Mother of all threads on ALL-SEASON & SUMMER TIRES REVIEWS

[djrpowell]

Tire: Toyo Proxes T1-R
Type: Ultra High Performance
Size: 225/45 ZR 17
Car: 2004 Saab 95 Arc 17" 93 alloys Stage 1 Abbott 220BHP
Where bought: Black Circles
Price paid: £87 each fitted and balanced.
Miles driven on tires: just started
Driving conditions: Dry
Driving style: Agressive
Tread wear / warranty: 280AA
Would you buy again: Yes - so far
Positives: they are really cheap, look good, are 94 weight so stand up well. Grip so well when you take off they grip like stink and allow you to put down the power. No judder on take off as well. I am really impressed, certainly in the dry they are so good. I have tried Conti, Michellin, Pirelli, Avon on my 95's and this is the best so far.

Negatives: these must wear quick as they grip so well but as they are £40 cheaper than the top tyres then if they last 2/3 of the time then I am fine. All the others did not last long either!
Notes:

[Cuba]

Non tire review posts have been cleared out.

[Rennsport1]

Tire: Sumitomo HTRZ IIIs
Type: Ultra High Performance Summer
Size: 235/45Y(186MPH)ZR 17
Car: 2008 Saab 9-3 Aero LP9
Where bought: NTB in Dallas
Price paid: $531 out the door for the set, incl. taxes, extra warranty, etc...
Miles driven on tires: About 14k miles
Driving conditions: Varied, mostly dry and warm(Dallas, Texas)
Driving style: Agressive, fo shooooooooowr, up to 150+MPH
Tread wear / warranty: 300AA
Would you buy again: Absolutely; probably should have bought another set of HTRZ IIIs

[but I wanted to try the Hankook Ventus V12 Evo k110 after all the rave reviews as of late for the Ventus V12s(the HTRZ IIIs also certainly have had a lot of rave reviews as well though)which I had mounted and balanced on the Aero today in slightly wider and lower a/r 245/40/YZR17 size to go with my wider 8"X17 Voxx MG alloys].

Positives: Amazing improvement over the stock ContiProContacts, no question, just incredible improvement in handling, also eliminated all traces of torque steer as well considering the Aero's 255HP/258LBFT spinning the fronts. The HTRZIIIs grip on the road is awesome, as well as the composure and wonderful steering feel without much harsher ride than the OE tires, which suck in comparison, especially since I like to take corners with gusto, hehe. Also amazing in the rain, wonderful braking and road holding in the rain, and I've never had any aquaplaning or skittishness in the rain, just top notch tires all the way!! Must also be a lucky set because they have never had a flat or even a leak.

Negatives: Not much, they really make the Aero handle like it should IMHO, and the HTRZ IIIs even look awesome.

Notes: Rock solid at triple digit speeds !!!** I may switch back to HTRZ IIIs in 245/40YZR17 size after about 10K miles on the Hankooks, I'm noticing a bit more torque steer with the Hankooks, and they don't feel as connected to the road as the HTRZ IIIs, but it's early yet, and the V.V12s are not broken in yet, less than 100 miles on them.

[SaabScott]

I expect you will get rid of these very quickly.

They are easily the most replaced tire we have in the shop.
A lot of customers come in complaining that they were told by another shop that they need wheel bearings.
They ware unevenly, are very noisy, and quite frankly, have no grip whatsoever.
We actually had one customer believe that the brake job we did on his car was a waste of money ... until we installed the summer wheels/tires from my car and showed him that his brakes in fact work very well ... when there is good rubber there to grip the pavement.

Originally Posted by RumRunner

Car model/year 2005 9-3 Arc
All-season and/or summer tires make & model Fuzion Hri (high perf. all season)
Tire size / rim style 225/45R17 on stock 5 spoke alloys
How much $ paid ? Don't know - dealership put them on when I bought the car
Where purchased ? As above
Rotation schedule: Maintenance rotation 5K kms. (if I keep them that long) Season rotation: Probably all year for the first year, then to snows for next winter
Other comments- Loud. Holy road noise, Batman. Performance-wise, they're quite grippy and I don't feel much sidewall flex in hard cornering, but I would expect that from any 45 series tire anyway. Pleasantly surprised at how good they've been in the first blasts of winter here in Toronto. I may just toss them, though, because they're just too loud.

