Shocks

Initial Review, 1,600 Miles on Tires
November 16, 2012

Pretty new, they still make a little edge noise when veering at all, and when cornering. I assume this is normal for new tires--don't they have to wear down at the sharp outside edges to break in?

They are filled a 2 PSI higher than the door badge to slightly boost MPG. Instead of 32, it's 34. Nitrogen.

These are FANTASTIC. They make my boaty Focus wagon feel like a Zoom! Zoom! Zoom! Mazda! (Well...as much as a Focus can feel like a better, sporty car.) I spun around an empty parking lot for half an hour when I got them, they were such an improvement over my old bald tires! (The old ones I bought used, General Altimax...but my shocks were so worn, I never got good use out of them. They quickly ground down to bald before the needed suspension fixes were done.)

They feel smooth and supple, with very low road noise. The Focus makes a fair amount of noise anyway, but the noise is lower compared with any tire I've had.

They don't smush on turns, but feel firm-- as if they can handle anything. The ride is as comfortable as a Focus can be. Which means a lot of road feel and hard on bumps. Don't try to text on your phone as a passenger in my car!

Well, maybe I'll take them down to the exact PSI. Maybe it'll improve the bumpiness.

Can't wait for winter on my new Sumis! These are a No. 1 rated ("Recommended," in their words) tire by Consumer Reports.

Initial Review, 800 Miles on Tires
September 26, 2010

I wouldn't normally post a review until I had put more miles on a set of tires, but thought I would in case there's anyone else out there like me not wanting to spend a fortune on tires but still wanting good handling. Frankly, Firestone would have been the last brand I would normally have bought due to my perception that the company has had too many quality problems, but I honestly don't know if that's accurate or not. At any rate, being in a low budget mode right now I went for these due to the incredible price, the outstanding reviews by owners on this site, and with winter coming up. The reviews are what convinced me. Living in middle Tennessee we don't get the serious snows like in other parts of the country, but last year we got several that were pretty heavy for our area and with some serious ice a couple of times. Nice to know reviewers rank these very high for that type driving in case we get some this year. The tread on these is very deep and aggressive, and look great on the truck in the blackwall. A little squirm when cornering but to be expected on a new tire with deep tread. Rain handling is awesome. They do have a little highway hum, to be expected with a winter tire, but I have a louder than stock exhaust so who cares? The ride quality is pretty good, and this truck has a pretty stiff suspension. They make them in an LT (light truck) 10-ply model, but I got the passenger rated ones since I don't haul much or tow anything. And if anyone is considering going one size wider than the stock 255-70/17's on a 2007 F-150, the 265-70/17's I bought fit fine and with plenty of clearance at the rear shocks and the front suspension arms, and a very minor amount taller. I'll come back and do a follow-up after more miles and more weather. (If you're going to order from these guys, check out Spencer at extension 690, a really professional guy . Got the order right and to me in two days.)

Initial Review, 5,000 Miles on Tires
December 20, 2012

Bought these as replacements to the OEM rugged trails and the rugged terrains are so far, far superior. Wet and dry traction is superb on highway and I use my truck off road in the woods around the house to tow a firewood trailer, cross horse pastures, and travel plenty of dirt/gravel country roads. I would say the truck is actually smoother with these on vs the R Trails's and possibly even quieter, but that might be due to the mileage on the R trails which I replaced at 30K. I did not want to venture the winter with the remaining tread on those. We should be getting some light to mod snow around Christmas and am looking forward to seeing how the Rugged Terrains do in the white stuff. And we'll be taking the tacoma down the OBX again this summer and i'll get to test these in the sand. The R Trail's managed OK this past trip to the beach, even allowing us to pull out a stuck Tacoma & a range rover, but I think that was mainly due to the Tacoma's 4 wheel drive systems. But the perfect application should come in September when I need to drive the truck from the east coast to Colorado and then up into the mountains for an Elk hunting trip. BTW, at 70 mph on the interstate, these tires run very smooth and quiet with no vibration or chatter...If your experiencing this I would take them back to the shop for a re-balance and get your shocks and alignment checked, its not the tires, unless in the very rare case you got one with a broken radial, which I have experienced with another Brand, but not with BF Goodrich. I hope Michelin lets BF G continue to put out the quality they have in the past... I used to run BFG AT's on my old truck and never had a problem at all, but since I'm now using this truck as a commuter and weekend off roader, the rugged terrains seems to be the perfect solution so far.

