dvdchance

I need to get some new tires for my 95 and I'm curious if the Michelins are still the number 1 choice among the forums knowledgable members?

Any other top contenders worth checking out? I live in the NJ area so top snow use isn't a must. I'd prefer a very quiet tire over performance as well.

Thanks for reading.

RA40

iTrader: (6)

These are pretty much the standard for an A/S tire, consistent year after year.

Tire Rack's reviews sum these up:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....l=Primacy+MXV4

If you want to consider alternatives:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/survey....jsp?type=GTAS

SW17LS

They're in the process of being phased out and replaced with the similar Premier A/S.

dvdchance

Besides costing about $40 more per tire, do the Premier have any noteworthy pluses over the MXV4's?

SW17LS

I doubt it. They actually have a little bit shallower tread. If buy the Primacy while you still can. The tire I would probably buy in that class though is the Pirelli Cinturato P7 Plus right now.

dvdchance

Thanks for the Pirelli recomendation. I read the reviews, saw the cheaper price and they are on the way. My first purchase via Tire Rack and a local installer.

Hoping all goes smooth as silk.

SW17LS

No problem! I'm planning on putting them on my GS too.

dvdchance

Just had the tires installed this morning. First impressions are very positive. Even before wear-in, I noticed an improved handling then what I had with the Coopers that were on the car. Also very quiet, was cruising the highway at 75 radio off and didn't hear a thing from them.

The Tire Rack direct to installer process was very smooth. I now wish I would have used them before. Great prices, a much larger selection of tires then available locally, sounds like my future tire source.

LScowboyLS

which is the best tire may depend more on what you seek in a tire - for example, I like quietness and ride above all else in an LS400, so in my case, I am not convinced that the Primacy's have any real competition, however if your main thing were something like high speed cornering, then a different tire, such as the Pirelli might be top choice.

johnnyg66

I used the V4's for a couple years but after awhile i felt they became a bit noisey i just switched to the Turanza Serenity Plus and the difference so far has been great. I think it corners better and the much more quiet. I will see how they are in a year or more.

But well worth the cost to me.

SW17LS

Conventional wisdom, I would agree...but if you look at the reviews and testing of these tires we're seeing a different story.

The P7 Plus is not a handling or cornering tire, its a grand touring tire. TireRack just completed a thorough test of 4 top selling grand touring tires...the Michelin Premier was one (the Primacy MXV4's replacement) alongside the Bridgestone Serenity and the Continental ContiPureContact. The winner when it came to ride and noise level was the Pirelli...and the loser when it came to handling was the Pirelli.

The results:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...y.jsp?ttid=188

mappo

Thanks for this! It looks like the Michelins are middle of the road performers in dry conditions but are better than everyone else on wet roads.

SW17LS

No problem. I've had many sets of the Michelins and never found them to be great traction tires, but the best attribute has always been a smooth quiet ride. I can't get the MXV4 on the GS, but it has the Primacy MXM4 which have about 33k miles on them and can probably do another 5-10k. Very smooth and quiet also. I likely will replace them with these P7 Plus Pirellis.

peterls

I just had new Michelin Primacy MXV4 installed and could not be happier. I am most concerned with grip in wet conditions because any tire will (hopefully) give decent performance in dry, but most accidents and troubles happen in wet. Since I started using Michelins years ago, I was always impressed with their handling and braking in wet - almost as good as in dry!

And as soon as I installed them, heavy rain hit Northern California. I had to drive all along HWY 5 in super-wet conditions and Primacy MXV4 were great.

Before MXV4 I used Michelin Pilot on my Integra, and those were unbelievably good too especially in emergency braking.

And while on this subject, a word of caution: do not use Falcen Ziex 912 under any circumstances. Those have such soft side walls that the only thing they are good for is stretching, otherwise, they are pure, unadulterated garbage good only for those with a death wish. Falcen is also terribly stupid tire which is both directional and symmetrical, but without markings which should be left and which one is right... so many cars have tires with same tread on both sides, which makes car pull to one side or another... just plain horrible. I bought used 16" wheels, and they came with Ziex 912 installed, brand new, and the experience was the worst ever. Never had a brand new tire be so bad, ever.

JacketJet

IMHO, the Michelin Primacy is the best tire for the LS400. They are currently installed on both of my LS400s. Mine are V-rated, but Michelin also makes an H-rated version which costs less than the V-rated.