I have a 2012 stock Coupe S. No snow driving here but gets cold 2 months a year below 220 degrees.Need help here, need tires, both priced the same. I drive her hard mostly curves, mountains but 40 highway. want quiet and at least 24k miles before replacement, but want to feel as if i am on rails. Much difference in these two tires. I have read the P3 are loud .

 

Same price?

205/45-17
Pilot Super Sport $166 30k treadwear warranty
Pilot Sport A/S 3 $139 45k treadwear warranty
TireRack.com

I reviewed the A/S 3 on my 2014 Roadster S:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...hing-well.html

 

If temp gets to 22 degrees then you need and all season tire.

Assuming you have stock suspension and 17x7" wheels then in 215/45-17-

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/survey...wws=N&showcm=N

Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 for $148, 500 treadwear.

This tire size will give you a slightly taller sidewall for more comfort than OEM 205/45-17 and it will fit with no rubbing.

Tirerack test results-
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...y.jsp?ttid=177

The basic difference is that the Pilot Super Sport is the tire of choice for street performance in both dry or wet, handling or comfort. But it can be costly, is for warm weather and wears faster.

Pilot Sport A/S 3 gives up some handling for longer treadlife and three season use in sizes that fit the MINI whether in 15" to 17" sizes.

Note that for those on a budget, there is also another Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 in High Performance All Season tire class.

215/45-17 $128 each, V speed rated, 500 treadler.

This V speed rated tire is fine for either Cooper or Cooper S for street duty. The UHP All Season version has a higher speed rating to handle heat generated by high speeds.

 

I have same price for both, $670 installed with a $60 rebate if I charge them, 215/45-17. How will below freezing affect the SSP?

 

I have two sets of wheels on the GP2. AS3 for winter and PSS for the other three seasons. If I had only one set for driving all year round, it would be the AS3.

The AS3 (Y rated version) ride and handle great, there is very little compromise when compared to the PSS.

 

The compound of PSS would become very firm, and would not grip. The grip begins to roll off at 45 degrees. If you asked for more grip from the tire, other than rolling down the road, you wouldn't have it.

 

You use the A/S 3 for a winter tire? It look like most people recommend them as 3 season tires.

This begs the question, where are you located and what are your winters like?

 

I believe JackMac is in the Philly area according to his location and signature. The A/S 3 tires are considered an All Season Ultra High performance tire. So you can use them for winter. But I personally wouldn't. I run Michelin X-Ice, as we can get quite a bit of snow and the temps drop to -20 at times and I'd really prefer to run a good snow tire over an all season.

 

the A/S 3 is my spring/summer/fall tire.

Bridgestone Blizzaks for winter cause new england is a crazy place

 

Rarely does it get in the teens and normally not below freezing during the day , only maybe two/three months a year. Want the PSS but afraid after hearing you guys I need the AS# I live in the North Ga Mountains and like to push her to the limits on the fantastic mountain roads. Is 45 degrees the magic number for these tires to loose grip?

 

When I had Bridgestone S-03 tires, the rubber would get hard like a hockey puck and
the grip would be significantly less about at about 35-40F. The Dunlop SportMaxx I
had next and the Conti DW I have now don't really get too bad until it gets under 30F.
Not sure about the PSS as I've never had them (they don't come in a 16" size), but
maybe someone else can chime in. I'd be surprised if they didn't grip at least as well
as an All Season or Winter tire at 35F or higher.

 

The magic number is achieved when it has been warm enough long enough to melt snow, frost, and ice on bridges and on shaded roadways. Neither the tread nor rubber compound of summer tires is designed to cope with such conditions. In freezing temperatures the rubber of some summer tires will crack even if the car is not being driven.

"Summer tires are not designed for (sic) to be used during the winter season where temperatures are colder and approach freezing consistently as their performance would be less than optimal." michelinman.com

"While Pilot Super Sport tires are designed to allow sports cars, sporty coupes, performance sedans and supercars to achieve their full potential in dry and wet conditions, like all summer tires they are not intended to be driven in near-freezing temperatures, through snow or on ice." tirerack.com

search "summer tires in snow" on youtube.

 

Anytime weather is near freezing it is too cold for any Summer tire.

