[mithun]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

I did my first proper panic stop on my earth 1's yesterday, and I was not very happy with the results. I was overtaking someone via the outer lane of a highway at speed limit ish speeds, when an ace pulled into my lane from a side the side road with headlights off at night . I saw him a bit earlier on thanks to my new fogs, but still it was a bit too close for comfort. Stood on the brakes, and the car came to a stop with no drama, but in my opinion, it took a fair bit longer than I expected.

With the apollo accelere, there was that "pinned to seat belt" feel, as if you would get thrown out if it hadn't been for the seat belts feeling when you tried a hard stop. No such thing here. But then again, with the Apollo, the car used to buckle and shudder with the occasional attempt to break traction/ fishtail under hard braking (though it was still controllable)

Not sure if its because of any issue with my brakes, or the tyres. A bit disappointed though, and worried.

Yesterday I had done a emergency braking and my Earth-1 was great and the ABS kicked in...

I couldn't find any issue with braking as of now for the last 3000 KMS.

How old is your tyres?

[greenhorn]

Originally Posted by mithun

How old is your tyres?

Around 1.5 years and 17k kms. Not new, but not old either. Planning to have my mech have a look at the brake system

[Vid6639]

Just did 2500kms on my Corolla Altis with the Earth 1 tyres size 205/65-15. The tyres weren't new, bought in 2014 and done nearly 30K kms. This is a long term review.

Grip:
Grip levels on the highway were adequate. No complaints in terms of grip and handling. Even when pushing hard in some corners, the tyres didn't squeal much. Only once did i hear a screech when hitting the brakes hard above 100Km/Hr.

Ride comfort:
These tyres are hard, period. Don't expect plush soft ride. I wanted some sort of compromise which initially I thought they were compared to my bridgestones but after some time you realise they aren't really soft and quite stiff.

Tyre noise:
These are not quiet tyres. My Altis was recently serviced and after the service a lot of the unwanted noise has gone away. As a result the major irritant was the tyre noise. It was really intrusive and after 8 hours can real wear you out if it bothers you.

Life / longevity:
This is what these tyres do best. Last and Last really long. After 30K kms they look like mint on my car. The tread is like not even 50% worn out! If you want max bang for your buck and want tyres that can take abuse and last long for a reasonable price, these are probably the best.

I have recommended these tyres to god knows how many people. Half the cars in my parking lot at work like 8-10 cars are running these tyres after my recommendation. Reason is all the guys wanted cheap tyres but good life. When I recommended Yokohama they were excited to get VFM tyres from a foreign brand so went for them eyes closed.

For anyone wanting better ride and lower tyre noise, try the new Yoko Blue Earth or stick to the Michelin P3ST or the XM2.

[RahulC]

Just got Yohokahama Earth 1 165/80/R14 installed on my Maruti Swift Vxi this morning. Had an amazing experience purchasing these tires online, so wanted to share.

Background:
I bought a pre-owned Swift recently and it had done ~32K+ Kms on stock MRF ZV2Ks in last 6 years. Although the tire treads were still good, the rubber had aged and there were cracks on all the 4 tires. I was facing regular pressure drop and had to refill air everytime I took the car out. I recently went on a week-long road trip to Gujarat and did ~3500km in the round trip. I lost one of the tires on the first day itself and the spare too had ~11 puncture (around side wall as well). I made up my mind that I will change the tires soon after reaching back Pune (somehow I managed to complete the trip).
I read various reviews for Michelin Energy XM2 and Yokohama Earth-1 and finally decided to go with Yokohama based on all the discussion on this thread (Yes! Yokos felt more value for money to me. Also, I'm a fairly new driver so I don't think I would have been able to appreciate the VFM on Michelin XM2s as they are more susceptible to wear, given the conditions I drive in).

The Buying Process:
I reached out to various dealers in Kharadi/Viman Nagar/Wagholi areas in Pune and got the following quotes:
Poona Tyres Wagholi = 3350/-
Darshan Tyres Viman Nagar = 3250/-

Other nearby dealers I contacted to didn't stock Yokohamas. I also got quotes for Bridgestone and Michelin, but they were expensive for my budget. I also wanted to get balancing and alignment done, but Poona tires didn't have alignment facility and Darshan Tyres was charging ~800-1000 Rs. extra. I finally decided to check online for the cost of these tires and services.

I was hesitant to order the tires online initially because I was very skeptical of the vendor quality and delivery services. But then, I came across a great deal on Amazon (cost details to follow). I dropped an email to the dealer (WHEELS LOVER STOPPAGE) to inquire about the latest stock availability and got a reply within 15 mins from the owner (VARUN AGARWAL). I also asked him some follow-up questions regarding warranty, delivery services etc. and overall the dealer was very responsive. He also offered to give me complementary valves and shared his personal contact details with me for any warranty related help.

