Tire rankings - What's best performance, value
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 470
Likes: 3
From: McLean, VA
2003 E500 Benz & 2015 BMW M235ix
I'm due for tires on my 350 and I'm trying to find a set of the 07-08 sport rims like yours. But either way I'll be going with a set of the HTRZIIIs since having such good luck with them on the 911 and 944. If anyone has tried them on a mb I'd like to hear their thoughts.
Wondering if most folks get the Road Hazard coverage or not.....I've gotten it in the past but not sure it's worth it especially if you buy the tires online, you have to pay for shipping of the defective tire back to the vendor for evaluation and then possible credit to your credit card if they agree it's covered. I did use the Road Hazard twice on my wife's Volvo and got about half the cost of a new tire from the local Goodyear Store.......that was convenient but the tires were bought at the Goodyear Store not online.
Almost a Member!
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
From: Sacramento
06 E350
I just got a response from my question to Luke/TireRack: He suggests I get Bridgestone Turanza Serenity......Grand Touring All Season. After reading the reviews on TireRack I'm inclined to go with for my needs: Quiet, good traction dry and wet. They're not cheap at $264 each.
Wondering if most folks get the Road Hazard coverage or not.....I've gotten it in the past but not sure it's worth it especially if you buy the tires online, you have to pay for shipping of the defective tire back to the vendor for evaluation and then possible credit to your credit card if they agree it's covered. I did use the Road Hazard twice on my wife's Volvo and got about half the cost of a new tire from the local Goodyear Store.......that was convenient but the tires were bought at the Goodyear Store not online.
Wondering if most folks get the Road Hazard coverage or not.....I've gotten it in the past but not sure it's worth it especially if you buy the tires online, you have to pay for shipping of the defective tire back to the vendor for evaluation and then possible credit to your credit card if they agree it's covered. I did use the Road Hazard twice on my wife's Volvo and got about half the cost of a new tire from the local Goodyear Store.......that was convenient but the tires were bought at the Goodyear Store not online.
Just priced the Sumis in your size and they are $556 for a set not counting shipping and mounting compared to over $1000 for the Turanzas. That's quite a difference.
Here is a link for feeback on people who have put the Sumis on mbs:
http://www.tirerack.com/survey/Surve...irePageLocQty=
Junior Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
From: Northern CA, SF East Bay
E320
Re: Ultra High Performance All Season Category-
I replaced my Goodyear ZR Eagle F1 AS with Michelin PS2s ( E55 staggered set up)- The Michelins are~25% greater cost per tire but the difference is like nite and day with regards road noise, and handling and hopefully treadwear.
The F1s were reasonably quiet when new but after only 10K miles the rears
were nearly down to the wear bars (despite a 400+ tread wear rating) and they became extremely noisy, like I had 4WD truck tires. Worst of all one of my rears exhibited signs of splitting on the sidewall from the tread.
Suck it up and go with the Michelins PS2s - you wont regret it- dont make the same mistake I did (again) by trying to compromise with less expensive tires as it ends up costing more in the long term.
I replaced my Goodyear ZR Eagle F1 AS with Michelin PS2s ( E55 staggered set up)- The Michelins are~25% greater cost per tire but the difference is like nite and day with regards road noise, and handling and hopefully treadwear.
The F1s were reasonably quiet when new but after only 10K miles the rears
were nearly down to the wear bars (despite a 400+ tread wear rating) and they became extremely noisy, like I had 4WD truck tires. Worst of all one of my rears exhibited signs of splitting on the sidewall from the tread.
Suck it up and go with the Michelins PS2s - you wont regret it- dont make the same mistake I did (again) by trying to compromise with less expensive tires as it ends up costing more in the long term.
Last edited by enr1co; Apr 11, 2009 at 01:16 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 470
Likes: 3
From: McLean, VA
2003 E500 Benz & 2015 BMW M235ix
Re: Ultra High Performance All Season Category-
I replaced my Goodyear ZR Eagle F1 AS with Michelin PS2s ( E55 staggered set up)- The Michelins are~25% greater cost per tire but the difference is like nite and day with regards road noise, and handling and hopefully treadwear.
The F1s were reasonably quiet when new but after only 10K miles the rears
were nearly down to the wear bars (despite a 400+ tread wear rating) and they became extremely noisy, like I had 4WD truck tires. Worst of all one of my rears exhibited signs of splitting on the sidewall from the tread.
