Michelin Pilot Sport 4
Discussion
They are incredible tyres, i ran PS4's on my previous 2 cars (mk5 golf r32 and golf r estate) and then i've now got PS4S on my current car (Lexus ISF). Both perform flawlessly, on the golfs the grip was just endless rain or shine, have to be a bit more refined in the Lexus in the wet though! They also seem to last a really long time as well, witchcraft really!
Whataguy said:
How are people finding the PS4's in the colder weather?
I currently have Crossclimate+ tyres which are generally great in most situations, but struggle with low speed acceleration in the wet (not always cold at the same time.)
I only have 180hp and 400Nm and it's an automatic so not huge performance but the main issue is getting traction in the wet up to 30mph.
They do better than most UHP Summers, but they can't work miracles when it's cold.I currently have Crossclimate+ tyres which are generally great in most situations, but struggle with low speed acceleration in the wet (not always cold at the same time.)
I only have 180hp and 400Nm and it's an automatic so not huge performance but the main issue is getting traction in the wet up to 30mph.
On the PS4 and PS4S, they both go off properly at ~2c; In the wet and cold I expect you'd have trouble, but certainly nothing too disasterous - They'll get you going without huge burnouts.
I have Pirellis on my 987.2 Cayman S. They are nasty, unpredictable and gripless at the moment. I had a similar Boxster S prior, fitted it with 4s's of same size. transformed the car.
I have also had them on my Golf 7.5r. Just fantastic performance from a road tyre. They were great for a visit paid to Spa and Nordschleife in August 2020 in damp conditions.
I cant wait for these horrible Pirellis to wear out, but unfortunately they still have at least 6mm on them. Seriously thinking of getting rid anyway as it might turn out to cheaper than keeping the wretched things, lol.
I have also had them on my Golf 7.5r. Just fantastic performance from a road tyre. They were great for a visit paid to Spa and Nordschleife in August 2020 in damp conditions.
I cant wait for these horrible Pirellis to wear out, but unfortunately they still have at least 6mm on them. Seriously thinking of getting rid anyway as it might turn out to cheaper than keeping the wretched things, lol.
Likewise. My i30N came on P Zeros and they are awful tyres. Only any good on a 30 degree day in the middle of August. When the first 2 burned out I changed them for Ps4s and put them on the back. Last two pirelli are trying to kill me now. Getting another 2 ps4s on Saturday so I'll be on a full set. Can't wait!
Whataguy said:
How are people finding the PS4's in the colder weather?
I currently have Crossclimate+ tyres which are generally great in most situations, but struggle with low speed acceleration in the wet (not always cold at the same time.)
I only have 180hp and 400Nm and it's an automatic so not huge performance but the main issue is getting traction in the wet up to 30mph.
They made a world of difference to our M140i which was previously running MPSSs. I currently have Crossclimate+ tyres which are generally great in most situations, but struggle with low speed acceleration in the wet (not always cold at the same time.)
I only have 180hp and 400Nm and it's an automatic so not huge performance but the main issue is getting traction in the wet up to 30mph.
Wear: I got about 24k miles out of my first pair of PS4 (225/40/r18 fronts, 150ps A3 1.4tfsi). For reference the AO fit Conti SportContact 5s that were on before lasted 30k.
Winter: They're not hugely different to other UHP summer tyres - grip on snow/ice with modern wide wheels is appalling, running on 0-5C dry roads feels greasy, above 7C they begin to get working and above 20C they improve again.
Dry performance: Really good. Feel a touch softer than the Contis, even when not new. They do give their best grip when nearly new but were an improvement over the contis over their whole life.
Wet performance: Astonishingly good, even when worn. It was here I noticed the biggest difference over the sportContact5s.
Comfort: Better than the contis, giving a little less feedback as a result (not that my car is great for that anyway).
Rolling resistance: No significant difference noticed.
Winter: They're not hugely different to other UHP summer tyres - grip on snow/ice with modern wide wheels is appalling, running on 0-5C dry roads feels greasy, above 7C they begin to get working and above 20C they improve again.
