philter25

iTrader: (4)

So a few weeks ago I was losing about 1psi air a day in my rear tires. I couldnt find out what was wrong. Put the car up on the lift and theres a nail in the back, so I had to decide quick on new tires.

I have a 2009 G37S with the stock 19" rims and decided to do a plus zero size and put 245/40/19 up front and 275/35/19 in the rear.

Ive put about 200 miles on the tires so far. Grip is MUCH improved. I can floor it without a chirp and my slip light doesnt go on as much. I can still get that yellow light to flash when taking turns tight, but its much better than stock.

I feel like the car is quicker accelerating. I felt like with the stock tires the TCS kicked in more and I was always seeing a flashing yellow light on my dashboard. Thats not happening unless I floor it around a turn with a lot of loose gravel or floor it doing U-turns.

Comfort is about the same. I have tanabe NF210s in the front and eibachs in the rear, so I have a slightly firmer ride over the stock sport springs and I like feeling a little more of the road, while still keeping a comfortable daily driver.

Also, the tires look 100% much better than stock and fill in the wheel well better and eliminates a lot of the "tucked in" look. No more stretched band-aid. This is the size that should have came from the factory.

Wet traction is also increased. I drove home from the airport during the rain last week and took a few exit ramps faster than I normally would and the car held its line.

For anyone looking in the performance summer tires, the #1 ranking for these tires on Tire Rack is so far justified IMO.








I dont rub with the wider tires and I dont have spacers.

Edit: Its been about 10,000 miles and so far Im still thrilled with these. The only change I would make is my initial observation of these tires being slightly noisier than stock was incorrect. I drove a G37S with the stockies then my car back to back and the PSS are definitely quieter with less road noise. I dont know if the initial observation was related to break-in or if I was just driving on cement or noisier roads for the initial review.

My reviews later about the temperature later in this thread are still correct. If you live in winters where you get any sort of snow, even if its dusting, dont think about driving your car with summer performance tires in those conditions. If you live in winters where you dont get snow, just cold temperatures, keeping the car inside a garage will keep the tires warmer and they will grip better in colder weather.

Itchytoe

Just wait till they get broken in. They get better.

A_Palaroan

iTrader: (2)

i want these to be my next tire but they are a pretty penny. i better start saving. hows the sidewall on these? are they pretty stiff or soft like my hankook v12's?

philter25

iTrader: (4)

^ stiffer.

And a more detailed review based on driving conditions which I have yet to test out:

Michelin Pilot Super Sport Tire Review

Testing the Michelin Pilot Super Sport - Motor Trend

Neal@tirerack

iTrader: (2)

Great tire, drove them today.

TVPostSound

iTrader: (9)

Those are 245s in the fronts?

Mine (245/275 also) will be here Wednesday, maybe I should have gone bigger?

cy7878

iTrader: (1)

300 miles so far on mine. I love the tires.

Coprolite

One of the write ups actually mentioned that they used less summer compound. I hope this would mean that they don't turn into bricks near freezing. I notice a big drop off in the 050 below 50... Their name related to temp rating?

philter25

iTrader: (4)

That is one thing I also noticed. The backs are a little more "squarer" than the front. 255 up front might have been a little more "squarer".

philter25

iTrader: (4)

I noticed the same with the 050s. Luckily, my wife and I commute together and during late December - March, we primarily drive her SUV and the G37 mostly stays in the garage except for the occasional trip to the grocery store to keep the fluids moving as long as there is no snow on the ground. The 050s definately firm up a lot with very cold temperatures....... but then again, they were designed as high performance summer tires.

If the Pilot SS's can handle the cold weather better than the 050's, then thats just an added bonus. I'll find out in a few months as I dont put snow tires on my G37.

I definately wouldnt even think about driving it in any sort of snow or slush, but it would be nice if cold weather dry performance was better than the 050s.

