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Advice on spec b tyres for safe country driving yoko AD08R?

PostPosted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 1:31 pm
by alfabruce
Hi All,

Im looking to get new tyres on our 09 spec B wagon.

Ive seen a lot of info about tyres over the last several years but I havnt seen any recommendations over the last 6 months or so and with brands, model numbers, place of manufacture, orange oil additives etc etc changing all the time I thought it was worth posting a new thread on this subject.

If someone has seen some recent info on this subject please point me in the right direction.

Im looking for something safe for the misses to run the kids around and we live out on the edge of the city in Adelaide and do a fair bit of highway driving (80-100kmph) on country roads going to kindy, shopping etc. We wont be using it for track days etc.

So I suppose Im after something is safe, that has good wet and dry grip and will last OK. Im not too fussed if they are a bit noisy and a bit uncomfortable if they are mega safe.

Im happy to pay a premium but would prefer not to waste money also.

Im thinking Yokohama ADVAN AD08's 215/45/R18 at this stage but Im interested in what people have to say about their wet weather performance. Being a semi-slick, It was always my impression that they would be great for track days but a handful in the wet but apparently, some people suggest they have nice deep grooves and are the best in the wet too?

Cheers

Tim

Re: Whats the latest recommendation for spec b tyres

PostPosted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 1:40 pm
by bigBADbenny
Pirelli pzero assymetrico corsa :good:

Re: Whats the latest recommendation for spec b tyres

PostPosted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 1:46 pm
by owen
AD08 have been superseded to AD08R, which is currently the best tyre in the world for both wet & dry conditions. Brilliant choice buddy. Other than that, Potenza S001s are a very good street tyre.

Re: Whats the latest recommendation for spec b tyres

PostPosted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 2:08 pm
by ferret89
Potenza S001 or RE002

Re: Whats the latest recommendation for spec b tyres

PostPosted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 2:34 pm
by alfabruce
Yeah, sorry thats the AD08r.

Bob janes has buy 4 for the price of 3 on at the moment which makes it a better deal.

Seems like the 225x40x18 for the Ad08r is around $369. Times that by 3 for as you say the best tyre in the world and that sounds good me thinks.

Tim

Re: Whats the latest recommendation for spec b tyres

PostPosted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 3:02 pm
by jslayz
alfabruce wrote:Yeah, sorry thats the AD08r.

Bob janes has buy 4 for the price of 3 on at the moment which makes it a better deal.

Seems like the 225x40x18 for the Ad08r is around $369. Times that by 3 for as you say the best tyre in the world and that sounds good me thinks.

Tim


Keen to hear your thoughts if you grab the ad08r.

Re: Whats the latest recommendation for spec b tyres

PostPosted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 3:17 pm
by Adrian2627
The AD08s aren't going to do the miles. I've got a set of S-Drives on my car, same as yours, and they are excellent both wet and dry, cheaper, and better wearing than the ADO8s. Also better value than the S001s. They were recommended to me, on the quiet, by our Subie dealer over the S001s which is what they are supposed to push.

Re: Whats the latest recommendation for spec b tyres

PostPosted: Mon Jun 23, 2014 8:51 am
by alfabruce
Yeah I know the Ado8s wont last as long but Im happy to watch them and rotate etc to get as much out of them as possible. Ive got the s -drives on another car and they are OK but I doubt they would be considered the best tyre around.

I spose Im asking for suggestions as to some of the safest tyres for my family on country roads regardless of cost and longevity.

Im still having trouble getting my head around the idea os a semi slick being good in the wet. I always thought those big areas of pure rubber were what made it grib like glue in the dry but also caused problems in the wet. I have always thought really good wet tyres had lots of grooves and pattern and smaller areas of actual trea which allowed water to get away from all areas of contact and also allowed individual pieces of tread to flex and adjust to a slippery wet road individually whilst shedding water.

Has anyone on here got actual experience with Ado8rs in the wet, either on a track or around town?

Cheers

TIm

Re: Advice on spec b tyres for safe country driving yoko AD0

PostPosted: Mon Jun 23, 2014 10:01 am
by alfabruce
Also , is it true that (to quote someones elses post)

RTA/RMS require that for registration, you cant have 50% or more worn semi-slicks, because this is considered unsafe.

