the /55s were, in the Volvo Tire Litigation Settlement, Volvo's proposed solution to the sidewall damage problem, but I decided against that because it would slow the car's acceleration (taller tires change the effective gearing; in CO when a turbo's off-boost it's Really off-boost...) and also increase the car's speedometer error (beginning in '96 an ECU can be switched to properly account for the /55s, as I recall).

And 5 minutes ago I read a report here of someone whose 205/55s damaged the plastic wheel well (inner fender) after hitting a bump and, I assume, full/large suspension travel occurred. see http://www.brickboard.com/AWD/index.htm?id=639047

So /55s are no free lunch, despite Volvo's revised (in the wake of a class-action lawsuit loss) recommendation.

If you regularly run with a heavy load, the increased load rating of the /55s, along with the greater number of available manufacturer/model choices in that more popular size, may make them more worth considering, but for max performance I recommend sticking with /50s, which are a 'perfect' "+1" from a 195/60-15, which appears to be what the car's designers originally intended/expected.

- Dave; '95 854T, 143K mi

Thanks for the info. I'd heard that new Subaru WRX STi came with them, so I'd hoped the tires weren't as fragile as I'd begun fearing but you've confirmed.

I was itching to try those S03s, but what's holding me back is that I want a light bouncy tire or my car's suspension won't like it, and then I'll have a headache, and then it won't matter how they perform. And that Bridgestone is built like a tank, at 24#, about the heaviest 205/50-16 made. I decided not to try a Nitto tire years ago for this same weight/reason.

Tire weight is the worst kind of unsprung weight a car can have, because it also contritubes maximally to the rotational energy in the wheel-tire system. So it not only reduces the frequency response of the suspension, it requires more energy to bring up to or down from a given rotational speed, which is not good for acceleration times or braking distances.

Beginning my 3rd season on the Toyos, they were down to just under 1/2 their tread depth, and at that feathery tire weight the whole car became livelier, more responsive, and more comfortable (given my kit car's much-improved but still occasionally rude, not-very-well-sorted too-firm suspension).

APPROX 205/50-16 Tire Weights (in pounds)

Toyo T1-S = 19
Michelin Pilot Sport = 20.3
Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 = 22
Bridgestone S-03 PP = 24

(a manufacturer can decrease the weight of its tire by reducing tread depth, but these are supposedly all 10/32")

(I believe the Toyos max psi = 44, the others all(?) = 51)

I spoke with Michelin, hoping they'd tell me the Pilot Sport was much bouncier than my stiff old OEM MXMs, but they said otherwise. Of course, the stiffer sidewall better protects itself against the damage that prompted me to start this thread...

So I don't think the Toyos are tough enough to wear the Michelin label, but my car likes them...

- Dave; '95 854T, 143K mi

Dealers can also tell you what you want to hear too. I don't know if you were making your comments towards mine, it sounded to me as if you were? Actually Yokohama sells some expensive racing tires as well. I would have thought that Cooper, Laramie and Nokian were off brand and lower priced tires. Do they sell expensive racing or touring tires? It may be that all of the tires we are talking about are actually good tires in their own rite.

I may be wrong?

If I am not: I base my judgement on unbiased testing. There are only a few brands of tires made for my car, one of which is the Pirelli, which came stock and sells for $165 each. The tires I use now are Falken @ $97 each and perform as well as Pirelli on dry roads, but better on wet roads. Expensive items are not always a better product simply because they cost more.

The facts are based on comparison testing with other major brands such as Pirelli, which as you know is a very expensive tire. Go to these web sites and you will see what I am talking about for yourself. www.discounttiredirect.com and www.tirerack.com, both of which show comparison tests so that you can make your own decision, and not rely on a dealer to tell you which they prefer and try to upsell you.

Just my .02

Thanks, Rick. Based upon your input, I've placed an order for (to try the) new Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3. Goodyear's satisfaction guarantee is that if I don't like their tires, they find another Goodyear tire to satisfy me but since the only Goodyear I'd even consider putting on my car is the GS-D3, that's worthless to me. But Discount will let me try them and if I don't like them order (I suppose) another set of Toyos. Either way, they sell road damage insurance (though having to ever use one will always be somewhere between an inconvenience and a bummer). I don't think they can do high-precision (better than 1/4 oz) balancing, though.

The 'wisdom' of my winter tire choice, Pirelli 210 Asymmetrico 195/60-HR15, came in handy this past weekend. Instead of cancelling trip/car or rushing into some inferior tire solution last week, I just pulled the good wheels with bad Toyos and put on the winter roadwear for the long weekend. With a heavily loaded car and significant time on unimproved roads, they were fine+ even in the elevated (for them) temps, and I didn't use much less need their H-rating either (I stayed in-state...).

- Dave; '95 854T, 143K mi