeks of driving. They ar also available in a 215-50R17 which would be a good size for the OEM wheels on the 5.

Wanted to give an update. These tires are wearing extremely well. Handling is still great, have not noticed an increase in noise over time and have not had to rebalance these tires either. I have been very pleased with them so far and would likely get another set. For the price I very much recommend them.

[DKaz]

Also, with all the talk about going to 215's, I'm wondering if anyone has replaced their 205's and stayed with 205's. I'm more interested in fuel economy and physics wise, a wider tire to me means less gas mileage, even if its down in the single percentages.

I think our 5s will roll over before we reach the limits of a good 205 tire. I'd personally stick with a 205 to maintain fuel economy.

[Mntnbkr]

I think our 5s will roll over before we reach the limits of a good 205 tire. I'd personally stick with a 205 to maintain fuel economy.

The main reason I went with the 215/50 was not only the increase in width because it fits the rim soooo much better (the rim no longer sticks out past the tire) and the tire now actually protects the rim a bit and looks better, but also because the profile/height of the tire is less low profile and actually has some meat to it...so it gives a smoother ride, quieter ride, less jarring over bumps, less prone to impact damage, will extend the life of the suspension because of less jarring being conveyed to the chassis, looks better, etc, etc.

[5zoom]

Just put on some Yokahama YK520's 205/50/17. So far, they ride a bit smoother than the Toyo's. I got over 31k out of the Toyo's and they might have had another 1k left in them, which seems to be on the long side based on others reviews. I'm hoping for over 40k out of this set. I had these on my 06 3 and really liked them.

[geekspeak]

Tire Rack told me I could go with 205/50, 215/50, or 225/45. I only wanted a little more width to keep the rims from scuffing as they really stick out (see first picture):

I got the Kumho ECSTA ASX 215/50s from Sears for $86 a piece. Once on I took them for Napa hill ride and they felt great. Some turns were 10mph faster than previously. The fit was perfect with just a little lip protecting the rims. Then, after about 200 miles, the tires settled in and the exterior lip forced the tire back in line (the first picture is current, looks like stock).

The new width shifted to the interior of the rim (see second picture). Still great traction and handling but the steering offset has shifted, placing the center of the tire .4 inches (10 mm) inward. It changes the handling and I am hesitant to go back to the track (I run NASA HPDE at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma) with the extra overhang.

I would stick with the 205/50s. Sears now sells the entire Kumho line including the ECSTA SPT which I wanted but they did not carry 3 months ago.

[rweatherford]

I've got almost 30k on my original Toyo's on my 08 5AT and am wondered if anyone has gotten more than 30k on the original Toyo tires.


I think we are coming up on 37K on ours. I think two tires were replaced before I got it.

[was98strat]

I've got almost 30k on my original Toyo's on my 08 5AT and am wondered if anyone has gotten more than 30k on the original Toyo tires. The only thing I've done is rotate them every 5-6k. I've been very happy with the Toyo's, which I think puts me in the minority.

Also, with all the talk about going to 215's, I'm wondering if anyone has replaced their 205's and stayed with 205's. I'm more interested in fuel economy and physics wise, a wider tire to me means less gas mileage, even if its down in the single percentages.

well in answer to your question, I'm at 87,000km on my 2006 5 still driving on the original OEM tires. I'm splitting the distance between proper winter tires and these"summer" tires. At the current wear rate, I think I'll get 1 more summer out of them. I can't figure out how you guys are wearing them out so fast! I'm a spirited driver and these tires have lasted really well! Much better than the Pirelli's I had on my previous car. They had a 100,000km wear rating and were down to the wear markers after 30,000km!

[dan4behr]

I've got new tires from tirerack ready to install on my 2007 5 next Monday.
I ultimately chose based on a lot of readers comments here, at tirerack.com, and a couple of other models' forums the Kumho LX Platinum (I'm also gonna stay with the stock size...)

Anyways, I got over 30,000 miles on the OEM Toyos. Judging by some of the other comments, I'd say "I done pretty good" with them. They might even go a bit longer, but damn, the noise and racket they're beginning to make! And since I have to have my annual inspection this month, I said "ah, what the hell...just go on ahead and put the new ones on now and get it over with"

Here's a question for other owners. Would you spring for an alignment when the new tires go on? I've heard many horror stories about rabid tire wear on the 5, a problem which, *knocks wood* I've not seem to have had. My thinking is to keep it as is.

Any advice on this conundrum?(spin)

[VenomDesign]

No alignment needed when changing only the tires.

[rhayan911]

Hi, Im just new here at the forum. I like to know if 215/55/17 tire will fit on the OEM mazda5 17" wheels? Im planning to change my stock tire. like to have more rubber. any brand to suggest?

thanks.

[VenomDesign]

Use this site to compare tire size.
http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

Keep in mind that you can't go over 3% without expecting minor troubles such as ABS malfonction or speedometer reading.

So with your non-stock tires size, your speedometer read 60mph when you are traveling at 63mph. And the tire size is 4.9% bigger than what it is recommended for your ride.

I will go with 205/55 instead.

[dan4behr]

For what it's worth, I replaced the OEM Toyos after 31,000 miles recently with Kumho Ecsta LX Platinums. Size is the same as the OEM Toyos (205/50-17). I got them from tire rack for $118 each.

After a couple of weeks and about a thousand miles, I'll give them a hearty "thumbs up".

First thing apparent is how much quieter they are than the Toyos. Now, since the OEM's had more than 30K miles, it might seem a bit unfair to rate the Toyos as noisy, but they did seem noisy from day one. Maybe a ride in a new '09 might not seem as dramatic, but they do seem much quieter.

Handling seems equal to the Toyos. No squeals on turns or anything like that. Also, a big difference in the wet. In the past week, some tropical rains (thanks, Danny) have drenched parts of the southeast. Hydroplaning resistance is much improved and there is a noticeable improvement in traction when starting uphill on a wet road.

I'd sum the Toyos up by using a work that came to mind after a day or so riding on the Kumhos...they make the 5 feel somewhat more sophisticated. A lot of the noise transmitted and resonating through the body structure is absent with these tires. The whole car feels better put-together and more "expensive" with these on. So, at least for me - an average driver using my car about 40 miles per day in suburban southeast US conditions (with some "sporting" pretentions) - I'd say the LX Platinum seems to be a good balance of refinement and good handling. We'll see how they go from here...(thumb)

[rhayan911]

Guys, I'm planning to change my 17" stock wheels to winter aftermarket 16" wheels. I just want to ask if my (2009 Mazda5 touring) TPMS warning light will make also a buzzing sound? or it will just light on? I will not transfer the TPMS valve to the 16" wheels. Would Honda wheels will Fit?

thanks in advance.

[KBrian]

Lots of pages in this thread, with some very good advice/observations. Here's my 2 cents.

215/50 vs 205/50= slightly taller sidewall for more flex, which will smooth the ride. Some cornering grip will be lost, but only likely at the outer limits of traction.

larger circumference tires = lower revs at any given speed, which could mean a quieter ride, better economy, and longer engine life, giving up some acceleration rate in the process.

Larger diameter/circumference tires may increase load capacity as well.

Why doesn't Mazda include 215's as OE? Not as Zoom-Zoom as the 205. Also, they are likely in a long term contract with Toyo for these particular tires.

BTW, how many 5spd owners who upsized their tires have noticed a difference in clutch takeup when 1st pulling away from a stop, is their any tendency to stall

[coolmazda5]

BTW, how many 5spd owners who upsized their tires have noticed a difference in clutch takeup when 1st pulling away from a stop, is their any tendency to stall

My 06 has Yokohama Avid T4s (215/50/17, All Season) and my 08 still the OEM Toyo Crapxes. There is a softer ride feel on the 06, but no clutch differences at all. The 06 is my daily driver but drive both randomly from time to time (dunno)

[KBrian]

Thanks Coolmazda5. I just bought Nexen WS winters in 215/55-16 based on advice from the forums, but heard nothing about idling away from a stop without slipping the clutch. I hope I can still do it....HeHe

[coolmazda5]

but heard nothing about idling away from a stop without slipping the clutch. I hope I can still do it....HeHe

Hmmmm, check carefully, possibly the problem is not the tires themselves but what is causing it is somewhere between the pedal and the seat :D

Just kidding, just kidding (lol2)

[KBrian]

Have you been talking to my wife? :)

[rhayan911]

Just want to ask if 08' Ford Fusion 16" wheels (205/55) will fit at 09'Mazada5? & a Accura RSX wheels?. both with same bolt pattern (5X114.3) & rim size (16x6.5). Can I use stock lug nuts for this?
thanks

[DKaz]

I believe the Ford Fusion uses 67.1mm centre bore making it ok.

The Acura centre bore would be different, either too small or too big. If it's too big, you'll make your wheels lugcentric as opposed to hubcentric which could lead to vibrations at high speeds and your tires going out of balance every so often. If it's too small it just won't fit. Either way I wouldn't go for it.

[rhayan911]

@ DKaz - so if I will fit other wheels I need to check if this is 67.1mm center bore right?
the wheels from Mazda 6, does it measure 67.1mm CB also?

thanks

[sethro_GT]

If the hub bore is larger you can get a hub adapter ring. Discounttiredirect shipped me a set when I purchased my momo 16" winter wheels. Just simple blue anodized aluminum rings.

[the_saint]

Made it 50,500 miles on the OE Toyos. Replaced them with Bridgestone Potenza Grid 019s, OE size.
Got about 300 miles on those so far & they seem much much better. Wet traction blows the Toyos away & the 'whoop whoop' noise from the rear is gone.

[sethro_GT]

good to know, I'll be ordering tires for next spring when I take the snows off. I was thinking of Sumitomo's from Tirerack, cheap and I've had the HTR+ on a civic and they were super smooth and quiet.

Did you have winter tires to get to 50k? We're at 36k and still life left in the Toyo's but have wintered with studless snowstires.

[the_saint]

Did you have winter tires to get to 50k? We're at 36k and still life left in the Toyo's but have wintered with studless snowstires.
Nope. Kept the Toyos on year-round. Rotated every 5k or so until the last 15k, then I got lazy.

[was98strat]

Thanks Coolmazda5. I just bought Nexen WS winters in 215/55-16 based on advice from the forums, but heard nothing about idling away from a stop without slipping the clutch. I hope I can still do it....HeHe

Just wondering why you upsized the winter tires, usually winter tires are -1 in size not +1! The idea being that by going down from 205's to 195's you get higher pressures on your contact patches and better traction

[DKaz]

195s in 16" is hard to find, Bridgestone Blizzak WS-60 comes in 195/60R16 though. I'm going with 205/60R16 with Toyo Observe G-02 Plus.

[rhayan911]

want to confirm if mazda 6 wheels (2004) will fit mazda5? 16 x 7 - 205/60/16.
what is the offset for this wheels? tnx

[DKaz]

want to confirm if mazda 6 wheels (2004) will fit mazda5? 16 x 7 - 205/60/16.
what is the offset for this wheels? tnx

Yes it'll work but when it comes time to replace tires, stock size is 205/55R16.

[KBrian]

Just wondering why you upsized the winter tires, usually winter tires are -1 in size not +1! The idea being that by going down from 205's to 195's you get higher pressures on your contact patches and better traction

I agree with your -1 winter downsize, was. However, as we live in a low-snow zone and don't do much travelling in the winter, I gave in to the need to be contrary :)

If I was in a true winter season region, I would have found 195/65-16's from somewhere.

Truth be told, I am cheap and got the wheel and tire package installed OTD for 700 bucks.

[Outlander]

Am I going to be the first one with 215/55/17?
I've done it couple of days ago.

The Discount tire listed this size as optional Plus Zero:
http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/tirePlusSizes.do?v=013095%7C2008&r=FLJINT%7Cpc%7C32258

Plus Zero
215/50-17
215/55-17

The guy in the shop told me that this is a max size I can go with on my car.

The car looks noticably higher and and if I would have them earlier I would not have the ugly curb scratch under the front bumper.

Looks more SUVish but better in my taste.

I know the speedo reading will be a little bit different, but what I noticed right away - the ride is softer, quieter and I did not lose any control.

Will see how it will handle time and milage.

The tires are Barum Bravirus 2 - they are more "summer" tires (live in FL) and they were cheap, but with the list of good reviews.

[DKaz]

I'd go 215/50R17 or 215/45R17 or 225/45R17.

[Outlander]

I'd go 215/50R17 or 215/45R17 or 225/45R17.


