My car was delivered new with the Continental Extreme Contact 21" tires. At the time, the Michelins were not an option. After 14,000 miles, the rear tires required replacement so I had the Michelin Pilot Super Sports installed.
I’m guilty of having done only one rotation of the Conti’s and if I’d been more diligent about rotating them according to Tesla’s recommendations I’m sure I would have gotten at least a few thousand more out of them. But the wear, although a little worse on the inside rears, was relatively even, which suggests that my Model S alignment was good from day one. I also am a fanatic about maintaining tire pressure specs and I always inflate them 1 or 2 pounds higher than spec.
Based on my driving experiences so far, the Michelins are a clearly superior tire. Turn-in is better, general handling improved, road grip superior, and ride comfort enhanced. However, they do appear to produce more road noise (but this may be due to the fact that the tread is unworn.) Another advantage is the the lip over the rim is considerably larger, providing greater protection from curb rash for the rim edge.
My plan going forward is to rotate the Michelins every 3,000 miles. I know this sounds extreme but why not? It’s an easy DIY task and it can only extend the tire life. At $1,100 for a set, this seems to be a good idea
BTW, my installer, Jeff Wise at Wise Automotive in Timonium, MD, has been in the business for a few decades. I got a chance to spend a lot of time with him during the installation. He took great care balancing each tire and wheel (about 10 minutes on each). He told me that Michelin tires have had superior quality to every other brand for many years. He also noted that Michelins are closer to perfect roundness than any other tire he’s worked with, and he’s seen them all.
I’m guilty of having done only one rotation of the Conti’s and if I’d been more diligent about rotating them according to Tesla’s recommendations I’m sure I would have gotten at least a few thousand more out of them. But the wear, although a little worse on the inside rears, was relatively even, which suggests that my Model S alignment was good from day one. I also am a fanatic about maintaining tire pressure specs and I always inflate them 1 or 2 pounds higher than spec.
Based on my driving experiences so far, the Michelins are a clearly superior tire. Turn-in is better, general handling improved, road grip superior, and ride comfort enhanced. However, they do appear to produce more road noise (but this may be due to the fact that the tread is unworn.) Another advantage is the the lip over the rim is considerably larger, providing greater protection from curb rash for the rim edge.
My plan going forward is to rotate the Michelins every 3,000 miles. I know this sounds extreme but why not? It’s an easy DIY task and it can only extend the tire life. At $1,100 for a set, this seems to be a good idea
BTW, my installer, Jeff Wise at Wise Automotive in Timonium, MD, has been in the business for a few decades. I got a chance to spend a lot of time with him during the installation. He took great care balancing each tire and wheel (about 10 minutes on each). He told me that Michelin tires have had superior quality to every other brand for many years. He also noted that Michelins are closer to perfect roundness than any other tire he’s worked with, and he’s seen them all.
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