Hankook H727 All Season

[CharBaby]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Char Baby -

You sound like the resident Tire Guy. The real deal.
Thanks for your input [along with others!].

If the speed rating goes up, often the tire's rated life is reduced, for some odd reason.
And a higher speed rating changes all sorts of handling and feel properties. A whole 'nuther ball game.

Well, thank you but, I'm the BITOG resident tire guy as I don't know alot about super high end performance tires, Mud and Off Road tires, Racing tires and so on. Only "Standard Touring/Grand Touring type tires is S, T & H speed ratings because these are the tires that I buy and I know what I like for me. Or I should say, that "I know what I don't like".
I have also learned(due to experience), when I am buying too much tire, instead of how I really use the tire/vehicle.

I have also wathced people buy way more tire than they'll ever use in terms of speed rating and raw handling and then cry out loud when the tire only lasted a very short periond of time/miles and how noisy and uncomfortable the tire was. And on & on & on!
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
When a person is in market to buy a set of tires for his/her vehicle(s), that person should look at the newest designs in the category (standard touring or UHP ...). The best in class of 4-5 years ago is not necessary in the top 3-4 today.

I agree 100%. And people should contour their tire picks based on their personal criteria. I call this the "Happy Medium" of tires.

Do you want a tire that handles a bit better than most in it's catigory or a tire that rides a bit better than most in it's catigory. Or a tire that tackles foul weather better. You can get a happy medium of all of these atributes. Pick a tire that best meets your priorities in a particular order and, THAT's the best tire you can buy.
Originally Posted By: tig1
In general, the performance I have had with Hankooks was bad. Very short tire life and extremly poor service when replaceing them under warranty. I wouldn't put them on a wheel barrel.

Were the Hankook's you were using, the H727's? The H727's are something special from Hankook and no one expects everyone to be satisfied with all things including the H727's or Michelin tires for that matter as not all Michelin tires are to everyones satisfaction.

 

[CharBaby]

I have introduced to the folks in my circle, alot of my experiences and what I have learned when buying tires and we as a group have been happier with our tire choices.

With those not in my circle, I'll even do the searching/buying with them. Check out websites and ask them questions of importance about their driving habbits/style, their vehicle, their likes & dislikes. I'll show them reviews and prices from different websites and ask them if they want to buy tires the way I do and go to an installer or just buy localy and get everything included.

One important thing that I have learned over the years is that people don't understand what the term "handling" really means. Most confuse the term for "tracking". They don't understand other tire functions either...For example:

I was riding as passenger with a good aquaintance and we were talking about tires. We were driving in a straight line on the highway traveling at hiwy speeds and the guy said to me, "doesn't this car and tires handle great"?

You get my point?

 

[tig1]

Mine were the H 725s. The rear tires wore out at 22K or so and the aliegnment was fine. The dealer checked it. By biggest complaint was the ability of Hankook to replace the tires. From the time I showed the tires to the dealer to the time my new tires came in was 3 months. The dealer said they just didn't have any in the country and had to waite for a shipment to come in from Asia. The other two original tires have performed OK. While I waited for the new tires to come in the dealer put two used tires on the Focus. Glad he had em.

 

[CharBaby]

Originally Posted By: tig1
Mine were the H 725s. The rear tires wore out at 22K or so and the aliegnment was fine. The dealer checked it. By biggest complaint was the ability of Hankook to replace the tires. From the time I showed the tires to the dealer to the time my new tires came in was 3 months. The dealer said they just didn't have any in the country and had to waite for a shipment to come in from Asia. The other two original tires have performed OK. While I waited for the new tires to come in the dealer put two used tires on the Focus. Glad he had em.


tig1, I can't answer for the H725's. All I know it that they're not the H727's
This is certainly a bad experience on your end and I am very sorry to hear it.
I have had similar issues but, with certain tire brands that didn't last through the warranty period and the selling tire dealer(s) did nothing to make my experience very easy when it was time to pro-rate the tire. Wheather it was the sales person or the store manager and letters written to corporate, I was dissatisfied. I purchaced lots of tires from several tire stores localy and these tire stores have now lost all my business for good!

I have said it before and I'll say it again, "I'm happier with my tire purchaces over the last 8-10 years now that I am doing it my way"! By buying online and taking the tires to an installer.

I am finding today that, I have to move around in tire brands to stay with the better rated/scoring tires. Except Michelin(usually #1 or #2), no one tire company can stay at the top 5-6 of the charts for a long period of time without being eclipsed by the new comers.

