Edgey Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 Can anybody tell me what kind of tires are on the 2007 Focus? I know that there were a lot of complaints from owners about the Goodyears and Pirellis and my sister is buying a Focus tomorrow. I need to know if she should go ahead and replace them with something better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igor Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 well, the website seems to indicate no change, and even still mentions the Pirellis for the 16" wheels. Why don;t you have her call you when she sees the car on the lot? I would, however assume that they will be the same tires as before .. I rn my 4000 miles of my Focus ownership on the stock pirellis, and they were fine... I did read, that they are somewhat prone to blowouts, but I have heard the same thing of pretty much any stock tire. Igor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Kerluck Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 The Pirellis on our 2005 seem to be made of chewing gum. For a supposedly high end tire, they are wearing like crazy, and feel lousy in corners. I'm replacing them in the next few months. Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2b2 Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 Seems from what I've read about tires, ALL mfg's make cheap cr_p in addition to their higher priced ones. And even if the OEM's have the same model-name as aftermarket, they can be built to different specs. Tirerack's tire categories Tirerack's HighPerformance AllSeason User Ratings the ones I got Special ordered the Yokohama H4S when they first came out based on web-research. They've been good (I drive umm... aggressively) in the dry, rain, snow(Reno trips) & have a high mileage rating (~10k so far) & were not expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgey Posted August 31, 2006 Author Share Posted August 31, 2006 She found out they are Pirellis, she hasn't actually driven the car yet so she can't give me feedback on how they drive and feel. She made the mistake of getting on Tirerack and is terrified she's going to be disappointed in the car because of the tires. She has always put really good tires on her ZX2 so she's worried that she's giving up a car with better tires. I've convinced her to just put 10,000 miles on the tires and decide then if she wants to replace them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igor Posted August 31, 2006 Share Posted August 31, 2006 ^^I have not heard of any OEM tires that get good reviews .... they were quite decent .... the main problem with them is thin/sof sidewall, that it prone to blowouts is damaged .... more so than better tires. However, she will not hate them - they are not top of the line, but they pwerformed well for stock tires .. they will likey wear faster than they should, but should still last good 20k miles .. then she can get new ones ... and if not - there should be tire shops that are willing to take a trade in of brand new tires - I never seen one (rarely change my tires, cause I do not drive too much), but I have heard of it a lot. Igor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgey Posted September 1, 2006 Author Share Posted September 1, 2006 ^^I have not heard of any OEM tires that get good reviews .... they were quite decent .... the main problem with them is thin/sof sidewall, that it prone to blowouts is damaged .... more so than better tires. However, she will not hate them - they are not top of the line, but they pwerformed well for stock tires .. they will likey wear faster than they should, but should still last good 20k miles .. then she can get new ones ... and if not - there should be tire shops that are willing to take a trade in of brand new tires - I never seen one (rarely change my tires, cause I do not drive too much), but I have heard of it a lot. Igor She picked up the car this evening and is already moaning about how noisey the tires are. I guess there is also a lot of vibration coming through the steering wheel and there is quite a bit of suspension noise from the rear. She prefers her ZX2 surprisingly. Give her time I'm sure she'll learn to focus on the positives, she is a little disappointed it's not dramatically better than her 'scort. I doubt she will get new tires after she plunked down a pretty penny to buy the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgey Posted September 1, 2006 Author Share Posted September 1, 2006 I feel a little bad that she doesn't love the car because she was determined to get something other than a Ford. I convinced her to stick with Ford and now she wonders if she shouldn't have looked at the Cobalt. Most of the family has switched over to GM products becuase of Ford's recent product drought but I'm trying to hang onto some of them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OAC_Sparky Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 The first time my wife moans about a new vehicle, is just about the time the car gets sold and she takes the bus. You must be at that point in your life where sex is considered an "optional" benefit of marriage....:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron W. Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 Per the "Tire Sales Tool" on the fmcdealer web site (might not be updated) the only tire size for the 07 Focus is P195/60R15. The only two choices for factory equipment would be the Goodyear Eagle RSA MSRP of $89.95 And the Hankook Optimo H725 with a MSRP of $64.95, no Pirellis shown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plev72 Posted September 3, 2006 Share Posted September 3, 2006 According to KBB the tire size for the 2007 Focus SES and ST is 205/50R16. Per the "Tire Sales Tool" on the fmcdealer web site (might not be updated) the only tire size for the 07 Focus is P195/60R15. The only two choices for factory equipment would be the Goodyear Eagle RSA MSRP of $89.95 And the Hankook Optimo H725 with a MSRP of $64.95, no Pirellis shown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sturgOH Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 She picked up the car this evening and is already moaning about how noisey the tires are. I guess there is also a lot of vibration coming through the steering wheel and there is quite a bit of suspension noise from the rear. She prefers her ZX2 surprisingly. Give her time I'm sure she'll learn to focus on the positives, she is a little disappointed it's not dramatically better than her 'scort. I doubt she will get new tires after she plunked down a pretty penny to buy the car. i have a 06 with the same tires, lots of noise. i hope they get better as they wear. She picked up the car this evening and is already moaning about how noisey the tires are. I guess there is also a lot of vibration coming through the steering wheel and there is quite a bit of suspension noise from the rear. She prefers her ZX2 surprisingly. Give her time I'm sure she'll learn to focus on the positives, she is a little disappointed it's not dramatically better than her 'scort. I doubt she will get new tires after she plunked down a pretty penny to buy the car. i have a 06 with the same tires, lots of noise. i hope they get better as they wear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgey Posted September 8, 2006 Author Share Posted September 8, 2006 She does have the Pirellis and she is indeed very unsatisfied with the road noise. A big part of that may be the design of the Focus; she also complains about excessive suspension noise which may come through because of inadequate sound insulation. I'm starting to get the impression that the current Focus is a much lesser version of the original *if problematic* Focus. I remember the 2001 Focus was a very smooth, quiet, and sbustantive product with excellent material quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldracer Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 My 2005 St just turned 12,000 miles today on the OEM 205/50/16 Pirelli rim protectors. I drive 100 miles/day and run between 65-85 mph...they are noisy and there is some vibration from them. I had Discount Tire index & balance them and that cured about 95% of the vibration, but they are just shitty tires. as I keep the Ford recommended 34 psi in them, they are wearing very well, but are almost unbearable over rough pavement noise-wise.......now I know why I have an Audiophile system... I will most likely go with Michelins, or BFG Sport T/A's when these go away, perhaps even Yokohama's for the autocross function.. We have Dunlop 245/45/17 FM901's on our 2002 SVT Focus and they are amazing!! I am not usually a Dunlop fan, but these are good in the rain,(important here in Hot, Rainy Hell, er Florida), and stick well enough to make you puke... i like this ST well enough to keep it and run it till it dies, it is a fun car to drive. The 2.3 makes the car enjoyable and fairly quick for a FWD POS......I am also happy with the Steeda CAI and SCT2 Premium Fuel tune that I put on the car....plus Mobil 1 of course!!! The 112 mph speed limiter is gone, the redline is now at 7000rpm, and the fuel and ignition maps are near perfect. I have seen an indicated, (not to be confused with actual), 135 mph in 5th... I was burying a moddded Civic by about a mile or more at that point :bandance: :happy feet: I still am getting between 26 & 32 mpg running 65-85 mph and then some once in a while.I have gotten as low as 23, but it is so hard to fill the tank consistently, I'm sure there is always a margin of error to some small degree............ :shrug: Overall this car is a grin to drive compared to what I expected.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgey Posted September 9, 2006 Author Share Posted September 9, 2006 (edited) I finally got to drive it today and I'm very impressed. The only complaint of hers that holds up is the suspension noise. The engine is extremely quiet and vibration free with very acceptable levels of road noise. The car is very comfortable and spacious and even the sound system is more than adequate. The engine has more power than I expected, but the automatic doesn't let you use it off the line. The ATX is very smooth and predictable, steering is extremely precise and responsive and has a nice rubber-band feel on the return. The interior is very comfortable with good quality materials. The door trim is particularly comfortable with a nicely sculpted armrest and grab-handle (why don't they still make 'em this way?). In many ways, Ford interiors of the past had more comfortable design attributes than the angular designs of the current generation. The Ford 500 and Fusion/Milan/Zephyr are a good example of how NOT to design door trim. Edited September 9, 2006 by Edgey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcap for now Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 the 205/50-16 firestones on my ex's 2002 ztw made it 65k and were smooth and quiet. now she has michelins which have only a slight road noise but awsome grip in the snow. it still feels wrong to me to fold down a leather seat in a compact wagon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldracer Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 OK, I had to replace my P6's on my 05 ST...the right side tires were coming apart after impact with a cinder block dropped off a truck in front of me....it shattered and I got the big piece, nowhere to go..... No other damage, just trashed the tires though..they still had air, but were done. I put 4 205/50/16 G Sport BFG's on... WHAT AN IMPROVEMENT!!!!! The road noise and low traction issues are gone, they are even quiet on concrete stretches of road.... I only have 200 miles on them, still breaking them in until 300 miles...but turn-in and grip are way better and I expect they will get better once the heat cycles of break-in are completed tomorrow or Fri. I got them at Discount Tire, where I get all my tires, it was $425 out the door including lifetime balancing and road hazard...pretty cheap tires compared to the rest of the fleet vehicles.... They are Z rated and still aren't as noisy or stiff as the Pirelli's were. At last I have to tires that justify me removing my speed limiter ceiling..... :happy feet: :hyper: They truly transformed the car to a higher level of feel and should be standard from the factory..... but cost rules not satisfaction of customers as the top priority. That is why Honda uses Michelins on 95% of their vehicles, no problems or issues for the customer. A lesson to be learned here: a cheap tire ruins the experience of a good car, saving a few $$$ hardly justifies the vastly better overall competence and feel of the car, it feels more upscale now just because of the excellent ride and handling. Better feel and perceived value is a small tool towards building a better image and desirability, therefore a sales tool of great value.....the difference is really that big and is immediately noticeable in the first mile of driving..