Feedback on 215/45 18 Kumho KU31's or Falken ZE912's?

[Malicioso]

I never mentioned the HTRZIIIs in my post, I'm surprised they have done so well, though from previous experience they have been real crap and I would never buy them again!

sorry but that's my opinion...

[Crusher_13]

Nath,

Do not waste your time on KU36's in Canberra.

They are useless once it gets to Autumn, unless you like wheel spin.

I had them on my car and never got traction. Even after hammering down the Parkway they proved to have very little grip when getting on it. They also deform under cornering to maintain a high footprint.

If it is price you are most worried about have a look at some Federals, I can not personally recommend them, but a fare few people run them. 595's I believe.

They are in the same style as the Ku36's

[nath]

Nath,

Do not waste your time on KU36's in Canberra.

They are useless once it gets to Autumn, unless you like wheel spin.

I had them on my car and never got traction. Even after hammering down the Parkway they proved to have very little grip when getting on it. They also deform under cornering to maintain a high footprint.

If it is price you are most worried about have a look at some Federals, I can not personally recommend them, but a fare few people run them. 595's I believe.

They are in the same style as the Ku36's

I can't justify the KU36's, no real need for a sporty soft compound tyre. I reckon the KU31's should do the trick. I don't think they make the 595's in 215/45 otherwise id probably consider the Fed's.

[Doug_MPS6]

Malicioso, hi. True, you refererred only to Sumitomos. I took you to mean HTRZIII's - my blue. But whatever your experience of Sumi's, to define them as "crap" when it is one of the most respected (albeit little known by the consumer public) rubber companies in the world is probably a bit over the top. This is supported by their excellent test results in every review I've read, especially in view of their very reasonable price, viz $265 a tyre fitted vs $375 each for RE050 Potenzas which as I have shown perform worse in tests and which I wouldn't put on a shopping trolley. Cheers.

[nath]

Picked up some KU31's from Tempe Tyres at $160 a corner, and fitted at Kmart Tyre and Auto for $10 a corner.. good to shop around. Happy with the KU31's so far.. quieter on road than the old OEM's.

[guitar69]

Thanks for the thread and discussion guys.
Very valuable reading for those of us that haven't had to replace rubber yet.
Hope you'll be happy with the KU31s Nath. BTW, what was the advantage of having them fitted at a different outlet?
Was there a large difference in the cash&carry price VS fitted price at Tempe?

[nath]

Tempe was $170 a corner fitted, however for piece of mind I got the tyres fitted in Canberra rather than Sydney (have heard a few bad things about Tempe's workmanship).

[guitar69]

Fair enough. Last time I had the wife's Forester done, some twit left a loose valve inside the tyre. With all the clanging going on at acceleration and braking I these horrible visions of the drive/prop shafts on their way out. Mind you, I should have known; when I was getting the quote, a previous customer came in complaining that they had put his wheel nuts on arse-about, ie; chamfered edge pointing outwards. That's one dealership I won't be going back to.