Might have to put a new set of tyres on the oval for trip to Nambucca. The ones on it are old and cracked in between the tread blocks

These are Yokohama 195/60/15 radials.
Should I stick with the Yokos or go to another brand?? Budgets about $150 a wheel.

Whats everybody running.

thass a frikken huge question grey.
anyone here work in a tyre mart?
my 2c = michelins for longevity, pirellis for grip (but oww at price) toyo's for that skatin across the road on ice feeling, and firestones for price. none of which i have on my car.
i like the unpredictability that my supermarket trolley wheels give my ride

Choice magazine recommended, Kumho Powermax 769 for 205/65R15. They weren't available in the tyre size I wanted 165/75R13, but the Kumho Powermax 758 is basically the same tyre. They're on a daily driven car, best tyres I've ever had. Only available at Tyrepower I think, they could tell you if available in the profile you're after.

falken- (326's)have had a set of 185/65r15 on the bug for ages and been flogging it hard and they seem sweet. Getting some st 115 when these wear out.

I used to get Metric Monarchs for my 65 Beetle from the local Good Year tyre mob, they were a good tyre, good milage and good handling, used to cost me around $350 for four fitted with new tubes, that was about 6 years ago.
Rob......

Micheline 165 x 15 got eum fitted to all my cars.

I have 16" x 225/50 GT Radials. They are an excellent tyre.

I have good grip and the wear on them is excellent:thumb I have had them for about 2 1/2 years and they still have about 85% tread.

I currently have safari AWR's which are good - can't complain about thier life as there surviving their second Baja alright.

If they ever wear out I'm going Coopers.

http://www.coopertires.com.au/ 


Discoverer STT should look just right on your Oval Dean. Perfect for kerbs and smashing errant cats.

If road noise isn't your thing then go with the new Coopers HP Sport.

It features:
Strong tyre construction (less punctures)
Soft comfortable ride
Deep tread pattern for wet bitumen conditions, plus
Off road traction (mud, snow, sand)
Increased mileage
Available in sizes up to 18" diameter
Up to 60,000 km warranty

Tyres are a personal choice always - Ask ten different people, you will get ten different answers!

If I had an Oval - I'd be going the War Bug look.

Michelin on all my vehicles, even the push bike. Not much experience with other brands to compare though, just been happy with what I have.
Like bosch, I have notice the country of manufacture can be all over the place lately though. Don't like it when that happens.
:thumb

I got Wanli 195/50X15 on the front and 195/60X15 rears.
Fronts were $87.50 each and rears were $99.00 each.
They seem to work well..... i get a little understeer, but you probly dont corner like i do...
And for the price..... they are a bargin...

It depends what width you're after and what you're usage is.

135 - 165's - go the Michelins.
If it's track, then refer to Jak and what he uses.

If it's for daily use, but a wide tread, then refer to the good old Motor Mag for their tyre review.

Squiz....

There are so many tyres on the market. There's more than 30 or so brands.

If you are using standard rims you can't go past Michelin XZX tyres. They are old and out of date but they just work brilliantly on beetles.

If you want something that's sporty, long wearing and is brilliant in the wet for $150 per tyre I'd suggest Yokohama A539s. It is a biased opinion because I work for Yokohama Tyres.

If you want an unbiased opinion read the April edition of wheels magazine. Bob Jane did a tyre test and invited a representative from each tyre company. The A539 won the performance category convincingly. One surprising thing is Pirelli. In the 3 tyre tests done by wheels this year the Pirellis have all rated poorly or at least below expectations.

Bob Jane is doing A539s for a really good price at the moment so give them a call to make sure the size you want is in your budget.

A little about the A539s. You may remember the Yokohama A509, it's legendary among car enthusiasts. The A539 is it's successor and it beates it in every aspect except noise.

Yokohama's are generally superior to other tyres due to their consturction technology and quality. Generally Yokohama need less weights to balance up and some of the compounds they use are damn impressive. The Silica compound used in the A539 uses a Zeruma processing agent that stops the silica clumping and evenly distributes it.

I have A539s on my company car and as street tyres for my oval. I chose the A539s because they are so brilliant in the wet, so much so that I plan to use them on the race track as my wet tyre.

