Michelin Premier A/S Sidewall Problems?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Giselle, Jul 11, 2015.

  1. Giselle

    Giselle New Member

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    Hi and apologies up front for another tire thread!

    After reading this board and the reviews at Tirerack I decided on the Michelin Premier A/S and went by my neighborhood tire shop to get them. Then I got a curveball.

    My tire guy said the Michelin Premier A/S are newer on the market and have been having problems with sidewall cracking and blowout. I can't find anything online about this. Is he making it up? Why would he? Have you had problems with this tire? Should I skip the Michelin Premier A/S? If so, what should I get instead?

    He suggested I get Continental Pro Contact or the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422.

    I'm replacing worn Ecopias that are noisy and don't handle well, and was hoping to smooth out the ride and improve handling with a different brand.

    I've got a 2008 Prius Touring P195/55R16

    My priorities are:
    - snow traction for trips to the mountains
    - smooth ride
    - quiet
    (I'm ok sacrificing gas mileage for a quieter/smoother ride)

    Thanks for your help! I thought I had it sorted out and now I'm back to square one.

    Giselle
     
    #1 Giselle, Jul 11, 2015
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    welcome! why not energy saver a/s?
     
    #2 bisco, Jul 11, 2015
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  3. cyclopathic

    cyclopathic Senior Member

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    if snow traction is priority why not Nokian WRG2? they are almost as good as dedicated winter tires. Plus Nokians are low rolling resistance.

    Though the closes dealer is Discount Tire in Antioch.
    Dealer locator / Nokian Tires
    Nokian WRG3 - The best all weather tires for northern conditions / Nokian Tires

    here is what Consumers had to say about Nokians:
    Nokian WR G3 Winter Tires Review - Consumer Reports News
     
    #3 cyclopathic, Jul 11, 2015
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  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    can you contact someone at tyre rack and ask them what the problem with the premier is?
     
    #4 bisco, Jul 11, 2015
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  5. 69shovlhed

    69shovlhed Surly tree hugger

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    haven't heard that. Michelins are usually top quality. maybe you tire guy gets a bigger spiff from selling conti's or 'stones? both those are good tires, but research for which is the best in snow.
     
    #5 69shovlhed, Jul 11, 2015
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  6. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    #6 Patrick Wong, Jul 11, 2015
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  7. cyclopathic

    cyclopathic Senior Member

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    That is a possibility. Tte PureContacts are top rated but not for snow. EP422 is just o'k tire and was passable in snow. Here is review on TireRack:
    Tire Test Results : Eco-Focused All-Season Tires: Do They Deliver on the Promise?

    If you need true 4-season tires WRG3 are the ticket. Nokian knows a thing or two of building snow tires. eNTYRE would be also good choice with more emphasis on non-winter performance and better wear, but they don't come in 195/55R16. Nokian all-season tires have done better in tests than some dedicated winter tires.

    Discount Tire does not have WRGs in stock, you'd need to call and special order. Alternatively you can order from SimpleTire.com and have it put on by local installer.
     
    #7 cyclopathic, Jul 12, 2015
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  8. Giselle

    Giselle New Member

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    Thanks! The energy saver a/s would be great but I don't think they make them to fit my car.
     
    #8 Giselle, Jul 13, 2015
  9. Giselle

    Giselle New Member

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    That's a good thought. Maybe I'll try another shop or Costco.
     
    #9 Giselle, Jul 13, 2015
  10. Giselle

    Giselle New Member

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    Thanks for all the great info. The Nokian WRG3 sounds like a great tire, with real advantages in the snow.

    Now to price out the options and decide...
     
    #10 Giselle, Jul 13, 2015
  11. cyclopathic

    cyclopathic Senior Member

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    You may wanna read this one:
    Best All Season Snow Tires (Sticky) - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com
    According to tirerack tests out of what your shop offered ProContact (or perhaps newer TrueContact) is the best choice for all-around performance and some decent snow traction:
    Tire Test Results : Testing Passenger and Touring All-Season Tires

    Have not seen direct comparisons on how Contacts stack against Nokians, Consumer tested WRGs against dedicated winter tires and found them to be very good. The only drawback WRG2 were sensitive to heat-related wear. Should not be a problem for coastal CA and mountains, but something to keep in mind if you venture to Central or Death Valleys in summer often good luck
     
    #11 cyclopathic, Jul 13, 2015
    Last edited: Jul 13, 2015
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