gmann

Will need some new tires soon. Has anyone put on Yokohama AVID TRZ's on their RX300? If so would you recomend? I currently have the Yokohama Geolanders and have been happy with them but wanted to see how the AVID TRZ's rate. Please let me know how many miles you've driven on them and the current tread left.

Thanks

code58

As an additional tool in deciding you could go to Tire Rack's site. It is such a large site that I always at least put their "reviews" into the equation when considering a tire I am not familiar with. As with any input, you have to be able to "spit out the bones", ie discount those posts that don't seem to reflect the broader consensus on any given subject. It's just that that site normally gives you a larger # of reviews because of the volume that they sell.

I don't know if they have changed them or not but I had a set on my wife's '02 Camry and tolerated them for 20k mi and had them replaced. They looked and wore great, but after 3 re-balances, it was impossible to balance them. They evidently had a structural problem that caused cyclical vibration in all 4 tires. No given pattern to it and impossible to balance out. I purchased them at America's Tire and they were very good about giving me full credit for all the tread that was left (about 75%). They put on a set of Michelin Primacy's that are like glass. If you purchase them, I would make sure you get the agreement that if they are not perfect from day 1 that they will remove them, give you FULL credit and install something that has NO problems. Good Luck!

gmann

Thanks for your input.
I looked on Tire Rack and the TRZ's appeared to have a decent rating but found only 1 review specific to the RX300's (which was decent). I also looked on discounttiredirect.com's site and they didn't have a TRZ review for our RX300's (a few good ones for the geolander's though) which is why I was hoping to get some more information from any of the board members that may have experience with them specific for our RX's.

How long ago was it when you purchased for your Camry?

Thanks

blueridge

I really like Yoko tires. I too had the Geolanders on our RX and was very happy with them. On our Camry we have the AS430's and like those a lot! Camrys have a tendency to chew tires!

When it came to replace the Geolanders on the RX, I was very curious about the General Grabber HTS. So, I went with them and have been quite pleased after 8K on them.

code58

Gmann- I purchased the Yoko's in Jan., '06. It's my wife's car and driven mostly local, only about 4 or 5 long trips, but quite a bit of freeway. We only put 21k on the original Bridgstones (I usually replace tires when down to about 25%) and they were the smoothest tires I have ever rolled on. They were rated at TWR of 160, and I wondered why Toyota put such cheap tires on. Found out they weren't cheap at all, just low TWR. They ran about the same price as the Avid TRZ's. Put new Enkei wheels on when we bought the car and 3 of the tires took no more than1/4 oz. each and 1 took no weight. I liked the Avids except for 2 things. Impossible to balance (all 4) and here in Cal. we have the grooves cut in a lot of the freeway for drainage and the Avid's tracked with the grooves, which wasn't good. They wore great and wore absolutely even. I have Geolanders on my F-150 and like them a lot, they just wear pretty quick because they're a wide tire. I'm trusting they have corrected whatever the problem was when I bought them, or the tire wouldn't sell at all. In looking at my records, I had them on exactly 2 years and put 18k mi on and had them rebalanced 3 times before I figured the trial was over, and moved on. I wish you luck with whatever you purchase. America's Tire did (probably still does) give a month free trial and if you don't like the tire they will take them off and put whatever you want on. I liked the tire and was just hoping they could get them balanced.

code58

Blueridge- When you say Camry's chew tires, are you possibly thinking of the '01 and back? We don't put a lot of miles on the '02 (it only has 57k mi at 7&1/2 years old) but the tires (the original B'stones, Yoko's and the current Michelin Primacy's) have all worn so smooth that I hate to admit it (I am a firm believer in rotating tires and do my own) but we now have 19k mi on the Michelins and I have not yet rotated them because they wear so perfectly. My brother had an '05 Camry and had the same luck with his tire wear. The others that I know with Camry's ('02-up) have all had the same luck. My brother did have a '95 that he bought new and gave to his daughter at about 130k mi and always had problems with abnormal type tire wear on it, regardless of tire brand. The '02 (new body then) was built on the platform (which obviously included suspension) of the Lexus ES300, so it was a different and more refined suspension than the previous.

blueridge

Code58,

We have a 2005 with about 60K on it. We went through the OEM's in 15K and replaced those with a set of Kumho tires. The Kumhos lasted about 20K. We've replaced them with the AS430's and have been please since.

I had it in at Toyota for an inspection, (I request the same tech there for the work on the Camry and RX that I cannot do). We were talking about the tread wear on the Camry that we experienced and he saw previously. He stated: 1) the previous tires were of poor quality. 2) He's noticed that unless you have the car aligned perfectly and rotate tires every oil change...Camrys chew tires. Keep in mine he's talking the 3,000 mile schedule too!

Admittedly, I only rotated the old Camry tires every 10K. Now I've been rotating the RX and Camry every 6K. It is possible that some of what I mentioned was self induced. However, what the tech said stuck with me.