[THEOLDMAN]

:thumbdown: Falken Azenis 521 All Season...Soft compound shoulders, fronts wore out in 11,000 miles tires come with 40,000 mile treadwear. I kept proper inflation and rotated them. Actually they should have worn in the center as I kept them higher than recommended, 35F/33R.

[redraskol]

Tire:Continental Extremecontact DWS
Type: Ultra high performance all season
Size: 225/45/r17
Car: 2001 9-5 Aero
Where bought: Big 10 tires
Price paid: ~130 a tire
Miles driven on tires: 3000 miles
Driving conditions: dry tarmac, wet tarmac, DRENCHED tarmac, grass, gravel, mud
Driving style: Conservative, but spirited at times
Tread wear / warranty: the wear has been good so far, 3000 miles and still getting rid of the lines embossed in the "DWS" on the tread itself
Would you buy again: yes, but for 18 inch rims
Positives: I don't even notice water on the road. They are that good in the wet stuff. Dry traction is actually very good. They have a very soft sidewall, so they tend to roll over in the turns when run at standard psi (43). Once pumped up 2-3 psi (46) they really liven up and the car acts like its on rails. The psi limit is 51 psi, ergo no worries. Gravel handling is fantastic. Sliding is smooth and predictable with insane forward traction. Grass and mud are no problem if driven conservatively (parking sucks where I am). I have never gotten stuck, in fact, I pulled a BMW 3 series out of a muddy lot. They are very quiet and make my old potenza grids sound like gears grinding.
Negatives: Watch out for potholes! I burst one and blistered another on one pothole!
Notes: When they feel mushy, it's time to add air. My mother has these tires on 18" rims and they are even better. The lower sidewall makes them stiffer and more suited to dry pavement.

[wbrook_ford]

Originally Posted by Ero

Tire: General Altimax HP
Type: Grand Touring all season 205/50R16
Car: 2001 Saab 9-3 SE
Where bought: Tirerack
Price paid (incl shipping/tax): 90 per tire
Miles driven on tires: 3000?
Driving conditions: summer mostly. city/highway mix
Driving style: spirited
Tread wear / warranty: ... don't know they didnt live long enough
Would you buy again: RUN FO THE BLOODY HILLS. You couldn't pay me enough to buy another general brand tire.
Positives: Traction, on all surfaces.
Negatives: They're made of crap. Literally. If there is anything but the smoothest of roads in your neighborhood, forget about it. Within 6 months I had to replace three of them because the sidewall bubbled out randomly. Tirerack said "well that can happen if you hit potholes..." yea but guess what the Yokohamas I reviewed above have been on my car for twice that long and I haven't had a problem with even one. Moral of the story is stay away from these tires.
Oh and the sidewall is riciculously soft. Don't expect to do any fun driving on these.
Notes: Just....stay away from them. They're cheap but you'll spend more replacing ones that bubble up than to buy a good set initially. 'Nuff said.

I bought the same tires for my C900, 195-60-15 V rated, and I find them an exceptional bargain for a Grand Touring Tire.
They handle well, have low road noise and great tire wear. (1/16 per 6000 miles)
For the $95/tire I paid at the local joint, I think they did well enough through fall and winter that I wont have to buy summer tires.

[Raction95aero]

Ditto for the Hancook Ventus HRII that I had on my 2007 Aero. The dealer installed them back in April of last year when they certified the car. For the last 7,000 miles they were moaning so loudly that I thought (as did my dealer) that I had a bad bearing (which they replaced to no avail). In fact they ordered a second bearing three weeks ago (hasn't come in yet).

I just chanced it with the $$$ I purchased a set of Kumho Platinum LX last week, had them installed this past Monday, and you guessed it - it sure wasn't a wheel bearing. It is much more like a luxury car now..So quiet that even my wife can't believe it....

Stay away from that particular Hancook...

Originally Posted by SaabScott

I expect you will get rid of these very quickly.

