'Summer' or 'all-season' tire recommendations?

[eflyguy]

Oh sorry - I forgot you had stated that when I posted in #15.

Yeah, then take a look at that AS bridgestone, and other options on tire rack as stated. A summer rated tire is not going to work when it's cold there..

 

[GronkSoyFiesta]

For snow/winter condition: Snow tires
For cold months (Driving under 40f): UHP All Seasons
For Summer: Summer tires

As for getting spare tires, IMO it's worth getting 18x8 wheels to save money on winters, as there are basically no winter tires in the stock offset 19" size. All Seasons and Summers aren't as bad so you can stick to the stock 19's.

You really don't want to be rolling on Summer tires when it drops below ~40. At that temp, they basically turn into hockey pucks and lose all traction in addition to cracking and breaking. If your concerns are cold instead of snow and slush, UHP All Seasons are fine. When you start considering snow and slush, you want Winter tires.

That being said, you can live with 2 sets instead of 3 if you're willing to give up some bleeding edge performance by running smaller winter tires all winter.

As far as recommendations:

Summer
Michelin Pilot Sport 4
Michelin Pilot Sport 4s
Continental ExtremeContact Sport
Bridgestone Potenza

All Season
Goodyear Eagle F1
Michelin Pilot Sport A/S3
Goodyear Eagle Sport

Winter (on 18x8)
Michelin X-Ice
Nokian Hakkapeliitta
Bridgestone Blizzaks

This is exactly what I needed. Thank you

 

[GronkSoyFiesta]

What do you guys do with the tires you're not using that season? Just store them in your garage and then re-mount, balance, etc at the next season? Wondering about maybe using stock rims for winter (which is Seattle is all-season type tire) and then getting different rims for summer, but storing tires mounted on rims is a PITA.

 

[MerlintheMad]

A few guys around here have the space to store winter rims and mounted tires. I've seen the pictures (storage envy).

I'm more inclined the longer I think about this to go with something like Conti high performance A/S, which will fit on the stock 19s, and be less noisy than winter treads (a hugely important thing to me). I've driven on A/S tires my whole life. Only with this car has the notion of "summer" tires entered into the picture. So I can get through any winter around here in A/S, and I would expect that to be even more true in the Seattle area. The "empty" summers will go in a corner of our shed in a stacked condition. There is no hard freeze in the shed, and the tires will stack there undisturbed all winter. If the A/S are satisfyingly quiet, I may just leave them on all year round. It is an experiment waiting to happen. I plan to go through Costco for the whole swap.

 

[GronkSoyFiesta]

We are rebuilding our garage in the spring. Guess we will factor this in.

 

[Oryan]

Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+. Unless you get like, feet of snow, it'll be fine for winter and in warmer months it'll match if not exceed most UHP Summer tires. In normal driving you likely won't notice the difference between these and the stock 4S tires and it would take repeated hard launches or chucking this car at corners hard for a while to get the A/S 3+ to really complain. The same could basically be said for a couple of other all-seasons, I just like Michelin.

 

[westcoastGT]

For Seattle , Like up here in Vancouver , I would reco Ultra High Performance AS tires , lots of great choices on Tire Rack site , I take my GT to Whistler in the snow , no issues ......................

 

[GronkSoyFiesta]

Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+. Unless you get like, feet of snow, it'll be fine for winter and in warmer months it'll match if not exceed most UHP Summer tires. In normal driving you likely won't notice the difference between these and the stock 4S tires and it would take repeated hard launches or chucking this car at corners hard for a while to get the A/S 3+ to really complain. The same could basically be said for a couple of other all-seasons, I just like Michelin.

Yup, I ran these on my TL for years. Very nice tire and solid grip in the wet here. I think I’ll get them again.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+. Unless you get like, feet of snow, it'll be fine for winter and in warmer months it'll match if not exceed most UHP Summer tires. In normal driving you likely won't notice the difference between these and the stock 4S tires and it would take repeated hard launches or chucking this car at corners hard for a while to get the A/S 3+ to really complain. The same could basically be said for a couple of other all-seasons, I just like Michelin.

