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Date:         Thu, 6 Apr 2000 19:12:21 -0400
Reply-To:     John Anderson <jander14@WVU.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Anderson <jander14@WVU.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Agilis tire source?
Comments: To: Steve Sullivan <Steve@NORTHWESTWATCH.ORG>
In-Reply-To:  <C19FD734FFB5D211B8A600A0C9836D3F0AACDF@FILESERVER>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

At 02:28 PM 4/6/00 -0700, you wrote: >Just found out Discount tire will order me a set of Agilis 61s 185R14 for >$100 per tire!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow! That is vastly more than I'd expected, I >can't afford that. > >Anyone know of a cheaper source? Are all the good tires for Vanagons that >expensive?

I want to make some comments here. I have no idea why anyone would be seeking out these tires for a start. Steve Dolan put a set of 2 on his '80 in place of well worn XZX's and I was thoroughly UNIMPRESSED, they are hard, don't have a very impressive tread pattern, and are generally as bad as most of Michelin's current offerings. My opinions, I've loved the big M for years, but recently, not. I also have no idea which of the types of Agilis these are. He also only put on 2, but that really shouldn't have made the negative impact it did.

I bought a set of the Yoko Y370's last fall from Sears, special order for $80 each, always a great tire, no I don't know if they are still avaiable.

Even the poor old Yoko Y356 in either the 6 or 8 ply will be good enough if you are in the south/dry. I don't care for it's highway rib pattern in the real wet, and it is useless in snow, but a lot of people like it, and it only costs around $50 from Tire Rack, and I think that is the 8 ply model. I'll note having friends in wet areas who do use them, I always though they were a bit squeamish when they get 30k or so on them, and you are in a real heavy downpour with like standing inches of water on the road, but I guess what isn't.

Bridgestone has some good offerings in the $60 range, some not so good, you need to look at the tread patterns I forget which are highway rib, which have some real tread.

I'm delighted still with my 27x8.5R14 Firestone Wilderness AT's, yeah agressive, but not all that loud really, and these have been EXCEPTIONAL handling and wearing tires. Over 25k, still look pretty new, hold the ground like I'm on rails. Not a great choice though on the auto trans '87, were much better on the '85 with the 4.86 rear, should be OK for any 4 spd van if you want the extra inch of ground clearance and don't mind a hare more noise. They just look cool as well, were about $60 each 3 years ago, no idea today, the premier BFG in that size is about $100.

In general call Tire Rack, they will have tons of good tires in that size, their budget leaders have always been the Y356 or in recent years the Conti, which I think is a perfectly good tire, and I'd buy well before whichever Agilis is on Steve's bus. Both of those are $50 each tires, correct for the van load wise, and reasonably long wearing (over 50k all things in good shape.)

My opinions (I'd really buy the Firestone's but some may not want the raise or the look.)

I also with the rare exception of the Y370's have only bought tires from Tire Rack for the last 10 years, if you haven't been doing this, it is usually foolish. Local places never touch their prices on good performance tires and seldom on these for the vans. I have them lifetime mount and balanced at a Wards or Walmart and still save typically $10-$30 per tire over local prices.

John jander14@wvu.edu


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