They are easily the most replaced tire we have in the shop.
A lot of customers come in complaining that they were told by another shop that they need wheel bearings.
They ware unevenly, are very noisy, and quite frankly, have no grip whatsoever.
We actually had one customer believe that the brake job we did on his car was a waste of money ... until we installed the summer wheels/tires from my car and showed him that his brakes in fact work very well ... when there is good rubber there to grip the pavement.

[furgs]

Tire:Yokohama AVID ENVigor H-Rated
Type: high performance all season
Size: 235-45-17
Car: 2007 9-3 ss
Where bought: Quick Lane (part of Ford dealers)
Price paid: about $160 a tire including mounting/balance and alignment. I am getting a $100 mail in rebate...
Miles driven on tires: 300 miles ,mostly highway, various pavement conditions.
Driving conditions: dry asphalt pavement, wet asphalt pavement, gravel
Driving style: spirited at times
Tread wear / warranty: 5 Years / 60,000 Mile
Would you buy again: yes
Positives: Dry traction grips well. I drove on wet pavement and it handled well. Tires are quiet.
Negatives: None yet. I wish there was a V rate in 235/45/17
Notes: I flip-flopped between the S-Drives (yoko's summer) and this all-season tire. They feel great and responsive to the 9-3. I noticed how well the tires grip at a quick take. I started from zero to 80 mph on a highway and it felt superb. These tires/rims replaced my Firestone Firehawks 215-55-16.

[David Wishart]

Thanks. I think I'll purchase these this Fall, when my summer Yokohama ES100 need replacement, which were great. However, I think an all-season tire is less of a compromise now.

Originally Posted by furgs

Tire:Yokohama AVID ENVigor H-Rated
Type: high performance all season
Size: 235-45-17
Car: 2007 9-3 ss
Where bought: Quick Lane (part of Ford dealers)
Price paid: about $160 a tire including mounting/balance and alignment. I am getting a $100 mail in rebate...
Miles driven on tires: 300 miles ,mostly highway, various pavement conditions.
Driving conditions: dry asphalt pavement, wet asphalt pavement, gravel
Driving style: spirited at times
Tread wear / warranty: 5 Years / 60,000 Mile
Would you buy again: yes
Positives: Dry traction grips well. I drove on wet pavement and it handled well. Tires are quiet.
Negatives: None yet. I wish there was a V rate in 235/45/17
Notes: I flip-flopped between the S-Drives (yoko's summer) and this all-season tire. They feel great and responsive to the 9-3. I noticed how well the tires grip at a quick take. I started from zero to 80 mph on a highway and it felt superb. These tires/rims replaced my Firestone Firehawks 215-55-16.

[wbrook_ford]

Originally Posted by wbrook_ford

I bought the same tires for my C900, 195-60-15 V rated, and I find them an exceptional bargain for a Grand Touring Tire.
They handle well, have low road noise and great tire wear. (1/16 per 6000 miles)
For the $95/tire I paid at the local joint, I think they did well enough through fall and winter that I wont have to buy summer tires.

UPDATE

(eating my words...)

well another year has come and gone and were here in the middle of winter, and the Generals now really stink. Sure, they were a bargain, but you have to rotate them seemingly every month to keep even treadwear (especially on the nose-heavy C900), and now that the tread is nearing the wear indicators, snow performance is going down the tubes...

I still might buy a set as summers, and get a set of firestone winterforce for the winter wheels...

[SaabKen]

Originally Posted by wbrook_ford

UPDATE

(eating my words...)

well another year has come and gone and were here in the middle of winter, and the Generals now really stink. Sure, they were a bargain, but you have to rotate them seemingly every month to keep even treadwear (especially on the nose-heavy C900), and now that the tread is nearing the wear indicators, snow performance is going down the tubes...

I still might buy a set as summers, and get a set of firestone winterforce for the winter wheels...