Finally I placed the order through Amazon. Got the delivery within 4 days (earlier than estimated time as shown on Amazon). And finally got the tires fitted today

Order Details:
I got the tyre for Rs. 2844/- and the delivery charge was Rs. 350/- extra
Total Cost: 2844x4 + 350 = 11726/-

Installation
For installation as well, I got quotes from different dealers. I found Kings Tyre Viman Nagar to be most reasonable for a complete package of installation (with nitrogen filling in all 5 tires)+balancing+ alignment. It costed me a total of Rs.800 and I got Rs.300 as buy back for my old tires (3 tires were in okay condition and 1 of the tyres was bent from the centre). I found the servicemen to be very professional and also got the alignment report (Kings Tyre have Hawkeye alignment system).

Total Damage:
11726 + 800 - 300 = 12226/-

Overall, I am pretty happy with the experience and the cost at which I got the tires installed. I don't think I would have gotten a better experience at any of the dealerships around Pune at this cost. I would really recommend this dealer on Amazon if anyone wants to purchase Yokohama tires.

Post Installation Experience:
I drove for only 20kms after getting the installation done today, but I can feel a significant difference in ride quality. The steering wheels feels really light and tire noise is very low. Overall I'm pretty happy with the purchase. Will update on performance after I complete a significant mileage.

Some pics for my order:
[IMG]C:\Users\rc5000\Desktop\Tires\IMG_20180214_0917529 50.JPG[/IMG]
The order came packed well in the nylon sack
[IMG]C:\Users\rc5000\Desktop\Tires\IMG_20180214_0932096 08.jpg[/IMG]
Tyres were latest stock (5117)
[IMG]C:\Users\rc5000\Desktop\Tires\IMG_20180214_0938472 95.jpg[/IMG]
Complementary valves

[SchumiFan]

My sister's Brio needs its tires to be replaced. It has run 45K kilometers on stock (not entirely sure) and the rears don't seem to have any pattern on the edges compared to the front.

Went to a local dealer in Besant Nagar and got a quote for 5K for Michelin XM2 and 4.5K for Earth 1 from Yokohama. Size is 175/65/R14. Considering the last few pages of the thread, I felt the quote to be on the higher side.

I am OK with traveling to Bangalore (as part of my trip) to get the tires replaced if they can be replaced at lower cost. My gut tells me to go with Earth 1 since I expect significant standing time for the car in the near future. It won't run on daily basis and hence my inclination towards them.

Michelin is a household name and XM2 are a good choice. But is it worth that premium and how will it factor when the car isn't operated on a daily basis?

The rears are more worn out than fronts. My sister also keeps insisting that they replaced the tires once (although they are not able to tell when or which of them). Can we change them in pairs (rear or front) instead of sets? Is it an OK idea to operate different brands at different ends?

[CPJ]

Originally Posted by SchumiFan

Went to a local dealer in Besant Nagar and got a quote for 5K for Michelin XM2 and 4.5K for Earth 1 from Yokohama. Size is 175/65/R14. Considering the last few pages of the thread, I felt the quote to be on the higher side.

I am OK with traveling to Bangalore (as part of my trip) to get the tires replaced if they can be replaced at lower cost. My gut tells me to go with Earth 1 since I expect significant standing time for the car in the near future. It won't run on daily basis and hence my inclination towards them.

Michelin is a household name and XM2 are a good choice. But is it worth that premium and how will it factor when the car isn't operated on a daily basis?

The rears are more worn out than fronts. My sister also keeps insisting that they replaced the tires once (although they are not able to tell when or which of them). Can we change them in pairs (rear or front) instead of sets? Is it an OK idea to operate different brands at different ends?

Hi SchumiFan,
I changed tires on Dad's Honda Brio last week to Yokohama Earth-1 and it costed me around INR 4,200/- per tire inclusive of wheel alignment, wheel balancing and fitting in Pune. You should definitely look around for better pricing.

Even I considered Michelin XM2 before finalizing on Earth 1, as I felt Yokohama Earth 1 gives better value for your money and the performance is almost equivalent to Michelin XM2. The one area where the XM2's score over Yokohama Earth 1 is the ride comfort.

Also, I would strongly recommend changing all the tires at same time to have peace of mind.

Hope this helps.

[quickdraw]

Hi guys,

I am considering installing these tires on my 2017 Mini Cooper S on the next change as my tire guy is recommending them to me. Have been quoted Rs 7000 per piece for 205/50/16 for people who have used this tire would they recommend it? The Mini is extremely aggressive with tire wear and chews up tires for breakfast. My primary use is going to be in the city with some highway driving, don't need maniacal grip levels but want protection against potholes and punctures.

[SchumiFan]

Originally Posted by CPJ

Hi SchumiFan,
Hope this helps.

Thank you very much for replying. Sorry for responding so late. I am not in town where the car is. So didn't think about this after that weekend.

I value ride comfort over performance since the Brio is not that good on potholes. I guess XM2 will be a good value for me. I'll talk with him about reduction in prices. But if he offers it at the price you mentioned, I will go with Earth-1 itself.

Are Wheel alignment, balancing, fitting included as standard or do we generally pay extra? He only quoted the numbers but didn't tell what services they include.

