EX35 Replacement Tires

Discussion of Infiniti's amazing (and underrated) sport-luxury crossovers, the EX35 and EX37. For 2014, the EX series will be renamed QX50, in line with Ininfiit's new naming conventions.
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NJGuy
Posts: 557
Joined: Fri Sep 23, 2011 10:05 am
Car: 2008 Infiniti EX35 Journey AWD

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Oh by the way, for anyone looking for another alternative tire in the 235/55R17 size, the Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus tires look very promising. I think they're a new model that replaces the Turanza w/ Serenity Technology. These new tires might trump the Primacy MXV4 in pretty much all performance specs.

If they weren't a new model and had some more time on the market for others to evaluate them, I'd probably get them. I also chose to go with the Michelins because:
1. I was able to catch their $70 rebate; the rebate brought the two models very close in price.
2. The Bridgestones were on backorder.
3. The Michelins were made in the US, while the Bridgestones were made in Thailand I believe. While something like this usually doesn't matter that much to me, it did feel a little nice to purchase a domestically manufactured product.


TimGinCentralNJ
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Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2011 7:00 am
Car: 2008 Infiniti EX Journey AWD

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NJGuy wrote: Tim,

I'll have to decline your invitation for coffee for a few reasons:
1. I'm not a coffee drinker, and I don't care too much for caffeinated beverages :) .
2. I don't know how much time you have on your hands, but I probably have less than you. :squint:
3. And the primary reason is yes, I did pull the trigger: what-did-you-buy-your-ex-this-week-t541 ... l#p6490334

I am interested to see how the Nokians wear. I thought I recall you saying that you don't put that many miles on your EX, so it was tough to judge the treadwear. I think my wife will probably put at least 18K miles per year on her EX, so it seemed to me the Michelins were a bit of a safer bet given my past experience with them.

I brought my mother-in-law's third-gen Honda CRV to the tire shop last fall to get the WRG2's installed. I also drove the car back home. But since that was probably the last time I was behind the wheel of her car, I really haven't had a chance to evaluate them compared to the last set of all-seasons she had. I also see her car about twice a month, so I can catch a glimpse of the tire treadwear. CRVs of that generation have been known to wear out their tires somewhat quickly, so her car seems like a good case study for me. I recommended the Nokians to her because she cannot telework, the municipalities she drives through do a really crappy job of clearing the roads in the winter (compared to where we live), and she occasionally has to drop off or pick up grandkids.

I still might look into the possibility of getting the Nokians & some rims for the winter. However, for the cost of those, my wife might prefer to treat herself to an entry level handbag from a European designer :ohno: :chuckle: . I'll have to see if I can get her to feel the same passion I have for car related items and hope that it overcomes her passion for designer goods. :)
No worries at all, but let's agree not to have a contest of "who's busier". Deal? :chuckle:

Glad to hear you decided on something tire-wise. You definitely do your "due diligence" when buying, as I do. As expensive as they are nowadays, and as long as you have to keep them around to feel as though you've gotten your money's worth, it really IS like like your "marrying" them! :rotflmao

Yes, I'm actually logging more miles since last Aug when I made the jump back to corp America rather than flying everywhere doing the consultant thing when I bought my Noks. Still pleased with the treadwear, but also rotate them every 5k or so. I find at least with my driving style the outer edges up front tend to feather just a little--but luckily since these aren't directional tires, I flip 'em around and everything seems to even out well.

FWIW, I'm a firm believer of dedicated winter tires, too...but since I already have 2 sets of rims for my old 7 Series, plus our winters in NJ the last few years haven't exactly supported the argument in favor of dedicated winter rubber, I decided I'd go the route of the Nokians. Curious to hear how yours fair as we approach winter time.

See you 'round the board NJGuy ;)

Cheers,
Tim

giguy
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Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2011 5:18 pm
Car: 2011 EX35

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Does anyone have experience with Michelin Pilot sport A/S? I have used these on my Audi and they are phenomenal in rain and snow.
I am seriously considering these for the EX35.
Anyone with any experience with any other high performance all season tires? I have used Continental Extreme Contact DWS on my SUV with great results as well.
I have the 245/45 R19 wheels.

