<02> Recent 2002 tire recommendations

["Curtis A. Ingraham" <ingraham@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In BMW Digest v09.n1924 Bill Wohler <wohler@domain.elided> wrote:

>  In '96, the hot tip for 2002s was the AVS Intermediates or the A509s
>  if you cared about treadlife. I cared about treadlife so I went with
>  the A509s.
>  
>  It's time to replace them.
>
>  I was bummed to hear that this tire has been discontinued. I found
>  it to handle quite well, it lasted pretty long (28k), and it was
>  quiet. Its handling was light years past the the Contis and Eagers
>  that I had previously.
>
>  So, what are the current hot tips for 2002s? What would you
>  recommend to replace the 195/60R14 A509s on my '71 2002? I hit the
>  snow maybe once a year and autocross etc. the same.
>
>  What sort of treadlife are folks pulling on their AVS Intermediates?
>
>  I dug up some info about the Yoko A520 as a replacement. Any
>  opinions there? Heard they were noisy. My wife has Eagers on her car
>  and they are too loud for me.

There aren't many good tires left in the 14-inch sizes.

The AVS-I is $62 at the Tire Rack, and it's a very good tire.
An even better tire is the Dunlop SP Sport 8000 ($74).  I just
finished my second set of these.  The first set lasted 13,000 
miles, and the second set 22,000 miles.  These are a bit small
at 195/55-14, but they're great tires.  A third tire to consider
is the Toyo Proxes T1-S (also 195/55-14).  See www.toyo.com for
a Toyo dealer; Toyo doesn't sell through the mail order tire 
dealers.

The Yokohama A520 is not made in any 14-inch size.  (Nor even 15?)

Curt Ingraham
72 2002tii
Oakland, CA
Improved 2002 Radiators

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