The Michelin Tire Review Thread
 

We really should have our own Michelin thread with user experiences and reviews.

So, I'll start:

My 04 came with 225/55/17's V rated Michelin MXV4's. They were put on the car at 88k miles and they are still going strong at 139k miles. That's 51k miles so far. Fantastic. Honestly, I am considering just getting another set vs the new Premiers as these have been such a good tire. The MXV4's have been the best tire I have ever owned. :thumbup:

I've had my V rated Michelin MXV4's on my LS430 since July of last year and have 12k miles on them. They look brand new. Superb tires.

I love the MXV4s on my '04 LS.

But when I recently went to replace my old Bridgestones on my '11 ES350, no place had the MXV4s, so I got the Premier A/S (I'm very happy with them as well).

I found out, however that STS here in Toms River had the MXV4s. Had I known that, I would have gotten them for the ES based upon my satisfaction with them on my LS.

Walt

Funny you mention STS. I'm not a fan of these type of chain stores in general but their prices are pretty competitive. I also received quotes from them for the new Premiers, P7's, and MXV4's, which are the most expensive of the bunch. I would of thought the Premiers would be more.

I too love the Primacy MXV4s (V rated) as being the best quietest tire I have ever owned. Unfortunately Michelin has or will be stopping production and it is difficult to find. If they are found, it might be a good idea to check the production date as not to get a tire that is too old. I have 5,000 miles on my second set of Primacys and will probably have to bite the bullet when replacing, but hopefully that will be many miles from now.

I had very good luck with the MXV4s on my '06 LS. They still looked pretty meaty with 55k miles on them but they were starting to have some serious sidewall cracking from what looked like dry rot...likely due to the unrelenting Texas heat after 5 years.

I chose to replace the MXV4s with the Premier A/S I have been very happy with them. They are more quiet at speed and they handle a little better - turn in is quicker and a little more firm. We have had some very heavy rains lately and my experience is that stability of the Premier A/S in heavy rain is much better than MXV4s.

Jabberwock.....I too had the hairline sidewall cracking on my first set of Primacy MXV4s after only 15,000 miles and had Sears replace all 4 tires on a proration basis. I think it cost me around $300 for all 4 tires out the door. Yes, the Primacys do lose some traction under heavy rains, but I have learned to take it easy under those conditions. I too have heard that the Premiers are better in the rain. I'm just not used to losing the extra tread with the Premiers at 8/32nds compared to 11/32nds on the Primacys. Yes, I've heard that the traction on the Premiers holds up great even when the tread depth decreases.

Glad to see some good reviews on the Premiers AS. I'm about ready to place an order for a set as my Dunlops are at the end of their life. Only thing that worried me on the premier is the reduced tread depth when new compared to what I'm used to on other brands. I'm hoping they last at least 30 to 40k miles for the price paid for them.

i have been running the premiers for sometime now and i also had the mxv4's and for me the premiers are hands down better in noise and wet traction and overall ride .i have almost 12k miles on the premiers.when these need replaced i will without question put another set of premiers.:thumbup:

How much wear have you noticed at 12k miles? I'm mainly getting them for the good reviews in light snow and winter driving for an all season. We don't get enough to justify a whole other set of wheels with blizzaks.

http://www.michelinman.com/US/en/tir...ort-a-s-3.html

So yur LS can be all it should be!

The second driver said it best"it transformer the way the car felt, it did not even feel like the same car"

One of the downsides to the Pilot Sports will be tire life. You sacrifice grip or softer rubber for longevity. Honestly, I would like to see if the new Premiers will last 50k+ miles.

lav,we will find out in about 3 years:D

I have the MXV4s in 18" and after almost 15K miles, they still look like they are brand new. Great tire!

Pilots are cheaper, its almost a wash versus premier and now its a drivers car not a boaty cruiser.

243 premier $ versus pilot 192 $ tire rack.

Is that in the 18" warm? STS will put the V rated Premiers on my 17's for just $720 installed.

I've got over 10K miles on my 17" V-rated Premiers and I absolutely love them. Very quiet and comfortable. Fantastic in the rain too.

Unless you want it to feel like a Lexus LS ;)

Lav, 245/45/18. You give up nothing to the Mxv4 h or v. I drive 100 miles every day still marvel at the change with Sport Susp. I bet reg Susp is huge improvement. 30 dayPromise guarantee.

