2506ackley

My wife’s car needs new tires. I only got 35,000 miles on the Michelin premiere tires I put on it when I bought it.

is there a better tire for the money?

100% city/highway driving. I want a good tire that is not loud and does good in wet and dry conditions.

thanks for your help.

ASE

Michelin Defender LTX M/S ... IMHO the best performing tire available for the GX ... and will last 60,000+ miles.

DallasDave

iTrader: (1)

+1 Now that I have had them, I don't know if I will ever use a different tire on our GX

SigEpGX460

+1 for Defender.....loving them on my 14' Lux

GX763

+1 for the defenders as well. They perform great in snow, rides super quiet in all weather (-20 to 90 in MN) and most of all, thread life after 10k looks brand new still. Worth the up pay

jaleels

Five years ago I purchased the Michelin 275 LTX/MS2. The tires lasted about five years and I am now due to replace them. The side walls are a little bit firmer so it does make the ride a bit harder. Other than that, they are very good tires. I went for the 275’s and I have the occasional rubbing when I turn full lock.

I got a quote on the defenders and the service advisor at the tire store said that the defenders replaced the LTX MS2. I don’t know if that’s true or not but I’m considering getting those. I wanted a larger tire to fill out the wheel arches. I also wanted something a little bit more aggressive if I need to go off-road or jump a curb.

SpokeBroke

I have bought all of my Michelin Denders (former LTX MS2) at Costco. Perfect for the GX -
so quiet and smooth.

2506ackley

So what I want are the Michelin Defender LTX and not the Michelin LTX M/S2?

GoHuskers

Defender is the newer version of the M/S 2.

Also, do it in 265.65.18 instead. Mine is about 1 year with 14000 miles and you can hardly tell it comparing to brand new tires.

ASE

+1 ... the 65-series (aspect ratio) increases the tire diameter by approximately 1-inch ... fills out the wheel well given the stock 60-series tires look lost with all that wheel well space. On Lexus OEM wheels, there is absolutely no rubbing under any condition.

2506ackley

Would you go up to 265 on the wife’s daily driver?

ASE

265 is the stock tire width ... 265/60-18 ... 265mm Wide / Sidewall Height = 60% Tire Width ... Wheel (Metal Rim) is 18" in Diameter.

The suggestion is to go with a 265/65-18 ... has a taller sidewall height (by 5%) ... so the overall tire diameter is approximately 1-inch larger than stock, so ride height will increase by approximately 1/2 inch.

Just bought a 2019 ... drove directly from the dealer to Discount Tire and exchanged the garbage Bridgestones for Michelin Defender LTX 265/65-18 tires ... fill out the wheel well perfectly ... should be the size as delivered by Lexus ... my wife like the look better ... subtle change, but looks more right than the stock size that look lost in the wheel wells.

2506ackley

My dealer is telling me I need a tire with a speed rating of h or v and the defenders don’t come in that rating

ASE

Standard all-seasons are rated S (112 mph) or T (118 mph). Climbing up the scale are H (130 mph), V (149 mph), ZR (149-plus).

The Michelin Defender is "T" rated. Are you going to get anywhere near 130 or 149 mph any time soon ?

Of course the dealer recommends V rated tires ... you would be lucky to get much more than 20,000 miles before replacement.

2506ackley

My tire dealer is recommending me the H or the V. He said that is what he put in his wife’s Lexus and a mutual friend’s Lexus. The tire dealer is a friend and has been in the business a long time. He is very well respected that is why I ask. We live in a close knit community so everybody does business with him and mostly for high end cars.

My car has a t rated Michelin premiere on it now and other than wearing out in 35,000 miles it has worked fine.

i just don’t know hence why I asked.

i will never drive that fast but who knows about the wifey��