Avon m500 - The best "tyres" you've never heard of
Written: Oct 06 '06
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great handling, ride, traction, and price.
Cons: Moderately poor treadlife.
The Bottom Line: If you want great performance and great ride at an excellent price, these tires deserve a second look.
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| basilisk4's Full Review: Avon Tech M500 Tire |
In August 2004, I purchased my first brand-new car ever, a 2005 Scion tC. Although I was -- and continue to be -- thrilled with the car itself, one thing that I could never quite appreciate was the poor quality of the Bridgestone Potenza RE92 tires that came with the car. They wore down quickly, they were noisy, and they handled as if they were coated in oil in wet-weather driving.
So, after I had gotten as many miles out of those Potenzas as I could stand, I set out to find a set of tires that would allow me to improve on the Potenzas' deficiencies. I started out looking at the standard brands -- BF Goodrich, Goodyear, Pirelli, etc. While I was perusing tires on http://www.tirerack.com, however, I came across the Avon Tech m500. For those of you who aren't familiar with Tirerack.com, it features an excellent database of rankings for the tires sold on the site. Although the m500s were among the cheapest tires available in my size (on Tirerack or elsewhere), they were ranked #1 overall in their category on Tirerack, which caught my eye.
After a bit more research, I settled on the Avon m500s. From the moment I drove away from the tire store with my new Avons, I could immediately feel a difference in the amount of noise and vibration transferred. The ride was smoother and more responsive than I had gotten used to. The real pleasure, though, was the first time I drove in wet conditions with the Avons. The wide channels in the tire surface channels a huge amount of water from the center outward, making these tires very sure-footed on wet pavement. Performance is similarly good in normal conditions. I live in Atlanta, so I haven't had occasion to drive in snow or ice with these tires.
If there's one complaint I have about these, it has to do with tread wear. Based on how they have worn so far, it seems like I'll be lucky if I get 20,000 miles from these. Keep in mind, though, that we're talking about low-profile summer tires being used by a relatively gas-happy guy, so your experience may differ in this regard.
Overall, I believe that these are great tires, especially for the price. I would recommend these to anyone who is cost-conscious but demands high performance and great handling.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 104
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Epinions.com ID:
basilisk4
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 - Top 500 |
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Location: Atlanta, GA
Reviews written: 233
Trusted by: 214 members
About Me:
Soon-to-be married 26-year-old lawyer who likes electronics, computers, and cars.
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