I went up a ski lift with a Michelin tester in Houghton they get 250 plus inches a year I mentioned the Primacy he yawned and really liked the Pilot series

Promise stop pushing theses tires they all are quality

I totally agree that Michelin makes the best tires overall. The MXV4's are a favorite because of their reputation for quality and longevity. You will loose tire life going to a 18" and up no matter what. I think some feel the Premiers may not last as long as the MXV4's. I don't doubt they wear a bit better when it comes to traction. Time will tell. As far as the Pilots go, I bet you will be lucky to see 35k before needing another set. But if performance is what people want then this is a good choice.

You give up some ride comfort and noise isolation with the Pilots vs the MXV4 or Premier.

I'm shopping for tires for the 460 and immediately crossed them off the list, they just aren't the sort of tire that accentuates the characteristics of the LS that made me buy it. If I wanted a sportier drive I would have bought a sporty car. There are several people on the 460 board that have them (sizes are harder on the 460 vs the 430, you guys have more options) and they've well documented the fact that the car rides firmer and isn't as quiet on the AS/3s.

[QUOTE=SW15LS;9258079]You give up some ride comfort and noise isolation with the Pilots vs the MXV4 or Premier.

I'm shopping for tires for the 460 and immediately crossed them off the list, they just aren't the sort of tire that accentuates the characteristics of the LS that made me buy it. If I wanted a sportier drive I would have bought a sporty car. There are several people on the 460 board that have them (sizes are harder on the 460 vs the 430, you guys have more options) and they've well documented the fact that the car rides firmer and isn't as quiet on the AS/3s.[/QUOTE
You drive a 460. Ever drive anA8?


How glad I am it has made my car relatively "smoking" hot. Still prefer my Touareg TDI/Cayenne copy. What ya got to worry with 30 day promise guarantee trade. I never drove the premier or 460 but yur buddies want coffin quiet floaty ride keep yur mxv4 I noticed only improvement. I am 56 maybe hearing is compromises. Listen to the link you think they are payed off? Just a car I smile you guys sleep

[QUOTE=warminwisc;9258152]

Yes, and if I wanted a sportier flagship sized car thats quite possibly what I would get. But, I didn't want an A8, I wanted a soft riding very quiet non sporty LS. To buy the LS and then put sport tires on it that don't do a whole lot to make up for its soft suspension and sloppy handling yet diminish what it does so well, which is ride really well and very quietly doesn't make sense IMHO.

Even with the 30 day ride guarantee, I still have to go have them mounted and dismounted, and my time is the most valuable thing to me...when I know they're not going to be what I want.

They work for you and thats great, but you always run around thumping on them and saying dismissive and denigrating things to those who "sleep" and if you want the "coffin ride", whats wrong with simply acknowledging that they work for you but theres another viewpoint?

"that don't do a whole lot to make up for the soft suspension"" are ya listening to me and the reviews "I" am racing around in my LS!

I digress you want a smooth quiet ride alot of people do. Maybe it is not as quiet as the Premier? I drive with my music on. Unless ya driven A/S 3 personally on an LS not sure where yur coming from, "smokin "hot. Seems like no one else has either so I understand, everything is about minimal cost per mile, different crowd than the A8 I guess is fine.

We've talked about this. I think you over emphasize the impact tires have on how your LS handles. Tires cannot make up for the dynamic realities of this car. It's a heavy pig.

I don't have to have driven one with them to know what the tradeoffs are because I know how those tradeoffs work. I don't want to race around". If I did I wouldn't have bought this car, I would have kept my GS, which is a car those tires would have an impact on.

There are other MXV4 threads that went on for many many pages. I read every single page. The consensus was that for our cars the MXV4 was the best tire made......at that time. I am sure this thread will note the same end result. These tire threads can get sketchy real fast...I am very happy to be free of mine. Enjoy the thread......an y'all play nice :)

Indeed...helpful people providing multiple viewpoints (and sometimes diverging opinions) in civilized discourse makes this board a wonderful source of information.

Has anyone else driven the Pilot a/s 3? Thanks play nice

Otherwise all opinions are mute.

I don't have to have driven the car with those tires to know what the drawbacks are. I have driven the LS430 with UHP tires, and with grand touring tires, the difference in ride and noise isolation is not insignificant.

There are no reviews on TireRack from LS owners (which is a clue there), but this is a review from a GS430 owner:

Here is a link to TireRack's comparison test of the A/S3:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...y.jsp?ttid=201

Here is a graph depicting their opinions about ride and noise compared to other UHP tires. As you see the A/S3 is in 3rd place out of 4 when it comes to ride comfort and noise level (remember, all these UHP tires are going to be stiffer and louder than any touring tire, meaning the difference between a tire like the A/S3 and something like a Primacy or Premier or Pirelli P7 Plus will be even greater):

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.clu...209b7a945c.png

Here is their break down of the A/S3. Check out what they would improve:

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.clu...881be3b3da.png

Seeing that I am a person who prefers a ride biased drive over handling or grip, its safe to say that I can cross the A/S3 off my list. I'm glad you like them, but I would make the point that anybody who likes the way the car rides on these tires, or doesn't like it being a "coffin" or riding like the driver is "asleep" isn't really the right demographic for the LS in the first place, so I would question how applicable your experience is to most LS drivers.

