I thought that the term DT, "different tread," was something new to the Premier LTX only. Apparently not. Anybody know the history (googling it I see the term was used in 2011).

How can one verify they got the DT version of the tire, it's supposed to say it on the sidewall, but I don't see any online pics of it. Basically Michelin went from 8.5/32 to 10/32 on the DT version, due to so many premature wearouts.

My wife's GM had the Premier LTXs and they wore out in 43k. Luckily, it was a mild winter and there was zero snow.

Before the stay at home we had paid for new tires, long story, but Bridgestones at Costco due to $70 off. A warranty credit was applied due to the LTXs being shot. I read so many terrible reviews of that particular tire, that after the lockdown was removed went back to Costco to switch them to the Premier LTX DTs as due to the $110-$150 off, they would be net cheaper.

Now in true Costco fashion they were very good customer service-wise, but accomplishing the change was like flying a rocketship to Mars and then to Pluto. They essentially have to cancel the original order as it if never happened, and start from scratch. Well we did drive 400 miles so the warranty credit is gonna go down, yes. But how about to the point where the guy showed me the tread depth gauge and said the tires don't seem to be 2/32", which is what they have to be for warranty hahahahahahahahahahahahaha he showed me on all 4.

So it's as if I had a piece of paper where I paid for Bridgestones applying warranty, and now I have nothing because my tires are not worn out? lol

They honored it. Because it was Costco I didn't even so much as get mad at all. I mean a guy was returning a 3 y.o. used patio heater thingy, no receipt, thing all burned up, lol

 

Are LTX for light trucks? For what model vehicle, I am assume they may wear faster on heavier models.

 

Apparently there were all kinds of premature wearout issues, so Michelin made the LTX versions 10/32 new and labeled them DT, instead of 8.5/32 on the old ones. Also, it seems they did not do it with the passenger car version. We got 43k out of them and they are warranted for 60k. My hunch is with the additional tread, they will reach 60k.

These tires are very soft and things stick to them, as well as "pieces falling off" as designed. Michelin calls them "emerging grooves."

Yes, LTX is for SUVs and minivans. With my wife's, starting around 20k, every shop that saw the car said need to start thinking about tires. Last Sept, the inspection shop implored me to replace them, he said you're going into winter and they are 3/32". We don't put snows on her car and it seems to be OK here with AWD (thank goodness we didn't get any snow last year and I put miles on the snows of 2 other cars on dry pavement). Yes I know better but it's been 8 years on all-seasons so I think we're ok.

So I was curious for anybody who hast the DTs, or DTs on any other model of tire, where does one actually see the stamp "DT?"

 

Interesting thing they did. I’d stay away!

 

LOL now I feel like my parents, namely my mom. Since she's a foodie, if a place is good, but the staff are rude, she tolerates it. Well, before the pandemic. "I'm not here for the ambience." One of my cousins is like that--it's a realistic way of shrugging things off, and getting what you want.

The tires are good performance-wise except wear--very quiet, very good wet and dry traction, but they did look "shot" in the mid 20s. I would have never gotten another set if more tread was not added. Michelin hurt their reputation with this tire, but looks like they learned. I mean even I didn't know a half gallon of Orange Juice is now 51 oz., or a gallon of bleach 121 oz. It's pretty rampant to raise prices, AND give less product, for a larger margin.....I mean tires were once 11/32. how did 10/32 become standard? lol

 

this illustrates how soft and sticky the compound is. Which imho caused the premature wear when Michelin started at 8.5/32. At the time I did not, but now I do accept the pieces falling off are by design. Grooves get larger as the tire wears. I'm confident that with 10/32" of meat on the DTs, they'll reach 60k. But I would not recommend this tire for a sedan which is a topic kicked around on the other forum. Because the sedan tires start at 8.5/32 today. On the other car I'm planning the other pic below--was going to get them this year then the lockdown happened, so no need.



It's like glue




these are better for a sedan

 

Just guessing here that "DT" means "deep tread." I passed on Michelins for my truck due to cost as the next highest rated (by Tire Rack) tire - Sumitomo - was quite a bit less and the vehicle gets driven very little. Compared to the extremely noisy off-road tires that were on it at purchase, it now rides like a dream. Of course, it helps that it has less than 44,000 miles on it.

 

Ratings are really subjective, we got these tires as the first replacement to the Michelin OE tires that did not have a wear issue, but tons of dry rot. And when we went to the GM dealer, and also looked online, the tires were in fact recalled. But wouldn't you know it--the lot numbers were BEFORE AND AFTER OURS! lol How does that happen? Reminds me of the stimiulus checks as in left out. I thought that was so odd--people talking about it so openly--you get yours? What I mean is most people would not even qualify for them, so saying you got it is like advertising your household doesn't have the income that your lifestyle implies lol Now on that one, to me it would make more sense to use the SS phase out as a upper bound, more people could get it.

The car was mfg 6/11 and a 2011 model, purchased new. It was fall 2016 and per Tire Rack the Premier LTX was rated #1 in its category and they tested it and raved about it. Just goes to show nobody can predict the future. So again, my reasoning for moving forward with the tire in 2020, is I know they are quiet and have great traction (look at the stones sticking to the tread), but wear fast with pieces falling off. Now I am extrapolating that if 8.5/32 goes 43k, 10/32 will go 53,000. Closer to 60k. We could do the warranty gig again if that happens. The thing is for Michelin to skim that 1.5/32 was a gamble and it cost them reputation-wise. Technically they're still skimmiing 1/32 based on 11, but my Pilot Super Sports on the other car also start at 10, as would the Bridgestone Ecopias that we initially ordered. That got such terrible reviews that it bugged me--they're warranted to 70k, but if they are as noisy as people say they are, not worth it....my buddy said Scorpion might be a nice Tabasco sauce at a reasonable heat level, but Pirellis on his Navigator were terrible, he got 27k....maybe SUVs are tough on tires. Premiers are 1 lb. lighter which is 4 lbs. of unsprung weight. BMW goes to great length to get 4 lbs. per corner just on a brake rotor, so that's 25% of it just like that.

edit p.s. from the website, I'll look for the DT on the sidewall, was just wondering if someone already knew as it's a popular tire: "Premier LTX tires marked "DT" feature an updated compound and additional molded tread depth to help improve wear life. These tires are identified in search results and on the Specs page, and "DT" is branded on the sidewall of the tire."

p.p.s. I had 2 sets of Sumitomos on my Maxima and I liked them, being made in Japan (this was like 2004'ish) and price-wise. This was when I was afraid to take the Kumho plunge. They are value, noisy, but imho value still if you don't need to spend a ton....(have had 3 sets of Ecstas over 2 gens of the tire itself). There were some GM cars like my dad's where Michelin Premier LTX were standard, and the higher trim got Hankook which I thought was odd.