Comparing Michelin and Continental. Michelins cost over a hundred bucks more and have 5K miles less on the treadlife warranty. Both are rated "Y" for 186 MPH plus. Is there a better tire to compete with these two? I'd take either A/S at this point. In other words, I'd try for the Conti first, but if it wasn't available for some reason right then, and the Michelin was, I'd buy the Michelin. 2.5K miles difference in treadlife warranty (half for staggered setups) isn't enough to bother me.

One other consideration, the main one actually: is one or the other known to be the quieter ride?

(Edit to add: Continental has a slightly lower review rating (8.5 out of 10 to Michelin's 8.7 out of 10.)

 

[GronkSoyFiesta]

I also like Michelin. My previous gen Pilot Sport A/S had a rubber chunking problem and Discount Tire got Michelin to give me half the cost of each tire even though they were a few years old.

 

[Oryan]

Comparing Michelin and Continental. Michelins cost over a hundred bucks more and have 5K miles less on the treadlife warranty. Both are rated "Y" for 186 MPH plus. Is there a better tire to compete with these two? I'd take either A/S at this point. In other words, I'd try for the Conti first, but if it wasn't available for some reason right then, and the Michelin was, I'd buy the Michelin. 2.5K miles difference in treadlife warranty (half for staggered setups) isn't enough to bother me.

One other consideration, the main one actually: is one or the other known to be the quieter ride?

(Edit to add: Continental has a slightly lower review rating (8.5 out of 10 to Michelin's 8.7 out of 10.)

I've heard good things about Pirelli's P Zero A/S Plus and Goodyear F1 A/S but never bought them. As for Conti vs Michelin.. IMO can't really go wrong. I had some on my Genesis Coupe and the sidewalls are a bit softer but for my driving wasnt really a problem. When I switched to the michelins I could feel the car be a bit sharper but it didn't like snow as much...But still, it could get itself out of my parking lot while my fiance's Jeep couldn't.. Still trying to figure that one out.

 

[MerlintheMad]

I've heard good things about Pirelli's P Zero A/S Plus and Goodyear F1 A/S but never bought them. As for Conti vs Michelin.. IMO can't really go wrong. I had some on my Genesis Coupe and the sidewalls are a bit softer but for my driving wasnt really a problem. When I switched to the michelins I could feel the car be a bit sharper but it didn't like snow as much...But still, it could get itself out of my parking lot while my fiance's Jeep couldn't.. Still trying to figure that one out.

Difference in driver's technique?

So the Michelin A/S have stiffer sidewalls than the Continentals? I'm not sure which one you are describing.

 

[Oryan]

Difference in driver's technique?

So the Michelin A/S have stiffer sidewalls than the Continentals? I'm not sure which one you are describing.

Yes, the Michelins have stiffer sidewalls. Biggest difference being in corners; On the Contis I could feel the car wallowing, I guess, more into corners at speed because of the additional sidewall flex. Car kinda just leans more as you turn. The stiffer sidewalls on the Michelins didn't have that happen as much so the car cornered a bit more sharply and you felt less roll. But the stiffer sidewall transferred more road imperfections into the car so you felt more bumps but the Gen Coupe R-spec rode like a damn wagon anyway.

 

[westcoastGT]

Every set of Michelins I've owned had Quality problems ....I have a claim in right now for the tires on my Sorento that are shredding

 

[Marc Collins]

Every set of Michelins I've owned had Quality problems ....I have a claim in right now for the tires on my Sorento that are shredding

Can you show pics of the shredding?

 

[westcoastGT]

Can you show pics of the shredding?

The tires were replaced on Friday so I dont have a pic ..............

 

[MerlintheMad]

The tires were replaced on Friday so I dont have a pic ..............

Ahah. You know what "They" all say: If you didn't get a pic or video, it didn't happen.

 

[westcoastGT]

Ahah. You know what "They" all say: If you didn't get a pic or video, it didn't happen.

Well , I do like a challege so maybe I'll just have to find a pic to prove it then !!

 

[westcoastGT]

Sorry lads , the dealer returned the tires to Michelin for review , so far the new tires are fine though .

 

[capnsharpe]

I'm going in to have a set of Pilot 4S tires replaced tomorrow. ~3k miles in less than 6 months and the front driver tire is blistering. I'll try to remember to take a picture tomorrow morning.