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Michelin Primacy MXV4's - observations and guidance

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by mmcdonal, Feb 17, 2012.

  1. mmcdonal

    mmcdonal Active Member

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    I just replaced my OEM tires with Michelin Primacy MXV4's, after 40K miles in 2 years. I had been waiting to do this because from my experience replacing Goodrich Turanza's on a Camry Hybrid, the smoother and quieter ride was so much better. Sure enough, lots and lots of stray noise has left the vehicle. The ride is very quiet and much more grippy.

    The Primacy MXV4's are square shouldered, so the cornering grip is much better. The ride is much quieter, and the noises I hear now are mostly related to wind noise. Booming is also much decreased when running over road imperfections.

    I have them at 36 / 34 psi, and I have given up about 1 mpg indicated, not calculated. Also, from 62-64 mph, one of the tires sings. Sort of mid-frequency, very even tone, not wobbly, and low decibels, so it is there. Does anyone know what this might be?

    Also, with the better cornering ability, I can reeeeeally feel the body flex in the corners. Yikes. I am thinking of upgrading the rear sway bar and adding a chassis stiffening plate. Does anyone have recommendations? I also can't think why one would need a front strut tower brace since they already seem to be braced by the firewall.

    Did I mention the stock JBL w/ Nav sounds muuuuuuuch better. I was thinking of getting a sub, but since the body has stopped booming, there is nothing interfering with those frequencies, so no need.

    Thanks again all.
     
  2. Bob K.

    Bob K. New Member

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    I also run these tires (for about 3 months now). So far, so good!

    I put the rear anti-sway bar on my Prius - love it. Corners pretty flat.

    I work for a major car company, with some access to several technicial resourses and associates. They suggest that to stiffen much more than a sway-bar removes flex and ride comfert designed into the product. So, yes, you can get this car to corner like a go cart, however it will tend to start riding like one too.


    Draw the comfort/corning line where you want to. That's what's great about mods anyway. To each their own...:rockon:
     
  3. mmcdonal

    mmcdonal Active Member

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    Good to know, thanks. I will get the sway bar upgrade. Did you have the sway bar before you got the Primacy's? Did you notice a change in handling from the grippiness and square shoulders?
     
  4. jdcollins5

    jdcollins5 Senior Member

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    That is interesting that you have only lost 1 mpg where most of us installing the MXV4 have experienced a loss in the 4 mpg range.

    What size tires are you running and what were your OEM tires? I have the 195/65R15 and the OEM were the Yokohama Avid S33D. I took an immediate hit of 4 mpg (48 average to 44 calculated) and after 1000 miles it is slowly improving to about 3 mpg.

    The comfort, handling and quietness pretty much duplicates your experience. I was immediately able to lower my radio volume from 15 to 12 due to decreased tire noise.
     
  5. ggood

    ggood Senior Member

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    FWIW, I put the v rated version of this tire on my wife's HyCam. She loves them because the handling improved so much. No more wallowing, quiet, good wet traction. The v version may be overkill. The sidewalls are stiff enough that you notice road surface issues a lot more on city streets. And now that you all mention it, I do think her mpg's took a definite dip.
     
  6. mmcdonal

    mmcdonal Active Member

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    It may be my driving conditions to a great extent. I travel 40 miles to work, mostly highway, but about 55 mph average since it is a parkway. If I went on 95 instead (which I think is the speed limit for that road) it would be much less. Plus we have had a mild Winter this year - which I guess wouldn't account for a difference from tire to tire. Perhaps it may be the calming effect of the quieter, smoother ride?

    I will get solid numbers on this next tank, then. I am usually good for 50 mpg in normal driving.
     
  7. Bob K.

    Bob K. New Member

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    I got the tires first. They helped handling right away. I lost @1.5-2.0 MPG. However, considering that these tires will most likely last 2 sets of low rolling resistance tires - I will come out ahead! Do the math. With tires, mounting and ballencing, road hazard, disposal fees and taxes I will save more than enough to cover the gas.

    The rear Anti Sway bar made the car corner flater than before. It does not lean as much, which should help the wearing of front tire outside edges. Without the rear bar, the front tires try to hold body roll all alone, as the front has a anti sway bar from factory. This is hard on the outside edge of the front tires.
     
  8. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Some LRR tires are rated for 80,000-100,000 miles. :)
     
  9. Bob K.

    Bob K. New Member

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    Here's a note on my install. I sanded and painted the outside pieces of the rear anti sway bar black prior to installing. (Outside of rubber bushings) I then sprayed the clamping brackets after install. Now, if behind the car, you notice nothing, no strange painted colors under there, etc. (Hey, a stealth install!)
     
  10. Bob K.

    Bob K. New Member

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    I got only 28,000 miles on my factory LRR tires!
     
  11. mmcdonal

    mmcdonal Active Member

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    So today I got 53 mpg on my commute round trip, in 66 degree weather. That's just one day, but still higher than normal. I will keep a tally. I will get the Plus rear sway bar when the money comes. It needs a little something with these grippier tires. Very nice ride. The 63 mph hum seems to be diminishing as well. I don't know if that was an out of round condition, or just flashing from the mold process.
     
  12. cardinalred

    cardinalred Junior Member

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    Put those Michelins on my 2010 last October and have lost 6 miles per gallon. Upped the pressures to 42, 40 but still losing 6 mpg. I realize I put them on as the weather was turning cold, and Prius mileage drops in cold weather, but I live on the Oregon Coast and it rarely gets below 35 degrees here. (Rains a bit, but it is a DRY rain.)
    However, handling and noise were greatly improved. Still disappointed, and now considering buying a Lincoln MKZ Hybrid at 41 mpg and all that luxury. Sorta feels like when you are in a collision, body gets fixed, but car seems somehow "violated". You lose some of your "happy attitude" about the car. Maybe I'm too emotional. Wife loves the car and does not want me to trade it on a Lincoln. But we have been married 55 years and she has always "loved" the car she had at the moment. We'll see what develops.
     
  13. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Remember that if you change to a non-LRR tire on the Lincoln you will suffer from lost mpg just as you do in the Prius. :)
     
  14. mmcdonal

    mmcdonal Active Member

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    I would wait for the 2013 redesign of the MKZ. It is supposed to be much nicer than the current model.
     
  15. mmcdonal

    mmcdonal Active Member

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    UPDATE: Yesterday I reset after a new tank of gas and got 60mpg on the way to work. On the way home, there was about an hour extra 9 mph traffic due to the severe weather change. Wait, I don't mean weather change, I mean retarded drivers in the DC area. Anywho, that mess dropped it down to 48 mpg for the combined two trips (80 miles round trip) but there was lots of extra ICE usage. Whew, 2.5 hour commute. But I am basically not seeing as much change as I thought with the Primacy's, especially at the nearly recommended tire pressure.
     
  16. kensiko

    kensiko Member

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    Hello,

    I'm looking to buy those tires, they really have good reviews and good results in the tests. It's just too bad Tirerack didn't do the mpg result, but from what I read, it seems you guys don't see much mpg hit in comparison to let's say mich. ener saver.