Avensis T4/t-spirit 17" Tyres - Go For Khumo

[Big Nose]

Recently replaced the front Dunlop SP Sport 3000s on my Avensis T4 (215/45/R17) with Kumho Ecsta Spts and after 1,000 miles I'm happy to report that the difference to the ride is remarkable.

The car has stopped crashing through pot holes and positively floats over the crappy surfaces on the country roads around here that are plagued by mining subsidence.

The noise levels inside the car have also noticeably diminished and there has been no adverse effect to the way the car handles.

To replace two Dunlops would have cost me £255 but the two Kumhos were £130 fitted and balanced at my local tyre depot, who describe the SP 3000s as "a bag of crap" which they won't fit unless the customer insists.

Even if they only last half as long - which is unlikely - I'd have no hesitation recommending Kumhos and will certainly be replacing the rears with Ecstas when they're ready.

I've always used Michelins as replacements on previous cars - mainly because they're so well priced at Costco - but am now a Kumho convert.

Here endeth the eulogy!

[dark andrew]

I noticed the difference when I replaced my SP3000As with Goodyear Excellence, it would be interesting (although probably impossible) to do a comparrison between the Goodyears and the Kumhos. Looking at the internet reviews, the Kumho Ecsta SPTs certainly get good write ups - are they easliy available in the UK? But to be honest I'm still thinking of switching wheels and tyres to a smaller rim/larger profile (ie. 16"/55) next time my tyres need changing.

[padboy]

Recently replaced the front Dunlop SP Sport 3000s on my Avensis T4 (215/45/R17) with Kumho Ecsta Spts and after 1,000 miles I'm happy to report that the difference to the ride is remarkable.

The car has stopped crashing through pot holes and positively floats over the crappy surfaces on the country roads around here that are plagued by mining subsidence.

The noise levels inside the car have also noticeably diminished and there has been no adverse effect to the way the car handles.

To replace two Dunlops would have cost me £255 but the two Kumhos were £130 fitted and balanced at my local tyre depot, who describe the SP 3000s as "a bag of crap" which they won't fit unless the customer insists.

Even if they only last half as long - which is unlikely - I'd have no hesitation recommending Kumhos and will certainly be replacing the rears with Ecstas when they're ready.

I've always used Michelins as replacements on previous cars - mainly because they're so well priced at Costco - but am now a Kumho convert.

Here endeth the eulogy!

I posted exactly the same comments around 2months ago i totally agree with your comments a great set of tyres far better than the originals and as you say the ride is far better and the noise levels drop dramatically

[frape]

I have Goodyear nct5 with 215/50/17'' tyres. The tyres are the OEM that came with my new avensis executive 2007 2.0 vvti petrol (Greece). I have balanced the tyres twice but in certain types of road (i.e., the best ones) I have unbelievably huge amounts of vibration. In other types of road (i.e., slipery ones) I have almost none vibration!!!. The vibration is not related with transmission and brakes as it is not affected by changes in gear and braking. The vibration affects both the wheel and the body of the car. My feeling is that the combination of tyres and avensis suspension trigger the problem, but I am not 100% sure. The car and tyres have only 4.000Km. The problem is at least strange. In some types of road there is no vibration at all and in the best (rain capable) types of road the vibration is huge (my hands and watch is shaking like hell, the passengers can feel that the car is vibrating.

So all in all, I would advice against feeting the Goodyear NCT5, just to be on the safe side; or at least explain to your dealer that if vibration appears, you would like to have your money back.

PS: Apart from the vibration problem, the NCT5 appear to be quite good.

[uumode]

Recently replaced the front Dunlop SP Sport 3000s on my Avensis T4 (215/45/R17) with Kumho Ecsta Spts and after 1,000 miles I'm happy to report that the difference to the ride is remarkable.

The car has stopped crashing through pot holes and positively floats over the crappy surfaces on the country roads around here that are plagued by mining subsidence.

The noise levels inside the car have also noticeably diminished and there has been no adverse effect to the way the car handles.

To replace two Dunlops would have cost me £255 but the two Kumhos were £130 fitted and balanced at my local tyre depot, who describe the SP 3000s as "a bag of crap" which they won't fit unless the customer insists.

Even if they only last half as long - which is unlikely - I'd have no hesitation recommending Kumhos and will certainly be replacing the rears with Ecstas when they're ready.

I've always used Michelins as replacements on previous cars - mainly because they're so well priced at Costco - but am now a Kumho convert.

Here endeth the eulogy!

Thanks! great to know there is a quieter, better riding alternative at a cheaper price!

btw which tyre depot?

[Big Nose]

Went to my local tyre shop rather than any of the big chains like Thick-Fit or Charlie Clowns.

The tyres are widely available but Kumho can't match the discounts offered to the big chains that Dunlop, Pirelli etc give because, for now, they're not sold in sufficient quantities.

I could have bought them online (www.mytyres.co.uk) and had them delivered for £120-ish and then paid £5 per tyre to the local shop to fit them but they were happy to order and fit them next day for £130.

[uumode]

Went to my local tyre shop rather than any of the big chains like Thick-Fit or Charlie Clowns.

The tyres are widely available but Kumho can't match the discounts offered to the big chains that Dunlop, Pirelli etc give because, for now, they're not sold in sufficient quantities.

I could have bought them online (www.mytyres.co.uk) and had them delivered for £120-ish and then paid £5 per tyre to the local shop to fit them but they were happy to order and fit them next day for £130.

thanks

also, does it have an alloy rim protector?

It 'looks' like it does, but doesn't seem as prominent in the photo

http://www.tirerack.com/images/tires/kumho...ta_spt_1000.jpg

[Big Nose]

Yes they have alloy protection which looks to be much better than the old Dunlops.

