Michelin Defender

Lesson learned: don't buy the Defenders.

Galaxy Nexus ? 2

 

Please go into more detail.

 

Where did you get Ecopia 422s' under $60?. That sounds like a good deal!


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A year ago, I was researching tires. And initially had decided on the Energy Savers, after researching through Consumer Reports, Tire Rack, Prius Chat, etc. However, I lost my job about the same time, so new tires would have to wait. Although, still without work a year later, I finally decided that my OEMs were too dangerous to drive on anymore, and scraped together the money that I would need.

I started rechecking my research to see if anything had changed in a year. And I believe it had. It seemed like the Energy Savers dropped in overall score though Tire Rack and Consumer Reports. So, I switched to deciding on the Defenders. I knew I might take a small hit in MPGs, but I could not ignore the great stats on everything else. Especially living in Northern IL, where we have every type of known weather.

I then researched places to get the tires from, and decided on Costco who had the best deal. (They are by appointment only, and took a week to get in). They had the $70 instant discount on Michelin Tires, so out the door with everything was $500. Could not beat the deal anywhere.

So far I like the tires. Havent driven too much on them. But it has also gotten very cold here, so, I wont really know about MPG's till Spring. But I at least feel better with snow and ice coming, and know that I have a better chance to stop, versus my OEM's where I probably wouldn't, until I hit something.

 

I don't understand why anyone would put any non LRR tire on a Prius (snow tires excepted). Why did you buy the car if not for the gas mileage?

 

I bought the Energy Saver AS after 42K on my OEM tires. I drive about 32k a year. It took about 10k to break the ES into shape and get the milage back to the oem OEM or better. I do see a difference now but before I was having a 3-4 mpg loss.

 

What were the OEM tires on your unit?

 

Some of the mpg hit is due to it being a new tire. Even if u get the oems, there would still be a drop. Worn tires have lrr

 

^ I disagree. I've gone from worn EP20 to brand new EP20, with no drop in mpg. This "mpg will improve as they wear" is a tire dealer brush-off ploy.

 

Generally speaking this is not possible. At the very least, the new tires are larger than the old tires. There are other variables you were missing or your old tires were not very worn. That being said, the loss is not likely to be very big when swapping to the same brand/model.

 

I agree, the new tires being bigger O.D. is a factor. And the flexier, deeper tread should also have an impact. In practice though, I found these factors so small as to be immeasurable, overshadowed by other variables.

If there's an oft used statement, and I'm seeing little substance to back it up, I begin to look at who the statement most benefits.

 

Sorry, the deeper tread and subsequent flex is more of what I was referring to. The OD changes as well but the effect is smaller.

 

The defenders are a good all round riding tire; but I did take about 4 MPG hit.
I took mine back to Discount Tire, and replaced them with Michelin Energy Savers A/S.
I'm HAPPY now!! I love my Prius!

And I agree with the posters saying that a new tire has to be broke in. I remember some new tires that I got; I had to put air in them ever other day for about 3 weeks. The new tires just had a hard time being seated and sealed around the rim. To break them in it does take some tread wear; so you need to drive about 500 miles; more or less.

And do not believe what a tire dealer is telling you!! All he is trying to do is to sell tires that he has in stock.
All ways do some checking on tires, by looking at the reviews of that tire by the persons who bought them for their Prius; on several tire shops web sites.

Good luck on your tires!!

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Wish I had found this thread earlier. After 1K miles on the Michelin Defender XT , I wish I had not purchased these tires.

Have a 2011 Prius and got 70K miles out of the original Yokohamas (mostly driving on freeway in evenings). I think I succumbed to sales pressure to replace the Yokohamas with Michelin Defender XT . Bad choice on my part.

After 1K miles on the Michelin XTs (also got wheel alignment and balancing done) have noted a drop in fuel efficiency (48 mpg vs 52 mpg) and uncomfortable handling on downhill curves on the interstate. Curves I could comfortably coast down on the Yokohamas at 70 Mph, I now have to brake down to 64 mph to negotiate same with the XTs, and even then, I wonder if car is going to tip over.

 

Mods-

Can we move this thread to the Fuel Economy forum. Doesn't really make sense to have this thread here, when most of the tire threads are in the "Fuel Econmy" forum

 

got defender 5000 miles ago, this time of the yr, i usually get ~53mpg on stock tires, now only ~48mpg on defender. same psi/location/temp as before. I just hope they last longer to make up for the mpg loss