Dry performance: Really good. Feel a touch softer than the Contis, even when not new. They do give their best grip when nearly new but were an improvement over the contis over their whole life.
Wet performance: Astonishingly good, even when worn. It was here I noticed the biggest difference over the sportContact5s.
Comfort: Better than the contis, giving a little less feedback as a result (not that my car is great for that anyway).
Rolling resistance: No significant difference noticed.
I've had PS4s on my SLK320 since April 2019, covered 14000 miles so far and doing well, will probably change them for new PS4s in the summer. Still a bit of tread but I don't like to wear them right down.
Grip is amazing, best tyre I've used, especially for summer driving. Previously had Dunlop Sportmaxx, after changing to PS4s the SLK felt a lot quicker, plant your foot down and off it went!
Good in the rain, no aquaplaning but then again I don't do silly speeds in the rain. Bit slippy if you plant your foot but ok in winter mode (automatic).
Drove it in the snow followed by bad ice recently and again no issues, thought it'd be dreadful compared to the CLK 320 with Michelin Primacy 3's but it gripped better than the CLK!
Worth the price in my opinion, will buy again.
Grip is amazing, best tyre I've used, especially for summer driving. Previously had Dunlop Sportmaxx, after changing to PS4s the SLK felt a lot quicker, plant your foot down and off it went!
Good in the rain, no aquaplaning but then again I don't do silly speeds in the rain. Bit slippy if you plant your foot but ok in winter mode (automatic).
Drove it in the snow followed by bad ice recently and again no issues, thought it'd be dreadful compared to the CLK 320 with Michelin Primacy 3's but it gripped better than the CLK!
Worth the price in my opinion, will buy again.
Do these really wear that slowly? I went through 3 sets of Goodyears in 14k miles on my Evo when I first got it. I can't get 12k from the fronts ( Michelins ) on my work Ford Connect! I drive as quickly as is reasonable, and try to avoid wheelspin etc, but people saying 24k from a set of fronts an a FWD car with reasonable performance on offer seems impossible to me. Surely if you exploit the performance of the car and the benefits of having the best tyre available it can't happen. Or can it?
It also begs the question, if they're driving gently enough to manage that, what difference would they really notice on supposedly inferior tyres? I can see that reads as argumentative, it's not meant to be, it's a genuine question. What I mean is, in order to get that sort of mileage out of tyres, are you asking much of them in the first place?
Is anyone driving consistently hard on different brands of tyres and able to say that the Michelins are worth the extra? I'm happy to pay the difference, as long as I can feel the difference. As it stands I get everything I need from Goodyears, at least on the road. It's a lot to spend if they aren't noticeably better. At least it is in the sizes I'd need them.
Lots of questions, sorry!
It also begs the question, if they're driving gently enough to manage that, what difference would they really notice on supposedly inferior tyres? I can see that reads as argumentative, it's not meant to be, it's a genuine question. What I mean is, in order to get that sort of mileage out of tyres, are you asking much of them in the first place?
Is anyone driving consistently hard on different brands of tyres and able to say that the Michelins are worth the extra? I'm happy to pay the difference, as long as I can feel the difference. As it stands I get everything I need from Goodyears, at least on the road. It's a lot to spend if they aren't noticeably better. At least it is in the sizes I'd need them.
Lots of questions, sorry!
I think they're great. Good grip in all conditions, excellent aquaplaning resistance, excellent wear rate. Yeah they cost, but not that much different to 1.5 sets of Uniroyal Rainsports to cover the equivalent mileage. And the PS4s are better in more conditions.
Only wish I could get them in a size to fit my E30 too for wet/changeable trackdays! Sadly not.
Only wish I could get them in a size to fit my E30 too for wet/changeable trackdays! Sadly not.
