Michelin Premier LTX- anyone have these? I'm thinking about them for my 2012 CX-9 GT

Hey guys,

I'm a little frustrated because the Yokohama YK580s that I loved so much in the beginning have about 5k miles left on them and that will only be 31k miles total. They have a 60k mile treadwear warranty, so I'll get about 50% credit on them, but the fact that my OEM tires were replaced at 26k miles and now there are 't lasting much longer.

Anyway, I'm trying to figure out what to buy next because I hated the Bridgestone tires that came on it new. I like the performance of the Yokohamas, they made it quieter, smoother and didn't compromise handling at all. But if they're only gonna last 30k milles or so, I don't want them again.

There aren't a ton of options for those of us with the GT which has 20" wheels. The Michelin Premier LTX has a very high treadwear grade (620) and they're great tires by all accounts. They cost about $230 more per set than the Yokos ($1045 out the door minus the credit of approx $400 on the Yokos, but I'm wondering if they might be worth it?

Anyone have any experience or know anything about these Michelins?

thanks!

Haven't tried them, but I'll most likely be buying four of them (or possibly four Defender LTX M/S - still kind of on the fence) next summer.

Unless somebody comes out with something even newer and shinier between now and then...

IgoZoom said:

Hey guys,

I'm a little frustrated because the Yokohama YK580s that I loved so much in the beginning have about 5k miles left on them and that will only be 31k miles total. They have a 60k mile treadwear warranty, so I'll get about 50% credit on them, but the fact that my OEM tires were replaced at 26k miles and now there are 't lasting much longer.

Anyway, I'm trying to figure out what to buy next because I hated the Bridgestone tires that came on it new. I like the performance of the Yokohamas, they made it quieter, smoother and didn't compromise handling at all. But if they're only gonna last 30k milles or so, I don't want them again.

There aren't a ton of options for those of us with the GT which has 20" wheels. The Michelin Premier LTX has a very high treadwear grade (620) and they're great tires by all accounts. They cost about $230 more per set than the Yokos ($1045 out the door minus the credit of approx $400 on the Yokos, but I'm wondering if they might be worth it?

Anyone have any experience or know anything about these Michelins?

thanks!

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The OEM Duelers are not good, but I replaced mine last year with Dueler Ecopia 422s, which are very highly rated. Those Michelins weren't on Tire Rack when I replaced my tires, so I wasn't able to compare them. But the Ecopias are pretty good, and comparable in price to the Premier LTX.

IgoZoom said:

Hey guys,

The Michelin Premier LTX has a very high treadwear grade (620) and they're great tires by all accounts.

....but I'm wondering if they might be worth it?

Anyone have any experience or know anything about these Michelins?

thanks!

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The tread wear rating on tires really means nothing. They are internal to the manufactures, so a 300 Michelin might be the same as a 500 Yokohama. The tread wear warranty is what you actually want to pay attention to. That being said, a 65K mile warranty tire isnt necessarily "better" than an 80K mile warranty tire.

As far as I'm concerned, there is no better tire than a Michelin. I will run them at any chance I get. They absolutely transformed my wife's Focus after we switched from OEM tires. My Tahoe did better in 2wd on good michelins than it did in 4wd on other tires. Obviously, I'm just a fan of them.

I want to know why you're tires are only lasting 30k ish miles. What do they look like? What psi are you running? Alignment, rotations?

00protegees said:

The tread wear rating on tires really means nothing. They are internal to the manufactures, so a 300 Michelin might be the same as a 500 Yokohama. The tread wear warranty is what you actually want to pay attention to. That being said, a 65K mile warranty tire isnt necessarily "better" than an 80K mile warranty tire.

As far as I'm concerned, there is no better tire than a Michelin. I will run them at any chance I get. They absolutely transformed my wife's Focus after we switched from OEM tires. My Tahoe did better in 2wd on good michelins than it did in 4wd on other tires. Obviously, I'm just a fan of them.

I want to know why you're tires are only lasting 30k ish miles. What do they look like? What psi are you running? Alignment, rotations?

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I was a die-hard Michelin fan for a long time. They were the OE tires on several of my Hondas and Acuras and I never went wrong with them.

Since Im getting my new tires under the treadwear warranty on the Yokohamas at Discount Tire, I dont have a huge selection. The two highest rates options I have are the Michelin Premier LTX or the Bridgestone Dueler H/L 422 Ecopia. Ive never been a Bridgestone fan and the OE Bridgestone Duelers on my CX-9 turned me off for good.

So Im going in today to get a set of the Michelins. Im disappointed that the Yokohamas only lasted 33k miles. The OE Bridgestones on lasted 29k miles. I dont expect long life from OE tires, but it still sucks knowing that they could put a 50-60k tire on them at the factory but they dont! I double checked my receipts and I rotated every 5-6k miles. I also check my tire pressure every time I fill up the tank. So I maintained the tires better than most but they still didnt last.

I hope the new Michelins dont disappoint me! =)

It would seem that something is wearing your tires excessively. I have over 50k on the two original tires still on the car and they will likely last to 65k. I say the original two tires because just recently we had an irrepairable puncture on one of the OE tires so I replaced two of them with Michelin Premier LTX. The Michelins are on the rear axle and have just a few thousand miles on them so I cannot give a good opinion on them. I was very happy with the OE tires and almost went back with them but, like you, I have been a Michelin fan for a long time. At Discount they were about the same price so I opted for the Michelins. I would make sure everything is OK with the alignment, suspension, etc before going too far. It does seem strange that on this forum many people are getting 50k+ miles on the OE tires and many under 30k.

cpb406 said:

It would seem that something is wearing your tires excessively. I have over 50k on the two original tires still on the car and they will likely last to 65k. I say the original two tires because just recently we had an irrepairable puncture on one of the OE tires so I replaced two of them with Michelin Premier LTX. The Michelins are on the rear axle and have just a few thousand miles on them so I cannot give a good opinion on them. I was very happy with the OE tires and almost went back with them but, like you, I have been a Michelin fan for a long time. At Discount they were about the same price so I opted for the Michelins. I would make sure everything is OK with the alignment, suspension, etc before going too far. It does seem strange that on this forum many people are getting 50k+ miles on the OE tires and many under 30k.

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I had an alignment at 22k miles (dealer had a $49 coupon) and again at 45k miles (7k miles ago) and both times it was within spec. I got the printout both times showing there was no problem. The tires wear very evenly, because wearing on either edge or even just in the center would give me some ideas on what the problem might be. I rotate every 5-6k miles (at each synthetic oil change) and I even mark one tire discretely to make sure they actually rotate them. I busted the dealer where I bought it that way and they apologized that they forgot to do it but it was simply an oversight....wonder how many others they do that to? They gave me a free oil change and rotate/balance and a coupon for the next oil change and rotation to be free also. I took it back to them for the recall on the lower control arms and had them do the oil change and tire rotation at the same time. They forgot to tighten the lug nuts on my right front wheel (all were barely hand tightened and they forgot to make it back around with an air wrench....or maybe they were trying to kill me for busting them before!? (kidding...sorta) Needless to say, I filed a complaint with everyone I possibly could against them and a tire store (local Atlanta chain, Kauffman Tire) on my way home saved my @ss! I was at least 10 miles from the dealer (I live about 45 miles away) when I realized something was very wrong! I pulled over and realized what it was and I knew that Kauffman was about a mile ahead, so I called them and told them what was going on. I asked if they thought it would be okay for me to jack it up and either tighten the lugs on the wheel OR put the spare on the front to make it to their location. I obviously expected to pay them for their time. They sent a guy out to help me change the tire (I was halfway through but so fuming mad that I was literally shaking) and then he followed me back to their shop. They checked the lug nuts all around and made sure they were properly tightened/torqued. Then they wouldn't take a penny from me! Needless to say, I have told local folks about it and I'll buy my next set of tires from them!

I had calls from the dealership GM, regional Service Manager and some other person at their North American headquarters in California. I refused any sort of financial compensation because I wouldn't know how to put a value on "your incompetence could have killed me" but apparently they were punished or reprimanded by Corporate. Besides, my only concerns were that they might do it to someone else and that person might not be as lucky as I was! The Corporate person did arrange for my car to be picked up at my home, taken to another dealership (where I had it serviced half the time anyway) and fully inspected for any potential damage, then have the car returned to me. Instead, I took the car and they gave me a loaner while they went over it (and they gave it a good cleanup, at least). Needless to say, I won't be buying my next Mazda from the same dealer!

But back on point, I really don't know what the next step would be to determining if my CX-9 has a tire wear issue or have I just had crappy luck with the tires on it? The only thing that is somewhat comforting is the Manager of Discount Tire told me that that Yokohama YK580s have had higher than usual treadwear warranty claims. Before I could even say anything about what I wanted to replace them with, he suggested the Michelin Premier LTX....which was what I had already decided on anyway! Maybe these will last, otherwise I may get rid of it. At least the tires are being warrantied (pro-rata), so it the Michelins are only costing me about $530. But if there is some underlying issue causing them to wear out and I can't find and fix it, I'm not comfortable keeping it long-term.

Quick update- the new Michelins are quiter and seem to ride a little smoother than the Yokohamas!

The Yokohamas were down to 4/32" (new they're 11/32" and they're worn out at 3/32"). I managed to talk the manager into about $80 of additional credit on the Yokos and I only had to pay $502.71 out-the-door for a set of tires that would have been $1,046.38 without the credit! =)

I put these Michelins on my CX-9 back in November, they were THE BEST thing I ever did for it! They are quieter, smoother, and hold the road like glue. The price point on them is totally worth the extra peace of mind we have gotten, the wife feels the difference in the snow and rain and all in all these are hands down a great investment. They replaced Bridgestone Dueler's that were completely shot. I hope more people get turned on to these tires, they really are the reason Michelin is the best there is.

rgbarbato said:

I put these Michelins on my CX-9 back in November, they were THE BEST thing I ever did for it! They are quieter, smoother, and hold the road like glue. The price point on them is totally worth the extra peace of mind we have gotten, the wife feels the difference in the snow and rain and all in all these are hands down a great investment. They replaced Bridgestone Dueler's that were completely shot. I hope more people get turned on to these tires, they really are the reason Michelin is the best there is.

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I'm glad to hear that they perform well in the snow and rain. I am actually leaving in four days (Weds 2/10) for a 1400-mile round trip from North Georgia to Pittsburgh and back 12 days later. It looks like I may encounter some snow in West Virginia going up (1-3in on the day before, about 1in expected on the day of trip). I'm glad to have the new Michelins in case I hit bad weather.

BTW, even though I've only had them since yesterday, the difference in ride quality is immediately noticeable. The road noise is also reduced but handling doesn't suffer because of the quieter, better ride. I probably drive my CX-9 a little more aggressively than most owners. I live about an hour north of Atlanta in the foothills of the North Georgia (Appalachian) Mountains. The roads after I leave the main highway are very curvy and hilly, even in my neighborhood. Years or driving a Mazda3 on these roads spoiled me because I rarely had to hit the brakes, it was just a matter of steering (and sometimes accelerating) through the curves....wherever I pointed it, that's where it went. The amazing thing about the CX-9, at least the GT with 20" wheels, is that I forget I'm driving a full-size/large Crossover/SUV. I drive it just like the Mazda3 and it doesn't even break a sweat! So I would definitely notice if the Michelins diminished handling and road holding....but it doesn't!

The Michelins are priced at $220 per tire at Discount Tire and two other retailers in the north Atlanta area. For a V-rated 245/50R20 tire with a 60k treadwear warranty and from the best company in the business, $220 is more than reasonable. And if you're the type of person who would try to negotiate a lower price for heart surgery as they were laid on the operating table, you can get it down to about $200/tire and free road hazard thrown in! =)

I'm glad you feel the same way. I always felt a bit crazy preaching how good michelins were, thinking maybe it was just in my head. Great to know you love them

00protegees said:

I'm glad you feel the same way. I always felt a bit crazy preaching how good michelins were, thinking maybe it was just in my head. Great to know you love them

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My '91 Civic Si, '93 Civic EX, '90 Legend L 4-door and '94 Legend L 4-door ALL came with Michelins from the factory! They all lasted well north of 40k miles and I never hesitated to replace them with Michelins when the time came. They never disappointed me and the same is true for my mom and step-dad as well as bio-dad and step-monster, er...mother. I developed an appreciation for Dunlops when my '06 Mazda3 was my daily driver. It had Goodyears from the factory that were so bald that the steel belt was showing in a few places....at only 23k miles! Replacing them with the same exact Goodyear model was going to cost over $1300!!! I laughed at the guy and asked him what he'd put on his car if he had a Mazda3 and Goodyears weren't an option. He quickly answered that Dunlops were just as good and I got over 50k miles from a set of them. But still, the one tire brand that has never failed to deliver great performance and longevity was.....drum roll......Michelin!

I was a little spoiled back in the 'old days' when my '91 Civic had 14" wheels and tires were barely $100/each! When I went to the dealer to test drive a CX-9, I was trying to convince myself to stick with the Touring model and its 18" wheels. Needless to say, when I saw the CX-9 in the color I wanted with those 20" wheels shining, I was sold! Granted, I got an amazing deal ($37,885 sticker, paid $29,706 plus Sales Tax and $66/tag and title. But i knew that 20-inchers wouldn't be cheap to replace....but they're really not that bad at around $200. And I'm VERY thankful that I got the Grand Touring, just for the Blind Spot Monitor and the GTs were the only ones left in stock (Nov 2012) with the Bose/Moonroof Package.

Mazda should have put Michelins on them at the factory, but until they do, I'll be sure to stay on good terms with my buddies at Discount Tire! =)

They are really the only tire manufacturer I know of that actually lives up to the hype, and they have their exceptional reputation for a reason. These Premier LTX's are no exception, I've always wanted to put Michelin's on my cars but honestly haven't had that kind of money to drop. I'm so glad I finally did, I can't wait to swap out the crap Dunlop's that came OEM on my Mazda6 with Michelin's as well, truly worth it and you can't say that about many things anymore.

Just wanted to share my experience so far with the new Michelins...

I drove from Atlanta to Pittsburgh on Weds/Thurs of last week (had to spend the night in Wytheville, VA because of "white-out" snow conditions). Then my best friend and I drove it over toe Hershey/Harrisburg today to see a show (Kathy Griffin) tonight. Since leaving home on Weds, I've put 980 miles on the new tires and they have been AMAZING! The ride quality, lack of road noise, handling and even how well they handle snow was far more than I ever could have expected. I'm very happy with them so far!

rgbarbato said:

They are really the only tire manufacturer I know of that actually lives up to the hype, and they have their exceptional reputation for a reason. These Premier LTX's are no exception, I've always wanted to put Michelin's on my cars but honestly haven't had that kind of money to drop. I'm so glad I finally did, I can't wait to swap out the crap Dunlop's that came OEM on my Mazda6 with Michelin's as well, truly worth it and you can't say that about many things anymore.

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I've heard quite a few complaints about the Dunlops that come on some Mazda6 models. I've actually heard a lot of mixed experiences with Dunlops in general. The OE Goodyear Eagles on my '06 Mazda3 were shot at 24k miles, even though i rotated them regularly and didn't abuse them at all. The tire place wanted to replace them with the same thing and they were going to cost $1300!!! I laughed at the thought of paying that much for another set of crappy tires.....and I would've had to take out a new credit card or borrow from my parents to afford them!

After the manager had walked away, one of the guys behind the counter told me to try the Dunlop SP Sport Signature and they were among the best tires I've ever owned. The were rated for 60k miles and I got just over 50k out of them. This particular model (the SP Sport Signature) seems to be a great tire, but other Dunlops are a roll of the dice, or so it seems.

Went with the Michelin Premier LTX tires, 20" for a '14 GT FWD. They feel great compared to the ones that were on there. Feel glued to the road in the rain. But in all fairness to the OEM tires (Bridgestone), comparing worn tires to brand new ones an hour later isn't all that fair. A comparison of new vs new would be better.

Decided on the Michelins for three reasons:

1. Longevity - hoping for 60k
2. Performance - track record speaks for itself
3. Peace of mind - if anything happens to my family I know that it wasn't because I wanted to save a few hundred bucks on cheap tires