I still need to take my car up to the mountains and put the ExtremeContact Sport 02 tires to the test. In daily driving, so far, so good!



I would say the main things that drew me to this tire over the Michelin PS4S were the price and the possibility that it would be quieter than the Michelin. Most reviews I've seen have rated the tire as comparable to the Michelin in terms of performance, just with a bit of a different personality. I think the Continental is a little more relaxed to drive, but it still feels sporty. It's an upgrade over the OE Bridgestone, to be sure. I think it's also a bit softer riding than the Michelin while still being firmer than the OE tire. Steering feels more reactive, too, and I feel adjusting the car's angle while in a corner is where this shines the most. In the case of the Bridgestone, steering adjustments mid-corner felt a little vague and delayed, whereas with the Conti, I get feedback from the car immediately as I adjust the steering angle. That's probably my favorite thing about the tire. Oh, and the steering, to me, at least, seems slightly heavier than with the PS4S, though it has been a while. I just seem to remember the PS4S having somewhat light steering. Anyway, I like them! Hopefully they last a while and hold up on the mountain roads.

 

Totally get it, but you bought this car to have F-U-N! 😜

The safety tech will do a great job mitigating a potential mistake, but you shouldn’t have to worry about ****-poor tires hampering it.

The 500 freaking shines with these tires and since my driving is a tad beyond ‘spirited’, I accept the cost. Why? Because it’s freaking F-U-N!!

Start the replacement fund now. 😈 #TeamEvery15Months

 

I didn't know they were bought out by the Chinese I get enough cheap Chinese junk from Amazon (so much I stopped using Amazon as much), don't need it on my car.

I read they made a huge investment in the American market with the new P Zero AS Plus 3 tires and it basically has to succeed because something like 95% of every tire they sell is an all season. Also figured they make tires for Formula 1 so they should be good for me lol but those tires are probably made in special European factories. Pirelli and Michelin AS tires are made in Mexico.

So far the reviews I've read put the Pirelli ahead of Michelin for all seasons, but probably because the Michelin is an old tire now. They should have an AS 5 coming out soon since the Pilot Sport 5 has been out for a while. Maybe when my tires are worn I'll get lucky and they new AS 5 will be out.

Thanks for the heads up! Now I'm Mr. Super Indecisive lol

 

The BMW X1 loaner car I'd been living with this past week had some Pirelli P Zero All-Season tires of some description, and they were honestly pretty good for an OE tire. Quiet and decently grippy from what little time I had to... explore the grip limits lol. You know what they say, the fastest car out there is a loaner car! I digress.

Honestly I don't think I'd buy their tires either, when it seems like they cost almost as much as Michelin in most cases but with less performance. Eh. Maybe if there was a sale going on.

 

My local Lexus Service, same place I bought the Michelin Pilot Sport 4s.

• 4-Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02: Mounted & Balanced plus taxes = $1,597.00.

Just like the Michelin's includes the 2-year road hazard coverage from Lexus.The entire (Continental) set is about $306.00 cheaper than the Michelin's for entire set.

 

I bought a set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4S and went wider 285 rear on the stock wheels, for $1500 out the door. Costco.

 

Man, you guys are doing your best sales pitch to make me dump the bridgestones earlier than I was hoping for and go into the summer with a new set of beast mode tires.

 

How did you manage to convince Costco to let you do that? Last time I had luck doing that was 2015 or so with my IS F. After that, they said no more.

 

^^^^You are correct- Costco's Tire Policy clearly states this:


This is the main reason I will never buy tires from Costco. I buy my tires exclusively from Discount Tire. Both My LC and my Silverado have aftermarket wheels and my tires are non-stock sizes. As long as load range and speed rating meets or exceeds stock, they have no issue.

 

BWAHAHAHA!!

Do it. Do it. Do it.

 

https://www.corvetteblogger.com/2024...z06-and-e-ray/

 

I had a chance to drive on the Conti ECS02 tires up in the mountains (with @DLPTony and a couple others from the club ).




Well, I have to say, overall they are nice to drive on. Steering response is great, and the ride and noise levels were both respectable. I felt good even after driving for hours. And, they put down the power well out of corners. However, I feel that, near the limit of grip, it felt like the tire got squishy underneath me. Compared to the PS4S, it just seems like the Contis are softer. By the way, I was running 36 front, 37 rear PSI cold. So, just above the manufacturer's recommendation. I might have been able to get a little more grip out of them with less air, but it may have exacerbated the squish that I was feeling. This could also be a function of the tread depth, as the Contis have 10/32" of tread depth compared to most other options in the segment having 9/32". These tires are also new, with only about 1,000 miles on them. Anyway, it also was somewhat damp in areas as well as being in the 50-60 degrees F temperature range, so maybe that also was coloring my perception of their performance. Overall - very good. As sharp as the Michelins? It's a bit hard to say, since I have only driven them on my former IS 350. In that car, I remember installing the tires and thinking it completely transformed the car. Here, it's more of a half-transformation - better than stock, but not by a huge margin. Would I recommend these? Yeah. I think they provide a nice trade-off option for the PS4S. The price advantage and the slightly better comfort make up for the reduction in "sporty" character.

 

Past decade i've only used Continental Extreme Contact Sport (both original and the 02), I really like that tire. But this time I decided to go a different route. I've read nothing but good things on the Yokohama ADVAN Apex v601 [OEM sizes] for the money [ages ago when I had my 300zx, the now discontinued Yoko S-drives were my go-to on the weekend car].

Given the IS500 is probably the softest car i've ever owned, I rather like the stiffer sidewall feel that the Yoko Apex's provide. So far they're pretty quiet and steering feel is improved. I'll report back on grip after a few 100 miles on them, but i'd imagine they're good in the corners!

 

^^Update from my post above. 1,000+ miles on it and finally went aggressive with them this past weekend on some really tight curvy roads. Wet morning and dry evening with 75°F-90°F temperatures. These things GRIP in the wet and dry, to the point where I think you need more bolsters on the seat to keep you in place!! I was most impressed how it handled the weight of the car going fully into and throughout the corners. The treads on these tires were designed for cornering. The steering response felt sharp on the switchbacks of Route 80 (a.k.a, the Devil's Whip) thanks to the harder sidewalls. Road noise seem pretty quiet, but it may be masked by the exhaust note.

These definitely behave like the, now discontinued, Michelin Pilot Super Sport more than the Conti's Extreme Contact Sport. We'll see how long these last, but so far i'm very happy with them especially at their price tag.

 

^^^ good to hear. Will keep this in mind as another tire to go for besides the Continental Extreme.