I'm going to do my comparisons today. Some local prices were pretty good. It's too bad that we don't have open access to other 'cheap' brand performance tires like the Cooper ZHP-01. The ones here in Canada are no-name OEMs from them, that don't include the performance versions.

I still haven't heard back from my US people, but buying from the US is still attractive in that some higher-priced tires (that are unaffordable to us up here) suddenly become affordable. Or cheaper ones are better off, like the Dunlop SP8000 costing $205ea here, but only $90US from them...

Todd buddy, I have no sympathy for you and your 16G smuggling ways

Speaking of price comparisons, May better hurry up and get here. At the rate our freakin' dollar is going, those tires are costing more and more every day!! Damn exchange rate - it's heading towads $1.60 ughhh...

Yep Tom, I know what you're going through. That exchange rate is really f---ing things up. Of course, with wheels and tires being so darned expensive, it doesn't take much to have a large impact. Hopefully things will change a little in the next couple of weeks - not likely though.

As for my smuggling operations.... of course, all experience gained is readily available to all members of the Club. So, you see, I'm doing this for you guys!

Tip #1: When airport security sees the turbocharger on the x-ray, and suspiciously asks "That's some kind of machine, you can't take a machine on an airplane, sir... can you open your bag, sir? Holy sh--, whattcha got there, son?!?", don't answer, "It's a Big 16G". They'll ask more questions.

Hey Reza,

If you haven't got the tires yet, I just picked up a set of 215-50/17 Toyo T1-S's from
Talon tire in Montreal. They were $261 installed!

http://wwww.talontire.com

First impressions of them are good, they are incredibly smooth at speed, make very little
noise and seem to have pretty good grip. I haven't had a change yet to compare them to
the R1's but thats a little bit like comparing apples and oranges.

Allan
97 TSi AWD

I'll have to check them out. Were their prices much better than those in Ontario or whatnot? What made you buy from them?

I just got clearance from my friend with the semi-truck. He can rendezvous with a Tire Rack, etc. shipment and bring it across, no problem... (:

I bought from Talon because of the name, of course

But seriously, they are a sponsor of our local autocross and give out contingency
money for those who run on tires bought from them. The prices also seem to be much better
than what I can find in Ottawa.

So between the price, the lack of having to pay Ontario PST, and my contingency money
from winning the series last summer it was pretty much a no brainer to buy from them.

Allan
97 TSi AWD