summer tires

MARTICUS · Apr 9, 2014

Hey yalllll

I'm having a hard time finding summer tires. I have e30ix alloys, 15"x7.5" i believe.

I want to stick with 195 or 205 tire widths, low(ish) side walls. and my tire guy has only one "summer tire" option.

195/50 r15 BF Goodrich G Force Sport Comp 2's (that sound like great summer tires..) $75.00 each.

They however have an 82 load index, and I wonder if my mk3 tdi jetta will be to heavy for them? our engines aren't light.

Anyone have any input?

btw, I have dedicated winter wheels and am looking for a fun summer tire that will make my boat rolll over hard on the back roads

TDIPWR33 · Apr 9, 2014

I am doing research on summer tires and I have 195/60/14's. I found that the hankook H724 are my best bet for price and quality. I have had hankook tires before, a lower grade then the H724 and they worked well. They wore out quickly I think, but I will be sure to take them up on there 110km warranty this time which is a higher warrenty then most brands such as the g force bf Goodrich which are around 80km. I checked reviews and the hankooks are good tires, better then the toyo extenzas a/s, bf Goodrich, cooper. They have good ratings, and I I believe they wil do well on wet pavement unlike my walmart nexen tires which slide very easily on wet pavement and are just horrible tires overall.

MARTICUS · Apr 9, 2014

Interesting, Thanks for the input

Edit: I haven't come across either of those in the sizes I'm looking for..
I am most interested in people opinions on the load index.. Its not something I've dealt with when tire shopping before

G60ING · Apr 10, 2014

Summer only tires on a mk3, are you doing any track events or just terrorizing your local streets and off/on ramps

here is what the tirerack offers for 205/50/15 (the same size as the VR6 Corrado)

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSearchResults.jsp?width=205/&ratio=50&diameter=15&performance=ALL

Here are the 195/50/15 tires:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSearchResults.jsp?width=195/&ratio=50&diameter=15&performance=ALL

G60ING · Apr 10, 2014

Discountire has Kumho's too: http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/se...c|32578&ar=50&fqs=true&rd=15&y=13&x=16&cs=205

http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/se...c|32578&ar=50&fqs=true&rd=15&y=22&x=27&cs=195

G60ING · Apr 10, 2014

I wouldn't worry too much about the load index but if you want to shop based on a VW car just use a Mk3 VR6, they came with 15" tires and then you can use their load index as a guide.

here is a 1998 Jetta GLX (VR6)'s stock tire size selection: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireS...true&minSpeedRating=H&minLoadRating=S&tab=All

MARTICUS · Apr 10, 2014

Thank you for the ideas and opinion on load ratings!! You da bomb!

Ps you got me pegged, im just a terrorist!

G60ING · Apr 10, 2014

Then look for a High treadwear rating, something 400 and up indicates a long life tire. below 300 and the stickiness is greater than a mk3 tdi really needs on the street. The tirerack also has a nice survey for a number of qualities as shown on this page:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...hicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes&tab=Survey

MARTICUS · Apr 14, 2014

Thanks again, didn't have much time last week to look at these links. I'm not seeing where the treadwear rating is though.. That is a good thing for me to think about since i drive at least 60 miles to work and back everyday

G60ING · Apr 14, 2014

UTQG:

MARTICUS · Apr 14, 2014

ohhh ok I did see that rating

MARTICUS · Apr 14, 2014

How'd I do on my last set of summer tires?

Abacus · Apr 15, 2014

They were over pressurized and you need an alignment.

I have worn them past the point of seeing a tread pattern before, but it was even across the tire.

G60ING · Apr 15, 2014

Abacus said:
They were over pressurized and you need an alignment.

I have worn them past the point of seeing a tread pattern before, but it was even across the tire.

Ditto

MARTICUS · Apr 15, 2014

Oh yeah, i think i had em at 40 psi or even a little more... Better mpgs on the highway was my thought. Trying to do to much at one time lol. I'll have to take some picas of my snow tires when i take em off, i thought my alignment was good.. The frost heaves this winter could give ya some airtime though..

Abacus · Apr 15, 2014

I hear you there! The good thing is that the air time and driving on snow/ice pack means the tires last longer. Suspension takes a beating though.

MARTICUS · Apr 15, 2014

Hahaha you are an impressive optimist.. I need to start thinking like that!

G60ING · Apr 15, 2014

The question of the day does improved MPG offset the cost of replacing tires earlier? Better handling may occur at a lower PSI too.

MARTICUS · Apr 16, 2014

No.. No I don't think it does. Well maybe in my case.. Since I only paid forty bucks for the four tires.. But next set will be run at the right pressures

Abacus · Apr 16, 2014

I buy my standard size tires at the local junkyard and often find them new or almost new, and they are usually around $10 each. I have my own tire machine so it costs nothing to swap them over. But in addition to getting better life out of them, I find the ride is smoother due to the additional sidewall flex. I have noticed a difference on that.

MARTICUS · Apr 16, 2014

Dang man anything you aint got? Hot cars, hot wife, hot tire changer machines...

I think i'll go with those dizerra summer tires. Its fun to think i needa stickier tire but... Im not that exciting. 460 is probably better than those old over inflated general "uhp"s anyway

Abacus · Apr 16, 2014

MARTICUS said:
Dang man anything you aint got? Hot cars, hot wife, hot tire changer machines...

There isn't a whole lot I don't have or can't do, but to date no one has called my 17 year old VW's 'hot', nor my 1954 Bishman tire changer.

The wife, on the other hand, is a different matter...

I think i'll go with those dizerra summer tires. Its fun to think i needa stickier tire but... Im not that exciting. 460 is probably better than those old over inflated general "uhp"s anyway

I used to run the General UHP's in 205/45-16's and while they are a nice sticky tire, they only lasted about 20-25K. I am now using the General GMax AS-03 and like them, much better life expectancy (480 rated) while retaining the stickiness (they feel about the same when I push them). They are also approved for all-season use, which means I can keep them on until I put the snows on whereas the UHP's were treacherous when it got colder.

MARTICUS · Apr 16, 2014

Haha niice.
Cold temps mess up softer rubber? Make it freeze up to hard?

Abacus · Apr 16, 2014

Don't know, but I do remember the tires came with a warning not to use them below 35° and they felt 'greasy' down around 40°.

summer tires

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