Hey All,

I just wanted to tap into this resource and see if anyone had any Michelin recommendations. I'm running low on my stock tires and am almost ready to make the hop to something better.

I'm running everything stock so the default wheel size applies here. Anyone have any good recommendations having used their tires for a while now?

I'm driving in Northern California. Lots of highways and streets. No snow.

Thanks!

 

If you're not opposed to BFG (owned by Michelin), the G-Force Comp2 is a nice tire. I had the Comp2 Sport and now running the Comp2 A/S. Sport is a summer only tire.

 

Thanks for the suggestion!

Can you elaborate on the summer tire thing? I don't drive in snow and the California weather is pretty moderate. Any harm in just using the sport versions all year long?

Faster wear? Bad in rain?

 

I'm in Monterey, California and I never drive in the snow or ice. I'm on my second set of Michelin Pilot Super Sports and I love them. They are good in the rain, good dry, first set wore quite well despite some of my cliffhanger cornering exploits. I got 39,000 miles on the first set which is much better than I expected. If you get them when Michelin has a $70 off deal going, you can get a good deal. The cornering borders on fantastic for my MCS 2010 Camden. I used to juggle the pressures differently between front and rear but finally settled on 30 psi all around and it works fine.

 

Summer tires have not only better dry traction but better wet. If temps around you never drop below 40°F, summer tires will outperform all seasons and last as long.

More grip means not just more fun but shorter stopping distances and improved evasive ability.

Bottom line: they're safer!

All-season tires sound great but they are great at nothing instead of good at something.

I live in Massachusetts and run summers from April to November and winters from December to march.

 

From various tire posts:

All Season tire:

Tend to provide ride comfort, handling, and other performance attributes suitable for most drivers.
Performs in wet / dry conditions
Moderate tread depth
Longer tread life
Acceptable performance in light winter conditions
Capable of providing traction in winter

All-season tires perform well in warm weather, but they may offer less grip than summer tires, sacrificing some steering, braking, and cornering capabilities. This trade off is necessary for all-season tires to be able to provide acceptable performance in light winter conditions and provide longer tread life.

Because all-season tires offer a blend of summer and winter performance, they are often a good option for drivers in moderate climates and driving conditions.

Summer tires:

Improved speed and agility
Increased cornering and braking capability
Less grooving
Maximum road holding performance
Better performance in wet driving conditions


If you're seeking replacement tires that will increase traction on wet and damp roads, switch from your original-equipment all-season tires to summer tires. The opposite is true, too. If your performance car, all-wheel drive or not, is terrible in the snow, the fault can almost certainly traced to its summer tires.

When looking for summer tires to replace not-so-grippy all-season tires, see if the maker of your original tires offers a summer tire with the same model name, but without the A/S (all-season) suffix. That's your best bet. If your car came with summer tires and you fear getting caught in a snow shower, you're in luck if the maker of your original equipment tires produces an all-season version of that model.

The difference in treadlife can be quite large since many all-season tires can routinely see 60,000 miles of treadlife. With mostly highway driving, it's even more likely you'll see longer wear. On the other hand, most summer tires are more in the neighborhood of 20,000-25,000 miles.

The most noticeable performance difference is typically the slower steering response that all-season tires have compared to summer tires. The plus side of the softer sidewalls of all-season tires is a softer, more comfortable ride, and of course, much longer treadwear.

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So you bought that sports car and never once thought about the round black pieces of rubber that wrapped those pretty wheels. You didn't even get 20 thousand miles! That was disappointing.

It's time to evaluate what the right tires are. The summer tires that you want grip well, but you are going from parking garage to parking garage in downtown New York and barely ever see speeds over 45 miles an hour. Why buy the tire with the most grip and high performance levels with only 15-20k in treadlife? In this case, it probably doesn’t make sense.

One of many ways to determine which tires are for you.

1: How hard do I drive? If you drive like you stole it, then check A, otherwise check B.
2: How many miles do you drive? If it is less than 12,000 a year check A, otherwise check B.
3: How cold does it get where I drive? Greater than 45, check A, otherwise check B.

If you have more As than Bs, summer tires could be a good option.
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Personally, I wanted longer mileage between tire replacement and snow does drop in my area in the winter. I have a 4x4 when I need it but the MCS likes to play in a little bit of snow too.