 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
Car Forum / Mazda / Mazda Miata / May 2004Tires: Yoko A550 vs Kumho 716
Time has come for new tires on my '94 in 185/60-14 size (or maybe 195/60-14). I'm looking at Sears who carry both the Yokohama A550 (the 195 is cheaper by $7/tire than the 185!) and the Kumho 716 which is just over $200/set. Are the Yokos worth the extra $50 to $80 more than the Kumhos? I've heard good reports on both. glen@ccim.net 94 "C" >Time has come for new tires on my '94 in 185/60-14 size (or maybe >195/60-14). I'm looking at Sears who carry both the Yokohama A550 (the 195 >is cheaper by $7/tire than the 185!) and the Kumho 716 which is just over >$200/set. Are the Yokos worth the extra $50 to $80 more than the Kumhos? >I've heard good reports on both. I assume you have checked the product reviews on miata.net and tirerack.com. Leon  SignatureLeon van Dommelen :) Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .) To reply to me, the word Miata must be in the subject. EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen) Yes! > >Time has come for new tires on my '94 in 185/60-14 size (or maybe > >195/60-14). I'm looking at Sears who carry both the Yokohama A550 (the 195 [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Leon FWIW, I just picked up 4 Falken Azenis in 195/60-14 from Vulcan Tire at $202 shipped. So far, they're sticking like glue! A treadware rating of 200 leads me to believe I won't get much more than 20K or so on 'em, but they're cheap enough that I won't mind replacing them more frequently than a longer-lasting tire. DonB >Yes! >> [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >> >> Leon Don - I have read some of the comments on the tire sites from people using Falken Azenis and they all say that they stick like glue, but ride a little rough and are terrible in the snow. Tread wear also seems to be a big issue with some of the more aggressive drivers looking at 10,000 miles!! When you add about $20/tire for mounting, balancing, etc. it works out to about 3 cents/mile if you only get 10,000. Report back with your mileage when you get to half tread or so. Thanks for your comments. glen@ccim.net > FWIW, I just picked up 4 Falken Azenis in 195/60-14 from Vulcan Tire > at $202 shipped. So far, they're sticking like glue! A treadware [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > >> > >> Leon > I have read some of the comments on the tire sites from people using > Falken Azenis and they all say that they stick like glue, but ride a little > rough and are terrible in the snow. Tread wear also seems to be a big issue > with some of the more aggressive drivers looking at 10,000 miles! 10k is actually very good. Most drivers report 5k to 8k out of a set of Azenis. Considering the more-frequent mounting and balancing, they're not all that cheap, are they? SignatureLanny Chambers, St. Louis, USA '94C the alignment page: http://www.hummingbirds.net/alignment.html That's why I consider the MX5 my "toy" car, the one in which I have fun. It gets put away in the snow, as does my motorcycle. Out comes the Geo Tracker and I go pretty much anywhere I want, and STILL put the top down! I can afford to be lavish with my "toys" and so went into the Azenis purchase with much insight (a lot of it provided by the Lannys and Leos of the group, thankfully). In my case, I couldn't justify spending twice the amount on a tire (Toyo T1S) that would last about as long and be just as good in the snow. As far as mileage goes, I'll give a report as I gain 'em, but don't consider myself an aggressive driver and don't, to this point, autocross. I have yet to break traction since I installed the Azenis, but again, I'm not that aggressive. While I derive much direction from this group, my trust level in anyone falls far short of my own experience, and I'll eventually develop what's best in my personal situation. BTW, I have the same theory on Miatas as I do motorcycles--neither is effective as primary transportation. I have a 12-string guitar that won't fit in the trunk of my Miata, and since I frequently combine driving to gigs in my Miata, that's a fairly serious problem. I get to take a pretty lady in the passenger seat, or my guitar. Now that's a poser (for a musician who knows the guitar frequently leads to the ladies). DonB >> I have read some of the comments on the tire sites from people using >> Falken Azenis and they all say that they stick like glue, but ride a little [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >Azenis. Considering the more-frequent mounting and balancing, they're >not all that cheap, are they? Don - Well at least the Tracker let's you take both! > That's why I consider the MX5 my "toy" car, the one in which I have > fun. It gets put away in the snow, as does my motorcycle. Out comes [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > >Azenis. Considering the more-frequent mounting and balancing, they're > >not all that cheap, are they? Yeah, but you wanna hear the real catch 22? The Tracker don't impress 'em half as much as the MX5! One other thing I would have liked in the Azenis--they only come in 195/60-14-- I would have preferred the 195/55-14 the Toyos provide, but since I'm already riding lower than stock, maybe it was a good thing. Living rurally on a farm is not the best setting for a lowered car. The average roadkill in these parts tends to coat the underside with a sickening mess. Squirrels ain't so bad, but I gotta judge the level of decomposition of groundhogs, possum, and the like. One other point--since, like many, I'm new to Miatae, each experience tends to be rewarding (short of flipping the thing). For instance, since I'm not that aggressive, I've been finding myself totally wussed out in