Dunlop Signature tires - has anyone tried them yet?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by dpgrote, Dec 10, 2006.

  1. dpgrote

    dpgrote New Member

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    The Dunlop Signatures are new "performance touring" tires that fit the Prius (my dealer only carries the Integrities and the Signatures for the recommended size (185/65R15)). Has anybody tried them? The guy at the dealership said that they are "awesome". A quick search of the forums here turned up nothing, hence the new topic. Thanks for any help and comments!
    Dave

    Salsa Red 2005, no "pimping" yet, though considering the DICE for my iPOD
     
    #1 dpgrote, Dec 10, 2006
  2. pejohn

    pejohn New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dpgrote @ Dec 10 2006, 06:42 PM) [snapback]360152[/snapback]</div>
    If you get an answer, please let me know. I need new all weather tires and don't want my mileage to drop. Only getting about 42-45 mpg as it is. They must have towed this car uphill and then let it go down to get the mileage Toyota is stating!
     
    #2 pejohn, Dec 13, 2006
  3. dpgrote

    dpgrote New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(pejohn @ Dec 13 2006, 08:50 PM) [snapback]362029[/snapback]</div>
    So, I didn't get any response, but since I did need tires right away (I had a flat), I just went ahead and bought the signatures. So far, my experiences have been mixed. With these tires, the car definitely is more responsive than with the integrities, and is nicer to drive. But, I should point out that these are the first tires that I tried the higher pressures with, so that may explain some of the different feel of the tires.

    In terms of fuel use, it has been dreadful so far. Before, I wasn't getting great mileage, around the lower 40's (my commute is five miles up and down a steep hill, so the car never really wams up and is worked hard the moment I pull out of my driveway, and I drive too fast), but now the mileage has plummetted to around 35 mpg. Maybe its my imagination, but I can feel higher friction of the tires on the road. I know some people have said to expect lower mileage with new tires, but I wasn't expecting that much of a decrease. I also didn't see any real increase in mpg when I went to the higher pressures.

    One last comment is that the speedometer seems to be reading a little high. I havn't yet tested it - again, maybe its my imagination. But this would cause an inaccurate increase in the mpg, so my actual mpg may be worse than what is indicated. I hope this helps anyone looking at these tires. I'd still like to hear about anyone else's experience.

    Dave

    BTW Something that I couldn't find any where before I got the tires was the tread wear number. Once I got them, it was printed on the side wall. The number, 500, is not all that impressive (compare to 460 of the integrities, with a max of 800).
     
    #3 dpgrote, Dec 24, 2006
  4. Vincent

    Vincent Don't Wait Until Tomorrow

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    Dave,

    Tire Rack doesn't list Dunlop Signature tires anywhere; do you have the right tire style? I switched to Goodyear ComforTreads 5,000 miles ago and initially dropped around 3-4 MPG. I'm down to around a permanent 2 MPG drop after break in. The revolutions per mile are 855 for both the Integreties and the ComforTreads; your Dunlop RPM may be different and causing the MPG drop and high speedometer reading.

    Part of your lower MPG could also be the winter blend fuel and cooler weather kicking in (where do you live - please update your profile). 35MPG seems very low for a Prius.
     
    #4 Vincent, Dec 24, 2006
  5. lenjack

    lenjack Active Member

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    "They must have towed this car uphill and then let it go down to get the mileage Toyota is stating!"

    Toyota stated nothing. The mileage rating is reported by EPA, not Toyota.
     
    #5 lenjack, Dec 26, 2006
  6. dpgrote

    dpgrote New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Vincent @ Dec 24 2006, 02:29 AM) [snapback]366234[/snapback]</div>
    My info has been updated (though I have no idea what package I have - its the top level package from 2005 with the nav system). The tires are listed in the Dunlop web page, though not much useful info is given. According to the site they are relatively new tires, first put out in the spring of 2006. Its not the fuel - there wasn't that much difference last year.
     
    #6 dpgrote, Dec 27, 2006
  7. 12Rick34

    12Rick34 New Member

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    I do not have a Prius. I have a 2009 Ford Focus That for the last 45000 miles I have been making 38mpg winter to 41mpg summer. I live in MN. I drive mostly highway miles at 70 mph. 95 mi each way to work. I put on Dunlop Signature II - 195/60R15 88H tires and my MPG DROPPED to 29mpg winter to 34mpg summer. I thought some thing else went wrong. But after everything check and rechecked. I just drove to FL and put on 3000 mi and did not get over 34mpg, drove 23hr's straight. I'm taking them off after 10,000 miles. I figure they will cost me a nouther $900 to keep them on in gas cost for the next 50000mi. They do feel good on poor roads BUT, my last tires were OK.
     
    #7 12Rick34, Feb 9, 2013
  8. Britprius

    Britprius Senior Member

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    I do not know how rellevent this information is, but I have checked out all the Dunlop tyres of your size in the UK non of which are named "Signature".

    All of the tyres come with very poor rolling resistance ratings all being in the "E to F range" of A to G rating A being the best. Wet grip "again on the full range of tyres" comes in at between C to E. Hope this helps.

    John (Britprius)
     
    #8 Britprius, Feb 10, 2013
  9. Freefall_Doug

    Freefall_Doug Junior Member

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    Thought I would bring this back from the dead so there is a reference point.

    Bought 2010 Prius III a week a go. It has Dunlop Signature II tires in the 185/65 size. I think they are newer, maybe 90% tread remaining.

    I am getting trips as good as 66 mpg, mix of highway and rural roads that has lots of hills. Some climbs that eat mpg, and some nice oppertunities to hypermile with coast and glide.

    This is summer weather but not running the ac full blast.
     
    #9 Freefall_Doug, Jun 26, 2014
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