No More Excuses for Running Red Lights
Written: Nov 11 '06
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Winter traction
Cons: Price
The Bottom Line: I'm happy with my choice.
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| tch7's Full Review: Toyo G-02 Plus |
When the snow started flying, I was quick to discover first-hand that my Mazda3’s stock tires were beyond terrible on the slick roads. Had it not been a quiet Sunday morning, I’m quite confident I would have hit somebody, since I was sliding through intersections and ramming into curbs like nobody’s business. Even when going a mere 10 km/h, I’d have to allow triple the normal stopping distance.
Not being keen on dinging up my fancy new car, it took just that one drive to get me to call my tire guys and schedule an appointment to get some winter tires. They recommended the Toyo Observe G-02 Plus tires with steel rims, and I accepted, as much as I didn’t want the ugly rims or the hefty price tag.
Noise, Ride & Wear
Road noise has been one of my main complaints with my Mazda3, and I sure wasn’t looking to get some louder tires. Fortunately, the G-02s only produce a different noise, but not a louder one. I’m definitely satisfied in this regard.
Because my Mazda3 normally has 17-inch rims and other sporty characteristics, it never has provided the cushiest of rides. I haven’t been able to detect any difference with the new tires, which is fine with me. I certainly wouldn’t expect the ride quality to improve with any winter tires, so staying the same is fine with me.
It’s still too soon for me to say much about the tread wear, but when searching around, they’re reputed to be excellent in that regard, and should last for a few winters. For the few weeks that I’ve had them, they’ve been holding up just fine.
Traction
Where the new tires become evident is where it really counts – the traction in winter conditions. The past few weeks have seen all sorts of conditions. Hot and dry, to -15°C and blizzard-like, to ice fog, to freezing rain, and right now there’s a layer of ice and snow covering the side streets. My Mazda has done remarkably well in all of it, with the hot and dry conditions possibly being the weakest area for the Toyo’s.
In the dry conditions, I’m definitely getting more squealing and drifting than I did with my stock tires, but I can still more-or-less drive like my typical spirited self. Wet conditions are actually better, and you can go straight through puddles and slush with almost no hydroplaning.
On snow and ice, slipping and sliding is more or less an element of that past, as you can drive rather vigorously and stay in control. It’s nearly impossible to fishtail anymore, which takes some of the fun out of winter driving for me. In fact, my Mazda is now better at staying in control than my 4WD 4Runner with traction control and studded winter tires. So, if you’re the sort of person that’s terrified of winter driving, you’ll definitely like the Toyo Observe G-02+ tires.
Price
Here’s the one major con, and the reason I put off getting snow tires until after the snow arrived. I did a bit of searching around, and it didn’t look like I was going to get away with spending under C$1000 for a set of four P205/50 R17 tires, no matter what brand of tire I went with. The Toyo’s were C$230 each, and the steelies were an additional C$93, bringing my grand total up to C$1385 with installation, taxes and levies factored in. Many places were offering Michelins, but they were even more expensive.
Compared with the potential cost of body damage and higher insurance rates, it’s not that bad of a deal. It’d be stupid not to protect a $27 500 investment in such a simple way. Still, it was a tough pill to swallow when I only spent C$450 to get winter tires for my former Tercel. Prices are much more reasonable for smaller 13- to 15-inch rims, being down around $100 per tire, and they all come with a decent three-year warranty against defects.
Summing it Up
I’ll never be happy with the price of the Toyo Observe G-02 Plus winter tires, but at least I can rest assured they weren’t a waste of money. They’re excellent on snow and ice, and do well enough on dry and wet roads. I’ve got no complaints about the noise, wear, or comfort, and ultimately have no reason not to recommend you consider the G-02s for your own vehicle.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 230/tire CAD
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Epinions.com ID:
tch7
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