Reduced road nose
10-26-07, 04:09 PM
#1
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Reduced road nose
I have recently fitted Yokohama Aspec db tyres to my IS250. They are advertised as A500 in Australia, but the tyres themselves only have Aspec db written on them. They don't come in 205 55 R 16 so had to go for 225 50 R16 , which has the same diameter. I figured the wider footprint couldn't hurt handling either.
WOW - what a difference.
My IS250 has managed to wear the following tyres so far:-
. Original Bridgestones
- good ride, handling OK but noise suppression is not a priority
. Pirelli P7 - put on by Lexus at no charge and without asking me first - big mistake. Rough ride and whines like a 4WD.
. Falken ST - me trying to fix the P7 problem (but paid for by Lexus) - good ride, good grip, quieter than P7s but developed an annoying whine as they got some mileage.
. Goodyear Excellence - inexpensive, quieter than Falkens, hard ride, long wearing, poor grip.
. Yokohama Aspec
- magic tyre !
Ok 5 sets of tyre makes me a nut, but I have really hit the jackpot at last.
Having recently had a week in a loan IS250 with Bridgestones on, I can confirm the Goodyears are marginally quieter than the standard Bridgestones and the Yokohamas are SIGNIFICANTLY QUIETER than either tyre. The Yokohamas certainly live up to the claims made on their website where they are promoted as "ultimate silence". The only other explanation for the dramatic reduction in road noise could be that all the roads had been resurfaced in the hour it took to have the tyres fitted.
Unlikely! Road noise is now muted (or non existent) on all but coarse ship roads. The most road noise still comes from the driver's side front tyre (which is unique to Lexus and was noticeable on all IS250 loan cars I have had) but it is much reduced on the Yokohamas.
I decided to get rid of my Goodyear tyres, due to their poor ride and grip. 28 psi was required to give a reasonable ride and I was not happy with using the low pressure required, from a safety point of view. They also had poor grip and would often squeal in corners (even at normal pressures) with only moderate throttle openings. The Yokohamas, at 34psi, ride just as well as the Goodyears at 28psi. The Yokohamas also reduce road surface vibration felt through the steering wheel as well.
I am not sure what sort of black magic Yokohama use on these tyres, but the noise reduction is quite simply amazing. I hardly notice road texture changes now. It is like having a new car. Yokohama also claim the tyres maintain this over the life of the tyre. Time will tell.
The only downside is that you are now more likely to notice any cabin trim noises and rattles. Even after a week I still notice and am amazed by the noise reduction these tyres have achieved.
You can find the Yokohama details here - http://www.yokohama.com.au/ourtyres/tyre.aspx?tyreid=65
WOW - what a difference.
My IS250 has managed to wear the following tyres so far:-
. Original Bridgestones
- good ride, handling OK but noise suppression is not a priority. Pirelli P7
- put on by Lexus at no charge and without asking me first - big mistake. Rough ride and whines like a 4WD.. Falken ST
- me trying to fix the P7 problem (but paid for by Lexus) - good ride, good grip, quieter than P7s but developed an annoying whine as they got some mileage.. Goodyear Excellence
- inexpensive, quieter than Falkens, hard ride, long wearing, poor grip.. Yokohama Aspec
- magic tyre !Ok 5 sets of tyre makes me a nut, but I have really hit the jackpot at last.
Having recently had a week in a loan IS250 with Bridgestones on, I can confirm the Goodyears are marginally quieter than the standard Bridgestones and the Yokohamas are SIGNIFICANTLY QUIETER than either tyre. The Yokohamas certainly live up to the claims made on their website where they are promoted as "ultimate silence". The only other explanation for the dramatic reduction in road noise could be that all the roads had been resurfaced in the hour it took to have the tyres fitted.
Unlikely! Road noise is now muted (or non existent) on all but coarse ship roads. The most road noise still comes from the driver's side front tyre (which is unique to Lexus and was noticeable on all IS250 loan cars I have had) but it is much reduced on the Yokohamas.I decided to get rid of my Goodyear tyres, due to their poor ride and grip. 28 psi was required to give a reasonable ride and I was not happy with using the low pressure required, from a safety point of view. They also had poor grip and would often squeal in corners (even at normal pressures) with only moderate throttle openings. The Yokohamas, at 34psi, ride just as well as the Goodyears at 28psi. The Yokohamas also reduce road surface vibration felt through the steering wheel as well.
I am not sure what sort of black magic Yokohama use on these tyres, but the noise reduction is quite simply amazing. I hardly notice road texture changes now. It is like having a new car. Yokohama also claim the tyres maintain this over the life of the tyre. Time will tell.
The only downside is that you are now more likely to notice any cabin trim noises and rattles. Even after a week I still notice and am amazed by the noise reduction these tyres have achieved.
