Kumho Ecsta ASX Tires

[MadMax]

Well, even though they had just a tad over 28K miles on them and plenty of tread left, the Riken Raptor tires I had on Sprocket were badly dry-rotting thanks in part to the intense Texas heat.

So I go by Discount Tire with the plans of putting Kumho Ecsta AST (http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/tires/kumho/product/submitProductSize.do?r=TWEINT|pc|78254&pc=33355) tires on them but was talked into getting the ASX models instead because: 1) they have a 30K warranty on them and 2) they were eligible for a $75 rebate. I run 215/45R17s on Sprocket due to the aftermarket rims.

As usual, the new tires ride a lot smoother and quieter than the old ones; but was wondering if anyone else was running these? The reviews on them are pretty good, and since the majority of my driving is commuting I really don't put a lot of wear and tear on tires.

Here are some pics from Discount Tire's website...

http://www.discounttire.com/product/tires/kumhz8.ang.jpghttp://www.discounttire.com/product/tires/kumhz8.shd.jpg http://www.discounttire.com/product/tires/kumhz8.trd.jpg

Total cost installed with the certificates for free replacements, old tire disposal, installation and lifetime rotation, balancing and repairs, and TPMS rebuild was $653 but like I said DT has a $75 rebate going on for the Labor Day weekend so the bottom line is more like $575...

Cheers! M2

[Hershey]

The reviews at Tirerack are mixed . Some say they wear too quick and perform poorly in the rain .

[WeeYari]

I'm running Ecsta ASX 215/40/17s.

First year performance was great in dry, good in wet conditions. At 43,125kms on them, the tires currently on the front are close to shot. One more tire rotation will be the end of all four.

My previous tires were ASTs. They lasted just over 49,000kms, so longevity between the two is basically equal.

[MadMax]

WeeYari, how did the AST perform as compared to the ASX?

I read the reviews on Discount Tire which were generally favorable. Since we rarely see rain here, and when it does I will drive my Jeep because it's usually intense; I'm not too worried about handling in the wet. If I get caught in the rain, I take back roads and my time getting home.

I just hope they don't dry rot like my previous set of Rikens!

Cheers! M2

[WeeYari]

Opps. My bad. Previous tires were ASXs as well.

[MadMax]

No worries, I was just wondering if the extra cost was worth it. The guy at Discount Tire seemed to think so...

[MadMax]

Just to show you what the southcentral Texas heat can do to a tire, here are pics of my old Riken Raptors...

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c209/M2Repsol/Yaris/IMG_5662_zpseaf2a175.jpg
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c209/M2Repsol/Yaris/IMG_5663_zps45343148.jpg
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c209/M2Repsol/Yaris/IMG_5664_zps57b35d25.jpg

I didn't realize how bad they had got until I took these pics! :eek:

Cheers! M2

[Hershey]

Ouch . Good thing they're not the Goodyear Eagle LS . Those crack in cold weather . Can't imagine what the hot temps in the south would do to those .

[kimona]

Don't have personal feedback about Kumho ASX. But, I also just got a set of Kumho from discounttiredirect. Opted for the 205/50/16 Kumho Ecsta 4x. Paid $247 shipped to my door. After about 1000 miles, I'm quite happy with them.

[MadMax]

I had a set of Kumhos on a previous car, Ecsta SPTs on a 1996 VW Passat GLX wagon that I had prior to my Yaris, and I was pretty happy with them...