Thinking of going with original size itself as the spare is almost new and it would save me a tire's cost if I stick with it. Can the spare be used now or do we discard it as it is almost 5 years old.

Sorry for the excess of doubts but this is the first time I am involved in such a task, hence want all bases covered.

[Santoshbhat]

Originally Posted by quickdraw

Hi guys,

I am considering installing these tires on my 2017 Mini Cooper S on the next change as my tire guy is recommending them to me. Have been quoted Rs 7000 per piece for 205/50/16 for people who have used this tire would they recommend it? The Mini is extremely aggressive with tire wear and chews up tires for breakfast. My primary use is going to be in the city with some highway driving, don't need maniacal grip levels but want protection against potholes and punctures.

A car like the Cooper S deserves better tyres like these

[quickdraw]

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat

A car like the Cooper S deserves better tyres like these

I intend to keep a separate set for track use. Performance tires and run flats are a pain in normal conditions. Both are prone to sidewall bulges even after babying around. They ruin the fun of driving because you always need to be super careful of potholes or any kind of sharp undulations on the road. The 16's on the Mini are for regular use and touring which constitutes 99% of the milage the car sees. Hopefully, we can save up for a nice set of 17' OZ's shod with PS4's next year.

[devilwearsprada]

Originally Posted by quickdraw

Hi guys,

I am considering installing these tires on my 2017 Mini Cooper S on the next change as my tire guy is recommending them to me. Have been quoted Rs 7000 per piece for 205/50/16 for people who have used this tire would they recommend it? The Mini is extremely aggressive with tire wear and chews up tires for breakfast. My primary use is going to be in the city with some highway driving, don't need maniacal grip levels but want protection against potholes and punctures.

I have the same size on my Fiesta shod on the Lenso PDX.

No punctures till now. Done about 12.5k kms.

[Joxster]

Originally Posted by quickdraw

I intend to keep a separate set for track use. Performance tires and run flats are a pain in normal conditions. Both are prone to sidewall bulges even after babying around. They ruin the fun of driving because you always need to be super careful of potholes or any kind of sharp undulations on the road. The 16's on the Mini are for regular use and touring which constitutes 99% of the milage the car sees. Hopefully, we can save up for a nice set of 17' OZ's shod with PS4's next year.

While I fully understand your requirement, the Cooper S already has stiff suspension, and these tyres aren't soft (they're made more for long life and good mileage), so that might make the ride quite uncomfortable. Also, as per feedback from other members, they get noisier as they age, and I'm sure that is not something you would appreciate in a hot hatchback.

My suggestion is not to go with anything below the Michelin XM2, and only look at tyres which are at par or above them. Honestly though, if I was in your place, I wouldn't compromise on grip levels in such a fun car, and would blindly go for the Michelin PR4 like Santoshbhat has already suggested

Cheers

[Santoshbhat]

Originally Posted by quickdraw

The 16's on the Mini are for regular use and touring which constitutes 99% of the milage the car sees. Hopefully, we can save up for a nice set of 17' OZ's shod with PS4's next year.

Again, the Cooper S deserves better tyres for 99% of the time it spends with you.

If my experience with the PS3 is anything to go by, the PS4s are not delicate darlings. They are soft compound tyres and will probably even ride better that the Earth1s and being tubeless they will be less prone to pothole hits. The superb grip and handling will let you enjoy your Mini to its full potential.

Only downside I can see is lower tyre life. In all other aspects the Earth1 cannot hold a candle to the PS4s

[CaptainPrice]

Hi Team, I'm planning take delivery of my Honda City ZX next week, and thinking of changing the stock Bridgestone Ecopias (185/55 R16) with Earth1 in the same size or the 195/55 R16, which will add about 5 mm of GC

The issue is the cost. I'm on a budget(broke after buying the car) and looking to change the entire set of 5 for less than 20k, including Valves, Wheel Balancing and Wheel Alignment (and trading in the existing Ecopias).

Does anyone have a good reference that can make this happen, or are my expectations too far-fetched? The Yokos currently retail for 6k on Amazon, but Amazon doesn't offer buyback.

[CPJ]

Originally Posted by SchumiFan

I value ride comfort over performance since the Brio is not that good on potholes. I guess XM2 will be a good value for me. I'll talk with him about reduction in prices. But if he offers it at the price you mentioned, I will go with Earth-1 itself.

If ride comfort is your priority then you should definitely consider Michelin XM2.

Are Wheel alignment, balancing, fitting included as standard or do we generally pay extra? He only quoted the numbers but didn't tell what services they include.

Generally it varies as per tire dealers. Most dealers include wheel alignment , wheel balancing, fitting and charge you for tire valves. You should consider all these aspects towards the final cost of tires and negotiate accordingly with the dealer.

Thinking of going with original size itself as the spare is almost new and it would save me a tire's cost if I stick with it. Can the spare be used now or do we discard it as it is almost 5 years old.

If the spare tire is 5 years old, then you should definitely consider changing the spare. In my case, our spare tire was also hardly used but since it was close to 5 years old, we decided to change it. The tires tend to get hard as they age and are prone to bursting as well.

Regards,