[Jdub679]

I drive a daily '02 Corolla beater, doing about 100 miles a day and it's about time to change the tires. Can anyone recommend a decent all weather tire (I'm in SoCal, so I rarely get rain). Wear life, noise, price are more important to me that traction.

And while I'm asking about that, does anyone have an opinion about topping off oil? I'm using a high mileage synthetic blend. If I need to top off oil about every 4k miles, what would you recommend for my oil change interval? I'm 100% highway miles btw. I'm used to changing it on the dot around every 5k miles.

[Vigilante375]

Tires, just get on tire rack and look at what tires they would recommend and their tread ratings. They are great with customers giving reviews on tires, everything from noise to tread life to traction and how many miles they got on a certain set of tires.

For the oil, since its your beater and an early 2000 model I would change the oil every 10k. Its a beater.

[IEDEI]

sell the beater and drive your 335. life is too short to waste your days driving a POS!

[pikkagtr]

Good year assurance fuel max, we run it on my mom's corolla and its very quiet and last a long time

[Chihuahua]

'02 Corolla beater car? If that's me I'm taking $80 and going to the nearest used tire store. As for oil change interval I would continue with my once every 4K mile interval of topping off and consider it an oil change constantly in progress.

[HXS]

Originally Posted by Jdub679

I drive a daily '02 Corolla beater, doing about 100 miles a day and it's about time to change the tires. Can anyone recommend a decent all weather tire (I'm in SoCal, so I rarely get rain). Wear life, noise, price are more important to me that traction.

And while I'm asking about that, does anyone have an opinion about topping off oil? I'm using a high mileage synthetic blend. If I need to top off oil about every 4k miles, what would you recommend for my oil change interval? I'm 100% highway miles btw. I'm used to changing it on the dot around every 5k miles.

I'm in the same boat! I have a 01 Camry as my beater and I'm just about to change up my tires. I currently have the Hankook Ventus V2 Concept. Not a bad tire - lasted me more than 3 years of daily driving. Not sure how many miles though. I'm gonna switch up to Nexen CP672 cuz my mechanic got me a really good deal.

I also have high mileage synthetic blend oil in mine but I change mine out every 3K miles.

I see you're in SoCal. Check out Temple City Auto Repair. They have the best tire prices in SoCal. Ask for Henry. You can tell him Hardy sent you.

[Jdub679]

Originally Posted by pikkagtr

Good year assurance fuel max, we run it on my mom's corolla and its very quiet and last a long time

Thanks, this one is actually pretty close to the top of my list.

Originally Posted by Kyle B

As for oil change interval I would continue with my once every 4K mile interval of topping off and consider it an oil change constantly in progress.

Sorry, I can't tell if you are joking or not about this. I have mixed feelings about topping off in a beater. Personally, I don't top off unless I'm running a little low on oil, and I still replace at the same interval. If this is really what you do, how often do you change the filter?

[Jdub679]

Originally Posted by HXS

I'm in the same boat! I have a 01 Camry as my beater and I'm just about to change up my tires. I currently have the Hankook Ventus V2 Concept. Not a bad tire - lasted me more than 3 years of daily driving. Not sure how many miles though. I'm gonna switch up to Nexen CP672 cuz my mechanic got me a really good deal.

I also have high mileage synthetic blend oil in mine but I change mine out every 3K miles.

I see you're in SoCal. Check out Temple City Auto Repair. They have the best tire prices in SoCal. Ask for Henry. You can tell him Hardy sent you.

Hey thanks for the recommendation!

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by Jdub679

Thanks, this one is actually pretty close to the top of my list.



Sorry, I can't tell if you are joking or not about this. I have mixed feelings about topping off in a beater. Personally, I don't top off unless I'm running a little low on oil, and I still replace at the same interval. If this is really what you do, how often do you change the filter?

Yes I was somewhat serious. If you're losing oil at a pretty good rate, I'd probably just keep topping off and maybe replace the filter once per year. If not then I'm probably driving around town and maybe two to three times per year I'm using that '19.95 oil change' coupon that comes in the mail once per week.

