Technical 15” tire prices wtf ?!?

Hello,

There were always two things going for a couple of young 20 somethings. We were left alone after we got married and moved to a coastal apartment. Together, we started our hot rod adventures and move along in our own world. Road trips and overnight camping adventures helped us cope with the family/relative issues. So, as we were looking at the night sky and listening to the waves crashing nearby, it was a mild way to adjust to all of our pressing surroundings.

But, for daily driving and our weekend adventures, there were certain things we needed. One was money which we saved for such weekend adventures or week long road trips. The other thing was to have reliable tires to get us where we wanted to go and back safely. Plus the constant daily driving relying on our cars was the main objective for most people, including us.

So, the cars were always in great running condition. The instant starting of the motor when the key clicked was comforting and noted. Then the actual road trips relied on how well we took care of our car(s). Tires were the second thing after a well tuned, running/starting motor.

Jnaki

The tires were something like a great running motor. If it did not run, then we did not go places required or not. If the tires were flat or ill handling, then a repair or extensive front end workings needed adjusting, including fixing the tire for leaks or wear. If the car handled terribly, then it was usually the tires. The old question of ill handling at speed was usually out of balance tires or possibly needed wheel alignment. It could not be out of round tires as we always had our new tire spun on a machine in the tire truing commercial location.

So, good tires were always the 2nd thing besides a good running car or El Camino in our 20 something case. We put on 1000s of miles going up/down the So Cal coastlines and then the long road trips up the California coast to the S.F. Bay area was always done with our reliable transportation including good tires.


Sure, tire prices went up almost yearly. But, good tires result in good maintenance and then great results in our daily driving and road trip/photo shoot vacations. Reliable tires were the “gold standard” and so the cost was important, but reliable name brand tires were the most important. So, cost was not a problem. For us 20 somethings, we went through plenty of sets of tires due to our constant use and long road trips. But, the good tires we bought, had shaved and then true balancing/alignment continued the safety or our tires for our enjoyment.

When my wife was out on her own driving road trips, it was comforting to know the tires were able to drive well and be reliable enough to have her safe and sound. She was always appreciative that I took good care of our cars for her and me. When our son got his car, the same principles were applied to family safety and reliability.

What more could one ask of our daily driver and road trip assistant? Comfort in long distance driving without any car problems was the key and we enjoyed every moment on the road. No side dirt area for car repairs due to bad tires and we were glad we always got a great set of quality tires, despite the cost.

Why buy or build a $30000+ car or hot rod build, only to buy the least expensive tires because the ones you really wanted were up in cost. It is one thing that needs the best you can buy that will give you satisfaction in reliability and great road handling on your daily drivers. YRMV