crappy pirelli tires?
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gl450
crappy pirelli tires?
replaced gl450 factory michelins (were told they were worn out after 6 months 10,000 miles) with pirelli scorpion str tires and am sliding all over the place on snow and ice. could there be any explanation besides these tires are not meant for winter driving?
Mine actually do OK in packed snow but are awful on the ice.
Senior Member
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From: .
08 GL450
I have had dicey traction on ice even with the well regarded Nokian WR AWPs snow tires on our Audi .
When I'm at our Lk Tahoe place, our friends with American trucks and SUVs with their OEM tractor tread -like tires run circles around our GL , with it's " girley " tread pattern OEM tires. But then if our Germanic $70K " luxury SUVs" sounded and felt like a rumbling truck during a test drive, it's a no sale , probably. Some friends who live there year round, who own import SUVs , switch to studded snow tires in winter, believe it or not , as some of those higher elevation neighborhoods get glare ice /black ice on steep winding roads .
Ever seen the " Lincoln Town Car " -like tread on a Lexus RX tire ? I swear it looks like a 1960s bias ply tire from behind. The only reason it gets through snow is because the tire is about 3 inches wide and cuts through like a knife , LOL. ( Skinny tires is how grandpa drove through everything in rear wheel drive cars back then or how that Charlie Manson -lookalike in his rusted '72 Buick Electra stays on your tail during a snowstorm despite our high tech drive systems ).
When I'm at our Lk Tahoe place, our friends with American trucks and SUVs with their OEM tractor tread -like tires run circles around our GL , with it's " girley " tread pattern OEM tires. But then if our Germanic $70K " luxury SUVs" sounded and felt like a rumbling truck during a test drive, it's a no sale , probably. Some friends who live there year round, who own import SUVs , switch to studded snow tires in winter, believe it or not , as some of those higher elevation neighborhoods get glare ice /black ice on steep winding roads .
Ever seen the " Lincoln Town Car " -like tread on a Lexus RX tire ? I swear it looks like a 1960s bias ply tire from behind. The only reason it gets through snow is because the tire is about 3 inches wide and cuts through like a knife , LOL. ( Skinny tires is how grandpa drove through everything in rear wheel drive cars back then or how that Charlie Manson -lookalike in his rusted '72 Buick Electra stays on your tail during a snowstorm despite our high tech drive systems ).
Last edited by MKW; Feb 10, 2010 at 12:19 PM.
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Joined: May 2008
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From: Overland Park, KS
‘24 BMW iX M60
I recently had the Pirellis installed on our '08 and I think they are very good in snow and ice conditions. Granted they are not true winter tyres and I would have something else if I lived in an area with very large amounts of snow, etc. But they seem to go though 6"-8 of snow and various amounts of ice well; at least for us.
Have your tyres had time to break-in yet?
Bish
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From: The Great North West USA
2015 E400 Cab - 2013 GL350 - 2013 ML350 - 2006 E350 - Old Jeep
In November I installed studded Hankook I-Pike tires (265-60-18).
They sure ride better than the 275-50-20 runflats.
They are every bit as unstopable on sheet ice & all types of snow as they were on my Escalade.
My driveway is 1/4 mile up a steep hill. It is pure ice 4 mo. of the year. I never slip or slid up or down with the hill desent set at 7 mph.
I find the GL to be a better winter rig than anything I have driven.
Point it & hit the go pedal, let the traction control work it out.
The ABS is flawless for safe straight stops.
After my driveway I drive 3 miles around a lake before I hit pavement.
I can realy feel the computer steering me around corners when I go in a little too fast.
When studs are outlawed, only outlaws will have studs!
They sure ride better than the 275-50-20 runflats.
They are every bit as unstopable on sheet ice & all types of snow as they were on my Escalade.
My driveway is 1/4 mile up a steep hill. It is pure ice 4 mo. of the year. I never slip or slid up or down with the hill desent set at 7 mph.
I find the GL to be a better winter rig than anything I have driven.
Point it & hit the go pedal, let the traction control work it out.
The ABS is flawless for safe straight stops.
After my driveway I drive 3 miles around a lake before I hit pavement.
I can realy feel the computer steering me around corners when I go in a little too fast.
When studs are outlawed, only outlaws will have studs!
Last edited by HamMan; Feb 11, 2010 at 11:20 AM.
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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 377
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From: .
08 GL450
It always amazes me how many X5s , GL 550s , Ranger Rover Sports and Cayenne Turbos with 21 " OEM summer tires ( not even marginal M+S ) I see up here at Lk Tahoe slipping and sliding around , completely and dangerously unaware that summer rubber turns harder than a hockey puck ( with comparable ice coefficient of friction) ) below 32-40 degrees.
Last edited by MKW; Feb 11, 2010 at 12:23 PM.