TimGinCentralNJ
Posts: 199
Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2011 7:00 am
Car: 2008 Infiniti EX Journey AWD

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giguy wrote:Does anyone have experience with Michelin Pilot sport A/S? I have used these on my Audi and they are phenomenal in rain and snow.
I am seriously considering these for the EX35.
Anyone with any experience with any other high performance all season tires? I have used Continental Extreme Contact DWS on my SUV with great results as well.
I have the 245/45 R19 wheels.
Although not on my EX35, I have run the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus (which replaced the model you referenced) on my former '05 Subaru Outback XT and several other vehicles, including my current '01 7 Series. Fantastic tire, very decent in lighter white stuff until they get 8-10k miles on them in my experience. At the end of the day, they're still an Ultra High Performance tire...albeit "all season". I know the Conti's do a much better job in winter conditions but do so at a cost of lateral control and crisp cornering as compared to the Michelin.

Hope that helps a little!
Tim

dreamingat30fps
Posts: 35
Joined: Fri May 11, 2012 4:03 pm
Car: 2008 EX35 Journey

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How about the Nitto 421Q? I'm also looking for replacement tires right now and on paper these 421Q are looking really good for the price.

atlanta11
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Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2011 5:57 pm

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I replaced my 19" tires this weekend from the stock Bridgestone's to the Michelin MXV4's and noticed a huge difference. Smoother ride, quieter and handles as well if not better. I also noticed a bit less rolling resistance and will see if that improves mileage

scottt
Posts: 86
Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2009 12:11 pm
Car: 2009 Infiniti EX35 RWD Journey

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My 2009 EX35 RWD has finally reached the new tire stage. I prefer replacing tires before they are totally used up, just in case I needed to drive a long distance. My original size is 225/60 17 99V. I have been very happy with the Michelin tires. First I contacted Costco. They would not put a tire on my car that was under factory spec. They told me that Costco did not have a single tire that fit my cars specs. I checked Tire Rack and found the Pirelli Cinturato P7 all season PLUS, 99V, in my size. My research showed that this was a great year-around tire for Northern California. I don't need to worry about snow. I have ordered the tires from Tire Rack, sending them to my Infiniti dealership for install and alignment. They are not the cheapest tire, will post review once they are installed.

dreamingat30fps
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Joined: Fri May 11, 2012 4:03 pm
Car: 2008 EX35 Journey

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I ended up getting the Nitto NT421Q for just over $500 (Got them here http://www.valuetread.com/nitto-nt421q- ... -102v.html). Having only driven the vehicle a bit since having them installed all I can say is they are at least as good as the Dunlops they replaced they are also a 102V rated tire so for those having issues with installers they should be no problem. I will update this thread as I get more driving time on these (which I dont get much since it's not my daily driver) or if anything new develops, but as of now I'm very happy with the purchase.

scottt
Posts: 86
Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2009 12:11 pm
Car: 2009 Infiniti EX35 RWD Journey

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Just put a set of Perelli P7 All Weather Plus Tires on my 2009 EX35 RWD Journey. I was really surprised at the improvement. They are so smooth. Perelli claims a 15% reduction in rolling resistance, I am a believer! Great Tire!

wysguymd
Posts: 21
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Car: 2010 Infiniti EX35

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I'm at 48k miles and at 4/32-6/32 tread depth (on the dealer checksheet). So, starting to look into tires. Currently have the factory installed Michelins.

Any further comments on the other tires?

Has anyone tired the Nitto NT421Q that come up in an ad on this site? 75k warranty.

thanks!

