The wheels on the Benz go round and round
Written: Dec 10 '04 (Updated Dec 10 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great mix of performance and safety
Cons: No tread wear warranty
The Bottom Line: -
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| carnut2k4's Full Review: Goodyear Eagle RSA Passenger/Performance Tire |
Matching the right tire to your car is a very important task. Luckily the average tire shop does an acceptable job of this so we don't have to put too much thought into the decision. For the average consumer buying OEM spec tires is the right choice to make. The OEM spec tires I have on my 2003 Mercedes Benz C-320 are Goodyear Eagle RS-A's. The specific size I am reviewing here is 205/55 R16.
Does size really matter?
Ever wonder what all those numbers mean? It's pretty simple. The first number (205 in this case) is simply the distance across the top of the tire in millimeters (section width or tread width). The second number (55 in this case) gives you the aspect ratio. Simply put it means that the height of the sidewall is 55% of the section width (205mm). In this example the sidewall height would be 112.75 mm's. The R refers to the tires radial construction and the 16 refers to the tire fitting on a 16 inch rim. See how simple that is!
How 'bout them other letters and numbers?
This tire has a speed rating of 'H'. That means that the tire is deemed safe at speeds of up to 130 mph. The load index here is 91 which means that each tire is capable of supporting 615 kilograms. That equals about 1356 pounds per tire or 5423 total on all four tires. My car weighs in at 2900 lbs which means passengers and cargo can total no more than 2500 pounds. This is a good index to be aware of on your car. The RS-A tire also lists a tread wear of 260 which is about average for a 'high performance all season' tire. It's a comparative rating. If another tire lists a tread wear of 130 then the RS-A would last twice as long under identical circumstances. The traction and temperature are both rated as 'A' which most tires seem to be.
Tread and Compound
The Eagle RS-A employs an asymmetrical tread design. Whereas many tires are identical from the center of the section width out, this tire is not. The outside portion of the tire has an aggressive tread which helps hold onto the pavement when cornering. By design, such a tread won't provide very good traction in rain or snow so the inside section of the tire makes up for that. It is designed to channel water and keep you from hydroplaning. Someone who is into cars and enjoys whipping around corners or maybe has graduated to some amateur racing would not consider the RS-A to be a 'sticky' tire. Those who don't know the difference between a turbo charger and a super charger will swear these tires are made of rubber cement. The compound walks that fine line between maintaining a respectable tread life and keeping a smile on your face on the switchbacks. The RS-A starts out life with a tread depth of 11/32's of an inch.
On the road
Kerouac swore by these tires. Ok that's a lie. But you'll swear by these tires if you buy them. On my car they do a reasonable job of keeping road noise to an acceptable level. Road feel is comfortable but these tires do not mute every seam in the pavement the way some people would prefer. Personally I prefer a little feedback from the tires to keep the drive interesting. I chose my car with the forethought of wanting to feel like I was driving. I'm not a Lexus fan. I like a car that's jarring when the circumstances dictate. I've cruised at 110mph and felt completely in control. I have no doubt 130 is possible. Road noise increases at higher speeds but never to the point of interfering with a conversation. On the highway I normally cruise at 80 to 85mph and find I don't even need to turn the radio up. Cornering is great fun with these tires. I take highway exit loops at 60 when they're posted at 25 as a matter of course. I don't even think about it. The tires occasionally let out a slight complaint but have never once slipped on me. I'll add the caveat that the cars electronics contribute to that to a certain degree. The traction control has also greatly extended these tires' lifespan by stopping wheel spin every time I launch at a green light under full throttle - which is a lot. I have no snow experience with these tires but I have a lot of rain experience (as I write this from south Florida). I have yet to hydroplane with these tires. I usually find my self passing others in the rain and have never felt the slightest hint of traction loss. I'm conservative going into turns when it's raining so I can't say for sure how they would handle those types of turns at speed. As a matter of fact this car, which is rear wheel drive, with all it's electronic safety features and these tires make me feel almost as secure in the rain as I did driving my last car which was a Saab 9-5. Now that's really saying something.
Warranty
Goodyear offers a somewhat limited warranty with the Eagle RS-A. They do not guarantee any specific tread life (mileage warranty). It has a Uniformity Warranty in which the tire would be replaced if demonstrated to not be uniform - if it's out of round or has a weight imbalance which interferes with the performance. This warranty can only be exercised within the first 2/32's of usage. This tire starts out with 11/32 so you need to exchange it before you go beyond 9/32. There is also the usual Workmanship / Material Warranty which guarantees free replacement within the first year or 2/32 - whichever comes first if the tire shows a defect. After that the warranty still applies but is prorated.
The victory lap
Overall I'm very happy with this tire. At an average retail price of $80-$85 it is middle of the road as far as a 55 series tire goes and I feel it is the perfect balance between comfort and fun. This tire compliments my driving habits perfectly. If I was brave enough to hold onto a Benz after the warranty ran out I would definitely buy another set of RS-A's when the time came. As it is, that decision will be made by the unfortunate soul who owns this car at that point.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 82
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