Assymmetric or Directional

[turbolizard 38]

I currently have 255/40 17 Goodyear Eagle F1 GSD3 on the rear of a 540i6. I like them.

Rear camber wears the inside of the tyres, so I get them flipped to get more life. This is possible because they are directional. Unfortunately, they are basically no longer available.

In the past I have also used Continetal SportContact2. These were also good, but really expensive, and could not be flipped as they are assymetric. However, wear was not really that bad compared to flipped GSD3. They just cost too much.

I have seen some reviews of the new Eagle F1 assymmetric that suggests they work better with rear camber than GSD3 despite being assymetric - perhaps beefier sidewall or tread on inside??

Dealer suggets I use Dunlop Direzza as a (directional) replacement. I'm tempted to try Eagle F1 assymmetric - anyone have any thoughts, or even better - experience, on this issue?

Also, if you have new GSD3 in 255/40 17 in your garage I'm keen to talk.

[BM WORLD 1258]

i have same problem with my e34 535i alpina b10 with 255/40-17" on 10" alloy

all chewed out on the inside edge .

manage to pick up the last one in the country to replace it today.

[Braeden320 0]

Dealer suggets I use Dunlop Direzza as a (directional) replacement. I'm tempted to try Eagle F1 assymmetric - anyone have any thoughts, or even better - experience, on this issue?

In my experience, Dunlop Direzza's are the worst tyres I've ever had and would not recomend them. They wore fast (espcially on the outer edge) and were noisy.Most of all I think for what they are they are waay overpriced.

Had them aligned and balanced every 5k to.

I was unfortunate enough to have them on my ST220 when I brought it.

Plenty of good tyres around however - Talk to Mag and Tyre Direct. Really good service and best prices.

[lidistick 70]

Check alignment, particularly toe settings

[Apex 693]

Had the same issue when I was trying to purchase replacement tyres of the same type recently, seems Dunlop replaced a tyre that in my opinion is the best affordable sports tyre the Sports Max with the new asymmetrical type..

Have seen 40,000+ kilometres out of a set of asymmetric Dunlop SP Sport 01’s on our old Holden Astra Turbo, it was a FWD though and had corect camber settings, so if you fit them ensure your wheel alignment is correct and check the wear regularly. Is it lowered or does it have worn bushes?

Are you replacing the whole lot or just a pair? Swap old ones from front to back and stick the new asymmetric on front.

Im sure our resident tyre expert will chip in with his opinion soon.

[westy 614]

new asymmetric on front.

Im sure our resident tyre expert will chip in with his opinion soon.

Lol, which one?

[|ncary 0]

Get asymmetric, then rotate tires from front to back on the same side and corner a bit harder, bam, even wear. Don't even need to take tires off the rims.

[Creaver 55]

Sucks if you have staggered setup

[|ncary 0]

Ohhh snap. Indeed.

[tonylauno1 7]

All tyre test says Eagle F1 asymmetric is great #1 or #2 but people who have used them think they are no good and tyre shop have complaints from unhappy customers.

Anyone know why?

[zenetti 0]

All tyre test says Eagle F1 asymmetric is great #1 or #2 but people who have used them think they are no good and tyre shop have complaints from unhappy customers.

Anyone know why?

what people and what tyre shops?

That is a pretty generic statement to be making and really needs some qualification from you.

Good old kiwi mentality is more to blame I think. We love to complain and will tell 10x more people about something we don't like than something we do like.

How many times have you heard people say "don't get those they are sh*t." Kiwi's love to bag something but they hardly ever praise something they like, or they will just say "they are ok" if prompted. You never hear of someone going out and telling their mates "I am so glad I bought such and such, it is really good/cool/safe/whatever". I think 'tall poppy syndrome"'is mostly to blame and has a lot to do with why people in this country never achieve much. The All Blacks are a prime example of this, even when we win people find fault in their performance.

I think people's expectations can also be unrealistic. They see all these tests and then think that it must be some kind of super tyre that will let them drive and handle like a full blown race car. A tyre only makes up a percentage of the total equation when it comes to traction and handling.

Back OT

How much of a coincidence was it that you rang as I was reading your post Turbolizard??? I hope you had some success with your endeavours in finding a replacement tyre, Goodyear are a bit slack in not being able to offer a replacement

Edited December 5, 2009 by zenetti

[antil33t 90]

I always hear the Nexen N2000's are sh*t.

But the ones I had were good, especially in the wet :/

[zenetti 0]

^ Nexens are a very under rated tyre and personally I think they are one of the best value for money tyres around.

[turbolizard 38]

Back OT

How much of a coincidence was it that you rang as I was reading your post Turbolizard??? I hope you had some success with your endeavours in finding a replacement tyre, Goodyear are a bit slack in not being able to offer a replacement

Yep - pretty amazing coincidence. Thanks for your advice. There is a lot of conflicting information out there and the various tyre experts do not agree - you talked a lot of sense, with reasons to back up your views.

