Dear Yokohama,

David S. Wallens said:

rob_lewis said:

spitfirebill said:

I’m guessing they don’t import them because they are no longer DOT approved.  

I'm curious about that too. What would prevent you from just ordering them overseas and shipping them here?  Especially on an older car, I can't imagine an inspector even checking it. 
 

-Rob

This isn't a professional opinion but comes from someone who used to work in a law office that dealt with a lot of car crashes: You crash into me while running tires that aren't certified for U.S. conditions, so therefore I sue you. 

Are you talking on the street or on track?  
 

On the street I agree but track use only parts have been around for ever (including tires). That are not certified by anyone. Look no further than any manufacturers slicks. They are not DOT approved and are used all the time. 

The need here is to get Yokohama to put the DOT logo on the tires, they certainly meet the requirements, it is just the stamp if it is missing,.

rob_lewis said:

spitfirebill said:

I’m guessing they don’t import them because they are no longer DOT approved.  

I'm curious about that too. What would prevent you from just ordering them overseas and shipping them here?  Especially on an older car, I can't imagine an inspector even checking it. 
 

-Rob

If you could find a company that would do it, you could.  A lot of vendors will not sell anything to someone in the US.  

The DOT does not "approve" tires. The manufacturer certifies to the DOT that the tires meet the necessary requirements, which mostly means the treadwear and traction numbers molded in as well as the letters "DOT" and a date code. This does not expire so long as the tire is unchanged. If it was ever DOT it still is. They bother to do it for the 10" ones for Minis, so it seems like they should for the vastly larger market in 13 & 14" sizes. No government agency ever tests them.

Looks like Yokohama got our message: Bam, the Advan A008P just landed stateside and we have a set.

TurnerX19 said:

 

The DOT does not "approve" tires. The manufacturer certifies to the DOT that the tires meet the necessary requirements, which mostly means the treadwear and traction numbers molded in as well as the letters "DOT" and a date code. This does not expire so long as the tire is unchanged. If it was ever DOT it still is. They bother to do it for the 10" ones for Minis, so it seems like they should for the vastly larger market in 13 & 14" sizes. No government agency ever tests them.

There's a little more to it than just the UTQG information (treadwear and traction stuff), but you're correct about the manufacturer self certifying. There are several requirements in FMVSS 139 that must be tested for... required markings, inflated dimensions, treadwear indicators ("wear bars"), bead unseat, and multiple durability tests are included.

TurnerX19 said:

 

The DOT does not "approve" tires. The manufacturer certifies to the DOT that the tires meet the necessary requirements, which mostly means the treadwear and traction numbers molded in as well as the letters "DOT" and a date code. This does not expire so long as the tire is unchanged. If it was ever DOT it still is. They bother to do it for the 10" ones for Minis, so it seems like they should for the vastly larger market in 13 & 14" sizes. No government agency ever tests them.

Correct ->  The DOT does not "approve" tires. The manufacturer certifies to the DOT that the tires meet the necessary requirements, which mostly means the treadwear and traction numbers molded in as well as the letters "DOT" and a date code.

Correct (unless recalled or shown not to meet, includes labeling) ->This does not expire so long as the tire is unchanged. If it was ever DOT it still is.

Incorrect!  at any time NHTSA can test a tire for compliance with the regulation. -> No government agency ever tests them.

And importing non-certified tires can wind you up in trouble (if you are the business or person shipping them into a port). Its regulated equipment and would technically be smuggling. https://www.nhtsa.gov/importing-vehicle/importation-and-certification-faqs-2  you have to declare it and fill out form HS-7 https://cms.nhtsa.dot.gov/sites/nhtsa.dot.gov/files/hs7_r.v.7.pdf   which does spell out what you can import and why pretty well.

Further, running non-certified tires is a good way to have your insurance suddenly not apply to that accident you just had while the tires are on the car. (yup, they do that)

I used to work in the importation area. 

This is really cool! Hoping that more manufacturers get into the "period correct" performance tire game.

In reply to David S. Wallens :

I have questions for you!

Are you running 205/55ZR16 91W for the front along with a 245/45ZR16 94W rear? The article seems to indicate this.

And are your wheels 16x6/16x7 or 16x7/16x8?

Is your car set to US ride height or lowered to European spec?

Are your fenders rolled?

Thank you.

