JZ

Well, after all of my bitching and moaning my Khumos have finally been installed!

First impression after seeing them mounted:
Got dang they're BIG!

Sidewall is considerably higher than the Potenza 225's. Very, very aggressive looking. Still getting used to it. Tread is fat, no doubt.
Never again will I hit the rim first, but the tire really does not protrude much at all. Looks like a normal car rim (read: non-CLS rim) typically looks.

The sidewall is definately a bit less stiff than the Potenzas, but then again it is also taller.

First impression upon driving home: (I must admit I took it a little easier than I normally would since I was drinking beers while they were getting installed).

But anyways, they are definately smoother than the very low sidewalled potenzas when you hit bumps. Little bit more coushy ride which is OK by me since I think the Potenzas were very stiff and rough at times.

I think the slightly softer sidewall leads to a very slightly less responsive turn-in to corners, but, once over that initial lag they grip like hell--even brand new! The car definately sticks more than on the Potenzas once into the turn. Tomorrow I'll turn off the VSA and try to burn them out and see how they grip. Plus, I think they were only inflated to 32psi at the time and I know that is a bit too low for them.

So, so far, so good. I'll keep you all updated as time goes by. Hopefully I'll regain my lost miles/gallon now that my overall diameter is as large as stock. I lost ~30 miles/tank on the smaller Potenzas.

Now, enough with the handling mods, must go FASTER! Oh yeah, and make more noise (exhaust coming soon).

blazerbob1

Congrats JZ on your new Kumhos! I can hardly wait to get new tires as I've been holding out till find just right combo. Eh, sorry didn't notice what kind of rims you have?! I'm half blind you see! HeHe! Which exhaust are you going with-HKS-Drager?!

mackdaddy

Excellent. Two things:

Update you sig

Are you interested in Comptech exhaust? If so let me know. I've got a line on a used set for $425 shipped. It's a package deal (headers / exhaust) and all I want are the headers. I'm willing to give $825 shipped for the headers (package deal is $1250.)

If you're interested in this at all, let me know ASAP before they're gone........

Jim

EricL

Just a word of caution -- if you mean "burning out" the tires as in doing some left and right turns to break them in, have fun...

However, you might want to wait a few days (and some miles) before you do burn-outs -- you might get the tire's bead to slip on the rim.

Did you get an aligment?????

JZ

Hey Mackdaddy--check your email on this site. I'm defiantely interested. Let me know asap. JZ

JZ

Hey EricL--I didn't do the alignement tonight--I'm going to get it done on Monday. Also, I won't really be doing major burn-outs (in fact, I can't even do major burn-outs) anytime in the near future. Hopefully all goes well. Thanks for all of your info. over the last couple of days.

Type S

m...do u put the wide tires on the cls stock rims?235 is cool .traction but are u sure 45 low profile is right?should it be 40 or 35?just wondering.don't mind me

mackdaddy

I'm work'n on it now!

Jim

JZ

The 235/45 are the closest to stock size and they are most agreeable to being mounted on our stock rims. They might end up being just a hair larger in overall diameter than the stocks since they are sitting up a bit higher due to the narrow rims. Going even lower in profile would require a wider rim for sure. If I had 7.5" rims I would have gone with the 40 series tire.

Hell, I jsut don't care anymore. They were 100$ a tire and if they last for 25k miles without falling offthe rim I'll be a happy camper.

mackdaddy

JZ - U have mail.

Jim

JZ

Ah, Jim--now YOU have mail.

mackdaddy

Tag, your it!

JZ

Back to you Jim. Let's buy some parts!

mackdaddy

Done deal my brother!! I'll call ya later today from work.

Thanks - Jim

Scooter

for some reason, that doesn't sound too comforting!!

believe me, im dying to buy the Khumos, but im so scared of something just like that!!!

i do like that fact that the tread seems to ride up the side of the tire just a bit since the tire is a tad wide for the stock rim...kinda reminds me of a bike tire, so when u corner sharply, u're not riding so much on the sidewall as u r the extreme end of the treads...in my first races at SOLO, i shreaded the sidewalls of my MIchelins so bad, the tires look nasty up close, no matter how much Meguiar's Endurance i put on

but anyway, thanx for scaring me just a little more

1SICKLEX

In my experience those Kumhos suck. They wear quickly, degrade your ride and SCREAM cheap. I am so pissed I bought some and used them trying to save a buck. Well I just replaced em after only 16kmiles with Bridgestone Potenza S-03s. Even though we drive different cars (and I had 245-40-18) I cannot recommend this tire. Try the Potenza RE 730s had those on the stock 17" rim )235/45/17 and they lasted 28k miles (true they were drag slicks at the time).

My 2 cents.

JZ

Thanks for the advice. In case you udidn't read the earlier posts, I just came from Potenza RE730's and got about 22K out of them. And they were slicks as well at that time. So far, I have no problems at all with the Khumos and I'm surprised to hear they didn't wear that well for you since the compound definatley seems harder than the Potenzas that were very soft.

Point is, our car is very heavy and FWD. I'm not going to spend 1000$ on tires to make it marginally better. It is always going to understeer like crazy and it will always hate turns. What I have on there right now is 100% fine by me for my needs.

