Just ordered new tires: Hankook Ventus V12

[FreeFlyFreak]

Well, I have been researching tires for a while now.
I wanted something as grippy as stock but quieter, and hopefully cheaper
After reading Car and Driver Aug 09 (nine affordable summer tires), the winner Dunlop Star specs sound like a great tire but are relatively noisy from what I have read elsewhere and this is shown in the comparo results.

So I decided to go with the runner up, Hankook Ventus V12 evo K110.
Out of 10 tires they are: joint quietest and also rated 1st in wet braking, 2nd in dry skid pad, 2nd in wet skid pad, 3rd wet autocross and Joint 4th in dry autocross. 4th doesn't sound that great, but they beat the expensive benchmark tire which was Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 and got an equal time to the Falken Azinis RT-615's so they are no slow tire. Plus, variations in driver performance may play a larger part in the autocross results than in the other tests.

I went with 225/45 18 to fit on stock wheels.
The tires are relatively inexpensive and offer great bang for the buck, just like the car itself.
I ordered from tires-easy.com 126 ish a tire plus 46ish for shipping, cheapest I could find online. $551.54 total shipped, and there is a $50 rebate good til Sept so in the end they are basically $125 each shipped.

Anyway, I will post here when I get them installed with my impressions.

I am sure some of you will disagree with my decision, but it is what it is, and thought I would post it up for all to see.
If you are hard core and want a no compromises street tire, then the Star Specs are a no brainer, but for daily driving, it is worth the compromise to me for a substantially quieter tire.
Personally I couldn't wait to wear these stockers out, 13000 miles, including 4 track days did it, they are at 2/32nds, I could run them a little longer but I want them off NOW.
Good riddance, hoping the Hankook Ventus V12 are better.

I am also glad I didn't buy earlier, I had been leaning toward the Nitto Invo as I had read numerous reports that they are quiet......... and they are, but they came in close to last in this comparo and I am sure I wouldn't have been happy with them.

Below are links to 2 articles/reviews/comparos that include this tire, I have attached a third comparo at the bottom of the post:

Tire Test: Nine Affordable Summer Tires Take On the Michelin PS2 - Comparison Tests - Auto Reviews - Car and Driver
http://www.tdwonline.net/news/K110re...odifiedMag.pdf

[Kdawg207]

Saw the same write up you're referring too haha
Im def interested in your results...keep us posted

lets see some pix of them on the ride too - some tires look better to me than others once mounted

thanks

[Fobio]

yeah, read the same review and the Hankook's definitely hit the price/perfermance ratio for a street tire that can get away in Stock class for most AutoX events. I'm also surprised at how much better these new gen of tires are compared to the 615's.

[08cosmic3]

I'm buying the Hankook Ventus V12's this week. I'm going 225/40-18 on stock wheels. There is a $50 mail in rebate on a set of 4 and they are already cheap. Even if they are not the best it won't set me back much. I found this size for $449.82 shipped and after rebate they are only $400.

[Kdawg207]

can you guys both post pix/results when you get em on... im interested in how each of you like em - and the slight size diff in your choices.

thanks

[FreeFlyFreak]

Originally Posted by Kdawg207 can you guys both post pix/results when you get em on... im interested in how each of you like em - and the slight size diff in your choices. thanks

Ill take pix if I remember.

Personally I wouldnt go 225 40 18 on stock wheels, for many reasons:

1) That size is outside of the rim width range specified by Hankook, could possibly lead to fitment or more likely handling issues.
2) I don't have or want a drop. I have the Koni FSD's and love them and wouldnt want the car lower than it is, the larger diameter tire will fill out the gap a little and give the impression of a drop without the down side.
3) My odometer will read less miles with the 45's = good for resale.
4) The car has plenty of torque, so any (very minor) change in gear ratio can be basically ignored. In fact, in my opinion (and Mazdas. they changed the gearing for 2010) the car is geared too low and will benefit from the larger tire. I would go larger but dont want to mess with new wheels or fender rolling.

Those were my reasons for choosing the size I did for the stock wheel.
I am sure 08cosmic3 has his own reasons for going with the 225/40/18 on the stock wheel, but for me they were out of the question.

