A couple of weeks ago I dragged the summer tires/wheels out and decided to dismount the tires and completely refinish the wheels. I also decided that I'd had enough of the conti's with their morning flat spots everyday and that it was time for a change. After having a long discussion with my friend in the tire business (whom I've bought numerous sets of tires and wheels from over the years) I decided on a set of four new tires.

When I told my buddy about my driving style and what was important to me he suggested a set of Nankang AS-1 All Season Tires. I thought he was joking but he was serious. At first I said no way but he offered to swap them out and give me a full credit on another set of tires if I did not like them.

Guess what... I love them! They are the smoothest and most quiet tire I've ever had. On the Nankang website they are listed under the "Comfort" tab and that's exactly what they are.

Now that said, if someone expects these tires to perform on the ragged edge they will be highly disappointed but if you drive your car like an old lady like me and want max comfort and silence, you'll really like these tires.

After mounting and balancing them (standard balance not roadforce) I dragged the wheels and tires home and bolted them to the car. Within seconds of going down the road I was very impressed. Two days later I went on a 394 mile (one way) road trip for work which I take monthly and after 16 hours of driving, I can say that I am very impressed. These tires are as smooth as butter cream frosting. As of now I've put about 1000 miles on them and don't have a bad thing to say.

Now before you guys across the pond start calling them ditchfinders, keep in mind that the tires are not max performance tires and I don't use them as such.

My driving style is:

*Frequent long trips on U.S. Freeways that are mostly straight.
*I set the cruise control at about 77 mph and roll for 2-3 hours at a stretch.
*I'm not into cornering or taking curves at max effort.
*When it's raining I slow down.
*I-94 is about as rough as it gets. That's where I spend about 18 hours a month.
*I have a set of Nokians for the Winter.

Now for the really nice part.... Four Tires (245/45/18) Mounted, Balanced, with Tax and a Road Hazzard warranty for $617.00. For now I'm amazed at the price and what I got.

I'll post an update on these tires every once in a while.

Ok, bring on the torches and pitchforks....

 

Nice to hear from a mature sensiable driver on the subject of tires. I know a lot about tires and let me tell you, there is more "claptrap" on this one subject than any other on our Forum-- the possible exception being oil and oil change intervals.

 

Thanks Tarheal.

I forgot to ad that I don't have a brand loyalty and try to buy the best tire for the money/application. For example, last summer I had to spring for six Michelins on my Motorhome. I got those because I've had direct experience with other tires causing vibration issues. The price was painful, but the problem was solved.

The Nankangs on the Jag are a lucky find as far as I'm concerned.

 

What specific size of tire did you buy?

 

245/45/18

 

Update:

Now have about 1500 miles on them. Still just as happy as I was in the first post.

BTW I've had a chance to run them in the rain and they do very well at posted freeway speeds. Never once on a 202 mile trip in the rain did I feel uncomfortable. Then again like I mentioned above I use common sense and slow down if the conditions warrant.

Here's a pic of the tread pattern.