Avon ZZ3 ?

[Andy325i]

Has anyone used these? What are they like?

Just asking as I need to change the 205/50/15" on my crosspokes very soon. Anyone got any other sticky tyre suggestions? what kind of price too would be helpful.


Cheers


Andy

[Ant]

avoid them like the plague, they seem to have issues with sidewall stiffness IMHO,very odd rear end handling .. Toys proxes T1S or T1R are the stickiest out there dude.

[orangecurry]

I've had some old Avon ZZ1s on the back in the winter - very impressive grip but no idea how long they last (I bought the wheels/tyres 2nd hand) - these are very worn and STILL grip.

Personal experience says Goodyear (but you can't get F1 GSD3s in that size) are best, Michelin Pilots are good but not quite as good as the F1s in the wet (nothing is), my pal swears by Pirelli p-zeros; jap tyres are ok to start with but lose their abillities quite quickly esp in the wet.

Goodyear Eagle Venturas are good; GSD2s are supposed to be good but I've not had any myself.

you get what you pay for - quality tyres last longer

ps you should be running 205/55/15s BTW

[Andy325i]

Toys proxes T1S or T1R are the stickiest out there dude.

Any idea of the price dude?

ps you should be running 205/55/15s BTW

The less side wall the better!

[tomstickland]

I'm a fan of Goodyear F1s. Best places for prices are the branches of the Micheldever group. So you've got Micheldever tyres and Protyre branches.
There's also mytyres.net (or .co.uk or whatever) which are also cheap and good.

[m1key]

avoid them like the plague, they seem to have issues with sidewall stiffness IMHO,very odd rear end handling .. Toys proxes T1S or T1R are the stickiest out there dude.

toyos are pants in my opinion. (are they not a hard compound?? !)

yokahomas are much grippyer than toyos i do believe they are a softer compound.

[ian332isport]

I've had some old Avon ZZ1s on the back in the winter - very impressive grip but no idea how long they last (I bought the wheels/tyres 2nd hand) - these are very worn and STILL grip.

I had a set of ZZ1's once, and thought they were down right dangerous. Poor grip in the dry, and even less in the wet.

If you want a tyre that lasts a long time though, they are great. I really tried hard to wear them out, but they beat me. I chopped them in for something a bit safer....

Ian.

[LOOPYLEE1965]

i used to run yokohama avs`s on my 3.1 capri and they were awesome in the dry but deadly in the wet no grip at all it was like driving on slicks

[m1key]

is the ZZ3 not a rain tyre ?

[Andy325i]

I've had some old Avon ZZ1s on the back in the winter - very impressive grip but no idea how long they last (I bought the wheels/tyres 2nd hand) - these are very worn and STILL grip.

I had a set of ZZ1's once, and thought they were down right dangerous. Poor grip in the dry, and even less in the wet.

If you want a tyre that lasts a long time though, they are great. I really tried hard to wear them out, but they beat me. I chopped them in for something a bit safer....

Ian.

What are you running at the moment Ian? what price are they?

How sticky are they mate?

How do they wear?

I guess (like most of us?) Grip is far more important to me than tyre wear

[ian332isport]

What are you running at the moment Ian? what price are they?

How sticky are they mate?

How do they wear?

I guess (like most of us?) Grip is far more important to me than tyre wear

Andy,

I'm currently running Goodyear F1 GSD3's all round, but not happy with them on the back at all. It feels like the sidewall is too soft. My favourite setup was GSD3's on the front, and Bridgestone SO3's on the back.

I originally had the SO3's all round, but the front tramlined like crazy. After changing the fronts to the GSD3's, the tramlining virtually vanished. When it came time to replace the rear SO3's, I thought it would be nice to have a matching set of boots, so put the GSD3's on the rear. As soon as I drove out of the tyre place, they just felt wrong.

When you put it into a corner, you can feel the tyre move on the rim until the flex has gone, and then they grip fine, but the feeling is really nasty, and does not inspire confidence at all. I guess I've got a bit used to it now, but will be trying something different next time. It's a bit odd that they are okay on the front though.

I may try Conti sport contact 2's next. Supposed to be a very good tyre.

I can't remember exactly what I paid now, but it was around Ԛ£250 - Ԛ£275 for a pair (fitted & balanced etc). That's for 215/40/17.

It's hard to quantify 'sticky', but they have not let me down yet. They are also extremely good in the wet (both the SO3's and the GSD3'S).

Ian.

[Andy325i]

Cheers Ian Will bare this in mind. Can't be long before you need a new set anyway?

[Jhonno]

Avons = Hedgefinders

Bad in the wet or dry, wear unevenly and are just shite

Toyo's n Uniroyal Rainsports are both awesome tyres

[orangecurry]

I have GSD3s on my Impreza - never had then on the E30 (because as I said Goodyear don't make 205/55/15s so I'm a a bit confused by the 332i drivers comments; what size are you running ?)

