Frank Wiesmann

Hello everyone,

after about 20,000 miles, my Michelin Pilot Primacy tires are reaching the end of their useful treadlife am I am beginning to think about replacing them. I have come up with the following alternatives:

-Pirelli P Zero Rosso
-Continental Sport Contact 2
-Dunlop SP Sport 9000
-Bridgestone S-03 Pole Position
-Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3

or another batch of Pilot Primacy Michelins?

My main focus is on superb dry and wet handling. Tread wear should also allow usage for 20,000 to 25,000 miles like on my current ones. Comfort is also important. Thanks for your advice and input. Have a great week.

DWP

Michelin's US web site says that Pilot Primacys aren't available in 245/45R17, only the Pilot MXM4 and Pilot XGT H4. That is not to say that a given tire store won't have Pilot Primacys in stock in that size. The Pilot Sport PS2 is also supposedly not available in 245/45R17; they were highly recommended in a recent tire thread here, but seem to require a change of wheels.

cntlaw

I used S03 on my W210 , you have to try it.
cnt

ToyCollector

I run Michelin Pilot Sports. Stick like chewing gum. I am a licensed race car driver so when I say they stick, they stick. They aren't slicks, but for the street, very impressive. Tread life may be another matter however .

gotallthetoys

I had S02's (yea not S03's) on my last car. They stuck like glue when it's warm. When it's cold or if there's oil on the road kiss them off. The car was a hazard in the early morning until the tires warmed up. They were very quiet but only lasted about 12K miles. Okay that's my two cents worth. I'll be asking the same question when my Michelin Pilot Primacys wear out. Hey they only have 300 miles on them!

onpaws

Any thoughts on Toyo's T1-S's?

Jakpro1

Luke from Tirerack.com is the man.

I used his info and went with the Goodyear F1 GSD3's. Love them so far.. night and day from SUCKtinentals....only 200 miles on them so too soon to tell....messed around with a B'Mur 5 Series the other night and out handled him no sweat...

Here is the link

https://mbworld.org/forums/wheels-tires-suspension-brakes-forum/68013-tires-ones-best-revised-03-25-2011-a.html

I can tell you that you cannot get your stock tire size (Mich PS2's) on the stock E500 rim..you have to go down to a 40 tire which is about 1 inch in diameter lower in profile.....All the best to you and let us know what tire you select

Jim

mike82y

I prefer Continental Sport Contact 2!
dont get Dunlop SP9000.. those directional tires make noice/vibrations.. ContiSport 2 is so far the best i have used.
Michelin tires are much softer but worn out faster.

mike

moa4r

agreed; pilot sports are very impressive, but they are lacking in the wet traction depatment (my experience with the non-all season pilot sports) and the tread-life is not the best;

from you list, I'd go with the SO3's, I've heard nothing but good things about those

zam2000

I just replaced Michelin Sport Pilot on my W210 with the Goodyear F1 GS-D3 (cheaper by about $50/tire). To my observation, the goodyear is a better tire: quiet, stick like gum, I just couldn't get the car loose with it, and look agreessive.

The Sport Pilot got me around 25K mile, it got quite loud in the last 10K mile. Just got around 500 mile on the F1, so can't tell about wear & noise-as-age.

In term of value based, I think the F1 is a good deal (got it for $140/piece from Tirerack, after rebated (already received).

My W211 runs Michelin Sport Primacy, nothing to write home about, except it's an expensive tire (even if it goes for 50% discount, I still don't think it's worth it).

DavidNJ

The Michelin PS2 is the newest design of that group, however you need to decide what is important: performance, ride/noise, or price.

I expect to install Falken ST115 or ZE512 tires on our car since ride/noise is important in a 4-door sedan. The Supra TT rides on S03s and would get PS2 if we needed tires now. There, performance is the issue.

Frank Wiesmann

I think I will go with the Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3. It seems to be a well rounded tire for a high-performance luxury sedan like the E500: quiet and comfortable, but sticky on wet and dry pavement with decent tread life.

DavidNJ

My big concern with the Goodyears is the gatorback design. No new tires use a gatorback design. And many have said it gets noisy with age.

mike82y

thats one big downside with directional tires... when the tires gets uneven it starts to make noise... sometimes even echos (but most of time with wider dimention)... but on the other hand they handle very well in wet.

I will still recommend you to get ContiSport 2!

The next tire that i am going to try is the Bridgestone POTENZA RE050. Not sure if they are available in the US.

Mike

LeslieRushforth

Factory fited 17" Continental sports.
Rear tyres shot at 13,000 miles
Font tyres 50% worn.
I have just fitted TOYO tyres to the rear and find the car handles just as good if not beter than the continentals.
I also find that the TOYO,s absorbe a lot more of the bumps in the road giving more comfort.

I guess that the Toyo tyres are made in Japan that to me says a lot.
Japaneese quality in normaly very good.

The price of Toyo tyres here in the U.K. are 20% less than conti,s and Michi,s.

Les
Chesterfield
England.

onpaws

I found the Toyo T1-S's really quite good for the W210; they are very grippy both in wet and dry (much better than these stock Conti's) and also had reduced cabin noise considerably and increased comfort. However I have not experienced the other makes mentioned here or Toyo's on the W211. I am supposing Toyo is usually disregarded because they are only sold through retail POS's?

Frank Wiesmann

The reason I do not want Conti Sport Contact 2 is because o lot of W211 Sport/Apperance drivers as well as E55 AMG drivers complained about them in this forum. The Bridgestone Potenza RE050 also crossed mz mind, but in the US I have only seen the RE050 at Tire Rack, not the RE 050A that I would want. In addition, the Bridgestone has a much higher Treadwear level (140) than the Goodyear (280).