Topic: Time to replace the 3-season tires on the Mazda 3

[rrocket]

Oh yea the Z-Line is a summer tire.

It's marketed as AS..and the tread blocks on it definitely don't look like a pure summer tire.

But some tires have wider temp ranges and handle better in the wet....which isn't anything new or surprising.

[tortoise]

The marketing does try to convince you that they'd be good in the wet and cool.

At least at $80, the differential isn't bad.  And despite all the you're taking, it's nice to know you can return a tire you don't like.  It's always bugged me that it's basically a guessing game*.

*But a reasonably safe one of your read reviews and buy a brand name.

[Noto]

Nokian has the ZLine and the ZLine a/s. Two different tires. The a/s is more siped and has a UTGQ rating of 500 vs 300 for the pure summer version.

I use dedicated winter tires, bit we have fringe seasons that make dedicated summer tires not worth the risk.

I would have happily kept the ZLine a/s. They're a great tire and the price point was excellent.

... But I was on the fence between them and the Michelin Pilot Sport a/s3. Price was a factor, and I thought the Michelins might be too hardcore for a base model, stock Mazda 3.  The KT sales guy didn't know much about the Nokians but figured I'd be happy enough.

I would have been... It's not the ultimate wet grip that I didn't like. It was the lack of communication. Grip... Grip... Grip... GONE.  I've never experienced a tire like that where grip just dies out.

And it wasn't just one turn. It was low speed right turns (15km/h) that I noticed the car trending further towards the left.  No issues with getting through puddles/going straight, but the tires don't like to turn when wet. It was an odd sensation.

In the dry, they're excellent.  Not the quietest but not bad. Comfortable for sure. Treadwear I'm guessing would be below average. I've put 2,000km on them and the 100% imprint (there's intervals to show how much tread is left) is pretty much gone already in the back and completely in the front.

Given that I'm within my right to switch the tires out, I'd rather take my chances now with the Michelins that are good enough to get Ron's highest praise.  And for only $80 difference!!

[dirtyjeffer]

Given that I'm within my right to switch the tires out, I'd rather take my chances now with the Michelins that are good enough to get Ron's highest praise.  And for only $80 difference!!

when i got my tires for my Rio5, it was between the General Tire RT43s and the Michelin Pilot Sport AS 3+ (or something like that, basically the ones you are getting)...both were very highly rated, but the price on the Generals was pretty good so i tried them...i don't regret it, but i know the Michelins would have been great too...part of the problem with my car is it has a stupid size on it...a few years ago, there weren't many options, but fortunately, more are available now...i'm sure you'll love the Michelins...i've had numerous tires from them and they've always been great, even if they were a bit more than some of the other tires out there.

[Angry Chicken]

@No-san re: your last post.
So it's an all-season.  I stand (actually sit) corrected.  I was reading a link posted by someone other than you.

I think your expectations are a bit high.  Tires are like bagels.  You can't always buy an "Everything" bagel for a sesame seed price.  I'm willing to bet you're the first one in a while to bring his tires back to Kal Tire.  Lest you think I'm a hypocrite, some full disclosure is in order:  About 20 years ago I brought a set of Sears-branded Michelin A/S tires which I'd bought to replace some Dunlops on a Camry.  They were unconscionably loud...lots of white noise and slap over tar strips.  I brought them back the very next week.

I still think your "testing" methodology on the Nokians is suspect.  Certainly the test conditions of wet and cold and hooning into a corner on a brand new set of tires which probably still had release compound on them is suspect at best.  The Michelins will disappoint you in the same conditions.  No such thing as an everything bagel in tires.

[rrocket]

@No-san re: your last post.
So it's an all-season.  I stand (actually sit) corrected.  I was reading a link posted by someone other than you.

I think your expectations are a bit high.  Tires are like bagels.  You can't always buy an "Everything" bagel for a sesame seed price.  I'm willing to bet you're the first one in a while to bring his tires back to Kal Tire.  Lest you think I'm a hypocrite, some full disclosure is in order:  About 20 years ago I brought a set of Sears-branded Michelin A/S tires which I'd bought to replace some Dunlops on a Camry.  They were unconscionably loud...lots of white noise and slap over tar strips.  I brought them back the very next week.

