SW03ES Posted June 21, 2005 Posted June 21, 2005 Well with 22k on them and a little over a year I'm going to retire my Toyo Proxes TPT tires. The right passenger tire has a screw in it. They've got about half their treadlife left probably but the poor snow traction last year and growing low speed road noise and slippery rain traction have caused me to decide to pass on having it plugged. They were excellent tires at first but the last 7k or so they've become annoyingly loud and have been exhibiting reduced rain traction. The replacements? Probably Michelin MXV4s. Costco has them on sale and for 4 installed it'll cost me less than the Toyos did last year. I've toyed with the Yokohama avs dB and the Bridgestone Turanza LS-Vs but I'm tired of hit or miss on tires. I can depend on these to deliver the ride I'm looking for even if they are pricey...
dcfish Posted June 21, 2005 Posted June 21, 2005 Well with 22k on them and a little over a year I'm going to retire my Toyo Proxes TPT tires. The right passenger tire has a screw in it. They've got about half their treadlife left probably but the poor snow traction last year and growing low speed road noise and slippery rain traction have caused me to decide to pass on having it plugged.They were excellent tires at first but the last 7k or so they've become annoyingly loud and have been exhibiting reduced rain traction. The replacements? Probably Michelin MXV4s. Costco has them on sale and for 4 installed it'll cost me less than the Toyos did last year. I've toyed with the Yokohama avs dB and the Bridgestone Turanza LS-Vs but I'm tired of hit or miss on tires. I can depend on these to deliver the ride I'm looking for even if they are pricey... ← You will love the mx's I have them on my 93 es300 and they are quiet , smooth , and great wet traction and decent in the snow. Great choice.
steviej Posted June 21, 2005 Posted June 21, 2005 Steve, you going with the S8 version or just the regular. I am starting the search again as I will need to start looking by fall 2006. I am insterested in what you hear when they are on and what your traction will be, as I hear both sides of the fence with these. Let us know. steviej
SW03ES Posted June 21, 2005 Author Posted June 21, 2005 I dont know about the S8s... I was told by the guy at Costco (I'm more than a little apprehensive about having Costco do my tires but they've got the best deal) said the S8s are just as smooth and quiet as the normal MXV4s but they have better rain and snow traction and are cheaper for their rollout. It seems to me on TireRack that the S8s don't get quite as good reviews as the older MXV4s so at this point I think I'm just going to do the ordinary MXV4s. Eventually the S8s are going to "replace" the ordinary MXV4s so the guy at Costco said. I remember that when I was replacing the Dunlop SP Sport 4000s on my dad's LS400 for him and the SP Sport 5000s came out as the 4000s "replacements" and they were cheaper. Well they were cheaper all right, shorter lasting, louder and rougher. Now the 4000 still exists and the 5000s are being phased out. Because of that I'm weary of "replacement next generations" of tires that are already good that wind up being cheaper. As for people being on both sides of the fence about them I don't know what to make of it either, might have something to do with them being OEM, and sticker shock when people go to replace them who knows. The LS-Vs are also appealing and have stellar reviews on TireRack but the reviews on the whole for the MXV4s are more impressive because of the 20 times more mileage reported.
SW03ES Posted June 22, 2005 Author Posted June 22, 2005 Got them installed at Costco today, $617 out the door not bad at all, $50 less than I paid for the Toyos. Haven't driven them much, I'm down the road now getting a 4 wheel alignment and an oil change but so far I love them. 10 times quieter than the Toyos and they seem smoother too. I'm quite happy with them. I was also impressed with Costco, I was nervous about them installing the tires but they did a great, quick job and balanced them right the first time. I've never had anyone balance a Lexus right for me the first time, and the last place even had the Road Force balancing machine. So Steve, if you have a Costco near you go for it and buy them now because they have a $60 off sale going on. You'd be better to buy them now and hold them until fall. 100% pleased, these are the tires the Lexus is made for.
RX in NC Posted June 22, 2005 Posted June 22, 2005 Sorry to learn that your Toyos only went 22,000 miles before you decided it was in your best interest to replace them. For what they cost you, that's really criminal. Of course, you acknowledged that you're probably only halfway through the treadlife so it's not as if you were required to replace your tires in order to pass inspection. But to pay more than $600 for a set of supposedly good highway tires and then to decide at well under 40,000 miles that they gotta go really makes my wallet hurt and it's not even my vehicle.... Better luck with the Michelins. I think I would have bought the older-generation Dunlops. I have Dunlop Radial Rover A/T's on my Ram as well as my daughter's Grand Cherokee. I also ran them on my former Durango as well as my wife's former Grand Cherokee. With proper inflation and rotation we've always managed to get at least 45,000 to 50,000 miles out of those tires before degrading rain performance would cause me to install new rubber. Goodyear apparently had enough sense to leave Dunlop alone after buying the company a few years back. I haven't had to purchase a new set of A/T's since November 2002 so I hope the new ones are still as good as the older ones were. But you just never know as these tire manufacturers change formulas and procedures in their never-ending effort to cut costs....
