Michelin Pilot 4S vs Michelin Pilot SS run flat tires
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Michelin Pilot 4S vs Michelin Pilot SS run flat tires
Hi Guys,
Just want to share my experience with the new Michelin Pilot 4S tires compared to the previous stock tires of my Z51 which I have used the last couple of weeks.
4S:
Less noise from them
Immediately Stopped following bad groves on the road
Softer riding feeling
Equal or better handling while spirited driving.
Look great on car
Wife's commented that is slightly more higher on front for less scrapping issues. Tires are the same size.
Great steering feeling.
Just waiting to use them on the rain.
I'm not worry about the flat tires issue and my Michelins comes with a free emergency on the road repair service or free towing to the next Michelin tires store. I think all are pluses, a great replacement tire choice for our Stingrays.
Just want to share my experience with the new Michelin Pilot 4S tires compared to the previous stock tires of my Z51 which I have used the last couple of weeks.
4S:
Less noise from them
Immediately Stopped following bad groves on the road
Softer riding feeling
Equal or better handling while spirited driving.
Look great on car
Wife's commented that is slightly more higher on front for less scrapping issues. Tires are the same size.
Great steering feeling.
Just waiting to use them on the rain.
I'm not worry about the flat tires issue and my Michelins comes with a free emergency on the road repair service or free towing to the next Michelin tires store. I think all are pluses, a great replacement tire choice for our Stingrays.
Last edited by 911Hunter; 04-27-2018 at 05:39 AM.
#3
Safety Car
Member Since: May 2012
Location: Tempe Arizona
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St. Jude Donor '22-'23
I just had them installed on my Z51 yesterday. Really looking forward to putting them to the test. They look amazing. One other benefit is a set of 4 weighs 105 pounds compared to 118 for the ZPs. So you reduce your unsprung weight a bit.
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911Hunter (04-27-2018)
#4
They also improved brake feel noticeably compared to the runflops. I drove them in that epic rainstorm we had in Boston last month and was very impressed with the wet traction. You will like them.
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911Hunter (04-27-2018)
#5
Good luck on the side of the road when you have a flat. Moreover, I do not believe actual test data would support the subjective feel assertions being made here.
Last edited by Foosh; 04-27-2018 at 08:45 AM.
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owc6 (04-28-2018),
vdavenp802 (04-28-2018)
#6
Instructor
Member Since: Jan 2018
Location: Canyon Lake TX
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2018 C7 of Year Finalist
I also put on 255/295 4S's on my Stingray. I agree about the additional ground clearance, it's a nice unexpected benefit. The tire chatter/hop is also completely gone. I'd say road noise is about the same. I'm not sure if it's the 4S's or just having new tires in general, but the rear end doesn't get near as loose. The traction control light will still blink at me occasionally, but I can't feel the car sliding. I can stay on the gas and still feel safely in control. I was getting loose and sliding all the time before I replaced the oem tires.
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911Hunter (04-27-2018)
#7
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Also the gravel type noise coming out from the front tires while maneuvering out of parking it completely disappeared.
Last edited by 911Hunter; 04-27-2018 at 08:28 PM.
#8
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
#9
No, and I won't until ZPs are available. I'm not a glutton for punishment, and modern ZP technology allows a ZP tire to be every bit as good in all respects as non-ZPs.
We have some pretty nasty roads in this part of the country, which are not very friendly to non-ZP, low profile tires. Mine is a nearly daily-driver, in very heavy traffic, and the exposure is too great. In many parts of the country, it's probably an acceptable risk for weekend garage queens.
However, one of the more serious track guys around here did try them, and reported them not nearly as good as the OEM PSS ZP during his track sessions, as measured by his lap times. If the Corvette engineers wanted to change OEM tires for better performance, they could easily get Michelin to build a ZP version of the PS4S with automatic sales of 160K tires per year, not to mention all the guaranteed replacement sales that production level would generate, but they haven't done so because there's no reason to believe it's a better performer on the C7.
We have some pretty nasty roads in this part of the country, which are not very friendly to non-ZP, low profile tires. Mine is a nearly daily-driver, in very heavy traffic, and the exposure is too great. In many parts of the country, it's probably an acceptable risk for weekend garage queens.
However, one of the more serious track guys around here did try them, and reported them not nearly as good as the OEM PSS ZP during his track sessions, as measured by his lap times. If the Corvette engineers wanted to change OEM tires for better performance, they could easily get Michelin to build a ZP version of the PS4S with automatic sales of 160K tires per year, not to mention all the guaranteed replacement sales that production level would generate, but they haven't done so because there's no reason to believe it's a better performer on the C7.
Last edited by Foosh; 04-28-2018 at 12:32 AM.