[08cosmic3]

I have read many others going 225/40 on stock wheels with no problem. Correct me if I'm wrong but won't 40's will perform better on the twisties and at the strip. The V12's also come in 215/45 and 215/40.

[Cheveyboy]

To little sidewall is just as bad as to much, you just see diffrent handleing anomalies.

In this case the car wont keep contact as well on iragular road surfaces due to not being enough sidewall to help the tire conform. Your going to be better off with stock size tires and a decent compound then 225/40's.

Not opinion, its fact.

[specvspeedfreak]

good tire choice. this is what i recommended to my friend and he got them.. he loves em'. this tire to me is the best daily driving street tire you can buy for this car. it has it all... good dry grip, low noise, comfort, great wet grip, price.. you cant ask for more... I am torn myself.. If I race as lil as i did this year as i did last year i will get hankooks.. but if when i move to ohio i see there are alot of tracks or autocross i will get the nitto nt-05... Driving on 615's now i see myself not even using the tire for what its made for.. and honestly comfort is more important to me cause i already have a stiff ride with koni/h&r's.. these are should make me happy.


...edit.. you could of saved alot of money going 225/40 or even staying with stock tire size (best performance).. also going 225 is kinda weird cause the sidewall is bit too skinny(40's) or a bit to bulky (45's) < but best alternative choice if you want a wider tire.

[FreeFlyFreak]

Originally Posted by specvspeedfreak you could of saved alot of money going 225/40 or even staying with stock tire size (best performance).. also going 225 is kinda weird cause the sidewall is bit too skinny(40's) or a bit to bulky (45's) < but best alternative choice if you want a wider tire.

I dont care too much about the money that was the lowest of my priorities.
Just talking size.
I wanted a little wider tire, but stay within manufacturer specs for wheel width, without buying new wheels.
225/45/18 was the only choice for me.
A little wider than stock tire, fills the fender gap slightly with stock springs, fits the stock wheel width within tire manufacturer spec, same weight as stock tire, greater weight rating than stock tire (very unusual)...

[glocK23]

I still think you made a bad choice but that's my opinion, hope it works out for you. Should have gone 225/40/18, I think you might fit the wheel gap slightly over than stock, considering 225 is wider than 215, meaning it won't be stretched as much as stock 215...Correct me if I'm wrong on the wheel well gap..

[FreeFlyFreak]

Originally Posted by glocK23 Should have gone 225/40/18, I think you might fit the wheel gap slightly over than stock, considering 225 is wider than 215, meaning it won't be stretched as much as stock 215

I dont really understand what you are trying to say.

If you mean it will fill out the gap between the wheel and fender a little, you are correct, that is what I want, but the amount is so small it will probably be imperceptible.
The 225/45 are 10mm wider and 5mm greater diameter than stock. That is 2.5mm (1/10 inch) increase in radius to fill the wheel gap when new. Of course that 2.5mm will soon wear off and they will become the same diameter as stock but 10mm wider.
I would prefer larger but dont want to change wheels or run into fitment issues, and so I stand by my size decision.

If what you typed meant something else then please clarify.

Steve

[specvspeedfreak]

don't listen to him.. he is wrong.. 225/40 would make for a shorter sidewall... and your right 225/40 is not recommended on a 7inch (even though they will fit)... 225/45 was the best alternative for you...

[glocK23]

^ lol..yes please don't listen to me, i am wrong........

[FreeFlyFreak]

Tires arrived today. Arrived very quickly, much quicker than I expected. Order processed Monday, tires received Wednesday.
Got them mounted and balanced, damn expensive by the way here in California.

I will post some pics for those that wanted, probably tonight.

I will leave impressions until I get a few miles on them at the correct pressure. They were at 42+ psi from the tire shop.

[Cheveyboy]

Cool man, cant wait for pics and impression

[FreeFlyFreak]

Photos, for those that asked.
As you can probably see, these were over inflated from the tire installer, 42 psi+.
I will post impressions, but not until I set the correct pressure and get at least a few hundred miles on them, under various driving/road conditions.

[08cosmic3]

I ordered mine today. I ended up buying the stock size form Onlinetires.com for $466.08 shipped and will be only $416.08 after $50 rebate from Hankook.