Initial Review, 2,000 Miles on Tires
November 29, 2012

I have had 3 sets of blizzaks (2ws series and 1 DM-V), Michelin Ice-x, Conti Extreme winter contact and Hakkapelitta-R winter tires and these DM-V1s on my Acadia impressed me last winter when I had them mounted in Dec when I bought the vehicle. This fall, I drove the vehicle w Goodyear Eagle summers after the roads were ice covered and below zero and was surprised at how bad the traction was, setting off the anti-skid and traction control constantly (slid into a curb). When I had the Blizzaks remounted on the stock rims, I was again shocked at how good these tires really are! Fenomenal! Good ride noise level, good wear (winter), good cornering (19”).

Initial Review, 23,000 Miles on Tires
November 20, 2012

I replaced the dry rotted Michelin's with these DWS tires. At first, I was disappointed in the tires' response in turns. I have had these tires for quite some time now, and I have to say they are great. I used them through extreme conditions. With 36 pounds, and heavy duty shocks, these tires have hit massive pot holes and have resisted bubbles and punctures. In that sense, to have a reliable tire to use on poor roads, these are it!

Initial Review, 10 Miles on Tires
November 29, 2012

I just bought these tires because I was told that they are great for snow. I have lots of steep hills near my house and a steep driveway. I haven't had a chance to test them in snow but i've been shocked by their initial quality. The noise is much less than the factory yokahamo tires. The ride is much smoother than the originals. The tread looks wonderfully deep. I can't wait for snow because everything that i've read says that they are great in heavy snow and ice. I'm not really a car guy or tire guy, but i've been blown away by these bad boys already.

Initial Review, 18,000 Miles on Tires
November 04, 2012

I can't believe I've had these tires for 18,000 miles. I asked my tire dealer what he thought as he rotated them last week ($80 for staggered low profiles. He spent 1 1/2 hours turning them "inside out")

He thought they were good for another 10k. I doubt it but the bridgestones that were on last only made 15k before they were eaten by the Jag.

I am shocked with how much quieter and how well they handle water too. I'll take another set! I'll just wait for 5-6k. :)

Initial Review, 33,000 Miles on Tires
November 07, 2012

Great cornering ,Michelin MXM4 , in highway up to 120 mph providing an awesome response for dry traction, breaking and smooth cornering, also, I am shocked to see how well they do after hiting many potholes,no issues at all. treadwear is pretty good for a High performance tire, wil probably get 55 to 60,000 miles out of this set of Michelin tires !

Initial Review, 12,000 Miles on Tires
November 04, 2012

I have had these tires for two seasons of colorado winters including frequent i-70 ski trips. Still over half of the tread remains so I'm going to use them for a third season no problem. Hoping I can get a 4th season or more as they are wearing very well. These tires are very capable, I was shocked at how much tire you get for the price. Sure they are squishy and nervous in the dry, to be expected of a winter tire, they are amazing none the less.

Initial Review, 32,000 Miles on Tires
November 05, 2012

These Michelins have given great service. There is plenty of tread left and the overall performance is about what you'd expect from Michelin.I have never been disappointed with this brand. I have used them on three of my wife's cars and all have given good value.
On this truck I am primarily looking for good treadwear, low noise and decent wet/snow and dry traction.This tire delivers. Keep an eye on the inflation and rotate them at about 5k miles and they should last a long while. I waited to write this review til I had some time/miles on them and there is still plenty of tread left to get through this and probably next winter.
I replaced 10 ply Goodyear Silent Armor Pros, from a local dealer, that did not go 30k. So trust Tire Rack, (I've bought many winter tires, brake parts and shocks from them), and Michelin.

