Ok. I was very hesitant about purchasing a Yokohama tire over something from Michelin or Continental. I had been going back and forth on the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tire or just getting the solid Continental DWS model that provides great handling and a great tread life. I spoke to a buddy with a RS3 who told me he moved to Yokohama 3 years ago and never looked back. I knew the brand was Japanese and I had seen their tires before but anything not named Michelin, Conti, or Bridgestone has always seemed to be a no no in the performance category for sport cars if you want maximum grip, safety, and overall performance. That is NO longer the case. I slapped a set of the Advan Apex V601's on my S3 and wow! I did not think anything was going to compete with the Michelin's I had before. Granted those had more wear and were no longer the golden tire they were when I first had them, but Yokohama has made me a believer. Went for a drive through Asheville and surrounding areas along the Blueridge pkwy and WOW! For a summer street tire, I heard some people run these as track tires and I can see why. I felt confident in every turn during the drive and these tires hooked better than my Michelin's in their peak tread life! That probably sounds impossible, but try a set and see for yourself. When they get warmed up, these tires are amazing. I will definitely buy another set but hoping to get 2-3 years out of them since I have an all season set for late fall/winter months we get here in NC!