[dbrier]

I ordered some for my new wheels - 235/45/17 and they were only $362 shipped before the rebate.
I love 17" wheels.

[HoustonMS3]

Originally Posted by Cheveyboy To little sidewall is just as bad as to much, you just see diffrent handleing anomalies. In this case the car wont keep contact as well on iragular road surfaces due to not being enough sidewall to help the tire conform. Your going to be better off with stock size tires and a decent compound then 225/40's. Not opinion, its fact.

There is no handing problem with 225/40 on a 7.5" wheel. Yes, odometer will read diff, yes it might be a little rougher ride, yes there will be more wheel gap.

I have had bridgestones in both stock and 225/40. 225 Being the clear traction winner. I am curious if a single person auto-x'ing would agree with you.

[FantasmoNegro]

I am interested on impressions of this tire as well. I will be picking these up in the next few days. Read the same report, anything quieter and better handling than the Bridgestones is a plus, especially for less money that the Bridgestones.

[specvspeedfreak]

Originally Posted by HoustonMS3 There is no handing problem with 225/40 on a 7.5" wheel. Yes, odometer will read diff, yes it might be a little rougher ride, yes there will be more wheel gap. I have had bridgestones in both stock and 225/40. 225 Being the clear traction winner. I am curious if a single person auto-x'ing would agree with you.

true.. but its not 7.5''

[FreeFlyFreak]

Correct, stock wheel on MS3 is 7".
No 225/40/18 tire that I have looked at has a rim width range that extends as low as 7".

If guys want to do it, then fine, that is their choice.
I am not preaching saying other people shouldn't do it, that is up to them not me.

I am just saying that personally, I wont run a 225/40/18 on a 7" rim.

[FreeFlyFreak]

Very brief initial impressions.

The noise of these tires when inflated to 42+ psi cold (damn tire shop) was about the same as the stock tires with stock inflation.
I was really worried when driving home from the tire shop, but after getting home, letting the tires cool and setting the correct pressure....
With the correct inflation the Hankooks are substantially quieter than stock.
So much so that the exhaust drone bugs me much more now.

I have not driven the tires hard yet, I only have approx 40 miles on them, mostly in town and on the highway in traffic.
Further comments will have to wait until I have some time in the twisties at high speed, or on the track (dont see track time soon though).
Wet, I wont see until October at the earliest.

So far I am glad I got them.

[FreeFlyFreak]

WOW that was fast..... just got this email, never had a rebate reply so fast before.... 10 day processing, hope so:

Dear Mr FreeFlyFreak,
We have just received your "Tame the Road" Mail-in Rebate Application
and it is now being processed. Your reference number is XXXXX.
Processing may take up to 10 days. If you have any questions regarding your
rebate, please reply to email address, rebate@hankooktireusa.com.
Please be sure to include your reference number in the email.
Thank you for choosing Hankook Tires.

[dcphantom]

How have these been since wearing them in a little more?

I'm trying to find new tires for my new wheels.

[FreeFlyFreak]

Originally Posted by dcphantom How have these been since wearing them in a little more? I'm trying to find new tires for my new wheels.

They have been great. I have no regrets.
I have not put that many miles on them yet as I was on vacation.
But I can add to my previous post, that they grip very well I have not been able to make them squeal yet, also they are not as "twitchy" as the stockers (less immediate turn in, though still feel connected), some will prefer this some will not. IMO it is a good thing.
I do notice on the down side that they flat spot more than the stockers after sitting overnight and it seems to get more miles to get them rounded out.

[Trader]

How do they compare to the stockers in rain? Better/worse/about the same??

[FreeFlyFreak]

Originally Posted by Trader How do they compare to the stockers in rain? Better/worse/about the same??

Read the the reviews in the links I posted, my impressions in the wet are in post #24

[dbrier]

I put mine on yesterday, but haven't driven enough to even wear the stickers off yet.
Once I get a hundred miles or so on them and have the release compound wore off, I'll post more. I'll probably autocross them in the next month or so too.

[FreeFlyFreak]

Update:
My car has been pulling slightly to the left since installing these tires.
Tire pressures were even so it wasnt that.
Initially I thought the alignment must be slightly off and the wider tires made it stand out.
But it was just too much of a coincidence that I began to notice it after getting new tires installed.
So before paying for an alignment I thought I would try a little experiment.
I put the fronts on the back and the backs on the front, adjusted tire pressure and went for a short drive.
Car tracks straight now.
Strange.
I guess one tire is very slightly bigger or smaller than the others!?

