Team-BHP - Yokohama AVS dB (decibel) tires

Hi

Looking at changing my tires on the laura OE size 195/65/R 15. Most of the running will be on Mumbai city with occasional highway driving

Look at replacement in the same size. Michelin LC Yokos AVS decible seem to be acceptable choices. Any other brand one can suggest.

Need help!

This morning, some debris metal with very sharp edges cut my rear right side tyre (the front wheel went over it). I had not actually seen it, on the Old Madras Road, while approaching. It is a small broken piece of the suitcase trolley wheel, but with sharp edges.

Now the tyre is useless. Carcass cut and the steel wires were also cut. Now this is a Michelin PLC on the Cruze (205/16 R16).

My 5th is a JK Vectra. Should I get the replacement another Vectra or another Michelin PLC?

I am fed up of Michelin (I had a sidewall cut, 2 punctures in 22k kms) and I should have taken Ashwin's (Sai Iyengar) advice to get Yoko dbDrives.

What are my options?

BH

Yokos are equally soft. If you managed to damage your PLCs so often, your Yoko DB series would have also got damaged.

I know your "heart burns" (see the pun? :P ) when you see the damage but you need to be prepared for these things if you go for soft compound tyres and dont take good care of it.

If you want a cheap tyre and are ok with sacrificing ride comfort and silence, then go for the JKs. They are durable and strong. However, if you want high speed grip, then stick with the PLCs.

Got my Punto's earlier GT3s changed to Yokohama AVS DB550 in 195 60R15 size. Costed me 5500 per tyre including balancing, alignment and Nitrogen filling.

The pressure is currently at 33 psi.

I don't feel much difference in the noise or comfort(maybe they'll improve after say 100kms) but the vibrations which were earlier present are now gone.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hulk (Post 3211588)

How is your experience with the Yoko's now, Hulk?

Quote:

Originally Posted by andyonwheels (Post 3264504)

How is your experience with the Yoko's now, Hulk?

Good experience. Was apprehensive of the softer sidewalls after reading all the reviews on net. But have driven on some really bad roads with them and they have performed excellent!

Noise is noticeably reduced, wet and dry grip both are very confidence inspiring.

Overall, they are worth it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hulk (Post 3264552)

Noise is noticeably reduced, wet and dry grip both are very confidence inspiring.

So you hit the keywords right there for me - i do need something that's low on noise and is confidence inspiring.

One of the store guys I spoke to alternatively suggested the A-drives.
I had asked a similar query on the Linea forums and was recommended the AVS Db 550. With first hand reviews from owners, this is totally helps.
Thanks Hulk.

Got 4 195/65R15 Yoko V550 AVS dBs for a close friend's Altis today.

Radial Trading Centre Usman Road was super professional - they got the tyres from the stockist in 30 minutes.

All 4 tyres filled with N2 , balanced and alignment done.

Super silent drive for now ; the diesel motor alone is audible.

My small grouse - I somehow did not like the "finish" of the tyre on the sidewall.

The total charges were INR 23500 (against MRP 6315 per tyre) ; balancing was for free.

Spare is an unused ER300.

The old Turanza ER300s had a lot of juice left - two tyres suffered uneven wear due to missed alignments while 2 others had easily 20000kms left in them - got 2200 bucks for them.

Overall a clean experience ; hope these tyres hold as much promise as the PLCs that do duty on my old Corolla

Got 4 Tyres of Yokohama V550 AVS DB 195/60 for my 2009 Honda city, after thinking and researching a lot if up-sizing will have any negative effect. I am happy i went for it. Got it for Rs 5700 at 360 tyres in Hyderabad. Kept 175/60 spare tyre as it is, plan to use it only when facing puncture issues.

Very Silent tyres, even when stationary or in slow speed turning does not produce any noise.

Yesterday it rained heavily in Hyderabad and having read about wet grip and aquaplaning, i was really amazed at the performance, I passed through few water ponds in road, and it just went like going on normal road, previously i had stock michelin Xm1, it used to slow down and was showing lot of resistance moving in water.

Having migrated from stock 175/60 there is slight increase of height, which i guess is 5mm. Few humps which i used to scrap daily did not scrap anymore.

Coming to office i did few Ziz-Zag, its truly confidence inspiring. Big difference from 175s.

Got a set of these shoes for my Punto 90MJD yesterday at Millivision Marketing near Lalbagh, Bangalore. I didn't find the real need for upsizing so I stuck with the same dimension as per manufacturer recommendation 195/60/R15.

I paid 5000 per tyre after much haggling and since I had clocked nearly 55,000kms the stock tyres didn't even fetch a Rupee in return. The overall cost however included the cost for Wheel balancing and Wheel Alignment.

Total cost : 20700 INR.
Tyre specification : 195/60/R15

I couldn't help to notice the amount of reduction in the noise level while I was driving. It's simply unbelievable and gives me the feeling as though I had been driving on a gravel laden path with my stock tyres and suddenly with these new shoes on, I feel I have been placed on a nice and smooth tarmac.

I'm yet to test these tyres on Wet surfaces. I hope the rain gods will do the favour for Bangalore in the coming days. My only apprehensions are the softer outer walls and tread life. I'm quite sure that I have to be extra cautious when driving over bad roads.

I finally zeroed in on Yokohama AVS DB V550 195/60/15 for my brand new Skoda Rapid. The stock apollo alnacs had run under 100 KM & fetched a decent 3000 per tyre. The entire deal set me back by about 7600 which is not too bad. The ride comfort is plush & the cabin is noiseless !

Now having completed my first 1000 km in under 20 days, the tyres are doing their job well by insulating road noise as well as providing great comfort, although in low speeds on pothole ridden roads I have to slow down considerably to negate the bouncy/pitchy feel due to the effect the tyres have on rapid's suspension. Could also be due to incorrect pressure setting :eek: But on decent roads with good speed the suspension works like a charm & the tyres make the ride supple & soft. Great tyres for the cost !

Quote:

Originally Posted by srivatsahg (Post 3463006)

My only apprehensions are the softer outer walls and tread life. I'm quite sure that I have to be extra cautious when driving over bad roads.

Have been thrashing my set on every sort of terrain and they have come out surprisingly good, no bulging/ damage noticed till now. Nearing 30k kms.

There was one drive where I was thought the tyre will defenitly get damaged - where we decided to ignore speed breakers on a 2-lane highway while taking it on at 80kmph. Yet they survived! :D Similar experience with fellow member autocrat with his linea MJD.

No harm in being careful, however I dont think you need to be apprehensive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR (Post 3525620)

Have been thrashing my set on every sort of terrain and they have come out surprisingly good, no bulging/ damage noticed till now. Nearing 30k kms.

No harm in being careful, however I dont think you need to be apprehensive.

As a counter point - I have one shoulder/sidewall puncture and now a sidewall bulge on 2 of my AVS DB V550s bought in July 2013, run about 26k kms. Primarily used for city driving with only two long drives - even those were on good highways - definitely no cross country stuff.

I do not remember any hard bumps and am usually careful on below par roads. (My stock GT3s got their first puncture @ 35k+ kms!!!)

It could be just my luck or carelessness - any which way, as crazy_driver said, it pays to be careful.