Just Replaced The OEM Bridgestone's with new Michelin Primacys

[SW03ES]

Well, my OEM Bridgestones had 23k on them, they were getting squirrely in the rain, winter is coming (or already came this weekend), Michelin rolled out their $70 rebate sale today...so I just got back from having a brand new set of Michelin Primacy MXV4 H Rated tires put on the Lexus. All in all, not bad, I bought them in a store instead of buying online like I normally do because the deal was about the same, wound up at $720 installed before the rebate, plus tax. TireRack had them for $151 each, so thats $604 plus $49 to ship, so thats $653, plus $120 to mount and balance, I'd have been at $773, so even with having to pay tax on the tires I came out ahead a little, and I got them today.

I'll post my thoughts. As you all know I love these tires, so I expect to like them very much.

One thing I will say for the terrible reviews of the Turanza EL400's, and the grousing people do about them. I'm happy I didn't tear them off brand new and replace them with the Primacys like I thought about doing. They are a smooth riding, quiet tire. Terrible treadwear, they weren't to the wear bars but had become scary enough in the rain I didn't want my wife driving the Lexus. But...I got 23k miles out of them, and I could have gotten another 10k probably if I was willing to put up with questionable rain traction. Would I pay money for them as a replacement tire? No...especially because they cost MORE than the Primacy...but they're okay.

[pj8708]

When I bought my 2010 ES I had them take off the factory tires, Bridgestone, and put on the Primacy's off my trade-in. I had just purchased the Primacy's a few months before and I knew I didn't want to lose that great ride.

[DEATH]

Well, my OEM Bridgestones had 23k on them, they were getting squirrely in the rain, winter is coming (or already came this weekend), Michelin rolled out their $70 rebate sale today...so I just got back from having a brand new set of Michelin Primacy MXV4 H Rated tires put on the Lexus. All in all, not bad, I bought them in a store instead of buying online like I normally do because the deal was about the same, wound up at $720 installed before the rebate, plus tax. TireRack had them for $151 each, so thats $604 plus $49 to ship, so thats $653, plus $120 to mount and balance, I'd have been at $773, so even with having to pay tax on the tires I came out ahead a little, and I got them today.

I'll post my thoughts. As you all know I love these tires, so I expect to like them very much.

One thing I will say for the terrible reviews of the Turanza EL400's, and the grousing people do about them. I'm happy I didn't tear them off brand new and replace them with the Primacys like I thought about doing. They are a smooth riding, quiet tire. Terrible treadwear, they weren't to the wear bars but had become scary enough in the rain I didn't want my wife driving the Lexus. But...I got 23k miles out of them, and I could have gotten another 10k probably if I was willing to put up with questionable rain traction. Would I pay money for them as a replacement tire? No...especially because they cost MORE than the Primacy...but they're okay.

Michelin Primacy is an excellent choice for the ES350. Surprisingly enough, The B/S Turanza EL400 is the tire we use on the LS460 because of it's extremely low Road Force Variation. The 460's smooth suspension will detect anything above 10lb.s of RFV and become a slight vibration at highway speeds similar to a wheel balance concern. Go figure. Everyone's different, I guess.

[RX350lover]

The Michelin Primaxy MXV4 replaces the Michelin Energy MXV4 (and MXV4+). The Energy was an excellent tire. Long lasting and very good grip on dry and wet pavement. Though sometimes noisy on some cars.

[SW03ES]

Michelin Primacy is an excellent choice for the ES350. Surprisingly enough, The B/S Turanza EL400 is the tire we use on the LS460 because of it's extremely low Road Force Variation. The 460's smooth suspension will detect anything above 10lb.s of RFV and become a slight vibration at highway speeds similar to a wheel balance concern. Go figure. Everyone's different, I guess.

Oh God, my Dad had a 98 LS400 and an 04 LS430, you are totally right...the slightest little but out of balance and you could definitely feel it. He had a set of Dunlops on the 400 one time he had to have rebalanced once a month. The ES is picky too, but not as bad.

[pj8708]

Michelin Primacy is an excellent choice for the ES350. Surprisingly enough, The B/S Turanza EL400 is the tire we use on the LS460 because of it's extremely low Road Force Variation. The 460's smooth suspension will detect anything above 10lb.s of RFV and become a slight vibration at highway speeds similar to a wheel balance concern. Go figure. Everyone's different, I guess.

Oh God, my Dad had a 98 LS400 and an 04 LS430, you are totally right...the slightest little but out of balance and you could definitely feel it. He had a set of Dunlops on the 400 one time he had to have rebalanced once a month. The ES is picky too, but not as bad.

I need some basic education please. What is Road Force Balancing and/or Road Force Variation. I have seen these phrases before but have never known their full meaning.

Thanks a lot.

Paul

[thermo]

Just put Primacys on my 07 es350, 3 words to decribe them, great,great,great.

[SW03ES]

This describes it about as well as possible:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radial_Force_Variation

[pj8708]

This describes it about as well as possible:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radial_Force_Variation

Thanks for the help! I appreciate it.

[SW03ES]

Well...so much for the cheaper installation.

I just noticed a big stain on the driver's side front door speaker grill, looks like someone must have gotten a grease stain on it and tried to clean it off. I tried cleaning it with a couple of my cleaners, and its not budging. Just noticed it tonight. I'm going to have to go over there and talk to them about it, I'm sure they won't do anything since its been a day or so. Obviously as anal as I am about the car this was the only opportunity it had to get on there.