My intention was to make the tires not only wider but higher as well.
The wheels 205/50/17, in my opinion, looked a little bit small on mazda5's minivan profile.
This is the first.
The second - I was going to improve the ride comfort, make it a little bit softer.
My initial impressions were that I achieved it - the ride is softer and quieter. The car looks more solid.

The third - I'm going to improve the lifespan of the tires - original low profile Toyo's were done by 24K miles.

With listed above sizes I do not think it changed much for me - they are about the same diameter with originals and all of them are low profile tires anyway.


Of course - when I read 60 m/hr, i actually have 63, but I can live with this - when my odometer reading will at 60 K, it will be actually a little bit more of driving I had. (burnout)

[bluekron]

I installed 225/45Z r17 tires in my mazda, the original tires were just too thin for the rims. I also ended up replacing the rims for some after market ones. I do have a more toed out in the back and was wondering if the toe or camber can be adjusted. Everytime I take the tires for an alignment they come out looking the same. And they tell me they are to spec, and I tell them that it doesnt matter what the factory recommends but what is the most fuctional. Can I fix the camber myself.

[VenomDesign]

Rear camber is not adjustable for our Mazda5. You need to buy an adjustable camber kit. And show us some pics of your new wheels.

[SGT_OKINAWA]

Rear camber is not adjustable for our Mazda5. You need to buy an adjustable camber kit. And show us some pics of your new wheels.

Agree 100% (can't be adjusted and we want pics, if you do)

Peace!(rei)

[switz]

Just thought I'd let everyone know I'm officially done with the original Toyo tires that came with my '08 Mazda5. I just took them off today and installed the Blizzak's that I have on steel rims. Ran the Blizzak's last winter and they have a lot of tread left for this winter. The Toyo's ran two summers and a total of 55,000km, but the last 5000km was on 2/32 and 1/32 of tread. They were noisy, rough and wore very unevenly, as if some of the rubber was harder than other parts of the rubber. I had the wheel alignment checked and everything was within spec. The tires did wear evenly across the tread (from the outside to inside). I usually ran 35-38psi. However, the tread remaining was lumpy and bumpy. I'm not going to get Toyo's again if I can help it.

I've a few months to think about what I'm going to replace them with and after reading all the new tire responses I think I'm going to go with 215/50-17 tires next spring. The question for me is, which ones?

I've been considering the Micheline MXV4's. I don't want a directional tire. I want to be able to rotate the tires from one side of the vehicle to the other. That leaves out quite a lot of tires in this size. I know the Micheline's are expensive, but if they wear uniformly and are quiet, I can live with that. After all, I will "cheap out" on other areas of my Mazda, but it's the four patches of rubber meeting the road that count. I understand the Micheline's have quite a bit of life in them and won't wear out very quickly. That suits me fine, because I rack up a lot of kms pretty quickly.

Any one have any other suggestions for all season rubber that has put on quite a few kms?

[DKaz]

I hope you're not downplaying Toyo's quality just based on OE tires. If so I would bash Bridgestone and Michelin for their crappy Insignia SE200 and MXM4 OE tires when a lot of their non OE tires are pretty good, but being two bigger brands, their stuff is typically overpriced. I'm running Toyo winter tires they're pretty superb.

Toyo Extensa A/S is a good budget all season tire that offers long tread life and is fairly quiet, it doesn't come in 205/50R17 but it does come in 215/50R17 that you want, the tire size is only about 1.54% bigger so it's acceptable. Non directional tires.

Another one is Toyo Versado LX touring all season tire that offers I believe an 80,000km tread life for our size (205 or 215/50R17), a very well received tire that is asymmetric but non directional, very quiet, and offers excellent dry and wet capabilities while also decently capable in snow.

Also check out Kuhmo Ecsta ASX (economy all-season) and LX (touring all-season), and Hankook has some good stuff as well.

[switz]

Thanks for the info DKaz. Once you have a bad experience with a tire, you tend to scrap the whole brand. I'm guilty of that with Goodyear tires as well. I have not had one good experience with Goodyear (and now Toyo) ever.

I must admit, the brand I have never had any troubles with is Hankook. I would purchase Hankook tires if they didn't have only directional tread paterns available in the 215/50-17 size.

Now, I'd like to ask you DKaz, how many kms you've personally put on the Toyo Extensa A/S or the Toyo Versado LX? If you've had very good experiences with them and been able to cover 50,000+kms using these tires, they may be a good option for me. They sure are less expensive than the Michelines.

Does anyone else out there have sucessful higher mileage experiences with these or other tires? I'd like to know.

Thanks for any input you provide.

[DKaz]

I don't have experience with the tires personally, I know some people who do use the Versado LXs and love them. The Extensa A/S is a brand new tire that's not officially available in Canada although 1010Tires carries it, a similar tire called the Eclipse is available in Canada. It's only T speed rated though so that might be an issue but it's rated to 100,000km. The Versado LX is a very good all round tire, the treadwear guarantee is actually 65,000km in our size... they'll last minimum 50,000km.

If treadwear is an absolute must, I ran Motomaster SEs on a few cars before, they're cheap and they last forever. They're not that good in wet weather though, I've had some scary emergency wet braking incidents, but on the flip side they were surprisingly good in snow. This is really the only all-season tire I've ever run for a long time but I wouldn't personally go back because of the wet weather issue especially in Vancouver.

One tire I really liked but only had for a short time was the Nokian WR G2s, they only have a 50,000km warranty in 17" sizes though, if you went for 16" rims with 205/55R16 they would have a 100,000km warranty. They're absolutely excellent in the rain and on slush, very good on dry, and carry the mountain and snowflake emblem for severe winter service, decent on snow, very quiet. If you wanted to downgrade to 16", I cannot recommend these tires enough.

[KBrian]

My Olds Aurora came with Michelins (MXV4's) i n 235/60-16. The car had 67000km when I got it in 2006, and now has 111000 after 36 months.

I am embarrassed to say that I have never rotated these tires, and rarely check the air pressure.

Tread wear has been almost nil, the tires are quiet, and they work well in the wet.
Not much driving in snow or ice, but no complaints about how they have worked on the Aurora (a 4000+ lb car)

[deadend]

Do you guys think 215-45-r17 tires would fit?

[VenomDesign]

Do you guys think 215-45-r17 tires would fit?

Yes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (dance)

[SGT_OKINAWA]

Yes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (dance)

I agree with his agree.

Peace!(rei)

[sethro_GT]

Just purchased some Continental ExtremeContact DWS's as I want long life and a cush ride. Was as toss up between them and the Kumho Ecsta LX Platinums. Went with the stock tire size as the old toyo's started to hit the secondary rubber on the inside of almost all 4 tires. Figured wider tires would wear even faster on the inside. Tires won't be on till march though, still running the yokohama iceguards.

Another interesting thing is that the price on tires is going up. In February three brands at the store I bought mine at are going up 8~10% and he expects even more by this time next year. I noticed the trend when reading reviews from last fall and the prices stated were lower than current. So buy em now before spring comes.

What type of aftermarket camber adjusters are there for these? Same as the 3?

[rweatherford]

Just purchased some Continental ExtremeContact DWS's as I want long life and a cush ride.

I purchased these tires in the 215 width. They do give a cushy and quiet ride compared to the toyos. Steering response is lower as expected from the reviews at TireRack. You should try them in the snow for fun. I was impressed by them, but they may not hold a candle to your snow tires. IDK.

[WhitewaterPearl]

We got a set of the Continental ExtremeContact DWS's in a 235-35-19 and we love them. The ride is smoother and less suspension noise transmit to the cabin. My wife been lovin' them the past few days with all the rain here in San Diego.

**Highly recommended tire and much lighter than other brands in comparable sizes**

[sethro_GT]

Excellent to hear, now I am pleased with my decision. Thanks!

[janneman]

What would changing to 205/45/17 do?

[Funktional]

What would changing to 205/45/17 do?

Throw your speedometer off by about 3% meaning when your speedometer says 60mph you're actually only doing 58mph. It will also cause your odometer to accumulate miles slighty faster than it should. On top of both of those points, it will most likely cause a more responsive steering feel with a harsher ride. I would stick with a tire that has the same overall diameter as the stock 205-50/17 tire.

[2008black5]

I purchased these tires in the 215 width. They do give a cushy and quiet ride compared to the toyos. Steering response is lower as expected from the reviews at TireRack. You should try them in the snow for fun. I was impressed by them, but they may not hold a candle to your snow tires. IDK.

Hi rweatherford,

I have an '08 and I'm coming up on 30k with my Toyos. I'm looking at getting the Continental ExtremeContact DWS's in 215/50 R17.

Have you seen any issues with the tire center shifting to the inside like Geekspeak described in his post about "Problems with 215s" a few pages back?

Thanks.

[fam]

PS if you guys hate math their are plenty of calculators online that would calculate your new speeds as well.

And if youre REALLY lazy like me you can just use your gps (mine tells actual speed as well as speed limits) and figure out where your true speed lies!

[vonlein]

Lots of good info in this thread, but a lot of different recommendations too!

I'm looking for the quietest tires I can find. We're trying to sell our '07 5 and have somebody really interested, but he can't tolerate road noise and is passing on our car unless we can get it quieter. Rear are stock and really bad (32k), but I'm thinking even the new fronts (hi-perf) aren't quiet enough for him.

I can get the Kumho Ecsta LX Platinum or Toyo VERSADO LX for $113 each at Treadepot, and thinking 215/50R17 might be quieter. Recommendations between those two, or other ideas in that rough price range?

[fam]

The car is generally loud, Ive changed the tires, had them balanced etc and it didnt help in the noise dept at all for me. I had the Kumho's on my mazda3 hatchback, I didnt notice any change in sound over the quiet Mazda3.

[vonlein]

Thanks. I do know it used to be much quieter when new and hoping I can get it quiet enough. After talking to the (very friendly and helpful) staff at Treadepot over email and phone, they're recommending the Toyo Versado.

[rweatherford]

Hi rweatherford,

I have an '08 and I'm coming up on 30k with my Toyos. I'm looking at getting the Continental ExtremeContact DWS's in 215/50 R17.

Have you seen any issues with the tire center shifting to the inside like Geekspeak described in his post about "Problems with 215s" a few pages back?

Thanks.

Sorry hadn't been around lately. I'll try to look at this when the wife gets home. No issues that I know of and they are awesome in the snow.

[Bob*5]

Lots of good info in this thread, but a lot of different recommendations too!

I'm looking for the quietest tires I can find. We're trying to sell our '07 5 and have somebody really interested, but he can't tolerate road noise and is passing on our car unless we can get it quieter. Rear are stock and really bad (32k), but I'm thinking even the new fronts (hi-perf) aren't quiet enough for him.

I can get the Kumho Ecsta LX Platinum or Toyo VERSADO LX for $113 each at Treadepot, and thinking 215/50R17 might be quieter. Recommendations between those two, or other ideas in that rough price range?I recently had the General Altimax HPs installed in the 215/50/R17 size and they are very quiet. I think that they are a bit more expensive than the Kumho Platinums that I considered but were out of stock at my tire dealer. I did have a slight balance problem that was solved by the dealer rotating the tires on the rim 180 degrees. I don't know what that was about. I think the original installer just did a poor job of balancing them. After 2000 miles I haven't seen a shift of the tire to the inside yet. Good thing as my wife was really beating up the rims. She had been driving a Subaru Forester that has 130,000 miles on it without one mark on the alloy wheels. These 50 series tires may look good, but they leave the wheels too exposed.

Bob

[2008black5]

Sorry hadn't been around lately. I'll try to look at this when the wife gets home. No issues that I know of and they are awesome in the snow.

Thanks for getting back to me! I got the 215/50 R17 Continental Extreme Contact DWS's a little after my original post. No problems at all so far and they are truely awesome in snow and rain. They are not quite as crisp in turns as the original toyos but handle very well and overall the ride seems quiter and more smooth. According to my GPS the the 5 is now going exactly the correct speed. Seems the toyos actually give a faster than actual reading on the speedometer.

[hagow_boy]

Just went to Costco (Westcoast Canada) today. Was going to check the price of the Bridgestone Potenza G019 205/50/17 and was told $139 Cdn each. Also at the tire center, I noticed there was a sale for $75 off when purchasing 4 tires (offer expires April 04, 2010). I then asked for the price of the 215/50/17 and was told $185 Cdn each. I didn't want to go with the 205's as the original Toyo's had terrible handling around corners at high speeds. I then decided to ask what the price of the 225/45/17's were knowing they had the lowest amount of speed differential. The price quoted was $145 Cdn each ! Costco had all the tire guide books there and checked if the 225/45/17's would fit my 2007 oem rims. They said no problem....I hope they are correct. I ordered the tires and will have them on my car in about 2 weeks.