trying to break traction with them. I'm definitely able to corner significantly faster than on my old, worn Eagle GTs (which were on the car when purchased). The experience also led to a better understanding of the treadware rating system. The Azenis are rated at 200, while almost every other tire I've seen locally, even performance tires, are over 300. Passenger tires in these parts seem to be over 400. If anyone has a fuller, better explanation of the system, I'd like to hear it, especially with experience. DonB >Don - Well at least the Tracker let's you take both! >> That's why I consider the MX5 my "toy" car, the one in which I have [quoted text clipped - 34 lines] >> >Azenis. Considering the more-frequent mounting and balancing, they're >> >not all that cheap, are they? > The experience also led to a better > understanding of the treadware rating system. The Azenis are rated at > 200, while almost every other tire I've seen locally, even performance > tires, are over 300. Passenger tires in these parts seem to be over > 400. If anyone has a fuller, better explanation of the system, I'd > like to hear it, especially with experience. The treadwear rating system is not quite worthless, but almost. Each manufacturer makes up its own scale, so it's not possible to compare numbers across brands except in the most general way. It's a marketing tool, not an engineering analysis. The best rating system is the Reviews section of miata.net. BTW, consider taking a track or autocross school to learn how to get the most from your RWD Miata. With sticky tires, it's shockingly easy to get in over your head faster than you realize. You need to learn about the laws of physics, which, sadly, still apply to Miatas. I'll bet your pretty lady would be honored to cradle your 12-string tenderly in her lap... :-) SignatureLanny Chambers, St. Louis, USA '94C the alignment page: http://www.hummingbirds.net/alignment.html Thanks, Lanny. Too bad it's a manufacturers thing--seems it could be handy if standardized. I agree, though--I was left more in confusion than anything else after reviewing them. And you pretty much described why I've been somewhat wussed by the new tires--I've been adjusting to higher cornering speeds without knowing the limits and worry about the kind of surprise that may present. The laws of physics can be brutal (many years on motorcycles convinced me of that long ago). And yes! A tool!! I'll turn it into a tool!!! I mean, if she's agreeable to holding my 12-string in her lap........ :) DonB >> The experience also led to a better >> understanding of the treadware rating system. The Azenis are rated at [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] >I'll bet your pretty lady would be honored to cradle your 12-string >tenderly in her lap... :-) >BTW, I have the same theory on Miatas as I do motorcycles--neither is >effective as primary transportation. Hum. Has been effective as my only transportation (besides public transportation) since 1997. Have not rented a truck since then. 116 kmi (112 with supercharger) on the Miata at this time. The only concession: Sears did provide free delivery on my radial arm saw when I asked them to take it out of the box so that I could take it home in my Miata. (The manager owned a Miata too.) Which was just as well, since regardless of size, the head was too heavy for me to lift. Had to improvise a ramp to get it on its stand.) > I have a 12-string guitar that >won't fit in the trunk of my Miata, and since I frequently combine >driving to gigs in my Miata, that's a fairly serious problem. Take out the spare tire. Put in a can of fix-a-flat, a cell phone, and a AAA card. > I get >to take a pretty lady in the passenger seat, or my guitar. Now that's >a poser (for a musician who knows the guitar frequently leads to the >ladies). You would not feel remorse having a pretty lady being transported in a Geo Tracker? Have you no shame? Leon SignatureLeon van Dommelen :) Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .) To reply to me, the word Miata must be in the subject. EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen) >Hum. Has been effective as my only transportation (besides public >transportation) since 1997. Have not rented a truck since then. >116 kmi (112 with supercharger) on the Miata at this time. Good point! Unfortunately, for the time being, I seem to have located myself in a rural setting on a farm (somebody get me outta here!) and have trips to the dump, crush&run to haul, etc., which is the reason for two 4-wheel vehicles. I'm heading back to the metros soon, where I might make do with the occasional truck rental when necessary. >Take out the spare tire. Put in a can of fix-a-flat, a cell phone, >and a AAA card. All (thanks to this NG) done. I can get my 6-string in the trunk only if I put it in the soft case. The 12 is an impossibility. >>to take a pretty lady in the passenger seat, or my guitar. Now that's >>a poser (for a musician who knows the guitar frequently leads to the >>ladies). > >You would not feel remorse having a pretty lady being transported >in a Geo Tracker? Have you no shame? Hey, I owned up to *having* a Geo Tracker. Shame??? Moi??? (That's OK....I'll get mine when I forget which vehicle I'm driving and get slammed by the laws of physics.) DonB The new Kumhos have been installed. Discount Tire met Sears price of $207 mounted, balanced, out the door for a set of 185/60-14s. I'll report later on how the perform. glen@ccim.net 94 "C" > Time has come for new tires on my '94 in 185/60-14 size (or maybe > 195/60-14). I'm looking at Sears who carry both the Yokohama A550 (the 195 [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > glen@ccim.net 94 "C" |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.