My Rant

[midnightfxgt]

I see a lot of people bitching about the stock tires. I have to admit that the RSA\'s are a pretty crappy tire. Would I call them unsafe? NO. Would I say they suck in the snow? YES. They are ALL-SEASON tires. They suck a tad more than most, but are not outrageous.

I see a lot of people bitching, and it almost seems like people are blaming them for accidents? Dont people take responsibilities for their driving? These tires pass safety ratings and arent causing accidents! I am not pointing ppl out, just ranting.... i must be cranky and up to late ;)

-John

[FLIPDADY]

There isn\'t a true all season tire anymore. A lot of manufacturers are referring to their all season tires now as 3 season tires.

I still see a lot of 3\'s riding on the stock RSA\'s and they must be taking it easy.

[Broli]

i have to admit, i drove in one bad snow storm with the RSAs and it was terrible, the car wouldn\'t grip the road at all! but i took it slow and easy, and i didn\'t slide out more that what was reasonable (except on some turns :p )
i switched to winter tires right away, and am very happy with the difference!
i agree that the tire can\'t be blamed for accidents, its true, if you are worried that ur tires are gonna cause u an accident, 700 bux for winters is probably money well spent!
piece of mind you know!!

[TheProfessor]

Originally posted by FLIPSPEED


There isn\'t a true all season tire anymore. A lot of manufacturers are referring to their all season tires now as 3 season tires.

I still see a lot of 3\'s riding on the stock RSA\'s and they must be taking it easy.




I was gonna write the same thing. Though it is pretty interesting just how many 3\'s there are in T.O. who have steelies/winter tires on.

[Kevin@nextmod]

I still have my stocks on. :D
BUT WOW...I was driving the whole day out yesterday cause i had to go out and get some tools with my frds. My dads car held on with any condition out there, snow, slush, freezing rain, ice. But the traction control really helped. I should just tell him to stay in hk and i\'ll keep his car.

[SW20 MR2]

I have always been a big proponent of snow tires, but since I got my car in January, I decided to forego them for this winter and buy them later this year. I have had zero problems with the stock tires. That\'s not to say I\'m won\'t be using snows anymore. It just illustrates that driving smart has more to do with avoiding accidents than having snow tires.

Similarly, look at all the SUV drivers who have the invincibility syndrome when bombing down highways. They go into the ditches more than cars do. Bunch of idiots.

[FLIPDADY]

Actually the stock Toyos are a lot better in bad weather than the RSA\'s.

[civiclad]

My first winter (2004-2005) I tried the RSA\'s during two snowfalls and there was literally no traction. Figured, for a few hundred bucks I could get a decent set of snow tires. This is one decision I will never regret. It almost feels like my car has AWD with my snow tires.

However, the RSA\'s can work for winter, just depends on so many factors and luck I guess……and with auto insurance costing so much, and I really do not want to give my auto insurance company any other reasons to increase my premiums.

[Cardinal Fang]

I\'ve never driven on stock tires for any car during the winter months in this god-forsaken country. I\'ve witnessed what they can do being in the back seat of my father\'s car when I was young and I will never forget it. In the end you should be prepared for winter months in Canada. That includes good driving habits and proper winter tires for added safety.

[Broli]

Originally posted by FLIPSPEED


Actually the stock Toyos are a lot better in bad weather than the RSA\'s.

that is so true!!

i used to have the toyo 15s on my 04 sedan
didn\'t need winters!!!

[wtom]

If you\'re cautious of driving in bad weather and are going slower than the posted limit, PLEASE KEEP RIGHT EXCEPT TO PASS!

Share the road. There are ppl who are more confident (or crazy) to drive the posted limit in bad weather and do not appreciate the cautious one(s) holding everyone else up. :sarc

[midnightfxgt]

Phew.. I am not alone in my thinking that All season tires dont cause accidents, but people not knowing how to drive on them do. :)

-John

[Caz]

You have to drive you car within its limits and according to the conditions.

The people that blame the RSA\'s in the winter are the same people who blame other things when they have an accident in the summer.

If you are drving on all-season or snow tires and the roads are covered in snow or ice slow give yourself extra time to get to where you are going and leave extra space in front of your car. Remember you are only in control of your car on the road.

