I already posted a poll about this a month ago and still haven't bought new tires. I've been waiting for a local shop to be able to order Bridgestone Turanza's but they said they are backordered. So at this point I'm not sure if I want to order from tirerack.com or get a different tire. I've also changed which tires I am considering so I am posting a new poll.


By the way, I'm looking for the best all around all season tire.
I like the bridgestones because they are rated #2 by consumer reports, #1 by tirerack, and received the most votes in my last poll.
I am now considering the Falken Ziex ZE-512 because it was recommend by a local shop, it is rated #1 by consumer reports, and is rated well on 1010tires.com
I am also considering BFGoodrich Traction T/A because CY from tirerack.com recommended them and they received good ratings on 1010tires and tirerack. But their comfort and noise ratings are the lowest of the three.

I just want the safest, best handling, and longest lasting tire. But I've concluded no such tire exists.

 

For the most part, those two things are mutally exclusive. Again I'm talking in generalities, but long lasting tires get that property by using a harder rubber compound, but as the hardness level increases the the grippiness (and thus handling) decreases. Have you looked at the Yokohama Avid V4S? It's one of the few tires that has the same load rating (of 93V) as the OEM tires.

 

The Turanzas are worth the wait. MUCH less road noise, better highway feel and overall performance than the corner-chirping stock tires.

 

If you want long lasting, decent performance tires, i suggest you look at the Yoko Avid V4S.
It has a treadwear rating of 500, which is quite impressive. Also, i heard it is fairly quiet, giving you a much more comfortable ride compare to stock.
I'm planning to get a set of these after my stock goes bald

 

A tread wear rating of 500 means nothing, which is the problem with the UTQG system. There is no standard to calculate from one brand to another. Brand A may have a 500 tread wear rating and offer a 60k mile waranty and Brand B will have the same tread wear rating and offer a 40k mile waranty. Then more importantly look at the company and dealer backing it up. NEVER and I do mean NEVER buy a tire based on its UTQG rating- one brand that is horrible about this is Hankook 850 tread wear tires traction A temp. A and poor performers all around, and wear out in 30k miles.

 

I agree the treadwear should not be used to determine a tire useful life, but comparing it within the same brand should give one a relative difference between treadlife.

 

Thanks for the comments and votes guys. After a lot of research I have finally decided. I ordered a set of the Bridgestone Turanza LS-V. $166 each plus tax.

 

None of the above. I've used these on each of my TSXs:


Yoko Avid V4S


Yoko ES100

Read the reviews. I'd take either one all over again.

 

Hmmm....$149 for a grand-touring all-season tire (the bridgestone) that has a 40k treadlife warranty, or $101 for a high perforance all-season tire (the yoko) that has a 60k treadlife warranty. I think I'd spend less and get the better performing tire!!

 

Its really not that black and white. The turanza all around is a much better constructed tire, and thus a better performer. I am VERY familiar with the yoko's listed and I love when people come in with them and get a higher end bridgestone because they will never go back! In particular with the ES100, they are loud when new and only get a lot louder as they wear, to some that's a non-issue but then there is the handling which is fair at best. Then there is the mileage waranty, the difference there is that the bridgestone stands a chance of making it to its specefied mileage as where the yoko is a lost cause. But this is good for yoko because they will prorate your old tires off a highly inflated retail price and rope you into another set of tires that they'll still make money on. Its all a game with these tires that offer these unrealistic milage waranties- and its a game the manufacturer's are winning.

My problem with a lot of statements about tires on forums and at tirerack, et al. Is that most if not all the people replying have little if any real experience with other products. Sure the ES100 will outperform the stock michelin's but what name brand tire won't?

 

Tireguy,
My post wasn't talking about the ES100, but rather the Avid V4S tires. I realize that Yoko's 60k treadlife warranty is unrealistic, but I would be surprised if they wear out substantianlly quicker than the bridgestones (if they are kept properly inflated and not abused). I fully admit that I am basing my past experience that doesn't include either exact model, but I had owned both brands.

 

Tireguy,

so what DO you think of the Yoko Avid V4S? are they as good as they advertised to be??