Initial Review, 13,000 Miles on Tires
October 25, 2012

These tires are a good match for me.
1) My DWS are not as responsive as the OEM which dulls the Speed3 torque steer and reduces some of the steering corrections (?necessitated by surface bumps?).
2) The Speed3 has little sound isolation, and Tire Racks testing demonstrates that the DWS is the quietest tread on concrete highways which are increasingly prevalent. I found the tread so quiet that concrete road noise is less than engine+wind noise at all speeds!
3) My 2010 Speed3--(my neighbors 2012 feels a little more refined)--has next to no shock absorption; and the DWS is significantly smoother than OEM, but I still my $$$ German cars.
4) Efficiency (combined city highway) immediately improved from 28 to 31 (10%) upon switching
tires and wheels. Rolling resistance and weight are likely the factors (24+21 to 19.1+18). My car definitely feels quicker.
5) The DWS in 1.5 Rocky Mtn Winters have proven very sufficient for me. And they are performance rated for my high speed, high-g driving (when conditions permit) unlike dedicated Winter tires which are faster wearing and less efficient.

I drove the OEM (Dunlop SP Sport 2050) tires 20,000 miles. They had maybe 5,000 miles remaining

when I replaced them.

I would buy DWS for this car again, but in a size (225/45R17) closer to the original. I got 205/55R16 to maximize Winter, mpg, and sidewall. OEM sidewall is so short, a 1" steel plate cut into my and wheels and tires, and a 1" rise to my driveway felt like sledgehammer. I like avoid breaking on off-ramps. 205mm-wide DWS unfortunately have me sliding some at 30 mph on tight turns when the 225mm-wide OEM allowed me 40 mph without any sign of slip. I have slid the rear DWS in many turns, and have squealed the fronts during many starts, not trying to.

OEM tread noise was horrendous when new, and then worsened. Radio vol@ 45 to hear over concrete hwy. Other surfaces were quieter but even on smooth asphalt @75 mph when tires were new, I could barely hear cell phone ...

Initial Review, 5,000 Miles on Tires
October 26, 2012

I was shocked at how good these tire are. I was expecting a low performing tire for the money but found them comparable to tires costing much more. Granted, last winter in VT was a winter that wasnt but we had plenty of slush and ice. I would not hesitate to buy these tires for any vehicle.

Initial Review, 45,000 Miles on Tires
October 17, 2012

only 45,000 miles but my van weights 8800 lbs,wore them down to nothing,, just purchased another set, wow price shock

Initial Review, 74,000 Miles on Tires
October 14, 2012

These tires were OEM for my 2010 Ford F150. They were remarkably quiet, smooth and finally were ready for replacement at 74,000 miles. If not for a misalignment, I likely could have gone to 80,000. Unbelievalbe. When it came time to replace the tires last month, I chose BF Goodrich radial long trail T/A's based mainly on price but decent reviews as well. I am pleased with the ride quality, noise, and other dynamics of the BF Goodrich tires, noticing very little difference between them and the Michelin's. However, the money I saved on the purchase of the BF Goodrich's over the Michelin's will be negated by additional fuel costs; With the Michelin's, I consistently recorded an average 18.8 mpg on my F150 based on the computer read-out on the dash. After installing the BF Goodrich radial long-trail T/A's, I immediately began averaging 17.6 mpg with no other changes to the vehicle or driving conditions. Perhaps greater rolling resistance? Initially the 1.2 mpg drop appeared insignificant, but after doing some math, I was shocked. I average around 30,000 miles a year and at the current pump rate of $3.65 per gallon, I will spend over $400.00 a year more in fuel with the BF Goodrich tires. So much for saving a couple hundred bucks on the purchase. I'm sure the potential of higher fuel economy had something to do with Ford supplying the Michelin's as OEM tires. Next time I'll buy the Michelin's.

