Best Michelin tire to replace the OEMs with?

I have gone through 2 sets of Goodyear Viva 2's since the original Integrities wore out at 25,000 miles. I got 55,000 on the 1st set, but only 40,000 on the 2nd set. I keep the tires at 38/36 psi most of the time and get 46 to 49 mpg.

I'm going to try the Michelin X-Radial DT's from Costco this time. I drive 120 miles a day and most of the road construction is done so I hope to get close to 80,000 on the X-Radials. Since I have 121,000 miles on my Prius I'll have the alignment done.

 

I just replaced the Costco Michelin X radials (80K warranty) on our '05 with another set of same after 50K miles -- they even prorated the wear under warranty. We've kept the tires at 42/40 and usually get 46-49 mpg, the lower end when it's hot (power draw from the air conditioning). Our driving is mountain roads, some suburban and highways. On highway driving on long trips, we've edged up to 52-53 mpg. We do rotate the tires every 5K -- tire guy said wear was even across each tire.

 

What was you mileage drop and what MPG do you get with the HydroEdge tire.

Costco has them now for the Prius and my Stockers went south quick at 25K. Integrity for 20K than a lack of integrity.

amazing miles on a set of tire - 108K! How often are they aligned?

 

Danny I have been watching also and planning my next tires change. Michelins seem to be popular here for our cars. It appears the primacy MXV4 and the X-Radial DT are the higher mpg tires. I think the X-radial seems a bit betetr tire but have not checked the pricing. Good luck and be sure to tell us how the experience works out for you!

 

The Goodyear Integrities that came with my Prius were showing wear bars at about 36,000 miles. Just today, I had Michelin X Radials put on the car. The car handled real well on the way home from Costco, that's about all I can tell so far. I had been getting about 60 mpg this week with the Integrities with thin tread, so we'll see what happens with that. I suspect that the mpg will drop now that I'll have more rubber on the road.

I didn't have a big problem with the Integrities, they just wore out a little too fast. And it always felt like I had to be careful on my commute on the mountain highway part, especially in the rain. I don't try to drive the Prius like a sports car anyways, so it wasn't particularly scary.

-Roger

 

A wider tire with low rolling resistance will give you better handling without sacrificing gas mileage. It's important not to sacrifice gas mileage--that is a major feature of the Prius. To get a combination of handling, low noise and low rolling resistance is difficult. The Integrity gives you the latter two at some sacrifice in handling--and at a low price. The other tires are more expensive premium tires designed for longer life.

 

I mounted a set of Primacies 15K ago and last December going into the cold winter. Took a hit initially on the mpg but as the tires have worn in, summer has arrived, and I'm running them at 50/50, which I am not recommending (liability clause) because it exceeds the recommended pressure, the last 5 tanks have all been in excess of 62mpg indicated.

At 42/40, which is where I had them mounted, the traction greatly exceeded the Integrities.

Tires are but one factor of the high mileage equation. Speed is inversely related to mpg.

Let's just say that many more cars pass me than I pass.

Cases represented are extreme, your results may vary.

 

Hi Danny,

I think it's been around three months since your initial post ... so what did you end up with, what was the price, and how do you like them?

 

I replaced my original tires in February 2008 with Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S from Sam's club. I bought the 195/65's that were stock for Sam's and they cost $93/piece.
I HATED them (noisy and sloppy handling) until I lowered the air pressure in them from 35 lbs. to 33/32 lbs in the past month. What a WORLD of difference and I am a Michelin die hard.
I will NOT buy these tires again.
I wanted a quieter tire and am disappointed in the noise from these tires. I wish others posts had warned me of this.
Cannot tell you what to buy but beware of Pilot Exalto's for noise and handling issues at higher pressures (35 lbs and over).
Oh, I am getting 42 mpg average and this has NOT changed from my original tires so I would say in my area (North Carolina) mileage has NOT been affected even at the lower pressure of 33/32 lbs.

 

Unless you're after better handling at the expense of everything else, 205s are probably too wide. I think it was F8L, for one, who tried them and found drastically reduced mileage. 195/60 seems to be a good trade up from the stock 185/65.

 

That may not be such a great deal after all. Given the constraints, I'd say your best bet is Hydroedges in either 185/65/15 or 195/60/15. You're kinda limited to what fits, without trying to be picky about it. You'll at least get 4 tires the same, won't you?

 

Danny,

I would shy away from the 205's on 15's. I put 205/60's on my fiancee's touring edition (16" rims) and like them there but I would stay away from them on stock 15" and would recommend the 195/60's.

The Hydroedge is a GREAT tire but personally I would stay away from it because it is a directional tire and can only be rotated front to back and not X rotated. If something wierd happens and it wears funny on an edge you can't put it on the other side of the car to "even it out" so to speak. Just my opinion.

I replaced the stock incrapities with Michelin Harmony tires on both mine and my fiancee's Prii. I got the aforementioned 195/60R15 and she got the 205/60R16 tires. I have put about 50,000 miles on mine and expect to get about 100,000 more from them BUT I do a TON of highway driving. Heck, I got 76,000 miles out of the incrapities. There has been no noticeable MPG hit at all over the stockers maybe even a slight gain.

Hope this helps. I have posted about tires before because I drive so much so there are other posts out there on it from me.

 

Just spoke with Jackie at Michelin tire company Inc., located in S. Carolina. Asked her which michelin tire (size 185/65/15 standard 2004-present prius tire size) will yield the absolute LOWEST rolling resistance. After obtaining the specific LRR specs of ALL michelin tires, including the Michelin® Primacy™, MXV4® 185/65HR15, Michelin® X-Radial DT P185/65R15, Michelin® HydroEdge P185/65R1, and all others in that size, the Hydroedge has the absolute LRR.
Period.

It also has the highest tread wear rating you can get!

 

Second set of the Michelin MXV 4's here, they are 195/65/r15. Good tire in my opinion, and they were on sale at costco with $60 off and lifetime rotate, balance and inflate to boot!!! Once they break in (1 or 2 K) I will be back up to 48-50 MPG average with 90% freeway driving. Right now they are at 38F and 37 Rear.

Good luck with your tires...

 

Hi Unigeezer,

Can you post the specific LRR specs of all Michelins and their source?

The reason why I ask is that the rolling resistance info you state for the Hydroedge is contradicted by Consumer Reports' tests.

In Consumer Reports' November 2005 test of passenger all season tires, the Hydroedge had the HIGHEST rolling resistance of the few Michelin tires they tested. Its rolling resistance was very good, but several Michelins had better/lower rolling resistance.

See attached chart:

Consumer Reports Ratings Passenger All Season Tires.doc

 

Maybe that's because that consumer report is almost FOUR years old, and improvements to the tires have not been accounted for? All I know is that I got the info direct from Michelin. I suggest maybe calling them yourself and probing further, as I am not a tech person and maybe don't know how to best frame the question(s). But it seems pretty black and white; If you ask them for the LRR, and they say it's the hyrdroedge, what else do you ask?