A cheaper alternative for you could be the Yokohama S306. It is only available from Yokohama key dealers. It's a good budget/performance alternative.

If you've got any specific questions feel free to email me.

CYA, CT

Ahh the Yoki 509, very nice.

On the Beetle we have some old cracked units called 'Kleber' brand. They squeal just nicley around corners.

funnily, kleber means 'sticker'.
i've been impressed by pirellis, but i haven't used them on a car for years. and years. i use them on my bike, and they scare me with how far over i can push it. just no good on steel floated carpark floors.. eeeeep. they take about ten minutes to warm up, then they're fun

might have to try the yoko's after CTs spiel tho. good excuse to wear out my current crud faster

I have a set of kleber v12 on my imp that ima doing up. Supposedly the tire of the time?

You do know I was joking.. don't you guys... guys... hello?

I thought if the tread groove happened to run over the cat it might escape unharmed.

Goodyear Custom G800 if you can find em

Thanks for all the good mail on tryes peoples.
CT the Yokos's I have on at the moment are 352's on 5.5" 356 Replica rims.
Got a quote from Bob Jane for 539's for $145 a wheel fitted / on car balance. Probably go with these. I'll take a trip down there and see if Ican sqeeze them a little harder.

Bronze I got it

The list price I have for 195/60R15 A539s is $195.

Their load and speed rating is 88H.

The tyres they beat in the wheels test were: dunlop 300e, bridgestone gr50, michelin mxv-8, toyo tranpath mp+, pirelli p6 and goodyear ventura.

The categories the A539 won were braking, cornering, slalom and overall performance.

Enjoy your new treads. CYA, CT

Kumho powermax. pretty good tyre and good lookin tread pattern.

hey CT

what isthe QTOG(?) treadwear rating on the A359? And refering to the long channels that have the same function as straight channels on 'regular' tyres, if the water cannot escape out towards the shoulder blocks as the tyre rolls, wouldn't it 'squash' the water and promote aquaplanning?



...eat steamed tofu

My last bug was a 64 running 185/65/13 (!) and 225/60/15 on the back. the fronts were Federals 263's i think - really good braking in the wet in my books, corners were on par too. I'd have to be taking hairpin corners pretty hard to get them to understeer. I wouldn't take corners like a granny and these tyres lasted me over 2 yrs with more than 70% tread left on them when i sold it. The backs were second hand A352 Yoki's. the shoulders where kinda gone from the previous owner, but this didnt worry me as i had negative camber on the back. Even with 225's, it was still possible to get oversteer by lifing off mid corner esp. in the wet and occasionally (if the road was slippery) to get the ass out totally with the throttle ...all this with only a stock 1600 twin port,,,

right now on my 54 bug, i still 225/60/15's on the back, but they are Hankook K406's and the fronts are Bridgestone cross plies (hehehe) 5.60X15.. planning to get 195/65/15 'Kooks to match the front as soon as i can find some 5.5 or 6" x 15" rims.... (6volt 5 stud pattern)

anyone got any?



... slurp gelatinated tofu

CT,
How do the 195/60R15 A539s go on a 4.5" rim? does it keep the same outside diameter so it doesn't muck with the speedo? Are both side to the type marked? (i will get them "whitewalled"
Thanks.

on the Kombi , I tried some of the Kuhmo's and am Very Impressed.
I have to replace my 155 - 15 Michelins
on the front of the Oval soon so - will check out a few of the tyres mentioned above.

bridgestone for me!! had a few different styles all wore well and had good wet and dry grip. just put on potenza GIII 195/50/15 cost $127 each, for a good tyre thats what i thought was a good price. these thing may be a bit too wet orientated though, the center groove is very wide and it takes a bit more of s/wheel turning to chuck her in. but add rain and theres not much difference! cant have enough wet wether grip on twisty country roads with swing axles. see ya at valla , um sorry you have to drive so far, not that its ever unenjoyable in a vw,but to rub it in im already there! its home. anyone remember john vann look and his suburu powered green circuit racing oval? well he lives here too and has entered in the lap dash. this, i think, will be his first time on a track!!! could be interesting

[Edited on 19-7-2003 by dumone]