Coprolite

I'd love to hear your opinion from this winter. Living in a humane climate, I don't have to worry about winter tires, but near freezing performance matters a lot. The cold days last winter were definitely not very fun.

In either case, I will have time to decide. I am at <6k @ 9 months. My lease car is doing a good job absorbing the mindless business trip mileage. My G attracted a bit too much attention on my trip to Houston today, but that is a completely different thread.

TVPostSound

iTrader: (9)

philter25:

Do your 245s have a slightly different tread pattern than the 275s??

Mine are!!

philter25

iTrader: (4)

Yup. Very slightly.

philter25

iTrader: (4)

To follow up...... its been in the 30s and 40s over the past 2 weeks in Maryland, heck, it even snowed.

I have a hill leaving my townhouse which Ive been flooring it up to check the grip when it gets colder and there are a few bends on a 45mph road which ive been taking faster to see how they grip in the cold.

I would say that from 50 degrees up, they stick like glue.

The one morning when it was 30 degrees and I pulled out of the driveway and I floored it, I could tell the tires were stiffer and I was able to get the slip light to go on. The car sat overnight in the 30 degrees so the tires were ice cold. I made a left turn when the light was yellow and took it fast in 30 degree weather and the rear end slipped a little. Normally, I can do that in above 50 degree weather at that intersection and it sticks like glue.

However, I did notice that later in the week when they had a chance to warm up, the traction got better.

In 40 degree mornings and around turns, when the tires havent warmed up and are cold, they dont have as much traction as they do when its warmer outside.

Overall, they are as advertised. Extreme grip high performance summer tires.

In the summer - I can drive like I stole it on dry roads. Best grip.
On wet roads, the grip is better than stock, but I dont take exit ramps at 60 mph due to the wet roads.

In spring and fall - I can drive like I stole it on dry roads above 50 degrees. Best grip. On wet roads, the grip is better than stock, but I dont take exit ramps at 60 mph due to the wet roads. Below 50 degrees I drive a little more cautious. The tires are fine and can easily handle colder weather, they are just a little firmer and get progressively firmer as it reaches 30 degrees when the tires havent had a chance to warm up.

In the snow - Dont even think about it. It stays in the garage with these tires on. Even with a dusting, the combination of the tires getting firmer in near freezing temperatures with a dusting on the road, I would not drive the car in those conditions with these tires.

They are as advertised, extreme high performance summer tires. Cold weather performance is better than stock, but not as good as something designed for colder weather. Im pretty comfortable driving "spiritedly" with these tires as I know their limits and wet and cold weather performance. Once they have a chance to warm up, they do seem to soften up in colder weather. Just dont floor it around a corner as soon as you pull out of the driveway in 30 degree weather.

12/12/11 Edit:

Ive had some more chances to drive around in the cold. Saturday morning I woke up and it was 38 degrees outside. I went out for lunch around noon and drove like an idiot over to Chick-fil-a. The car was parked in the garage overnight and the roads were dry as a bone. The tires gripped like a glove. No firmness at all and I couldnt get the back end to slip out.

This morning I woke up and it was 27 degrees outside and frost all over the car. I tried to floor it out of my development and I was able to get the tcs light to flash. Tires felt firmer with the sub-freezing temperature. The car sat in the driveway all night in freezing temperatures. The roads probably had some minor frost on them from overnight. I had no problem getting to work, but I couldnt drive it like I stole it.

Like any tires, know the limits of them.

My updated limits are if you park the car outside overnight and its under 40 degrees in the morning, you might see stiffness and you cant drive like you would on a dry street in the summertime. However, if you park your car in the garage and dont let the tires exposed to freezing temperatures overnight, they wont be stiff. Also, pay attention to the road conditions (frost vs bone dry).

JSolo

iTrader: (14)

Thanks for the update.. Eagle gt gs d3 tires I had on a diff car were practically useless with 1/4" of snow on the ground. 1st gear and barely off of idle at ~10mph the 2 miles to make it home and put the snow rubber on