Hankooks are made in [see post below]

I have Hankook rears on my car with about 700 miles now and am very happy with them so far. I'll get another 500 or so miles on them before I switch to winters and then run them all next summer (except on the track). So far I like the ride, handling (for rears) and noise levels as well as or better than the PZeroRosso or PS2 which were my prior two sets. My rear pair were just a tad over $200 each at discount tire, matching an online price elsewhere plus a wee bit to mount and balance and sales tax. About $450 out the door IIRC.

 

From the Hankook Tire USA web site:

Hankook Tire Co., Ltd. Fast Facts
Seventh largest tire manufacturer in the world.
Recorded sales of USD 3.7 billion in 2008, an increase of 5.1 percent from USD 3.5 billion in 2007
Hankook plans to increase production globally by 5 million units, manufacturing 78 million tires in 2009
Developer and manufacturer of radial tires for passenger cars, light trucks (SUVs, RVs, etc.), trucks, buses and motorsports vehicles; it aims to produce 74 million tires in 2008 and currently sells tires in 185 countries with 14,000 employees globally
5 production facilities, located in China, Hungary and Korea
60 sales offices, 13 sales subsidiaries, five R &D centers, two OE offices
6 percent of employees dedicated to and 5 percent of its revenues invested in R&D
Performing remarkably in China’s passenger-car radial-tire market, with a 25 percent share, making it the market leader

I think the company is Korean and they produce tires in other countries around the world. Because of the recent US tariff on Chinese tires (30% IIRC) I think they've shifted US-bound production out of China. But there are likely tires in inventory around the country that were made in China. I don't know where the Ventus V12 EVO (K110) which I bought were made.

 

Hankook Ventus V12 EVO's are great... i have not track tested them, but i prefer R compounds or slicks for the track. Wet and dry traction are both great and i also noticed a quieter and softer ride. These tires have easily replaced the Falken RT615's as my fav street tire... offering no less dry traction, but far more of everything else and at a bargain. The company is Korean for sure.

 

I have the Hankooks on my E63 and have 5500 miles on them so far. I LOVE these tires. I always enjoyed the comfort of the continental 2's and the handling of the PS2's. These tires are a combo of both. I will put them on both cars until someone else impresses me the way these have!!!

 

It is a Korean company.
Actually, when you pronounce a word "Korea" in Korean, it is a "Hankook."

 

Anyone have track experience with these tires?

 

I am honestly not sure why would you want to do that. Nitto tires are probably better candidates for sport application, I see Hankooks only as cheap alternatives to usual brands like PS2 or RE-11.

I did try to read a bit about hankooks and reviews are quite mixed. they are not in PS2 category, you will save a bit of course with buying them, but, in my opinion, primary street tires are not the item worth saving on.

racing tires are different subject as you will burn a lot of them, but, again, I would probably go with R compound nittos nt01 or street nitto invos instead of hankooks.

 

I like them alot too. I got mine from discount tire direct. Free shipping is a bonus. They're a few bucks cheaper than tire rack

 

I drove Nitto Invos on the street, they honestly sucked... It felt like I was driving on oil or something. They weren't gripping at all.

The Hankooks are cheaper solution for Michelin, Pirelli, and etc. My car came with Pzero Rosso they are expensive as hell. And if these Hankooks can do the same thing for half the price why not give it a shot?

I drive my car on track as well, and I use my street tires. My tires don't last long for that reason, that is why I need a cheaper solution.

Read this, it is from Car & Driver.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...12_evo_page_10

 

I did read actual customer reviews - people complain that sidewalls feel too soft and compared to PS2 car does not feel stable enough. I do not trust magazine reviews - they always write what they were paid for.

as of nittos - you actually surprised me with this, did you use invo or nt01? -- I see you saying INVOs, sorry. Well, so, I guess, it is impossible to guess how stuff will work out unless you try it yourself.

there are not that many choices anyway, so, i guess, with time it will be enough responses here to form more or less realistic opinion about any of those options.

 

I read them as well, and on the review it also says that the tires are soft. But Car & Driver also says they held up pretty good on the skid pad.

I drove the Invos. You're right, you can't be sure unless you try it yourself.

The thing is with the other brands you can't really afford to try them, they're too expensive. Once you get them you have to stick to them. The good thing about the Hankooks are that they are cheap, you can try it and if you don't like it throw them away at 2-3k miles

 

that is true.
may be i simply have too much prejudice toward korean products. still, I will most likely get a set of RE-11s next spring to burn at auto-x.

my PS2s now are quite exceptional, after they got first 3K miles on em. there if plenty of thread on them still and grip is pretty much perfect.

write up a report if you get those hankooks, it would be interesting to hear compared to your previous selections.

 

... and they were the quietest riding tire I ever had (560SL convertible). Thanks!

 

Did you get them locally?

 

I got them up here in Delray Beach on Linton at a place called "Tires 4 U 2"- the owner's name is Erlon. I have been doing business with him for some time now and he is really honest and competent- not too far from Parkland!