Advice on Forester tires

oz_subie

Forum Member
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
5
Hi,

Firstly apologies for asking a basic question. I am from Oz, my forester has done 30,000k and couple of cracks in Geolander G900 sidewalls are causing me concerns - looks like I gotta change all 4.

Enquired at Bob-janes, the G900s cost 240 a pop. Does anyone have suggestions for cheaper options without compromising on safety/grip. I mostly drive on highways, no offroad/minimal gravel roads. Would prefer to stick to orig size 215/60/16 pls.

Suggestions appreciated.
 
a very good road tyre is the Yokohama C drive, around $160ish a corner.
Vast improvement over the Geosquealers on road.
 
Another is the Pirelli P6. I have them currently on my MY05, and I can't quite remember what they cost. They are far better than the Geosquealers that only lasted 30,000kms as well. I'll dig up the receipt from Bob Jane where we bought them when I get home tonight. Mine have only done 14,000km since putting them on the car in April 2008, but are showing minimal wear, in fact, better than I expected, and the grip is amazing.

I think SimXS had them on his car as well. I don't know what they are like offroad (the most offroading I've done so far is just dirt roads), but if you're after a good road tyre, I recommend them.
 
I can't speak from personal experience, however, I have heard from a few people that both the Yokohama C drive & Pirelli P6 are very good tyres.

Regards
Mr Turbo
 
We just replaced the Michelin X tyres off the the Impreza for Pirelli P6's. So far so good. Mind you we got 113000 kms out of the Michelins. Tread depth was still good, but they were starting to feel a little loose near the end.

Beigewagon.
 
I've had the P6's for a while, done about 30,000 kms and am very happy with them, much quieter than geolandar when cornering and seem to be wearing well.

Cheers

Grant
 
Just dug up the receipt.

Pirelli P6 tyres in 215/60/R16. $159 per tyre. Total $636.
 
I got my Forester fitted Michelin Energy XM-1+s, I got them for just under $150 a corner about 40,000km ago. Amazing levels of grip, very strong sidewalls and great off road on mud, clay or sand. They are showing little or no signs of wear yet. I'm quite easily looking at another 40,000km on them. https://www.jaxquickfit.com.au/other-tyre-news-michelin-energy-XM1.htm
 
I had Toyo Tranpath MP3 tyres on my MY05X. Roadholding on tarmac was substantially improved. I could really push the car through high speed corners with total confidence' leaving everyone in my wake. And not noisy either. But tyres are always improving and there may be something better out now. OK offroad but obviously there are better tyres for that.
 
Thanks everyone. Looks like the P6 and C drive are a good choice.

My G900s stick to the road like a magnet, i never have to worry about cornering at high speeds...but maybe its just the boxer engine sitting low that makes my forester so stable.

Based on your suggestions, is it fair to say that the P6 and C drive are as good or probably better than G900s , both in terms of grip and road noise ?

thanks again
 
you must have a extraordinary set of G900s. They have a reputation of being pretty crappy on road, hence the nickname Geosquealers!
Once you get some new tyres, you will notice a world of difference in grip.
Adding a bigger rear sway bar such as Whiteline or an STi which I'm using, will again greatly improve on road cornering without needing to lower the car.
 
If the G900's are what came standard on the Forester, well, welcome to a new universe of grip and no squealing if you get some decent tyres. The standard tyres are barely worthy of being used on wharves to potect boats marking their sides. The ones I had reminded me of a magnet- where like sides repel!
 
Rally said:
If the G900's are what came standard on the Forester, well, welcome to a new universe of grip and no squealing if you get some decent tyres. The standard tyres are barely worthy of being used on wharves to potect boats marking their sides. The ones I had reminded me of a magnet- where like sides repel!
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+1. You won't look back on a change. It was my biggest concern when mum and dad purchased their MY09 XS, but it came with Bridgestone Duelers instead.
 