[SGT06]

Like everything else in life, the blame should be on the individual.

Know the car and your limit, be aware of your surrounding, and act with common sense.

Unfornately, there are lots of drivers who lacked one or all of the above so be aware and stay out of their way.

The perfect world would be very boring indeed.

[KenYork]

Originally posted by Caz


You have to drive you car within its limits and according to the conditions.

The people that blame the RSA\'s in the winter are the same people who blame other things when they have an accident in the summer.

If you are drving on all-season or snow tires and the roads are covered in snow or ice slow give yourself extra time to get to where you are going and leave extra space in front of your car. Remember you are only in control of your car on the road.

Not to blame the tires, but just from the reviews we have had, our stock tires are not the recommended by our members in the winter.

[mEtH]

I don\'t care what anyone says, I ran those tires through 1 1/2 fall/winter seasons and 1 1/2 summer/spring seasons. I had no problem. Yah they don\'t grip anything like, well any other tire but I made them work. It just took some time to figure it out. Basically 3rd gear became my grip gear in the snow and for rain well I never had any problems.

Heres my comparison. Its like playing tennis and you mess up a shot, you then look to your racket to adjust the strings as if its the rackets fault. Same goes for many sports and activities such as hockey and or pool.

Or like the people who show up decked out in the latest Nike to play ball, but can\'t hit a shot if their life depended on it.

:p :D :p

[Fuman]

Originally posted by wtom


If you\'re cautious of driving in bad weather and are going slower than the posted limit, PLEASE KEEP RIGHT EXCEPT TO PASS!

Share the road. There are ppl who are more confident (or crazy) to drive the posted limit in bad weather and do not appreciate the cautious one(s) holding everyone else up. :sarc \\
exactly what I was gonna say.
Except I went from the more confident one to a very cautious one.
The RS-As, were understeering on me. I was going 5 km/h making a left turn, the car just wouldn\'t turn...

since this is a rant topic. I\'m gonna rant too.
Since my car is less than 3 weeks old.
My brakes are squealing when:
I start my car after a period of time (in cold weather)
and in reverse.
They are really really loud when it squeals. I did a search on the board, but it was only happening with 04/05 mazda 3s. I thought they\'d fix it by now. So the repair procedure is to replace brake pads? What a piss off for a new car thats on its 3rd year of production.

[M34ME]

I think the RSA\'s make a great summer tire, I have pushed them around some pretty high speed corners and felt very confident with them, for dry roads they are great, it\'s a hard rubber compound which is good cause they dont wear as fast.

[civiclad]

Originally posted by Fuman


since this is a rant topic. I\'m gonna rant too.
Since my car is less than 3 weeks old.
My brakes are squealing when:
I start my car after a period of time (in cold weather)
and in reverse.
They are really really loud when it squeals. I did a search on the board, but it was only happening with 04/05 mazda 3s. I thought they\'d fix it by now. So the repair procedure is to replace brake pads? What a piss off for a new car thats on its 3rd year of production.

I can understand your frustration, I have a 04/04 build, and to date, I have had 13 issues corrected.

[TitaniumGT]

Just got my car - it\'s an \'06. Driving on the factory Goodyears for now - will get winter tires/steelies for next winter.

First negative experience: Driving in yesterday\'s morning downpour and the car started to hydroplane while going in a straight line at maybe 90 km/h on the 427. Do not like those tires in any kind of wet weather. Fingers crossed we\'re finished with the snow for this year.

[Domokun]

RSA\'s isn\'t terrible, they\'re just average oem tires. At least they aren\'t Potenza RE92 which suck ass. RSA\'s are actually okay for dry weather, drive them hard and they melt instead of chunking :sarc. but they do take the abuse quite well.

In regards to snow.
On the day of the first snowfall I had the opportunity to slide into a curb and promptly turn one of my summer wheel into a boat anchor.

[gigileung]

Driving with RS-As in the winter is like wearing dress shoes on a rink.

The price of winters $625 (rims + tire) is much less than what you can expect to pay through repairs and insurance premiums if you curb the car or ram into another cars rear when using the RS-A in the snow and ice..