After our discussion I got a local price on Adrenaline RE001 ($330), but the guy there tried very hard to sell me on Toyo T1R at $290.

I have still not finally decided and wondered if I should throw Dunlop SP Sport Maxx into the mix as they have a higher load rating and are directional so I can flip them. I was starting to lean that way due to the load rating, but Apex says above that they are discontinued too - arrggggh.

As it is Goodyear will probably lose a loyal customer by droppung the GSD3 - I would have been happy to try the new Goodyear, but they do not come in the right size - frustrating.

As others have pointed out above - staggered not always a plus.

Edited December 6, 2009 by turbolizard

[Apex 693]

I would say avoid the Toyo T1R if you have concerns about tyre wear, I have a set on my E30 and they are wearing very quickly, they do however grip like fork and are outstanding on the racetrack, would recommend them on a weekend car.

[tonylauno1 7]

what people and what tyre shops?

That is a pretty generic statement to be making and really needs some qualification from you.

I think people's expectations can also be unrealistic.

True, it could be people expectation, this tyre shop owner in Greenlane was saying too many of his customers came back to return Eagle F1 asymmetric. Didn't ask why they were not happy.

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2122]

i run GTRadial Directionals. they were great when i first got them (i was on my restricted and drove like a Nanna), but once you get more spirited driving i wouldnt bother with them. they hold the road really well, but they wear too quickly. mine have been on the car for about 25000kms and will be borderline when it comes to the next warrent probably. i wont be getting them again.

[Apex 693]

25,000 is not bad from a performance tyre, there has to be some compromise, you can’t have soft and grippy and economy together, 25-30k is a good run. I had a set of Smokohama’s last only 8,000km, now that was disappointing for a 16 year old that saved for like 3 months to buy them.

[briancol 3]

^ Nexens are a very under rated tyre and personally I think they are one of the best value for money tyres around.

Johno, the set of Nexens I got from you are really the 'Bees Knees'.

Their grip in both dry and wet conditions are great, traction is excellent, and as for road noise............. what road noise. After all those years of driving on rowdy Yokohamas, I can't believe just how quiet the Nexens really are.

[CamB 48]

I would say avoid the Toyo T1R if you have concerns about tyre wear, I have a set on my E30 and they are wearing very quickly

That's not so good - I wonder why?

they ... are outstanding on the racetrack

LOL. Just winding you up.

FWIW, I've got them on the M3. They seem to be lasting fine - have had the front ones on for 17k km and they aren't particularly worn, and the rear's are at least 20k (were on the car when I bought it and were "newish") and I'll estimate they'll go to approx 30k. I reckon 30k for a set of rear tyres on a 300hp car is pretty good. They're a bit "soggy" though.

(edit) Also FWIW, they are wearing very evenly, possibly because my car is at the standard height with factory alignment settings. Food for thought.

Edited December 7, 2009 by CamB

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2122]

25,000 is not bad from a performance tyre, there has to be some compromise, you can’t have soft and grippy and economy together, 25-30k is a good run. I had a set of Smokohama’s last only 8,000km, now that was disappointing for a 16 year old that saved for like 3 months to buy them.

you reckon? i had a sentra before my E30 and that got brand new tyres when i got it and i drove 15,000 on those before i brought the E30 and they weere probably still around 80-90% tread

[Apex 693]

That's not so good - I wonder why?

Driving style and wheel alignment, they are a soft tyre, I drive hard on them, have done a couple of trackdays and have my camber set as negative as possible, they are cheap so im not overly concerned with wear.

25-30k is good for a set of performance tyres.

[CamB 48]

I just lol'd because you (effectively) complained about tyre wear and then discussed how good they were on the track. Racing pwns street tyres, in my experience.

[Apex 693]

Yep, track does take its toll big time, I have however tracked all my cars on various tyres for the last ten or so years and use that as a mean so to speak. I’d be thick to think that it doesn’t have a detrimental effect on life expectancy.

I was trying to say a performance focused tyre is going to wear faster than an Economy or balanced tyre such as the Asymmetric.

The Asymmetric tyres on my Astra lasted 40,000km and that included half a dozen track days.

[CamB 48]

Fair call.

I too have noticed the Dunlop SP Sports they provide on new Euro cars seem to last forever. My old man bought a Vectra GT back in '92 and the SP Sports on that hung in there for almost 60k km. Ditto more recently (althought I think only low 50k km) on an Audi A4 (approx a 2004 model). The interesting thing is they're not even close to the same tyre ("SP Sport" gets updated).

Edited December 7, 2009 by CamB