New Toyo Proxes T1R today

[whitey4311]

So I got my new tires with a brush up on the toe which was slightly out and out the door at a Mo Fukin $829. :eek:

The sales man at this small town very popular tire shop says as part of quality control they have to test drive it to be sure all is well. I laughed and said yeah right as some dude with a fat goat on his chin takes it for a spin. He gets on it a bit down the road from what I saw then comes back with a shit eating grin on his face. I asked if he had fun and he said, "holly shit this thing is fast, what is it".

Anyway I hope they didnt enjoy it too much but these guys get all kinds of cars in there and have a good reputation.

On they way home I am on the freeway and do a bit of sharp quick turns and it feels like the car is floating on water and the tires felt like a sponge. I called them and they say for about 200 miles and about 1/32 to 2/32 of the tire they will feel like this until they "crown". He said Toyo offers a 45 day return policy and to give them a chance and they will seat in well.

I have had new tires in the past and it is true that when brand spanking new they all feel like sponges but based on all the great reviews for this tire I am guessing they just need to wear in.

Well so far they ride 100x better then the OEM tires and there is zero road noise. Those little bumps in the road no longer rattle the car and the ride is so smooth. I just hope the sponge feeling passes or I wont keep them at the price I had to pay.

Anyone hear of this before?

[Moxhair]

The Toyos have a softer sidewall than other Tires I've driven on in the same class, that would explain some of the softness especially if youre taking corners.. I would of recommended the Dunlop Z1 Starspec or the Bridgestone RE01R tires if you were looking for a great handling tire.

[whitey4311]

It is very hard to find a OEM size tire. Even the guys at the shop said it was not a good idea to step outside OEM specs because of how the tire would mount up, wear, and handle.

I can deal with a bit of flex but what I am trying to describe is a unbelievable amount of wash out when doing a quick left to right jerk of the wheel. None of those characteristics were mentioned in any reviews I read so I imagine they must have to settle in.

According to them this is normal and tires take about 200 miles to calm down and settle. I really hope they do because the ride and noise are outstanding compared to the Potenzas. From what I have read Corvette, Vipers, Infinity, and other high end cars love these tires so I doubt they will stay feeling this way.

I guess I will give them this upcoming week and report back. I drive about 300-400 miles a week so they should be well settled by then if that is the case.

[Young Roids]

quick way to check if they work good is do an e-brake burnout for a little bit and then see if they grip right.

[whitey4311]

The grips is terrific it is just the wash out feeling when moving the car side to side. I really do think they will calm down because I recall all tires doing this I have bought in the past. In about a week or 2 they seem to feel more planted and not wishy washy.

I sure do love how the car doesnt jolt from every little bump in the road. They absorb all the cracks and bumps while also offering no road noise at all.

[Moxhair]

The Grip is good because of the softer side wall. Honestly I don't think you're going to be happy with those tires if you like taking corners.

[whitey4311]

I wonder why so many other people praise them so much then? I never read anything negative about them other then Car and Driver which tested the top 10 best tires and gave them 8th. I dont need the number 1 tire so did not concern me but I will return them if they feel sloppy once broken in. The tires claim to have reinforced side walls and Toyo calls it their best tire yet. I guess I just need to give them a chance this coming week.

There is not a OEM tire I know of that costs less then stock but performs as good. The only thing I can think of would be to have to buy the Potenzas again since at 22,700 miles they still handled well. The fronts on the inside edge were down to the steel but for that type of tire I think they lasted quite well with mild driving habits.

[whitey4311]

Looks like you can take them for a test drive first!!!

"At Toyo we are committed to product quality and customer satisfaction. We're confident that once you experience the quality of our tires, Toyo will be your brand of choice. And to prove it to you, we invite you to take advantage of our "Experience the Difference in Quality Trial Offer."

Buy a set of eligible Toyo tires and try them on your car for up to 500 miles. If you're not completely satisfied with the performance of the tires, just return them to the dealer where you purchased them for a refund or replacement. The choice to refund or replacement is yours. Visit your Toyo dealer for complete details.

It's an extraordinary offer on some extraordinary tires. For all the details on the trial offer or the outstanding warranties on all Toyo passenger and light truck tires, contact the Toyo dealer near you. Toyo means quality and customer satisfaction...prove it for yourself.