Suck it up and go with the Michelins PS2s - you wont regret it- dont make the same mistake I did (again) by trying to compromise with less expensive tires as it ends up costing more in the long term.
I replaced my Goodyear ZR Eagle F1 AS with Michelin PS2s ( E55 staggered set up)- The Michelins are~25% greater cost per tire but the difference is like nite and day with regards road noise, and handling and hopefully treadwear.
The F1s were reasonably quiet when new but after only 10K miles the rears
were nearly down to the wear bars (despite a 400+ tread wear rating) and they became extremely noisy, like I had 4WD truck tires. Worst of all one of my rears exhibited signs of splitting on the sidewall from the tread.
Suck it up and go with the Michelins PS2s - you wont regret it- dont make the same mistake I did (again) by trying to compromise with less expensive tires as it ends up costing more in the long term.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,803
Likes: 12
From: Charleston, SC
GL450
After looking at the list, I chose the Sumitomo. It's basically the cheapest tire on the list, but the performance, by most reviews, is on par with the Michelin PS2. It's at the high end of street performance, with the only tires ranked higher being designed for mixed street and track/autox use. If I were doing track days, I would probably upgrade to the Kumho or Falken, but for the street, the performance seems suitable.
My experience so far has been very good. I have put the Sumitomo on the fronts, replacing the existing Toyo T1R. I still have Generals on the rear. The Sumitomo traction is way, way better than the General Exclaim USPs that are on the rear. In turns, even with neutral throttle, the rear starts to slide well before the front. Front traction is very good, and grip is very predictable. The tire, when pushed too hard, can easily be felt and begins to scrub very slightly outwards. There is no sharp break, no loud noise, and no drama. The tire is also very comfortable and quiet on the road.
When it comes time to replace the rears, I may debate putting on something with higher traction to control the torque, such as the Falken 615. But at the price and performance of the Sumitomo, I think it will do a good job and will fit the bill.
My experience so far has been very good. I have put the Sumitomo on the fronts, replacing the existing Toyo T1R. I still have Generals on the rear. The Sumitomo traction is way, way better than the General Exclaim USPs that are on the rear. In turns, even with neutral throttle, the rear starts to slide well before the front. Front traction is very good, and grip is very predictable. The tire, when pushed too hard, can easily be felt and begins to scrub very slightly outwards. There is no sharp break, no loud noise, and no drama. The tire is also very comfortable and quiet on the road.
When it comes time to replace the rears, I may debate putting on something with higher traction to control the torque, such as the Falken 615. But at the price and performance of the Sumitomo, I think it will do a good job and will fit the bill.
Almost a Member!
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
From: Sacramento
06 E350
Had a chance last week to drive an E350 with the Sumitomos also. Very impressed with how quiet they were, I would say slightly quieter than the stock Michelins on my car although my tires are pretty much at the end of their life, ride was excellent, very smooth. I think the only comment I could make is that I don't think they are quite as crisp steering, but only barely and tire pressure might have needed adjusting. All things considered, and with my experience of having the Sumis on my 911, they are a great choice.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,359
Likes: 6
ML550
Dude, it's okay to say you just bought the cheapest tires you could find. In these uncertain economic times, no one will begrudge you for shopping for value. But please just don't say the Sumitomos are on par with the PS2's - because they're not.
Last edited by komp55; May 5, 2009 at 03:27 PM.
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Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,803
Likes: 12
From: Charleston, SC
GL450
For example, here is one (short) review on MBworld:
https://mbworld.org/forums/3447026-post19.html
Here is a sample direct comparison from someone who's used both:
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1009842
He says the HTRZ3 provides "90%" of the performance of the PS2. His main reason for rating the HTRZ3 at only 90% is the PS2 has supperior wet weather performance. If the HTRZ3 is 95% equivalent to a PS2 in the dry and 90% equivalent in the wet, I would consider the two to be "on par" as far as performance.
Have you run both and can directly compare, or do you have a source for your comparison? I see a lot of reviews that say a specific tire is good or bad, but context is what makes that information useful. In particular, I've seen a lot of people say the Vredestein is good, but very little actual comparison. Is it better than a Kumho MX, for example?
One final note, on wet weather performance. If you want to drive fast in the rain, get something like the KDW. It's traction level in the wet is shocking. The tire drives practically the same, regardless of road conditions. But personally, when the roads are wet, I take it easy. I want a tire that can take a turn hard and put down power when it's dry out. When it's wet, I just need something safe, and I'm not looking for "max performance." I find the Falken 615 offers acceptable wet performance, so long as you do your part as the driver. Some disagree. If the PS2 offers better wet traction than the HTRZ3, I say it's largely irrelevant, but a driver who pushes it more in the rain may disagree.
Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
From: little rock,ar
E-320 Bluetec
I just replaced my MXV's with the Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S. These are 225/55/16's for the Bluetec and so far so good, very quiet. They were $645 out the door at Sears Tire Center, no road hazard.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,246
Likes: 3
From: North NJ
94 Wagon and 94 Cabriolet
Saintz, I starting asking this question on another thread, and the objective majority have won my opinion as well. I am willing to drop $1000 on a set of tires, but not if a little over half that money buys me tires ranked comparibly (or better) by thousands of users.
The General UHPs running on our black Sportline for 2 yrs now have plenty of life left and I bought them at the same time I put a set of Pilots on my Sportline. Driving the two, I have no significant preference and the Pilots will need to be replaced sooner.
Picked up a set of Platinum Kumhos this week from Tirerack following the same "objective rating" formula.
The General UHPs running on our black Sportline for 2 yrs now have plenty of life left and I bought them at the same time I put a set of Pilots on my Sportline. Driving the two, I have no significant preference and the Pilots will need to be replaced sooner.
Picked up a set of Platinum Kumhos this week from Tirerack following the same "objective rating" formula.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,803
Likes: 12
From: Charleston, SC
GL450
Their conclusion is that the PS2 is supreme. If you actually read the results, however, I would say that the Dunlop is a better tire (better than the PS2 in the dry and only marginally lower in the wet) and at a good bit lower price. If you want the best street performance tire (fast in the dry but still plenty safe in the wet), the Dunlop looks like it.
I'm surprised the Falken didn't score better. It's dry performance looks on par with the PS2 (I would think it would beat the PS2 more handily), but it's wet performance is obviously not great (although still better than the Kumho). For the price, it's pretty good.
The new Kumho XS is obviously a beast of a tire, but you give up a lot of wet weather performance. If you are willing to drive like a grandma when it rains, this tire would let you run very hard when it's dry, even more so than the Dunlop, it appears.
The Nitto Invo looks impressive. Very low price, pretty similar dry performance to the PS2 (although the PS2 is slightly better) and the wet performance is still adequate.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,803
Likes: 12
From: Charleston, SC
GL450
Looking through again, I missed something in that test. The Hankook bests both the Nitto and the Falken, and at a lower price. I guess the conclusion might be:
Best wet performance (live in Seattle): PS2
Best dry performance (weekend/track car or drive like a Grandma when it rains): Kumho XS
Best daily driver performance (good dry performance, but still ok in wet): Dunlop Star
Best budget tire: Hankook V12 EVO
Best wet performance (live in Seattle): PS2
Best dry performance (weekend/track car or drive like a Grandma when it rains): Kumho XS
Best daily driver performance (good dry performance, but still ok in wet): Dunlop Star
Best budget tire: Hankook V12 EVO
Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 178
Likes: 0
Yugos only
No Nexens
They are just not built to the same standard as the car. Junk. Their off road tires don't even have inner belts - just cords in the rubber. Unless I am ignorant about what a belt is? I'm glad you didn't choose them.
Does your car require an XL or reinforced tire? If so make sure you factor this into the decision tree.
Does your car require an XL or reinforced tire? If so make sure you factor this into the decision tree.
Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
From: San Carlos (SF Peninsula) CA
'03 ML500, '07 E350 Sport (wife's)
Also looking for tires for our E350 Sport. Been satisfied with performance of pilot MXM4s that came stock. Just at 27K and rears need to be replaced, front before winter. Dealer said that was impressive to get that many miles. Trying to decide between that and the A/S plus. Dealer warns all season tires tend to be noisier, but isn't the MXM4 really an all season? A/S plus gets much higher ratings in all categories including dry/wet grip as well as comfort, noise and is less expensive and has mileage warranty. I know all season tires are a compromise but can someone tell me if I am going to sacrifice either performance or comfort/quietness or am I already driving on the compromise and this will just be an improvement? Don't want to turn this into a poop deville or a pocket rocket. It's a daily driver for my wife that sees just about all we can throw at it: Spirited charge through the twisties, highway road trips, and around town cruising. Bay area weather is a mixed bag made up of mostly dry weather but we get our fair share of wet weather and occasional patches of black ice as we make our way up and down the hill. Any input appreciated.