I have just fitted Pirelli P7 tyres to my 05MY Outback for $169, fitted and balanced. These have strengthened sidewalls, so should be excellent from that perspective for 'air down' / off-road. :twisted: Tread pattern seems very similar to my old Turanzas (i.e. parallel continuous grooves between tread sections.) so should perform equally well on road. :)
 
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Are you on 16" or 17" wheels? If 17" try Bridgestone Potenza RE001 Adrenalins. In 215/55 17 they should cost around $200 each and you'll be driving on the best all round tyre you can get for your Foz. They will make those awful Geolandars feel like what they are - c**p. I can't think of a negative thing about them - they are even alright on dirt and mine have seen trips to the Corner Country and the Flinders Ranges without mishap. You'll even easily get more than 50,000km out of them. And the wet and dry grip? :biggrin: I'm on my second set and will probably replace them with the same again. By far the best tyre I've used in 38 years of driving. And those Geolandars are about the worst.
 
guzzla said:
Are you on 16" or 17" wheels? If 17" try Bridgestone Potenza RE001 Adrenalins. In 215/55 17 they should cost around $200 each and you'll be driving on the best all round tyre you can get for your Foz. They will make those awful Geolandars feel like what they are - c**p. I can't think of a negative thing about them - they are even alright on dirt and mine have seen trips to the Corner Country and the Flinders Ranges without mishap. You'll even easily get more than 50,000km out of them. And the wet and dry grip? :biggrin: I'm on my second set and will probably replace them with the same again. By far the best tyre I've used in 38 years of driving. And those Geolandars are about the worst.
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:welcome: guzzla. Dont forget to go to the new members thread and tell us a bit about you and your car.
 
guzzla said:
Are you on 16" or 17" wheels? If 17" try Bridgestone Potenza RE001 Adrenalins. In 215/55 17 they should cost around $200 each and you'll be driving on the best all round tyre you can get for your Foz. They will make those awful Geolandars feel like what they are - c**p. I can't think of a negative thing about them - they are even alright on dirt and mine have seen trips to the Corner Country and the Flinders Ranges without mishap. You'll even easily get more than 50,000km out of them. And the wet and dry grip? :biggrin: I'm on my second set and will probably replace them with the same again. By far the best tyre I've used in 38 years of driving. And those Geolandars are about the worst.
Click to expand...

The worst tyre I have come across are the old Olympic Reflex Radials, I got 10,000kms out of a set on my old 1971 V6 Capri and I wasn't hooning with them either which makes the distance even worse.
 
subyroo said:
The worst tyre I have come across are the old Olympic Reflex Radials, I got 10,000kms out of a set on my old 1971 V6 Capri and I wasn't hooning with them either which makes the distance even worse.
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I remember them. I had a set for a very short time on my Celica in 1973 but they quickly wore away after a couple of runs up and down the Gillies H'way in from Cairns. 245 corners each way and that was it. Probably one of the worst was a set of Goodyear Vectors I had on a Ford Meteor. 2 were Australian made and the other 2 were Malaysian made and obviously dipped in oil they were so slippery in the wet and in the dry they squealed even more than the Geolandars. Then there were the Goodrich GT Radials from 1972 on my Mazda Capella...OMG. I could barely drive it in a straight line in the wet. Thinking back they were the worst.
 
guzzla said:
I remember them. I had a set for a very short time on my Celica in 1973 but they quickly wore away after a couple of runs up and down the Gillies H'way in from Cairns. 245 corners each way and that was it. Probably one of the worst was a set of Goodyear Vectors I had on a Ford Meteor. 2 were Australian made and the other 2 were Malaysian made and obviously dipped in oil they were so slippery in the wet and in the dry they squealed even more than the Geolandars. Then there were the Goodrich GT Radials from 1972 on my Mazda Capella...OMG. I could barely drive it in a straight line in the wet. Thinking back they were the worst.
Click to expand...

Seems NQ is harsh on tyres ......... I was in Townsville at the time. :biggrin: :biggrin:
 
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