Quick Tire Reviews: GY Integrity, BFG Touring T/A Pro, Yokohama AVID Touring-S

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by bsd43, Feb 4, 2010.

  1. bsd43

    bsd43 Member

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    I thought I'd put in my $0.02 on tires...

    Goodyear Integrity, P185/65R15 (Stock), 10000 miles (5/32" left)
    Speedometer Accuracy: -0.5% (40 mph indicated = 39 GPS, 80 mph indicated = 79 GPS)
    Impression: Horrible handling tires - simple corners and cloverleaf ramps made these squeal and understeer without provocation. Ride was "ok". They wore unevenly on the shoulders of the tread. Wet traction and braking unacceptable.
    Bottom line: Run away!!!

    BF Goodrich Touring T/A Pro, P205/60R15, 62000 miles (4/32" left)
    Purchased at Costco for ~$80 installed (now they're over $100 installed).
    Speedometer Accuracy: -0.5% (40 indicated = 39 GPS, 80 indicated = 79 GPS)
    Impression: These tires improved dry handling - no more squealing from turning. The ride quality was weird -- it was harsh on bumps and bad roads, even at 35/33 PSI tire pressures, yet they felt "floaty" from the soft sidewalls. Wet braking was OK in the beginning, but almost dangerous at the end, and why I threw them out even with meat on left on them. MPG about 1 MPG less than Integrity.
    Bottom line: Slightly better, but still not recommended.

    Yokohama AVID Touring-S P195/60R15, 1000 miles so far
    Purchased at Tirerack.com for $62 shipped + $16 mount/balance at local shop.
    Speedometer Accuracy: -1.5% (40 indicated = 39 GPS, 80 indicated = 78 GPS)
    Impression: Much better all-around. Steering is quicker and precise, and no squeal. Ride is spot on, even at 40/38 PSI. Wet braking is *much* better than either of the other tires. MPG has improved about 2 MPG above the BFG after correcting for the circumference difference. Not directional, so I can cross-rotate them.
    Bottom line: So far so good... Especially for the price. Low rolling resistance was rated higher than average by Consumer Reports.
    <<< see update below >>>
     
    #1 bsd43, Feb 4, 2010
  2. uclabruins

    uclabruins Member

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    Do you still like the Yokohama AVID Touring-S tires? I'm thinking of buying those for my prius.
     
    #2 uclabruins, Nov 9, 2010
  3. bsd43

    bsd43 Member

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    Yes, they're still awesome... They have 12k miles on them so far. Goferit.
     
    #3 bsd43, Nov 13, 2010
  4. Blackmamba

    Blackmamba New Member

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    Your review is pretty accurate based on the specs. The Integrities were too thin to handle well. The Goodrich Tourings felt soft because you had the most sidewall, almost 5". They got 1 less mpg because they were wider.

    The Yokohamas seem the most balanced.
     
    #4 Blackmamba, Nov 13, 2010
  5. uclabruins

    uclabruins Member

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    Hey BSD43, why did you go from tire size 205 to 195 60/15?
     
    #5 uclabruins, Jan 7, 2011
  6. Hal W

    Hal W New Member

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    65 to 60 width is the big improvement for cornering but 60 are too wide for great FE? Not a good comparison as the integrity's did not stand a chance against the wider tires. Different size tires! H
     
    #6 Hal W, Jan 7, 2011
  7. Mike_10

    Mike_10 Member

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    Original poster: thanks for the review! very handy...
     
    #7 Mike_10, Jan 8, 2011
  8. fo0bar

    fo0bar Junior Member

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    I just replaced the tires on my 2009 standard, at 25,000 miles. While the GenII Integrity OEMs were slightly better than the GenI Potenza OEMs (which would pop if you looked at them funny), I was still disappointed in the mileage I got before needing to replace them.

    So I tried the Yokohama AVID Touring-S, direct replacement size (185-65R15). The ride is noticeably quieter. Also, they don't squeal whenever I roll over crosswalk paint while turning/accelerating. (I'm assuming they use a coating here. It was the same squeal when moving in a painted floor garage, but happened at nearly every crosswalk.) Handling is much more responsive, but a bit "squirrelly". Overall, the immediate ride comfort is improved and lives up to the touring name. I'm hoping gas mileage remains at least the same over time.
     
    #8 fo0bar, Aug 2, 2011
  9. bsd43

    bsd43 Member

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    Just to close the loop: 3 years and 60k miles later, the Yokohama AVID Touring-S tires still have "meat" on them. Mileage got better and better. BUT: they've been loud and lousy in the wet since about 30k, and there's now hairline cracks on the sidewall near the rim on all 4 tires, to the point that I think it's time to dump'em. Now that they're $80+ shipped, I don't know if they're the same bang-for-buck as before. Probably heading to Michelin next.

    Yokohama AVID Touring-S P195/60R15, 60000 miles, 4/32" left
    Purchased at Tirerack.com for $62 shipped + $16 mount/balance at local shop.
    Speedometer Accuracy: -3% (80 indicated = 77 GPS)
    Impression at 60000 miles: They changed character after about 30k, when the smaller sipes in the tire were gone. They became very loud, and I can break them lose in turns with any moisture on the road.
    Bottom line: Still better than the Integrity and the BFG.
     
    #9 bsd43, Jun 25, 2013
  10. dorunron

    dorunron Senior Member

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    If you are considering Michelin in your game plan you might want to consider what is recommended here on PC.

    Low Rolling Resistance replacement tires: Current List | PriusChat

    That being the Energy Saver A/S.

    Energy Saver A/S | Michelin Tires

    I have a new set on our '09 Prius now. I am running them at 38F 36R. Stock size P185/65/R15 86T. I immediately noticed a much better ride, good handling, and most importantly NO drop in MPG. With the OEM Integrity's I averaged overall 49.7 On this first tank of fuel I am already seeing a increase of MPG on the MFD. I will know more as time passes, but I do expect to see better results in the long run.

    I thought I would share that info with you in case you haven't checked into them yet or were looking for feedback on them. Thank you for the excellent review you posted. I am sure other's will find it useful.

    Ron
     
    #10 dorunron, Jun 26, 2013
  11. bsd43

    bsd43 Member

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    After a lot of research, ended up buying a set of Michelin Primacy MXV4 195-60R15 GreenX H-rated tires. They were $97.49 from America's Tires (aka Discount), after pricematching the current Costco $70-for-4 coupon. Absolute max MPG isn't quite my target -- after all, I wouldn't have gone to wider tires for better handling if that were the case.

    Initial impression: these are by far the quietest tires I've tried so far. Speedo is -1.0% off, not bad. Very precise handling. I'll update as I have some more miles on these.
     
    #11 bsd43, Jun 27, 2013
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