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Kerluck Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 (edited) I put 4 205/50/16 G Sport BFG's on... WHAT AN IMPROVEMENT!!!!! The road noise and low traction issues are gone, they are even quiet on concrete stretches of road.... I only have 200 miles on them, still breaking them in until 300 miles...but turn-in and grip are way better and I expect they will get better once the heat cycles of break-in are completed tomorrow or Fri. I got them at Discount Tire, where I get all my tires, it was $425 out the door including lifetime balancing and road hazard...pretty cheap tires compared to the rest of the fleet vehicles.... I'm going to check those out. I've been quoted $600+CA to do all of mine. $425US should be close to that price, but if they are good tires, then it's money well spent. A border run seems to be in order. The rears on my '05 are almost bald after being rotated from the front, and the fronts are just about done as well. I don't drive the car hard, yet they are almost gone at 48'000KM! The 205/50/16" size is a real oddball as well, and very few dealers can offer me any selection, while some stores just don't sell them. Edited December 12, 2006 by Jason Kerluck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoenr Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 My g/f's 05 ZX3 SES turned 35,000 just recently. The 205/50/16 Stock Pirellis P6's were done. 99% of her driving is on the highway. I was hearing what sounded like a bad wheel bearing(growl) from the car. I suspected it to be possible, but after looking at the tires and how they were chopped on the insides somewhat, I put the blame there. These tires were rotated every 5,000 miles with the oil change by me. With all the miles being on the highway, I was unimpressed at the tires life. So we put some Goodyear Eagle Response Edge tires on and the noise was gone. I cant believe how quiet the car is now with these tires! Maybe because Im used to driving a Mustang A+ well worth the money. Buy them at the right time with rebates, and 12 months same as cash deals can save some money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldracer Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 My ST turned 19,300 miles today.....I have about 3,500 or so miles on the BFG's and they are excellent now with some miles on them. I must remind you guys with poor tire wear, that these cars need a 4 wheel alignment at least once a year...it runs about $80 bucks here, but can double the life of the tires, which saves you in the long run. Also discount rotoates and balances my tires every 3-4K miles, again, no issues when that is done regularly. Mine will be 1 yr old next month and will get it's 2nd alignment then, along with fresh coolant and Mobil 1 oil & filter. Getting 27-32 mpg driving with a medium to heavy foot...no complaints. I am about to upgrade the brakes to slotted, vented rotors front and rear with Hawk street performance pads and braided lines and new brake fluid...brakes are OK stock, but won't stand up to autocross or aggressive street driving at all. The pedal feel will improve dramatically with the steel lines and the BFG's as well. Brembo is my first choice if I can get a set that fit.....otherwise I am going with whatever Steeda can get me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheScrutenizer Posted February 18, 2007 Share Posted February 18, 2007 (edited) My experience with the Focus. at about 20-30K miles you will need to replace your rotors and brakes, as they will go all at once with no warning. Was having brakes inspected every oil change after 20K. One day the service guy says, they're fine, got plenty of life left. Next oil change, they are warped and the whole ball of wax has to be replaced. Suffered a blowout of factory rubber with tread in good shape, sidewall seemed to just crumble like a cookie. Happened at something like 25K on them. Aloy rims are soft, three of 4 rims bent, tire shop says he see them all the time on Focus, keeps aftermarket rims in stock to fit Focus due to crappy factory rims. My advice is to try to get the cheapest running stock you can, if the options packaging will allow it. Go out and buy what you want, don't waste your money at the dealership. Edited February 18, 2007 by TheScrutenizer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onfocus Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 She picked up the car this evening and is already moaning about how noisey the tires are. I guess there is also a lot of vibration coming through the steering wheel and there is quite a bit of suspension noise from the rear. She prefers her ZX2 surprisingly. Give her time I'm sure she'll learn to focus on the positives, she is a little disappointed it's not dramatically better than her 'scort. I doubt she will get new tires after she plunked down a pretty penny to buy the car. Did she not drive the car before purchasing it?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 One day the service guy says, they're fine, got plenty of life left. Next oil change, they are warped and the whole ball of wax has to be replaced. Sounds like they didn't properly torque the lugnuts when they rotated the tires. What exactly does the "whole ball of wax" entail? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.