Forester: Avid Touring versus Geolandar?

[Charles Gillen]

We just bought an '03 Forester XS+ with the stock Geolandar G900 tires, and
in looking around the Web (chiefly TireRack) I got the impression that the
Yokohama Avid All-season Touring tires are better and even cheaper.

Here in northern Virginia we don't get much snow (though it seems our
street is always the LAST to be plowed) and our Forester will never be used
off-road. I got the impression the Geolandar "pretends" to a little off-
road capability perhaps at the expense of ride comfort and noise. Reviews
of the Avid series hint that it lasts longer, has a better ride, and is at
least as good in snow as the Geolandar.

Considering my Geolandars will be replaced eventually, I wonder if anyone
in this group can comment on the Avids versus the Geolandars?

--
Anti-Spam address: my last name at his dot com
Charles Gillen -- Reston, Virginia, USA

[Bill Putney]

Can't comment directly on the Yokohamas vs. Geolanders, but you might
also take a good look at the Cooper Lifeliner Touring SLE's - almost
identical to the Yoke Avid Touring in tread design, ratings (both are
620/A/B), and price - in fact, as I found when I was on the fence
between the Yokes and the Coopers, the Yokes are not as readily
available thru local shops, and, though Tire Rack's prices appear to be
really good, by the time you add shipping and paying $12+ per tire to a
local shop to install them, the Coopers will likely end up being a bit
cheaper.

In addition, by buying the tires thru a local shop, I got free lifetime
balancing and rotation which I wouldn't get by purchasing at TR and
having them installed by a third party. Purchasing the tires at the
same place you get your installation, alignments, balancing, and
rotations done will also eliminate (or at least *greatly* reduce the
chances of) a finger-pointing game between seller, installer, alignment
shop, and manufacturer if problems should develop.

I put the Coopers on my full-size Chrysler vehicle several months ago,
and am *very* happy with them. They appear to be living up to the tread
life rating, and, after just finishing a week-long vacation in West
Virginia, I can say that they perform splendidly (*extremely* quiet and
good at hydro-planing resistance too).

Bill Putney
(to reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with "x")

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[ct]

> Considering my Geolandars will be replaced eventually, I wonder if anyone
> in this group can comment on the Avids versus the Geolandars?

Never had the Geolanders, but had the Avids in snow in my GTI. Never again!
I've got them on the OB now for summer tires. They're great in the dry/wet,
not in the snow.

C

[Edward Hayes]

There are several tread patterns available with YOKO AVIDS. The touring
version has the mildest pattern and would not be good for snow. Look at
www.tirerack to get the testing info for dry/rain and snow performance.
eddie
"ct" <cth...@rocketmail.com> wrote in message
news:2oz1b.4463$A73....@news.uswest.net...

[BRH]

I'm also looking for tires for my '01 Forester L.

Actually, I believe that Yokohama (www.yokohamatire.com) recommends the
Avid T4 for the Forester, rather than the Avid Touring. At my local
Merchant's Tire dealer the T4 is a bit cheaper than the Touring. However,
I've never heard any comments about the T4 in this newsgroup. Most people
here recommend the Avid Touring, but then I occassionally read a serious
negative comment about them as well, so I'm still confused as to which
tires to get.

Has anyone here had any experience with the T4's on a Forester?

Thanks!

Bert