Consumer Relations:
West Coast: 1-800-442-8696 (8:00 am - 4:45 pm PST)
East Coast: 1-888-444-8696 (8:00 am - 4:45 pm EST)

Eligible tires include:

Proxes® T1R™"
Quick Silver Z is offline Reply With Quote


looks like I dont need to worry much :) Bad ass trial offer and they must be confident.

I got this on the z06 forum and those guys seem to love the tires for track. I will just stop stressing now and get some miles on them.

[WonderMike]

^^^^^^might want to read the fine print if you can find it might be some kind of clause about the tires you bought being a different size.......just something to check...

[whitey4311]

When I called on my way home from the tire shop they told me this as well. He said give it 200 miles to "crown" but not to worry I have 45 days or 500 miles to return them.

[whitey4311]

Well I broke them in today and got about 130 miles total on them. I really like many things about them compared to the Potenzas but I lost that Go-Kart feeling at high speeds. In other words a quick jerk left and right of the wheel used to be a sudden direction change but now its a bit more sluggish.

Despite that sluggish feeling which you never feel under normal driving ,because there is no reason to jerk left and right, they feel great. The ride is much much much smoother and quieter while the grip seems to be better. In a hard turn they dont make any noise and they stick perfectly. They give you a real feeling of what the car can do and you know its limitations. This is the only way I can describe it because with the Potenzas I never could tell how hard to push it in a turn and felt that if it did let go it would be sudden and major.

The Proxes seem to corner very well but you can feel the car is about to let loose and you can back off. I will agree that there may be better tires for hard cornering but there are so many positives that I am willing to give a bit of that up. If they last longer then the Potenzas I will be be buying them again but if not then I would say it depends on what you want the tire to do.

In short the T1R ride much smoother, are quiet and non existent, corner nearly as good as Potenza, grip much better, and absorb bumps very well. No more jittering in the cab with even the smallest cracks in the road any more, just smooth going now. Another thing about the Potenzas were they first layer was soft and nice but the under layer was harder and not so fun to drive on. The T1R as far as I can tell is the same compound from start to finish so that should be nicer.

I think I am going to keep them and they are a winner especially if I can turn more miles out of them then stock. I got 22,700 and was down to steel on the Potenzas so if the T1R does all these others things better and sacrafices a bit of cornering for those and longer tread life they are a winner in my opinion.

[MicaSp33d]

have you checked tire pressure. I've noticed every time i buy new tires, those tire guys just guess the pressure. I've always ended up driving home let the tires cool for a bit and inflate/deflate to manufacturer specs. If steering feels sluggish, try adding a couple of pounds from stock psi.

[whitey4311]

Oh yeah forgot to mention that. Not only did the dick tards put 45lbs pressure in them I had to set my Torque wrench to 130lbs to break the lugs loose. I walked up to the guy with the air gun and asked what it was set at and he said 85lbs, lol.

I will try your suggestion tomorrow and bump them 2lbs each from stock so I will be at 36 front and 34 rear. They actually are feeling very good right now and letting pressure out of them helped a bit when they were at 45 lbs.

All in all I am quite happy with the tires. Its weird how they can feel sluggish on the freeway with sharp left/rigth jerks of the wheel but if you lay it in a turn it does just fine. It actually feels better then stock tires because they soak bumps and dont upset the car so much. The stockers made the car feel very nervous and twitchy and now it feels more relaxed, thats the best way I can describe it.

Thanks.

[WonderMike]

thanks for the info man ordered mine so I will see how they do for me

[tiagotiago]

When I bought some Michelin Pilot Exalto AS for my previous car, I also read all over the place that they had to be broken in. In the first 300-400 miles those tires had very little grip, so I drove accordingly. Once broken in though, the tire really came alive, though the steering feel/smoothness they gave the car was there from day 1 (after I corrected the tire pressueres).

Actually I'm kinda sorry that they don't make those tires in the MS3 stock wheel size, cause I'd buy another set.

Do tell us how those Toyo's hold up :)

[whitey4311]

Well it has been a week now and I still love them. I would give them a A- just because the only negative I can find is the rather relaxed soft feeling they give.

It is certainly a trade off for zero road noise, longer tread life, better grip, better comfort/ride. The down side is they are not as twitchy and highly responsive as the Potenzas. On the other hand you have a very good feeling of what they can do in a turn and when they will break loose. The Potenzas never gave that feeling and you never knew when they would let go so I never pushed them hard.

In a turn these tires grip very well and you can feel the flex up to a point then they just plain grip. I would imagine in a slalom type setting they wouldnt be the best choice but for a daily driver they are perfect and still do their job where it counts.

