195/55 slowed my car down

[SailDesign]

Originally Posted by HTM Yaris

I think GY are better than the BS for year round everyday driving .

Having had the BS (aptly named) on my -07, and the GY on the new 09 (just like you) I can definitely say that the GoodYears are WAY better in the wet, prolly way better i nthe snow, too, although I haven't been able to check that yet.

[scape]

the bridgestones were terrible in wet, and I live in what is apparently now a rainforest, lol.
thanks for the replies, i'll keep this all in mind

[Tamago]

did you check your pressures yet?

[scape]

i'm going to pick up a tpg today, the irish pub was calling me yesterday ;D

[Tamago]

Originally Posted by scape

i'm going to pick up a tpg today, the irish pub was calling me yesterday ;D

haha the one downtown?

[scape]

korrigans on powerline, pretty cool place actually; i've given up on downtown, haha

[Tamago]

Originally Posted by scape

korrigans on powerline, pretty cool place actually; i've given up on downtown, haha

any place that has guinness has my respect

[Shroomster]

Originally Posted by Loren

(there's usually a set of little arrows that mark the max rollover point) in hard cornering.

I could've sworn those marks were to visual aid the tread wear indicators...

at least that's what i figured the michelin men are for all along the shoulder.

[scape]

i think i'm finally getting used to the new tires-- the grip is unbelievable compared to stock, and I gotta say, GT exclaims perform awesome in wet, really confidence inspiring.
I drove 2 miles and parked my car for 1.5 hours, then checked the air pressure (it was a very hot day in the 90's) and the air pressure read:

34 fl, 37 fr
37 rl, 36 rr

I'm going to get a better reading in a morning test, that way I know how much to adjust by, but I thought it was unusual that the pressure was well above 32, I hardly drove it that day.

[Loren]

Scape, nothing against you here, but this is a perfect example of how things like the tire survey data on the Tire Rack website should be weighed carefully. You're calling the GT Exclaim "awesome" and "confidence" inspiring where a person who has experienced a much BETTER tire would merely call them "adequate" and "not horrible".

How good a tire is depends greatly on what you're comparing it to, and there are far better tires out there than anything made by General and/or any all-season tire. You've acquired another data point... now next time spring for a really good set of "summer" tires with good rain characteristics. (you live in SFL, you don't need all season tires) They'll cost a little more, but they will blow you away with their grip and responsiveness wet or dry.

Tire temperature gets up to it's operating level pretty quickly. A mile or two will do it, especially at speeds over 45ish. Want to see how sensitive tire pressures are to temp? Set all four tires to even pressure in the shade early in the morning (cold). Then park the car where one side of the car is in the sun. See if you don't see at least 2 degrees higher temps on the sunny side in a couple hours.

[Tamago]

also remember that excessive braking warms up your wheel and will keep "heat" in the tire for quite some time following.

[scape]

Originally Posted by Loren

Scape, nothing against you here, but this is a perfect example of how things like the tire survey data on the Tire Rack website should be weighed carefully. You're calling the GT Exclaim "awesome" and "confidence" inspiring where a person who has experienced a much BETTER tire would merely call them "adequate" and "not horrible".

How good a tire is depends greatly on what you're comparing it to, and there are far better tires out there than anything made by General and/or any all-season tire. You've acquired another data point... now next time spring for a really good set of "summer" tires with good rain characteristics. (you live in SFL, you don't need all season tires) They'll cost a little more, but they will blow you away with their grip and responsiveness wet or dry.

Tire temperature gets up to it's operating level pretty quickly. A mile or two will do it, especially at speeds over 45ish. Want to see how sensitive tire pressures are to temp? Set all four tires to even pressure in the shade early in the morning (cold). Then park the car where one side of the car is in the sun. See if you don't see at least 2 degrees higher temps on the sunny side in a couple hours.

exactly my point. this was not a comparison to every tire, but simply a tire that I find cheap and great at the same time. these tires blow away the re92's, and that was my sole comparison.
have you used these tires, by any chance?

[Loren]

Originally Posted by scape

exactly my point. this was not a comparison to every tire, but simply a tire that I find cheap and great at the same time. these tires blow away the re92's, and that was my sole comparison.
have you used these tires, by any chance?

Nope, never used them. I did have RE92's as OE tires on a 1993 Geo Metro... how's that for an indication of how out-of-date those tires are?

There are all-season tires, and there are better all-season tires... but no all-season tire ever compares to a good summer performance tire. (unless you're driving in the snow or temperatures below about 40 degrees) Every tire is a compromise between factors like treadwear, noise, dry traction, wet traction, snow traction, ride comfort, cost... and probably a few other things. The typical all-season tire strives to be "okay" at all of those things, but can't "really good" at any of them because it's just not possible.

[Tamago]

i'm HATING my all season AST's :( wish my wallet had been thicker, i would have re-purchased RS2's as my street tire. or some R888's :D

[Sabretooth]

I am going to get shoed into a set of RS2's when my old tires kick it (3 months or so from now). Just still debating to stick with my 50 profile or go with a smaller sidewall (45)

[Tamago]

225-45-15 FTMFW!! :)

[Thirty-Nine]

Originally Posted by Tamago

i'm HATING my all season AST's :( wish my wallet had been thicker, i would have re-purchased RS2's as my street tire. or some R888's :D

I hated my ASTs, too.

I like my Falken 912s for a daily-driving tire. Unfortunately, it gets cold enough here in Oregon to use an all-season tire.

I now have a set of studded snow tires, though, so theoretically, I could run the studs during the winter and the alloys with summer tires during the nicer months. However, I just hate running steelies; I need a second set of alloys w/winter rubber.

[kngrsll]

i love the dunlop star specs... GREAT tire, and cheap!