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What are best avail-almost-avail QV tires as of June-July 2018?

19K views 37 replies 18 participants last post by  mpower1226 
#1 · (Edited)
Well... My lovely 2017 MonteCarlo QV needs a new set of sneakers, and I am not too unhappy I got to 9500 miles on the OEM .Corsas ..... They sure are perfect for the car (except for 60 wear, and being pricey)...

So there are a number of posts around here that have given tire advice over the last couple years, for summer and winter - and it seems to evolve with time, so I am going to post here, a summary of what seems to be the consensus on "good Better Best [Bestest]" tires (like the ole Sears approach!), and see if folks agree, or there are newer tires now out there, and also address some outliers I am not sure where to place on such a list... "one stop shopping considerations, if you will...

I also live at 7500 feet in the Arizona mountains where we get 10-12 feet of snow a winter, so I'll see if I can capture correctly, the current thinking also on snow/Winter tires possible for a QV. I was thinking of replacing my OEM tires, now due, with extreme performance ones (similar or better tires, and weigh in price, wear), til late November, then go to winter mode til the following Late March or so...

I'd love to get a second pair of rims, but for now, just tires. I own the dark Tecnicos and LOVE them (not a big 5-hole fan anyway). I used to like Bright wheels - but the dark is perfectly sinister and "all businessy", with the darkish blue of a Montecarlo....

So much to wade through, I'm hoping to filter what seems to be the Summer 2018 choices? Thanks for thoughts! And thanks to the many who've posted, that I'm collecting recommendations from.

I think my 4 categories might go like this, and anyone, please correct me, update me, offer opinions, and any newer or different options, thanks! And the all have to look good LOL -

Bestest - no holds barred, performance first, summer. Size upgrade OK ( (ignore wear and price, just the "best" in any footprint)

Best - best extreme performance at the same Front 245/35 Rear 285/30, ZR19 (93Y) (ignore wear and price, just the "best" in same footprint)

Better - very high performance and nearly "the best", but notably price and wear improvements OEM sizes, too.

Good - Satisfactorily high performance to not ruin the benifits of the QV ride, but really clearly decent tires for the best price and wear. At or close to OEM sizes, and drivable.

Winter - the best winter & "real" snow options?

In any case, I have no fun straights, but I do have switchbacks all over - I don't want to kill the joy of those in any selection!

****

***Bestest***

Michelin Pilot Sport 4S Wear 300, upgrade size, consider (maybe) 5mm rear spacers), to F:255/35ZR19, R:295/30ZR19.
There's a Super Sport for nearly the same price?
Upsizing is also possible for the QV in the Potenza S-04 Pole Position (also can do it in Continental, General, Hankook, Kuhmo, Other Pirellis)
BTW - in ~1% upsizing do you feel the torque difference much? Probably offset by the patch and the weight.

Any Hoosiers (seem to max out at 18" rims in wet)? RComp, Rivals, Toyo 888R's, which nearly match sizinf with OEM or the upsized Super sports above (888's only do 265/35ZR19;345/ZR19 -maybe too much? (the Proxes T1 Sports go to 19" rims but only come in narrower stuff)?

Or, should these generally be lesser choices, go down below? There are also other very track-oriented, wide/low-profile brands out there...

***Best***

Same OEM's, Pirella PZero Corsas, same size (ie, put up with the wear & cost, as it's a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" handling scenario)
Michelon Pilot Sport $S, but at OEM sizes - should it be at "Best" category? Is there a Super Sport version? (understand the wear offset is helped in handling by their lightness?)
? Continental Extreme contact Sport (I think DWS 06?) UHP All Season? (340) (replaced Extreme DW Summers) - does this go here, or below?

***Better***
Firestone HP Summer Firehawk Indy UHP Summer 500 (340) (maybe move up higher?) (great price & reviews)
?Bridgestone Re7IR's at same size - here or up or down a category?
UHP Michelin All Season Pilot Sprints A/S 3+ and similar - better cooler/morning, and the few damp days here (not meaning winter stuff)
Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position (280)'s same size

***Good***
Continental Extreme Contact DWS 06 (560) or similar
Continental Sport Contact 5P Max Performance summer
Hankook Ventus V12 EVO2 Max Perf summer (superb price - but are they OK? I drove Hankooks fine on an SUV, but...)
Kumho Ecsta PS91's
Some sport Michelens (cup 2) like Pilt Sport A/S 3+ (w- or y- speed)
Other Pirelli's? PZero Max performance summer (220)?
Yokohama Advan Sport V105 Max perf summer?
Other brands? General G-Max RS?, Sumitomo HTR Z III's? Potenza S007A's? Toyo Proxes Max Per Summer? Falken Azenis FK510's?
What about Michelin Pilot Super Sport ZP Run Flats?