I've driven beater cars before, and that's the point of a beater to me. Absolutely the bare minimum care and expenditure that is possible without having the car break down. Used tires, zip ties, duct tape, etc are ALL on the table. As soon as I start thinking about things like proper fluid intervals, new tires, etc it stops being a beater for me.

my $.02, YMMV, good luck with the car.

[Alfisti]

Yeah but chincing on oil is counter productive, it's pretty cheap to do oil on a freakin corolla.

I'd scour kijiji for tyres, soooooo many decent sets out there.

[Mr. Liu]

Michelin PSS

[HXS]

Originally Posted by Mr. Liu

Michelin PSS

For a 02 Corolla beater?!

[Jdub679]

Originally Posted by Kyle B

Yes I was somewhat serious. If you're losing oil at a pretty good rate, I'd probably just keep topping off and maybe replace the filter once per year. If not then I'm probably driving around town and maybe two to three times per year I'm using that '19.95 oil change' coupon that comes in the mail once per week.

I've driven beater cars before, and that's the point of a beater to me. Absolutely the bare minimum care and expenditure that is possible without having the car break down. Used tires, zip ties, duct tape, etc are ALL on the table. As soon as I start thinking about things like proper fluid intervals, new tires, etc it stops being a beater for me.

my $.02, YMMV, good luck with the car.

I agree with your "bare minimum" thoughts. I dunno about myself going a year without a new filter though. I put a lot of miles on in a year, imo. And the area I work in doesn't exactly have the best air quality. In fact, I think it might be some of the worst air quality in the nation.

What is considered excessive oil burning?

[Z K]

I ran Falken Ziex ZE-912 on an older 2004 Camry. It was V speed rated (150mph+), all season high performance tire, quiet, comfortable ride while still offering responsive steering.

I couldn't find any ultra high performance tires for the tall tire size (205/65R15) so that was as close as I could get.

Tread looks nice and sporty as well.

[1MOREMOD]

Conti dws?

[rohitsja]

I just got new GT radials on my beater last week from Discount tire. they were cheap and am happy with the performance so far.

[overcoil]

Dunlop SP
A tip, this is something I read some years back. There are square shoulder tires and rounded shoulder tires. I think it read front wheel drive cars usually benefit from a rounded shoulder. Sure there are exceptions.

[Mavus]

several guys at work use Kumho on dd and say they are excellent value

[Polo08816]

Originally Posted by HXS

For a 02 Corolla beater?!

Those engines are indestructible. I once put water into the engine oil and it still ran fine.

[saxon]

continental dw

[wdb]

Originally Posted by Jdub679

Wear life, noise, price are more important to me that traction.

What you're saying in a roundabout way is that you value the life of your tires over your own life and the lives of your passengers. Sure it's important to get good value for your dollar, and no you don't need sticky track day gumballs. But there is a compromise in there somewhere that includes safety and handling characteristics. Remember, there is nothing whatsoever between you and the road besides your tires.

And while I'm asking about that, does anyone have an opinion about topping off oil? I'm using a high mileage synthetic blend. If I need to top off oil about every 4k miles, what would you recommend for my oil change interval? I'm 100% highway miles btw. I'm used to changing it on the dot around every 5k miles.

Now here is an area where my cheap side comes out. Modern synthetics are extraordinary lubricants. I'd say run it for at least 15K miles between changes.

[David70]

Topping off the oil every 4k miles doesn't get of rid of the need to change it at normal recommended intervals. I would stick with Toyota's recommendation or do it more often if you prefer.

For the tires, I would look at Tire Rack, and their test and ratings, and buy a name brand Touring, all season tire. Seems like this is a $60-$70 tire. I don't agree with buying tires from brands you have never heard of or trying to buy the cheapest tire made. I also don't see a point in buying Maximum Performance tires for this car. I don't believe anyone here has tested a wide variety of tires in this segment so at best you will end up with people saying they were happy with a certain tire.