negcamber

Well, I decided to try out the new Yok AVS ES100 to replace my now bald S02s. I started my search by looking at the Tire Rack tire specs for the tread width, trying to be mindful of the importance to maintain the front to rear tread width ratio for our cars. I considered the AVS Sports as their tread widths seemed comparable to the OEM S02 when selecting the 205/55-16 front and 245/45-16 rear. But, my penny pinching side said to check out the AVS ES100. While the Tire Rack did list the tread width for the 205/55-16, the spec was not available for the 245/45-16. However, the specs on the AVS ES100 front tire looked pretty close to the AVS Sport. So I decided to try the ES100s and save $100+ and placed my order with the Tire Rack.

Unfortunately, the gamble was a bad one. Before I drove to the tire shop to get the new tires mounted, I placed a piece of typing paper under one front and one rear OEM S02 and drove over them to get a tread print. I've just returned from the tire shop and took a tread print of the new ES100s. While the fronts are almost identical, the ES100 rears have nearly an inch less tread in contact with the pavement than the OEM S02s. Tire pressures were the same for both sets.

The new tires have less than 3 miles on them, so I can't give an honest opinion of them other than I could tell that I could induce oversteer much more easily with these new tires than even a very bald S02s(and I mean not even a shadow of tread on the inside half of the tire). Now to be fair the new ES100s are still greasy new...but to balance that my old S02s were damn hard from all the heat cycles they'd endured.

<sigh> Oh well...hopefully this write up will save some one else from making the same mistake.

02spas2k

damn, i just ordered these tires for my new volk GT-C's. the guy was telling me how great they are. i hope they are worth it. thanks for the post

MAtt

Mrsideways

Be warned the ES100's are slippery when new. I had the most fun punching it in 3rd gear in a corner with mine and stepping it sideways for the first 200 miles or so. Now that I have about 1000 miles on them they are getting pretty grippy. Infact I have to try pretty hard to induce oversteer. I have a feeling they will get better for your soon robert.

negcamber

02spas2k, are your Volks 16" rims? If you are going up a size, then hopefully the rep at Tire Rack made sure that the size you ordered would have the same front/rear tread width ratio that the stock tires have.

My post is only to warn that the tread width on the 245/45-16 is no where close to the tread width on the rear OEM S02s. If you are getting aftermarket 17" or 18" wheels, I think these tires would still be a good choice.

It is only if you are trying to make them work on the stock rims are you going to be disapointed. I'm sure the tires stick great, but there is no way they can give the missing inch of tread width that the S02s have.

Scot

I think those Yoko's are like the RE730 Bridgestones. Sounds ok on paper, but man they suck when you get them on the car!

I liked the AVS Sports, but the tread wear rating was lower and they cost much more than the ES100's

Scot

Unicron

The es100's do not compare the slightest to the OEM s02 for the rear.

If you drive real aggresive...stick with the S02s!

This rule does not apply to all...but anything with a treadwear rating over 220 is going to be geared towards commute and less performance.

02spas2k

02spas2k, are your Volks 16" rims? If you are going up a size, then hopefully the rep at Tire Rack made sure that the size you ordered would have the same front/rear tread width ratio that the stock tires have.

no they are 18's. the guy new about the tires and sizes for the s2000 so i was in luck. thank you for looking out for me.

MAtt

aggie

I've had the ES100's for 2000 miles and driven them very hard, not to mention in some below freezing weather - phenominal tires. The treadwear rating alone does not indicate performance. As for the width, the tires have an interesting design in which 1/2" of the tread on each side tapers up very gradually. The effect is to not use this tread when new, but substantially more as the tire wears. This must be intentional. I've never seem another tread/sidewall like this before. My rear size is 255-40-17 and I placed them up next to the original tires - they were expectedly about 3/4" wider. These are the best 17" tires I've owned among Kuhmo 712, Pirelli 7000, and Falken St-115.

**Jay-V**

They're a great all weather wheel; especially for the price. However, like one of the post noted, they're very slippery for the first 200-500 miles.

mgiang7

maybe i'm off but i thought wear ratings are not standard, so the wear rating from yokohama cannot be compared to the wear rating from bridgestone.

i wish the feedback on the yokohama's weren't so mixed, i can't figure what to think!