 

They are fair performers, they are all around better then the pilot HX MXM's that come OE, but as I said earlier what isn't? They offer pretty good wet traction and when new are some what quiet. There winter performance is going to be non-existant and the idea they are going to last 60k miles is laughable at best. They are less numb then the OE tires but not near as responsive as the turanza's. The turanza's have a level of refinement and liquidity(smoothness) that is really with out peer- IMO. And with the dual layer tread and super epo they only get better as they wear. The same can not be said about the yoko's. In the real world I suspect they will both last about the same amount of time, and yes you would have a small pro-rate coming to you from yoko. but you would be roped into getting another set of yoko's. If you are looking for the best all around summer tire I feel it is the turanza. For that matter the Potenza G009 is VERY similar to V4S, from specs. to price. Since the G009 is a relatively new tire I don't know what they are going to be like in 20k+ miles, but so far they are fantastic performers at a fair price. Also the other tires I have mentioned are offered with a 30 day test drive, so if you don't like them, you could have them taken off and put any other tire on the car and you'd be out, at the most, mounting and balancing. There are a number of things that make a tire cost more money then another, first of all there is a specified range of any given size, yoko. is always on the small side, less matariel's equal a slightly smaller tire all around and this means cheaper to produce. Secondly sipes/sq. inch, there is very little siping in the V4S, so that's another reason its cheaper(the turanza has a patented form of siping which is expensive to implement). I have not seen a set of V4S's in a while so I can not say for sure but I believe they use segmented molds, which is good, however most cheaper tires use clam-shell style molds and this means a less round tire, but it is a lot cheaper. One piece beads, cost a lot more and equate to a rounder tire(not many use this). The turanza has an extra ply or two in the tread which adds obviously cost and stability and responsiveness. Looking into the V4S' specs. it seems to lack much for technology, it seems to be a very basic tire. The only real functional feature it seems to have is cap/base construction.

I have a some what bias opinion having being f*cked over a few times by yokohama, they don't stand behind there products the way any of my other suppliers do and to me that is unacceptable. They do make some good tires, the A032R's are great for what they are as are the Advan 048's and since there is no waranty its impossible to get screwed. I also have had horrible experiences with multiple AVS sports coming apart, and yokohama not standing behind there products. So I don't really trust them much.

 

Are you all set on all seasons? Living in California, I have no desire to get all seasons again.

 

Tireguy,
Thanks for the insight. You have me looking into the Turanzas now. Just to be clear, you think they would be superior to the Yoko Avid V4S tires in the dry, wet, and snow? Also, what about the fact the OEM tires have a 93V load rating (and the XL rating) and the Turanzas don't. One last thing, what do you think of the Dunlop SP Sport 5000 Symmetrical, Sumitomo HTR+, and the Pirelli P7000 Supersport tires?

 

I would say that the turanza's are all around better then the V4S though neither is going to do an acceptable job in real winter conditions. The load carrying is not an issue, even though the pilot HX MXM4's are a XL tire the difference in load carrying is only 150(or so)lbs. from the turanza's. The only time it could present itself as an issue is if you have the car grossly over loaded and the tires under inflated(though this would be an issue with any tire).

The Dunlop's really aren't bad tires, they have are fairly well built. Though I don't think they are going to hold up well. They may offer better winter traction then either of the aforementioned tires, but they will not be "good" in winter, and they won't be as good in the dry. Probably on par with V4S in wet. It offer's a lot of sipes but nothing special, so chances are they are going to squirm a bit more then the others- and this will become more apparent as they wear. Also heal and toe wear will be an issue if you neglect them in any way for any period of time- and maybe an issue even if everything is on the up and up.

The sumitomo is not even close to the level of any of the other tires discussed hear. Unless money is your only factor(and you probably could find cheaper if you really wanted to) then these are not worth it.

The pirelli's are pretty good, they are a little louder then all the other's and get even louder as they wear. The offer fair dry and wet performance when new, wet traction decreases a LOT as they wear. They claim this is an all-season but it is no safer in winter then anything else mentioned here. These have been on the market for a long time(if they are even still available) and at one time offered something no one else did. Though times have changed and now this niche market is very competetive and there are many other choices that are as good or better. They are not as responsive as the dunlop's or turanza's.

