Thread: 07 gxp

I have a 07 GXP. 30,000 miles. The fronts are 255/45r18 and the rears are 225/50r18. The oems were Potenzas, I forget the number...maybe a RE50A or something. I dunno, I'm stuck at a Pilot in Nevada with horrible internet service.
Anyway, my dilemma is this. The dealer stuck on 2 new rears, same tire as oem. The fronts are about shot, or will be by wintertime. BUT, as I'm looking at the front tires, getting the info, I notice they are not all season. I go to tirerack.com and find they are summer only, above 40F. Doh!

I know that Bridgestone and Pontiac worked together to develop a tire the dealt with the torque steer and this led to special
winding or something in those Potenzas.
"This is a radical departure from conventional wisdom, and the idea proved out in initial testing. But there was a nasty side effect: Increasing the contact patch at the front amplified torque steer. However, after experimenting with a number of different tires from a variety of manufacturers, Minch and company decided the problem lay in the tire's construction-the way the plies were wrapped-and not the footprint. With sufficient application of power, the tire sidewalls distort, thus affecting directional stability. Bridgestone, the supplier of choice, was initially reluctant to accept this theory, but when the GXP team achieved improved results using an off-the-shelf tire from another maker, the Bridgestone people got to work and developed a tire that delivered the desired performance."

So I wanted to stick with those, BUT I LIVE IN ILLINOIS AND ITS OCTOBER!

As I look online, I see the Bridgestones which aren't all season, Goodyears which I can count on for problems, Coopers and some foreign named tire. What to do?

1. Is the lack of being all season THAT bad with front wheel drive? I've had rwd trucks for years and they suck in snow, no matter what the tire.
2. How is getting a different manufacturer for the front tire going to affect the handling?
3. What happens when I mix all season fronts and summer rears?
4. I think my tires are "W" or "Y" rated. Not needed for speed as the car is limited to 144, and thats unhealthy for a CDL. But I LOVE the handling, so I don't want to lose that. What the lowest rating I can have without losing the stiff sidewall and super handling? Maybe an "H"?

Many thanks to any help I can get. I drive a semi so it's difficult to find the time to just "go in and ask someone" for their opinion at home.

Ummmm....

Did I post this in the wrong forum? Should it be in the 04 and up section? Or does noone here have any knowledge or input about these tire questions?


It's not cuz I'm a Mighty Vikes fan is it?

Quite honestly I didnt not see the post or recall seeing it. My suspicion is that mostly likely know one knows for sure. You're asking some very good and detailed questions that are not quite the norm. Just the same I apologize that there have not been any replies, even to just say we arent sure of the answer.

Hopefully though someone will see this and have some information for you. Unfortunately I do not have any answers. Dont give up on us just yet though there always seems to be someone with that added insigth that can at least get you started in the right direction.

Running different tires front and rear is not a big deal. "Summer" tires are just not made with cold/snow handling as a priority. Find a good tire you like and go with it.

I am sure you would get more attention using a title to your thread that actually gives some indication of what you are looking for.

Best thing you can do IMO is buy another set of wheels with snow tires. By the time you let the winter weather tear up your rims (if you like your factory rims) you will be money ahead. I have done this since 2002 and have no regrets. I am new to my GXP and just bought 17" rims with Blizzak W70's. ~$1000 to my door ready to mount including lugnuts (TireRack).

As far as your questions:
1. Is the lack of being all season THAT bad with front wheel drive? I've had rwd trucks for years and they suck in snow, no matter what the tire. - YES!!! Summer only tire are a hazard on ice and snow to the point that some auto companies make you sign a waiver before they deliver a car that comes with them. Put some weight in the back of your truck, sand bags or something, you will be surprised how much it helps.

2. How is getting a different manufacturer for the front tire going to affect the handling? - It is my understanding, as long as you keep them paired on the same axel, No Problem. Obviously not all tires are created equally, and under extreme handling differences in tire design will come into play. For daily driving, unless you buy real cheap hard tires, you will probably not see a difference.

3. What happens when I mix all season fronts and summer rears? - It is my understanding, as long as you keep them paired on the same axel, No Problem.

4. I think my tires are "W" or "Y" rated. Not needed for speed as the car is limited to 144, and thats unhealthy for a CDL. But I LOVE the handling, so I don't want to lose that. What the lowest rating I can have without losing the stiff sidewall and super handling? Maybe an "H"? - "H" would be fine as long as you respect their top end, I think they are good for 130mph or so. Some tire dealer will not sell you tires with a lower speed rating unless you bring in the wheels only (one of those don't ask don't tell things) You might want to consider a "V", they are a little cheaper and are good for 149mph. "Y" and "W" are 168mph. For daily driving, unless you buy real cheap hard tires, you will probably not see a difference.

In any case buying snow tires will give you time to look around for summer tires or even milk another summer out of a couple of your old summers.

No one probably posted because this list seems to deal more with the previous generation and more at the GT and GTP level. I'll bet the average age on this site is 20 something.

Hope this helps. I think you can have an Adim change the Title to something more meaningful.

To add to rainmaker's post:

You can run all-season's up front and summers rear, but:

1) if you get in snow, the rear-end will probably be very prone to sliding around and

2) Summer tires, from what I've heard, can get brittle at freezing temps. Not sure if that's true or not.

you guys posted on a thread that was 2 years old. awesome.