SW03ES Posted June 23, 2005 Author Posted June 23, 2005 Oh they definately had at least 20k more on them, the traction had just gotten so poor and they'd gotten so loud I couldn't think about going another 20k on them. I'm really impressed with how much better the Michelins seem to be in every way. Older Dunlop radials like say the SP Sport 4000 were also on my short list but my experience with them has been that they have great traction and a real nice quiet ride but somewhat short treadlife. Keep in mind that SUV/Light Truck tires will always last longer than passenger car tires, I got 100k a set out of the Michelin LTX M/S I had/have on my Explorer.
dcfish Posted June 23, 2005 Posted June 23, 2005 Oh they definately had at least 20k more on them, the traction had just gotten so poor and they'd gotten so loud I couldn't think about going another 20k on them.I'm really impressed with how much better the Michelins seem to be in every way. Older Dunlop radials like say the SP Sport 4000 were also on my short list but my experience with them has been that they have great traction and a real nice quiet ride but somewhat short treadlife. Keep in mind that SUV/Light Truck tires will always last longer than passenger car tires, I got 100k a set out of the Michelin LTX M/S I had/have on my Explorer. ← Nice choice, You will enjoy those tires for a long time. ;)
steviej Posted June 24, 2005 Posted June 24, 2005 So Steve, if you have a Costco near you go for it and buy them now because they have a $60 off sale going on. You'd be better to buy them now and hold them until fall. ← Steve, I was talking about fall 2006. I still got at least another year to go on mu current Dunlop Sport A2's. The Michelins are on my short list however. I still have to hear your comments on how these perform in heavy rain and next winter's snow. :whistles: steviej
SW03ES Posted June 28, 2005 Author Posted June 28, 2005 I just got back from the Catskills, 700mi round trip. Got to do some mountain driving and a couple gravel roads. Found out they're not PERFECTLY balanced so they're going to be road-forced at some time this week but thats not a big deal. No rain yet. I'm SO impressed with these tires. Truthfully I've always been a little dissapointed with how my ES rides compared to the LS I always wanted, but these tires were the answer. They turned it into a totally different car, I'm shocked by how smooth it is at certain times when the Toyos were rough, when coasting down from a stop or when cornering. They're glass smooth and totally silent, it rides like a Lexus truly now. Money WELL spent. Don't waste your attention with other tires.
dcfish Posted June 28, 2005 Posted June 28, 2005 I just got back from the Catskills, 700mi round trip. Got to do some mountain driving and a couple gravel roads. Found out they're not PERFECTLY balanced so they're going to be road-forced at some time this week but thats not a big deal. No rain yet.I'm SO impressed with these tires. Truthfully I've always been a little dissapointed with how my ES rides compared to the LS I always wanted, but these tires were the answer. They turned it into a totally different car, I'm shocked by how smooth it is at certain times when the Toyos were rough, when coasting down from a stop or when cornering. They're glass smooth and totally silent, it rides like a Lexus truly now. Money WELL spent. Don't waste your attention with other tires. ← I hate to say this but "I told you so" I have had those tires on my ES for a year and I am in LOVE WITH THEM and they wear like steel. I am glad you are happy with them
steviej Posted June 28, 2005 Posted June 28, 2005 I still want to here his story during a torrential rain storm or 3 inches or snow/slush. But I am hoping for the best. steviej
blake918 Posted June 28, 2005 Posted June 28, 2005 I still want to here his story during a torrential rain storm or 3 inches or snow/slush. But I am hoping for the best.steviej ← I have MXV4+'s on my LS, and they handle very well through wet hurricane seasons. I've driven through standing water, and the tires handle fine. We had a bit of snow around Christmas. I was disappointed with the way they handled, but I don't have trac/vsc, and I hear that LS snow performance is highly dependant on good winter tires+traction/stability. Steve, you made an excellent choice! I have over 40k miles on my Michelins, and they look brand new. DC is right when he says they wear like steel! Mine wear/align/balance perfectly...never any problems other than my running over nails. lol I'm upset that they are not going to be making them any more. :cries:
SW03ES Posted June 28, 2005 Author Posted June 28, 2005 Steve- You'll be the first to know ;) As for them not making them anymore wait and see, I bet they still make them. They still make the original MXV4s even though they "replaced" them with the MXV4+ which is what we all have.
