replacing tires sooner than planned - Subaru Outback

MrEd · 07-01-2004, 10:44 PM

Well, we all hate the crappy stock tires & I figured I would replace mine before next winter with some nice all-season performance tires.

I noticed tonight that my passenger rear tire has about a 4-inch slice in the sidewall. Crime & vandalism are basically nonexistent in my area, so I'm at a loss for how it happened. It looks too straight & clean to be any kind of accident or caused by some road hazard. Its quite deep but the tire is not punctured. Just the same, I think I'll park it until I get some replacements.

I loved the Dunlop SP Sport 5000's on my Galant VR4, they had very good year round traction, decent wear, & with a profile of 55 or lower you got a sexy asymmetric tread pattern.

I think I'll go with the Continental ContiExtreme Contacts for the Outback, though. They're well recommended by this board & the TireRack customer ratings are extremely positive. Owner feedback on wet/dry/snow traction, noise, & wear beats the Dunlops & Michelins. Looks like a steal at $81 a piece.

**bheinz57** · 07-02-2004, 05:26 PM

Let us know how you like them, they are on the 'want list' for a lot of us needing tires soon. Have you looked into the Falken Ziex 512's also? That would be my other choice for my tires. Brian

MrEd · 07-10-2004, 10:18 AM

I ordered the Conti tires last Thursday night, & even with the holiday weekend TireRack got them to me this Tuesday. I had them installed the next day. I've only logged a couple commutes & errands totalling ~50 miles, but so far so good.

The stock tires were very "chirpy" through turns, these are not. The solid black sidewalls (no RWL) seem to make the tires look slightly small in the wheel wells. The tread pattern is symmetric but the tires are directional (its stamped into the sidewall), so for future rotations they must remain on the same side of the car. They felt awfully heavy while loading them into the car to take to the shop, but the dismounted stockers I brought home felt just as heavy.

During in-town driving I detect no noticeable change in quietness or ride softness, but I'll reserve judgement until I get a chance to hit the highway for a longer drive at higher speeds.

If anyone wants a pair of stock tires with 11k on them, they're yours for the taking.

07-01-2004, 10:44 PM	#1 (permalink)
MrEd Registered User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: State College, PA Car: 2003 Outback Sedan H6-3.0 Posts: 218 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	replacing tires sooner than planned Well, we all hate the crappy stock tires & I figured I would replace mine before next winter with some nice all-season performance tires. I noticed tonight that my passenger rear tire has about a 4-inch slice in the sidewall. Crime & vandalism are basically nonexistent in my area, so I'm at a loss for how it happened. It looks too straight & clean to be any kind of accident or caused by some road hazard. Its quite deep but the tire is not punctured. Just the same, I think I'll park it until I get some replacements. I loved the Dunlop SP Sport 5000's on my Galant VR4, they had very good year round traction, decent wear, & with a profile of 55 or lower you got a sexy asymmetric tread pattern. I think I'll go with the Continental ContiExtreme Contacts for the Outback, though. They're well recommended by this board & the TireRack customer ratings are extremely positive. Owner feedback on wet/dry/snow traction, noise, & wear beats the Dunlops & Michelins. Looks like a steal at $81 a piece. __________________ Ed, 2003 H6-3.0 Outback Sedan car pics here

07-02-2004, 05:26 PM	#2 (permalink)
bheinz57 Superb Moderator Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Neenah, WI Car: MY12 WRX, MY07 FXT Posts: 6,182 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Let us know how you like them, they are on the 'want list' for a lot of us needing tires soon. Have you looked into the Falken Ziex 512's also? That would be my other choice for my tires. Brian __________________ If you can't see into the future, you aren't driving fast enough

07-10-2004, 10:18 AM	#3 (permalink)
MrEd Registered User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: State College, PA Car: 2003 Outback Sedan H6-3.0 Posts: 218 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I ordered the Conti tires last Thursday night, & even with the holiday weekend TireRack got them to me this Tuesday. I had them installed the next day. I've only logged a couple commutes & errands totalling ~50 miles, but so far so good. The stock tires were very "chirpy" through turns, these are not. The solid black sidewalls (no RWL) seem to make the tires look slightly small in the wheel wells. The tread pattern is symmetric but the tires are directional (its stamped into the sidewall), so for future rotations they must remain on the same side of the car. They felt awfully heavy while loading them into the car to take to the shop, but the dismounted stockers I brought home felt just as heavy. During in-town driving I detect no noticeable change in quietness or ride softness, but I'll reserve judgement until I get a chance to hit the highway for a longer drive at higher speeds. If anyone wants a pair of stock tires with 11k on them, they're yours for the taking. __________________ Ed, 2003 H6-3.0 Outback Sedan car pics here

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