Initial Review, 12,000 Miles on Tires
January 04, 2008

Wow. These are great. Awesome in the winter. I was shocked how well they hold on snow and ice. Look great too..

Initial Review, 50,000 Miles on Tires
October 04, 2012

On the advice of several friends who run them, I purchased a set of these tires 285-70R-17 for my 2002 Ford 150. The above ratings are based on my experience these tires at 50,000 miles and with a variety of other AT and Mud Tires.

Folks these are rocks star mud tires that can handle highway driving without being too obnoxious. They are not formula 1 tires but they are predictable on-road...I have no complaints regarding their on-road performance.
Off-road is where they shine... On at least 3 occasions, I have driven across fields, stopped and backed up to other trucks that were stuck before putting my truck in 4wd and pulling them out. (Yes I was showing off and yes I couldn't resist coating their trucks in a rooster tail of mud... at least one of these trucks now runs the same tires.) I have driven thru wet woods cutting deep ruts, hitting stumps and loaded with firewood countless times and driven thru snow dragging the undercarriage. I am still amazed at the difference in off-road permformance vs AT tires.

They will last if you rotate them and have good shocks and tight suspension/linkage...50,000 miles with half tread is pretty common. Be warned...Ignore rotations and maintenance and irregular wear will occur.

Initial Review, 5,000 Miles on Tires
September 19, 2012

Ive always been a fan of Michelin tires. Ive had MXV4's on my Mazda 626 and later on my 98 740i and love them in the rain! When i upgraded to sportier vehicles, i installed a set of pilots...still yhe same quality ride ive been accustomed to. I just installed a set of MXM4 's on my Bimmer and wow! I forgot how uncomprimising they are! I was in complete euphoria (took a Kumho break for a few years!).

they are quiet, awesome in corners, extremely adhesive, and can take a shock well. When driving in the rain, i cant help but feel like a kid again! I grab the keys and take the car for a spin with complete confidence that im going to enjoy the ride!

I love to makevthe comparison product-wise to a very popular tech company! With Michelins you cant lose because they just work!!!
To me, they are definitely worth the money! I know i went through a lot of Kumhos beforevi came back to the brand.but now that im back...im lovin it. I will be putting a set on my 2011 hyundai sonata SE very soon!

Initial Review, 100 Miles on Tires
September 25, 2012

So far 100 miles on these Michelin Pilot ss barley broken in and they feel like champain quality in every performance area.They are almost too good for my RX-8 like a class up on it. Might be because I have 100,000 miles on it. I put 4 of these tires on with new Mazdaspeed shocks, Mazdaspeed lowering springs and a cold air induction K&N intake system all at once. The car runs and handles like new.I highly recommend doing this even a little at a time. These are better than the PS2 tire 235/40/18 do fit all around. Still havent put these through some real hard driving yet, will report back with some feedback in time. Did shift across two lanes hard with just two fingers on the steering wheel and it was amazing! steering response that is. It felt like my internal abdominal organs suddenly shifted!I was there in a second! Total control is outstanding! 6-speed 2005 RX-8

Initial Review, 6,000 Miles on Tires
September 17, 2010

Prior to this tire, I had Continental ContisportContacts. Those tires were getting to the wear indicators but I didn't notice any drop in performance. I had excellent, very crisp feel with those tires. I have Bilstein Sport shocks & struts and H&R Sport springs. The ContisportContacts are a very good tire for on Bilstein Sports.



Moving to the V12 K110's, it was immediately obvious that responsiveness was not as good. This gave the handling characteristics a "rubbery" feeling. Transitioning in turns really brings out this negative characteristic for this tire, in this size, on this suspension.



That said, the overall dry grip is very good. Wet grip is completely acceptable, but I definitely could feel some hydroplaning in heavy rain. They are more comfortable and much quieter than the Conti's (I don't recall how comfortable/quiet the Conti's were when new).



Due to the rubbery response I now have, I won't get these tires again. Other than that, the price was great, they have great traction, and they're comfortable and quiet.