Is there any problem in going from a “V” rated tire to an”H” rating? I know the speed won’t be a factor, but what about other factors like temperature. I really like the Defenders, but they are “H” rated.

Funny that you had Bridgestone, in Quebec we get Michelin Premier LTX and I'm very happy with them! Very quiet, I just removed my Blizzak and wow, the return of quiet on the road!

I put Defenders on my 2010 RAV4 V6 and have about 55k happy, problem free miles on them. I'll probably replace them this fall as they've started to crack around the sidewalls, a common thing with Michelins as the tread tends to outlive the sidewalls!

I came from the Premier LTX, which reached 2/32 tread after just 25k miles. I would not get the Premier again.

So far I am happy with the Advantage T/A however I have not driven it in snow yet. It's still a relatively new tire so only time will tell how it performs. I kept the same size.

The premier allowed me to fly up and down snowy mountain passes, but by the time it reached 4/32nds I was hydroplaning on the freeway.

I've been doing a bit of research myself on 20" replacements for the RX. I'm looking at two aside from the OEM Michelins - General Grabber HTS60 - reasonably priced and I've had good performance from Generals in the past. Or Toyo Open Country - more pricey(in line with the Michelins) but good reputation for treadlife and quiet ride. I will likely go with one of these two when the time comes.

Bought a set of Pirelli Scorpion Verde but haven't installed it but hopefully the steering response is crisper compared to the Ecopias

Put the bfgoodrich advantage on yesterday, so far I haven't see a noticeable difference on road noise between this one and my winter tires. When they are swapping the tires they saw two nails on one of the tires so I am gonna see what dealership can do. I bought the winters from them.

I am VERY pleased with my Pirelli Scorpion Verde tires! They are quiet, ride way better than the Ecopias & wet traction is excellent. Also, I didn’t notice any drop in mpg by going with a more “resistant” tire than the Ecopias. That remains a mystery to me as to why a super low rolling resistance tire wears out in just 20,000 miles, where as a more resistant tire like the Pirelli, will last 50,000-60,000 miles. All I know is I’m pleased so far & really thankful to be away from tires with essentially no warranty & very poor performance.

Pics of the nail mentioned above. The weird thing is I didn't feel anything and the tire pressure didn't drop. It's a pretty new tire as well. Turns out there is no warranty for road hazard as this is bought from dealer. I basically paid 400 bucks more than Costco and have no road hazard coverage.
I guess I shouldn't risk it even though the tire pressure didn't drop.
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https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.clu...9745855ab3.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.clu...940f0b697a.jpg

Knowing what I know now through researching & reading you guy’s stories, I would NEVER buy tires from a Lexus dealer. Pure rip-off! For those that are considering buying tires from your dealer, DON’T DO IT! Go get tires from a real tire dealer that last longer & have factory warranty.

I always get my tires at Costco. I shop there a lot and it makes it simple to have my tires rotated while I shop. Makes a difference for me. Good prices and service also. Usually Michelins.

Toyo Open Countrys were OEM on my 2010 RAV4 V6. A quick search thru the RAV4 forums will verify my experience that they were miserable. I couldn't wait to get rid of them and replace them with Michelin Defenders.
(YMMV, of course!)

For quite some time, I have been reading on this forum that the Michelin tires supplied by the Lexus factory and Lexus dealers are cheaper and of inferior quality compared to those sold by tire stores. Today, I called Michelin and spoke to a representative about tire specifications and quality levels. He told me, in definitive terms, that the tires from the Lexus factory, Lexus dealers, and all tire stores are the “EXACT SAME TIRES.” He stated explicitly that they do not produce a different variation for use as original equipment.

I have not found any sort of evidence, other than anecdotal and/or provided by parties with some sort of dog in some sort of fight, that leads me to believe otherwise. If someone has concrete evidence that Lexus is involved with Michelin in this sort of agreement, I would be very interested in hearing it.

That is interesting! I was told the exact opposite by Bridgestone. I then went to a Bridgestone dealer who verified that same thing, stating there is a letter code on the tire that designates if the tire comes with a warranty or not. What I have been told is OEM tires DO NOT have a mileage warranty. Pick an OEM brand, Michelin or Bridgestone, and both appear to be worn out by 25,000 miles. My Bridgestones were much sooner than that. If you go to a tire dealer (not a car dealer), you can get what appears as the same tire that has a mileage warranty nearly twice what people have reported from their OEM tires. Somebody is lying (not you denverrob). Why would new car makers put tires on that have no mileage warranty if they were the exact same as what tire dealers are selling (with warranty)? BTW, I went to 3 tire dealers & was told that OEM tires are inferior to what they were selling, even though they appear to be the same tire, except for the code...

I have evidence for you. I put new Michelin Defenders on my 2010 RAV4 V6 when the awful OEM Toyos were junked. I have a tool that measures tread depth and the Michelins measured 10/32nds when I got home from the tire shop. Plus they came with a mileage warranty. I used the same tool on the Michelins when I brought my 2017 RX350 home. They were 8/32nds. And NO mileage warranty. Not the same tires.