First tire replacement, on my 2009 2LT, love them Michelin's
05-06-2020, 10:24 PM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 10-05-2016
Location: NWOhio
Posts: 78
First tire replacement, on my 2009 2LT, love them Michelin's
Well finally had to get rid of the Firestones that came on this ride. Had some way to go at 62,000 according to the wear bars, but trust me they were very dangerous ion the rain, let alone ice or snow. I have been studying up for about 2 months and trying to sort thru the stupid reviews, (which are over 75%) and what is reliable. I really wanted to buy the Michelin Premiers from the get go, after having them on my Suburban. But there is a big difference between the 4x4 Suburban with high profile 16" tires and the 215 50 17 sport tires I needed for the HHR.
I read many review stating loss of fuel mileage, over the Fuel Savers, which lose about 15,000 miles in tread warranty. But my main concern was noise, and ride comfort, the thing I notice most when I change from any tire to any Michelin tire I have used, On my Harley, on my Suburban, on my old Oldsmobile 98, or my not so old Crown Victorian. Every time I have replaced other tires, from Goodyear, Goodrich, Cooper, Dunlap, General, just to name a few, with any Michelin I have been more than satisfied, to point of disbelief how much better the ride and road noise was with the change.
Today was no different, and what I read from many reviews on fuel loss with the Premiers was totally wrong! I drove 32 miles east into a northeast wind to get them installed this morning.averaging around 30-31 mpg running 60 mph. Going home after around 20 miles when I came to the little town with the only stop om the way home, and a little stiffer wind I was staying above 38 mpg on my instant mp. So being retired, and social distancing anyways, I turned around and went back just to see the difference. Sure enough, 34-35 instant mpg's with the new tires.
I can't over state how much better the car drives, and there is less road noise. But after putting Coopers on the Suburban 2 years ago to replace the Michelin Premiers that were pushing 7 years and over 60,000 miles on them, I was so sorry I put the Coopers on, instantly the ride was worse, and road noise noticeably louder, so Monday I made the choice, take a chance on loosing a couple miles yo the gallon, and get a vehicle that rides better and is quieter,,,, I got that and to my surprise, improved my fuel mileage by a noticeable amount! I will give it a 1K or so and post back, but I am sure, my overall short trips daily mileage is going to easily go up 2 mpg, and maybe more!
I love those Michelin's, and after putting the CommanderII's on my Harley Davidson Softglide,, I will never recommend any other tire for any kind of vehicle! The Michelin's are the only tires I have ever felt I got my moneys worth!
I read many review stating loss of fuel mileage, over the Fuel Savers, which lose about 15,000 miles in tread warranty. But my main concern was noise, and ride comfort, the thing I notice most when I change from any tire to any Michelin tire I have used, On my Harley, on my Suburban, on my old Oldsmobile 98, or my not so old Crown Victorian. Every time I have replaced other tires, from Goodyear, Goodrich, Cooper, Dunlap, General, just to name a few, with any Michelin I have been more than satisfied, to point of disbelief how much better the ride and road noise was with the change.
Today was no different, and what I read from many reviews on fuel loss with the Premiers was totally wrong! I drove 32 miles east into a northeast wind to get them installed this morning.averaging around 30-31 mpg running 60 mph. Going home after around 20 miles when I came to the little town with the only stop om the way home, and a little stiffer wind I was staying above 38 mpg on my instant mp. So being retired, and social distancing anyways, I turned around and went back just to see the difference. Sure enough, 34-35 instant mpg's with the new tires.
I can't over state how much better the car drives, and there is less road noise. But after putting Coopers on the Suburban 2 years ago to replace the Michelin Premiers that were pushing 7 years and over 60,000 miles on them, I was so sorry I put the Coopers on, instantly the ride was worse, and road noise noticeably louder, so Monday I made the choice, take a chance on loosing a couple miles yo the gallon, and get a vehicle that rides better and is quieter,,,, I got that and to my surprise, improved my fuel mileage by a noticeable amount! I will give it a 1K or so and post back, but I am sure, my overall short trips daily mileage is going to easily go up 2 mpg, and maybe more!
I love those Michelin's, and after putting the CommanderII's on my Harley Davidson Softglide,, I will never recommend any other tire for any kind of vehicle! The Michelin's are the only tires I have ever felt I got my moneys worth!
Last edited by Oldblue; 05-09-2020 at 05:56 PM. Reason: Corrected model designation
05-09-2020, 04:33 PM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: 12-05-2014
Location: Northern Ohio
Posts: 2,375
It’s hard to believe there’s that much difference. With Michelin you pay 50% for tires that are twice as good. The life alone usually makes it worth it. The choice is something like 70k miles of satisfaction vs. 30k miles of constant annoyance.
