Tires

LarryIII · #1 07-16-2003, 05:52 AM

My 92 needs tires before the snow flies. The car has 3 Yoko AVS dBs and a Toyo T1-S on the back right now. I just ordered 4 Continental Extreme Contact tires in the stock size from the Tire Rack. It came down to a decision between the Contis and Yoko AVS dB S2's. I picked the Conits since they are supposed to have better snow traction. Time & winter will tell. The 4 tires cost $362.50 with shipping to the local mounting shop. I called the shop. He wants $80 to mount & balance all 4 tires. So the toal will be $442.50.
The Tire Rack has these Contis on 'backorder', but that's ok. I won't need thed them before Sept.- Oct.

The SVX tires I have experience with so far are:
Bridgestone RE-92 .... orig. equipment on my '97. ....Just So So
Toyo T1-S... Fantastic grip, expensive, noisey, & short life.
Yoko AVS-dB...Came half worn on my 92...Quiet, smooth, lousy in snow.
Yoko A-540...Came on the 94 about 1/4 worn. Not enough experience. So far, smooth riding, not as quiet as AVS dBs, & fair-OK rain handling. No snow experience.
Dunlop SP-5000AS... Similiar to AVS dbs with slightly better snow traction and noisier. Not as smooth as AVS dBs. Sidewall rolls more than AVS dBs at limits.

I guess I have become the tire Maven since I have 3 SVXes and they are driven.

The difference between an expert and a maven is that the maven is self-appointed.

mbtoloczko · #2 07-16-2003, 09:32 AM

I'm looking forward to reading your notes that you post on the Conti tires. I bought a set of Sumitomo HTR+ tires about 5 months ago, and while they handle well and ride smoothly, they are incredibly noisy. It drives me nuts to the point that I'm going to switch tires. I have been eyeing the AVS db S2 and the Conti ExtremeContact. You bought the ExtremeContact tire, correct?

ensteele · #3 07-16-2003, 09:46 AM

I am in the process of buying a set of the Continentals for my 94 (L. Blue). They will be 225 - 45 - 17. They have been rated very good and I have heard that they are very quiet. I will give a report as soon as I get them on as well.

Larry - Congratulations on your self-appointment.

seasvx · #4 07-16-2003, 12:49 PM

I'm waiting to wear out the Firestone SVX (really!) tires that came with the mighty ninety-four and was thinking Yoko AVS as replacements. Living in the Pacific Northwest, I'm interested in any comments about AVS performance in the wet. (...after this spring, I guess our brethern on the right coast know more about rain than we do here in the upper left corner...)

mbtoloczko · #5 07-16-2003, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ensteele
I am in the process of buying a set of the Continentals for my 94 (L. Blue). They will be 225 - 45 - 17. They have been rated very good and I have heard that they are very quiet. I will give a report as soon as I get them on as well.

Larry - Congratulations on your self-appointment.

Great! I'm looking forward to reading your comments. Will you have the tires installed by the seafood meet? If so, maybe I can take your SVX for a short drive to see how the noise compares with mine?

ensteele · #6 07-16-2003, 04:23 PM

That is what I am tring to do. I hope to have them on by then.

svx_commuter · #7 07-16-2003, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LarryIII
My 92 needs tires before the snow flies. The car has 3 Yoko AVS dBs and a Toyo T1-S on the back right now. I just ordered 4 Continental Extreme Contact tires...........

I have them now and I like them

They are quite and the tread looks very good for snow. I have been running them at 40/36 psi and I have raced them in a Time Trial when they were new.

They do make some noise on old concrete with raised stones at 80 mph

that is more of a growl. The AVS tires made more of a higher pitched whine on the same road. Over all they are very quite and on new asphalt noiseless.

I got mine for $326 inc tax

plus mouting and balancing on a Hunter balance machine. Smooth as silk on the highway

LarryIII · #8 07-17-2003, 02:21 PM

First, Tire Rack has the Contis that I bought on back order.
Second, I thought that the AVS dbs that were on the 92 when I bought it were very very poor in snow this winter. They were about 3.4 worn down then.
Third, I bought the orig. equip. stock size.
Fourth, exactly where did you get them for $326+. I can always drive to Nort Joisey to save a C-note.

drivemusicnow · #9 07-17-2003, 03:44 PM

Right now i have the "champiro" crappy summer only tires, that are horrible in the rain, and not that good on dry pavement. I have 16 inch stock size wheels, but they aren't the stock wheels and i don't like them too much. (see picture in locker) I'd like new wheels, but i would only buy 18"s. I have about $800 that i could spend on wheels/tires. should i buy really good all season tires for the wheels i have, or buy new wheels and put winter tires on them, and just wait until next summer for decent summer tires? any other options? thanks for any input

mbtoloczko · #10 07-17-2003, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by drivemusicnow

..., but i would only buy 18"s. ... thanks for any input

Why would you only buy 18's? The WRX STi and the EVO 8 both use 17's. My feeling is that 17" rims are probably better for street driving where there are frequent road imperfections. 18" rims may make it more difficult for the tire to conform to road imperfections, and they are that much easier to dent when you hit a big bump/pothole. Also, there is a wide variety of 17" rims on the market, and in general, its much easier to find a light 17" rim than a light 18" rim. And and and, :-), 17" tires are generally less expensive than 18" tires.

svx_commuter · #11 07-17-2003, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LarryIII
.........Fourth, exactly where did you get them for $326+. I can always drive to Nort Joisey to save a C-note.

Oxford A1 Tire 908-453-3223 Hwy 31 Oxford, NJ

LarryIII · #12 07-18-2003, 10:04 AM

SVX-Commuter,

How did they perform in the snow, this past winter?

LarryIII · #13 07-18-2003, 10:25 AM

I am also in the process of getting tires for our '97 OB wagon. The size is 205-70-15.

I read thru every review that the Tire Rack had for all 40 tires that fit this car. From 40 I narrowed it down to 12. Then I did a summary sheet for the 12 tires. I really did it for 11 different tires. The 12th tire was the original equipment Michelin XW-4. This was the worst tire of the 12 by a wide margin. Of the 12 tires I started to eliminate the tires that were only fair in snow traction and noisey. I got it down to 7 tires.
The order of finish was:
1) Yokohama Avid Touring (blackwall)
2) Yokohama Avid Touring (white stripe)
3) Michelin Harmony
4) Firestone Affinity LH30
5) Goodyear Aquatread 3
6) Goodyear Regatta 2
7) Yokohama Aegis LS4 (whitewall)

Does anyone here have any experience (good or bad) with any of these tires ?

What surprised me was that 6 mos. ago I had done a cursory survey and I was leaning toward the Yoko Aegis LS4 tires. Now I see the difference. I am probably going to pick #2 (Yoko Avid Touring- whitestripe) because of the white stripe. The Current Michelin XW4's (OEM) have raised white letters and that looks nice against the Outback' green/gray paint. The white stripe tires only are $8 ( $2 ea.) more than the blackwalls.
The XW4's have 67, 500 miles on them and they are almost shot. This is the car that we use for really rotten weather so it's time for new rubber.

seasvx · #14 07-18-2003, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LarryIII
I am also in the process of getting tires for our '97 OB wagon. The size is 205-70-15.

FWIW, Toyo Spectrum Touring for the last 45,000 miles on our MY97 OB. Wet, dry, all ok. No snow experience (due to... no snow).

LarryIII · #15 07-21-2003, 10:27 AM

I just ordered the Yoko Aegis LS4 tires for our '97 Outback wagon.