Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 vs Max Performance Summer

[Yoniyama]

The Michelin Premier A/S provides adequate snow performance, although it is not as sticky (in warm, dry surface) as the Pilot Sport A/S 3.

The best all-season high performance tyre is probably the Continental Extreme Contact DW06, which is also ok in light snow, and it is in the same class as the Pilot Sport A/S3.

You may check out the performance tests at Tirerack.

[jmark]

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests...y.jsp?ttid=216

[ApexEight]

My 2 cents: I have 225/45 Pirelli P Zero All Season Pluses on my stock wheels right now, and while they're a good tire, they are simply not sporty enough, and they beat out the A/S 3+ overall in the review linked above. The Michellins should be a touch sportier, but I've decided Max or even Extreme Summer is my next move. I think people should consider the Conti ExtremeContact Sport. They've been getting rave reviews and seem to be PSSs but cheaper. I've also had the Hankook v12 evo2s on another car and was not impressed at all. Soft sidewalls are a no go for me. I may just jump to 200 TW though. The Falken RT615K+s are attractive at their price while still offering somewhat acceptable road manners.

[churchx]

ApexEight: imho MPS4 fits bill of "PSS but cheaper" closer

[ApexEight]

Originally Posted by churchx

ApexEight: imho MPS4 fits bill of "PSS but cheaper" closer

Having a hard time finding them in our size online. How much do 215 and 225/45s go for?

[Vital]

Originally Posted by ApexEight

Having a hard time finding them in our size online. How much do 215 and 225/45s go for?

That tire is only available in 18-20" tire size for now. Other countries have them in 17" i think i could be wrong. It'll be a while before we start seeing the 17" tire size here in the States.

[Zentec]

Well I can't speak for snow as I live in the desert but with my high temps out here I got the conti extream contact dw 225/45/17. I love them it has rained out here and grip is awesome in dry and wet. I have had them on since march of this year. I really like the weight my steering has and fed back is excellent as well. I have not seen a track day yet though, but the comfort is really nice and hardly any noise. With the price deal I got on it I could not pass it up as my tire store beat the tire rack price.

[churchx]

Originally Posted by ApexEight

Having a hard time finding them in our size online. How much do 215 and 225/45s go for?

Don't mistake MPS4S with MPS4. Former really has very limited sizing options available, but later should come even at more sizes then MPSS. At least michelin themselves claim that it should be on par with MPSS in dry performance (with slight loss at one of the tests), but increased wet performance, better wear/longer lasting, cheaper and wider sizing choice.
For comparison MPSS 215/45R17 around 120eur, MPS4 of same size ~ 110. MPS4 225/45R17 - 80eur. No MPSS of that size here though.

[LotsaMiles]

Originally Posted by JazzleSAURUS

I hate to break it to ya! You will not be happy with the A/S3's if you're doing a direct comparison to the PSS. The PSS is a really fantastic summer tire, the A/S3 is a good summer oriented all season.

As someone who runs RE71R's and S-04's on my cars, if I considered stepping down to something more tame than the S-04 it would likely be the V12 because they are so inexpensive, and run them at a slightly higher pressure to gain back some of the stiff sidewall.

I do hope they work out for you though!

I just had them put on at costco. You are absolutely right. I've lost the "slot car" feel. At very low speed it is fine, but when I'm doing 70 and do hard turns it just sloshes around.

Sh**!

What is comical is that I read a review comparing them to Conti's and some other brand and they considered them to be the ones with almost "too" sharp a feel in turning. Meh...

One of my concerns was wear. I suppose if I get decent wear out of them, that will be some consolation. Also, I drive in three or four cold months (the coldest one I reserve for my xB). They should be better for that.

Also, I've kinda gotten over the whole thing anyway. I've lived, on a daily basis for over four years, the kind of driving most sports car enthusiasts only dream of. I tend to change hobbies every decade or so anyway, and this one has kind of run its course. Drifting has become almost boring. I've even toyed with selling the car and using my wife's iA for commuting and getting her something nicer for her use. I'm ashamed to say that out loud, though.

We'll see if I get used to the Buick feel.

[LotsaMiles]

One thing that really irritates me, though, is that I read a LOT of stuff all over the internet from professionals and just regular guys who actually compared these to the PSS's and there were never any comments pointing out this very thing. None. Nada. All of them were in the vein of the PSS's might handle a little better. But this is night and day. It's Mustang vs Porsche. It's Tri-Tip vs Kobe Beef.

i.e. it is NOT subtle.

[LotsaMiles]

Originally Posted by jmark

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests...y.jsp?ttid=216

From the article regarding the Michelins:
"The immediate steering response we found on the street translated to the track,"

That is baloney. They have a grossly different definition of "immediate" than I do.

I put those 3+'s on my car today, replacing PSS's, and my slot car is now a Buick. Pffffth!

[LotsaMiles]

Originally Posted by ApexEight

My 2 cents: I have 225/45 Pirelli P Zero All Season Pluses on my stock wheels right now, and while they're a good tire, they are simply not sporty enough, and they beat out the A/S 3+ overall in the review linked above. The Michellins should be a touch sportier, but I've decided Max or even Extreme Summer is my next move. I think people should consider the Conti ExtremeContact Sport. They've been getting rave reviews and seem to be PSSs but cheaper. I've also had the Hankook v12 evo2s on another car and was not impressed at all. Soft sidewalls are a no go for me. I may just jump to 200 TW though. The Falken RT615K+s are attractive at their price while still offering somewhat acceptable road manners.

You and I seem to be on the same page on this. If I could do it over again, I'd be PSS until the car hits the junkyard. It gives the grip and feel of Potenza RE11A's, but with significantly better rain traction, and last almost twice as long for about the same price. It's a no brainer.

These a/s 3+'s are supposed to have a quick response. I supposed compared to an 85 series tire on a Camry they do.

[LotsaMiles]

Originally Posted by JazzleSAURUS

As someone who runs RE71R's and S-04's on my cars, if I considered stepping down to something more tame than the S-04 it would likely be the V12 because they are so inexpensive, and run them at a slightly higher pressure to gain back some of the stiff sidewall.

I do hope they work out for you though!

I ran a set of RE71R's (my fourth set of tires on the car) and loved the handling, but they growled like off road tires and only lasted 9,500 miles. And when you put 150 miles a day on your car, that goes by too fast.

[why?]

try pumping up the air pressure, that should help some. The max cold pressure should be printed on the side of the tire, try that first.