tire choices

[Filmcarp]

Hello all. I have been watching the tire thread with the two tire comparisons. I need new tires all around. My fit is a stock S, with a boring driver. Local commuting, potholes, etc. I would love to hear what people are running, what they like about them, and what they don't like.
Thanks

[Filmcarp]

Is anyone running Yokohama Avid tires? 90 bucks each and well rated at tire rack, but no long term results in yet. I guess there aren't many folks on this forum yet. I will be patient

[Slimjimx701x]

Hi Carp,

As for the Avid Tires, I do not have any experiences with them to give you any opinions with them.

But as Yokohama, as the brand, are still going strong on my fit, and so far these are my favorite tires I have ever used

I hope that helps.

[Filmcarp]

Thanks. I'm leaning that way

[macbuddy]

Filmcarp,
I just " corded" my Toyo T1R front right tire this afternoon on my way to work. I got them used but still put 11K on them as of today.

http://img541.imageshack.us/img541/2859/photo04.th.jpg (http://img541.imageshack.us/i/photo04.jpg/)

They are a great tire, very sticky, quiet, and responsive. Anyway, I was able to drive back home, and get my OEM alloys mounted with Yokohama S. Drives back on. I noticed a much better ride with the Yokohamas. Also, my Scangauge is indicating a "mile or two" better in the mpg department, and that's with only the front set mounted! I am anticipating breaking 40 mpg with all four Yokohamas mounted on my RPF1 rims.
America Tires quoted $130 to take my Yokos off of my OEM rims, then to mount and balance them on my Enkei rims. I decided to order a new set instead, and keep my other set as a spare. They quoted $430 out the door for a new set of 195/50-15 S. Drives. They didn't have them in stock, so I am gonna have to wait a few more days.

[Filmcarp]

Thanks, although I don't know how you get such good mileage. We are right around 30mpg combined driving, and we track every tank.
Are the S drives noisy?

[macbuddy]

Thanks, although I don't know how you get such good mileage. We are right around 30mpg combined driving, and we track every tank.
Are the S drives noisy?

Filmcarp,
MPG
I do a lot of freeway driving, so I am able to enjoy some fairly high numbers on occasion. In daily driving, I typically get around 34 mpg (combined).
On one "all freeway" stint, I was able to get over 39 mpg, but "milking" a whole tank of gas takes a lot of will power and patience. Even when averaging 75 mph, each 400+ mile "mpg test" takes over 5 hours to complete.

S. DRIVES
As for the S. Drives, they are the perfect tire for me. They offer a smooth, comfortable, quiet ride. In general, people say that performance tires are noisy. I don't see that to be true here. Maybe I'm just less sensitive to road noise than others, but really, I just don't see a problem with noise. As a matter of fact, I can confirm that these tires do not present a "road noise" problem..."Mrs. macbuddy has never complained!"
Even when driven very hard on the backroads, they do not emit "tire squeal." The first time I ever heard them squeal was during an AutoX event.
As for grip, they hold very well. When pushed to the limits, they will slide, but even when they do, they do so controllably, and without drama.
The hundreds of "user comments" at Tire Rack pretty much give an accurate description of what to expect from these tires.
In comparison, the Toyo T1Rs were as quiet, and stuck like glue. However, they were a bit stiffer, and a bit less comfortable. As for grip though, I think they were a bit stickier than the Yokohamas. Keep in mind however, that I am comparing 195/50-15 Yokohamas to 215/45-15 Toyos. Although I only had the Toyos for 11,000 miles, I could never get those tires to loose grip, nor was I ever successful at making those tires squeal!
-macbuddy-

PS-Here's a mileage tip for you:
You might get better gas mileage if you didn't "track" every tank...or did you mean "record" every tank? :)

[claymore]

"Mrs. macbuddy has never complained!" That is the ultimate arbitrator right there.

[Slimjimx701x]

S. Drive, Loud?!?!?!?! Never to me, it the quietest tires I have so far, maybe because road noise was never an issue for me.

[Jazzerguy]

I just had Yokahama W rated tires installed this morning. I have had great luck with their products. Good, smooth ride and great wear characteristics. Kind of depressing that the orignals only lasted 32k miles...