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Michelin Defender $134 vs Pirelli P4 $87

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by C Clay, Oct 4, 2023.

  1. C Clay

    C Clay Member

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    I just finished over 80,000 miles on some Pirellis’s. I bought at Sam’s for less than $100 apiece. I can get those again for about the same price or Michelin defenders for about $50 more apiece. Either is fine, but I’m intrigued that the, Michelin can be much more quiet. Any thoughts?


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  2. Tim Jones

    Tim Jones Senior Member

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    I ran defenders on my v...... how many miles on the car?
     
  3. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    I never spend $100 on a tire I can tell you that I don't care what they claim they'll do I've never made 80,000 miles on a pair of Michelin defenders or whatever their high mileage tire is now they wore out and about 60 for me and at 120 $30 a piece plus mounting balancing and so on and so forth Man that's $480 for a set of tires $500 basically I spend about half of that generally speaking I want them to wear out in 40,000 mi so when the tires are worn out they're almost white colored were very faded a set of Michelin defenders will be faded in the first two years in the last two or three years you're trying to get the 80K on them You're riding around with tires that are the color of old faded black drapes hanging in the window that are turning white from the Sun.
     
  4. C Clay

    C Clay Member

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  5. C Clay

    C Clay Member

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  6. C Clay

    C Clay Member

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  7. C Clay

    C Clay Member

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  8. C Clay

    C Clay Member

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    I’m not sure what to tell you, other than I have 80,000 miles on my Perelli P4, and there is still about 4/32 of tread left.


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  9. nicoj36

    nicoj36 Active Member

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    P4 pays for itself and lasts a lot longer
     
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  10. AzusaPrius

    AzusaPrius Senior Member

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    @C Clay

    Can you upload pictures of your tires?

    I have these P4 tires and was happy to see how long they can be good for when I bought them.

    These are not that loud and once you get past the break in period your mpg will go back up.

    Keep up on rotations, balancing and alignments and they should go as long as they say they do.

    Upload your pictures!!
     
  11. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    I have the defenders. They’re incredibly loud, drivers next to me cover their ears and tell me to get quieter tires all the time.
     
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  12. PriusII&C

    PriusII&C Active Member

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    deleted
     
    #9 PriusII&C, Oct 4, 2023
    Last edited: Oct 4, 2023
  13. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    That's pretty cool You guys are doing pretty great whatever the heck I have no clue I had Michelin defenders once or twice and for what they caused the tire stores cut mounting balancing and all that nonsense some of the most expensive things I've ever bought for a car well kind of And they made I think 60K this is before they were rated for the 120 or whatever they are now I was actually quite disappointed but when your car is on the road for business service vehicles and all that you never get that kind of mileage That's why no service vehicle tires come rated anything like that or they didn't now they may have changed the rating standard so that they can bring those numbers up but I don't think anything in the tires has changed. Usually they change the way the ratings done that favors the product or at least it seems that way.
     
  14. C Clay

    C Clay Member

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    Agreed, rotation and correct air pressure do wonders for longevity. I was doing rotation regularly but I stopped going to the same shop that did it regularly and also Sam’s club is a hassle anymore. Lack of rotation seemed to prematurely wear down my front ones right now.


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  15. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    You could always rotate them yourself....
    One jackstand, one jack.
     
    #12 ASRDogman, Oct 7, 2023
    Last edited: Oct 7, 2023
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  16. AzusaPrius

    AzusaPrius Senior Member

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    Why try to rotate them one by one on your own, when you can take it to Americas Tire and have them rotate and balance them all for FREE and faster than you would rotate them one by one without even balancing them.

    Rotate, balance, alignment and proper tire inflation will keep your tires lasting longer.

    Do not do it the lazy way.
     
  17. AzusaPrius

    AzusaPrius Senior Member

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    Why try to rotate them one by one on your own, when you can take it to Americas Tire and have them rotate and balance them all for FREE and faster than you would rotate them one by one without even balancing them.

    Rotate, balance, alignment and proper tire inflation will keep your tires lasting longer.

    Do not do it the lazy way.
     
  18. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    That place doesn’t tighten lug balls and tires always under spec pressures. And then wait for 30 mins to pull the car into bay and another 30 mins til you get the keys. I rather do it myself
     
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  19. C Clay

    C Clay Member

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    IMG_5318.jpg
    IMG_5317.jpg
    IMG_5316.jpg


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  20. C Clay

    C Clay Member

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    30 mins is nothing. Some of these shops tell you to make an appointment…for a rotation. That’s crazy.


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  21. C Clay

    C Clay Member

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    30 mins is nothing. Some of these shops tell you to make an appointment…for a rotation. That’s crazy.


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  22. C Clay

    C Clay Member

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    30 mins is nothing. Some of these shops tell you to make an appointment…for a rotation. That’s crazy.


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  23. C Clay

    C Clay Member

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    30 mins is nothing. Some of these shops tell you to make an appointment…for a rotation. That’s crazy.


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  24. C Clay

    C Clay Member

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    30 mins is nothing. Some of these shops tell you to make an appointment…for a rotation. That’s crazy.


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  25. C-in-DC

    C-in-DC Member

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    I got hankook tires. Enough traction for the winding backroads of va and md but I always get nails and screws in them. Bad brand?
     
  26. jzchen

    jzchen Newbie!

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    Nails and screws are not the tire’s fault. No magnetism….
     
  27. jzchen

    jzchen Newbie!

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    Deleted duplicate. Guess I didn’t click cancel on my post quick enough…
     
    #20 jzchen, Oct 10, 2023
    Last edited: Oct 10, 2023