***Winter time / real Snow +++

All at F: 225/40R19 (93V), R: 265/35R19 (98V), unless someone differs on this?

Blizzaks (a name I've long used and Trust) - LM-32's - Blizzak has newer model I think though? And Tire Rack does not list them for the QV lol
Michelin Alpin PA4's (using OEM sizes?) - Some people think they have trouble in deep snow - but Tire rack says they are hands down best in all snow, have a video there.
Pirelli
Nokia Winter tires (what model?) have always had a good reputation.
Someone mentioned VRedestein Wintrac (not carried at Tire rack, but the Xtreme S is listed in Consumer reports, through Amazon)

***

BTW, looks like Amazon is getting competitive with Tire rack LOL...

In sum, appreciate latest thoughts on QV tires...

OBTW - what a GREAT car! I used to Solo 1 and SCCA Lotuses of many kinds. Had a Spider long ago, had other exotics - and man - this QV is the best driver's car I have ever driven... And man does it gets the shout outs, it evokes a very Italian response from anyone in town LOL... My only problem now, is someone just got a Vesuvio Grey one in town, not enough room in this tiny burg LOL - "there can be only one" <wink>...

Going into year two, after tire's, I hate to say the tinker in me already with the 600+hp toys, like Eurocompression etc... yeah, I know 505+ hp is plenty, but... lol It's my daily [short switch-backish] drive to a high-stress job; I am trying to justify the need, the need, for... uh... HP... LOL

Cheers,
Paul
Montecarlo Blue 2017 QV
Flagstaff, AZ
 
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#3 ·
I got about 10K (barely) on my OEMs, so that's par.

I strongly urge Michelin Pilot Sport 4S. I got them on my Quad, and LOVE THEM. Why, you ask?

1. Grip. So much more grip.
2. Wet weather performance - FABULOUS! You will not hydroplane in less than, say, 3" of water. Great confidence builder!!
3. Sports car support level. I raced in the WannaGoFast Dallas even in April, and MANY of the customized, souped-up cars which came to that competition wore the MPS4S on their wheels. People know.

I'm not buying anything else for my Quad unless someone comes out with something demonstrably better.

Note: When I got mine, I had to go up 10mm on the rear, because Michelin did not sell the OEM size for the back. Not sure now, but I can assure you I have had ZERO NEGATIVE ISSUES due to the increased width. If anything, car looks "More Bad Ass" from the back!! :)
 
#10 · (Edited)
Michelin Sport 4S seems very popular with QV owners - what about the Michelin "Super" Sport 4S? I cannot find out what really makes them "Super", over their Sport-only brethren?? lol

And I just found another pricey variant of the streetable track tires, around 400 a clip, the Goodyear EAGLE F1 SUPERCAR 3R... wonder how that will do... limited sizes...

But REALLY - NO ONE seems to have interest or tried the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 - which are a QV fit, too at MUCH leass cost, 7-800 for four... I was skeptical for so good a price til I read the Tire Rack stuff, read the comparisons, ratings, watched the videos - they are right-sized, stiff and highly responsive, and they actually rate highest over all 15 in the ultra high performance at Tire rack, from wear and cost, to handling in wet and dry ... Beat the Corsas in ratings and equal the Super Sport $s'es..

So what gives? Are they that good, for that price? What's the gotchya? : - ) Or do guys stay with the top tier - Extreme High Performance, or Streetable track types?

Anyone try them at all?

thanks - this is a great thread! Appreciate all the great thoughts -
Paul
Flagstaff, AZ
17 Montecarlo QV
 
#5 ·
Good winter tires are a fantastic way to make any car perform well in snowy conditions but I’d try to avoid any and all deep snow condition unless absolutely necessary with the QV. The problem is the rear diffuser more than anything. The large rear diffuser has protruding parts of thin plastic that are vulnerable to impacts but if you look under the car between the rear wheels there are more delicate long vertical small ones that are not going to last if you drive through lots of deep snow. Just sayin...
 
