Tires, PSS or S-04, is there a real difference?
 

Everyone seems to love Michelin Pilot Super Sports, but the Bridgestone S-04 has better pricing. Main difference seems to be weight: S-04's are 3 pounds (15 pct) heavier. In testing, MPSS seems somewhat better than the S-04, but the differences in measurements are small, <5%.

So in the real world? Does the weight make a difference in the FR-S? Is there a difference in driving feel?

Summary:

why those two tires in particular? also, i dont think weight is as important as people make out. neither one of those tires is in the top tier street tire class

PSS are #1 rated tire on Tire Rack, they also won the Car and Driver tire shootout a few months ago. Reading good things about BFG Rivals and RE11A's now.

If you're not using them for some sort of competition etc, then go w/ the S-04s in this case. My .02

I have super sports and i really like them, for whatever it's worth i decided it was worth it to spend the extra $200 on what's probably the best all around tire out right now.

They also double the treadwear rating of the top tires in the class.

Ratings on Tire Rack are just about the most worthless numbers in the world. Go read the reviews accompanying them. These people are idiots.

IMO, PSS are overpriced. If you want a good, sticky tire, look at what the autox guys are running. Rivals, RS3, etc. RS3s are going to be the best bang for your buck. If you want a higher treadwear rating, you're basically choosing life over sticky. Up to you at that point.

PSS gives the best all around driving experience. It is very balanced..there is a reason why TRD recommended these for street use...its because they don't compromise the feeling of the car while having a very decent amount of grip. You can still slide the car mid corner if youre heavy on throttle which is good fun on the right occasion.

I don't really understand how PSS are overpriced..they are cheap as hell.

Scratch overpriced. I'd still rather have one of these.

they dont double the treadwear. i think they are close enough that treadwear ratings can probably be tossed out the window. if not, why not stick with the 240 treadwear primacys? it looks like the rivals are lasting a long time for the rating they have.

Treadwear numbers only matter within a single manufacturer.

-alex

I would really just get the Dunlop Z2s, or if you want a little nicer dd tire maybe the Bridgestone RE-11A/Yoko AD08.

This. Treadwear ratings are only to judge different tires from a single manufacturers range.

I disagree. How well do the S-04s perform in the wet? The PSS still have a 30,000 mile street warranty versus none for the S-04s. I know every time I am out in the rain, I am glad I am on my PSS. I think they are well worth an extra $160 a set.

Have you ever driven an RS3 at speed in the rain? They are down right scary. If you choose those over PSS for a street driven car, then you are basically choosing slight grip advantage in the dry over life.

My pss's. Are awesome

I think the different answers are really based on what people are looking for. The stickier stuff the auto-x guys are running are because those are basically the stickiest stuff they can run in class. There are also street legal R-comps that are even faster. So, if you want ultimate grip, that's the way to go. For non-competition tires, just plain having fun on the street with a still high-grip summer tire, the PSS is certainly at or near the top. I was going to get them when they were on special at Tire Rack in June. I waited just a little to long, they went back up in price, and the S-04's went on special. So, I saved something like $250 or so for the set going with the Bridgetsones. I'm still very happy with them, as they are such a giant leap over stock. The PSS may be just a tiny bit better, but I haven't driven them on the same type of car, so I don't have my own data. I think you can't go wrong either way if you want a great summer tire that you aren't going to compete with.

Mike

In shopping for 235/40-18 tires I found Hankook Ventus S1 noble2 to be the lightest at 22lbs and PSS next lightest at 23lbs but the Hankooks are quite less expensive. Granted, they won't grip as well as PSS and it should be easier to break traction in them. They have that similar characteristic as stock of comfortably "dancing" on the limit of grip for some driving fun but I feel more confident/aware of what's going on with the wider track (moreso than stock and when I had Advan S.4 225/45-17).