Re: Yoko Tires I Like Alot

[CaptWSims@domain.elided]

In a message dated 5/21/99 9:33:09 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:

<< From: "Wendy Wood & Carson Damm" <dammwood@domain.elided>
 Subject: AVSi's
 
 Yok AVSi are no longer avail as a new tire here so I was wondering what
 people have found as a good three season tire. >>

I've had only Yoko A509s on my cars for years (excepting the Giulietta) and 
after about 12 or 13 sets I obviously like them.  On my Verde and GTV-6 I 
have run the 205/50s on the factory alloy wheels.  Have the same on my 
Alfetta GT (with aftermarket 15" wheels).  Currently have 195/60s on the 
Milano; will return to the 205s when these are worn out in about 5-7k more 
miles.   Also have them on the 3000GT my wife drives (245/50x16) and on the 
Jetta my son drives (185/60x13).  Strong point is traction: wet, dry, and 
even in the snow (hey, we had lots of snow a few years ago when I was in 
Maryland!).  Weak point would be fairly short life on Alfas.  While I can get 
about 40k out of them on the 3000GT and Jetta, the Alfas wear out the inside 
edge (even with rotating front to back) by 25-30k miles.  I blame this on the 
inherent negative camber of the 116 series, as the alignments have been done 
and re-done and done again!    Then again, if you were looking for the AVS 
series then you are putting a premium on performance and not looking for 
those 80k hard rubber tires.  The wear index is 160.  The sidewall is likely 
not as stiff as the AVS, so turn-in would be less pronounced, but I found 
them to be only slightly less responsive than the BFG R1s I had for 
autocrossing the Alfetta.  I have found these tires to be excellent for 
time-trials, and when I was in Texas they worked really well for autocross 
when the temperature was over 100 degrees  F.   And they aren't noisy.   And 
the price has really come down the past 5 years as Yokohama has come out with 
later generations.  
										
				Bill Sims

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