This is not as much of an issue in SA where we dont have regular checks but it does beg the question, will ADo08r tyres (and other semi slicks) as they wear down will loose their amazing wet weather performance (whilst probably becoming even more of a slick and also getting even grippier in the dry) and so at 50% become very unsafe in the wet???????

Tim

Re: Advice on spec b tyres for safe country driving yoko AD0

PostPosted: Mon Jun 23, 2014 10:08 am
by bass_straitener
Michelin Pilot Super Sport.

Re: Advice on spec b tyres for safe country driving yoko AD0

PostPosted: Mon Jun 23, 2014 11:08 am
by senator
I hope you like road noise…….. cause the AD08R has plenty to offer.

Been running the Nitto Invo’s for the last 10k, surprised by the performance and very little road noise.

Re: Advice on spec b tyres for safe country driving yoko AD0

PostPosted: Mon Jun 23, 2014 12:34 pm
by alexxxz
senator wrote:I hope you like road noise…….. cause the AD08R has plenty to offer.

Been running the Nitto Invo’s for the last 10k, surprised by the performance and very little road noise.


AD08 seems like overkill to me. Why not get a set of Michelin Pilot Preceda 3's? Perfectly safe tyre with great performance from a premium brand of tyre.

Re: Advice on spec b tyres for safe country driving yoko AD0

PostPosted: Mon Jun 23, 2014 12:43 pm
by Devour
As Owen has mentioned, the AD08/AD08R is one of the best street legal ultra high performance summer tyres you can buy. They are not a R compound tyre (Semi Slick Categorised)

I had them on my GTR when it arrived from Japan and they were able to soak up full power and load when before i tuned the car and ran wider rubber.

Other highly modified GTR's use this tyre of choice for street and occasional track duties with little issues.

We had a lib cruise earlier this year and it was raining,wet with multiple varying conditions and I had confidence in the tyres on the GTR and they delivered.

They have a stiff sidewall which inspires confidence over its competitors (Dunlop Direzza, Kumho Ku36, Federal RSR, Michelin Pilot Sport). Simply put, the compound is better, the pattern is better and the lap times prove that.

Drawbacks as others have mentioned is that they can be noisy (Mine may have been on their way out) and perhaps a bit expensive (currently a 3 for 1 deal on the Advan Tyre ranged which included the Neovas)

KM's wise, SAU VIC president and WTAC John Richo got 10-12 track days plus regular driving out of his...so you can figure how far you want to run them.

The reviews are not wrong, they are one of the best tyres. If you are looking for excellent traction in the wet, dry and for track days with one set of rims. Look no further. Very Highly Recommended

Re: Advice on spec b tyres for safe country driving yoko AD0

PostPosted: Mon Jun 23, 2014 12:49 pm
by alfabruce
HI devour

Yeah Im very tempted by them, particularly with a 4 for 3 deal.

Im not at all concerned about noise, the misses can worry about that :D

My only concern is if the wet weather performance drops off in a scary way as they start to wear as suggested by the motoring regulations.

Do you have any experience with wet weather performance from middle tyre life onwards?

Tim

Re: Advice on spec b tyres for safe country driving yoko AD0

PostPosted: Mon Jun 23, 2014 1:01 pm
by Devour
Sorry yeah i meant a 4 for 3 deal but you got it in the end.

My tyres would have been at mid-life when i got the car, and they had excellent grip in every condition. Mind you i was on AD08 not AD08R which are significantly better.

I mentioned the liberty cruise but also after i heavily modified the car and tuned it, car made double its own power and I had no hesitation to not boost it on the day i picked it back up which happened to be wet.

Unfortunately i have not used them to their end of life as they now sit on the stockies in the garage and I now have proper sized rims and R compound rubber for the car

In the wet on a Subaru full time AWD car i think even towards mid to 3/4 life the tyres would be fine still if they are ok on a 4WD GTR which is 100% rwd unless i break traction...Perhaps replace sooner if you are worried.

Sorry i cant really help much in the 'end of life' of the tyre, but I can try my best.