joelv

I know this topic may have come up in the past but I just wanted to get thoughts from users of both tires. I am looking to replace the tires on my 2013 GS350 RWD with 235/45R18 tires and am between the Premier A/S tire and the Pilot Sport A/S 3+. the main concerns to me are longevity, durability, and wet traction. I've heard good things about the Pilot Sports as they have good dry and wet traction. The premiers seem to be a touring tire with a more soft ride. Longevity wise the Premier has a 60k treadwear warranty but with 8.5/32" of tread and the pilot sport a/s 3+ has 45k mile treawear warranty but with a full 10/32" tread. Does a softer tire result in more premature treadwear? FWIW I also drive aroudn 20k miles a year so a tire that can last me longer would be preffered.

Price wise both are within a few dollars of each other but is there a more preferred option among GS350 users? I've also seen several use the Continental Cinturato P7 but right now the Michelins seem to offer good value at my local Costco.

bob256k

Get the Pilot AS3+ if you want handling in an all season tire, i have them and love them

er34

Can't go wrong with either.

If you are prioritize tread wear, the premier a/s is a good choice. It's maintains better wet performance as it wears down. I have them on my wife's car and they ride very good and handles well even after 4 summers on them(we run dedicated winters).

The PSAS is good as well, but for sure starts to suffer as you get past half life.

ThumbsUp

I have the A/S 3+ on the IS350 F-Sport. They replaced the Premier.

I think it comes down to your priorities and driving style. FOR ME, I realize that a tires primary job is to stick to the road. Of course, that has to be mitigated with some expectation of reasonable tire wear. Sticky tires come at a price; both off the rack and in replacement costs. Personally, I do not want a tire that last for 40, 50, 60, or 80,000 miles because with increased tire life comes decreased stick. It's all about compromise.

The A/S 3+ is a great compromise tire. The Premier is just too soft a tire for the sporting suspension you would be putting it on.

mmm def

I've had many sets of pilot a/s3+. Audi S3 and S4, bmw 330, is300. What a fantastic all around tire. You won't be disappointed.

joelv

Thank you all for the input and replies. Based on my personal driving characteristics and preferences I also think I would appreciate the handling of the Pilot A/S 3+ over the Premier. Also I realize that rarely do people actually get the total treadwear miles out of their tires.

joelv

Ended up putting the Pilot Sport A/S 3+ on my GS this weekend. Overall I am very happy with the handling of this tire. Excellent handling in wet. Follow up thought -- my local discount tire inflates tires to 37 psi regardless of the manufacturer's tire label on the car which says 33 psi all around. Is there an advantage/disadvantage to running a higher pressure? I live in Texas where we only get mild winters (40F is usually the chilliest it gets). I'd like to get the best treadlife out of this tire and don't want to over or underinflate.

peasodos

iTrader: (1)

Higher psi means smaller contact patch with the road and better mpg. On my 450h the tire pressure in the door is 35 psi.

flowrider

iTrader: (9)

^^^^Not True! Over inflation means a smaller contact patch. Correct inflation does not. 37 PSI is not over inflation. Higher PSI means a stiffer tire = better handling.

Lou

shadowx055

I wanted the AS 3+ after reading all the great reviews. However Costco only had the front tires for AS3+ so I got the Pilot Sport 4S instead. I didn't need the all season since Im in California. But overall very happy with the tires over the stock Potenzas and they've been great during rain.

ItzFilyO

How much did it cost u to get the 4S from Costco? The rear ones seem to be out of stock all the time.

shadowx055

it was $1424.46 total. I needed the tires ASAP so i couldn’t wait for the current promotion that is -110 ( $70 off tires and $40 off installation). I don’t remember the exact amount to each front and rear set, I’ll try to find the receipt and report back.

ItzFilyO

And those are OEM sizes right? Not plus sizes? That's not too bad for 1400, I paid America's Tire almost 1500 for just the AS3+ back in the day for my 14 GS with their warranty stuff and TPMS rebuild crap which I'll probably won't get again next time. Tires and install only that's it, if it ain't broke don't fix it.

flowrider

iTrader: (9)

Wow - I did 4S on my LC - 255/40/21 and 295/35/21 at Discount Tire for a total of $1405

Lou

joelv

Wow that means tire prices have come down quite a bit over the years. I paid around $800 after taxes for 4 Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ 235/45R18 98V mounted and installed. I got Discount tire to beat Costco's price (I also prefer the convenience of using them for rotations and flat repairs). I believe there was also a $70 Mail in rebate that may make it even cheaper. I didn't get the so called "certificates for replacement" because in my experience, the occurence of a non repairable hazard is very rare. Even so, if one tire required replacement, i would prefer to replace at least a pair or 4 at a time to avoid uneven tread - making me spend more for another tire anyways. I usually get nails in my tires within the repairable area and in the off chance it is not repairable, I will saddle up and just buy a new tire. Discount tire provides free flat repairs regardless of if you purchase their certificates or not. Costco's road hazard warranty looks a bit better on paper but I just dont trust the overall speed and efficiency of costco compared with discount tire.