I6turbo

iTrader: (1)

What 18" (or 19") tires have you had on your LS430 and what were your impressions? When I look at all the tire reviews on Tire Rack, they almost all sound like switching from the 17" factory setup to 18s is going to kill a lot of what the LS does best -- smooth, comfortable, quiet ride. Of course it's going to be something of a tradeoff, but I am just looking to minimize it. I know from experience that tires can make a HUGE, make-or-break difference in the on-road character of a car, so I want to make the best choice possible.

I'm not terribly concerned about treadwear, but more concerned about noise, ride quality, handling, and I have to say, appearance (wanting to get rid of the grandma-looking factory 17s!). I live in Florida where we unfortunately have no curvy roads, so when I say 'handling' I'm mostly thinking about steering feel under normal driving, not Road America type stuff.

Any experience-based input would be most appreciated.

Steve

bigDlexus

I have the stock 18" dunlops on my 05 ls and they ride fantastic. There is no sacrifice of ride quality, and it firms it up enough to feel like you have alot more control. It drives exactly like the lexus flagship should. If you go with non-OEM 18's make sure they do not weigh more than the O***s or you will sacrific ride quality.

Can't comment on the 19's, seems like that would be a bit much if you are concerned about ride quality and not just about looks.

gkk23262

I recently replaced the 16" OEM rims on my 2002 LS430 with 18" OEM rims and Avon Tech 245/45/18 tires from tire rack. The difference in ride quality is negligible, and the handling is significantly improved. The Avon Techs had the best reviews of any tire in that size on Tire Rack. I have only put about 1,000 miles on them, but they have been very quiet and smooth so far.

JLAWS

If you go 18's the recommended size that pop up will be 245/45/18 but you can go with 235/50/18. I have that size on my LS430. It is just as wide as 245's but the side wall is about .5 inch taller. The height of the tire is taller and fill in the wheel well nicely with no rubbing. I have oem polished 18 and the ride quality diminished alittle but is still comfortable. I have sport suspension so the ride has already been alittle stiff to begin with.

I6turbo

iTrader: (1)

I noticed that the Avons got the most favorable reviews from individuals on the Tire Rack site, so between those reviews and your positive experience, they are definitely candidates at this point. I'm generally a big fan of Michelin tires, but I might be inclined to try the Avons. I wonder if the Michelin Pilot Sports would make the ride too stiff or noisy? Hopefully someone will chime in with those on 18s.

Thanks also to the other members who have responded thus far. All input is appreciated.

bigDlexus

If you like the Michelins because you believe "you get what you pay for" then you will be sorely dissappointed with the Michelins on the LS.

They are nice tires but they are NOT worth the money you pay.

I6turbo

iTrader: (1)

I've owned about 15-20 sets of Michelins in my life (cars and trucks). Except for one time when I put too much of a 'performance' oriented tire on a MB 300 Turbodiesel, I've never been less than thrilled with them (and of course that negative experience wasn't the tire's fault -- it was my fault for a poor selection). I've owned even more sets of other brands, some of which were good, but MANY of which sucked because of noise, persistent out-of-round or out-of-balance issues (these latter two are very common in cheaper tires), poor traction, or poor handling. Coincidentally, almost all of the poorer-performing tires were less expensive, which tends to make me believe that quality and performance costs money in tires. So, bottom line for me is that I know from experience that the Michelins I've bought have been worth what I had to pay for them.

That being said, I am quite concerned that the Pilot Sports are not the right tire for the LS -- that even the awesome LS suspension can't mask the Max Performance nature of the PS tires -- that I'll have the same result as I did years ago on the 300D. I took those tires back the next morning for a swap back to a softer, 'lower-performance' set of Michelins more suited to the nature of that car.

I am completely open to buying some other brand for the LS. But, if it takes a few more bucks to get a great tire, I'm willing to pay in order to maintain the great on-road experience of the car.

HoleinOne

When it comes to tires, I think we sometime pay for a lot more than we will ever need (who is going to drive at W,V, or Z rated speed in a LS?) and frequently we get a lot less than we think we are paying for. In the case of the Dunlop SP Sport 270, it is so expensive only because very few, if any, other cars use it as the OE. Dunlops are generally not the high-end tires. Other higher rated Dunlops cost a lot less than the 270. (It's interesting than the WR rated SP270s are priced at $270 a piece at TireRack)

I replaced by OEM tires (40k miles) a few months ago with HR rated Michelin Energy MVX4+ at Costco at half the price of the Dunlops (it has the best price anywhere for Michelins). I must say they are a lot quieter (I have always thought the SP270s were very noisy) and handles just very well (I don't go thru corners at 45 mph) in dry and wet condition. I definitely prefer these over the SP270 even if they cost the same.

rjm

I have the 18" Dunlops on mine, and the ride and handling is great. I noticed the dealer put 37 psi in them (all 4) while the plaque on the door says 33 psi is recommended. I wonder if they put 37 psi in them to improve tire wear? Just wondering how much air you put in your tires for optimum handling and ride quality?

GS3Tek

iTrader: (8)

You should go by what the pressure says on the tire.
There have been times where dealers have the pressure at even 40psi
Or sometimes due to transporting the vehicle, different temperatures can cause rise and fall in the air pressure in the tires.

BTW, I was reading on mbworld and found your posts on switching your E class.
They sure chastised you for jumping to Lexus.

I6turbo

iTrader: (1)

Have any of you had the Dunlop SP Sport 01? It's one of the few tires that comes in the sizes that I think I want, but I didn't find any reviews on that particular tire on the Tire Rack site.