[basilisk4]

The marginal stock tires served me more or less adequately for over a year and almost 20,000 miles, but they have worn enough that they were going to need to be replaced soon. So, after a lot of research, the tires I settled on were the Avon Tech M550 A/S in 225/45WR17.

Actually, Avon calls them "tyres," but I'm pretty sure they're still the roughly cylindrical rubber things that will fit around my wheels. I ordered them from my local DiscountTire rather than Tirerack, even though DiscountTire will actually be ordering from Tirerack themselves, for the sake of having a brick-and-mortar place to go back to if there is a problem with the tires. I was going to have to pay someone to mount and balance the tires anyway, and the price DiscountTire quoted me was only about $98 higher than what it would cost me to order the tires from Tirerack myself, so it seemed worth it to me.

The tires should arrive sometime early next week, and I'll probably get them installed next Thursday since I have that day off from work.

I'm excited -- the M550s ranked #1 in their category (Ultra High-Performance All-Season), and I'm looking forward not only to better traction, but a more comfortable, quieter ride.

 

[lo bux racer]

Hooray! You are in for a treat. You won't believe how much better the car is with good tires!

 

[krdshrk]

Copying me and EddNog huh?

The company is "Avon Tyres". I passed by a warehouse or factory or something near philly.

I'm happy happy happy with mine. Make sure they're mounted right, though. They're directional tires.

 

[basilisk4]

Originally posted by krdshrk@Dec 1 2005, 12:29 AM
Copying me and EddNog huh?

The company is "Avon Tyres". I passed by a warehouse or factory or something near philly.

I'm happy happy happy with mine. Make sure they're mounted right, though. They're directional tires.

Actually, I picked these out long before either of you got yours -- probably before at least one of you got your tC.

I just wanted to get some life out of my stockers before I replaced them. But now, it is time.

 

[phungy]

Those are the tires I'll be getting once mine start to wear out too...

-waiting-

 

[JBranger]

Sounds good!

 

[krdshrk]

So me and Ed definitely have made impressions on your tire opinions.... Good!

 

[basilisk4]

Yup. These looked good before, but now that you guys have had them and have said such good things about them, I was more willing to get them.

 

[iGod]

good call, marty.

 

[tormented8]

these "tyres" are a good call. i feel more comfortable in the snow on these than i ever did on dry roads with the oem ones. not a bad price either. thank you to whoever mentioned tire rack, they kick arse

 

[krdshrk]

How many of us have them now? EddNog, Me, Basilisk, Tormented... who else?

 

[mikeyb3d]

I'm still undecided... I want to replace the stockers, but, like basilisk, I want to get SOME use out of them. I'm actually torn between the Avon M550 A/S and the Pirelli Pzero Nero M&S... I looked at TireRack's own test survey and wrote down all the figures for both tires in all conditions... The Pirelli's scored only slightly higher than the Avons, though I think that either tire would serve me perfectly.

I've been deliberating this for some time now, and I honestly cant really make a decision. I'm just basing my current decision upon test results. Obviously, I want to get the most for my money.

 

[basilisk4]

The Avons are amazing. I would go with those. Also, I dunno where you saw that the Neros scored higher than the M550s -- when I looked three weeks ago, the M550s scored slightly higher than the Neros.

 

[mikeyb3d]

Originally posted by basilisk4@Dec 21 2005, 09:37 PM
The Avons are amazing. I would go with those. Also, I dunno where you saw that the Neros scored higher than the M550s -- when I looked three weeks ago, the M550s scored slightly higher than the Neros.

Probably what you're looking at are the survey results from people who've 'voted' on the tire and wrote their own reviews.

My information comes from the 'test results' that tirerack performed for themselves. Check it out and let me know what you think...


Avon Test Results

Pirelli Test Results

All I did was write down the values for each category and compared the two.

 

[mattvs]

Those fit on the stock wheels yes?

 

[EddNog]

Originally posted by mattvs@Jan 2 2006, 10:39 PM
Those fit on the stock wheels yes?

Absolutely; I'm using stock size wheels with Avons, and so is krdshrk.

-Ed

 

[mattvs]

marvy....that one's up next.

 

[basilisk4]

Note that I have the Avons in 225 on the stock wheels. It seems to me that if you can get a slightly wider tire, there's no reason not to.

Also, I just wanted to give a little update -- I drove in a torrential downpour yesterday, in which there was an inch or two of water collecting on the streets. There was enough water that I could hear the tires cutting through the water, but cut through they did -- even up to about 55 MPH. It was impressive.

 

[krdshrk]

Don't they bulge outwards a bit, basilisk4?

I'm running 215/45R17's like Ed does.

 

[JBranger]

Hmm, seems as if I too will be needing new tires before long. Taking a hard look at the Avons. Thx.