 

I'm near Philadelphia. The GP2 isn't driven in snow, I just use the AS3 to handle the colder winter temps. My wife's car has Blizzak LM-60's for snow or extreme cold

All tires represent a compromise, and none are going to be perfect all year round (unless you live near San Diego LOL!). Just giving some perspective to the original question of Michelin PSS vs AS3 since I run both on the same car.

Ideally, you need two sets (at least) to handle the different seasons. If you can only have one, then this AS3 is a good choice.

 

Two at least indeed. I know autocrossers that have as many as four sets of tires they use in street classes depending on weather, temperature, and road surface. And those are all summer street tires. A minimum of two sets are needed for dry and wet days.

Winter tires? Would those be performance/winter, studdless ice and snow, or studdable winter/snow? Runflat or non? How about chains? You can have all wheel drive on winter tires and get turned away from passing through the Sierra Nevada mountains on Interstate 80 if you don't have chains when an R-3 chain requirement level is in effect.

Formula One has two dry and two wet sets of tires at every race.

All seasons are jack of all trades and master of none? Catchy saying. Every tire is a compromise and none more than a temporary master of anything soon to be replaced by something better. And we've apparently been messing with latex additives to produce rubber since at least 1600bc.

 

I <3 my as3's all year

 

On the fence between the PSS and PS AS3. I run snows and have AWD.
I want stiff, responsive, grippy tires (braking and lateral performance). I was sold on the PSS. Second guessing myself. What is the life difference? I realize the 30k v 45k "warranty" but I've never got close to that number. Usually I've for about 25k out of the "UHP" all seasons.

 

I may never get different set of tires again! I absolutely love my PSS tires!

 

I'm in the same boat. I have a set of A/S 3's sitting in my garage. Given its late March in New England they're ready to replace my snows. I absolutely love the A/S 3's they're everything as advertised and then some.

BUT I'm stalling because I can't decide if I want a set of PSS's. If I go that route I'll have to wait until at least early May since temps in the 30's and 40's least until then occasionally. And swap em again in October/November. The AS 3's are awesome because you can drive them in cold/wet weather with almost no drop off in performance.

To anyone with PSS's. Are they significantly better than AS 3's in summer or just subtlety better? I

 

I've never noticed a performance difference when wet. At about 40-50* I swap out to snow's so I'm not sure how cold you're talking but I've been very happy with that procedure so far!

 

I have PSS and they are pretty awesome, but don't expect to get more than 15k on a new set. Mine are about dead at 11k.

 

As mentioned earlier in the thread, I alternate seasonally between PSS and AS/3 on a GP2. During the time of year when making the swap (late fall and early spring) you hardly notice the difference. When the temps move more to extreme hot or cold is when the performance will differentiate between the two. For daily driving, most owners won't notice much difference. For harder cornering, summer driving, and occasional track days, the PSS is going to be better suited.

There are definitely more aggressive performance tire options if you step up into the Extreme Performance Summer Tire category. I'm just not a fan of the compromises that requires, and prefer the Max Performance Michelin PSS.

Just depends on your plans and needs and climate.

 

What sort of tread life have you got on each of these?

 

If you are educated and resourceful enough to own snow tires, there is no excuse for compromising your summer traction.
PSS (or better) all the way!

All my fun cars ride on PSS's in the summer, Blizzak's in the winter.
I switch between them around the time when temps permanently climb/drop above/below freezing through early morning when I pull out of the garage.

"Warranty" and wear "ratings" are irrelevant to me.
If you want your performance car to handle at it's best, get the best tire for the job!
In above freezing temps, it's PSS > AS3. No contest.

If you have to go with one 4-season tire, or drive through areas that see freezing through most of the year (Alaska, mountains), go with AS3.

More data here:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...y.jsp?ttid=174
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...y.jsp?ttid=177

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Following this conversation pretty closely. Looking at getting out of my snow shoes (Pirelli Soto II RFT 205/55r17) and into some spring/summer/fall rubber.

I am selling my stock Conti ProContact SSR's (205/55r17) to go a little wider and hopefully a bit tackier...

Torn between the AS3 and the PSS (in 225/50r17). I will drive some dirt but spending 90% of the driving on the tarmac. Is 10% dirt worth getting the AS3?

Colorado can be tough on temp, check it out.



Snows come off around mid April here in Colorado for me.

Thoughts? Just drive the PSS and shut up?!