I just bought a set of Nokian WRG2 (for my Subaru, not my Saab since I no longer have it ). They're good for 100,000 kms with all-year round driveability (they're branded as all-weather, not all-season). They might be suitable for you as your "winter tires" if your winters are not severe, and you can still use your Altimax HPs as spring/summer/fall tires. My $0.25

[wbrook_ford]

Originally Posted by SaabKen

I just bought a set of Nokian WRG2 (for my Subaru, not my Saab since I no longer have it ). They're good for 100,000 kms with all-year round driveability (they're branded as all-weather, not all-season). They might be suitable for you as your "winter tires" if your winters are not severe, and you can still use your Altimax HPs as spring/summer/fall tires. My $0.25

Thanks for the thought.
When I get the winter tires, they are going to be full-out snows. The family has had good luck with Bridgestone WS60's and Firestone Winterforce; those are on the list.

The Saab also "needs" summer tires. You know how it is, a turbo demands respect, and in my case, lots of boost...

[N_Raged]

Tire: Hankook Ventus V12 K110 (225/45/17)
Type: Max Performance Summer
Car: 2005 Saab 9-3 Aero Sedan (2.0T)
Where bought: TIRES23 Mississauga
Price paid (incl shipping/tax): $660 installed
Miles driven on tires: 14,078km total, including 1 track day & ~1.3 season of autocross.
Driving conditions: Autocross, Open track, City & highway commuting. Wet and dry.
Driving style: Spirited++, but I don’t speed.
Tread wear / warranty: 280 treadwear rating.

Would you buy again: Yes. But not for any type of autocross or track use.

Positives: Great value. Very comfortable and quiet tire because of the soft sidewalls. But because of that the handling is very mushy. The grip from the rubber compound is good for spirited grand touring, but is not enough for competitive driving.

Negatives: Sidewalls too soft. Ultimate grip could be better.

Notes:
-Great value for anyone looking to get into summer-only tires.

[N_Raged]

Tire: Michelin Pilot Super Sport (225/45/17)
Type: Max Performance Summer
Car: 2005 Saab 9-3 Aero Sedan (2.0T)
Where bought: TIRES23 Mississauga
Price paid (incl shipping/tax): $1030 installed
Miles driven on tires: 3,365km to date, including 1 track day, 2 autocross events.
Driving conditions: Autocross, Open track, City & highway commuting. Wet and dry.
Driving style: Spirited++, but I don’t speed.
Tread wear / warranty: 300 treadwear rating.

Would you buy again: Yes! But only if I need it for track and autocross. Considering the price, these are overkill for just a daily commuter.

Positives: One of the most refined all-around performance summer tires I’ve ever experienced. For a tire that is so quiet and smooth on the highway, the performance is very respectable. Firm sidewalls give accurate and confident steering response. The rubber compound sticks and sticks and gives good tactile and audible feedback when it’s at the limit. The front wheels grip so well now that I can put the ReAxs to work with a flick of the steering wheel to induce rotation/oversteer (in a front-drive car), which feels awesome. Decent traction in the wet, though I did manage to spin out when I went through a deep puddle during a slalom. But that was probably my fault.

Negatives: On the expensive side.

Notes:
-Truly an amazing tire which we’re seeing standard on more supercars.
-Hankook Ventus V12 cost $400 less and are better value for someone who doesn’t autocross or track.

[N_Raged]

On behalf of my dad's Saab:

Tire: Sailun Atrezzo Z4+AS (235/45/17)
Type: Ultra-high Performance All-Season
Car: 2007 Saab 9-3 Sedan 2.0T
Where bought: Dealer installed
Price paid (incl shipping/tax): N/A
Miles driven on tires: 1yr to date of city driving.
Driving conditions: City & highway commuting. Wet, dry, snow.
Driving style: Easy Going.
Tread wear / warranty: 380 treadwear rating.

Would you buy again: I wouldn't even keep them if you gave them to me.

Positives: Would make a good tire swing for children's playgrounds.

Negatives: Garbage tire. Rides grainy and bumps can be jarring. Faint tire roar. Dry performance is lacking, it can get squirmy if I push it just a bit on highway on-ramps. Winter performance is very poor, almost no traction at all in the snow.

Notes: This is why you shouldn't buy cheap Chinese tires.