These are 205/50/16s and there are no suprises - no odd sidewall movements. Nothing. The impreza is 60/40 rear to front power dist, so perhaps that's the difference? Not sure why though... I've tried most manufacturers over the years and the GSD3s stand head and shoulders above the rest.

[Jhonno]

what about slightly higher tyre pressures Ian?

[orangecurry]

ahh 215/40/17s right (just read the post again)

that might explain it

your comment of 'the less sidewall the better' could be open to opinion... the less sidewall means the less notice you get before going off into the scenery.... on normal roads you don't want less sidewall; on the racetrack you might, but what 'looks' good and what is the actual best suspension/handling set-up are worlds apart

[Andy325i]

ahh 215/40/17s right (just read the post again)

that might explain it

your comment of 'the less sidewall the better' could be open to opinion... the less sidewall means the less notice you get before going off into the scenery.... on normal roads you don't want less sidewall; on the racetrack you might, but what 'looks' good and what is the actual best suspension/handling set-up are worlds apart

Looks aways come second to performance to me

[m1key]

i had 205*45*17s on my car once...

i think they lasted a month. the alloys buckled thanks to all the pot holes on our nice roads in the uk

[orangecurry]

Ian 332i - sorry to ask the obvious but as I'm a real fan of the F1s... you did get the same speed rating as the fronts for the set you later put on the rears?
The higher the rating, the stiffer the sidewalls, so as you see some difference here, are they the same? ZRs I assume?

Also don't forget even the superlative Germans didn't envisage 330bhp at the flywheel in an E30, so that might cause a few 'odd' feelings

[ZS]

Try the Bridgestone Potenza RE720 for a nice handling tyre. Really stiff sidewalls, and they're pretty good in the wet. I've got them on the Corsa in 185-55R15 size, and I'd have to say they make the factory fit Pirellis look like no-name remoulds as far as grip go.

If you don't mind forking out the cash, then the Michelin Pilot Exalto is a corker of a tyre too.

The Toyo recommendations are good as well.

[Templ8e30]

Avons = Hedgefinders

Bad in the wet or dry, wear unevenly and are just sh*t

Bollards, I'm running Avon ZV3 205/55/15 and they are the best tyre I've ever used. Loads of grip in the dry and only unstickable in the wet if your really trying.

They are also reasonably quiet and are wearing very well.

Cheers,

Iain T

[Jhonno]

Avons = Hedgefinders

Bad in the wet or dry, wear unevenly and are just sh*t

Bollards, I'm running Avon ZV3 205/55/15 and they are the best tyre I've ever used. Loads of grip in the dry and only unstickable in the wet if your really trying.

They are also reasonably quiet and are wearing very well.

Cheers,

Iain T

I've run them and my mate has - and they are the most dangerous tyre i've ever driven esp in the wet

[Andy325i]

2 of my mates run Avon ZV3's (Mk2 Golf and Rover 214i) Both very impressed with them. One commented that they were crap for a few hundred miles until bedded in then spot on. He (as I currently do) was running ZV1/s before, which I have heard nothing but positive feedback about.

Wish this was easy

[Jhonno]

up to you mate, but in my experience Avons cant handle the massive power of a 1.0 corsa

n they wore v unevenly

[MISSY30]

I wouldn't have the ZZ3. The ZV3 is a bit different, it's the replacement for the ZV1 and I'd probably give it a try if I was on a tight budget (the pattern looks pretty! ) but Toyo's aren't much dearer and theres a lot of good things said about them.

[Simon]

Orangecurry, Goodyear do supply the F1's in 205/55/15, I've always used them, best tyre I've ever used, and only Ԛ£55 each too.

[orangecurry]

they do... and they don't....
http://www.goodyear.co.uk/services/tyre ... ewCar.html

Goodyear do F1 GSD2s in that size, which I admit I haven't tried but are not in the same league as the GSD3s according to others... might give them a go anyway, because
1) what else would I run? I've got some NCT5s on the front and they just can't deliver the mustard (mixing my metaphors there)
2) you recommend them for the E30 - thanks

[orangecurry]

and where the heck do you get them from for 55 GBP?

[Simon]

My local tyre shop supplied mine, they weren't the GSD's, they were the normal/first F1's, they don't seem to show on that website, maybe they've stopped suplying them?!

[gazza]

i have zv3,s and cant fault them all have near new tread are ok in the wet but dont forget just because the tread may be legal the lower the tread depth the longer your braking distance in the wet. ie 6mm is better than 2mm.....enough to stop you hitting the car in front

[AlpineCab]

I.ve got Avon ZV1 - they stick like superglue

Had Pirelli P6000 before that - lost times of the number of fishtail incidents I had...