[KBrian]

Costco had all the tire guide books there and checked if the 225/45/17's would fit my 2007 oem rims. They said no problem....I hope they are correct.

The problem, if you should have one, will be with the stock rim width (6.5 inches). A 225 section width tire should have at least a 7 inch wide rim, especially with such a low profile tire (45 series).

There is not much sidewall height to pull down a 9 inch wide tire into that narrow rim.

[hagow_boy]

Update on my 225/45/17 Bridgestone Potenza G019's that I ordered from Costco for $147 each. Costco's installation dept. could not get them on the OEM 6.5" Width rims. Bridgestones guide book showed that they would fit 6.5 to 8" width rims. There have been a few people on this forum that successfully installed them on OEM rims but for some reason, the Costco I went to couldn't. They tried and said they damaged the beads on one of the tires.

I refunded them and ordered the 215/50/17's instead for $190 each. Have to wait another week for them to come in.

[hagow_boy]

Got my Bridgestone Potenza G019 installed at Costco today.
$187 Cdn each + Install - $75 instant rebate + taxes = $850 Cdn
215/50/17's.
Pumped up to 34 PSI.
http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/5182/potenzatire1.jpg
http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/197/potenzatire2.jpg

[raspykart]

I'm actually takin our 2010 in Wed for those same Potenza G019's except in 205/50/17 factory size at Discount Tire... I noticed they're a bit cheaper at Costco. Discount tire has a $50 rebate, what are the terms of Costco's $75 rebate? May have to request some price matching. We happily ran the General exclaim UHP's for almost 40k miles, I'm hoping the Potenza's are quieter... but we'll see.

[hagow_boy]

Coscto in Canada had a $75 Instant Rebate (Coscto Code 228857) for the whole month of March and ended April 07. They honored the instant rebate for me because I ordered the tires before the sale ended. It basically covered the cost of the $5 environmental fee + $15 installation fee. In Canadian Costcos, the regular price for the G019 is $138.99. With the 215's, I can make turns faster and the handling feels much better. I am getting the same gas milage as with the 205's. Its a huge different in feel and handling.

Bridgstone is also having a $100 mail in rebate where they give you a American Express Prepaid Credit Card. Offer is not good for purchasing the tires at Costco and is only valid when purchasing from an authorized agent.

http://www.bridgestonetire.com/Index_BS_EN.aspx?src=springpromotion

http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/5950/potenzatire3.jpg




I'm actually takin our 2010 in Wed for those same Potenza G019's except in 205/50/17 factory size at Discount Tire... I noticed they're a bit cheaper at Costco. Discount tire has a $50 rebate, what are the terms of Costco's $75 rebate? May have to request some price matching. We happily ran the General exclaim UHP's for almost 40k miles, I'm hoping the Potenza's are quieter... but we'll see.

[switz]

Boy, this is one long thread to read through!

I just installed Toyo Extensa A/S in the 215/50-17 size. Toyo is offering a $70 rebate when you purchase four tires this spring :)

Of course the new tires are very quiet and very smooth. Time will tell. They are supposed to have an 80,000km treadwear warranty, but I won't get to worry about using it because I do my own winter/summer exchanges in my driveway (I have 205/55-16 on steel rims for winter). As long as I get close to 80,000km on these new tires I'll be happy. Perhaps a wider tire with slightly more circumference will mean that I will have more rubber that the stock size to wear off and I'll go even further! (doubt it though). The new Toyo's have a treadwear of 620 if that means anything (not really).

The diameter of the 215's compared to the winters I took off for the new tires is about an inch, or a little bit more (I didn't check, I was in a hurry to get the summers on and get going). I sure like how the 215's stick out beyond the edge of the rim, to give some protection to the rim from curbs. The wheel/tire combo just looks right. The original 205/15-17's just looked too small. They just didn't look right on that rim.

Another benefit is that my speedometer is now correct. I've always had to go about 103-104km/h on the speedo to actually be going 100km/h. Now the speedo is spot on.

What I have noticed with the taller tires is that the 5 doesn't seem quite as full of gusto when accelerating. I think the taller tires have taken a bit of eagerness out of the 5. Hopefully it will pay off with slightly better fuel economy, but I doubt it. I have been getting around 10L/100 most of the winter. Last summer I averaged around 8.5L/100km. Time will tell on this front as well.

Anyhow, the 5 seems more refined, less snarly and feisty. That's ok by me.

[sethro_GT]

Benefit to fuel economy if any may be prone to error in the speedo. May go down now that tires spin less per km.

Nice to hear all Toyo's aren't all loud and harsh.

[lisabudd]

OK, I'm a bit overwhelmed. I made it to 38K with my Toyos, and I want to decide on a size for my replacements. I'd like some more ground clearance-lots of speed bumps, crappy roads (crappy drivers like me, maybe?). I thought the 215/50-17s lots are switching to would just be wider? switz above seemed to refer to it as taller...I don't need it to be a big Macho SUV, just more practical. any help would be great

[switz]

Lisabudd,

Don't worry about your 5 looking like a SUV. In a 215/50-17 tire, the tire height (the distance the tire extends beyond the rim) is 50% of the width of the tread. So, 50% of 215 is a little bigger than 50% of 205 making the overall diameter of the tire slightly bigger. Enough to provide a bit more cushion going over pot-holes and increasing the ground clearance a bit. It doesn't amount to much; an overall diameter increase of 10mm and ground clearance increase of 5mm. But the tire fills the wheel well out more fully and I think that tire just plain looks better on the stock rim then the original 205's did.

You will not look like you are trying to make your 5 look like an SUV with the 215/50-17 tires.

[sethro_GT]

I would recommend the stock size, correct speedo, more narrow=less rolling resistance, and the particular tire has more to do with ride quality than tire size.

[mazdadude]

OK, I'm a bit overwhelmed. I made it to 38K with my Toyos, and I want to decide on a size for my replacements. I'd like some more ground clearance-lots of speed bumps, crappy roads (crappy drivers like me, maybe?). I thought the 215/50-17s lots are switching to would just be wider? switz above seemed to refer to it as taller...I don't need it to be a big Macho SUV, just more practical. any help would be great

Here is a side-by-side comp of the stock size to the "Upgrade " 215/50/17

http://www.msprotege.com/members/mazdadude/P1010007b.jpg

[lisabudd]

I have read some recs. for Kuhmo Ecsta LX plat. here. When I put it in my shopping cart on tirerack it puts a tire load warning/increased ride harshness. (in 205 or 215/50-17). I was originally going for the ASX, but the Lx has a rebate and the ASX is back ordered and I need these ASAP. I don't know anything about the Kuhmo Solus, but I did put it in my cart and it also had the tire load warning.
There's also a rebate on the Bridgestone Potenza G 19, which are highly rated but I don't remember anything about those.
Any advice? Thanks!

[Robotaz]

Lisabudd,

Don't worry about your 5 looking like a SUV. In a 215/50-17 tire, the tire height (the distance the tire extends beyond the rim) is 50% of the width of the tread. So, 50% of 215 is a little bigger than 50% of 205 making the overall diameter of the tire slightly bigger. Enough to provide a bit more cushion going over pot-holes and increasing the ground clearance a bit. It doesn't amount to much; an overall diameter increase of 10mm and ground clearance increase of 5mm. But the tire fills the wheel well out more fully and I think that tire just plain looks better on the stock rim then the original 205's did.

You will not look like you are trying to make your 5 look like an SUV with the 215/50-17 tires.

In fact, 215s look WAY better. The stock 205s looked like stupid fake toy wheels in my opinion. Adding 215s to this car is a mandatory mod in my opinion. The ride makes this thing go from econo car to dope-ass Cadillac. You will be so glad you did it if you change to 215s. BTW, mine are 215/50/17 Michelin Primacy MXV4. They are expensive, but at 16,000 miles they still look brand new, have absolutely no extra wear on the inside corners like everyone complains about, and are extremely quiet. They are great tires. My girl says they are awesome on ice, too.

[lisabudd]

so, generally, at what point am I supposed to worry about tire load warnings on a place like tirerack? I have this fear of having $700 in useless tires...
but even the kuhmo ecsta lx in the 205/50-17 gives me the RED warning...
Also, does anyone buy these road hazard programs from tirerack?

[Robotaz]

so, generally, at what point am I supposed to worry about tire load warnings on a place like tirerack? I have this fear of having $700 in useless tires...
but even the kuhmo ecsta lx in the 205/50-17 gives me the RED warning...
Also, does anyone buy these road hazard programs from tirerack?

I just looked up that tire and still can't figure out what "the RED warning" is. Could you please elaborate? I can't comment on road hazard stuff because I have that as part of insurance, but I'm curious what people do when they have problematic tires and they bought them online. You have no dealer when you buy from Tire Rack, so if a tire is bad, who is there to help you? Who helps determine that you need a new one due to defects?

[mazdadude]

The load rating on the stock tires is 89. Which equates to 1279 lbs.

I prefer to go with the 91 since it is 1356 lbs. This gives me a little more cushion when carrying more than average load.

[lisabudd]

The warning doesn't appear until you go to check out. A box comes up: "The following tire you have selected has a higher load rating than the vehicle's Original Equipment (O.E.) tires. This typically results in increased ride harshness, which some customers may find undesirable."
As far as tirerack road hazard stuff, I believe through tire rack, it's just a reimbursement plan. You just go to whomever you want.
I'll still go to my dealership for maintenance, rotation, etc

[Robotaz]

^^ As far as the load rating being too high, nonsense. That's rubbish that's just kicked out by Tirerack's software. If it's too rough, just lower the pressure, but I seriously doubt it will be. I wouldn't worry about that at all. If you're buying the stock size tire then it's already super uncomfortable and, in my opinion, unacceptable anyway. Load rating effects won't be noticed if you can stand the proper pressure, stated on your door jam, with the stock tires. I don't see how anyone can stand it personally. I drove 90 miles from the dealer to my hometown, straight to the tire shop and dumped that junk. The tires ruined the car for me. I could feel bumps in my jaw. Now it rides like a Caddy.

[sethro_GT]

Just go with the continetal DWS's you'll love em and they are the correct load rating. Since they are a touring tire they have thinner side walls (like the kumho's) and the ride is much improved over the Toyo's (in stock size even).

[Kojack]

just go with a good quality 215....they were made for this car, the 205 look stupid.

I have goodyear eagle GTs on my car from canadian tire, they are awsome looking, and the tread is great for water.

i had generals last year, and they wore out way to quickly...

[Mazdarati5]

First thank you to all who posted your tire experiences! It's really helped me a lot in choosing tires. I have a much better understanding about why cambering on the rear wheels is a good thing (even though it might create uneven wear) and how an increased tire radius makes the ride smoother (though maybe not as tight). (cool)

I am going with a full set of Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S H-rated tire in 215/50R-17 after trying to get the Michelin Primacy MXV4, which are sold out across the US. Damn Mazda for going with non-standard sizes! It makes tires outrageously expensive! Even with discounts and rebates the tires are $730 out the door, and that's after haggling with Discount Tire and Costco for a couple days (they started at $850 out the door)! (omg)

I hope the tire lives up to the reviews I've read both here and elsewhere. I'll update the forum when I get them next week.

Thanks again all!

[Robotaz]

^^ I was just looking at the tires you bought and think they'll probably be better than the Primacy anyway. The longer the warranty, the more plasticky and hard they are. I like how Michelin claims the Exaltos provide "European handling". I'm sure you will be very happy with that tire. In fact, I may try those next instead of the Primacy. Be sure and let us know how you like them. Good luck!

[jericmari]

Got my Bridgestone Potenza G019 installed at Costco today.
$187 Cdn each + Install - $75 instant rebate + taxes = $850 Cdn
215/50/17's.
Pumped up to 34 PSI.
http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/5182/potenzatire1.jpg
http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/197/potenzatire2.jpg

[skyhawk]

I replaced my OEM Toyo with whatever was
available at the tier store -- no time to research as we are going
for a long drive tomorrow. Cosco with its nice michellins will have
me waiting days. Maybe next time I'll try those 'tire technologies'
they mentioned in their tire booklets.

Here's what I have in case someone have them too.
I guess it is very low in the field of popularity.

Noticeable is the wider amount of rubber in the 'inner side' of the tire. You can find similar designs too in some Michellins. Could it be designed to suit the 'cambered' rear tires of todays cars?

Nitto NT850 205/50/R17

[KBrian]

How many K's on the 5 when you bought the Nittos, Skyhawk?