TimGinCentralNJ
Posts: 199
Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2011 7:00 am
Car: 2008 Infiniti EX Journey AWD

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Don't know anything about the Nittos but personally I'm still trying to get used to the idea of that company actually being a reputable tire manufacturer. I just saw an ad from Tirerack.com about the new Pirelli P7 Centurato all season. And for a change, they actually make it in our stock 17" size. All 25 owner reviews I read were very positive. Might be something to look into.

Hope that helps. -Tim

PS: I'm still running Nokian WR-G2's and love them as a year 'round tire.

Leadfootgirl
Posts: 46
Joined: Fri Feb 26, 2010 6:30 pm
Car: Infiniti EX Journey AWD 2008

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Hi Guys,

It's about time to change my OEM tires now that winter's here and I'm down to about 3/32" left on my tires. Need good and safe ones as I plan to go up the mountains more often this winter. I was looking at replacing my existing Michelins with the Michelin Primacy MXV4 but when I went on Tirerack.com and even the Michelin website, it says that's not a match for my car. Tirerack gave me the Michelin X-ice Xi3 as the only option (I prefer Michelin and that was the only one it showed). It doesn't seem like they have the 17" MXV4 at all, is that why it says it won't fit my car? Reading through this thread, it doesn't seem like anyone's familiar with the Michelin X-ice at all. Now I don't know what to go with. I don't want to have to buy new rims (more $$) in order to get the 18" ones, so I would prefer to stay with the 17" size. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!
LFG

TimGinCentralNJ
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Car: 2008 Infiniti EX Journey AWD

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Leadfootgirl wrote:Hi Guys,

It's about time to change my OEM tires now that winter's here and I'm down to about 3/32" left on my tires. Need good and safe ones as I plan to go up the mountains more often this winter. I was looking at replacing my existing Michelins with the Michelin Primacy MXV4 but when I went on Tirerack.com and even the Michelin website, it says that's not a match for my car. Tirerack gave me the Michelin X-ice Xi3 as the only option (I prefer Michelin and that was the only one it showed). It doesn't seem like they have the 17" MXV4 at all, is that why it says it won't fit my car? Reading through this thread, it doesn't seem like anyone's familiar with the Michelin X-ice at all. Now I don't know what to go with. I don't want to have to buy new rims (more $$) in order to get the 18" ones, so I would prefer to stay with the 17" size. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!
LFG
LFG-

Yeah, the stock tire sizes on our cars are not terribly common, but there are some good options out there. You might want to do a search on this forum for "tires" and you'll see a lot of members' have posted their experiences, and specifically their "likes" and "dislikes".

As one example, back in May 2012, I purchased a set of Nokian WR-G2 SUV tires and wrote the following review:

my-new-tire-purchase-on-2008-ex-awd-t549225.html

I'm still running these tires and have been very pleased with them. They are definitely biased towards winter weather performance, as I can't really justify a set of dedicated rims and winter tires being that NJ only gets dumped on every few years, but does get its share of freezing, slushy stuff. At the time, I think the Nokians cost me around $160/each from Tiresavings.com which, in comparison to the tire options shown on resellers like Tirerack.com, or DiscountTireDirect.com (both of which I've purchased numerous tires from and had excellent experiences with), ended up being about average. I did like the stock Michelin Latitudes which my car came with, but at over $200+ per tire, I felt there were other decent tires out there for less money.

Personally, I would spend some time looking at the reviews both here and on Tirerack.com, etc for the tires which come in our size, and see what folks have to say about them to help make your decision.

Hope that helps,
Tim

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NJGuy
Posts: 557
Joined: Fri Sep 23, 2011 10:05 am
Car: 2008 Infiniti EX35 Journey AWD

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Leadfootgirl wrote:Hi Guys,

It's about time to change my OEM tires now that winter's here and I'm down to about 3/32" left on my tires. Need good and safe ones as I plan to go up the mountains more often this winter. I was looking at replacing my existing Michelins with the Michelin Primacy MXV4 but when I went on Tirerack.com and even the Michelin website, it says that's not a match for my car. Tirerack gave me the Michelin X-ice Xi3 as the only option (I prefer Michelin and that was the only one it showed). It doesn't seem like they have the 17" MXV4 at all, is that why it says it won't fit my car? Reading through this thread, it doesn't seem like anyone's familiar with the Michelin X-ice at all. Now I don't know what to go with. I don't want to have to buy new rims (more $$) in order to get the 18" ones, so I would prefer to stay with the 17" size. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!
LFG
There aren't too many tire models that meet he OEM 17" tire specs for the EX so I can kind of understand your frustration here. And if you're dead set on getting Michelins, you already saw that the amount of selection drops considerably further.

