Topic: Michelin all seasons need replacing: Options Please

[random006]

Hello all,

My trusty 2003 Sorento will be in need of new summer boots this year.  The stock Michelin Cross Terrain tires have finally come to the end of their time and tread.

The tires' details are:
-  (245/70/R16)
-  H speed rating

I like the Michelins quite a bit.  However, the cost of those tires was fairly high last time I checked.  As a result, I have a few questions I hope somebody could answer:

What would be my options in terms of the competition?

Of those options, do any of you have any feedback, be it positive or negative?

I remember that Kumho also supplied tires for that generation of Sorento.  Do they still make them?

Many thanks in advance.

[vdk]

I would get away from OEM tires.

[ktm525]

Michelin LTX m/s2

[tortoise]

^ x2  ^

I had the LTX M/S's and they're a great tire.

[airbalancer]

Since your in PQ why not some nice summer tires

[Allen]

what about a set of Hercules... with the correct pressure that is...

[mrthompson]

 

The wife's van has Hercules all season tires.  They are absolute garbage.  I no longer care about the tire pressure.    They will likely be replaced with Michelin Harmony.

[blur911]

Hello all,

My trusty 2003 Sorento will be in need of new summer boots this year.  The stock Michelin Cross Terrain tires have finally come to the end of their time and tread.

The tires' details are:
-  (245/70/R16)
-  H speed rating

I like the Michelins quite a bit.  However, the cost of those tires was fairly high last time I checked.  As a result, I have a few questions I hope somebody could answer:

What would be my options in terms of the competition?

Goodyear Assurance CS Fuel Max, if saving a bit of fuel is your thing. Should be priced a bit cheaper than the Michelins.

[EV Dan]

So do you need them to be strictly summer or all-season tires?

P.S. Among H-Rated all seasons CR gives the top spot to Michelin Primacy MXV4 and the third place (also recommended) to Nokian WR G2.

[random006]

Update:  I spoke to a few people, got quotes and of course did a little digging on my own.  After some deliberation, I went with Yokohama H/Ts G051 tires.  They are S rated, not H but they are fairly well regarded as 3-season tires, which is how I will use them. 

Most importantly, they are available in the correct size, something that quite a few of the quality tire companies could not provide.  As I am reusing my very nice OEM alloy rims, size DOES matter. 

I get them installed in just under two weeks.  I'll let the board know what I think of them.

[random006]

Well, the new Yokohama tires are on. So far the only driving I've done is to bring the car home but even that seemed smooth and quiet. 

I got a good price too.  They were $175 each but I received a $15 per tire discount onsite and another $15 per tire coming to me via a mail-in rebate.

The real test will be in the coming months as we head off for two vacations:  one long weekend in the Laurentians and a longer trip to PEI.

[safristi]

The wife's van has Hercules all season tires.  They are absolute garbage.  I no longer care about the tire pressure.    They will likely be replaced with Michelin Harmony.

...

  You are replacing your wife with Michelle Harmony............ ..

[random006]

So far, so good.  The Yokos are indeed quiet as advertised and if anything, offer a smoother ride than did the Michelins.  They don't seem to have any serious impact on fuel economy so far, although I am aware that a few people have said the economy numbers might worsen.  I'll know more when May rolls around; I'm participating in a fun road rally organized by some friends.  We'll see how it all goes.


Oh and just for Saffy, the obligatory pun:
"You're using Yokos!  Oh no!"

[random006]

OK, time for that update I promised.

As mentioned, I used to have a set of Michelin Cross Terrain tires, which were the OEM set.  A great set, with good mileage and an extremely long life, they finally had had their day.  Their specs were 245 / 70 / R16 H.  The full sized Michelin spare is still in excellent shape so it was not replaced.

I ended up buying a set of Yokohama H/Ts G051 all season tires.  The specs were the same except that they are "S" rated and not "H".  Finding "H" rated tires for that size of tire proved quite difficult, with only one possibility, a Bridgestone tire that would have cost more money and had mixed reviews.  Now that I've driven on them for over a thousand kilometers or so, I have noticed a few things.

Firstly, they are quiet, noticeably quieter than the Michelins they replaced.  Given that wind noise was always an issue with my car, anything that could be done to reduce the total noise level is most welcome.

The ride is quite smooth as well.  Grip is good, although there is a bit more spin on mixed surfaces (pavement with some dirt/gravel) from a dead stop with anything more than gradual acceleration.

Finally, there is the issue of mileage.  A few people who have bought this tire have noticed a drop in fuel economy.  I will add my voice to that number.  My fuel numbers have dropped a few percentage points, around 5% or so.  I don't know if the speed rating should have been an indicator of this issue or whether it is strictly due to the rubber compound but there it is.

I have a fair number of road trips planned over the next 3 months, including a return to PEI for a week by the ocean, so I will be putting these tires to the test for sure.

After that, the only remaining issue will be to see how they handle the road in colder temps prior to swapping them out for my winter tires.  Reviews for snow from other users were poor to average but it seemed that driving style had something to do with their experience.  As I use dedicated winter tires, I don't think I'll be seeing too much of this deficiency.