#6 ·
Forgive my ignorance but I'm new to the QV and wanting to understand the winter summer differences. My QV is my daily but I have other vehicles for bad weather. So what exactly is deemed winter? I live in NC where we may get a couple of inches of snow twice a year, and freezing temperature spells of a few days a few times a year. But most days is above 40 deg F. So is it more the wet or the cold with the Corsas? I certainly don't want to be unsafe if suddenly the temperature drops to freezing.

Thanks OP for putting the list together. I wish I were more educated as my dealer replaced my tires due to curb rash when I bought the car and they put the same OEM tires on...might have gone differently.
 
#7 ·
^^. The rubber compound in ultra high performance summer tires is formulated for warm summer temperatures. Typically under 40 degrees or even 45 the rubber looses its elasticity and hardens resulting in a noticeable loss of traction or grip. It’s a big deal as I’ve gone sideways through intersections in 40 degree weather I typically take at 2x that speed in nicer weather with no issues at all.

UHP tires can be driven in <40° weather although you need to be very very careful as far as laying down the power and cornering.
 
#8 ·
I notice nobody mentions the Michelin PILOT SPORT CUP 2. These seem very popular at the track. But they're even more expensive than the Pzero Corsas at Tire Rack. Also, I notice that if you select tires by car compatible with the QV, these don't come up, even though searching by the same sizes as the QV tires, it appears they have the PILOT SPORT CUP 2 in the QV sizes. Anyone know why Tire Rack thinks those tires won't fit the car, even though they're the same sizes as the OEM tires?
 
#11 ·
Pilot Super Sport is 6 years older technology. PS4S is the top of Michelin's best technology compounds right now.

http://www.automobilemag.com/news/michelins-new-pilot-sport-4s-better-pilot-super-sport/

As far as the FireHawk 500s, that was the tire I was targeting before the PS4S came out, so that seems to be a great choice, for about 1/2 the price of the Michelins, unless you can get the Michelins on a good sale. Reviews I read say the Michelins score higher in handling tests, and FireHawk is maybe a bit more rough and stiff, but no other disadvantages really.
 
#12 ·
Thanks - enjoyed the article...

Well, I also just found the Michelin PILOT SPORT CUP 2 tires on Tire rack - I think the inferences are thise take to Pilot Sport 4S to a streetable track/comp level... But maybe I am not reading the comparisons correctly but the Cup 2's don't have as favorably ratings as the 4S'es (only slightly), and of course are dry(ish) tires...

I also see thear are 180 Wear vs. 300 on the 4S... And perhaps the current sales on the 4S puts the 4S option a hundred or so cheaper... I like the "look" of the Cup 2 (in photos anyway) a tad better, but doubt that means much! The Pirelli Corsa to me are hard to be just for the standing still look though, LOL...

So if you did not care about wet - really, today - which tire is better for great handling/performance on the QV? The 4S or the Cup 2 ?
 
#13 ·
...

I also live at 7500 feet in the Arizona mountains where we get 10-12 feet of snow a winter, so I'll see if I can capture correctly, the current thinking also on snow/Winter tires possible for a QV. I was thinking of replacing my OEM tires, now due, with extreme performance ones (similar or better tires, and weigh in price, wear), til late November, then go to winter mode til the following Late March or so...
I am running a Q4 also at about 7500' elevation but pretty far north of you (Bridgeport, Cal). I find that summer temps are too cool for summer tires: 41F at 10PM and expected to drop to 33F tonight for example. I drive quite a bit at night. Some summer tire warranties are void if they are even stored below 40F. My solution to this is to run Michelin A/S 3+ tires, which yield 95+ % of the summer performance of high performance summer tires and 70-80% of the winter performance of studless snow tires. I will likely also put a set of studless snow tires on my original 5 hole wheels for running during the "worst" of winter.

We also get around 10' of snow at least for a "good year". My 4WD pickup truck cannot cope with my driveway snow pack, much less Giulia. I bought a Polaris Ranger with tracks to deal with winter snow. On the plowed roads snow depth can be an issue, but in the short time I have had to try my Q4 in it I did not observe any high centering problems. I did observe problems with snow packing in the wheel wells and packing in the wheels. Snow packing in the wheels made them far off balance and I had to stop and clear it. Snow packing in the wheel wells made horrendous noises each time I hit a bump. Fortunately I had a stick handy that I could use to clear it. Nothing seems to have broken, which I find surprising given the exposure of the wires that run to the wheels.