[SaabKen]

Originally Posted by N_Raged

Tire: Hankook Ventus V12 K110 (225/45/17)
Type: Max Performance Summer
Car: 2005 Saab 9-3 Aero Sedan (2.0T)
Where bought: TIRES23 Mississauga
Price paid (incl shipping/tax): $660 installed
Miles driven on tires: 14,078km total, including 1 track day & ~1.3 season of autocross.
Driving conditions: Autocross, Open track, City & highway commuting. Wet and dry.
Driving style: Spirited++, but I don’t speed.
Tread wear / warranty: 280 treadwear rating.

Would you buy again: Yes. But not for any type of autocross or track use.

Positives: Great value. Very comfortable and quiet tire because of the soft sidewalls. But because of that the handling is very mushy. The grip from the rubber compound is good for spirited grand touring, but is not enough for competitive driving.

Negatives: Sidewalls too soft. Ultimate grip could be better.

Notes:
-Great value for anyone looking to get into summer-only tires.

Originally Posted by N_Raged

Tire: Michelin Pilot Super Sport (225/45/17)
Type: Max Performance Summer
Car: 2005 Saab 9-3 Aero Sedan (2.0T)
Where bought: TIRES23 Mississauga
Price paid (incl shipping/tax): $1030 installed
Miles driven on tires: 3,365km to date, including 1 track day, 2 autocross events.
Driving conditions: Autocross, Open track, City & highway commuting. Wet and dry.
Driving style: Spirited++, but I don’t speed.
Tread wear / warranty: 300 treadwear rating.

Would you buy again: Yes! But only if I need it for track and autocross. Considering the price, these are overkill for just a daily commuter.

Positives: One of the most refined all-around performance summer tires I’ve ever experienced. For a tire that is so quiet and smooth on the highway, the performance is very respectable. Firm sidewalls give accurate and confident steering response. The rubber compound sticks and sticks and gives good tactile and audible feedback when it’s at the limit. The front wheels grip so well now that I can put the ReAxs to work with a flick of the steering wheel to induce rotation/oversteer (in a front-drive car), which feels awesome. Decent traction in the wet, though I did manage to spin out when I went through a deep puddle during a slalom. But that was probably my fault.

Negatives: On the expensive side.

Notes:
-Truly an amazing tire which we’re seeing standard on more supercars.
-Hankook Ventus V12 cost $400 less and are better value for someone who doesn’t autocross or track.

You bought 2 sets of 4 tires for your car ?

[N_Raged]

Originally Posted by SaabKen

You bought 2 sets of 4 tires for your car ?

No, I went from one to the other. Just writing up the reviews now .

However having two sets of non-winter tires isn't unheard of for someone like me who does a lot of tracking and autocross. I know many people who have one set of daily driving tires and another set of dedicated track tires just for that purpose. I would do this also if I had the storage space...

[GuerBear]

Tire: Nitto Motivo
Type: Ultra High Performance All Season
Car: 2000 Saab 9-3 SE
Where bought: Obtained via Rhino Custom Detailing
Price paid: Sampling program, only paid for shipping
Miles driven on tires: 1,000 miles
Driving conditions: 60% highway
Driving style: aggressive
Tread wear / warranty: 560/60,000
Would you buy again: Absolutely
Positives: Exceptional traction in both wet and dry condition. Saved my butt on a rainy day actually!
Negatives: Can't think of any!

Thank you Nitto tires and Rhino custom detailing for the chance to review these tires!

My full review
http://carsxhype.com/2012/10/06/prod...o-motivo-tire/

[Breau]

Are these on sale yet? I will probably buy these next.

Originally Posted by GuerBear

Tire: Nitto Motivo
Type: Ultra High Performance All Season
Car: 2000 Saab 9-3 SE
Where bought: Obtained via Rhino Custom Detailing
Price paid: Sampling program, only paid for shipping
Miles driven on tires: 1,000 miles
Driving conditions: 60% highway
Driving style: aggressive
Tread wear / warranty: 560/60,000
Would you buy again: Absolutely
Positives: Exceptional traction in both wet and dry condition. Saved my butt on a rainy day actually!
Negatives: Can't think of any!

Thank you Nitto tires and Rhino custom detailing for the chance to review these tires!

My full review
http://carsxhype.com/2012/10/06/prod...o-motivo-tire/