Last edited by Oldblue; 05-09-2020 at 05:56 PM.
05-10-2020, 02:03 AM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: 03-22-2010
Location: Russia Ekaterinburg
Posts: 2,009
My 5 cents in discussion ...
Car tires (as well as the car itself) are developed comprehensively, with a given set of properties. Some of these properties are antipodes, so the designer must perform a miracle - combine and balance something that cannot be combined.
For example: low fuel economy and "noise" - a natural consequence of excellent braking and stability on the road .. Rubber clings very tightly to the asphalt, when rolling this clutch is more difficult to break and more energy (gasoline) is spent on this work.
In other words, if the tires brake perfectly, they are unlikely to be economical, and vice versa, if the tires almost do not take your gasoline - keep a greater distance and a little less speed.
What I suggest:
just write a list of rubber properties and prioritize. That which is very important for you, designate the number "1", a little less important = 2 and so on. You will have a clear understanding of your desires and you will understand which tires are best for you. Tire properties (names and measurement results) you will find in the "silly reviews"
As an illustration, I’ll tell you what I did in my time:
Properties of winter tires that I prioritized:
1. Braking on snow and ice;
2. Braking on the pavement;
3. Rearrangement (keeping on the road in a bend);
4. Price;
5. Everything else is not important.
As a result, I settled on Bridgestone Blizak.
By the way, Michelin was also in the top three winners, but dropped out of the fight because of the high price and poor braking on the pavement, although in the snow it slows down better than Blizak. I took the measurement results from the tests of two Russian respected auto magazines.
Car tires (as well as the car itself) are developed comprehensively, with a given set of properties. Some of these properties are antipodes, so the designer must perform a miracle - combine and balance something that cannot be combined.
For example: low fuel economy and "noise" - a natural consequence of excellent braking and stability on the road .. Rubber clings very tightly to the asphalt, when rolling this clutch is more difficult to break and more energy (gasoline) is spent on this work.
In other words, if the tires brake perfectly, they are unlikely to be economical, and vice versa, if the tires almost do not take your gasoline - keep a greater distance and a little less speed.
What I suggest:
just write a list of rubber properties and prioritize. That which is very important for you, designate the number "1", a little less important = 2 and so on. You will have a clear understanding of your desires and you will understand which tires are best for you. Tire properties (names and measurement results) you will find in the "silly reviews"
As an illustration, I’ll tell you what I did in my time:
Properties of winter tires that I prioritized:
1. Braking on snow and ice;
2. Braking on the pavement;
3. Rearrangement (keeping on the road in a bend);
4. Price;
5. Everything else is not important.
As a result, I settled on Bridgestone Blizak.
By the way, Michelin was also in the top three winners, but dropped out of the fight because of the high price and poor braking on the pavement, although in the snow it slows down better than Blizak. I took the measurement results from the tests of two Russian respected auto magazines.
05-10-2020, 08:33 PM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: 10-01-2018
Location: Downingtown, PA
Posts: 312
When I first got my panel, the first thing I changed was the wheel and tire combo - I wanted the larger SS wheel (instead of the stock steelies), so I went on a search for a tire to match. After several days of online compare and contrast I settled for the Vredestein Quatrac 5, available through Tire Rack. I've had Goodyears (my stepfather was a VP, so those were a given) but was less than impressed with the lifespan. I usually run BF Goodrich on my work truck as it's 4wd and I want a more aggressive tread. The panel.. had to be quiet and have decent wet traction and snow traction (though if it's over 4 or 5" I'm not going out anyway). And the Vredesteins are great - I've got over 20K miles on them now and they still look new. Great traction in the dry and wet and they ride very well. I bought a set for my wife's Mini Cooper just because I was so impressed with them on my panel!
05-14-2020, 06:46 AM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: 12-26-2009
Location: Hebron, Ill.
Posts: 819
When I first got my panel, the first thing I changed was the wheel and tire combo - I wanted the larger SS wheel (instead of the stock steelies), so I went on a search for a tire to match. After several days of online compare and contrast I settled for the Vredestein Quatrac 5, available through Tire Rack. I've had Goodyears (my stepfather was a VP, so those were a given) but was less than impressed with the lifespan. I usually run BF Goodrich on my work truck as it's 4wd and I want a more aggressive tread. The panel.. had to be quiet and have decent wet traction and snow traction (though if it's over 4 or 5" I'm not going out anyway). And the Vredesteins are great - I've got over 20K miles on them now and they still look new. Great traction in the dry and wet and they ride very well. I bought a set for my wife's Mini Cooper just because I was so impressed with them on my panel!