Today I was in a very windy area with about 40-50mph gusts and I could feel the car want to float and it was very washy feeling on the road. As soon as I got near a center divider it was better and once back near home with no winds no more problems.

All I can say is that is I am happy so far and I could imagine what the Khumos would feel like compared to these Proxes T1R which are very highly sought after according to the internet reviews. If they last beyond 25k miles I will be sold on them and from what I hear that wont be an issue as Toyo claims to have some sort or tread design that makes them last longer.

I did a couple launches and the tires just bark once and then tear ass unlike the Potenzas which would back then keep slipping causing nasty wheel hop. I didnt launch real hard but I gave it a good beat down and they were for sure an improvement in that area.

Still my favorite thing about them is no road noise and those small cracks or bumps arent felt any more. I can even go over the track which our apartment gate rides on with out slowing to a stop and rolling over it. The tires absorb all those damn things that used to make the entire cabin jolt. The road noise on the freeway was so non existent it was scary and I could hear the radio much better then before as well as talk on my bluetooth.

PS I put 2lbs more air per OEM suggested so I am at 36f and 34r and with a couple hundred miles on them they feel much different then the first day.

[ericrapp]

You can certainly play with tire pressure, the car wants 34/32 as mention earlier but is ok to bump it up a bit. Tires are designed differently regardless of specs. The proxes were a step up but they were not enough for me. As long as you have fun.

[tiagotiago]

Thanks for your impressions on the tyre. With the info you're giving us, I would have to give them a very serious look when the Bridgestones are worn. Even though they might lack the ultimate grip of the Potenzas, I'd expect one could be faster on them because of the confidence they instill. I'd rather the tyre be progressive and communicative, helping the driver have confidence in them, and not twitchy.

Let's hope they're good on the long run.

[whitey4311]

Thanks for your impressions on the tyre. With the info you're giving us, I would have to give them a very serious look when the Bridgestones are worn. Even though they might lack the ultimate grip of the Potenzas, I'd expect one could be faster on them because of the confidence they instill. I'd rather the tyre be progressive and communicative, helping the driver have confidence in them, and not twitchy.

Let's hope they're good on the long run.

They offer more grip not less grip. What I am saying is they lack the twitchy response the Potenzas had and you can feel the car is a bit more soft when you go yanking on the steering wheel.

After writing my last response a few hours ago I went for another local store run and nailed it in a turn pretty good. The car sticks perfectly with no squeal of the tires at all. You can feel the car sort of be more relaxed and sway in the turn but it stops and sticks right away. They dont break loose and the car tracks right where you want it. The car feels less twitchy but it still does exactly what you want it to which is all I ask for. The more laid back feeling of the tire does not equate loss of handling in a turn it just feels more relaxed by the seat of your pants compared to the Potenzas.

The best way I can describe it is that the tires go where you point the car and dont slide but you can feel them as being softer for sure. This took away that very edgy twitchy feeling the Potenzas had. Some people want that back and if you are one of those I would look at a more expensive track type tire. For me I dont track the car and simply want a very good, not the best most expensive, alternative to stock. I want to be able to hammer the peddle for fun here and there and take some good turns and have the car do what it was made to do. I dont want shit tires that are cost effective but prevent the car from doing what it can when I want it to.

I hope that makes sense and if you are like me and just drive on regular roads, want an OEM size, like to take some turns a bit hard every now and then, and not suffer from a tire that quickly wears and rides like shit then look at the T1R's.

[tiagotiago]

I hope that makes sense and if you are like me and just drive on regular roads, want an OEM size, like to take some turns a bit hard every now and then, and not suffer from a tire that quickly wears and rides like shit then look at the T1R's.

It does make sense, that's exactly why I am reading this thread.
Thanks!!

[ericrapp]

TT, when you upgrade you will find that the stockers had a stiff sidewall but besides that they are not as good as rated. The upgrading to a Toyo or similar tire will bring this out. If you are concerned about tire wear I do not know, but if you want to stick and feel it I have opinions a plenty, Whitey after a couple of sets you will find all kinds of personality to tires. Soft sidewall aside, glad you are getting the traction the car deserves!

[whitey4311]

I played with it a bit more and really like these tires. I would imagine they would track good but not great yet on the street they are excellent.

Today I did some quick turns and hit it on the on ramps that are curved and the car felt great. I think it is just like a new pair of shoes and you get used to them but at first they feel funny.