The only Michelin tire on the market I've found that meets the specs is the Latitude Tour HP (the OEM tire), which is available by special order only (10-14 business days) at Discount Tire Direct.

If you absolutely want to stay within the OEM specs (225/60R17 98V) but are willing to try another brand, here are a few other models available that I found.
-Yokohoma Avid Envigor
-Pirelli P6 Four Seasons Plus
-Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Seasons Plus
-Nitto NT 421Q
-Nokian WRG2 SUV (what TimGinCentralNJ is running)

If you're willing to stray a bit from the OEM speed rating or size specs, this opens up your tire options a lot more.

I don't know where you're located, but it appears that you're looking for an all-season tire. The Michelin X-ice Xi3 is a winter tire. While it'll help with the upcoming winter and your trips to the mountains, it's not really optimized for all-season duty and will likely wear rapidly in the summer. But if you live in a cooler climate and you're still more focused on the winter and mountain trips, the Nokians might actually be a good fit for your year-round tire needs.

Ultimately for myself, I chose to go with the Primacy MXV4 in a different size and lower speed rating (235/55R17 99H) over the Latitude Tour HP in the standard specs. While I liked the Latitude Tour HP tires that came with the car, I thought the Primacy MXV4 was a better value for me.

Please let us know what you end up going with.

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kingfrog
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Car: 2010 EX35. 2012 RAV 4, 2007 Yamaha V Star 1300
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Just had Michelin Primacy MXV4s put on......Nivana

wysguymd
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Car: 2010 Infiniti EX35

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I got the Perelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus installed about 500 miles ago. Love them. Previously had the Michelin Lattitudes. The Perellis feel like ankle weights have been taken off the car. Its so much lighter feeling, handles even better, and the ride isn't as harsh. Highly recommend them! Was all ready to order thru TireRack, but Sam's Club had a good deal.

Leadfootgirl
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Car: Infiniti EX Journey AWD 2008

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Thanks Tim and NJGuy.

I just ordered the Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus from DiscountTireDirect earlier today. They were selling for $177 each with a $40 online order discount. I found a slightly lower price at another site, $156 each so I asked them if they'd price match. They sort of did but I didn't get the online discount. Still a great price as it came out to $618 total for the tires - paid another $12 for the TPMS rebuild kit. I didn't know this, but the rep that I chatted with/took my order told me they were owned by America's Tire/Discount Tires but that they were different. I noticed their prices were slightly different but he said it was no problem to ship to my local America's Tire so I had them do that. Won't get them til 10-14 days from today but I anticipate paying another $100 for installation/balancing/disposal/envir fee and $100 for 4-wheel alignment.

Surprising thing is, I wasn't charged tax for the purchase, whereas if I were to buy it on their DiscountTire site, I would. Saved about $56 there. Too bad my crappy bonus wasn't enough to pay for the whole $830 :rolleyes:

I'll post again once I get some miles on these. Hopefully, I'll have the same positive experience as WysGuyMD.

CDNicecube
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Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2010 6:58 pm
Car: 2010 EX35 Journey+Tech+Navi
Location: Kanata Ontario

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Hello all

Resuscitating this tread. Any other owners want to update us on what replacement tires they have and how they like them (noise, handling, etc.)?

It is my turn to get new shoes, and I do t know which ones..,(225/55 r18)

Leadfootgirl
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Well, I guess it's about time I gave an update with my Pirellis although I was hoping to see how they would perform in the snow first. But darn SoCal is so dry this winter, I didn't really get a chance to test that out. Anyway, I really love these tires. Road noise-wise, it's about the same or a little bit louder than the Michelins however, the wet pavement handling is fantastic. It's got great grip and on several occasions I've driven a lot more aggressively than I should have on wet, curved roads and they still handled great (scared the heck out of my friends though, LOL). I'm sure that's because they're new too but I think they performed better than the stock Michelins when I first got the car new.

Only negative is that gas mileage isn't as good as the Michelins (about 2 mpg less). I've driven these for over 2,500 miles now and they still feel brand new. Hopefully, the treadlife will last.

TimGinCentralNJ
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Car: 2008 Infiniti EX Journey AWD

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Leadfootgirl wrote:Well, I guess it's about time I gave an update with my Pirellis although I was hoping to see how they would perform in the snow first. But darn SoCal is so dry this winter, I didn't really get a chance to test that out. Anyway, I really love these tires. Road noise-wise, it's about the same or a little bit louder than the Michelins however, the wet pavement handling is fantastic. It's got great grip and on several occasions I've driven a lot more aggressively than I should have on wet, curved roads and they still handled great (scared the heck out of my friends though, LOL). I'm sure that's because they're new too but I think they performed better than the stock Michelins when I first got the car new.

Only negative is that gas mileage isn't as good as the Michelins (about 2 mpg less). I've driven these for over 2,500 miles now and they still feel brand new. Hopefully, the treadlife will last.
Glad to hear you like 'em. After almost 3 years of owning my 2008 EX, we **finally** had a crazy winter here in NJ where I was able to really give the Nokians a thorough test in the white stuff, ice, etc and I have to say they performed admirably. I know there will always be trade-offs with any all-season tire, but I'd have to say these Nokians are about the best all-around tire I've come across. At the time I bought them, I really didn't like any of the other alternatives found on Tirerack, etc, so I'm glad to hear the Pirellis are worth a look.,

My only real complaint with the Nokians is that they seem to have gotten a little louder on certain road surfaces, and I'm seeing tread wear only on the very outside edge of the tread on all 4 corners. I realize I tend to drive aggressively at times, and recall hearing that these cars like to munch the outside edge. I think there were 1-2 threads here a couple of years back of folks who'd asked their service tech for an alignment to flatten out the camber a little so the tread wear would be a little more even. Might see if I can find that thread. I've got probably 15k miles on these tires, and would like to see them last a bit longer if I can help it.

Anyway, thanks for checking back with your tire update! :)

Tim

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NJGuy
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TimGinCentralNJ wrote: After almost 3 years of owning my 2008 EX, we **finally** had a crazy winter here in NJ where I was able to really give the Nokians a thorough test in the white stuff, ice, etc and I have to say they performed admirably. I know there will always be trade-offs with any all-season tire, but I'd have to say these Nokians are about the best all-around tire I've come across.
With all the winter weather events we've had here in the past few months, I was wondering how the Nokians fared on your EX. Not only did we get a large volume of the white stuff, we also got many varieties of winter precipitation as well.

I also think the vehicle itself performs quite well in the snow; I felt more confident driving the EX in the snow and ice than my Honda Pilot (probably due to differences in weight), which I thought was pretty good to begin with.

Thanks for the update.

TimGinCentralNJ
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NJGuy wrote:With all the winter weather events we've had here in the past few months, I was wondering how the Nokians fared on your EX. Not only did we get a large volume of the white stuff, we also got many varieties of winter precipitation as well.

I also think the vehicle itself performs quite well in the snow; I felt more confident driving the EX in the snow and ice than my Honda Pilot (probably due to differences in weight), which I thought was pretty good to begin with.

Thanks for the update.
Hey NJGuy-

Yeah, we got pretty clobbered this year, didn't we? :) Its amazing that 5+ years of little-to-no snow has made us so "soft" in comparison to the winters we used to get back in the mid-90's and early 2000's.

