[YoGeorge]

09-13: 16" BFG Long Trail T/A Tours; 59k miles and still at 5-6/32"!

Sorry to make this a new post instead of tagging onto one of my old posts, but I will hereby reaffirm my STRONG recommendation for using BFG Long Trail Tour tires, 215/70x16" on an '09-13 Forester with 16" wheels. NO clearance issues ever.

I put a set of these on my Foz in November, 2008, when the OEM Bridgestones had only 9k miles on them. I wanted something that was a bit taller (70's instead of 65's, 3% diameter increase from 27" to 27.8" as I recall). They look great (in the slightly larger diameter and with white letters), work great in rain and snow, and are quiet.

I have been having them rotated every 6-11k miles (I am busy) and today had a small nail causing a slow leak in one tire, which the TP monitor actually found for me (light on at 25 lbs of pressure).

Anyway, the tire was easily plug/patched, the 2nd flat I've had. My tires have 59k miles on them and the tread depth reads 5-6/32". I will repeat, 5 to 6/32nd of an inch. Original depth was 11/32" as I recall. Wear VERY evenly and balance with very little weight.

These have been great in Michigan snow, and I will forecast that they will last 80-90k miles on a Forester, are made in the US, and are not expensive--I recall $115 or so at Discount Tire.

So a shout out--if you have an '09-13 FX, need some tires to get you thru the winter and a few years down the road, I will again throw in a hearty recommendation. These are great freaking tires!

George

 

[campisi]

Yo Yo YoGeorge - toss us a picture or two of your Forester with those raised white letters. Not directly from the side, maybe angled slightly looking front to rear and rear to front?
Thanks for the recomendation on the Long Trails. I'll consider them when I switch from OEMs to 215/70/16's.

 

[trailangel]

I went with a set of ContiPro Contact take-offs from a 2010 Outback, 215/70/16. I get good gas milage from these and like the taller size for highway.
What is your gas milage?... those BFG tires are heavy.

 

[YoGeorge]

Very old photos in my original thread from November 2008:

http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f72/215-70x16s-09-a-43823/

They look the same now, as does the Foz, with a couple little door dings and hail dents in the body Another guy posted a pic of his green Foz with the same tires a bit further down in that old thread.

When I originally got the Foz, I had looked at Ford Escapes which had 235/70x16's on them, and the puny 215/65 Bridgestones were just so lame looking... After getting these tires, I could park next to an Escape without feeling too wimpy.

I did not perceive a reduction in mileage over the stock tires, and ride quality is very good (but not as excellent as something like a Michelin MXV4 Primacy). My long term average on the dash is 24.6, which is like 25.35ish if I add the 3% diff due to diameter. This is with a stick, and I do NOT drive like a little old lady, always cruise 75-80 on the freeway. I actually got 32 mpg on one trip leg when I kept it at 60 mph. But I can't stand driving that slow...

The Long Trail TA Tours are not near as heavy as the All Terrain TA's. They are still P rated, and I think they are like $111 at Discount Tire still. They look just a bit tougher than the stockers and the white letters are OK even with my dorky plastic wheel covers. They now seem to make an H rated version of that same size (mine are T's which is plenty).

Hope this helps. Like I said, they are gonna easily go 80-90k miles and were made in the US. I have a Ford E150 van and have had 2 sets of Michelin LTX M/S's on it since new (including the OEM set) and those will go 60-70k on the big van. They made them in the Foz size in 2008, but they cost $160 instead of $110 each. Unfortunately, they no longer make that size.

The current market for 225/65x16's is much better now (other small SUV's and Chrysler minivans) so that would be a really great tire size to get these days. In 2008 there was virtually nothing in that size other than some Yoko Chrysler van OEM things....

Take care,
George