I still think your "testing" methodology on the Nokians is suspect.  Certainly the test conditions of wet and cold and hooning into a corner on a brand new set of tires which probably still had release compound on them is suspect at best.  The Michelins will disappoint you in the same conditions.  No such thing as an everything bagel in tires.

I returned a set of Toyo Versado Noir on the LS430.  Wasn't as quiet as hoped.  The Pirellis fixed that!  They are uncommonly quiet!

[Angry Chicken]

^^^^
Yah.  I'm rolling on a set of Pirelli P7 Cinturato All-Season Plus on the MINI.  225/45/VR18 Very quiet. Nice compliant ride and still gooey enough that they stick nicely when I feel like doing a bit of hooning.  Not an everything bagel, but more like a full-on Montreal style pumpernickel!

If you think you heard it from me already, I posted about the tires on this thread, too: https://www.autos.ca/forum/index.php?topic=103847.0

[rrocket]

^^^^
Yah.  I'm rolling on a set of Pirelli P7 Cinturato All-Season Plus on the MINI.  225/45/VR18 Very quiet. Nice compliant ride and still gooey enough that they stick nicely when I feel like doing a bit of hooning.  Not an everything bagel, but more like a full-on Montreal style pumpernickel!

This is the go-to tire for the LS430 peeps.

FWIW, Lexus peeps are about the most anal tire threads I've ever read.  One of them is like 1200 pages long.

But yes, it's a superb tire that P7+.  I'd not hesitate to run them on a luxury car again.

[KD]

^^^^
Yah.  I'm rolling on a set of Pirelli P7 Cinturato All-Season Plus on the MINI.  225/45/VR18 Very quiet. Nice compliant ride and still gooey enough that they stick nicely when I feel like doing a bit of hooning.  Not an everything bagel, but more like a full-on Montreal style pumpernickel!

I put those on the GS-350 last year.   Very good tire and well suited to the car.   

I wonder what the equivalent tire is to the jalepeno and cheese laced bagels that i eat occasionally?   

[ChaosphereIX]

^^^^
Yah.  I'm rolling on a set of Pirelli P7 Cinturato All-Season Plus on the MINI.  225/45/VR18 Very quiet. Nice compliant ride and still gooey enough that they stick nicely when I feel like doing a bit of hooning.  Not an everything bagel, but more like a full-on Montreal style pumpernickel!

I put those on the GS-350 last year.   Very good tire and well suited to the car.   

I wonder what the equivalent tire is to the jalepeno and cheese laced bagels that i eat occasionally?   

Toyo Proxes R1R?

[rrocket]

^^^^
Yah.  I'm rolling on a set of Pirelli P7 Cinturato All-Season Plus on the MINI.  225/45/VR18 Very quiet. Nice compliant ride and still gooey enough that they stick nicely when I feel like doing a bit of hooning.  Not an everything bagel, but more like a full-on Montreal style pumpernickel!

I put those on the GS-350 last year.   Very good tire and well suited to the car.   

I wonder what the equivalent tire is to the jalepeno and cheese laced bagels that i eat occasionally?   

I'd say a full on summer performance model (spicy!).   

[Angry Chicken]

^^^^
Yah.  I'm rolling on a set of Pirelli P7 Cinturato All-Season Plus on the MINI.  225/45/VR18 Very quiet. Nice compliant ride and still gooey enough that they stick nicely when I feel like doing a bit of hooning.  Not an everything bagel, but more like a full-on Montreal style pumpernickel!

I put those on the GS-350 last year.   Very good tire and well suited to the car.   

I wonder what the equivalent tire is to the jalepeno and cheese laced bagels that i eat occasionally?   

I'd say a full on summer performance model (spicy!).   

I don't know... my P7s were made in Mexico :-)

[rrocket]

^^^^
Yah.  I'm rolling on a set of Pirelli P7 Cinturato All-Season Plus on the MINI.  225/45/VR18 Very quiet. Nice compliant ride and still gooey enough that they stick nicely when I feel like doing a bit of hooning.  Not an everything bagel, but more like a full-on Montreal style pumpernickel!

