Brake Pads

Initial Review, 15000 Miles on Tires
February 06, 2012

These replaced a set of (now discontinued) LRR Continental GT tires. My only continued complaint with Continental's LRR tires on my Civic Hybrid has been poor traction off the line. These tires, and their past iteration, have spun under even moderate acceleration on wet pavement. Other than that, I've found traction, braking, steering response, and predictability at their limits to be excellent. Mileage has been good at around 47 mpg combined(they are currently mounted on lightweight 15" aftermarket rims). Unlike other brands of LRR tires, these have not had a significant drop in mileage during heavy rain and standing water. I currently use the stock rims and winter tires, so I have no opinion on their winter traction.

Initial Review, 10000 Miles on Tires
January 29, 2012

If you'll notice i gave this tire 10's across the board, those 10's are for a comparison to other winter tires, NOT summer/all season tires.

These tires, however, will be the only winter tire i will ever buy as long as it is being produced, excellent traction on snow/ice/slush, which can get heave in the cleveland winters. between these and teh AWD quattro system there was absolutely no stopping my car in the snow, until i hit the brakes, and these grabbed wonderfully. easy decision from now on. i have used blizzacks and x-ice in the past, and although they were good products, this is a much better choice.

Initial Review, 3000 Miles on Tires
January 13, 2012

So many bad comment BUT I love those tire, very good on ice, very good on snow (if you have a smooth accelaration and braking habit), the quietest tire on the market. If you drive according to condition you will love those tire no problem. the price on those tire are pretty expensive but worth every cent. I drive 140 km per day. so far this years we had everything that mother nature produce , never got stuck. ICE GRIP IS the top on my list, SNOW traction second. would buy those tire again

Initial Review, 2000 Miles on Tires
January 11, 2012

Decent tires for my 335i coupe. Pleasantly surprised by braking on the pure ice. As expected from studless winter tires (which softer than studded) steering is vague and reaction is delayed. Both acoustic and ride comfort are great. Response in snow is predictable and linear. I had a lot of fun fun making donuts in snow and skidding the car in corners. Rubber itself is much softer than in high performance tires models (like Michelin Alpin) that are actually for mild european winter. That makes it more suitable for the severe winter. Overall I can recommend these tires.

Initial Review, 12000 Miles on Tires
January 18, 2012

My wife and I are autocrossers, and are used to UHP or better tires.

We bought these after the previous BFG all-seasons proved worthless in snow. While not delivering 4wd acceleration traction in snow, as long as you don't try to start on an icy hill, these work great in the snow. Ground clearance seems to be the limiting factor in snow driving. Cornering and braking in snow are great.

This past winter, we kept them on too long, but they still worked well through Memorial day. Yes, they are a little squishy cornering in the dry (compared to a good UHP all-season), but they still deliver acceptable cornering (beyond what most people will ever see). That said, they ride well and are quiet, especially for such an aggressive tread pattern.

With 12k miles of aggressive driving in 2 winters, these tires should easily last another 3-4 winters (especially if we change them appropriately).

There are not many tires I'd recommend to anyone, from the mildest to most aggressive driver, but for snow service, these tires have my highest recommendation. The only reason I didn't give them 10's across the board is that dry traction is not as good as a UHP tire, but still very acceptable.

Initial Review, 100 Miles on Tires
January 22, 2012

Yesterday, here in Pennsylvania we got three inches of snow which just so happened to be the day I put these tires on (brand new out of the box). So I took the liberty to test out the tires. Since the tread was fresh- the review may be a little bias, but I loved the traction I got with these tires. I took my 96' VW Golf up a pretty steep street where the snow really had not been cleared because the residence is in its early stages of development. So needless to say, lots of freshly paved streets and culdesacs covered in snow. I went around a figure eight a few times while braking, sliding, speeding up, slowing down. I expected the tires to slide (after all they are not snow tires) but I was really satisfied with the response and the traction I received for a low profile tire- keeping in mind however that they are brand spanking new. I would like to rate the performance in snow a 9 out of 10, but being realistic I would say like 7.8 out of 10. A personal opinion of course, but making a judgment based on the last set of tires I had on my stock 14 inch wheels I am glad I went with the Kumho 4x!


