Bridgestone Serenity Plus vs. Michelin Defender vs. Michelin Primacy MXV4

If you can get the $70 rebate on the Bridgestones I would buy those. They are less expensive and perform just as well or even a little better than the MXV4. The Defender may be the best option for fuel economy but I doubt it is by much. You will lose mpg with any of these tires vs. the OE models but their price and longevity make them worth the price. They perform much better as well!

Please know that of those three tires I have not read any definitive reviews for snow traction. The Serenity Plus holds the advantage in wet weather and it is the newest design but that doesn't mean it does well in the snow. The EP422 supposedly does great in the snow and offers great fuel economy but its a marshmallow in the curves. LOL

 

if your tires got noisy, it is usually because of not having the alignment right, and/or not rotating tires regularly. did you rotate the tires at least every 10k? and how often do you get the alignment checked? keep in mind that low end independent shops frequently will not do a complete alignment; they will only set the toe in and might not shim the rear if its out. on Prii, you have to use shims to set the rear toe. so when you see that coupon for an alignment for $20 from joe shmoe's back alley garage or some jive lube oil change franchise, you get what you pay for. sorry i can't help you with your tire choice, but any tires you buy will give you better service if you take care of them.

 

I agree with the above comment but as tires wear they tend to become noisier as tread wears down.

 

a little noise is one thing, but when they get annoying, the tread is probably cupping or feathered badly. i see this all the time. benz's are really heavy, and we get these cheap idiots that had to have a benz to impress their friends and neighbors, but they refuse to pay for basic maintenance like alignment. their cars sound like big rigs on the highway.