With 32,500 miles on my 2008 Camry Hybrid my OEM Michelins are pretty much worn out. I wanted Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max for the new technology, price and bc made in USA. But my tires are V rated and I have been told those tires are not. I am not satisfied with wear on the Michelins and wanted something else. Sams Club has only one tire in stock for me, Michelin Pilot Exalto. All energy Michelins are unavailable there-none in stock and can't be ordered. I opened an account there today just to get an extra $40.00 off and have to use that this weekend or lose it. I'm sure I will lose some mpg with the Exaltos, but does anyone know how much? From what I've heard, the fuel cost savings of the LRR tires is eaten up by the extra tire cost. Would these tires be a mistake (I essentially get one free with the sale and incentive). Thanks.

 

I put on a set of Michelin Energy Saver tires 20,000 miles ago. They are a nice LRR tire, are wearing very well, have good traction and are NOT "V" rated. The OEM tires are but unless you are planning on running sustained speeds of 120 mph or so, they are not needed. If you are planning on running that fast, you need to rethink your need for a hybrid.....

If you have a BMW M5, the Pilot Exalto's would be a perfect fit. They are a performance touring tire that offers maximum handling but LRR and fuel economy were not considered in their design....

 

Still haven't gotten an answer to the trade off.
Do LRR tires save enough to cover the increased cost (assuming they cost as much) and do they last as long as 'regular tires?

 

Thanks. I keep my "speed rating" below 80. I didn't think I could get anyone to install a tire speed rated lower than called for by manufacturer. Or (I haven't checked) does Toyota allow for lower rated tires in the manual? I'll check and see.

 

Larry,

I normally buy Michelin tires for all of my cars. The tire that is on all of my cars (except the Camry Hybrid) is the Primacy MXV4 while the Camry Hybrid has the Energy Saver A/S tires.

For the same size tire (215/60R16) the MXV4 tires go for $548 a set at the Tire Rack and the Energy Savers are $532 a set. Both sets are "H" speed rated.

The OEM tires are "V" rated because the OEM tires are ONLY made in a "V" rating and provided the best mpg at the time they were chosen. The difference in the two is that "H" rated tires are good for sustained speeds of 130 mph and the "V" rated are good for sustained speeds of 149 mph.

If a shop refuses to put the tires you want on the car, find another shop. There is NO safety problem doing this.

By the way, my MIL has a 2007 Camry 4 cyl. with the MXV4 tires. I tried one tank on a known track that she travels often with the tires from my car. The A/S tires averaged about 2 mpg gallon more than the MXV4 tires. Not scientific due to the limited testing but I do believe that they offer a significant benefit over standard tires.

 

Thanks for the information.

>>The A/S tires averaged about 2 mpg gallon more than the MXV4 tires. Not scientific due to the limited testing but I do believe that they offer a significant benefit over standard tires.

Mileage matters to me (heck I bought a TCH), but handling on wet roads and tire noise matters more. Any conclusions about that between the two tires?

Lyn

 

The 'speed rating' of tires is not only about speed, but about tire construction/composition and sidewall support.

Looking at the ratings and saying I don't drive that fast is missing the point that those ratings also affect other properties of the tires.

Since my life and the lives of my family depend on that tiny patch of rubber that connects us to the road, I will be happy to spend a few buck more on the tires that the manufacturer has recommended for the car.

 

Go to Ebates (4% discount for doing that), then go to Tire Rack (about 15% discount), then get Michelin Pilot Sport A/T 2 plus, a little pricier than other tires, but you've got the discounts. Call them for sizing.
Much better in wet and dry than its competitors!

 

Tire noise is less than with the stock Bridgestone tires. Handling is somewhat improved on dry pavement but the wet performance is much better than the stock tires were capable of. The grip might not be quite as much as a performance tire but then again, if I need that much performance, I'm not driving the Camry... I have fun cars for that.... I cannot comment on the tires ability in snow, as we don’t get that much down here in Georgia.

For a link to a Tire Rack test of the Michelin A/S, take a look here:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...y.jsp?ttid=121



I'm glad that you value your family. SO DO I.... Yes there are differences in the tire construction. As a general rule, the "V" rated will have a stiffer sidewall (read harsher ride but better turn in performance), a softer compound (better grip, more wear on the tire), a more aggressive tread design (noisier but more grip at the limits).

These differences will only come into play at the limits of your cars capabilities. Unless you have raced cars on a track, I doubt that you have ever seen what these tires are capable of. I have no doubts about them, their adequacy for the job, the safety of my family or the handling of the car. I can promise you that my car will behave and not run into yours if you decide to visit the Deep South….

As for wear on these tires, I replaced my OEM tires at 39,600 miles. I now have 62,700 miles on the car (23,000 on these tires) and while rotating them this weekend I measured the tread depth to see how they were doing. When new, they had 11/32 tread and after 23,000 miles, they are down to 8/32 of tread left. I normally replace my tires at the 3/32 mark so this set should last somewhere around 60,000 miles before that happens.

 

I recently replaced the stock Michelin MXV4's (wore out around 35k), with Michelin Pilot Exalto's. So far handling is better, and gas mileage is about the same (maybe even slightly better, but my daily commute also changed around the same time).

Generally, I am happy with the Exalto's...