In reply to David S. Wallens :

You have mail.

I want big sticky 15s in muscle car sizes to come back.

275/60, 245/50, etc

Give tall be wide by 15 please.

Woody said:

In reply to David S. Wallens :

I have questions for you!

Are you running 205/55ZR16 91W for the front along with a 245/45ZR16 94W rear? The article seems to indicate this.

And are your wheels 16x6/16x7 or 16x7/16x8?

Is your car set to US ride height or lowered to European spec?

Are your fenders rolled?

Thank you.

Yes, 205/55R16 front and 245/45R16 rear. Currently running same fronts and 225/50R16 rear. 

Wheels should be 7 fronts, 8 rears. (I know I should know this but I can't remember off the top of head.)

Car is lowered a tad. I guess you can call it Euro ride height.

Fronts are rolled a tad. 

In reply to David S. Wallens :

Thank you. 

Did the paint crack when you rolled the fenders?

Well, we rolled them (like a tiny bit) because one fender hooked on a tire--going slow, full lock, really big bump. I'd have to go look and see how the paint looks. 

And, thinking about it more, they might not even count as "rolled." It was years ago. Maybe we just tweaked it back. I'll take a look and report back. 

David S. Wallens said:

Looks like Yokohama got our message: Bam, the Advan A008P just landed stateside and we have a set.

Hooray!

Now, for the larger question.

"A--oh-oh-eight", "A-zero-zero-eight", or "A-thousand-eight"?

Because I've been calling them A-thousand-eight since I was a little kid and hadn't even heard of hexadecimal yet.

Also, I am in my 40s and this tire/tread pattern has been around since I was in elementary school.

In reply to Knurled. :

A double-0 8.

At least that's how I always heard it.

Another question: A-008P or A008P? Yokohama uses both. 

But you hit on a valid point: For many of us, the A008 name and that iconic tread pattern have been with many of us for decades. I got my first set back in 1992. They were used, sure, but they were my my first race tires.

It’s totally cool to get emotionally attracted to a tire, right? (And for BMX, see the Comp III.)

David S. Wallens said:

But you hit on a valid point: For many of us, the A008 name and that iconic tread pattern have been with many of us for decades. I got my first set back in 1992. They were used, sure, but they were my my first race tires.

It’s totally cool to get emotionally attracted to a tire, right? (And for BMX, see the Comp III.)

Reading the article struck a fond nerve for me, as the Golf that I bought, in 2006, was riding on a set of fairly new AVSi tires in 185/60-14.  Those tires felt so good on that car!  I'd love to see those reproduced.

Also, I'd like to see small-bumper A2 Golfs reproduced, but the R50 Mini is close enough.

As it is, I'm trying to find (and failing: websites suck ) what sizes of A008/A008P are available Stateside, as they would be an awesome addition to the 80s German gigglebucket I'm piecing together.

As far as I know regarding stateside availability for the A008, it's just those two Porsche sizes and a 10-inch size for the original Mini. (Yep, had a set of those, too.)

In reply to Knurled. :

And these aren't retro, but the Advan A052 kind of started this internal discussion. It doesn't look at all like the A008 and it's not a retro-looking tire, but something about its look has a timeless, '80s vibe. Maybe it's the blocky type on the sidewall. Something about it looks old-school. I'd rock them on the 911 as well. 

In reply to David S. Wallens :

That limits things.  245/45-16 is closest in diameter to stock for this application (195/60-14) but that would require some non period correct looking wheels.  Even the Audi performance cars that used this chassis used 15x9 wheels, with a 245/35-15.

A-Double O’ Eight. 

I never even thought about saying it differently. 

In reply to David S. Wallens :

Any updates?

I have an extra set of wheels and I’m pretty much ready to place an order.

In reply to Woody :

Soon. 

In reply to Woody :

Back in my day we called them 8Rs . . . and like David, they were my first "race tires" too. 

Fun story -- I horribly over-paid for a used set on 13 inch VW snowflake wheels.  It turns out they also fit my friend's Isuzu Stylus demonstrator (not the "good" Stylus, either).  We spent a day lapping the car, and using up the tires.  And brakes.  The Stylus didn't miss a beat though.

I laughed when I saw the car (and its distinctive dealer-installed stripe kit a few years later in a major city some distance from the scene of our shenanigans.