If only the last owner had fitted Kumhos, the dozy old bag might not have kerbed the front nearside wheel as badly as she did :ffs:

[Shuggie]

Has anyone tried the Toyo PROXES T1-R ?

http://ssl.delti.com/cgi-bin/reifenbestell...032&dsco=10

They appear to have a much better test rating than the Khumo. I have the Proxy T1-S on my Celica and they are really sure footed. I did a good amount of research for them and they outrated some serious contenders like the Goodyear Eagle F1's.

The T1-R's are only about a fiver difference in price than the Khumo's. They are also slightly better rated than the Bridgestone Turanza ER 30's I currently have on my Tourer.

S

[Scoobs]

Has anyone tried the Toyo PROXES T1-R ?

http://ssl.delti.com/cgi-bin/reifenbestell...032&dsco=10

They appear to have a much better test rating than the Khumo. I have the Proxy T1-S on my Celica and they are really sure footed. I did a good amount of research for them and they outrated some serious contenders like the Goodyear Eagle F1's.

The T1-R's are only about a fiver difference in price than the Khumo's. They are also slightly better rated than the Bridgestone Turanza ER 30's I currently have on my Tourer.

S

I've never seen the Toyo's have a particularly good rating in the Autoexpress Tyre Tests (last one here: http://www.marshaltyre.co.uk/store/tyretest.pdf ). I have factory fit Goodyear NCT5s on my 2007 Avensis and I can't say there's any particular problems with road noise. It's a lot quieter than my previous car (a Golf).

[Shuggie]

Hi Scoobs

I see your point here. Only caveat is that the test in your link was the CF1's which are not in the same performance category (HP vs UHP). If you compare the tread patterns for example, they are vastly different from the T1S and T1R - the latter 2 having massive V grooves rather the conventional rubber on a rim of the CF1's. Compounds are different too.

Here's a comparison of the Eagles and T1S (and others)

http://www.toyo.com.au/TechInfoPDFs/TTT-13...t%20Results.pdf

Heres a journalist track test for the T1R - which apparently Toyo themselves, rate as much better & quieter than the T1S.

http://cars.ign.com/articles/604/604159p1.html

Regards

S

[Scoobs]

Ooops, I should have spotted they were different versions. Yes, I agree, one version of a manufacturers tyre can vary massively from another version, so the auto-express test is not relevant here with respect to the Toyos.

[dark andrew]

I've given up on the 17" wheels with 215/45 tyres now and changed them for 16" wheels with 205/55 tyres, and it really does make quite a big difference! The road noise is a lot quieter and the ride smoother, on the downside however the car does feel slightly bouncier and the handling a little less direct. I guess it depends what you want ... do you want a comfortable saloon or do you want something a little more sporty? Maybe I'm just getting old but at the moment I'm enjoying the comfort of the new wheel and tyre combination.

[Gumpy Joe]

I've given up on the 17" wheels with 215/45 tyres now and changed them for 16" wheels with 205/55 tyres, and it really does make quite a big difference! The road noise is a lot quieter and the ride smoother, on the downside however the car does feel slightly bouncier and the handling a little less direct. I guess it depends what you want ... do you want a comfortable saloon or do you want something a little more sporty? Maybe I'm just getting old but at the moment I'm enjoying the comfort of the new wheel and tyre combination.

Just out of intrest, what did you do with the 17" alloys? Where they the T4 10 spoke 17's? I'm only asking as I'm after a set.

[dark andrew]

It's a set of 5 T-Spirit (10 spoke) wheels with newish (about 2 or 3000 miles) Goodyear Excelence tyres. They are in pretty good condition but I'm all the way down here in the South-East. I'm going to stick them on eBay but I haven't got round to it yet.

[rooo]

Interesting.

I changed my fronts about 5000 miles ago, and insisted on the Dunlops SP3000's. Whilst I don't feel they are brilliant, they are pretty good, and I didn't want to take the risk of getting something worse. It's not like you can take them back is it?

I'll consider the Kumhos next though.

[uumode]

OK... I just fitted the Kumho ECSTA SPTs today

http://www.kumhotyre.co.uk/news/news070503.html

and they do subjectively ride quieter and are (much) more comfortable - more tolerant to ruts and ridges than the standard Dunlop SP3000. I got them for £78 each from my preferred fitter, but are slightly cheaper internet.

I'm keen to try them in the wet when it rains to see if they are as good as my old favourite budgets the Falken ZE512's

The only downside so far is the alloy rim protectors aren't as protruded as the Falken's or Dunlop SP3000 or Bridgestone Turanza's which protect the rims quite well. I'm not too confident the ECSTA SPTs protector rim will provide the same level of protection.

[uumode]

I just put on a pair of Falken ZE 912 (the new replacements for the outgoing model 512) and they rock!

Even quieter than Kumho, and with very good ride comfort, handling and holding - they feel extremely confident and much better than any rubber I've had on any car. (still have to try them out in the wet though).

... and only £70 each fitted from blackcircles.com! - bargain.

I searched on the internet for further infomation and the U.S. Consumer Reports rates them joint top in the all season Ultra High Performance (UHP) tyre group test scoring 85/100

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cu-pres...-eng0711tir.htm

They seem to have very low rolling resistance too, I can coast a bit longer.

[Ed_Shek]

I've just got a set of Falken's ZE912's fitted on my corolla and can say that these tyres are excellent with good grip in the wet following the torrential downfall we had over the weekend in the North East. Tyres are very quiet and have excellent grip. Much better that the standard fit Bridgestones that my corolla left the dealership on.