I would also like to say that the service of tirerack.com is awesome- an easy 10 of 10. I originally ordered tires with a 5% larger sidewall aspect ratio. The next day, Charlie Aquile, one of the sales specialist from Tire Rack, called to confirm that the tires I ordered were indeed the tires I needed because what I ordered were not recommended for my vehicle. I ended up dropping from a 45 radius to a 40, saving around $60. So thanks to guys at Tire Rack. Hope this review helps!

Initial Review, 500 Miles on Tires
January 18, 2012

Bought these tires based on reviews here, as well as price. I downsized from OEM 205/55/16 to 195/65/15 and got a new set of wheels. The Vibe can be scary in snow and ice due to its light weight, although the ExtremeContact DWS I had on the last 2 winters performed quite well. With the DWS earing down a bit I wanted to try winter tires, and the Generals have performed very well in light-moderate snow. They still slip on ice, but cornering and braking are vastly better than before, and much better than on my AWD Subaru with all seasons. The main downside of these tires is that they are extremely floaty on the highway. It actually takes work to make sure the car keeps going straight in the lane, and if it is very windy this can be nerve-wracking at higher speeds. Cornering seems fine, it is just that the tall tread and lack of a solid center rib probably makes it float around more. To be fair, I am comparing a taller sidewall, narrower width tire to the OEM size, so that will account for some difference in stability just by itself.

Initial Review, 35000 Miles on Tires
January 16, 2012

These General Altimax tires were purchased to replace a set of Goodyear Triple Tread Assurances that had lasted about 45,000 miles. Warranty at the time for the Goodyears was around 80,000 I believe, so I was disappointed in the life of the GoodYear tires, especially relative to their expense. I try not to let more than 9,000 or 10,000 go by before rotating, and my driving would be considered average, although now with two teens I lean more to the grandma end of the scale in a sad attempt to set an example.

The Generals performed fairly well. Dry and wet handling & braking were good, and snow handling was very good. I rated ice traction as five/ten, but I wouldn't expect much better from an all season tire. Cornering was a seven, probably due more to the vehicle's standard suspension components than the tire. Treadwear I've given a six only because at 35,000 miles they're down to Washington's head on the quarter, well below what the current Altimax HP warranty is, and most likely less than the warranty when I bought them (most likely 50,000-60,000). Three years and 35,000 miles, even on Chicagoland roads, is so-so. I found them to be a quiet tire even on some of the concrete highways in between here and FLA. A good friend who is quite particular about tire noise was very impressed with the Altimax HPs lack of road noise.

Overall I found them to be good performers, if not a little short on life. As I look at the Goodyears and see decent reviews, I remember that given what I paid for them they didn't last as long as they were supposed to, so why spend the extra money for them? Consumer Reports consistently rates Michelins as good tires, but with poor performance in the snow. They too are more expensive.

As a result, I'm sticking with the Altimax HPs for a new set of tires, and we'll see if we can't get the grey beast from the current odometer reading of 115,000 all the way to 160,000 with these new shoes.

Initial Review, 8500 Miles on Tires
March 11, 2011

Got the tires about 8500 miles ago...immediately followed by a dealer alignment.



Initial ratings were almost perfect. I initially noticed that the steering requires larger inputs (not really a bad thing, just different) than the previous OEM ContiProContacts and my fuel economy stayed about the same with the Sumis. They grip the road much better than the Contis and my braking performance is also dramatically improved. They also grip well in the wet, but offer mediocre resistance to hydroplaning. I haven't reached the limits of the tire yet. I also like how they don't roll over on their sidewall like the Continentals. We had some minor snow in Charlotte and they seemed fine in the snow, also did alright on the icy spots.



After I rotated the tires, my steering seemed to wander a bit, so I went back to the dealer and got another alignment which they said wasn't necessary because it was still aligned. That did tone down a bit after 1000 or so miles, but then the tires started to cup on the inner and outer edge and they're very loud now. I expect them to last at least 40,000 miles, but I'm going to attempt an exchange as the tread is barely worn down (should still be under uniformity warranty). If I'm not able to get an exchange I'll just keep them as they're now only slightly louder than the OEM Contis when they were worn out (they were always loud). Also they are now pretty bad on rainy roads with hydroplaning. The tread pattern seems designed to push the water away rather than to pulverize and mist away the water. If I trade I'll try the Conti DWS tires more than likely. I would only get these again if they were priced at a give-away price, and then I wouldn't rotate them on my GTI.

