[net.auto] Speaking of tires

ronc@fai.UUCP (Ronald O. Christian) (01/17/86)

Someone mentioned replacing his Eagles with Goodrich competition
T/A's with a noticeable increase in traction and control.  (That
may in fact be a direct quote.)  This rang bells in my head, as
I had been running Goodrich Euro-TA's (which came with the car)
and was considering going to Goodyear Eagle Gatorbacks.  The Goodrich
tires had wonderful control, but I'd heard that the Eagles are better.
Now I'm not sure.  Anyone else have direct experiance?  Is there
a price advantage?  I'm running mud & snows now, but plan to swap
them off come spring.  For the record, the car is an '82 Trans Am.

BTW, the Euro-TA's traction and wear ratings are both 'A'.  I
assume the Eagles are the same.

				Ron
-- 
--
		Ronald O. Christian (Fujitsu America Inc., San Jose, Calif.)
		ihnp4!pesnta!fai!ronc

Oliver's law of assumed responsibility:
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dca@edison.UUCP (01/24/86)

> Someone mentioned replacing his Eagles with Goodrich competition
> T/A's with a noticeable increase in traction and control.  (That
> may in fact be a direct quote.)  This rang bells in my head, as
> I had been running Goodrich Euro-TA's (which came with the car)
> and was considering going to Goodyear Eagle Gatorbacks.  The Goodrich
> tires had wonderful control, but I'd heard that the Eagles are better.
> Now I'm not sure.  Anyone else have direct experiance?  Is there
> a price advantage?  I'm running mud & snows now, but plan to swap
> them off come spring.  For the record, the car is an '82 Trans Am.
> 
> BTW, the Euro-TA's traction and wear ratings are both 'A'.  I
> assume the Eagles are the same.

I think you would be better off going to the library and hunting up
Car and Driver's tire comparison issue.

David Albrecht

ins_aeas@jhunix.UUCP (Earle A .Sugar) (01/26/86)

> > Someone mentioned replacing his Eagles with Goodrich competition
> > T/A's with a noticeable increase in traction and control.  (That
> > may in fact be a direct quote.)  This rang bells in my head, as
> > I had been running Goodrich Euro-TA's (which came with the car)
> > and was considering going to Goodyear Eagle Gatorbacks.  The Goodrich
> > tires had wonderful control, but I'd heard that the Eagles are better.
> > Now I'm not sure.  Anyone else have direct experiance?  Is there
> > a price advantage? 
> 
> I think you would be better off going to the library and hunting up
> Car and Driver's tire comparison issue.
> 
> David Albrecht
I am the person who switched to Comp T/A's, and they are much better than
Eagle GT's.  Not only is control better, but they in fact depend on sidewall
strength for their handling capabilities (in comparison with the weak, thin
Eagle GT sidewall).  Anyway, The Comp T/A won the last two years' Car & Driver
tire tests, and came in a close fourth in this year's test.  When I say
close fourth, I mean close to the two street tires above the Goodriches.
The "S" compound Eagle VR50s came in first by far, but their soft tread
makes them a racing only tire, unless you want to replace your $300 apiece
tires every 5k miles.  The street compound Eagle VR50s came in dead last 
this year, many points behind the next to last Dunlops.  Eagle GT tires weren't
even tested this year; that's probably they couldn't compete with any of the
tires in this year's test.  I think that the Eagle GT's purpose in life is to 
provide car muniufacturers with a reasonably performing, relatively cheap,
producable in quantity tire that can give their cars a sporty image.  As
replacement tires, though, there is no reason to get Eagle GTs, because at 
retail they are badly overpriced (probably because most of their business
comes from people replacing one damaged tire on their stock car; better
to have to shell out $140 for one tire than $450 for four better tires, eh?).
Comp T/A's, on the other hand, are reasonably priced (I got P205/70VR14 
Comp T/As of the old tread pattern for $92.50 apiece).
-- 
______________________________________________________________________________

Earle A. Sugar
Disclaimer:"I doubt anyone else here agrees with me."
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