Well, today I finally got rid of the run-flats.

I never really had any problems with them, but they rode poorly and they were noisy beyond belief.

I've looked at everything out there and finally settled on Yoko Avid Envigors (from the folks at Tire Rack -- thank you very much folks). I bought 205 X 50 X 16 to replace the stock Bridgestone E300 II Turanzas which were 195 X 55 X 16.

I considered 17 inch wheels and I considered 205 X 55 X 16s but eliminated both for various reasons.

First impression is that the car is still noisy, but I can now separate the CAR noise from the tire noise. The Envigors are still a stiff tire and the ride is still very Mini like. They're too new to have any impression on cornering. It takes few miles to realize that the "thud" from hitting anything with the RFs is now mostly gone or at least very muted. You can still hear the suspension working, but there is less to feel in the tailfeathers when you hit something like a tar strip or some other kind of mild bump.

The steering seems somehow "sharpened". I can hold the wheel with my finger tips and guide the car quite easily. It just feels very different.

I'm headed out for a couple of day trips and then to Mickey and Mini in early October. I'll let you know how they are doing.

Some Pix:

 

I've know only one person who went back to RFTs after switching. My car originally came with the Pirelli eufori RFT. Wow, those where really terrible tires.

 

I also have ordered Yokohama Avid Envigors and am waiting for them to arrive. In Canada, these tires are a bit more difficult to get, even with a rather large price premium paid.

 

I have had them on for over 2000 miles now and 2 months. They have only gotten better. Handling is great and so is the ride. Still can't get used to how quiet they are compared to my runflats.

 

I'm finding new excuses to drive the car because the experience is so much more pleasant than it used to be. The car itself is not a quiet car, but the RFs often made it almost unbearable on certain roads. The effect is sorta like insulating the sound with rubber. I can't really describe what the difference is, but its substantial.

I've also found that the slightly reduced diameter lowers the final drive ratio just enough to help accelleration under some conditions. I find that at a couple of places where we used to shift down (like up and over a "bump" over I-95 near my home) the little car now seems to be high enough in the torque curve to avoid the shift. I also find myself using the "S" button less because I have enough grunt without it.

I'm waiting to see what happens to the fuel mileage -- I filled up on the way home from having the tires mounted.

So far, I'm very happy with the change -- if there is a downside, it is that I really don't like the looks of the tire as much as I thought I might.

One other thing -- the various websites never mention it, but Envigors are directional tires, marked to spin in one direction and therefore can't be rotated side to side without remounting.

(I'm wondering what to do with the old RFs. Am I likely to find a buyer for them. They've got about 5/32s left -- they've gone 15K).

 

Well -- first tank of gas has come and gone. The Yokos appear to have had little impact on fuel mileage, perhaps a slight improvement. I'd been averaging 33.1 overall. I got 33.8 on the first tank.

The tire continue to impress me. I'm not a track person, so I can only relate the experiences on the road, but so far, the tires seem to be very good. they are not as quiet as I would have liked, but having said that, they are a quantum leap quieter than the RFs. Perhaps I'm just hearing things that had been drowned out before. The best way I can describe the feeling of these tires is to say they had a rubber bumper to everything. You still hear it, but it is softer, and while you still hear a bump, you are less likely to feel it.

I had some misgivings about not buying one to the "standard brands", i.e., Michelin or Continental, but I had great luck with Yokos on my CRX Si so I gave them a whirl. So far, they seem great. But they have less than 1K on them so far, so let's see how they do. I'm headed north to see my Granddaughter soon. I'm looking forward to a road trip to see what they are like for long miles.

 

Anyone try these in 15" yet -- either 175/65-15 or 195/60-15? They are on my short list.

 

It was backordered last month when I needed a set. Alex suggested to try the new Sumitomo's as he felt they were better than the Avid. No regrets after one month. Cheaper also. I went with the 195/60/15s. Grips infinitely better (than the OE Pirelli's), mileage took a hit initially but after break-in, no discernible difference. Very quiet tire during normal driving, pushed to the limit, no squealing, it just starts to slide a little. What gets me is its got a smoother ride than before.

 

While I continue to be happy with my decision on these tires, I'm finding that they can become pretty noisy on certain types of road surface.

There are lots of roads around central Florida that have been repaired with what a lot of local folks call "chipcoat" -- its asphalt with a lot of rocks in it. The Envigors put up quite a roar on that surface, almost as bad as the run-flats. But then they go back to being almost silent on smooth surfaces.

One other little observation. There are a lot of drawbridges over the various waterways here and most have an open grate surface on the actual moveable span. These tires react kinda strangely and the steering wheel "wiggles" in my hands when I'm crossing one. It feels very much like my motorbike does on those surfaces. I can imagine a long span (like the Chesapeake Bay Bridge or perhaps the big bridge on the upper Michigan peninsula would be pretty interesting. I'm comparing it here to the run-flats, and the Michelins on my other car which are not particularly affected at all by the bridge surface.

I've found no tendency at all to "tramline" or to be adversely affected by rain grooves.

I still like these tires, and they are a quantum leap over the RFs.