I only need to buy tires every 6-7 years per each vehicle(some are longer), so it's easy to buy better tires each time. I do my own research so I don't have to deal with sales people trying to sell me what they think I need. I know what I need and want so, I'll find the tire!

I have not only been happy with my buying experience but, the tires that I have choosen for each vehicle as well. I have done well in my choices of price and tire quality. What I don't expect is that every high rated tire is going to work the same on every vehicle. It ain't gona happen!

 

[CapriRacer]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
........If the speed rating goes up, often the tire's rated life is reduced, for some odd reason......


Allow me to explain:

High performance vehicles are those that handle good. One of the ways this happens is by installing tires that not only have high levels of grip, but also have high speed capabilities.

While it is possible to put ANY tread compound (high grip or high wear resistance or low rolling resistance) on a tire, it doesn't make sense to put a high grip (and therefore low wear resistance)on a tire designed for the average consumer. By the same token, it doesn't make sense to put a high wearing compound (and therefore low grip) on a tire designed for a sports car.

So as a general rule, the higher the speed rating, the more likely it is to have a high grip (and therefore a low wear resistance) tread compound.

- BUT -

There are plenty of exceptions to this. Many European high performance sedans come with high speed rated summer only tires and these generally have high grip tread compounds that are suitable for the European market. But in the US market, these vehicles are not necessarily used in the same way and a common complaint is that the tires wear out quickly and have no all season capability. As a result, you will find high performance (meaning high speed rated) all season tires with high treadwear ratings - specifically designed for the US market.

Please note that speed capability of a tire is closely tied to the number of cap plies. Typically, these cap plies are made of nylon because nylon has the interesting property of shrinking when heated.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

I just ordered a set of 727s for my 2006 Elantra on Saturday. I would have liked to consider the Cooper CS4, but it's hard to find online, and local shops that carry it around here are priced significantly higher than the 727s, especially with the rebate Hankook has available.

The few places that I found online that carry the CS4s don't offer free shipping, and the extra $75 for shipping, combined with the Hankook rebate of $50 make the CS4s around $125 higher than the 727s from Discount Tire Direct.

 

[CharBaby]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
I just ordered a set of 727s for my 2006 Elantra on Saturday. I would have liked to consider the Cooper CS4, but it's hard to find online, and local shops that carry it around here are priced significantly higher than the 727s, especially with the rebate Hankook has available.

The few places that I found online that carry the CS4s don't offer free shipping, and the extra $75 for shipping, combined with the Hankook rebate of $50 make the CS4s around $125 higher than the 727s from Discount Tire Direct.


I think you'll like the H727's and their handling doesn't suck either, just not as sharp as some. Nice tire for the Elantra.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Originally Posted By: Char Baby
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
I just ordered a set of 727s for my 2006 Elantra on Saturday. I would have liked to consider the Cooper CS4, but it's hard to find online, and local shops that carry it around here are priced significantly higher than the 727s, especially with the rebate Hankook has available.

The few places that I found online that carry the CS4s don't offer free shipping, and the extra $75 for shipping, combined with the Hankook rebate of $50 make the CS4s around $125 higher than the 727s from Discount Tire Direct.


I think you'll like the H727's and their handling doesn't suck either, just not as sharp as some. Nice tire for the Elantra.


I've never been interested in sharp handling, so I'm sure they'll be fine.

 

[cp3]

mechtech2, I will agree almost completely with you on the ASX. I don't find the sidewalls soft but then I don't have a lot of sidewall with a 205/50R17. Mine are almost done and I will be happy to see them gone, not good in the rain and terrible in the snow.

I've had good luck with Hankooks, Ventus V4 and V2 on the G6 and will likely put one of these on the G5 next year (I may price the V12). I can't speak to the winter performance of the V2 as I only got them this summer and have iPike snows for both cars. I am very hapy with the V4s and would buy again in a heartbeat.

 

[mechtech2]

I was swayed by the mgr at Discount Tire, and bought Yokohama AVid TRZs.
1/2 the guys at the store have them on their cars, or their wife's car.

Results so far? A 20 mile review?? As expected, the new high tread is squirmier at initial turning. Kinda wallowy when at highway speeds and making steering changes.
But this is to be expected - the old tires were worn, hard, and stable - crisper at turning.
No noise problems - dead quiet to some whine on odd road surfaces.
So it's not a summer performance tire, by any means. But around here [Chicagoland], we need all season compromises.
[No rain or snow, yet.]

 

[CharBaby]

The AVID TRZ's are a decent tire. You didn't make a bad choice!