I would be more inclined to put the Pilots on my WRX vs LS.

I have not had the A/S 3 on the LS but I have had the A/S on my S2000 and absolutely agree with the individual from Wisconsin that the A/S is absolutely the right tire for that sportier feel. But on the S2000. Not on the LS. Even though slated as all season, the best mileage I got out of the rear set on my car was about 15K miles and I literally drove 78 miles one way on highways (except for maybe 2 miles to get off the highway) every day at 55 MPH. While the earlier Bridgestone RE760s had somewhat lasted longer but performed worse, the Pilots excited me in that the immediate feedback was a less noisier cabin. And on a long commute, I rated this my number one priority. The car handled well and provided great steering feedback from the tires. But the ride was stiff. STIFF. Every bump on that single lane highway system was etched into my muscle memory and after the tires were put on, those bumps were more pronounced. The Bridgestones at least somewhat felt like they were soaking up the bumps but these tires just enunciated the bumps. And the tires had low tread life. LOWER than rated by Michelin themselves. The tires ARE cheap - I can agree with that.

Now - would I ever mishandle an LS by putting on the A/S 3s? Heck no. The LS is a luxury sedan, a heavy one at that. And the MXV4 suits the driving characteristics of the car perfectly. Yes - I love taking an exit a little faster once in a while or maybe a turn off that I know has this sweeping curve or that back to back set of gentle curves that I know have no traffic but I can do that with the MXV4s and come out perfectly happy with the outcome. In the back of my mind, I also know that I should not expect a squatted low COG riding on rails stiff frame suspension sportster feeling either because the LS is not that car. The MXV4 lasts longer, drives as good as the A/S 3s and ride quality is best suited for the softer suspension shod in most LSs.

- T

Thanks

What da ya have to loose. They are 25 percent cheaper than the Premiers, have a 45 k warrantee, a promise guarantee you can trade em for Premiers without penalty in 30 days if you do not like em. You have a member who has logged 220k miles on 2 ls's countless tires who is telling ya they are as quiet as the MXV4, always aligned at the dealer and there is only an improvement in every regard over the MXV4(maybe mileage drops 5 percent).

No one else has mounted on an LS430 and has a personel opinion on the tire but me. Live by reviews, I did they where second in the class of High Performance A/S tires. However, if ya want to read reviews when you can try em for free great. I just thought I might make folks smile whenever they get in their LS like I used to when I got my first one October 08. This wore off as the stodgy feel of MXV4's and many miles on my LS got boring. You will notice the stark difference night and day to the MXV4 within 5 miles. does it make the LS a infinit no and if I gave ya that impression I apologise but it is such an improvement it is undenaible IMO.

I will keep ya abreast of the wear but they where bought at the dealer rotated regularly and if they do not provide close to 45k miles I get em prorated and I will just get another set. Better yet I will mount the Premiers and try em that will be 7th set of different tires on my LS's

To change the subject there is a 70 dollar rebate as of 11/16 from Michelin sorry if I am too animated for the a/s season touring crowd which it seems this forum prefers.

I did have my buddy drive my Pilot shoed LS when he had an 05 ML which he drove for 100k miles and sold it with MXV4's and he felt same way I do. He has a house now in northern Wisco bought a Outback wishes he would have bought a TDI Touareg when he drove mine.

I certainly value hearing the experience you had with the Pilots A/S on the S2000. I will make sure to not put them on a 2800 lb Roadster like a Miata, BMW, etc. Be nice to have one for the summer

Time, energy, effort. Why would I want to expend those things when the "benefits" of these tires aren't anything that I'm interested in for this car? I don't want it to handle better at the expense of any ride quality...because what this car does well is ride well and thats why I bought it...thats the whole point.

I don't get it. This forum section is for reviews. Not an "I don't get it reviews". It's free drive the pilot a/s for free then get the premiers. Ask this forum I am not a total wackjob maybe partial SW,lol. I give up I concede boo yah!!!!!!!!

Don't take it personally Warm. It's great to hear your reviews. Honestly, I will probably go with the Pilots on my WRX when its time because for me I want a more aggressive performance tire. On my LS I personally prefer someone more comfortable and longer lasting because of the amount of mileage I am putting on and type of ride I am looking for with the LS.