Hey guys,

I just ordered some Falken Azenis but I talked to somebody with them and he said that they hydroplane so bad with 5000 miles wear that he doesn't go out when it rains. So I need to know, and quick, what is a good ultra-high-performance all-season tire? Or will I be OK with the Azenis? I expect it to snow lightly two or three times this winter, and don't plan on changing my wheels when it happens.

Should I keep rolling on my worn Michelin XGT V4 195/55 R15 for the rest of the year and then buy some Azenis during springtime?

Ben

 

Azenis seem to be race-tires for the street. The tread design was made specifically for racing. IMO, it wouldn't be very safe at all in the weather. A good compromise (for the price) are Kuhmo Escatas (check out the latest GRM issue), but...you won't get the dry traction you want from the Kuhmo Escatas.

David

 

i wouldnt put the azenis in the snow. Although great rain tire the contact spots are too slick and large. Too much spin in teh snow. Just look for some shitty all season or winters on steelies. Our local boards have a bunch of them noramlly around $75 a set.

Wait till spring.

 

Well if the Kuhmo Ecstas really aren't Azenis-grippy, then should I just stick with my Michelin XGT V4s? ... Okay, I just read the survey points and reviews on Tire Rack of the XGT V4s, and I have to agree. They suck in weather. Is it possible that the Azenis suck even more?

Ben

 

S0-3's?

Snow and Ultra High Performance have no place in the same sentence though.

 

Well if you also don't have ice during the winter you should be okay with Azenis. But I would be very cautious in snow or ice with them on. So do yourself a favor and find a junk/salvage yard and buy 4 15" steelie rims for like $10-25 each and put the XGT V4s on them and mount the Azenis on your better rims.

 

I have my stock 14" steelies sittin' in the shed. (:cue bango: Yee haw :/bango I should probably just use the Michelin all weather tires on those when there is weather, and the Falkens on my 15" rims during the dry time? But you know what? No way in hell am I going to be swapping wheels. So that's a bad idea.

ben

 

Jeff is right, if you think you're going to find a decent all season tire that can grip like the Falkens you're living in a dream land. There are decent 'performance' all seaons out there that I'm sure are better than the Michelins though.

As far as rain I can vouch for the Kumhos being great, and the Yokahoma ES 100's are supposed to be good too. The SO3's are awesome in the dry and the rain but are a lot more expensive.

Whatever you do, if you're going to be driving in snow, get a set of winter tires! The difference between good summer and winter tires is like night and day compared to the best all-seasons.

Edit: If you're only going through one or two light snow storms, you might want to get a set of all-seasons for the winter. I've used Nokian Hakkappelliata tires, which work great in the snow and rain and honestly handle better in the dry than the old Michelins (they are still nowhere near as good as any performance tire)


[Modified by Angry Joe, 9:49 PM 9/23/2002]

 

Azenis in Snow? you dont need any first hand experience to know they wont do **** in the snow. Look at the tread pattern!

If you cant afford to get some steelies and cheap winter tires with the azenis, just WAIT until you can. It just isnt worth it, for safety reasons.

I have owned 2 new hondas in the past 2 years. And both(stock tires) absolutely sucked in any kind of weather, especially snow. So if anything, buy some good all-season tires first, then buy the azenis. And if you cant afford some cheap steel wheels, just swap the tires every season.


Mike D

 

he's already whining about not wanting to change wheels and tires.. even though he already has a set of stock steelies in the shed.. WAH WAH WAAAAHHH!!

i change my wheels/tires every time i autocross. it's good exercise, so stop being lazy and start being smart!!

 

That is not appreciated.

Ben

 

sorry, i guess it was childish... but if you have 2 sets of wheels, why not use them to there fullest? take advantage of what's available...


it's not that bad to change wheels/tires once a year... you could bleed the brakes at the same time!!!

 

The Azenis are fine for rain up to 4'ish mm of tread. People are complaining that the tire wears down so quick, but forget to mention their toe and camber settings.

I ran 75mph in a downpour and started hydroplaning, slowed down to 70mph and was fine with 4mm of tread.

 

im looking to do the same thing, if there is a little snow i may adventure out if i have to but, any more then that im staying the f#*k home, imo its not worth wrecking my car, i've driven a fair number of time in the snow and i hate it, i can do it but i still hate it, our cars are just too light

 

Or you buy a dedicated set of wheels/tires for winter Duh! :D

 

If your giong to drive Azenis in the snow just save your self some time and hit your car a few times with a baceball bat. U will get the same effect

 

I have a 90 integra with some decent snows on it and I drive through mountain passes and to and from ski hills in the winter all the time. You would be AMAZED what a good set of winter tires can do. I've never once got into a situation where I was really uncomfortable with the weather conditions. (Knock on wood).

But if you're only going to see a couple days of light snow just run you're all seasons for the two months of the year or whatever that you think things might get bad. I probably change the wheels on my car >10 times a year. It's really no so bad. Better than putting your car into a tree anyway.

 

What about rain? It does rain pretty hard here for a couple of months of the year, and I have too heard stories about hydroplaning. Does anyone have any first-hand experience of driving in the rain with them?

 

Ummm did you read any of the posts? If not reread mine above.

 

To try to get back to the original question...2 all season tires that I have heard have good handling characteristics are the Dunlop SP Sport A2 or D60A2(cheap) and the BFG g-Force T/A KDWS (Not so cheap)

No they won't grip like Azenis, but they aren't junk either. Have to make compromises in the winter when you live north or that 'ol Manson/Nixon line, you know? Oh sorry Mason/Dixon

 

Don't be cheap when it comes to tires. They will save your life.

Cash - who put his first accord into a telephone pole in the snow doing less than 20mph on brand new SUMMER tires.

 

These come standard if I recall on my wife's Protege5. We drove to Pittsburgh (4 hours) in a blizzard in her car and it tracked pretty good. No slipping and sliding I and there was about 3-4 feet of snow on the ground already. I was really surprised. Now of course a dedicated set of snow tires would be better....

 

I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere, but are these the OE tires? I mean, the actual tires that were on the car when it rolled off the dealer lot? I ask only because there is wide speculation that the V4s that Honda put on their cars were not at all similar grip-wise to the V4s you'd get from, say, Tirerack.

 

Yeah they just about suck

 

i just got my azenis and i'm not thinkin about runnin them in snow
-spenc