I suppose the results of a review are dependent upon when the review is done. Had I reviewed these tires shortly after purchase, my review might have been 'glowing'. I am however, reviewing my tires just over one year and about 3500 miles after purchase and in that time my opinion has changed considerably. When looking for a new set of tires, I did do my research. I opted for the ZV 7 on the basis of good wet and dry braking results, a mid range, trustworthy brand and the fact that I was led to believe the Avons were one of only several tires still produced in the UK (desire to support the 'home front' etc.).
One year on, while the tires perform perfectly adequately on a day-to-day basis, I have found that one tire developed a bulge on the sidewall (out of warranty-of course). I am not aware of having damaged the tire, but with potholes so prevalent, one hardly notices the number one drives over any more. I am prepared to concede this bulge could therefore have been inadvertent damage. While having this tire replaced however, the fitter showed me that the tire had deteriorated considerably with noticeable cracking radially around the tire in the 'roots' of the treads. Examination showed similar rubber deterioration on the other tires. This I did not expect after one year and about 3500 miles use. My close inspection also revealed that my (I thought) UK made Avons were in fact made in Serbia!
This has left me with a serious distrust of Avon tires generally, and a huge question regarding the ongoing safety of these tires. If a tire is 'bald', it is obviously at end of life, you've had your money's worth and it's obvious that it must be replaced. With this rubber deterioration and radial cracking, when do I replace these tires? The tread is obviously barely touched after my low 3500 mile usage and will thus be technically 'legal' for a long time to come, so at what point do I decide that I no longer want to trust these tires at motorway speeds and replace them having had little wear from them? I have to say, I am now not comfortable at all using these tires, but want to get some value from them rather than change 1 year old, 3500 mile usage tires. That is a difficult dilemma to balance.
In summary, I am obviously very disappointed in the poor quality of these tires, especially from a brand name like Avon, and am now constantly nervous about their safety (especially at speed) every time I drive the car. I expect said nervousness will eventually win over my desire to get at least some use from these tires and I will have to replace them for peace of mind. That being the case, they will probably prove to be the worst value tires I have ever bought. In years gone by, I have had many, many more miles from cheaper 'budget' tires. I will certainly not be buying Avon tires again, I could also not recommend these tires to anybody and I would urge anyone who has these tires to keep the condition of the rubber under close inspection.