 

Did you get the AVID V4S tires yet. I'd like to know what your impressions are. Anyone else purchased these tires yet. For me, its between these and the Turanzas. Any advice on places for best prices would also be appreciated. Thanks.

 

I voted for the Turanzas as well!!

 

Tireguy,
Thanks for the info. Just curious though, why don't you like the Sumitomos? Is it that particular tire or the whole line? I assume you know they are the parent company of Dunlop, right? I've had several sets of the now discontinued HTR-4 tires (on both a Prelude and a Civic) and really liked their balance of handling and duribility.

 

I just changed out my stock tires, as well. But, on my Accord, which were crappy and expensive Michelins. I bought Yoko Avid H4S's. I bought the H because I was looking for something under $100 /tire for winter only. I'll be buying rims and summer tires when it's time. They have made a huge difference from the marshmellows that were stock. Would have liked to get something with a little stiffer side wall, but for under $300 (tirerack.com) I am happy with the performance on these. Anything would be better than the Michelins!! The only good thing I could say about the Michelins is that they lasted 60K+.

 

I have had(or I should say my customer's have had) many bad experiences with seperations, vibrations and very poor wear. So I don't hold them in high regards.

They are in a round and about way a "parent" company of Dunlop, though they share NO technology. Sometime in the 70's sumitomo bought the dunlop company, however in 2000(or was it 99?) Goodyear bought Dunlop North America and part of Europe. Even though Goodyear now owns Dunlop they are two very seperate companies and to the best of my knowledge share nothing more then distribution. So Sumitomo, or Goodyear have little if any influene on the actual products produced by Dunlop, FWIW.

The funny thing about tires(like most any other consumer driven product) you can find someone to tell you that product "x" is the best available and someone else will tell you its the worst available. If you have had experiences with them(sumitomo) in the past, then I am happy for you, and enjoy them. However, with my experience I would NEVER run them on my car or anyone else I care about, nor recommend them to a customer. But like I said that's just my experience.

 

Tireguy...how much do the nokian's go for?

 

I have these on the CL and love them.

 

Hey Tireguy,

What do you think about the Continental ContiExtreme Contact as an all-season tire? Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

 

If you are interested please contact me privately, I can either help you directly or suggest someone even closer to you. I don't like to self promote on forums, I feel it is bad taste; in particular when we live as close as we do!

 

As a true all season it falls short, I recently put a set on a customers 04 E320 w/sport package, against my recommendation I might add. I was not impressed with the tires, but they were fairly inexpensive. They use a silica based compound which is fantastic in wet(paired with a direction hi-void, by todays standards any way, tread makes for a tire good in rain), the sacrafice is made on wear and winter traction. You can make a silca based compound work well in snow, but its difficult and expensive. Silca also acts weird at lower temperatures, so you may have a loss of traction on dry and bitter cold days. There is no proof to this but it seems that silca based compounds also get louder and lose a bit of traction as they wear, unless they use anti-hardening agent in the compound which to the best of my knowledge Bridgestone is the only company to do this and only on there Uni-T AQII tires. Other then that silca is GREAT! There are more advanced forms of silca that are addressing these short comings while adding even more benefits, but this cost a lot. Silca is basically sand and to change it you have to alter it molecularlly(sp?), though down the road I suspect they will master it as they have carbon black based tires.

There was something very specific about the conti's that I didn't like(other then there performance on the vehicle) I think it was there siping, it only went half way down. While this is cheaper, it makes for a tire that handles/performs completely different when half wore. They were loud on the car(louder then the factory michelins), and seemed to lose some responsivness. While they MAY be better then the factory michelin's in rain and snow now, that may be a different story as they wear. That being said they don't qualify for the montain snow flake pictograph, so they are not truly safe for winter conditions.

There is only one tire available in north america that is a true all season tire and that is the Nokian WR. There is a lot of information about this tire already here so just search if you are interested in knowing more. If you don't find what your looking for let me know and I will do my best to help you.

 

Interesting. With the tread pattern on the Sumitomo HTR4 being so similar to the one on the Dunlop SP Sport 4000, I thought the two companies were sharing.

HTR4:


SP4000: