Michelin Pilot Super Sport Review
05-14-2011, 09:12 AM
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Michelin Pilot Super Sport Review
This is my first time posting so before i get into the details of how amazing this tire is let me give a brief history of my RS4.
I bought it CPO with 42k and have driven it to 58k. This RS4 had the P Zero Rosso tires which i drove down to the wear indicators. I was told when I first got the car by some other RS4 enthusiasts that I met at an RS4 outing in NY last year, that these were probably the worst of the OEM tires. Not having anything to compare this to I thought hmm, this car handles pretty good, much better than my '03 S4. Maybe they are just snobbish towards tires. It’s not like the Pirelli’s were cheap (and as of right now they are probably one of the most expensive replacements on tire rack in the RS4 stock size). I mean the ride was a little bit rougher than i thought a $65,000 sport sedan should be. The car had a very "go-cart" like feeling to it and felt like it was on a rail with these tires when entering corners but was thrown all over the road by any pavement that wasn't completely flat. Sometimes to a dangerous level. It also had some bad vibrations from 60 on up which just kept getting worse as time went on. something no balancing could fix. I got the DRC's done under warranty and then checked again at the 55k service and was assured that they were in perfect condition, no leaks and fully charged.
Ok, so let’s forward to Day 1 of the PSS's. Immediately I could tell a huge difference just pulling out of the tire place with turning the steering wheel. It felt like i was on bicycle tires. I am going to assume most of this was because the tires were brand new and not broken in and definitely not applying the full surface area to the ground. The extra tread making the tires feel taller plus the huge water channels that these tires have probably was putting 25% less rubber to the ground at this point. So I just figured i would have to wait and see what was going to be once they were broken in. I did a few test runs on the highway and was flat out AMAZED at how smooth this car ran now. No vibrations and the ride of the car improved %1000. Now this is what i expected out what was once Audi's best performing automobile. I could tell though the car was not ready for the high speed cornering just yet.
Day 7,
Ok so after a week of some in town driving and a few highway runs I think i put around 300 miles on the tires. Falling more in love with this tire and this car every day and I have already owned it for a year. The car is still unfazed by road deformations but the contact patch has definitely grown and the tire is breaking in nicely and feeling much more responsive to steering wheel movement. Took an early morning run today and pushed the car pretty hard into turns that I know like the back of my hand and all i can say is WOW. On a particular turn that I normally take at 110 with a touch of under steer and white knuckles went by at 115 without a peep from the tires and a completely smooth transition in and out. The high speed lane changes can easily be made with the force of a pinky (although I recommend the standard 10 and 2 positioning).
I don’t know what else to say without further incriminating myself as a scofflaw of the road but I just can’t be more happy with my decision to purchase these tires. Without a doubt the best investment I have made so far; considering the O.E. tires are ALL more expensive (PZero - 385) (ContisportC3 - 346) (PS2 - 412) Can someone at Michelin explain how their supposed "less performing" PS2 is selling at $108 higher than the PSS's?
And if the technical specs about this tire dont intrigue you(something called a Ceinture Twaron belt which is supposed to tension the tire more in the center and prevent it from rounding out at high speeds, and the use multiple compounds on tire for wet and dry handling) maybe the fact that it is also the O.E. tire on the new Ferrari 599 GTO might.
The only thing I haven’t tested yet is wet handling but I hear it is awesome and we got rain in the forecast for the next week up here in CT. YAY! Oh did I mention that these tires look great as well, the little checker flag insignia alongside the Michelin logo just compliments the already very sporty look of the RS4.
I hope this helps anyone who was considering upgrading to a better than O.E. tire or is just in the market. Would love to hear from anyone else that has these and feels the same way or otherwise.
CJM
I bought it CPO with 42k and have driven it to 58k. This RS4 had the P Zero Rosso tires which i drove down to the wear indicators. I was told when I first got the car by some other RS4 enthusiasts that I met at an RS4 outing in NY last year, that these were probably the worst of the OEM tires. Not having anything to compare this to I thought hmm, this car handles pretty good, much better than my '03 S4. Maybe they are just snobbish towards tires. It’s not like the Pirelli’s were cheap (and as of right now they are probably one of the most expensive replacements on tire rack in the RS4 stock size). I mean the ride was a little bit rougher than i thought a $65,000 sport sedan should be. The car had a very "go-cart" like feeling to it and felt like it was on a rail with these tires when entering corners but was thrown all over the road by any pavement that wasn't completely flat. Sometimes to a dangerous level. It also had some bad vibrations from 60 on up which just kept getting worse as time went on. something no balancing could fix. I got the DRC's done under warranty and then checked again at the 55k service and was assured that they were in perfect condition, no leaks and fully charged.
Ok, so let’s forward to Day 1 of the PSS's. Immediately I could tell a huge difference just pulling out of the tire place with turning the steering wheel. It felt like i was on bicycle tires. I am going to assume most of this was because the tires were brand new and not broken in and definitely not applying the full surface area to the ground. The extra tread making the tires feel taller plus the huge water channels that these tires have probably was putting 25% less rubber to the ground at this point. So I just figured i would have to wait and see what was going to be once they were broken in. I did a few test runs on the highway and was flat out AMAZED at how smooth this car ran now. No vibrations and the ride of the car improved %1000. Now this is what i expected out what was once Audi's best performing automobile. I could tell though the car was not ready for the high speed cornering just yet.
Day 7,
Ok so after a week of some in town driving and a few highway runs I think i put around 300 miles on the tires. Falling more in love with this tire and this car every day and I have already owned it for a year. The car is still unfazed by road deformations but the contact patch has definitely grown and the tire is breaking in nicely and feeling much more responsive to steering wheel movement. Took an early morning run today and pushed the car pretty hard into turns that I know like the back of my hand and all i can say is WOW. On a particular turn that I normally take at 110 with a touch of under steer and white knuckles went by at 115 without a peep from the tires and a completely smooth transition in and out. The high speed lane changes can easily be made with the force of a pinky (although I recommend the standard 10 and 2 positioning).
I don’t know what else to say without further incriminating myself as a scofflaw of the road but I just can’t be more happy with my decision to purchase these tires. Without a doubt the best investment I have made so far; considering the O.E. tires are ALL more expensive (PZero - 385) (ContisportC3 - 346) (PS2 - 412) Can someone at Michelin explain how their supposed "less performing" PS2 is selling at $108 higher than the PSS's?
And if the technical specs about this tire dont intrigue you(something called a Ceinture Twaron belt which is supposed to tension the tire more in the center and prevent it from rounding out at high speeds, and the use multiple compounds on tire for wet and dry handling) maybe the fact that it is also the O.E. tire on the new Ferrari 599 GTO might.
The only thing I haven’t tested yet is wet handling but I hear it is awesome and we got rain in the forecast for the next week up here in CT. YAY! Oh did I mention that these tires look great as well, the little checker flag insignia alongside the Michelin logo just compliments the already very sporty look of the RS4.
I hope this helps anyone who was considering upgrading to a better than O.E. tire or is just in the market. Would love to hear from anyone else that has these and feels the same way or otherwise.
CJM
05-16-2011, 06:19 AM
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I need tires too...
where did you buy them...Town Fair Tire? I'm in the next town as you.
I know at Town Fair you could buy them and then return them, but it is a pain.
Did you mod your car any?...I am looking to get an exhaust...my car is CPO too and I am hesitant that Audi may find a way to blame a problem on the exhaust.
I am going the the GTG drive in June in NYC...maybe i will see you there so i could check out those tires.
Details at Quattroworld.com
where did you buy them...Town Fair Tire? I'm in the next town as you.
I know at Town Fair you could buy them and then return them, but it is a pain.
Did you mod your car any?...I am looking to get an exhaust...my car is CPO too and I am hesitant that Audi may find a way to blame a problem on the exhaust.
I am going the the GTG drive in June in NYC...maybe i will see you there so i could check out those tires.
Details at Quattroworld.com
05-16-2011, 09:12 AM
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I need tires too...
where did you buy them...Town Fair Tire? I'm in the next town as you.
I know at Town Fair you could buy them and then return them, but it is a pain.
Did you mod your car any?...I am looking to get an exhaust...my car is CPO too and I am hesitant that Audi may find a way to blame a problem on the exhaust.
I am going the the GTG drive in June in NYC...maybe i will see you there so i could check out those tires.
Details at Quattroworld.com
where did you buy them...Town Fair Tire? I'm in the next town as you.
I know at Town Fair you could buy them and then return them, but it is a pain.
Did you mod your car any?...I am looking to get an exhaust...my car is CPO too and I am hesitant that Audi may find a way to blame a problem on the exhaust.
I am going the the GTG drive in June in NYC...maybe i will see you there so i could check out those tires.
Details at Quattroworld.com
05-17-2011, 05:40 PM
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A couple of points about OP's post. I'm a former RS4 owner myself.
The PSS tires do seem pretty good. I have a set on my 911 and did my first track on them yesterday. They handle very well, but we realigned my car and increased the negative camber front and rear at the same time as the tire installation so I don't know how much improvement is due to the tires vs. the suspension.
Michelin claims greatly improved mileage for the PSS over the previous PS2s. I hope they're right, since I got only 2700 miles from my PS2s before all 4 tires were corded. (OK, I'll admit that included 5 track days at speeds up to 140+ mph and 2 autocrosses as well.)
Price? TireRack confirmed what I suspected. The PSS tires as being priced as "loss leaders" to get them out there and on the road. TR expects to see *substantial* price increases on the PSS shortly. I'm thinking of buying another set before that happens! I bet they'll end up costing more than PS2s.
A small nit to pick. You refer to "standard 10 and 2 positioning." Actually, that hasn't been standard for years. Any high performance driving school now teaches "9 and 3" for hand position. Sit in your car with hands at 10 and 2 and imagine your air bag deploying. Where do your hands go? Right into your face! At 9 and 3 they're more likely to be pushed apart, away from your face. Also, you have better steering feel and control at 9 and 3. Have a 3 spoke steering wheel? Most these days have a slight notch for your thumbs on the cross spokes.
The big bitch about the Porsche PDK trans when it first came out involved the shift buttons at 9 and 3. Hold the wheel properly and it was too easy to shift accidentally. They've now corrected that with paddles.
DMoore
(former Audi owner - 12 Quattros from 1986-2009)
'10 Panamera 4S
'11 Carrera GTS
The PSS tires do seem pretty good. I have a set on my 911 and did my first track on them yesterday. They handle very well, but we realigned my car and increased the negative camber front and rear at the same time as the tire installation so I don't know how much improvement is due to the tires vs. the suspension.
Michelin claims greatly improved mileage for the PSS over the previous PS2s. I hope they're right, since I got only 2700 miles from my PS2s before all 4 tires were corded. (OK, I'll admit that included 5 track days at speeds up to 140+ mph and 2 autocrosses as well.)
Price? TireRack confirmed what I suspected. The PSS tires as being priced as "loss leaders" to get them out there and on the road. TR expects to see *substantial* price increases on the PSS shortly. I'm thinking of buying another set before that happens! I bet they'll end up costing more than PS2s.
A small nit to pick. You refer to "standard 10 and 2 positioning." Actually, that hasn't been standard for years. Any high performance driving school now teaches "9 and 3" for hand position. Sit in your car with hands at 10 and 2 and imagine your air bag deploying. Where do your hands go? Right into your face! At 9 and 3 they're more likely to be pushed apart, away from your face. Also, you have better steering feel and control at 9 and 3. Have a 3 spoke steering wheel? Most these days have a slight notch for your thumbs on the cross spokes.
The big bitch about the Porsche PDK trans when it first came out involved the shift buttons at 9 and 3. Hold the wheel properly and it was too easy to shift accidentally. They've now corrected that with paddles.
DMoore
(former Audi owner - 12 Quattros from 1986-2009)
'10 Panamera 4S
'11 Carrera GTS
05-17-2011, 05:55 PM
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Just ordered 4 of these
Fourpoint
Great write up I just ordered 4 of these for my RS4 last week they are being installed on Saturday after reading your write up I cannot wait, will post my review after about a week
Great write up I just ordered 4 of these for my RS4 last week they are being installed on Saturday after reading your write up I cannot wait, will post my review after about a week
05-17-2011, 07:37 PM
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A couple of points about OP's post. I'm a former RS4 owner myself.
The PSS tires do seem pretty good. I have a set on my 911 and did my first track on them yesterday. They handle very well, but we realigned my car and increased the negative camber front and rear at the same time as the tire installation so I don't know how much improvement is due to the tires vs. the suspension.
Michelin claims greatly improved mileage for the PSS over the previous PS2s. I hope they're right, since I got only 2700 miles from my PS2s before all 4 tires were corded. (OK, I'll admit that included 5 track days at speeds up to 140+ mph and 2 autocrosses as well.)
Price? TireRack confirmed what I suspected. The PSS tires as being priced as "loss leaders" to get them out there and on the road. TR expects to see *substantial* price increases on the PSS shortly. I'm thinking of buying another set before that happens! I bet they'll end up costing more than PS2s.
A small nit to pick. You refer to "standard 10 and 2 positioning." Actually, that hasn't been standard for years. Any high performance driving school now teaches "9 and 3" for hand position. Sit in your car with hands at 10 and 2 and imagine your air bag deploying. Where do your hands go? Right into your face! At 9 and 3 they're more likely to be pushed apart, away from your face. Also, you have better steering feel and control at 9 and 3. Have a 3 spoke steering wheel? Most these days have a slight notch for your thumbs on the cross spokes.
The big bitch about the Porsche PDK trans when it first came out involved the shift buttons at 9 and 3. Hold the wheel properly and it was too easy to shift accidentally. They've now corrected that with paddles.
DMoore
(former Audi owner - 12 Quattros from 1986-2009)
'10 Panamera 4S
'11 Carrera GTS
The PSS tires do seem pretty good. I have a set on my 911 and did my first track on them yesterday. They handle very well, but we realigned my car and increased the negative camber front and rear at the same time as the tire installation so I don't know how much improvement is due to the tires vs. the suspension.
Michelin claims greatly improved mileage for the PSS over the previous PS2s. I hope they're right, since I got only 2700 miles from my PS2s before all 4 tires were corded. (OK, I'll admit that included 5 track days at speeds up to 140+ mph and 2 autocrosses as well.)
Price? TireRack confirmed what I suspected. The PSS tires as being priced as "loss leaders" to get them out there and on the road. TR expects to see *substantial* price increases on the PSS shortly. I'm thinking of buying another set before that happens! I bet they'll end up costing more than PS2s.
A small nit to pick. You refer to "standard 10 and 2 positioning." Actually, that hasn't been standard for years. Any high performance driving school now teaches "9 and 3" for hand position. Sit in your car with hands at 10 and 2 and imagine your air bag deploying. Where do your hands go? Right into your face! At 9 and 3 they're more likely to be pushed apart, away from your face. Also, you have better steering feel and control at 9 and 3. Have a 3 spoke steering wheel? Most these days have a slight notch for your thumbs on the cross spokes.
The big bitch about the Porsche PDK trans when it first came out involved the shift buttons at 9 and 3. Hold the wheel properly and it was too easy to shift accidentally. They've now corrected that with paddles.
DMoore
(former Audi owner - 12 Quattros from 1986-2009)
'10 Panamera 4S
'11 Carrera GTS
CJM
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05-17-2011, 07:57 PM
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CJM
05-20-2011, 04:33 PM
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Thanks for the excellent review. I just ordered a set of four from Tire Rack. Was going to buy the PS3, but this seems more advanced and from what you describe they will be awesome!
05-21-2011, 08:59 AM
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Definitely more advanced. Good luck with your purchase. I am on week 3 with these tires and they just keep geting better and better.