I'm also surprised to hear your negatviity about the tires--most people I have talked to have had no problems with them whatsoever. Oh well, live and learn, right?

CO-CL-S

Why would he get an alignment? New tires do not require an alignment, lowering and suspension work get alignments.

mackdaddy

JZ - I just left you a message at your work number. Call me when you get a chance @ 614-644-6514.

Thanks man - Jim

sundance_gold

Are these all-season tires? I'm probably going to have to replace my tires next year and want something that will have better grip and handling but will be good in rain and snow.

mackdaddy

Sorry my friend, 3 season only (no snow.)

JZ

Ah, you must mean the "magic tire". That's what we all want, unfortunatley it don't exist!

JZ

Only reason is because my driver's side tire wore a bit unevenly on the inside compared to the other tires and I just want to make
sure my alignment is OK. Plus, I don't pay normal prices to get work done so I don't mind making sure everything is perfect.

mackdaddy

Jon - Got your VM. Sounds great. Hope this all works out as planned. Talk to you soon.......

Jim

PS - I'm psyched!

EricL

NO, however there is some new stuff out or coming out that you might be interested in if your pocket book can take the beating...

Quick digression to current 235/45-17s with better wet/dry and equal or better snow:

Yokohama AVS dB -- great in the dry and wet compared with the stock MXM4. If you in "serious" snow country, you might NOT want to get this.

Dunlop SP 5000 (the SP Sport 5000 Asymmetrical) emphasis on the Asymmetrical version for people in heavy snow areas

LINK: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyresults/uhpas.jsp


New stuff:

The Michelin Pilot A/S

Excerpt:

"On the outside, the Pilot Sport A/S features a “three compound tread” that is made possible by the extremely precise capabilities of Michelin’s innovative “C3M” tire manufacturing process. The Pilot Sport A/S uses three distinct tread compounds. The first places a special high dry grip tread compound in both shoulders. The second is a balanced dry, wet, snow and cold tread compound that is used between both shoulders and the tire’s center rib. The third tread compound used in the center rib, has been developed to provide wet traction confidence. These three tread compounds are molded into a directional tread design with a continuous circumferential center rib flanked by high angle directional tread blocks. The continuous center rib sharpens steering response and provides communicative road feel while reducing tire noise on dry roads. The high angle lateral tread blocks enhance responsiveness and handling while the tire’s circumferential and high angle lateral grooves efficiently evacuate water from under the contact patch to resist hydroplaning and enhance wet traction..."

Link: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/michel...t_sport_as.jsp

Over $200 a tire...

The newer tires are using some of this similar technology (different compounds in different areas of the tread) in 3-season tires (like the S-03).

RaleighNC

U da man

Thanks for the positive post.

I've been waiting to order the second set of 235 kuhmos and my stocks are getting close to being replaced. Just one more rotation. I bought the first set last spring with all the talk of sticker shock by CLS'er going locally to fix a flat.

Anyways, thanx again for verifying 235 kuhmos on stock rims.

dgracer

Can someone with either a 225/45 or 235/45 (preferably the 235/45 on stock wheels post a pic? I'd like to see how they look on the Type-S wheel.

cnatra

No kidding! I just got a flat on my right front the other day on the way to work. I was passing a slow truck on a crummy two lane road & when I came back over in the right lane caught one of the many potholes on this sorry excuse of blacktop & I could hear the rim hit!
DAMN!
Sure enough I get to work about 2miles down the road & when I shut the engine off I can here the tire hissing! I start her back up & turn the wheels to get a better look & there is a nice chunk of sidewall missing on the inside of the tire right up against the rim.

$179 delivered from the TireRack delivered was the cheapest I could find for that dang Michelin! I actually contemplated the jump to the 235 Khumo's but with only 2100mi on the odometer I hated to waste the other 3 Michelins.
Oh well , at least the rim wasn't bent , just a little scratched on the inside edge,out of sight.
I think puttering around on the mini-spare donut for a few days helped me get 21.5mpg , up from the 19mpg I've been averaging.
I guess the extra cold weather may have helped too ??

Eggplant-EX

Man! $179 for the Michelin. Michelins is really screwing us over with their tires....

Fabvsix

Here are my new S-03's on stock rims ! 225-45-17 !!

http://www.acura-cl.com/forums/showt...ight=blackfire

**Make sure to scroll down to see tire and rim.....towards the end of the tread !

RaleighNC

JZ,

Update on your Kumhos. How are they holding up??

Pull_T

Yes...K-U-M-H-O, Kumho....

JZ

Well, I was hitting 120mph the other night and three of the four Khumos BLEW OUT!!!!




Hahahahah. Just kidding. No problems at all! Again, they are not as sticky as the Potenza RE730's, have a slightly more flexible sidewall, and reduce wheel well gap a bit.

For the money, no contest. You could put Michelin Pilots on our car and it's still not going to be a Ferrari so why waste the money?

RaleighNC

Mike

JZ, how many miles on the tires. How noisy are they?

JZ

Probably about 5000 miles.

No noise at all!

Great in the rain!!!

But, the Potenzas were also quiet until about the time of the first rotation at 7500miles. They went downhill from there and by the end they were annoyinly loud.