[Kenshin 1029]

Do you know something about Westlake Tires? Because my Mazda Sevice Center offer them as replacements for the Toyos. Others that I've encountered are Sunny, Hankook, Nexen and Falken. Thanks!

[skyhawk]

How many K's on the 5 when you bought the Nittos, Skyhawk?

56000km.. The dealer report said old tire was still ok. (the toyo just reached the wear marker) if I'm not going on an long drive.. But we had to drive some 1600 km or so to edmonton and back.. So I wanted peace of mind.

I got mine from Kal-tire.

[OMG Lumens]

I just put on a set of Sumitomo HTR Z III tires in a 225-45R18 on my 5-Sport this weekend. I am running a set of Mazdaspeed3 wheels and replaced the OEM Bridgestone Potenza RE-040 tires that were 215-45R18 sized.

My expectations - My expectations were not that high. I expected a signifigant decrease in steering response due to the increased sidewall width and tread squirm from a new tire. I also had low expectatinos of grip and comfort when compared to the Potenzas.

The reality - These tires really are great. Even though I went up a size, have a little more sidewall and the included tread squirm, I have not noticed ANY loss in steering response. They are a little quieter, just as smooth and cornering grip so far is as good or better than the worn RE-040's. These tires are also tracking much better and do not appear to be tramming as much as the old units.

Aesthetics - These tires are decent looking units. They have an asymetrical tread pattern so you can properly cross rotate and a nice finish on the sidewall. They give a nice, meaty look and help fill in the wheel wells.

So far I like them and may recommend them fully after a few more weeks of driving. They ar also available in a 215-50R17 which would be a good size for the OEM wheels on the 5.


Wanted to give an update. These tires are wearing extremely well. Handling is still great, have not noticed an increase in noise over time and have not had to rebalance these tires either. I have been very pleased with them so far and would likely get another set. For the price I very much recommend them.

It's sad that it doesn't seem anyone here listened to you. I have used multiple sets of these on my Saabs which run very similar aggressive suspension setups with lots of neg. camber. The HTR Z-III's are the best tire that money can buy if you like grip and need a tire that can handle the setup without wearing funny like most all other tires will do on the 5.

The secret to these HTR Z IIIs is the solid inner tread line. Because it is solid there is no way for it to cup. That means more of your tread can be used since the wear is more even.

How many of you guys have replaced your tires because the inner portion was done but otherwise the tread was in good shape? The design of these Sumitomos allows for an even softer, more grippy, tread to be used without the mileage hit that you would see in other high performance tires.

The other thing is they are incredibly quiet and for a performance tire very comfortable. Way more so than much less performing tires.

I highly suggest you fellow 5 owners not ignore this advice.

[Lee MD]

Just had a set of Continental ExtremeContact DWS in 215/50/17 installed this morning. I could no longer stand the OEM Toyos after only 12k miles. Too bad I didnt have these yesterday when it was like a monosoon.

[Heat]

Just had a set of Continental ExtremeContact DWS in 215/50/17 installed this morning...
How much were the tires (total price), and where did you have the work done?

[Lee MD]

How much were the tires (total price), and where did you have the work done?

It cost $600 installed + tax at Quality Discount Tire in Kensington, MD.

[curro]

It cost $600 installed + tax at Quality Discount Tire in Kensington, MD.

If I may asked does this price includes any of the following?

* lifetime rotation/balancing
* road hazard replacement coverage


Thanks in advance for your reply.

[Lee MD]

If I may asked does this price includes any of the following?

* lifetime rotation/balancing
* road hazard replacement coverage


Thanks in advance for your reply.

I don't think so. This didn't matter much to me as I get my tires rotated at the dealer when I get my oil changed.

Radial Tire in Silver Spring has lifetime rotate/balance.

[Lee MD]

Has anyone with Continental ExtremeContact DWS tires noticed a decline in fuel economy? I'm thinkin that my pressures may be too low with this new size. I asked the shop to inflate to 36psi.

[curro]

I don't think so. This didn't matter much to me as I get my tires rotated at the dealer when I get my oil changed.

Radial Tire in Silver Spring has lifetime rotate/balance.

Thanks Lee for the quick response. I am trying to see what best price I can get them installed here in SE Houston by using the tirerack.com price ($122/each) as a leverage. I'll probably end up either with Discount Tire or NTB since they are close by.

[sethro_GT]

Has anyone with Continental ExtremeContact DWS tires noticed a decline in fuel economy? I'm thinkin that my pressures may be too low with this new size. I asked the shop to inflate to 36psi.

Ours was the same as always, did you get the stock size? I fill them to 40psi.

We did 1600 miles on a vacation in july averaging about 28~30 mpg loaded with two kids two adults, luggage for a week, golf clubs, and rear carrier with bike and cooler. These are great tires from our experience. Though there was a section of concrete highway that had a harmonic, noticed it to a lesser extend with my protege5 running toyo proxes tires.

Our price was $660 with full warranty from Big O Tires.

[Lee MD]

Ours was the same as always, did you get the stock size? I fill them to 40psi.

We did 1600 miles on a vacation in july averaging about 28~30 mpg loaded with two kids two adults, luggage for a week, golf clubs, and rear carrier with bike and cooler. These are great tires from our experience. Though there was a section of concrete highway that had a harmonic, noticed it to a lesser extend with my protege5 running toyo proxes tires.

Our price was $660 with full warranty from Big O Tires.

I checked my pressures this morning and they were 34/35psi. I will try 40.

[kleptomaniak]

you should be ok at 36 but keep checking it once a week. I would not go past 39 though. 40 is too high. You'll be fine between 36-39. I keep mine at 38 and i haven't had any issues with uneven treadwear. the ride is a little firimer, but not uncomfortable. I didn't notice much of a difference in handling other than a tiny bit more oversteer in the beginning of a fast turn

[suniri]

I also replaced my OEM Toyos, which have completely worn out at 37,000, with a set of 4 Continental ExtremeContact DWS. It cost $480 (tires at Tirerack.com), $46 (shipping) and $86 (installation at a local tire shop). There is a TomTom portable GPS rebate from Continental Tires, just as a bonus. My impression is that the new tires give better handling and brake performance but little improvement in noise. If you live in a warm and dry area and put higher priority in quiet/comfortable ride, you'd better go with grand touring tires such as Kumhos or Michelins.

[Robotaz]

^^^ KUMHOS!?!?!?!?!?!?! Are you joking? Even if they felt great, sounded great, handled great, etc. I would never, ever buy something that my life depends on that is made in China. How people can so easily forget the melamine in the baby food, lead in the toys, steel pipelines blowing up because of flawed steel, etc. is beyond me. Don't buy Chinese crap just because it's cheap. Sorry, I digress.

[KBrian]

Better double-check the componants in that Mazda5 of yours, Robo. Lots of electronics outsourced these days to the lowest bidder.

[Robotaz]

Oh, I'm sure. But, as long as I have a choice, there will not be Chinese tires on my car because I don't trust their products. I know exactly what you're saying though and I can honestly say that it really, really pisses me off that I have no choice with almost all of the parts on my car. I remember a long time ago (yes I'm feeling old saying that) when it was Japanese stuff that was junk. Now look at how good Japanese stuff is. It's about as high-quality as it gets. Then came South Korea. Then Taiwan. Then Singapore. Then China. Now Vietnam, Bangladesh, Malaysia, etc. It's something we have to live with, but none of these countries have a national effort to defraud the world that feeds them put in place by a disturbed government like China does. I will never buy a Chinese product if I have a choice. I'd buy Iranian before I bought Chinese. I don't trust them to care if the products are made right.

And, I forgot to mention the dry wall fiasco. There are many other situations where Chinese "companies", if you can call factories in a communist country that, knowingly produced all sorts of things that they knew were defective and could kill people. If you walk around my house you will find Chinese products occasionally, but rest assured that I went through hell and high water to find an alternative before I bought the Chinese garbage.

OK, OK, I'll stop.

[Lee MD]

you should be ok at 36 but keep checking it once a week. I would not go past 39 though. 40 is too high. You'll be fine between 36-39. I keep mine at 38 and i haven't had any issues with uneven treadwear. the ride is a little firimer, but not uncomfortable. I didn't notice much of a difference in handling other than a tiny bit more oversteer in the beginning of a fast turn

I've fiddled with the tire pressures and there hasn't been any difference in fuel economy between 40psi vs 36psi. Could it be that the new size is affecting my odometer just that little bit? For example, I usually got around 220 miles when I'm down to 1/4 tank on the OEM Toyos and now I get 200 miles. Not a big deal, just curious.

[sethro_GT]

Could it be that the new size is affecting my odometer just that little bit?

yeah probably. Use an online tire calculator, if they're bigger you get fewer rev's per mile, are going faster than what the speedo says so.... My DWS's were stock 205/50/17's.

[Lee MD]

yeah probably. Use an online tire calculator, if they're bigger you get fewer rev's per mile, are going faster than what the speedo says so.... My DWS's were stock 205/50/17's.

Found a calculator and the size difference amounts to about a 1 mile difference. Thanks!

[twintrbo]

^^^ KUMHOS!?!?!?!?!?!?! Are you joking? Even if they felt great, sounded great, handled great, etc. I would never, ever buy something that my life depends on that is made in China. How people can so easily forget the melamine in the baby food, lead in the toys, steel pipelines blowing up because of flawed steel, etc. is beyond me. Don't buy Chinese crap just because it's cheap. Sorry, I digress.

I think they are a Korean company fwiw. However, there is a chance they are made in China since they manufacture there as well as Korea, so check the sidewall. Found the info here: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080417153152AA1fMtP

Personally, I dont buy tires on price. I buy names I trust or have had experience with. On my list right now are : Yokohama, Bridgestone, BF Goodrich, high end Pirelli, Goodyear and Hankook believe it or not. Michelin is out for me since the sidewalls tend to bubble easily from potholes. I had a set of Nittos that I threw out after 3000 miles. I would never have thought Hankook but I had a set on my Maxima that I got when I bought some new rims, they were in great shape but I was VERY leery about how well they would work. They turned out to be very grippy, quiet and amazing in the wet and snow.

I will never understand how people can buy the cheapest tire they can find and trust their safety to them. The right tire can be night and day so choose carefully! You would be amazed how many people in NYC have high end cars with the cheapest tire Pep boys or Sears sells. Its even more awful how many have mismatched sets around the whole car, like 3 different tires! I have my eye out for new tires since the OEM toyos seem awful in the snow so far. I just dont know if I can justify it, depends how much I can get for the old ones since they only have 3300 mi on them.

[Lee MD]

I'ved had Kumhos on three different cars and used for auto-x. I would've bought another for the 5 if not for the huge price increase due to the tire tariff.

[rodslinger]

It's sad that it doesn't seem anyone here listened to you. I have used multiple sets of these on my Saabs which run very similar aggressive suspension setups with lots of neg. camber. The HTR Z-III's are the best tire that money can buy if you like grip and need a tire that can handle the setup without wearing funny like most all other tires will do on the 5.

The secret to these HTR Z IIIs is the solid inner tread line. Because it is solid there is no way for it to cup. That means more of your tread can be used since the wear is more even.

How many of you guys have replaced your tires because the inner portion was done but otherwise the tread was in good shape? The design of these Sumitomos allows for an even softer, more grippy, tread to be used without the mileage hit that you would see in other high performance tires.

The other thing is they are incredibly quiet and for a performance tire very comfortable. Way more so than much less performing tires.

I highly suggest you fellow 5 owners not ignore this advice.

I need to update that I'll be coming up on two years and probably have a month or two of life left in them. I bought them in October 08 and have since put about 32k miles on them. They still ride smooth and even at about 3/32nds to 4/32nds of tread depth, are still relatively quiet. Cornering grip has always been excellent. I will be buying another set.

My van is a 5 speed manual with the Tri-Point engineering rear sway bar. I don't slow down for turns. I'm really impressed they lasted this long as I drive the living shit out of them.

[southpawboston]

It's sad that it doesn't seem anyone here listened to you. I have used multiple sets of these on my Saabs which run very similar aggressive suspension setups with lots of neg. camber. The HTR Z-III's are the best tire that money can buy if you like grip and need a tire that can handle the setup without wearing funny like most all other tires will do on the 5.

The secret to these HTR Z IIIs is the solid inner tread line. Because it is solid there is no way for it to cup. That means more of your tread can be used since the wear is more even.

How many of you guys have replaced your tires because the inner portion was done but otherwise the tread was in good shape? The design of these Sumitomos allows for an even softer, more grippy, tread to be used without the mileage hit that you would see in other high performance tires.

The other thing is they are incredibly quiet and for a performance tire very comfortable. Way more so than much less performing tires.

I highly suggest you fellow 5 owners not ignore this advice.

i second the opinion on the sumitomo HTR Z III's! i bought a complete set to replace the stock goodyear eagle RS-As that came with my mazda3. the sumitomos were fantastic... too bad i traded the car in with only 5k miles on them. they stuck better than any other tire i've owned, and were quiet. these will be on the top of my list when i have to replace the tires on my new mazda5.

[Robotaz]

twintrbo, the company is South Korean, but they shipped production to China years ago.

[Phoenix42]

On disadvantage to the Sumitomo HTR Z III is that they are a Max Performance Summer tires, which would require winter tires for some of us, in northern MA most people run all seasons, but I do love my snows on my Golf :) Any idea of how many miles these might be good for?

[dan4behr]

I've had a set of Kumho Ecsta LX Platinum's on my car for about a year. I've been happy as can be with them...they're wearing nicely, handle just fine and quieted the car down somewhat.

While I haven't looked closely at them in a while to make totally sure, I'm fairly certain mine are marked "Made in Korea" for those concerned about such things....

Dang...I guess that's a sign I need to get out there to clean and shine those rims and tires!

[rodslinger]

On disadvantage to the Sumitomo HTR Z III is that they are a Max Performance Summer tires, which would require winter tires for some of us,...


Agreed. We did have a few days of snow in Atlanta this winter. These tires had NO traction in the snow. The grip does drop off a bit below 50F. Since my van spends 1/2 of its time in Miami I can't complain about cold weather traction much.

[Robotaz]

^^ Good to know. Thanks. I know the ones on my Focus and a set I had back in the '90s where Chinese. We can assume the good ones are made in Korea.

[southpawboston]

On disadvantage to the Sumitomo HTR Z III is that they are a Max Performance Summer tires, which would require winter tires for some of us, in northern MA most people run all seasons, but I do love my snows on my Golf :) Any idea of how many miles these might be good for?

good point, and i forgot to mention this as well. i run dunlop wintersports in the winter, on a set of 16" mx-5 rims.

[curro]

^^ Good to know. Thanks. I know the ones on my Focus and a set I had back in the '90s where Chinese. We can assume the good ones are made in Korea.

Speaking of which, has anyone used the Kumho Ecsta LX Platinum? I am debating between these and the Continental ExtremeContact DWS (made in Brazil I believe).

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

[Rocket]

Any idea of how many miles these might be good for?

I got right at 40,000 miles out of them. Same as the Toyos and the Generals I tried. I recently bought another set of the Sumitomo. I can't say they're that much better, but they seem to be the best I've tried so far.

[GBean]

I also went with a 215/50/17 and haven't looked back. The stock "tires" were replaced at 7000 miles due to them being unsafe in just about every driving condition I can think of. I opted for a the Goodyear Triple Tread. They look & perform fantasticly well.

Mazda should be ashamed of themselves for installing those sorry excuse pieces of CRAP that Toyo attempts to call tires on these cars. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever run across a Toyo tire that was worth a damn anyways.

Agreed. The Toyo's that came with my 09 M5T AT are worthless CRAP.
My employer put Toyo AT's on my 08 GMC 2500HD and they are also TOTAL GARBAGE.
I steer everyone I know from toyo.
The 5 is getting new shoes next week. I am thinking I will put 215/50/17 Yokohama S.Drives on it.
They are totally awesome on my old 510 (195/50/15) and last at least 40k miles from all the reviews I have read.

[GBean]

I got right at 40,000 miles out of them. Same as the Toyos and the Generals I tried. I recently bought another set of the Sumitomo. I can't say they're that much better, but they seem to be the best I've tried so far.

The Factory toyo's didnt last 19k on our 09 5. I am surprised by that even. We dont drive it hard, and most miles are hwy.
I regret not being more forceful at the dealer when insisting I get the Yokohama tires that were on the car next to the one we bought. All they would have needed to do was swap wheels.
They were d-bags about it, and I just let it go. i still dont understand why the Silver came with Yokos and the Blue came with "pay-less shoe store grade" Toyo.

[suniri]

Speaking of which, has anyone used the Kumho Ecsta LX Platinum? I am debating between these and the Continental ExtremeContact DWS (made in Brazil I believe).

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

My wife's chevy has Kumhos (not Ecsta LX Premium though). They are NOT cheap tires but as expensive as Continental, as you may know. I just confirmed that they are made in Korea. The basic difference is that Kumho Ecsta LX Premium is a grand touring tire while Continental Extremecontact DWS is a performance tire. I'm not sure where you live but if you need better traction and driving performance, go with Continental. If you just want smooth and quiet city ride, Kumho might be a better choice. Another impression after two weeks with Continental DWS: the tires collect LOTS of small stones and rock particles because they have deep treads. You'll hear very annoying noise if your tires have such things on them.

[curro]

My wife's chevy has Kumhos (not Ecsta LX Premium though). They are NOT cheap tires but as expensive as Continental, as you may know. I just confirmed that they are made in Korea. The basic difference is that Kumho Ecsta LX Premium is a grand touring tire while Continental Extremecontact DWS is a performance tire. I'm not sure where you live but if you need better traction and driving performance, go with Continental. If you just want smooth and quiet city ride, Kumho might be a better choice. Another impression after two weeks with Continental DWS: the tires collect LOTS of small stones and rock particles because they have deep treads. You'll hear very annoying noise if your tires have such things on them.

Thanks suniri for the feedback. I live in SE Texas where we get monsoon type rainfalls :-) So maybe the Continentals will be a better fit. Not very excited about the issue collecting lots of stones though ...

[swgraham2]

My General Exclaim UHPs reached the end of their life, they were below 2/32 and super loud. They came with my used 2006 Mazda5 so I don't know how many miles were on them. I picked up a used set of Goodyear Eagle RS-A's for $100 to buy me some time. They all have 5/32 (50% tread) or greater and they are so much more quieter. Low profile tires are so expensive so my priority was to find non-directional so I can rotate them conventionally. I plan to rotate them with every oil change. I kept with the 205/50/17 size, I think they look sharp. I have three kids in daycare so I couldn't afford a new set but when I can the Bridgestone Potenza's are on my wish list.

[jschner]

The wife got 32K miles on the original tires on our 2008 M5 GT. Received a quote of $642 OTD for a set of four Sumitomo HTRZ IIIs from BigO Tires. Thanks for the mini reviews on these tires as I will be trying them out.

[curro]

Well on Friday I went by the nearby Discount Tire (Clear Lake Shores) and I paid for a set of four Continental ExtremeContact DWS 215/50R17. $612 out the door price including lifetime rotation/balancing. The free GPS makes it an even nicer deal.

I should be getting them installed this week (they did not have them in stock). Looking forward to a new set of shoes. The original Toyos are now too loud after four years and around 20K miles. Also do not want to risk it on water anymore.

[Old Rotor]

Has anyone tried these? I'm looking at Michelin Primacy MXM4 215X50X17 it's a new tire that is symmetrical, so it can be rotated from side to side not just front to rear.

[GBean]

Has anyone tried these? I'm looking at Michelin MXM4 215X50X17 it's a new tire that is symmetrical, so it can be rotated from side to side not just front to rear.

Link?

[Old Rotor]

Here is a link...

http://www.michelinman.com/tire-selector/name/primacy-mxm4-tires

[kjjm]

Has anyone tried Yokohama AVID ENVigors on their 5 yet? I'm trying to decide between these and the Conti ExtremeContact DWS's. The Yoko's are getting really good reviews at TireRack, but also backordered, unfortunately.

[zoom^2]

Has anyone tried Yokohama AVID ENVigors on their 5 yet? I'm trying to decide between these and the Conti ExtremeContact DWS's. The Yoko's are getting really good reviews at TireRack, but also backordered, unfortunately.

I have had the Envigors for approx. 5k miles now and I really like them. Like you, I was deciding between the DWS's and the Envigors and the DWS's were backordered at the time, so I ended up with the Yokos.

They are great in wet weather (primary reason for choosing them) - I feel very confident in the rain. In my opinion, the dry handling is not quite as good as the stock Toyos (when in good condition). If I am taking a turn aggressively, I feel that the Yokos give out a little sooner than the Toyos did. Obviously, this is only noticeable if driving aggressively.

Overall, a great tire and I would not hesitate to recommend them.

[kjjm]

I have had the Envigors for approx. 5k miles now and I really like them. Like you, I was deciding between the DWS's and the Envigors and the DWS's were backordered at the time, so I ended up with the Yokos.

They are great in wet weather (primary reason for choosing them) - I feel very confident in the rain. In my opinion, the dry handling is not quite as good as the stock Toyos (when in good condition). If I am taking a turn aggressively, I feel that the Yokos give out a little sooner than the Toyos did. Obviously, this is only noticeable if driving aggressively.

Overall, a great tire and I would not hesitate to recommend them.

Thank you for the quick reply. Based on the reviews here & at Tire Rack, it looks like either tire will be a good choice. In the end, I too will base my decision on availability. My original Toyos have over 28.600 miles on them and need to be replaced soon. Considering all the complaints I've read here about the Toyos, I've had few problems - except for the noise & vibrations. I'm looking forward to a quieter, smoother ride, even if it means taming my driving habits a bit.

[DKaz]

Awesome, I was looking at the ENVigors for myself, my BFGoodrich Super Sports are on their last legs although I have winters to run on until next spring.

The BFGoodrich Super Sports have been great tires though, they started cupping a bit when I neglected to rotate them for 20,000km but the problem went away a few thousand after rotation. They're still quiet, still grip well on dry pavement although due to the lack of adequate tread are starting to get a bit jittery on wet pavement. A good tire for anyone to consider, I'd buy it again but I want to try different tires.

I kinda want to look at a non directional asymmetrical tire like the DWS as well to make rotations easier but honestly with diligent 8,000km/5,000 mile rotations is all a directional tire needs to last long.

[Old Rotor]

After research I bought the Michelin Primacy MXM4 215X50X17 at Costco. I like them and the Wife says she loves them on her "5" now.

[straw10]

Looking for something that will last a long time....nearing the end at 45K with the factory Toyos...I saw some rated 540 or above, should that mean in "real-life" I should get 55-60K out of them? I know they'll be a much harder tire with more noise...not a huge concern, as I can turn the radio up...lol. The car just turned 2 years old, and I'd rather not have to buy tires every two years...getting 3 or 3 1/2 would be nice...any suggestions?

[twintrbo]

Looking for something that will last a long time....nearing the end at 45K with the factory Toyos...I saw some rated 540 or above, should that mean in "real-life" I should get 55-60K out of them?

I love answering this question! The treadwear rating has nothing to do with mileage or anything like that, it is simply a way to cross shop the tires from one manufacturer. The ratings are not relevant from one manufacturer to another either, its arbitrary numbering and not governed by any agency. Simply put: Michelin has tire A with a wear rating of 100, tire B has a rating of 200, it will last twice as long, thats it.........Goodyears 100 will not be the same as Michelins 100. Yes I know its crazy but thats how it works.

[Robotaz]

Looking for something that will last a long time....nearing the end at 45K with the factory Toyos...I saw some rated 540 or above, should that mean in "real-life" I should get 55-60K out of them? I know they'll be a much harder tire with more noise...not a huge concern, as I can turn the radio up...lol. The car just turned 2 years old, and I'd rather not have to buy tires every two years...getting 3 or 3 1/2 would be nice...any suggestions?

Michelin Primacy MXM4 215/50/17. I have 20,000 miles on mine and they look brand new(rotated twice). Plus, the are very smooth, quiet, and exceptional in the rain. Best tires I've had on anything other than my pickups, by far. I will definitely buy them again. There is no way that I would go back down to 205s now.

[rodslinger]

I need to update that I'll be coming up on two years and probably have a month or two of life left in them. I bought them in October 08 and have since put about 32k miles on them. They still ride smooth and even at about 3/32nds to 4/32nds of tread depth, are still relatively quiet. Cornering grip has always been excellent. I will be buying another set.

My van is a 5 speed manual with the Tri-Point engineering rear sway bar. I don't slow down for turns. I'm really impressed they lasted this long as I drive the living shit out of them.

These tires have hit their end of life and are getting replaced tomorrow. They went 35k miles with no balance problems or uneven wear issues. Noise was consistent. Handling was great. Cold weather grip wasn't the best but it doesn't matter much where I live and commute. I was going to get another set but wanted to try a set of the Continental Extreme DWS after seeing reviews for them. I instead picked up a set of Kumho Solus KH25. I was looking for something more all season and I was able to get them for $360 shipped to my door. For that price I have to give them a shot. If they suck I can stick them on the wifes car. She doesn't drive like I do and couldn't care less just as long as they were safe.

If they handle even decently well, are smooth and quiet then it was a good dollar spent.

Will update tomorow after the install.

[straw10]

Michelin Primacy MXM4 215/50/17. I have 20,000 miles on mine and they look brand new(rotated twice). Plus, the are very smooth, quiet, and exceptional in the rain. Best tires I've had on anything other than my pickups, by far. I will definitely buy them again. There is no way that I would go back down to 205s now.

Thanks...I'll check them out...

[straw10]

I love answering this question! The treadwear rating has nothing to do with mileage or anything like that, it is simply a way to cross shop the tires from one manufacturer. The ratings are not relevant from one manufacturer to another either, its arbitrary numbering and not governed by any agency. Simply put: Michelin has tire A with a wear rating of 100, tire B has a rating of 200, it will last twice as long, thats it.........Goodyears 100 will not be the same as Michelins 100. Yes I know its crazy but thats how it works.

I knew there was something buggy with the ratings...just forgot what it was...thanks...

[RnDM5]

I took the plunge yesterday and went with the Nokian WRG2 for our 5 in a 215/50/R17. I have run two sets of these on a previous vehicle and have been really inpressed on the all around performance. They are one of the only "all-weather" tires available which means they have the snowflake symbol, therefore good for ice/snow but are durable enough to run year round.

On our Jetta I was in the mountain passes of BC and thought the road was fine then came around a bend to find 6 vehicles upside down, one just before we arrived. I decided to stop and when I got out almost landed on my butt. There was no indication while driving that the road was covered in black ice. Not sure whether that is good or bad but the tires kept us where we belonged!

I picked up some aftermarket mud flaps too that are not yet installed but will post pics when done.

Here are some shots of the new shoes:

http://i1238.photobucket.com/albums/ff496/Rvath/carwheels.jpg

http://i1238.photobucket.com/albums/ff496/Rvath/wheel2.jpg

http://i1238.photobucket.com/albums/ff496/Rvath/wheel1.jpg

[zoomdaddy01]

Just replaced the OEM Toyos with 215/50/17 KUMHO Ecsta Platnium LX. What a difference! The car rides smoother and is quite a bit quieter at highway speeds.

[flcruising]

FYI - http://www.safercar.gov/Vehicle+Shoppers/Tires/Tires+Rating

[Sammi Scathe]

all i have to say is: tireseasy.com

i got snows for my p5, and their low prof, and they were only 80 bux a tire. So, i imagine the rubber for that van wont be too much from them. Just order 'em from the site, and theyll even ship 'em to yur favorite garage and discount you for doing so.

worth a shot.

[coolmazda5]

Just got Continental ExtremeContact DWS (215/50ZR17) installed. Too early to say anything, but very silent and good grip on rain...

One of the shops indicated that I needed to modify the suspension if I wanted to change the OEM tire size, to what I responded: wha...?

[Rockin03mp5]

yeah, that .35'' change in diameter will really mess things up.

[twintrbo]

Just got Continental ExtremeContact DWS (215/50ZR17) installed. Too early to say anything, but very silent and good grip on rain...

One of the shops indicated that I needed to modify the suspension if I wanted to change the OEM tire size, to what I responded: wha...?

I had a shop tell me they couldn't fix the bad alignment they did because I had a metric rack and pinion........

[flcruising]

^I think I would have just stared at them if they had told me something that idiotic^

...and then gotten a refund.

[DKaz]

I just picked up four Pirelli P6 Four Seasons for $150, about 6/32" tread life left, should be decent for two summers. I need new shocks/struts soon so can't really afford brand new tires at the same time. I will throw them on next spring after I've repaired and powdercoated my stock rims.

[GBean]

The 09 5 Touring is getting a set of these (http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Yokohama&tireModel=AVID+ENVigor+(H%26V)&sidewall=Blackwall&partnum=15VR7ENVXL&tab=Sizes) next week. I will review them later.

[reMarkable]

I'm on my second set of tires post-OEM Toyos; I'm at at nearly 60k miles:
1st replacement set was Falken Ziex 912 (215/50R/17) http://www.falkentire.com/Tires/Ziex-ZE-912-2 - which were really great under all conditions with one giant exception - the snow/ice. Then I felt like an idiot driving through a simple inch or two of snow and struggling like never in my life on mild inclines. I truly never had such a poor pair of all-season tires for the winter.

So this 2nd replacement set are the Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3 (205/50R/17) http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Michelin&tireModel=Pilot+Alpin+PA3&sidewall=Blackwall&partnum=05VR7PA3XL&tab=Sizes - they have only been on 24 hours - but these snow tires are well reviewed and should be good for all season use. A lot more expensive than the Falken's - but I'm hoping that they hold their own in the snow. One accident avoided and it will be more than worth it.

[5zoom]

I just put on some Michelin Exalto A/S 205/50/17's. So far, they are a bit quieter at speed than the Yokohama 520's. FYI - the 520's lasted about 36k before I saw wear bars. They are treadlife warranted till 50k, so Discount Tire gave me 40 bucks a tire credit. With that credit, plus negotiating and goof up on their part, my out the door price including a mail in rebate and 4 tire replacement certificates will be $461 dollars. I don't think I'll ever be able to buy Michelin's that cheap again!

[mazdadude]

After research I bought the Michelin Primacy MXM4 215X50X17 at Costco. I like them and the Wife says she loves them on her "5" now.

http://www.michelinman.com/images/tire-selector/tires/primacy-mxm4.jpg

Videos and more info on these tires available here.
http://www.michelinman.com/tire-selector/name/primacy-mxm4-tires

GREAT TIRES!!!!

There are 2 types available in the 215/50/17, a "95V" and "93V". They are the GreenX / Low Rolling Resistance version, made with SUNFLOWER SEED OIL.

UTQG Treadwear, traction, and temp ratings are 500, AA, A.


I just put a set of these same tires on my Mazda5, 215/50/17-93V. Not a cheap tire @ $160 (~$185 each final price per tire, OTD, with taxes, disposal, mounting, balancing, valve stems, air, etc.) I could have saved some money here, and I am usually Mr. Frugal, but I have always felt that tires are never the area to skimp on when it comes to your vehicle and those that trust their lives to it.

I now feel like I just bought a new car! With the new tires, I was certain that I was going to get a quieter and more comfortable ride, however I was not expecting the greatly improved wet acceleration and braking performance. WOW! I can now accelerate from a stoplight at full throttle in the wet! The wet traction is mind-blowing!

The ride is great, and because of the lack of roadnoise, I can now hear what people are saying in the back of the car. The only shortfall I have noticed, is I have lost a bit of the crisp turn-in, and stiffer sidewall that I had with my same size g009 Bridgestones. However the new tires will firm up a bit with a few heat cycles, and they should improve a bit more.

I have always been a Bridgestone man, and only time will tell, but so far, I am very happy with the Primacy MXM4 on my 2006 Mazda5.

The stock Toyos lasted 30k miles, my replacement g009 Bridgestones lasted 45k miles, and I really hope to get at least 50k miles from these new Michelins.

[twintrbo]

Those look nice Mazdadude, my only issue with Michelin is that I notice a lot of sidewall bubbles on other cars with Michelin. Might not be a problem with certain models but I see it on OEM supplied ones all the time. Here in NYC potholes can swallow a whole car so bubbling is a big issue for me, keep us posted though. I'm with you on bridgestone, I loved my S-02's. I'm also in perfect agreement on not skimping on tires, it could be the difference between accident and close call.

[5for3]

I recently put some Sumitomo HTR Z size 205/50/17 and while they did improve on the sporty handling of my 5 and they do resist hydroplaning really well, they are suspect to my lower mpg's. I have lost right around 3 - 4 mpg's compared to previous winter seasons. I have posted details in the Real World MPG section.

[bootman]

I'm at 35K and my stock toyos need replacing.
Im going to try a set of these from Costco US.

http://www.bridgestonetire.com/images/Tires/Full-60/Turanza_Serenity.png

Bridgestone Turanzas in 215/50/17. There is a $70 rebate in effect right now.

Should get a much smoother ride for the kids in the back.

[rscottg]

I would have had to replace the stock Toyos long before, but I've been running winter tires for the last 3 years.

The car had 24,000 km when I bought it and I was never very happy with tires. Noisy, rough ride, etc.. Last year the noise and rough ride was almost unbearable. The inside of the tires are for sure worn out.

For winter, I run 16" contivikingcontact 3 on it and the ride and noise is quite good.

I have the 205 50 17 tire size. If I almost wish I had the 16" tire size, but I'm not about to switch to new rims. Now I need tires that better when it comes to ride/noise without wearing out too fast. I'll have to go back over this thread and check out some suggestions as well.

[Rockin03mp5]

Stock tires had 30,000 miles on them and were loud as hell. Still had descent tread though, but i couldnt stand it anymore.

New shoes:

Continental extreme contact dws in 215/50R17. Soooo much nicer, and good grip.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/nvonde/IMG_0748.jpg

[johnnieboy]

I was lucky enough to find my wheels and tires on eBay - - for $850 mounted and delivered!

The wheels are 18x7.5" ADR "Victory" in 48mm offset, and the tires are 225/40ZR-18 Venezia Crusade HPs. They fit perfectly and ride and handle really well. The seller had even balanced each wheel/tire! (rockon)


http://www.pacifichrono.com/Cars/Tip.jpg

[twintrbo]

Is it me or is your tire flat?!


http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/nvonde/IMG_0748.jpg

[tooley]

took off stock toyo proxes hockey pucks and threw them in the bushes. replaced with 225/45r17 michelin mxm4's, wow what a difference. now the tire is actually wider than the rim like they're supposed to be and protect the rims. I used to dodge potholes, now I don't even care - the new tires eat them up.

[Rockin03mp5]

Is it me or is your tire flat?!

It does look that way, but the tpms isnt complaining. The conti's seem to have a little more flex in the sidewall. I might need to up the pressure.

[Copper5]

Had four new Yokohama Avid Envigor H tires installed about a month ago now (stock 205/55/16 size for Canadian GS models). Only about 1,000,000 times better than the stock Toyos at everything. Excellent in the rain, and quite lively handling too. Definitely a go-to tire for me now!

[Rockin03mp5]

i think the stock tires make any other tire seem awesome!

[twintrbo]

It does look that way, but the tpms isnt complaining. The conti's seem to have a little more flex in the sidewall. I might need to up the pressure.

unless the car is sitting funny and the pavement comes to a point there, your tire is WAY underinflated. I had swapped out 2 of my snow tires and it never registered to the TPMS that 2 sensors were off the car. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but the TPMS only will sense a difference of rotational speed and all of them can be low as long as they match. What pressure are you keeping in there? Also, the way you phrased that.....You did go put a gauge on it right?

[Rockin03mp5]

i havent put a gauge on it yet. my tpms complains when the tires are less than 28 psi. hold on...

just checked, and the tire does look low but it is at 35psi.

[twintrbo]

I guess its just one of those funny pictures. I'm glad you confirmed though, tire shops are notorious for doing awful things. I would loosen and re torque the lugs too, I've had them so stuck I had to stand on the wrench to break them loose.

[kueifan]

I originally planned on going with Michelin Primacy MXM4 215/50R17 from Costco ($70 off! Plus lifetime tire rotation, balance and flat fixes). But when I asked for them, the tire tech said he was not allowed to install that tire on the Mazda 5.

After asking a buddy of mine with more tire experience, I went with Continental ExtremeContact DWS in 205/50R17 and stuck with the original tire specs.

The Conti has a softer sidewall and more of a rim guard than my previous tires, so it doesn't look too much like a toy tire. I bought my Mazda 5 used and it did not have the original Toyos on them, so I can't compare to that (not that it matters). What I had on were Goodyear Eagles and Hankook Ventus.

The new tires are... well they're new, so they ride better, but not a huge difference in my unexperienced opinion. At least they were not worse off than my old tires.

[KBrian]

took off stock toyo proxes hockey pucks replaced with 225/45r17 michelin mxm4's, wow what a difference.

Did you install them on the stock, 6.5 inch wide rims?

I bought new General Evertrek HP's at Canadian Tire (25% off, 700.00 otd) and had a choice between 215-45's or 225-45's but both specified a min 7" rim. I went with the 215-50/17 and like the way they fill out the wheel well. Also, quiet and smooth on the highway.

[GBean]

Had four new Yokohama Avid Envigor H tires installed about a month ago now (stock 205/55/16 size for Canadian GS models). Only about 1,000,000 times better than the stock Toyos at everything. Excellent in the rain, and quite lively handling too. Definitely a go-to tire for me now!

I have the same tires. I have always liked Yoko's, but one is making a whirring noise at speed. Not sure if it is the tire yet, will have to rotate & find out.

[ljmattox]

Got 33,000+ from the factory Toyos; wear bars in a couple of spots, but mainly they'd gotten oh-so-noisy. Sucked in the rain, light snow, well documented in this thread.

I went with Conti DWS replacements, but in 225/45-17's. They're within a fraction in diameter, and AutoTire had no issues with the mount/balance. Smoother riding on the drive home, of course the noise is gone :-).

Here are some shots, dirty rims and all...

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/MCz0AXIDROXwnaQpSiL1FpS2zaPrlMSyMkVY6e0oCjM?feat=d irectlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/PGcTApGUkfP3eUznbUKGw5S2zaPrlMSyMkVY6e0oCjM?feat=d irectlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ozYQtaO85gWvaD9CR4WubZS2zaPrlMSyMkVY6e0oCjM?feat=d irectlink

[JKoscoe]

I put 225/50-17 Goodyear Assurance Triple Tread and they were great until i learned they were cupped already. I only have had them 1 year. I was told our 5 is known for cupping tires. Is this true?

[GBean]

I know mine is cupping my 8 month old Yokohamas noticeably already.

[Heat]

... I was told our 5 is known for cupping tires. Is this true?
The '06 and '07 models are known for alignment issues from the factory - toeing (tires are angled slightly inward), which causes cupping.

They fixed this for the '08 model and it hasn't been an issue since.

[punter7768]

It's sad that it doesn't seem anyone here listened to you. I have used multiple sets of these on my Saabs which run very similar aggressive suspension setups with lots of neg. camber. The HTR Z-III's are the best tire that money can buy if you like grip and need a tire that can handle the setup without wearing funny like most all other tires will do on the 5.

The secret to these HTR Z IIIs is the solid inner tread line. Because it is solid there is no way for it to cup. That means more of your tread can be used since the wear is more even.

How many of you guys have replaced your tires because the inner portion was done but otherwise the tread was in good shape? The design of these Sumitomos allows for an even softer, more grippy, tread to be used without the mileage hit that you would see in other high performance tires.

The other thing is they are incredibly quiet and for a performance tire very comfortable. Way more so than much less performing tires.

I highly suggest you fellow 5 owners not ignore this advice.

OMG Lumens, So I just bought a used 2007 Mazda 5 with 49,000 miles. The previous owner bought 4 new Sumitomos HTR Z IIIs. They are warrantied out to 40k miles, but after less than 20k on them, the tires were horribly cupped and down to the wear bar. Maybe a bad batch. Maybe he didn't rotate them. Maybe alignment was off. But when I was driving it, the noise was loud.

Fortunately Discount Tire honored the warranty and gave me $83 credit towards new tires. NTB and Mazda wouldn't touch it. And when I called Sumitomo they just gave me the run around.

So I just put the credit toward the new Bridgestone Ecopia 422. Initial impression is that I expect a big increase in the miles per gallon. I drove it 50 miles and filled back up; calculated out to 48 MPG! But that was highway and I'll update on next fillups.

The car still seems to drift to the right though. A problem with all Mazdas? I'll post a seperate thread in a bit.

[Redclove]

With all the positive reviews here on the Continental Extremes, do the winter versions hold up to similar goodness?

These ones: http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/4/Auto/1/Tires/WinterTiresSpecialOrder/PRD~0081519P/Continental+ExtremeWinterContact.jsp?locale=en

Cheers

[Redclove]

My 5 right now has BF Goodrich g-force Super Sport A/S which the previous owner must have put on, 205/50R17, 400/AA/A UTQG, they seem like very good tires so far, not too much road noise, good grip, good steering response, very stable especially at high speeds. I'd like to go 215 wide tires but I probably have two summer seasons left with these tires, they seem to be good so far!

I too have these loaded on my 2007 GT, also from a previous owner. They are terrific, the handling is great and noise minimal.

[ljmattox]

*Update* Just passed 5,000 miles with the Conti DWS 225/45-17's I'd put on a while back (hmmm...mileage piles up fast on this car!). No issues, SO much quieter than stock Toyo's, much smoother riding, even after I amp'd the air pressure a bit. Rain driving is a lot more confident also, and the on-ramp grip is a lot of fun. Looking forward to installing my JBR rear sway-bar in the next coupla weeks.

[DoubleT]

Just got my Yokohama Avid Envigors put on yesterday. Replaced my Toyo after 80,000 Km. Went way pass the point of using them, extremely noisy esp. after worn and not good for handling on road. I guess the good point is that the tires got me around and I only had one flat. The Yoko's (I like to call them Yoko Onos but i won't) were the best priced and had the best reviews. I can now hear myself think while driving. Mazda 5 seems to float now and really handle the turns. I will enjoy them for a month at least till the winters come on, blah!

[phunky.buddha]

Ok, I've read all the way through this thread... is ANYONE running 235/45-17, especially lowered a hair like on H&R springs? I want more contact patch. Based on highly precise measurements taken by feeling around the wheel well and eyeballing clearances, I think they'll fit on near stock offsets. Has anyone tried?

[Silentnoise713]

Ok, I've read all the way through this thread... is ANYONE running 235/45-17, especially lowered a hair like on H&R springs? I want more contact patch. Based on highly precise measurements taken by feeling around the wheel well and eyeballing clearances, I think they'll fit on near stock offsets. Has anyone tried?
Tool of champions ;).

I don't have an answer for you but I think you should ask if 235 will fit on stock 17 rims. I don't recall them being very wide. The 45 height shouldn't be a problem. Based on highly precise guestimate, LOL.

[phunky.buddha]

Tool of champions ;).

I don't have an answer for you but I think you should ask if 235 will fit on stock 17 rims. I don't recall them being very wide. The 45 height shouldn't be a problem. Based on highly precise guestimate, LOL.

Heh. Good quality answer to my wonderful quality question eh? ;)

I'm pretty sure the 235/45 will be a bit too pinched on the 17x6.5 stock wheels. Every 235/45-17 I've found has 7.5in as the skinniest recommended wheel, but a ton of Maxima, Accord, BMW, Eclipse, SRT-4 etc people run them on 17x7 with the sidewalls still looking pretty straight. I know it's not ideal, but I want to give a little more bulge for curb protection, and I want the extra height for a slightly better ride and to fill the wheel well up a bit more.

I guess I'm just going to have to lower the car and see what it looks like around the stock puny 205/50s, then use my high precision hands and eyeballs to figure out if the 235/45 will clear everything. Or I could try to "massage" the wheel wells a bit and shove the 255/40s from my S2000 into each corner.

:D

[SuperJETT]

So who has a tire that they've got a lot of miles on and are still happy with? Our Falken ZE912's are junk---3 are out of round and the inside of the car is extremely loud nowadays. Next week I'll be getting something put on, just not sure what at this point.

[csb1237]

I recently purchased and installed a set of Kumho ECSTA LX Platinum tires, size 215-50ZR-17.

I did a ton of research on tires and got a recommendation on these from Radial Tire in Silver Spring, MD. The guys there really know their stuff, and a recommendation from them carries a lot of weight. I paid $104 per tire through tireteam.com, so with shipping and tax and a state tire fee, I paid

I had the tires the day after I ordered them. They were installed (road force balanced) at my local dealer for $120.

I can honestly say that my 5 has never had a ride this smooth. We've had the notorious vibration at highway speeds issue since we bought the car, and NOTHING has seemed to remedy the problem. These tires have definitely helped alot. While I'm not going to claim complete and total victory over the vibration issue (only time will tell) like I said before, the car has never had a better ride, even when it was brand spankin' new.

So what is so different about these tires? Not sure. The previous tires I had were Kumho Ecsta ASXs which were pretty good (I got 40K miles out of 3 of them, but did have to replace one of them this year because it went flat). Those were ultra high performance all season with a treadwear rating of 320. The new KUMHOS have a treadwear rating of 600 and are warrantied for 60K miles. These could very well be the lat set of tires we put on this car.

The new ones are a different size (I had 215-55-17s before) and they have a pretty high load rating at 95W...the previous tires had 91W, while the original OE Toyos had 89W. It is possible that the higher load rating could effect the dynamics of the vehicle such that the vibration problem is less pronounced. Not sure. The other morning, when the car was cold and we jumped right out on the highway, the vibration was pretty noticeable. Temperature seems to have an effect and the problem is definitely worse when the car is cold.

Anyway, we'll see how the new tires work out. So far I am enjoying them immensely and they are definitely an improvement over what we had before.

[SuperJETT]

I dropped by our tire store this morning and the guy I have dealt with for years recommended against Continental DWS. He said either the BFG Gforce SS or Cooper Zeon RS3-A would be my best bets.

I don't agree, I'll probably go with the DWS anyway unless someone has some last minute advice.

[lakersfan1]

His recommendation might be based on dealer markup (retail vs Wholesale). It might also be based on availability problems with the DWS. When my PTCruiser blew a tire hitting a curb last month, the 215/50/17 were on a four month backorder according to everyone I contacted. I had to swap to 235/45/17 in the front to keep the same model. I was still able to get a 205/50/17 for the DWS on my 5 though when I got a sidewall bubble two months ago from a nasty pothole.

[SuperJETT]

It ended up being available like you mentioned. They couldn't find them available without a freight charge for the 215.

I ended up with the BFG Gforce 215/50, $723 out the door with alignment, road damage, etc.

Road noise is a lot lower, but ~35mph a wheel bearing starts getting loud so that's next on the list.

[Bluesideup]

I've been driving myself crazy with shopping for tires. Our Mazda5 has 205/50R17 Goodyear RS-As on it now, they are totally done with 50K miles. Even when new they had crappy dry and wet traction. I'd like to see an improvement in both areas when compared new to new. An improvement over the toasted RS-As is a given.

I finally narrowed it down to two tires.

The prices include the TPMS rebuild kits.

Continental DWS

http://www.tirerack.com/images/tires/conti/co_xtrcontactdws_ci2_l.jpg

205/50R17s are $514 shipped to my door
215/50R17s are $560 shipped to my door

Kumho Ecsta 4X

http://www.tirerack.com/images/tires/kumho/ku_ecsta_4x_ci2_l.jpg

205/50R17s are $496 shipped to my door
215/50R17s are $492 shipped to my door

Kumho has a deal where they'll send you a $50 Visa card so the actual cost in the end is $446 or $452 making them almost $100 cheaper than the Continentals. The question is are the Continentals $100 better? They are lighter (3lbs) and probably better in the snow. I know 3lbs doesn't seem like much but just 5lbs felt like a big difference on another car I had with similar hp.

I would not think of the Kumhos as cheap tires but I really want to avoid future issues with the tires. The roads in Orange County are pretty smooth so I'm not worried about potholes but I don't want to deaden the feel of the van by installing tires that are too big.

[Silentnoise713]

I've been driving myself crazy with shopping for tires. Our Mazda5 has 205/50R17 Goodyear RS-As on it now, they are totally done with 50K miles. Even when new they had crappy dry and wet traction. I'd like to see an improvement in both areas when compared new to new. An improvement over the toasted RS-As is a given.

I finally narrowed it down to two tires.

The prices include the TPMS rebuild kits.

Continental DWS

http://www.tirerack.com/images/tires/conti/co_xtrcontactdws_ci2_l.jpg

205/50R17s are $514 shipped to my door
215/50R17s are $560 shipped to my door

Kumho Ecsta 4X

http://www.tirerack.com/images/tires/kumho/ku_ecsta_4x_ci2_l.jpg

205/50R17s are $496 shipped to my door
215/50R17s are $492 shipped to my door

Kumho has a deal where they'll send you a $50 Visa card so the actual cost in the end is $446 or $452 making them almost $100 cheaper than the Continentals. The question is are the Continentals $100 better? They are lighter (3lbs) and probably better in the snow. I know 3lbs doesn't seem like much but just 5lbs felt like a big difference on another car I had with similar hp.

