What is the best tire to put on a 2001 Ford Focus LX Sedan?

Answer 1

This really did happen to my wife and me...

We have a company here in Maryland called Mr. Tire.

The other day Carol was going to her friend's house, who is away at a seminar for Wawa, and she heart a pop, and then a whap, whap, whap at the left front of her/our car. Thankfully, she immediately pulled over and called me, probably the first time she's used her cell phone in a month, but then, that's what we have them for. And then we called AAA.

Long story short, the tire, which was 6 or 7 years old, had dry-rotted and still had tread on it/them, and it just gave up the ghost. That, and they were "Made in China." I've had tires in the 60s and 70s and 80s that were 10+ years old and they never "dry-rotted." If you'll pay particular notice, Chinese rubber isn't the best quality. Their tires "dry-rot," their rubber bands "dry-rot," and everything they make from rubber (and other stuff) is sub-standard, because we let them get away with it by continually buying their JUNK. And they poison our pets, poison our children with lead paint, etc., etc.

Anyway, this is my point, when you go to get tires, ask where they're made. And watch out for the "deals" they're giving. Pep Boys is famous for "Buy Three Get The Fourth One Free." So is Mr. Tire. These are Chinese tires, folks. And each one was $129. So, $129 x 3, of course, is $387, right?

NOW, the Kelly Springfield tires, made by Goodyear, I understand, are made in the good ol' US of A. And 4 of them cost us $312, tax, balance, on the floor and out the door! My KS tires cost me $78 each. The Chinese brand at 3 for $129 each and a freebie if you divide by 4, are still almost $95. Whoopie!!

So, watch what you buy. And BTW, those Kellys, with 33# of air, ride like a cloud on our Focus. It's a 2001 and made in Canada, FYI. Not Tokyo.