Initial Review, 52000 Miles on Tires
January 09, 2012

I ordered the oversize 19 inch tire, and the adjustable suspension system on this car. I am very satisfied with the tires perfomance and tread life. I rotate every 6500 miles. With the 4-matic, I have been extremely satisfied with this car's handling and perfomance. I am baffled by some of the negative reports written here? Am currently looking at new tires and am considering the LX20 with EccoPlus since it is a new tire and my current 4X4 Contacts. I am an agressive driver but am not a 'brake-rider'.

Initial Review, 4000 Miles on Tires
January 30, 2010

I wanted Ultra Perf All-Season for my GTI (225/40R18) since it gets the call over the 911 Targa when there's rain in the forecast and I went with the ASXs since I had them on my old E320 wagon (granted, at fairly different sizes) and was happy with them. The only dry weather complaint I have is with tire wear relative to the UTOG rating - but the GTI might just eat tires (the OEM Conti Summer tires did wear faster). At 4000 miles, the fronts were just over half worn and the rears just under half. I gave 9's across the Dry performance categories. Also, as I expected from an All Season vs Summer tire, the ride quality was better - especially over pitted roads (which I was surprised to see as much of in Louisiana vs Ohio).



Wet Performance is another story. Even when new, the tires didn't have the level of wet performance I was / am looking for - mainly steering stability and traction / resistance to understeer. On the plus side, I've had no problems with hydroplaning or wet braking stability.

Initial Review, 6000 Miles on Tires
January 18, 2012

Got these mid summer, Immediately noticed a reduced level of noise, and increased level of ride comfort. Probably the best tire I've ever purchased. I like to take my car on a back road every once in a while and these tires make my car handle like a dream. Along with other suspension modifications, these tires stick right with my every input while flying around corners with no screeching or drama. Off the line they barely spin and complain unless the pavement's a little smooth, but even then wheel-spin is controllable. I've had to make 2 Emergency stops since getting these and both times distances were predictable, and handling was controllable.

In adverse weather, the tire continues to impress in most areas. The Rain is a joke to these tires. Very confident feeling, and I can pretty much drive as if it were a dry sunny day. No sliding, no nonsense. I've had the chance to drive around in some light snow (1-3 inches), and while taking off from a dead stop in a manual is a bit of a challenge, starting from 2nd gear barely produces any spinning, although pressing too hard on the gas will negate that. Snow traction is decent, obviously can't take turns too fast without incredible understeer and sliding (nothing the e-brake can't fix), but that's expected, especially for a Front Wheel Drive car.

All in all it's fair to say these are excellent "High Performance All Season Tires". Confident in most conditions, although snow traction could be a little better. I really don't plan on driving in the snow too much as it is, so it's not a big deal.

Initial Review, 3000 Miles on Tires
January 21, 2012

I'm now at 3,000 miles and continue to be impressed. Great handling, braking, rain traction and they are quiet

Initial Review, 7000 Miles on Tires
January 21, 2012

I've had two sets of these tires on two different cars,one an 03 Accord LX 4 cyl and the current car. Snow traction and ice traction are good, traction in the dry is very good, just don't drive it like an all season or summer tire, very soft (which is how snow tires should be.

Traction in the wet is a different story. Cornering and braking traction are fine, but accelerating in the wet is challenging. Neither car here is powerful, yet anything more than a gentle push on the accelerator( i.e. pulling out of an intersection across traffic) in the wet sends these tires scrambling for traction. It was the same when the tires were new and now when they aren't quite through 2 seasons of light use.

I'm comparing these to Blizzak WS-60(now the WS-70) that I had on a turbo VW Jetta. The Blizzak is a much more expensive tire, but I didn't have a problem with them in the wet.I'll probably go back to Blizzaks when these Dunlops are done.

