I just got the MXV4 Primacy's in an H rating and I'm finding that they don't corner very well compared to my old Hankook's which were W rated. Do you think I should exchange them for MXV4 in a V rating? Will it make the handling any better?

 

A V rated tire will always handle better than an H rated tire. I thought the extra $10 - $20 a tire for the V rated Primacy tire is well worth it when I bought mine.

 

Thats what I was thinking, Stu. Although apparently I was coming from a performance tire - I found the exact one - Hankook Ventus V4 ES H105. They're WAY cheaper than the Michelin's and I felt a lot safer on bends in the road. They weren't too bumpy for me. I'm thinking maybe I should just go back to those since I liked the performance vs ride compromise. Thoughts? Any better alternatives that would give better grip like the Hankook's?

 

Every tire is less expensive than Michelin ! The Michelin Primacy in H or V rating is not a high performance tire ... I believe it a touring tire, designed for a smooth, quiet and comfortable ride.

If you want more grip and better steering response, you have lots of choices, but these tires will be louder, wear out faster, and won't be as smooth or as quiet as a touring tire like the Primacy

 

Good job Stu! The pilot series will handle better as it is their performance A/S tire with a lower wear rating. wish I had the dough to run winter P3's all the time and just replace em at 30k.

 

Manufacturers advise certain speed ratings on tires depending on what the top speed of the car is limited to. In this casea ls 430 is governed to 131 mph at the factory and thus the H tire rating. It is done for liability sake. The mid 90's Z28 camaro coupe was speed limited to 155 and the convertible to 118 same engine and drive train. Of course the drop top had T rated tires from the factory and the coupe had Z rated tires.

By the way if you ever see a new ls 460 in a showroom their is a sticker on the window stating "this car has high performance tires and they will last lless than 20000 miles

 

Thanks everyone. I had no idea this tire business was so critical to driving feel and also how stressful it is when you don't have the right tire (for you). I do like how the Primacy's are super smooth and quiet, but i'm just distressed enough in turns/bends in the road to not feel safe totally. Now I really feel like I am driving a land yacht whereas before I was shocked to get my LS and find it had good cornering ability - little did I know it was because the tires were high performance....I just thought it was the air suspension adapting...LOL.

I guess I'll look at the Pilot A/S's...they're rated well on tire rack and consumer reports. I can handle 30k in wear,,,for me that's like 2 yrs of driving. The Pilot's are warranteed for 45k miles actually. The Hankooks I had only made it 30k, but were half as much money, so they may be the way to go actually if Costco doesn't have Pilots at a reasonable price.

 

Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus 98H are great handling tires with long tread life and low noise. You can"t have it all with one tire, but this tire is the best I have found if you want long life and decent handling.

 

I have the Hankook Ventus V4 ES H105 on my G35 Coupe. You can't beat the price and they do handle well for a cheap High performance tire. The tread life should be good as well. They are directional tires and for my LS430 I'm looking for a smooth,quiet, cushy ride which I get from my Primacys. In addition, the mileage should be better than the Hankooks which might ending up being a wash for the cost savings. Good luck whichever tire you choose.

 

I just wanted to update you all on my tire dilemma. I ended up putting Yokohama YK580's on my 04 LS. I really like them. They sit much lower to the ground than the MXV4's, more similar to my old Hankooks. They are really grippy and I no longer feel like I'm driving a land yacht. Great tire! Much cheaper too! 692 with 100 back in visa gift card = $592! 60k warranty.