Either way I will be buying them again so long as they last between 23k+ miles. Stockers got me to 23k and anything more while keeping performance and costing less is fine by me.

[whitey4311]

I played with it a bit more and really like these tires. I would imagine they would track good but not great yet on the street they are excellent.

Today I did some quick turns and hit it on the on ramps that are curved and the car felt great. I think it is just like a new pair of shoes and you get used to them but at first they feel funny.

Either way I will be buying them again so long as they last between 23k+ miles. Stockers got me to 23k and anything more while keeping performance and costing less is fine by me.

My final vote with out considering how long they last is for others to get them, great tire at just about anything you can throw at it. I will post back as I get more miles on them about how they wear. I plan to rotate every 2500 miles and balance every 5k.

[WonderMike]

Got mine installed yesterday.....called in sick to work and went out to see what these tires could do.....

Response I agree with whitey you dont get that twitch when you jerk the steering wheel left to right but these will do it they just glide doing it much smoother instead of jerking you around in the cabin.....

Grip like whitey said these are great tires they took every curve I threw at it and wanted more....whitey said it perfectly you feel so much more comftorable and in control and feel more confident behind the wheel taking turns....as for a slolam they did not do too bad....my dad works at an air base so I got to go out to one of thier old runways....

So these were great tires some of the best I have ever ran on any of my vehicles...I am with whitey if they last about 25k or more definately be my next set as well...

[ericrapp]

W Mike, thats quite cool to have the airbase to set up cones or do a skidpad. I would love to find the limits of my nittos. When the Bridgestones were pushed hard they well, pushed. I had the ass hanging out more than once, but I had trouble being able to tell when they were going to break free (turning) and dragging well there is no comparison to the softer compounds available. The little wagons ears pick up when I say wanna go for a drive speedy? Just the tires increased performance soo much. Heavy braking into turns got pretty stable and predictable. I garage car for winters so I have no compromise tires. There are some other great tires and deals out there but you might need a bit wider wheel than stock unfortunately. TT look into how the tires are rated and that will tell you what the tire is capable of. Wonder Mike, you called in sick to go driving!!!! Love ya man! and I agree on your opinion.

[whitey4311]

Got mine installed yesterday.....called in sick to work and went out to see what these tires could do.....

Response I agree with whitey you dont get that twitch when you jerk the steering wheel left to right but these will do it they just glide doing it much smoother instead of jerking you around in the cabin.....

Grip like whitey said these are great tires they took every curve I threw at it and wanted more....whitey said it perfectly you feel so much more comftorable and in control and feel more confident behind the wheel taking turns....as for a slolam they did not do too bad....my dad works at an air base so I got to go out to one of thier old runways....

So these were great tires some of the best I have ever ran on any of my vehicles...I am with whitey if they last about 25k or more definately be my next set as well...


I am glad I was able to help ease your mind in buying these with having some responses and reviews before forking over the cash.

If you like them now and beat on them this new give them more time, about 300 miles, and you will be even more happy. Mine really woke up and are doing much better now that they seated well.

Now you know what I mean about a more positive feel the car has with these tires. You can now feel what the car likes and when it will break loose unlike the Potenzas where you felt like they never would come loose. Problem with that is when they do I bet it would be drastic and bad. You can feel the car enter into corners a bit more relaxed and it feels plush but not like SUV tires or anything. The car takes the corners just fine but there is no more Go-kart feeling. On the other hand it takes the corners right where you point the car and they dont scream while doing it.

I suppose you just have to take our word for it and try them. I know others will be just as happy with all these tires offer over stock because they do a great job and only really sacrifice that instant response with the twitch of the steering wheel. For a track tire that may not be ideal but for every day use and play time they hold their own. These are the cost sensitive tire that seem to do it all very well but not all of it perfectly. I just didnt want a cheap set of ECSTA on my car in fear that for the savings vs the Toyo's it would not be worth it. The tire dealer agreed and there would only be about $80 savings so it was a no brainer.

They just dont feel like the Potenzas which to me felt very twitchy which are great for cornering but the negatives were noise, longevity, cost, some grip, and a shitty ride. If these Toyos get longer use I am going to love them and happily buy another set as well.

How you like the quite cabin now?

Good to hear you are happy. Give them a few more weeks of mileage then get back and tell us how much more you like them.

PS be sure to rotate them every 2500 miles and balance every 5k. Lets see how long these bad boys will last. I drive very easy on them 95% of the time so between your style and mine we should be able to compare as time goes on.