Initial Review, 30000 Miles on Tires
January 19, 2012

These are fantastic tires for the purpose the are designed. I work construction and drive around muddy sites all the time. Never had a flat, they are fantastic in the snow and rain! once had goodyear wranglers and felt like i was driving on ice every time it rained! now, in some cases i stop qucker in the rain than our audi with anti lock brakes! I assume the lins share of the difference is the difference between high performance all sesons and these. the main sipes on these tires are big enough to get a finger into! you wont go wrong with these. I kkep them slightly overinflated, and imroved my mileage from 9-10MPG on the old wranglers to 13-14 on these!

Initial Review, 20000 Miles on Tires
January 10, 2012

Pretty good tire, I don't feel it has as good accel on packed snow as the dunop graspic but braking is good which is the more important of the two. Like most snow tires, they are pretty soft and handling is diminished when you switch from your summer tires to these. Overall very good winter tire, great prices.

Initial Review, 400 Miles on Tires
January 21, 2012

First iuse this tire for track days. The car has 19" wheels so all tires are expensive. I run the tires until the bead shows. I have run r compound ties, michielin sport cups (3), Hoosier A6 (1), street compounds Michelin PS2 (4) super sports (4), Yokohama sport vans (6) ADVAN AD08. It is within this experience that I report on the RE11. The number in the parenthesis is the number of track days I got out of each tire. The RE11 lasted 7 track days and stick well, not as good as the R-compound as you might suspect. The ADVANs wore well but did not stick. The RE11 are a good compromise of wear (cost) and grip. Until I win the lottery and can afford to rin the R-compound I'll stick with the RE11s

Initial Review, 2000 Miles on Tires
October 18, 2010

I went with a dedicated winter tire since the stock Cross-Terrains, or basically anything in the OE size, just don't make it as a great winter tire. I bought these just in time for the big "Snowmageddon" in the Wash D.C. area in 2010, very glad I did.



These tires are simply incredible.



I have driven many, many miles in the snow, more than I care to think about. I have used chains, cables, whatever..these tires will put the biggest grin on your grill...promise.



Believe what others say, you will do in 2WD what others can't in 4WD..NO JOKE. I deliberatly went up a good 25-30 deg hill, in at least 12" of snow, stopped half way up, put back in 2WD, and it chugged up the hill no problem, barely any wheelspin. I went into a hard-packed neighborhood where the surface was glazed over..nearly ice to test the brakes. At about 20 MPH, I slammed the brakes and my coffee cup flipped forward out of the cup holder, it was in there pretty good, almost like summer tires on a wet road...unbelievable stopping power which is the biggest trait of a winter tire IMO...that alone will save you, others, and property damage.



I only have about 2K on them, tread looks very good, almost new. Here's the thing about this type of tire...the tread blocks are very soft, don't expect them to pull 1g of lateral force on an off-ramp, be realistic.



They will have more noise, this is normal.

They will have much higher treadwear, this is perfectly normal.

You must rotate them sooner to avoid rounding off the shoulders, don't fault the tire.



For a winter tire, they are very quiet, can hear them around 70 but again..it's a winter tire, this is normal.



Slightly squirmish on quick lane changes but this is normal, definately feel the difference.

With about 16" of snow, I was the only one out of my neighborhood aside from a neighbors very large silverado..and this is with about 9" of ground clearance on mine. I didn't need a running star

Initial Review, 1000 Miles on Tires
January 18, 2012

Steering response, comfort, road noise and stability are far superior compared to kumho KL51 AND michelin radial LT, both of which I've previously had. Dry braking is very impressive but what's even more impressive it the WET braking. Light and deep snow traction is much better than the kumho KL51 and about the same if not a little better as the michelin radial LT. Although the continentals advertise better gas milage, I didn't find this to be the case. I haven't seen any change in gas milage. You simply can't beat the price either compared to the michelin's.

Initial Review, 1000 Miles on Tires
January 21, 2012

Quiet and comfortable in the dry and confident in the rain. In the snow they are bad in the mush and slush at an intersection- you turn the wheel but the car goes straight. They brake loose easily when you're accelerating or braking. Probably a descent tire for the rainy northwest but no confidence in them in New Jersey. I initially liked them in the cold and dry of early winter but for me fairly worthless in the snow . I can't really comment on the ice performance. No doubt good compared to a summer only tire but a waste of money for a snow and slop tire. Confidence wise, I felt like I was on old summer tires. Get a stud-able type snow tire (without studs)and not this ice tire.