As for the EX in the snow overall, yes--I would agree it's a pretty confident vehicle in poor conditions; however, there were definitely a number of times I felt the "reactive" nature of the AWD system, where the rear would sometimes begin to slip and kick-out before power was transferred to the front wheels. This is something I never noticed in my old Subaru which had a full-time 50/50 split of power between front and rear (making it a tank in the snow and on the beach), but that came at the expense of all kinds of handling quirks and abnormalities on dry roads which made it not an enjoyable car to drive. Nonetheless, the EX may not have the same off-road and bad weather prowess, but it's immensely fun to drive and I am a huge fan.

Hope all is well!
Tim

pombora
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I'm getting my first set of new tires @ 37K. The OEM were the Dunlops and I didn't care for them. Not knowing much about tires, I just ordered the Michelin Defender from Costco, although this didn't show up when I searched by car make/model. Will it matter that the speed rating is not as high? The fastest I ever go is around 85mph, so I thought it would be ok.

ETA: Oh scratch that. I read that Costco won't replace tires with a lower speed rating, so I'm hoping they'll be ok with the Michelin Premier which has an H rating.

TimGinCentralNJ
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Yes, let's "resuscitate" this thread again, since lots of folks on here bought new rubber within the last several months, and I haven't seen too many updates on how satisfied everyone is with their purchase.

I'm now shopping for new tires since my beloved Nokian WR-G2 SUV tires have worn through the sipes on the outer edges of all 4 tires (main tread blocks are still viable) and they're beginning to get a little noisy on some surfaces As it turns out, they've discontinued the damn things in favor of a newer model, but as much as I thought they were the best true "all season" tire out there, in the interest of "science" (ha ha) I think I'm going to go with a more mainstream tire this time.

Will likely be moving to a 235/55-17 because there are more choices in this size, and am considering the Conti ExtremeContact DWS. They're touted as being about the best handing sport-biased all-season tire out there, and being relatively cheap ($132 at Tirerack), it's less of a hit to the bank account even if I only get a couple of years out of them.

My other choice is the Nitto NT421Q which several people above have asked about. I recently put them on my wife's 2011 Ford Explorer, and although we haven't had them in any snow/ice yet, we love them on dry and wet roads. Very stable, great in corners, super quiet and excellent at resisting hydroplaning. They also come in our stock 17" tire size (V-speed rated) and are also relatively cheap (also $132).

Anyway, enough about me :) Let's hear about your tire purchases or plans......

Tim

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NJGuy
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TimGinCentralNJ wrote:Yes, let's "resuscitate" this thread again, since lots of folks on here bought new rubber within the last several months, and I haven't seen too many updates on how satisfied everyone is with their purchase.

I'm now shopping for new tires since my beloved Nokian WR-G2 SUV tires have worn through the sipes on the outer edges of all 4 tires (main tread blocks are still viable) and they're beginning to get a little noisy on some surfaces As it turns out, they've discontinued the damn things in favor of a newer model, but as much as I thought they were the best true "all season" tire out there, in the interest of "science" (ha ha) I think I'm going to go with a more mainstream tire this time.

Will likely be moving to a 235/55-17 because there are more choices in this size, and am considering the Conti ExtremeContact DWS. They're touted as being about the best handing sport-biased all-season tire out there, and being relatively cheap ($132 at Tirerack), it's less of a hit to the bank account even if I only get a couple of years out of them.

My other choice is the Nitto NT421Q which several people above have asked about. I recently put them on my wife's 2011 Ford Explorer, and although we haven't had them in any snow/ice yet, we love them on dry and wet roads. Very stable, great in corners, super quiet and excellent at resisting hydroplaning. They also come in our stock 17" tire size (V-speed rated) and are also relatively cheap (also $132).

Anyway, enough about me :) Let's hear about your tire purchases or plans......