I just looked it up, apparently that fabric grill is not a separate part, the whole door panel has to be replaced and the part wholesale is $600...

So looks like my cheaper install cost me another thousand bucks...

[SW03ES]

[pj8708]

Well...so much for the cheaper installation.

I just noticed a big stain on the driver's side front door speaker grill, looks like someone must have gotten a grease stain on it and tried to clean it off. I tried cleaning it with a couple of my cleaners, and its not budging. Just noticed it tonight. I'm going to have to go over there and talk to them about it, I'm sure they won't do anything since its been a day or so. Obviously as anal as I am about the car this was the only opportunity it had to get on there.

I just looked it up, apparently that fabric grill is not a separate part, the whole door panel has to be replaced and the part wholesale is $600...

So looks like my cheaper install cost me another thousand bucks...

Big time bummer!! If you took the panel off, could you get the stain off through the back side?

[SW03ES]

Well, I worked on it for a while with some Folex, and I think I got it 95% out. See the picture (bottom edge of the cover is still a little wet):

We'll see what it looks like tomorrow in the daylight, but I've hit it with high output flashlights at a bunch of different angles and its 95% gone.

Stuff like that just really *BLEEP*es me off. What is so hard about driving a car 20 feet without !Removed! it up? I guess thats what I get for taking it to a "tire shop" instead of ordering them and having them put on at a higher end repair place like I normally do.

By the way, that Folex is incredible. I was at a walkthrough on a new construction house (nc211's new house actually) and thats what they were using to get stains he had noted out of the carpet, and it worked great...I saw it at Lowes the other day and bought some...figured I'd try it...

[rob_es350]

hmmm, guess I got lucky that my 2011 just happen to have the Michelin's.

would have bought the car either way, didn't even know enough to care which tires it came with

figured it was a Lexus, had to be good, lol

\

wow, I hope I get more then 20+k miles on um, but they way I drive, mostly local, and a tad too aggressive, I might not do any better

at least when I replace them, I will know EXACTLY what to get thanks to you guys

steve, that sucks about the cosmetic damage, that type of thing makes me nuts, so freakin annoying

[pj8708]

Just saw a IS250c in the showroom today and it had a big sticker on the window disclaiming any miles over 15,000 for the OEM tires on the car. Did not get a look at what they were. If my memory serves me this was true of the late models SC was it not?

[SW03ES]

Yeah they put those stickers on anything with 18" wheels or bigger I think...

Yours has the MXV4 S8 Rob, slightly different tire than the Primacy but a better tire than the Bridgestone. You'll get 30k or so on them I'd imagine...

Yeah its pretty much gone. Only issue now is cleaning that fabric has brought it loose from the plastic honeycomb underneath and I'm not sure how to go about re-attaching it. You'd never know until you touched it there was any slack, but it bugs me...being me...

Some spray adhesive would do it, but the issue is I have to get behind the cover to do it which means removing the door panel...

[mhawkin1]

Sorry to hear about the stain - that would drive me nuts too! After your recommendation for the Primacy's I quoted the lowest price in town to my Lexus dealer and they came within about $50 of matching the price; then I had the $70 rebate. Tom Wood in Indianapolis is very good about matching other's prices. And, if they eff something up like the speaker, they are always quick to make it right.

I bought my Primacy's with 27k miles on my MY08 and the car now has 48K and the tires barely look like they have any wear. Primacy’s are simply awesome tires - couldn’t be happier.

[nyuhsuk]

Well, my OEM Bridgestones had 23k on them, they were getting squirrely in the rain, winter is coming (or already came this weekend), Michelin rolled out their $70 rebate sale today...so I just got back from having a brand new set of Michelin Primacy MXV4 H Rated tires put on the Lexus. All in all, not bad, I bought them in a store instead of buying online like I normally do because the deal was about the same, wound up at $720 installed before the rebate, plus tax. TireRack had them for $151 each, so thats $604 plus $49 to ship, so thats $653, plus $120 to mount and balance, I'd have been at $773, so even with having to pay tax on the tires I came out ahead a little, and I got them today.

I'll post my thoughts. As you all know I love these tires, so I expect to like them very much.

One thing I will say for the terrible reviews of the Turanza EL400's, and the grousing people do about them. I'm happy I didn't tear them off brand new and replace them with the Primacys like I thought about doing. They are a smooth riding, quiet tire. Terrible treadwear, they weren't to the wear bars but had become scary enough in the rain I didn't want my wife driving the Lexus. But...I got 23k miles out of them, and I could have gotten another 10k probably if I was willing to put up with questionable rain traction. Would I pay money for them as a replacement tire? No...especially because they cost MORE than the Primacy...but they're okay.

Good choice Steve. I'm ordering my second set of Primacy MXV4's right now for my '07. The first set lasted me around 50K with our lovely beltway driving action.

[Cybersavior]

Two weeks ago I put a Primacy set on my 2008 ES350 UL. They ride perfectly and maneuver great. Highly recommended. I love them.

[peteanello]

I agree the Michelins handle way better (braking & cornering), but I found the Bridgestones smoother with less noise on most roads.

[SW03ES]

Not my experience...