You can find the Yokohama details here - http://www.yokohama.com.au/ourtyres/tyre.aspx?tyreid=65
10-28-07, 12:24 AM
#3
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Coconut or jk or whoever you are. I neither work for nor have any association with Yokohama. I also paid cash for my IS250, all hard earned by me, though my normal line of business, which is IT. Why do you bother posting this rubbish.
I lived for 4yrs in Japan, i miss it soooo much 
10-28-07, 12:32 AM
#6
Lexus Champion
iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Honolulu, HI
Posts: 2,026
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
i wish those yoko had a bit nicer tred pattern 
. im dead set on getting some toyo T1R's when my tires wear a bit more. but now i gota think about the yoko if their as good as u say they are :O. but what size wheel r u running. 16's? (according to ur tire spec). why would u have 16's on a is? i thought the small stock is 17, unless u got smaller after markets? or ur stretching the 50/55 thickness tires on larger rims?
. im dead set on getting some toyo T1R's when my tires wear a bit more. but now i gota think about the yoko if their as good as u say they are :O. but what size wheel r u running. 16's? (according to ur tire spec). why would u have 16's on a is? i thought the small stock is 17, unless u got smaller after markets? or ur stretching the 50/55 thickness tires on larger rims?
10-28-07, 12:39 AM
#7
Trending Topics
10-28-07, 12:54 AM
#8
i wish those yoko had a bit nicer tred pattern . im dead set on getting some toyo T1R's when my tires wear a bit more. but now i gota think about the yoko if their as good as u say they are :O. but what size wheel r u running. 16's? (according to ur tire spec). why would u have 16's on a is? i thought the small stock is 17, unless u got smaller after markets? or ur stretching the 50/55 thickness tires on larger rims?
. im dead set on getting some toyo T1R's when my tires wear a bit more. but now i gota think about the yoko if their as good as u say they are :O. but what size wheel r u running. 16's? (according to ur tire spec). why would u have 16's on a is? i thought the small stock is 17, unless u got smaller after markets? or ur stretching the 50/55 thickness tires on larger rims?
10-28-07, 12:55 AM
#9
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My apologies Coconut
I'm not up on acronyms, so took your comments at face value.
Hi Weesped
In Australia we get 3 models. The base IS250 in Australia comes with 16" wheels and skinny 205 tyres, the Sport has 18" (with sports suspension) and the Luxury has 17" and the same suspension as the base. I think the sport and luxury both have the same width tyres, 225 front and 245 backs.
As I didn't want to have to get new wheels, I stayed with the 16's.
Have had all 3 types as loan cars and the 16's definately have the better ride, although the 17's look the best. The Luxury model had Dunlop Sport Max tyres on the 17's which gave a good ride and great handling, noisy though. I noticed in the showroom the other day that the new LS460 also had these tyres.
The Yokohama tyre design has been around for a while as I can find web links back to 2000. If you want a quiet ride above all else, this is the tyre, the rest is just icing on the cake. The Falkens certainly had plenty of grip and a good ride, but silence is what I am after.
Unfortunately unlike the car itself you, can't try before you buy when it comes to tyres.
C ya
Crispy
I'm not up on acronyms, so took your comments at face value.
Hi Weesped
In Australia we get 3 models. The base IS250 in Australia comes with 16" wheels and skinny 205 tyres, the Sport has 18" (with sports suspension) and the Luxury has 17" and the same suspension as the base. I think the sport and luxury both have the same width tyres, 225 front and 245 backs.
As I didn't want to have to get new wheels, I stayed with the 16's.
Have had all 3 types as loan cars and the 16's definately have the better ride, although the 17's look the best. The Luxury model had Dunlop Sport Max tyres on the 17's which gave a good ride and great handling, noisy though. I noticed in the showroom the other day that the new LS460 also had these tyres.
The Yokohama tyre design has been around for a while as I can find web links back to 2000. If you want a quiet ride above all else, this is the tyre, the rest is just icing on the cake. The Falkens certainly had plenty of grip and a good ride, but silence is what I am after.
Unfortunately unlike the car itself you, can't try before you buy when it comes to tyres.
C ya
Crispy
10-30-07, 04:56 AM
#13
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yep 16s on the base. Comparing the equipment levels, the Aussie IS250s have the perforated leather cooled/heated trim as standard.
I tried to do a price comparision, but the US Lexus site quotes prices excluding tax while Australian price includes tax. Also Australia has only the mark levinson and sunroof as options on the base model and everything is standard on the luxury. US models seem to have everything available as an option, so not sure if the extra features on the Australian base compensate for the 16 inch wheels price wise.
I tried to do a price comparision, but the US Lexus site quotes prices excluding tax while Australian price includes tax. Also Australia has only the mark levinson and sunroof as options on the base model and everything is standard on the luxury. US models seem to have everything available as an option, so not sure if the extra features on the Australian base compensate for the 16 inch wheels price wise.