Heaveho said:
Is anyone driving consistently hard on different brands of tyres and able to say that the Michelins are worth the extra? I'm happy to pay the difference, as long as I can feel the difference. As it stands I get everything I need from Goodyears, at least on the road. It's a lot to spend if they aren't noticeably better. At least it is in the sizes I'd need them.
I've mainly used Goodyears/Bridgestones/Toyos over the years on the performance cars I've had. I did really love the Eagle F1's(DS2/3) that I had on my 200SX, but I'd still give the overall edge to the Michelin PS4 though. Goodyears are still a cracking tyre for me though. I'm really happy with the PS4 overall on my 370Z/Cooper S for sure.
Deep Thought said:
Whataguy said:
How are people finding the PS4's in the colder weather?
I currently have Crossclimate+ tyres which are generally great in most situations, but struggle with low speed acceleration in the wet (not always cold at the same time.)
I only have 180hp and 400Nm and it's an automatic so not huge performance but the main issue is getting traction in the wet up to 30mph.
They made a world of difference to our M140i which was previously running MPSSs. I currently have Crossclimate+ tyres which are generally great in most situations, but struggle with low speed acceleration in the wet (not always cold at the same time.)
I only have 180hp and 400Nm and it's an automatic so not huge performance but the main issue is getting traction in the wet up to 30mph.
As an all round road tyre, I found them to be a significant upgrade from the OE MPSS on the M140i. Just as good in the warm. Night and day better in the cold.
Heaveho said:
Do these really wear that slowly? I went through 3 sets of Goodyears in 14k miles on my Evo when I first got it. I can't get 12k from the fronts ( Michelins ) on my work Ford Connect! I drive as quickly as is reasonable, and try to avoid wheelspin etc, but people saying 24k from a set of fronts an a FWD car with reasonable performance on offer seems impossible to me. Surely if you exploit the performance of the car and the benefits of having the best tyre available it can't happen. Or can it?
It also begs the question, if they're driving gently enough to manage that, what difference would they really notice on supposedly inferior tyres? I can see that reads as argumentative, it's not meant to be, it's a genuine question. What I mean is, in order to get that sort of mileage out of tyres, are you asking much of them in the first place?
Is anyone driving consistently hard on different brands of tyres and able to say that the Michelins are worth the extra? I'm happy to pay the difference, as long as I can feel the difference. As it stands I get everything I need from Goodyears, at least on the road. It's a lot to spend if they aren't noticeably better. At least it is in the sizes I'd need them.
Lots of questions, sorry!
I don't think I'd get 24K from them - But I've done about 12K, and am looking at 3-4mm all round (With tyre rotation) - That's quick road driving, motorway and a couple of limit handling days - Hopefully I'll see around 15K in all.It also begs the question, if they're driving gently enough to manage that, what difference would they really notice on supposedly inferior tyres? I can see that reads as argumentative, it's not meant to be, it's a genuine question. What I mean is, in order to get that sort of mileage out of tyres, are you asking much of them in the first place?
Is anyone driving consistently hard on different brands of tyres and able to say that the Michelins are worth the extra? I'm happy to pay the difference, as long as I can feel the difference. As it stands I get everything I need from Goodyears, at least on the road. It's a lot to spend if they aren't noticeably better. At least it is in the sizes I'd need them.
Lots of questions, sorry!
In terms of price, I'd actually say you can get michelins cheaper than other brands - There's often the buy several, get £50 - 100 cashback from various retailers (Michelin themselves run the promotion, as do retailers like costco and camskill) - Kwikfit have 20% off at the moment - So It ends up being an excellent choice.
I have a full set of PS4 17" 245/45/17 on my E500 estate. They are very good and comfortable.
Then again, the Falken FK510s that I replaced were excellent, too.
The Continental ContiSport 5(?) that I had proper to them were also really good.
I enjoy driving quickly and have run all of the tyres to the top speed of the vehicle and in different conditions all over Europe, with different payloads too.
