[V8] re: winter "performance" tires

[Roger M. Woodbury]

I am always intrigued to see "The Tire Thread" reappear on one of the lists
that I watch, read or comment on.  The comments are always, ALWAYS the same,
bascially.  In the fall, they usually center on which is the "best" winter
tire to use this year, based on last year's experience, or what the yahoos
have been pushing on Tire Rack.  In the winter, the thread usually runs
around the "performance tire du jour" for next summer's dash to the
7-Eleven, or some such.

On the Porsche lists, to which I no longer subscribe, it was all about which
tire would make the car go the fastest between stop lights, or perhaps, "on
the track", whatever that meant on that particular conversation.

I am always interested in learning how much money people seem to put into
their tires, because it can get pretty expensive considering tires, wheels,
mounting, dismounting, balancing and occasionally, alligning the wheels.
Especially in a Quattro, which requires all four tires be balanced and
alligned, and usually whenever the tires are changed.

Now my V8 presently has Bridgestone something or others on it.  They were
new about 3000 miles ago from Tire Rack, are "h" rated, all season tires.
They are the proper (stock) size for the rims (stock) that came on the car.
I live in eastern Maine, and our winter, this year, consists of mostly cold,
cold, and more cold, with a little snow thrown in.  We get black ice every
night, and I live down a long dirt road that is always snow and ice covered
from fall until spring thaw over most of its length, as there is no chance
for the sun to reach it during the day.

On my 200 Avant Quattro that I drove for four years, I used two sets of
Firestone Firehawk LH Touring Radials, which were a superb all season tire
for that vehicle, and I am deeply sorry that the tire has been replaced by
something....I dunno what....else.  They were relatively inexpensive, and
provided great overall handling for the true mix of driving that that car
did. (highway, Interstate, back road, dirt road, open fields, open fields
that had had the top soil removed, and over dirt birms on several occasions,
that yanked the alternator belt off....superb tires).

On my departed, lamented Porsche 928S4, I used "Z" rated, "All Season"
tires, and drove the car year round.  Well, when the ice was so thick in my
driveway that the car wouldn't move, it stayed in the garage, but the car
was driven in the winter, as well as warmer months.  I don't remember what
those tires were now, actually.  They were a bit difficult to buy, as I
recall, due to the odd front and rear size in 16" wheel diameter, but I do
remember the one light snow/sleet storm that I got caught in on the way home
from Pennsylvania.....the car was very predictable.....so long as there was
a fresh egg placed between the sole of the right foot and the
accelerator.....ohhhhhhhhh, they were Dunlop 4000SP or something....pretty
good on that car, as I recall, and pretty cheap.  Got about 20,000 miles
from the rears, and the fronts could have gone another four or five thousand
miles.

What I have come to believe, is that up here in the rural, icy/snowy area of
Maine, a good "all season" tire is more than adequate for all driviing.
There is no real need to a "high performance" tire for a couple of reasons.
First of all, they are mostly 20-30% more expensive than "h" tires, and seem
to last about 75% as long.  Secondly, the added "performance" of those tires
is not usable, unless one wants to drive around with drivers license
extended out the window at arms length.  EVERy cruiser, including some game
wardens in Maine, operate radar, and most have two way radar.  If you drive
consistently above the posted limit here, despite this being a big, open
state, with big open, unpopulated areas, sooner or later you will get
stopped and HURT by a speeding citation and fine.  If I lived in an urban
setting, or had to commute in heavy, stop and go traffic, I think that I
would want to be in a light tank, running studded tracks, but for up here,
that's not needed.

>From my experience, the real world difference between an "H" rated and a
higher performance rated tire, is simply not noticeable, nor usable.

Now, to my experience there is a big difference between "H" rated tires,
which to me, is the lowest rating that I would put on ANY Quattro.  Both my
wife's 100CS and my V8 are wearing practically new Bridgestones right now.
My one outing a few years ago, with Yokohama AVS S-4's (I think they were)
was dismal.  Don't remember which car, but I think it was an Audi 5000CS
Avant Quattro....loud, wore poorly, and generally, were unpleasant.  So
unpleasant that I'll pass on Yoko's in the future, thanks very much.

I had Pirelli 6000SP's (I think that's right), that were nearly new on my V8
when I bought it.  OK tire.  Gone with 20,000 miles, of course, but OK, and
if the price was right, I suppose I might consider them again...but the
price would have to be VERY right.

Michelin are simply out of sight, and unrealistically expensive...I don't
care how "good" they are, simply too much money.

In a couple of months, I will be shopping for tires for the 200 20Valve
project....that will be an interesting search, although I suspect that the
price point for Bridgestone will be another set on that one, too.

FWIW

Roger