I put those on the GS-350 last year.   Very good tire and well suited to the car.   

I wonder what the equivalent tire is to the jalepeno and cheese laced bagels that i eat occasionally?   

I'd say a full on summer performance model (spicy!).   

I don't know... my P7s were made in Mexico :-)

Refried beans aren't spicy.   

[Gurgie]

^^^^
Yah.  I'm rolling on a set of Pirelli P7 Cinturato All-Season Plus on the MINI.  225/45/VR18 Very quiet. Nice compliant ride and still gooey enough that they stick nicely when I feel like doing a bit of hooning.  Not an everything bagel, but more like a full-on Montreal style pumpernickel!

I put those on the GS-350 last year.   Very good tire and well suited to the car.   

I wonder what the equivalent tire is to the jalepeno and cheese laced bagels that i eat occasionally?   

Toyo Proxes R1R?

Maybe my BF Goodrich g-force R1's?  [emoji12]

Sent from my SM-G970W using Tapatalk

[Angry Chicken]

I don't know.  They would almost definitely slip at +8C in the wet.   They look pretty worn, too.  Maybe you should bring them back and replace them with some Michelin Primacy tires?  Every Prius owner I know loves them!  They're also the tire of choice for the FRS/BRZ FT86 twins.

[Noto]

@AC:

My expectations are not high. I was so excited about the types and really, really loved them. I'm not taking about hooning here... They don't hydroplane in the wet, but they're consistently squirmy, loud, and have zero communication in the wet.  It was 20'C and raining last night. It was the same.

I also have a pretty male concern about treadwear.  All 4 are down fairly significant in only 2,000km... The fronts area at 8/32" and the rears at 9/32" per my gauge. If there's any compound to wear off, I'd say it's gone.

Treadwear isn't my primary concern since I only hope to keep the car another 3 years max and I don't drive that much/have dedicated winter tires. That said, these are going away far too quickly. Most of the 2,000km are highway.

I don't know why I would stick with an unknown tire when for $80 I can get a set that is proven and universally loved.

[Angry Chicken]

You have it backwards. If there was only an $80 difference, why did you go for an “unproven” tire in the first place? There are lots of positive reviews on the Michelins but you went for the Nokians for a measly $80 total difference in price. The prosecution rests its case. No further questions.

[KD]

^^^^
Yah.  I'm rolling on a set of Pirelli P7 Cinturato All-Season Plus on the MINI.  225/45/VR18 Very quiet. Nice compliant ride and still gooey enough that they stick nicely when I feel like doing a bit of hooning.  Not an everything bagel, but more like a full-on Montreal style pumpernickel!

I put those on the GS-350 last year.   Very good tire and well suited to the car.   

I wonder what the equivalent tire is to the jalepeno and cheese laced bagels that i eat occasionally?   

Toyo Proxes R1R?

Maybe my BF Goodrich g-force R1's?  [emoji12]

Sent from my SM-G970W using Tapatalk

 

[Noto]

You have it backwards. If there was only an $80 difference, why did you go for an “unproven” tire in the first place? There are lots of positive reviews on the Michelins but you went for the Nokians for a measly $80 total difference in price. The prosecution rests its case. No further questions.

It was over $200 when I was looking. The price dropped since/Michelin's rebate came out on top of that.

Nokian is a proven brand. The tire is well regarded in Europe. Only Kal Tire sells it in Ontario and I don't think it's sold much in the US.

I would be ok with keeping the Nokians, but since Kal Tire offers the exchange, I'm going to take the offer.

I would still recommend the Nokians to some people... Just not me.

I love the Nitto Motivo on the Forester, but the Nokians are more comfortable and handle much better in the dry. The Nittos are better in the wet hands down.  Depends on what you prioritize.  I personally want better wet performance.

[2JDM]

Plenty of rain this weekend - how are the new Michelins AS3's?

Mine are great with about 5.5/32" - 6.5"32 left - drove from Ottawa to London, in rainy conditions, with little concerns. I'll probably get another set next spring.