SW03ES Posted July 7, 2005 Author Posted July 7, 2005 Finally got a chance to try the tires out in heavy rain. Impressed with the traction, much better than the Toyos, although probably as good as the Toyos when they were new.
steviej Posted July 8, 2005 Posted July 8, 2005 that's promising. I am interested in the new Michelin Exaltas. steviej
Lexusfreak Posted July 30, 2005 Posted July 30, 2005 Well with 22k on them and a little over a year I'm going to retire my Toyo Proxes TPT tires. The right passenger tire has a screw in it. They've got about half their treadlife left probably but the poor snow traction last year and growing low speed road noise and slippery rain traction have caused me to decide to pass on having it plugged.They were excellent tires at first but the last 7k or so they've become annoyingly loud and have been exhibiting reduced rain traction. The replacements? Probably Michelin MXV4s. Costco has them on sale and for 4 installed it'll cost me less than the Toyos did last year. I've toyed with the Yokohama avs dB and the Bridgestone Turanza LS-Vs but I'm tired of hit or miss on tires. I can depend on these to deliver the ride I'm looking for even if they are pricey... ← My Toyo's are still going strong.....sorry you weren't happy with your choice sw! I'd give serious consideration to the GY Triple Treads if they come in your size & speed rating. Just my 2 cents. The new Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S have the same traction & treadwear rating as the TPT's.......the the Michelin website states the winter tration of a 8 out of 10 & wet weather only a 7 out of 10........I will reserve judgement until more folks have put them on thier vehicles & hear how they perform in the winter however.
SW03ES Posted August 2, 2005 Author Posted August 2, 2005 Naa I'm beyond thrilled with the MXV4s, these are the tires the car was designed to ride on. I still think the Triple Treads and the Exaltos are too much tire for an ES, this is a touring car and it needs a touring tire IMHO. All these directional aggresively treaded tires are better suited to sportier cars. The Toyos were nice at first, but they were never as smooth as the Michelins were.
Lexusfreak Posted August 2, 2005 Posted August 2, 2005 Naa I'm beyond thrilled with the MXV4s, these are the tires the car was designed to ride on.I still think the Triple Treads and the Exaltos are too much tire for an ES, this is a touring car and it needs a touring tire IMHO. All these directional aggresively treaded tires are better suited to sportier cars. The Toyos were nice at first, but they were never as smooth as the Michelins were. ← The Triple Treads are considered a 'premium all season' not a 'touring' tire. I doubt you will find a 'touring' tire with a 740 treadwear rating. In many sizes, you can get the TT in H speed rating. B) What tires do you have on your 'short list' sw?
SW03ES Posted August 3, 2005 Author Posted August 3, 2005 I think the treadwear might be part of the issue, a tire with rubber hard enough to have a treadwear rating that high has got to have harder rubber than a tire with a 350 treadwear rating, it only makes sense. Harder rubber = harder ride and more noise. Maybe on a Camry, but I'm willing to buy tires for this car once a year if its neccisary to have it ride like it rides now on the Michelins. Plenty of life left on the Toyos, I just didn't want to drive the car on them anymore because of the noise and the traction. No short list, I already bought them ;) Michelin Energy MXV4s.
Lexusfreak Posted August 3, 2005 Posted August 3, 2005 They should provide you with decent service sw........enjoy! B) ;) Just don't expect miracles in the winter with any all season tire. Reviews of all MXV4's (including the revised 'S8' * 'Plus' lines) are average at best & that was info from 6 different tire sites that have reviews, & the prices aren't exactly good value for what one get's (I had them on my ES & was very unimpressed & frankly dissappointed with their performance). I'm sure you will keep us posted however on their performance. ;)
SW03ES Posted August 5, 2005 Author Posted August 5, 2005 With my experience now I'm no longer interested in the ratings on these internet sites. I think everyone has a different set of expectations and you get a lot of "groupthink" where people are too shy to post an opinion that goes against the group. They're also OEM tires, and I'm convinced OEM tires are lesser quality than replacement tires, the vast majority of reviews are about OEM tires, compared after they're worn out to totally new tires. Hardly a fair assessment. I also was very happy with the Dunlop SP Sport 4000s and felt they gave the best ride out of the many tires my dad had on his 98 LS, and they have quite poor ratings. TireRack has a way of being pretty "trendy" and older tires like the MXV4s and the SP 4000s aren't "cool" and "in" like tires such as the Turanza LS-V and Goodyear Triple Tread. Makes them appear like lesser tires when really they're not, they just don't have the same marketing blitz and glitz. I'm not looking for miracles in the snow, but I do expect a FWD car with traction and yaw control to be able to move up a driveway with 2 inches of snow on it. It could with the Bridgestones, it couldn't with the Toyos, we'll see about the Michelins. As for value, they cost less than the Toyos and they're worth twice as much. I'm happy. I see why they cost $200 a peice retail now.
Lexusfreak Posted August 5, 2005 Posted August 5, 2005 They're also OEM tires, and I'm convinced OEM tires are lesser quality than replacement tires, the vast majority of reviews are about OEM tires, Couldn't agree more sw. I wish the all auto makers put better quality rubber on their cars from the factory. B) I'm not looking for miracles in the snow, but I do expect a FWD car with traction and yaw control to be able to move up a driveway with 2 inches of snow on it. It could with the Bridgestones, it couldn't with the Toyos, we'll see about the Michelins. Keep us posted on how they perform & good luck! B)
SW03ES Posted August 5, 2005 Author Posted August 5, 2005 I shall! I mean even within a tire line, say OEM MXV4s are lesser quality than replacement MXV4s.
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