Tire squeal when going at turtle speed around corners is starting to get annoying. Wondering what inexpensive options I have for putting new tires on my ES350...

Will a 225/55R17 provide enough of a change, or should I go to a 235/50R17 (will these even fit on the stock 7" alloys or do I need a wider rim?)?

I'll give up a bit of ride quality to get better handling...but don't want to entirely sacrifice the car's ride quality.

I've read other threads here on the matter but they don't deal directly with what I'm asking, so I'm hoping I can get some good input.

Thanks!

 

The 225/55X17 will be larger in diameter and a bit heavier than your stock tires. The 235/50X17 are a better match in diameter, but will be a bit stiffer due to the shorter sidewall. Neither will significantly improve the handling of the ES350 unless you stiffen the springs and/or anti-roll bars. The wider tires will improve braking performance on dry pavement due to the larger tread patch.

If your major complaint is just tire squeal on slow corners, you might be happier with better tires of the same size. I have Bridgestone Turanza Serenitys on my car and they are very quiet. The new Michelin Primacy MXV4 scored very well in tire rack tests.
Steve

 

If you bought this car for handling you made the wrong selection. This is a soft sloppy comfortable riding car for us old folks. Unless you rework the suspension you are stuck with the ride. Sit back and enjoy it.

 

Both of these tires are on my "short" list. In fact, they're the only tires ON my list, I just have to figure out what size to get. I'd love to "stick" the car to the road a little better and I'm assuming a wider tire might help this. I'm not looking to eliminate body roll or make it handle like an M3, but squealing tires on 25mph gradual turns? C'mon. No complaints about the stock Michelins for highway driving, but the praise ends there I'm afraid.

EDIT: Actually, I can go with a summer tire instead of an all season as I swap to winter tires to deal with Canadian winter. Brrrrrrr (already, and it's only October!)

 

EDIT: Actually, I can go with a summer tire instead of an all season as I swap to winter tires to deal with Canadian winter. Brrrrrrr (already, and it's only October!)[/QUOTE]

I just had these installed and I don't think you can find a better, quieter, rain, softer tire anywhere. I also got a 70 dollar rebate from Michelin and had TSB kits instaled out the door $746.00.

215/55R17 94H Michelin® Primacy™ MXV4®
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215/55R17 94H Michelin® Primacy™ MXV4®



#733078

Overview
Legendary Ride. Exceptional Warranty. MICHELIN® Primacy™ MXV4® tires offer a balance of all-season traction, ride quality, and a 60,000-mile manufacturer's limited warranty.


Features and Benefits
# 60,000-Mile Warranty:

Primacy™ MXV4® tires feature Advanced MaxTouch Construction™, a unique contact patch shape and design that allows for long-lasting, even treadwear.
# Quiet, Comfortable Ride:

Michelin Comfort Control Technology™ uses computer-optimized design and precision manufacturing to offer greatly reduced vibrations and road noise.
# Confident Wet-Weather Handling:

2-D Active Sipes alternately lock together and open as needed to provide increased biting edges that grip the road for improved all-season handling, especially in rain and snow.

 

Haha, this is the absolute truth. If you wanted a really great handling car, you should've bought a BMW.

We changed the tires to the usual run of the mill Yokohama YK540, seeing how it's ridiculous to pay close to $200/tire for the same Michelins the car came stock with.

 

I'm rocking a set of Yokohama Avid V4's 215/55/17's...and I drive like a nut around turns and these tires hold their own...they are great in rain at high speeds as well.

 

I would caution anyone of going to a stiffer tire - than the soft Turanza EL400's that came on my car, unless you are willing to go for a harsher ride. I tried an old set of Yoko Avid's from a previous car and a fresh set of the Turanza Serenities (both over 400 treadwear rating). Both rode harsh and the Serenities were anything but Serene... really noisy (I could hear every revolution of the tire). Being in South Bend at the home of Tire Rack, I took the Serenities back and got a set of the EL400's. I hoped for a longer laster set of tires than the EL400's, but I wasn't willing to give up the ride quality (after all, that is why I bought the car). I was surprised how much of the soft ride comes from the tires. Hopefully this saves someone the hassle I went through - or at least you were warned!!! (haha)

Oh, also I found that the Yoko Avid's were absolutely terrible in the snow.... I basically couldn't believe how bad they were.

I realize that the EL400's have a bad rap, but my perception is that is because they do not last long - I got about 30k miles out of them. However, the ride quality and quietness are the positives in my opinion.

 

Wow!
You're in the minority.
People on forums,Tire Rack survey,Tire Rack testing and Tire Rack reps love the Serenity's.
I found the Serenity's to be quieter and much smoother over bumps that the OEM EL-400-02's.Not even close.
In fact,Tire Rack reps,Tire Rack testing and customer surveys all say the Serenity is quieter on the highway and smoother over bumps.
The two characteristics that were the most important to me.

The Primacy's are H rated.
Serenity's V rated.
Lexus OEM EL 400s are V rated.
The Serenity is a Grand Touring all season class tire.
The EL-400-02 is a Standard all season with low survey ratings.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...y.jsp?ttid=112


http://www.tirerack.com/tires/survey...andard%20Model

The OEM EL 400-02 are second to the bottom.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/survey...andard%20Model

 

If you haven't done so already, try increasing the pressure in your tires. I recently bought a 2010 ES with Michelins which had the recommended 30 PSI. I inflated them to 35 PSI and found the car has a crisper turn-in without adding too much harshness. This could be a cheap fix for you.

 

Same experience with the lousy Yoko Avid Z rated OEM tires on my 07 GS350. So many complaints about this tires, Lexus allowed many owners to trade in the tires for Michelin PS2 at no or small cost to the owners. I waited too late and do not qualify after 2 1/2 yrs. However, increasing the pressure of the tire improved the lousy handling and the ride instead of feeling so squashy now feels a bit more to our liking. It still makes howling noises at all speeds. Last time I'll ever get Yokos in any of my future purchases.