On a side note, he also mentioned that he's seen a lot of Camry water pump issues around the 2005 time frame. Two months ago I had it in for a leaking water pump. It was replaced under the power train warranty.

code58

Blueridge- I would be interested in knowing what the original tires were. I thought the B'Stones were cheap tires because of the low TWR and only 21k mi on 'em when I replaced (with 25% tread left). When I got to checking into it, they are rated "Best" by America's Tire. They were a terrific tire , but with a 160AA TWR you can figure they wouldn't last long. They were a soft rubber (gripped the road like crazy), which resulted in quick wear but not a cheap tire. I have obviously never had to worry about alignment because the car drives like new and the tires have always worn perfectly. I am not sure but I don't think the Camry has any alignment adjustment except for Toe. Many cars, especially FE/FD don't have caster or camber adjustment, only toe. They are jigged well enough when they are built and to high standards now, that they don't need adjustment and because it's welded up that way, unless it's wrecked, they don't get out of adjustment. I do respectfully disagree with him on the Camry's chewing tires. From the '02-up (complete new vehicle, pretty much same as you have) they don't seem to have the problems that the earlier ones had. With (only) 57k mi on the '02, that car rides and drives like the day we brought it home, not one single hickup since brand new and it is not driven like an old lady's car. (if you don't drive 70-80 at least , on So. CA. freeways, you get run over) And, as stated, with 18-19k mi on the current Michelin Primacy's and never having been rotated even, the wear is absolutely perfect. I will try and remember to check the depth on them tomorrow. By the way, when I put the tires and wheels on the truck when I bought it new, I researched the Kumho's and did a fast retreat, I did not find good reviews on them at all.
Thanks for the heads up on the W/P. No problems yet, and I keep very close track of the maintenance. I do all my own work and if maintenance is all I have to do I'm a happy man!

blueridge

Code58,

You are correct, toe adjustment only. Maybe the tech was referring to older Camrys and just assumed his way up to 2005? His comments though obviously resonated with me.

The OEM tires were in fact BFs. I replaced them with Khumos because my dad who was a mechanic for his entire life spoke highly of them. Going by my memory, I got the tires. When I was shocked how awful they were I call up mom to inquire. She said No! They were Cooper tires that he liked!

Other than the WP, not a single problem other wise!

gmann

Thanks for your feedback everyone.

I went ahead and ordered the TRZ's. $89/tire at discounttiredirect.com with a $40 Yokohama rebate (expires 2/28) and an add'l $50 rebate for using the CarCareOne credit card nets down to $67/tire. Can't beat that deal.

Once I get installed I will let you know how they ride.

ByTor

Good Luck with them on your RX. Hard to tell how long they will last, also hard to judge their performance when most reviews were written by mini-van owners.

gmann

LOL.....my wife drives the RX more like a mini van then an SUV so it might just be OK.....

code58

Gmann-Hard to beat that deal with a big stick. I trust they have long since solved the problem that I had with them. They did wear evenly and wore well (should with a 700AB TWR) If you don't have the grooved pavement you shouldn't have a problem with the tracking like I did on our groove cut pavement. I was happy with the tires except that with it being impossible to balance them because of the random cyclical vibration imbalance issue. They gave me NO problem even at 2 years with giving me full credit for the unused miles, so I suspicion I was not the 1st one who had commented on the vibration. I didn't even ask them to take them back, I just said I could no longer tolerate the vibration and at 18k mi, I had given them more chance than they deserved (the tires), and I just wanted a good set of tires that were smooth like the B'stones. Wish you the very best of luck with them.

P.S. I have never dealt with a tire co. that has been better to deal with than America's/Discount Tire. I have bought 2 sets of mags (I'm a wheel guy ) and several sets of tires from them and wouldn't go anywhere else because of the way I've been treated.

code58

Blueridge- That was good for a belly laugh! Not laughing at you, just that haven't we all made a similar mistake in life. The reviews are what made me do a U-turn on the Khumos. I have liked the Geolander HTS's ? that I have on the truck, but would sooner that they weren't a directional tire. Yea, you don't see many Cooper dealers around at all, but the company has been around forever.

My wife's '02 Camry has been one of the best cars we have ever owned. I bought an extended Toyota Factory warranty on it because it was the 1st year of an all new car (including the aluminum 4 cyl.) and have not had a single minutes worth of problem with it in 7&1/2 years. Have thought about getting a new car, but every time I do I ask myself why. We absolutely love the car and it's still like new. The Camry was a Japan build, so I don't think that hurt.

artbuc

Roger, that is how I feel about my 99 Avalon AND that is how we felt about our RX300. Unfortunately, I think Toyota quality has been going downhill. We test drove the Acura MDX and RX350 on the same day. There was really no comparison and my wife picked the Acura. I don't want to offend anyone because this forum has been a huge help to me, BUT, IMHO, the new RX350 is a mere shadow of the RX300.