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OEM Tires- Firestone? Your thoughts

14K views 20 replies 13 participants last post by  BBrewbaker 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello all...just purchased an '09 Bu 2 LT....it seems to have a vibration, dealer just rotated the tires and balanced them...I also get a swoosh type sound at low speed...wondering if this Is tire related...I asked about he transmission, but dealer said that was not the cause....

It has Firestone's and I was wondering if these are OEM and your thoughts about these tires...I have always favored Goodyear and lately Falken's...has anyone had problems with the Firestone tires?
Your comments are appreciated- thanks

Sorry...I just saw there was a tire section
 
#3 · (Edited)
I would bet it isn't your tires. Malibus are known to have odd vibrations, that are not the tires. Firestone and Goodyear are not as highy rated as they once were. But they do still make some good tires. Unfortunatley none of those come on the Malibu.

If you would have searched, or looked at the sticky thread right above yours in Problems you would have seen this. http://www.chevymalibuforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3834

Moving this to Wheels and Tires anyway.
 
#4 ·
I can't answer whether you problem is tires or not but I bough my Malibu with 18000 miles on it and the noise and vibration from the tires was horrible.
I bought the car from the dealer I work for and I had them balance all the tires and try moving them around to different positions but nothing helped.
Because I bought the car wholesale, I went and had michelin primacy tires installed and after 2,000 miles with the michelins, I have no regrets.
I'm not the type of person who is brand loyal but I won't buy firestone tires.
 
#10 ·
Yes, they are an excellent spring/summer/fall tire. Absolutely a miserable tire to drive in snow. No traction at all. When I bought my Bu the dealer included a Tires for Life program if I got my maintenance done there. So I have been getting my oil changes and wheel alignments done there. Damned tires are wearing like they may never wear out. At 3.5 years and 26K miles they look like they have at least another 15 to 20K miles in them yet. The way I drive I usually get much less tire mileage than that. Looks like I will have to pop for a set of wheels and snow tires for next winter which will make the Firestones last even longer.

Bill
 
#9 ·
Never had problems with anything but Goodyears (refuse to buy them and any tire made by them) and Sears tires. I usually buy Bridgestones (OEM on my '06 and purchased the same when they needed replaced) or Uniroyal Tiger Paws. My current truck has General Tires and while they make decent mileage and are great on dry pavement, are absolutely horrible on wet or winter weather roads.
 
#17 · (Edited)
My '09 came with the FR-710's. I put nearly 60, 000 miles on them. I could have gotten more but one night I hit scrap metal in the road and it badly cut one tire. I replaced them with Michelin Primacy MXV4. I got better MPG with the Firestones 36 v 33. The Michelins are quieter (I actually measured the dbA levels) and seem to give a better overall ride. The Michelins also do better in snow and ice. I like the Michelins but would have loved them if the MPG were equal to or better than the Firestones. I never had any vibration problems with the Firestones or noticed any odd sounds.
 
#18 · (Edited)
I have the FR-710's on my 2012. I have 11,000 on them so far. I haven't drove them in snow being I bought the car new at the end of April.

I have not liked the way they handle on wet ground from day one. They will slide in turns very easy in rain unless i drive like a 90 year old grandma causing the stability control to come on.

Then just this past weekend. I was stopping for a for a relight going down hill and they didn't grip at all. I almost slid right in to the middle of the intersection. Luckily no body was in front of me. My Wife was with me and so was her best friends 12 year daughter that were baby sitting.
It scared the shit of both of them and also me.

And with us having a baby coming in a month it scared me also. So they are getting replaced with Goodyear Triple Treads.

Also forgot to mention that they sometimes when wet they stick like glue then pulling out. Then other times they feel like your on ice and just spin.

I know that i might loose a MPG or 2 with the Triple Treads. But safety of my family comes before MPG.
 
#21 ·
I just had the Michelin Primacy MXV4's put on Saturday. They are quieter and give a smoother ride. That's with them set at 35psi because that's what the dealer set then at.
I had the firestones at 30psi.
 
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