Im replacing the tires on my E320 and Ive narrowed down my search to the following 2 tires. Anyone have any idea which is better?

Michelin Energy MXV4 Plus
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....nSpeedRating=H


vs

Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....nSpeedRating=H


I have the older Energy tires on the car right now and I love them. Had them for over 3 years and got over 30k miles out of them. Should I just stick with them or go with the Exalto?

 

...stick with the Energys - you are already familiar with the handling characteristics of the tire and are happy with them...

 

Have you considered the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2? I just bought a set for my vehicle and they're great so far. And on TireRack.com, they're rated very high by users for handling and low road noise.......but I haven't checked on the ratings of the two tire models you've mentioned since most E owners on this forum have recommended the PS2s.

 

Keep in mind that the picture you posted of the Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S appears to be a unidirectional design. This would cause you some issues with tire rotation compared to your other choice. Give Luke at tirerack a call. He is also a moderator on here; so you may want to check/post in the tire forum.

 

I basically wanted to see if anyone had switched between the two and could give feedback. The exaltos are a little bit cheaper but I wouldnt mind paying extra for a better tire.

mclean, I dont think they have the pilot sport PS2 in my size. At least not on the places I looked or tire rack. I had them on my 2006 E50 but they wore out very very quickly. I replaced them with Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus which I love!

amdeutsch, good catch! I checked and they are unidirectional! Now this complicates my decision

 

I have the Energy MXV4 on my new E320 and had the Pilot HX MXM4 on my E350 Sport. Both these tires are good for low rolling resistance, good gas mileage, and long tread life. In my experience and some reviews that I have read, they are not as good handling, have mediocre wet traction, and are more prone to hydroplaning than the other tires you mentioned.

I changed the Pilot HX MXM4's out for Bridgestone RE960 AS and found them much better handling especially in wet weather. Fuel mileage also dropped a mile or two per gallon. I also have experience with the Michelin Pilot Sport AS and found that definitely better than the HX MXM4 and, I would think the Energy as well.

Just because the list price for the Energy MXV4 is higher than the Exalto, I would not assume it is a better tire. These direct replacement tires for original equipment all seem to have a high price on them, yet most surveys do not rank them well. Tirerack surveys and tests rank the Exalto higher than the Energy. Michelin own site would indicate better handling for the Exalto over the Energy. Even though the Exalto is directional I see that it does have a mileage warranty which would indicate at least decent tread life. Should be a lot better than the PS2 which is a sticky Summer tire.

So, it just depends on what you prioritize -- handling, wet weather performance, tread life, fuel mileage, etc. I am changing the Energy's on my E320 and will go with either the Bridgestone, Exalto or Pilot Sport Plus, so you can see what my priorities are. Good luck.

 

GET THE EXALTO!!! They are the PERFECT oem replacement tire.

Original MXV4's on our '05 cdi lasted 47k and were decent tires. Replaced them with Exalto's and are now at 107k (60k on tires), and still above the wear bars. These are not high performance tires, but they did out perform the MXV4's in wet & dry conditions while maintaining the same ride quality and without any decrease in MPG.

I would not be surprised if these tires last in excess of 75k, and at around $150 each OTD they are the best bargain I have ever seen offered by Michelin.

 

I use the Michelins PS 2's and they work great also. But I ONLY use Michelins, no other brand.

Good judgment comes from bad experience