I suppose I could switch them one at a time to the front and figure out which one is off...... but I dont know if it is worth the hassle.

[Fobio]

FFF: might be a bent wheel...

[FreeFlyFreak]

Originally Posted by Fobio FFF: might be a bent wheel...

Possible.

I think I am going to take it and get them all road force balanced, that should show where the problem lies, tire or wheel.
I used this: http://www.gsp9700.com/pub/search/FindGSP9700.cfm to find a place near me that will road force balance.
I had them installed at a Mom and Pop place where they just spin balance.


On another note, you will never believe this.......
I got my $50 rebate check today, the single fastest rebate I have EVER received BY FAR.
I received the tires 22 July, sent the rebate off a couple of days after that, received my rebate check 6 August.........
Im guessing 14 days, some rebates take that many weeks before you see the cash
That is impressive!

[FantasmoNegro]

Just got these too. Initial impressions compared to stockers, they are quieter, they ride better (probably lighter), They absorb vibration better than the stockers (so good I caught myself speeding faster than normal), and their tread width is a bit wider than the Bridgestones so they will protect from curb rash better than the stockers. Now the bad, they have far slower "tip in" than the stockers IE they are less responsive when you turn the wheel. This has multiple effects, the steering feels slower at first, and on center feel is a bit more numb, This has nothing to do with handling though, this is more subjective than anything, they still probably handle the same G's but they aren't as precise in feel. They seem to settle and take hold and I have not pushed them much farther past where I have pushed the stockers but they have handled the turns just as well. So take it for what you will, I think they are honestly great tires. I am a road course guy more so than autocross and I think for street and road course these will be just as good as the stockers if not better, for autocross I think the stockers are better because their tip in will be more responsive and probably more accurate. Maybe as the tread wears down these will be just as good. We shall soon see.

[FreeFlyFreak]

Originally Posted by Sleeper 362 Now the bad, they have far slower "tip in" than the stockers IE they are less responsive when you turn the wheel. This has multiple effects, the steering feels slower at first, and on center feel is a bit more numb, This has nothing to do with handling though, this is more subjective than anything, they still probably handle the same G's but they aren't as precise in feel. They seem to settle and take hold and I have not pushed them much farther past where I have pushed the stockers but they have handled the turns just as well.

Yes I noticed the tip in too but for me it was a positive.
I found the Bridgestones to "twitchy" for my taste, and so these are perfect for me, less twitchy without being numb.
But that is a taste thing, some people like me will prefer it, some will be neutral, and some will hate it.
I am a road/road course guy and for me it is more easy to modulate at the limit, and the increase in turn in is not excessive, IMO.
I think that is why in the review they call them "deceptively quick" or words to that effect, they are grippy and fast, but don't feel as fast because the tip in is less.
I would love to compare them on the track to the stockers but not sure when that will happen.

Every other observation you posted agrees with my experience so far.

[Trader]

Could you explain "tip in"

[FreeFlyFreak]

Originally Posted by Trader Could you explain "tip in"

Originally Posted by Sleeper 362 Now the bad, they have far slower "tip in" than the stockers IE they are less responsive when you turn the wheel. This has multiple effects, the steering feels slower at first, and on center feel is a bit more numb, This has nothing to do with handling though, this is more subjective than anything, they still probably handle the same G's but they aren't as precise in feel.

What more do you need to know.......
I think Sleeper put it fairly well.

In short RTFP

[FantasmoNegro]

Some people call it turn in. Easiest way to describe it is steering lag.The amount of time it takes from the time you turn your wheel to the time you feel the car turn.

[dbrier]

Got my rebate check today. That means the tires were only $313 shipped.
wooo hooo!

So far I'm happy with the tires. I like the ride much better, but that may be due to the downsizing to 17" wheels. Grip is much better in the wet and dry, my traction control doesn't kick in nearly like it used to.
Still haven't had a chance to autocross it yet.

[alexspeed3]

How stiff is the sidewall compared to stock?