I would not think of the Kumhos as cheap tires but I really want to avoid future issues with the tires. The roads in Orange County are pretty smooth so I'm not worried about potholes but I don't want to deaden the feel of the van by installing tires that are too big.Hey, these are the EXACT two tires I am considering @ 215/50/17. I thought Orange County is sunny and warm, no? Why do you want/need all seasons? The main difference, as far as I can tell, is that the Conti are tired and ture, have better tread wear, and prob a better overall tire. The Kumho Ecsta 4X are new so more detail is needed. Based on the "survey" results, the Conti are hard to beat. Then again, if you just commute/cruise, the Kumhos should be just find and save you some money. Long tread wear is nice but the last few thousand miles usually suck anyways. I am going to wait to see if Conti will offer another promo before December (Conti had a free GPS promo that ended not too long ago but I have no need for it). Comparing MSRP, the Conti is the top pick without a doubt. With the rebate from Kumho, it's a little harder to decide. A word of advice that was given to me about tires is to push down on the unmounted tire. If the sidwalls collapes easily, it is a cheap tire. Not sure how ture this is -could be old wives tales. Can someone confirm?

Survey:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyresults/surveydisplay.jsp?type=UHPAS
Conti
215/50ZR17
Load Index 95 = 1521lbs (690kg) per tire
Speed Rating “W” = 168mph (270kph) 95W XLMax Load = 1,521 lbs
Max psi = 51 psi
Treadwear: 540
Traction: A
Temperature: A540 A A 1521 lbs.
51 psi
10/32"
21 lbs.
6-7.5"
7"
8.9"
NA
25.5"
818
Country of Origin "MX" = MEXICOMX , Country of Origin "BR" = BRAZILBR

Kumho
215/50R17
Load Index 95 = 1521lbs (690kg) per tire
Speed Rating “W” = 168mph (270kph) 95W XLMax Load = 1,521 lbs
Max psi = 50 psi
Treadwear: 420
Traction: AA
Temperature: A420 AA A 1521 lbs.
50 psi
10.5/32"
24 lbs.
6-7.5"
7"
8.9"
8.5"
25.5"
814
Country of Origin "KR" = KOREA, REPUBLIC OFKR

Bolded what I think are some advantages of each. I like that the Kumho's are a little deeper and heavier but the Conti seem to use better material and design.


Tire choice is completely dependent on what you want/willing to pay. I ask a Tire Rack member who is active on the Miata forum to my tire needs below.

My criteria, in somewhat order of importance:
-Quiet and plush ride
-High tread wear, preferably +50K
-Low cost of purchase
-Good MPG
-All season tires that handle northeast winters (mostly snow and occasional ice).

I am considering the following in 215/50/17 and would appreciate your input or if you have something else I am not aware of. There are too many tire choices out there!
-Hankook Ventus V4
-Kumho Ecsta 4X
-Continental ExtremeContact DWS


Answer:
Rudy Riedel The Tire Rack rudy@tirerack.com
Thank you for your email. Of the tires you have it narrowed down I would recommend the Conti DWS as my top pick followed by the Kumho 4X. I was not too impressed with the Hankook via the testing we did here.

[lakersfan1]

A word of advice that was given to me about tires is to push down on the unmounted tire. If the sidwalls collapes easily, it is a cheap tire. Not sure how ture this is -could be old wives tales.

Sidewall stiffness is a matter of composition of the sidewall. Not a signal of better or worse tires. Some tires have steel plys in the sidewall, some don't. They all have different numbers of plys in the sidewall as well. Stiffer sidewalls will make the ride a little stiffer, but will hold their shape better even when underinflated.

I've got DWS on both my cars and can't be happier with them. I am leery of Kumhos because of their Korean origin. I've heard mixed reviews. Continentals are Japanese and have been around alot longer than Kumho.

[Silentnoise713]

Sidewall stiffness is a matter of composition of the sidewall. Not a signal of better or worse tires. Some tires have steel plys in the sidewall, some don't. They all have different numbers of plys in the sidewall as well. Stiffer sidewalls will make the ride a little stiffer, but will hold their shape better even when underinflated.

I've got DWS on both my cars and can't be happier with them. I am leery of Kumhos because of their Korean origin. I've heard mixed reviews. Continentals are Japanese and have been around alot longer than Kumho.I guess the question is are there any good tires that have a soft sidewall. Do you know of a good passenger tire that is light weight and/or has a soft side wall (not counting slicks)? Would a 'soft' sidewall be more supectiable to developing abnormalities? I'm not a tire expert but of the higher end tires that I've seen/touched (pushing down on it) all have a very solid (stiff is a bad word) feel. The cheap ones collapse easily but it could just be the line that I happen to sample.

Continental is German and have been around for a while but Kumho, the tire business, have been around too, just not as long in the US. I read that the Ecsta 4X are suppose to be the successors to the Ecsta ASX <- not all that great but great value. The new kid (Korean) on the block is Hankook, they seem to be subpar still. Also, why are you leery of the Korean origin? I'd take that over Mexico or Brazil (from a manufacturing standpoint).

[Bluesideup]

The Ecsta 4Xs are on back order in 215/50R17s with no projected delivery date. I thought about going to the Continentals which are available but in the end I went for the 4Xs in the factory size. As I was saying before we have smooth roads in Orange County so the extra 5MM of sidewall wouldn't make that big of a difference to us. As much as I wanted to go a little bigger I couldn't justify the extra $108 of the Continentals.

I'm going to be installing Koni FSDs next month to reduce the chances of cupping these new tires.

edit: hmmm now that I'm home and I look at our Mazda5 I think the 215s would be a better look and a better fit for it. Ah well it looks like they are ready to ship. I think the $108 will matter more to my wife than the look of the vehicle.

[Silentnoise713]

PSA:


Discount Tire Direct
Black Friday Weekend!
$50 Instant Savings!

As a special incentive to our online buyers, we are offering instant savings for a limited time.

$50 instantly off 4 tires or 4 wheels.
$25 instantly off 2 tires or 2 wheels.
$100 instantly off 4 tire/wheel package.

This savings will be reflected automatically in your shopping cart. You must complete your order online. This offer can be combined with any current promotions and will expire Monday, November 28th, 2011.Going to buy the Ecsta 4X while the $50 manufacturer prepaid card is still good; $100 off, not too bad.

EDIT:
Kumho Ecsta 4X KU22
215/50R17XL 95W BSW
Total "Out the Door" Price
$501.00, includes warrantee and TPMS rebuild kit (not sure what this is really but $5 per wheel). -$50 Kumho rebate = $451

Don't need no stinking warrantee = $392!

[Silentnoise713]

Was told the Ecsta 4X are on 1.5 week back order. I am guessing they are in high demand!

They were willing to split the difference if I went with Conti DWS (one way to get a slight sale ;)) but in the end was still higher than what I wanted to pay. I can wait a week or two.

[phunky.buddha]

The new kid (Korean) on the block is Hankook, they seem to be subpar still. Also, why are you leery of the Korean origin? I'd take that over Mexico or Brazil (from a manufacturing standpoint).

Hankook is actually making some really good stuff right now. Go look at any of the race/competition forums, and you'll see that the Hanook RS-3 is one of the favorite street class tires. I run them on my S2000- crazy sticky and cheap too. The Ventus V12 Evo is also one of the best "max performance" tires for the money too.

As for Korean origin- seems like most of the best TVs and phones are coming out of Korea right now. ;)

[Silentnoise713]

Finally got around to replacing the stock Toyos at 36k. I bought the car with 24.5k and have not rotated the tires. Front was down to 1/32 and the rears were a hair above 2/32. Overall wear did not look or feel uneven, but they were lound as heck At this point they have little to no grip wet but dry is ok with some squeel and wheel spin if i let off the clutch too eagerly -it was fun to abuse. I also feel some slight steering wheel shudder at highway speeds, which I though was due to the tire.

Had the Kumhos mounted via road force balancing (Hunter GSP9700 machine). Cost $100 at a place called Intercity Concepts around the phila area if anyone's interested. The tire tech had difficulty getting the valve out to replace the rubber components from the TPMS rebuild kit. The valve nut would not budge and the tech ES afraid of breaking the sensor. I told him to just leave it for now and he offered to take 80 for the job -tiped him 20 since he was a straight up and honest guy I'm sure the existing rubber components will last a little long and will take action if/when the little light starts going off. I was not expecting this so did not clean or prep the area. Anyone else have this problem ad is there some tip I can follow? Another reason for me to hate TPMS...

I have to let the new tires break-in a little bit before commenting on them. I will say they are slightly less noisy than the worn out Toyos :/

[twintrbo]

I would say to spray some liquid wrench on the valve nut, corrosion has to be pretty bad considering all the dirt and road salt the valve encounters. I am in the midst of putting the new set of TPMS sensors into my winter rims now. Why would you think you needed to rebuild yours anyway? I put the old TPMS rubber seals from the RX-8 wheels into a totally different set of Non- Mazda rims and they sealed just fine. I used the valve cores from the existing snow tire wheels since the sensors came without them for some reason. If you had no reason to remove them, I wouldn't touch it. If it aint broke, you know?

[Silentnoise713]

I would say to spray some liquid wrench on the valve nut, corrosion has to be pretty bad considering all the dirt and road salt the valve encounters. I am in the midst of putting the new set of TPMS sensors into my winter rims now. Why would you think you needed to rebuild yours anyway? I put the old TPMS rubber seals from the RX-8 wheels into a totally different set of Non- Mazda rims and they sealed just fine. I used the valve cores from the existing snow tire wheels since the sensors came without them for some reason. If you had no reason to remove them, I wouldn't touch it. If it aint broke, you know?I agree and tend to live by this motto. I am not familiar with the technical details of the sensor (wear n tear manitenance necessary?). I do put on new valve stems when putting on new tire and though this is the equivalent of that. I am pretty confidenant the rubber is ok for now and the kit was cheap ($5 per wheel). If it cost more I prob wouldn't bother.

Do you know how much a replacement sensor cost?

[twintrbo]

Its only $5 because its just some new o-rings. Specialized ones with an aluminum insert but still an O-ring. New valve stems are simple enough so why not. I used to put new valves when my cars had the old rubber ones. With the ones on the 5, I'll probably not bother with it at all. Shraeder valves last forever and then some. I got the full set of 4 valves from Ebay for $80. I hope I dont have any issues with them as far as programming or batteries. I was hoping to change the batteries but there is nothing serviceable at all on them. The backs are epoxied shut with whatever is inside.

[Silentnoise713]

Its only $5 because its just some new o-rings. Specialized ones with an aluminum insert but still an O-ring. New valve stems are simple enough so why not. I used to put new valves when my cars had the old rubber ones. With the ones on the 5, I'll probably not bother with it at all. Shraeder valves last forever and then some. I got the full set of 4 valves from Ebay for $80. I hope I dont have any issues with them as far as programming or batteries. I was hoping to change the batteries but there is nothing serviceable at all on them. The backs are epoxied shut with whatever is inside.I didn't know to expect at first but it is more than just o-rings. Package has 5 parts and they appear to be 1) replacemt valve needle/insert core (I think), 2) rubber o-ring, 3) metal gasket/I-ring, 4) metal valve casing/nut (I think), and 5) replacement valve cap. Package is labeled Dill 1050K kit www.dillvalves.com to check it out.

http://dillaircontrols.com/dill/tpms-lookup/?ts=Mazda--5--06-10

[pwrpf01]

ok folks......I just want to make sure a 215/50-17 tire will work on my stock 2009 Mazda 5. I think it will (from seeing a post here before). I just don't want to click "process order" without knowing FOR SURE!!

Thanks!! :)

[Rockin03mp5]

215/50-17's are on my stock 2008 Mz5 wheels. Works just fine.

[pwrpf01]

215/50-17's are on my stock 2008 Mz5 wheels. Works just fine.

thx Rockin!! I found the Kumho Ecsta LX's on Tirebuyer.com for $132/tire + free shipping + a $50 rebate if you buy before 1/31/2012!! Which means they are sent to my tire guy's garage for $478.96 after the rebate!! That is $68 cheaper than anywhere else I found the Ecsta LX's!!!

I'm excited because we have yet to get a snow storm in the St. Louis area - so we are due and I'll be ready!! I think Mother Nature knew I was procrastinating on getting these!!

[twintrbo]

Just an FYI, you will have an ever so slight speedo error with that size. Less than one mph faster at 60 than indicated. Good luck with the Kumho's but remember, they are all seasons, not snow tires............

[phunky.buddha]

The speedometer reads a little slow from the factory (most cars do), and with the slight increase in diameter, you'll actually be dead on with the indicated speed on the 215/50 tires. You can verify it with GPS.

[SuperJETT]

Ditto, we went from just below to just above indicated speed by putting the 215's on.