[MattD]

i totally agree the rsa\'s are crap in the winter. buying a set of winter rims and rubber is a safe insurance policy. you will be safer and you run less of a risk of hitting a curb or something else.

[SGT06]

Performance tires are not designed for winter road conditions. Thinking otherwise will cost you a pretty penny. Mazda could have stuck on a set of middle of the road tires that does ok in all seasons but you\'ll definite miss that zoom-zoom feeling.

[midnightfxgt]

Originally posted by SGT06


Performance tires are not designed for winter road conditions. Thinking otherwise will cost you a pretty penny. Mazda could have stuck on a set of middle of the road tires that does ok in all seasons but you\'ll definite miss that zoom-zoom feeling.

Thats EXACTLY what Mazda did:

1. The RSAs are NOT performance tires.
2. They are the \"Middle of the road tires\" you mention
3. They do OK in all seasons.

Your post would make sense if Mazda was to ship these cars with Toyo T1R\'s, Yoko Paradas, Kuhmo 712s, etc. The fact is that they gave you a set of all-seasons. My point was this: The tires provided on the Mazda3 are not bad. They are not great either, but anyone who thinks the tires are a reason for their winter accident is dillusional. If you drive according to your vehicles limits, you\'ll be fine. simple.

-John

[Caz]

Originally posted by midnightfxgt


anyone who thinks the tires are a reason for their winter accident is dillusional. If you drive according to your vehicles limits, you\'ll be fine. simple.

+1

[SGT06]

The RSAs are NOT performance tires.

CRAP!!! I thought they were. Thanks for the clarifications. Now I\'ll have to pay special attention to them once I switch over from the winter tires that I got a few days after I got the car.:sarc

[midnightfxgt]

Well you mentioned Mazda should use a \"middle of the line\" tire, and people missing the \"zoom-zoom\" feeling, which is why I was under the impression that you thought the RSAs were top of the line, or performance tires.

-John

[FLIPDADY]

This is from Goodyear\'s website regarding the RSA.

RSA features (http://www.goodyear.ca/goodyeartireselectorca/display_tire.jsp?prodline=Eagle+RS-A&mrktarea=Performance)

[Zaku_4]

Originally posted by FLIPSPEED


This is from Goodyear\'s website regarding the RSA.

RSA features (http://www.goodyear.ca/goodyeartireselectorca/display_tire.jsp?prodline=Eagle+RS-A&mrktarea=Performance)

lol i dont remember mine looking like that :D

[Morteus 61]

Ranting are we?? OK

The RSA's are crap. Took them off and replaced with Bridgestone Grid G19's
Problem is..after 3 month's one of my new $200.00 tires had a major baseball
sized bulge in the sidewall. Bridgstone's answer, just buy a new tire.
Problem is, I drive slowly and haven't hit any decent sized pot holes or bumps
however this tire is now destroyed from an "impact". There is zero damage to the rim..no marks chips..nothing. That means day to day driving can destroy these tires and make them dangerous. I took the RSA's through 18 months of the identical roads with no trouble. This Bridgestone lasted about three months. They where well maintained, I check the pressure once a week. No road hazard of course. The dealer said he was surprised the tire didn't blow out. :flamingI now feel unsafe with this $1000.00 worth of Bridgestone rubber. If the Goodyears can handle the same driving for 5 times longer..these should hold up at least as well.
I'm not being pushed around on this one. If their tires can't handle day to day commuting, they need to be re-engineered. Don't push back on the customer.
Bridgestone is about to learn my name!

[allen@simplytire.com]

A lot of the problem also comes from the fact that they are 205-50-17... there are some cars that come with 195-65-15 and 205-55-16 RSA's and are fine in snow... it's that 50 profile that doesn't give the tire enought flex... the tire can't psyphon off snow fast enough.....

[condor888000]

The 15" and 16" cars came with a Toyo tire, can't remember which one.

[mazda lover]

a lot of the problem also comes from the fact that they are 205-50-17... There are some cars that come with 195-65-15 and 205-55-16 rsa's and are fine in snow... It's that 50 profile that doesn't give the tire enought flex... The tire can't psyphon off snow fast enough.....


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