I bought a set of 4 19x8.5 Tecnico take offs from Kitwheels in Italy. I am having these silver wheels repainted in "gunmetal", the closest color that California Wheels stocks to the OEM "dark". I do not think silver looks right on a white Giulia such as I have. The Tecnicos are lighter than the 5 holes and apparently bend rather than break when over stressed. They probably are a better winter wheel too, but then what would I do with my original 5 hole wheels? Besides, if I were to buy a dedicated set of winter wheels, I would be better off with a smaller diameter. It is not clear that is an option on your QV.
 
#15 ·
I am running a Q4 also at about 7500' elevation but pretty far north of you (Bridgeport, Cal). I find that summer temps are too cool for summer tires: 41F at 10PM and expected to drop to 33F tonight for example. I drive quite a bit at night. Some summer tire warranties are void if they are even stored below 40F. My solution to this is to run Michelin A/S 3+ tires, which yield 95+ % of the summer performance of high performance summer tires and 70-80% of the winter performance of studless snow tires. I will likely also put a set of studless snow tires on my original 5 hole wheels for running during the "worst" of winter.
We also get around 10' of snow at least for a "good year". My 4WD pickup truck cannot cope with my driveway snow pack, much less Giulia. I bought a Polaris Ranger with tracks to deal with winter snow. On the plowed roads snow depth can be an issue, but in the short time I have had to try my Q4 in it I did not observe any high centering problems. I did observe problems with snow packing in the wheel wells and packing in the wheels. Snow packing in the wheels made them far off balance and I had to stop and clear it. Snow packing in the wheel wells made horrendous noises each time I hit a bump. Fortunately I had a stick handy that I could use to clear it. Nothing seems to have broken, which I find surprising given the exposure of the wires that run to the wheels.
I bought a set of 4 19x8.5 Tecnico take offs from Kitwheels in Italy. I am having these silver wheels repainted in "gunmetal", the closest color that California Wheels stocks to the OEM "dark". I do not think silver looks right on a white Giulia such as I have. The Tecnicos are lighter than the 5 holes and apparently bend rather than break when over stressed. They probably are a better winter wheel too, but then what would I do with my original 5 hole wheels? Besides, if I were to buy a dedicated set of winter wheels, I would be better off with a smaller diameter. It is not clear that is an option on your QV.
I have the A/S 3+ tires on my daughter's 2014 Lexus IS250, and they are very good general purpose all-season tires. Thx
 
#17 · (Edited)
all that said, I think I'll go with the Pilot Sport 4S at up-sizes 255/35ZR19(F), 295/30ZR19(R)

Seems the best prices I am finding are an arm wrestle between

Walmart - price advantage but where to install them.. add that and they are about the same $

Discount Tire - our local store is very good (let me watch a nail removal on the QV once), usually price match, and of course install. I see 1297 out the door there (for example - your mileage may vary). Who knows I might get them to match Tire Rack LOL... dunno what the install charge is, yet...

Tire Rack - they hitch up with our local Pep Boys to install. Good experiences with them, Good price, good education info, and they include the Pep Boys install (I see 104)... and here I see 1270. The local Pep Boys is new and I don't know them (but the national name is decent). Tire Rack also has cool options to use Paypal/Paypal credit...

So off to Discount Tire to see what happens LOL.. the Corsas are looking a bit scarey now, ; - )
Paul
 
#27 · (Edited)
Well - Got the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, upgraded size, but no rear spacers, to F:255/35ZR19, R:295/30ZR19.

Look great - Discount Tire here in Flagstaff let me watch "every Move" putting them on, including letting me drive it in and out of the bay - and they put their most seasoned 3 guys on the car (two had trained on performance tires by the company, on the track). They scheduled 1.5 hours, hand cleaned each hub, really carefully balanced them, cleaned each rim, showed me each issue on the Corsas, torqued/measured each nut by hand. etc etc... Nice work! And BEST Price by far - beat Tire Rack by $100 even before the rebate ... bottom line - perfect install - could not be happier with this shop.

These are my first 1/2 day impressions ... Irrespective of being excited at having like 6 times the treadwear life of the OEM Corsas LOL... Early in the game, and lots to try, much AFTER some breaking in... Not shaven or pre-heated BTW...

