[DML] Re: TIRES dangit

[KayoOng@xxxx]

An opinion on tires with my DeLorean.

Tires used in chronological order.

I had the originals NTC when I brought the car with 11,000 miles on it -- 
They were terrible!

I then got a set of 4 Dunlop's. I put on over 24,000 miles on them in 18 
months, I didn't like them. Couldn't wait to get rid of them. They had the 
same tire "characteristics" when I had them my Bentley. Got rid of them 
there too.

Afterwards, I purchased a set of 4 Pirellis P6 -- I put on over 34,000 miles 
on them in 20 months. They are good for all around driving with road and 
weather conditions. I like them.

Recently, at the end of January I was forced to get a new front tire, because 
of a blow out created by a pot hole on a major NYC street. Instead of 
changing that one tire or just the fronts, I changed all them all -- the 
entire four. I got the set of Yokohama's AVS from Rob of PJ Grady. He had 
them in stock, I didn't have to wait. To date, I have put over 1,500 miles 
on them the for the last six weeks. During the last six weeks, I drove the 
Yokos in the snow, twice. In the rain about six times. Majority of the 
driving weather was dry cold days or dry cool days. No hot weather 
experiences yet. (It is still winter season in NYC.) 

In my opinion? The Yokos are okay. There are many things I don't like about 
the Yokos, I will not go into it now. 

One reason, why I can't give a full comparison is because I had all my four 
shocks changed three weeks prior to my incident with the blow out of my 
Pirelli front tire. I had the experience in driving the new shocks them with 
the Pirellis for a short time. I like the combination. These are "NEW" 
engineered shocks that were install by Rob from PJ Grady be available as 
another product besides the original shocks for the DeLorean cars. He had 
commissioned my DeLorean to test his new shocks. In my opinion the PJ 
Grady's shocks are better then the originals. With two hard hits the same 
new front shock is still in shape. (A good report for Rob.)

Anyway, as tires, between the two or three or four or more brands. You must 
know what you want to do with them. I drive everyday -- EVERYDAY and putting 
on an average of 110 miles a day. I drive in the NYC and surrounding areas. 
The NYC streets, roads and highways are terrible (just like our Mayor). 
Anything can happen, any kind of road condition can be encountered. The 
car's suspension, tires and all of its components must be ready and able to 
handle all of these road situations. Just to give you an idea of the road 
conditions. I can drive from NYC to Alabama and back which is over a 2,000 
miles trip and I can run into less then a dozen potholes or broken roads. 
The minute I am back on the NYC roads or highways, in just ONE mile I can 
running into as many as six or more potholes or some other disastrous 
nonsense. 

Incidentally, I got another incident. I got a cut on the side wall of my new 
Yoko front tire and I also cut on the edge of the rim of my wheel. All this, 
while I was driving on the East River Drive just two weeks after I got the 
new set of Yokos. I was even going fast. The sad part is I was I in traffic 
on the right lane when it happen and "lost" control of the car. I was 
swaying left and right at 45 MPH. I controlled the car all the way out to 
the next exit on a complete flat tire and rim. It was good thing I KNOW HOW 
TO DRIVE under this kind of condition. I was taught and I had train this 
type of driving two and half decades ago which came in handy. Anyway, I had 
to get a front rim and a front tire. (Anyone from the Dept. of Highway or 
the Mayor of NYC reading this? Ha! Like they gave a hoot!). You can drive 
5 MPH and still hit a pothole, crack in the road, raised manhole and etc. 
Sony's New Play Station should make a game of this.

I have driven all the tires mentioned, on the road's conditions of NYC, as 
well as long distant trips all over the country while encountering all kinds 
of weather conditions. Either in slow creeping traffic and speeds that the 
Delorean will MAX out on -- with pedal to the metal (Don't get critical. I 
do it safely. I have a clean driving record -- no moving violations or 
accidents for over 20 years. I am a very cautious defensive driver, when I 
do drive fast I do safely not recklessly and not all the time). 

With all the tires mentioned, The Yokos are fun "touring" tires -- 
comfortable for riding. For handling??? I still like the Pirellis. I would 
take them over the Yokos on the next changes. They fit my driving habits. 
Who knows maybe I will acclimate to the Yokos and like them better then the 
Pirellis. 

So, there you have it, another opinion.

Kayo Ong
#05508
Lic 9D NY