[Walter Tedman]

Anyone know of any options for the standard fit R/T 215/55/18 ? Tire reported to be supplied is Firestone Firehawk (GTA-03) which has very poor ratings on Tire Rack (last in class). Tire Rack lists no alternatives. Not sure when our ON dealers will receive initial supply but if there are no options you have to wonder why DCX made this decision. Thanks.

 

[jmettee]

Anyone know of any options for the standard fit R/T 215/55/18 ? Tire reported to be supplied is Firestone Firehawk (GTA-03) which has very poor ratings on Tire Rack (last in class). Tire Rack lists no alternatives. Not sure when our ON dealers will receive initial supply but if there are no options you have to wonder why DCX made this decision. Thanks.

I had the GTA-03's on my Saturn Ion & they weren't too bad while I had them. That said, I only had them about 3 years/30k miles because they started to slip in the rain & were very noisey.

I replaced them with Yokohama Avid 4VS which seem to be a great tire, very responsive, sporty, & quiet. However, that was a 205/55R16. Seems that the 18's on the R/T models may not be too easy to come by & not cheap. Can't find anything that size @ Sears.com, NTB.com, or Tires.com. As you said, Tirerack.com only lists the OEM tire.

J

 

[Walter Tedman]

I had the GTA-03's on my Saturn Ion & they weren't too bad while I had them. That said, I only had them about 3 years/30k miles because they started to slip in the rain & were very noisey.

I replaced them with Yokohama Avid 4VS which seem to be a great tire, very responsive, sporty, & quiet. However, that was a 205/55R16. Seems that the 18's on the R/T models may not be too easy to come by & not cheap. Can't find anything that size @ Sears.com, NTB.com, or Tires.com. As you said, Tirerack.com only lists the OEM tire.

J

Thanks for the guidance.

As lons as the GTA-03'a are it for R / T I'll wait.

Noticed today that a Caliber SE in Kingston was equipped with Dunlops. Don't recall type. At one point Firestone was thought to be the exclusive supplier and that all Caliber variants would be Firehawk-equipped. Glad to see that is no longer true.

W.

 

[Xtreme Thunder]

Thanks for the guidance.

As lons as the GTA-03'a are it for R / T I'll wait.

Noticed today that a Caliber SE in Kingston was equipped with Dunlops. Don't recall type. At one point Firestone was thought to be the exclusive supplier and that all Caliber variants would be Firehawk-equipped. Glad to see that is no longer true.

W.

SE is Dunlop all other models are Firestone >> SXT and R/T

 

[Walter Tedman]

SE is Dunlop all other models are Firestone >> SXT and R/T

Yet "Tire Rack" does not currently indicate one Firestone variant they'd recommend for SXT.

 

[Xtreme Thunder]

Yet "Tire Rack" does not currently indicate one Firestone variant they'd recommend for SXT.

Firestone "Affinity" are the names of the SXT tire, I don't know how good they are though. SE and SXT have different wheel sizes right??

EDIT:: RIM SIZE SE- 15", SXT- 17", SXT Sport- 17", R/T FWD and AWD- 18" Maybe the Caliber information is not inputted correctly therefore not showing all tire sizes available.


Just went on and you're right, VERY limited selection for the size you are looking for.

 

[Silverfox]

I know that I've got Firestone rubber on my 17" rims, but I'm unsure of the model numbers for those tires. So far, I've yet to have any problems with them but it's only been about three thousand miles. Wet weather doesn't seem to affect them yet and they're holding their pressures well.

 

[Walter Tedman]

Firestone "Affinity" are the names of the SXT tire, I don't know how good they are though. SE and SXT have different wheel sizes right??

EDIT:: RIM SIZE SE- 15", SXT- 17", SXT Sport- 17", R/T FWD and AWD- 18" Maybe the Caliber information is not inputted correctly therefore not showing all tire sizes available.


Just went on and you're right, VERY limited selection for the size you are looking for.

Safercar.gov gives Firestone Affinity T4 excellent ratings -- A / B / 500.

For those of us contemplating Caliber R/T with Firedtone Firehawk GTA-03 (not yet rated by safercar.gov) the closest tires are the GTA-02 and their ratings are A / A orB / 300, long way down the line on tread life and as noted above GTA-03 gets a b ottom of the pack ratig from Tire Rack.

If it's the only option I'll wait for sure unless we get some decent reports.

 

[Amandyke]

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmm A/B/500 is not a very good rating. 500 tread wear just to me means a very hard compound aka very poor handling. I wouldn't buy a tire with anything less than A/A ratings.

 

[Walter Tedman]

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmm A/B/500 is not a very good rating. 500 tread wear just to me means a very hard compound aka very poor handling. I wouldn't buy a tire with anything less than A/A ratings.

OK. I think I've seen you on these boards as a new Caliber owner...what tires do you have ? and what are their safercar.gov ratings ?

 

[Xtreme Thunder]

OK. I think I've seen you on these boards as a new Caliber owner...what tires do you have ? and what are their safercar.gov ratings ?

He/She has an R/T So that should be Firestone Firehawk GTA-03, if it is still stock

 

[Amandyke]

Yes, they're the crappy Firestone's. I'm waiting for Avon to develop a replacement size in their M550 line. But I'm not in a big hurry to buy new tires for it. I'll let the firestone's wear out, or scare me half to death, then I'll replace them.

 

[jmettee]

If you bump to a non-stock size of 225/50R18, you can find a couple Bridgestone & Goodyear options @ tirerack.com

J

 

[Amandyke]

Indeed. And if you step it up to the 235/50/18 (which is a little closer to the diameter of the stock wheel) you can get the Goodyear T/A KDWS on sale for $75 a piece right now. Looks like a good deal.