Static/image impressions... Part of the game, is "the look"... And hard to tell from tire photos online, if you'll like the look once on... Glad I got the wider tires - still these specific Michelin PS4S's look more-than-imperceptably less aggressive to me than the Pirelli PZero Corsas. The ever-so-slightly rounded shoulders (and tread into them), give the appearance of being 'gently, slightly' taller, a hair less "racy"... Deeper Treads - by specs, measurement, and just look deeper. The Corsas did fine in non-standing water rain - I am sure these will be even better. Tread pattern nice - but again a tad less aggressive-looking than Corsas - to me... Looks like more "meat" on tread - more rubber... Perhaps why later, seemed less on-rails... They do look really "wide" in back at 295/30, of their own accord, more so before mounted, in a stack... but somehow the Corsas just seemed even "wider/lower/crazier"... with sharper edges/shoulders, seemingly less sidewall (probably I'm imagining some of that). The side view - looks great, but subtly not the same image as the Corsas, interesting. It's hard to "see" the wider aspects on these PS4S's, though - and I tried to capture that with my phone at many angles to see how they looked...

Dynamic impressions.... Wider - but no rubbing fore or aft, in turns, slow, fast, forward, reverse, so far. Quieter WRT road noise - FAR less pea gravel pickup and spewing... Good for my area, where there is often some pea-gravelly stuff on secondary roads... less-to-no cringing hearing all the blasting going on inside the fenders... As per above, a HAIR less "locked-to-the-road-on-rails" feeling... Okay, my Corsas were really worn down, so they were kinda "shaven", maybe some of the difference. Just a tiny hair "more forgiving" in the turns above 70-80. Not got into the triples yet, will try once a little broken in... No switchbacks yet... Now, they handled just fine in performance - but not yet tried to see how well they stick under hard acceleration, wetness etc... will get to that too. My Corsas could occasionally spin in 2nd & 3rd even, nicely... Wondering if these stick better with them being 295's. Wonder what zero to 60 will be... Just seems a hair less "kick-ass"... but not much - not, "I don't like these" tires - but if I did not care about cost and annual Corsa swaps, I think I'd do Corsas annually, and put up with the 60 Treadwear... LOL... After all, it was a well-mated OEM match for a reason... But happy for now, let's see if the Michelins tighten up in a few hundred miles... My also wife drove it, too. She seemed to think it was a notably softer (to her, "nicer"), ride... until I reminded her she was in Advanced ECO mode... I put her in Race mode and manual paddles - and she could not then tell the difference in tires, so who knows...

These are my fully 'qualitative opinions' at very first blush - "your mileage may vary"... I think right now, it's good - yet on a QV I want no compromises - so we'll see how this pans out of the next couple months... Maybe I just need to adjust, too ;-) ...and monsoon is coming, maybe I get to try "wet", atop the other arenas... I am rooting for a broader grin in the turns, at speed ...

Paul
Flagstaff, AZ
2017 MC Blue QV
 
#28 ·
The Falken FK510's are better than nearly every tire in the entire list short of the MPS4S and the OEM Corsas. In the wet, they are one of the best tires ever. Stiff sidewalls, heavy-grade construction, incredible grip. Only downsides might be a less precise center-feel/turn-in, and the fact that they weigh more than the top runners. I would put these in the 'best' category, easily.

A sentimental nod to the Sessantas as well for those looking for a solid street tire you can also track the crap out of, but that still does well in the wet. Main downside is they don't last very long.
 
#29 ·
I can't comment on Falkens, as I haven't used them for years (though that's because they fell short back then, they must be great now...)

I will say, as the remnants of Hurricane Rosa came through the mountainous Flagstaff area last week, and the goo is back today - the Michelins have proved their worth over my worries about not sticking with OEM (and short-life) Corsas....

I tried donuts in some really nasty spew, mist and rain with standing water in a large parking lot, some lateral hard g's, some big accelerations, and some hard panic stops... and the tires refused to release their grip... Very nice over the Corsas

I also wonder how that would have gone down had I stuck with factory widths... I have sized up (as noted earlier), by a few mm wider front and back... THAT, seems to keep the grip very close to the Corsas.

In the miles since my re-shoeing the QV, I've grown to really like these Michelins far more than expected. Of the many I looked at I'd say I would recommend what I did - Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, F:255/35ZR19, R:295/30ZR19 ... A great setup.

Cheers,
Paul
Montecarlo Blue 2017 QV
Flagstaff, AZ
 
#31 ·
I live in So. Cal and we rarely get rain BUT I have used Michelin Pilot Sport A/S on my old CLS55 AMG, SL55AMG, and 911 and they were SUPERB all the way around. Plus they look really aggressive.

I think I will go with the new A/S 3 but wonder how they compare to the 4/S. Specifically for wear. 300 vs 500 treadwear rating is quite different. Anyone know how many miles you get from the 4/S?
 
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