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Horsefly (07-13-2021),
vdavenp802 (04-28-2018)
#10
Burning Brakes
After a dozen sets of super sports (zp and non) I just don't agree with people who say the ride is better on the 4s's. I feel the road a lot more on the highway with the 4s's. Maybe large impacts are softer if you are used to the zp version of the super sports.
on track:
in the wet = no contest. The 4s's are way superior.
dry grip feels about the same, maybe a tiny bit better.
However, the break away characteristics are superior on the 4s. They give lots of audible warning. They also gum up less. I hear rubber flying off and smacking inside the wheel wells on super sports. They get stuck and I am pulling "track turds" out of the soft material in there. Not so much with the 4s's.
#11
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Tire rack experts, Road and track and car and driver rated the Michelin Pilot S4 as the best performance summer tire of all. Even Michelin recognizes the 4S as the evolution of the MPSS tire. On the rating chart of tire rack on top is the 4S tire followed by the MPSS tire. Based on the experts 4S is the Champ of the performance summer tires classification, and also scored #1 in better treadwear.
https://www.caranddriver.com/feature...e-test-feature
https://m.tirerack.com/tires/tests/t...y.jsp?ttid=223
https://www.caranddriver.com/feature...e-test-feature
https://m.tirerack.com/tires/tests/t...y.jsp?ttid=223
Last edited by 911Hunter; 04-28-2018 at 05:11 AM.
#12
No ZP, not on my car. I don't care how good it is, reviewers don't live in the real world. For the tiny incremental improvement, if indeed that is true for the C7, it's not worth the risk. I'll settle for #2 and the extra security.
When I want better poor weather performance, I use my set of Michelin AS3+ ZPs. They are far better in those conditions than both PS4S and the PSS, which are max performance summer tires, which means they need a lot of heat to perform well.
When I want better poor weather performance, I use my set of Michelin AS3+ ZPs. They are far better in those conditions than both PS4S and the PSS, which are max performance summer tires, which means they need a lot of heat to perform well.
Last edited by Foosh; 04-28-2018 at 12:20 AM.
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owc6 (04-28-2018)
#13
Burning Brakes
Tire rack experts, Road and track and car and driver rated the Michelin Pilot S4 as the best performance summer tire of all. Even Michelin recognizes the 4S as the evolution of the MPSS tire. On the rating chart of tire rack on top is the 4S tire followed by the MPSS tire. Based on the experts 4S is the Champ of performance and also scored #1 in better treadwear.
#14
As a real-world user who has actually had a sidewall blowout on a Sunday in the rain in a cellphone dead spot with no shoulder on a two lane road with a large drop-off into the mud, 50+ miles from the nearest anywhere:
I would never put non RFs on my car.
I would never put non RFs on my car.
#15
Lisa, you and I use them as real cars. That's the difference.
#16
I forgot to add that I drove the 50 miles to Richmond with a gaping hole in the inner sidewall of my left rear tire.
Zip Corvette hooked me up when they opened at 8:30 am.
Kudos to Zip!
Zip Corvette hooked me up when they opened at 8:30 am.
Kudos to Zip!
#18
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
They belong to another classification, check tire rack for their description: streetable track and competition. Which aren't that safe on rainny conditions, main purpose is track and partial street usage, tire wear: is short lived because of their compound properties.
Last edited by 911Hunter; 04-28-2018 at 05:15 AM.
#19
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
To each his own. Either way I'm very satisfied with my purchase of tires. I have owned 2 prior muscle cars which don't come with a flat running tire and neither a spare, a didn't have any problem or need for a flat running tire. I was looking for other type of advantages in tires and is what I got. I bought the tires for me and just shared my experience with others, if this is useful for someone else, that's OK if not is the same to me. If you prefer your stock tires good for you.
Last edited by 911Hunter; 04-28-2018 at 05:02 AM.
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#20
Racer
OP, i now have M4S on my corvette and for years I wouldn't go without a non-run flat tire. I understand what folks are saying about a piece of mind with the run flat tire but, to each is his/her own and I really like the ride and performance of the M4S, as you stated, it's on the top for it's class.
I hope to never have a flat in a place where cell service is not good but, if so I'm sure I'll get someone to assist me and get a tow truck to pick up my car and tow it to the nearest shop for a tire . . heck, that is why i have tow service included in my insurance, thanks for the post and i appreciate you take the time to start this post.
I hope to never have a flat in a place where cell service is not good but, if so I'm sure I'll get someone to assist me and get a tow truck to pick up my car and tow it to the nearest shop for a tire . . heck, that is why i have tow service included in my insurance, thanks for the post and i appreciate you take the time to start this post.
Last edited by ttay3; 04-28-2018 at 11:22 AM.
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911Hunter (04-28-2018)