Does the price difference for the Michelin over the Falken reflect a quality difference? I haven't run the Michelin long enough to ascertain consistency over the life of the tyres (13,000 vs 4,000 miles), but whilst it feels good to have the premium tyres and they have the premium sidewalls too, the answer is no. They are marginally better and since I can afford them then why not. But the Falken are really well made and perfectly adequate for the road.
Then again, the Falken FK510s that I replaced were excellent, too.
The Continental ContiSport 5(?) that I had proper to them were also really good.
I enjoy driving quickly and have run all of the tyres to the top speed of the vehicle and in different conditions all over Europe, with different payloads too.
Does the price difference for the Michelin over the Falken reflect a quality difference? I haven't run the Michelin long enough to ascertain consistency over the life of the tyres (13,000 vs 4,000 miles), but whilst it feels good to have the premium tyres and they have the premium sidewalls too, the answer is no. They are marginally better and since I can afford them then why not. But the Falken are really well made and perfectly adequate for the road.
Edited by bolidemichael on Friday 8th January 00:14
Shiv_P said:
Hello chaps
About to replace 235/45/18 existing PS4s on my Mondeo with another set. Where has good offers on at the moment?
As per the Kwikfit thread, Best I've found searching around at the moment is Kwikfit suprisingly! 15% off, and some free (crap) wireless earbuds too.About to replace 235/45/18 existing PS4s on my Mondeo with another set. Where has good offers on at the moment?
Heaveho said:
Do these really wear that slowly? I went through 3 sets of Goodyears in 14k miles on my Evo when I first got it. I can't get 12k from the fronts ( Michelins ) on my work Ford Connect! I drive as quickly as is reasonable, and try to avoid wheelspin etc, but people saying 24k from a set of fronts an a FWD car with reasonable performance on offer seems impossible to me. Surely if you exploit the performance of the car and the benefits of having the best tyre available it can't happen. Or can it?
It also begs the question, if they're driving gently enough to manage that, what difference would they really notice on supposedly inferior tyres? I can see that reads as argumentative, it's not meant to be, it's a genuine question. What I mean is, in order to get that sort of mileage out of tyres, are you asking much of them in the first place?
Is anyone driving consistently hard on different brands of tyres and able to say that the Michelins are worth the extra? I'm happy to pay the difference, as long as I can feel the difference. As it stands I get everything I need from Goodyears, at least on the road. It's a lot to spend if they aren't noticeably better. At least it is in the sizes I'd need them.
Lots of questions, sorry!
No these are all really valid and interesting points to my mind. Personally I'm intrigued to see what difference that sort of tyre (PS4) makes. I've loved Eagle F1's in the past, and even when my last car was on super high miles I put a full set of Toyo Proxes CF2's on which were also great once they'd bedded in. Tyres are a big decision for me. It's usually around 18 months of driving a car on them which if they're crap really effects the joy of driving. Yes it could well be that unless you're pushing the limit then you don't really discover the ability of a tyre over something more mid range. Or is it that you get more positive results regardless? In both cases, in an extreme situation if something went wrong on a road I would like to think I'd be utilising that upper bandwidth of a tyre, and I'd feel like I'd been responsible. It also begs the question, if they're driving gently enough to manage that, what difference would they really notice on supposedly inferior tyres? I can see that reads as argumentative, it's not meant to be, it's a genuine question. What I mean is, in order to get that sort of mileage out of tyres, are you asking much of them in the first place?
Is anyone driving consistently hard on different brands of tyres and able to say that the Michelins are worth the extra? I'm happy to pay the difference, as long as I can feel the difference. As it stands I get everything I need from Goodyears, at least on the road. It's a lot to spend if they aren't noticeably better. At least it is in the sizes I'd need them.
Lots of questions, sorry!
That's sort of why I was asking about longevity, to ascertain if regardless of driving benefits I would benefit in an everyday usage scenario. Also slight vanity, also for fun. I've had loads of sets of Eagle F1's, so if I were to have a change, I wouldn't want to go backwards, or even sideways ; )
But you raise some interesting points for sure
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