Tim
Tim,

While I don't feel I can add much value here or provide any real help at this time, for some reason I just can't resist putting up a post when it comes to tires :) .

My mother in law has been running the WRG2 SUV Nokian tires for probably 18+ months now. I'm not sure how much mileage she has on them, but there is still siping on the outer tread area. I feel that there are two major reasons for this: 1) she's a conservative driver; and 2) I always make sure her tires are aired up, and I try to maintain an additional 2-3 psi over the recommended cold tire pressure (for all kinds of reasons). I did tell her to get them rotated at every oil change (~6k?), though I don't know how many she's gotten or if she even remembered. While the 3rd Gen CR-Vs seemed to wear tires more quickly than the prior models, IMO her Nokians seem to be wearing quite well so far.

I see that you're moving in a different direction with your tire selection. I'm actually curious as to why, so I'm going to bombard you with some questions. ;)
-Are you sticking with one set of all-seasons, or are you looking to get a set of winter wheels?
-Do you plan to do less driving in winter weather?
-Are you dead set on a minimum of a V speed rating?
-When are you looking to buy?

If you're getting winter wheels as well, it seems that the Continental DWS in a 235 width, slightly shorter sidewall and higher speed rating would be a good pick to satisfy your desire to drive your EX in a "fun" manner :naughty: . But if you're only sticking with one set of tires, the Nittos in OEM size seem like a better selection to me. Keep in mind the DWS tires have the larger openings in the outer tread blocks, so they may be more prone to heel-toe wear and the noise associated with it.

And if you're willing to spend a bit more, I'd also look at the following models:
225/60R17V: Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus (my sister has them on her Scion in a different size)
235/55R17V: Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus
I'm not sure if you're willing to try H-rated models, but here are a few that I would probably look at if I had to buy today:
235/55R17H: Contintenal PureContact
225/60R17H: Michelin Premier A/S
Other than the Michelins, you might be able to get the prices closer to your $132/ea. target if you catch some of these models on sale or with a rebate at the right time.

FWIW, I am happy with the Michelin Primacy MXV4 tires I've had on our EX for the past year. If I had to give an assessment on them, I'd say that I hardly even notice them (and that's a good thing). What I mean here is that they hardly put up a fuss with whatever I throw at them.
Push them in corners in the dry? No problem.
Semi-spirited driving in the rain? No issue.
Noise? Not much at all.
Bumps in the road? Sure, I'll feel them (after all, I'm not driving a Buick Roadmaster), but without any drama.
The tires pretty much do their job without me having to think about them, so I'm free to think about and focus on other stuff while driving. They've also provided adequate and predictable traction in winter weather for an all-season tire and have minimally worn. I haven't been tracking the gas mileage that closely, but it hasn't been drastically different than before. I'll probably pay more attention to them in my drives as the tread wears away more and more; but so far, I think they've been an excellent all-around performer.

I don't see you going with the MXV4s for obvious reasons, but I can say that I'm very satisfied with my purchase. Good luck with your tire shopping adventures and let us know how it goes. :)

TimGinCentralNJ
Posts: 199
Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2011 7:00 am
Car: 2008 Infiniti EX Journey AWD

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Hey NJGuy-

No, by all means...."bombard away" ;)

Some very salient questions. Let me try to answer them as best as I can.......

NJGuy wrote:Tim,
My mother in law has been running the WRG2 SUV Nokian tires for probably 18+ months now. I'm not sure how much mileage she has on them, but there is still siping on the outer tread area. I feel that there are two major reasons for this: 1) she's a conservative driver; and 2) I always make sure her tires are aired up, and I try to maintain an additional 2-3 psi over the recommended cold tire pressure (for all kinds of reasons). I did tell her to get them rotated at every oil change (~6k?), though I don't know how many she's gotten or if she even remembered. While the 3rd Gen CR-Vs seemed to wear tires more quickly than the prior models, IMO her Nokians seem to be wearing quite well so far.
Yes, I'm sure my driving style plays some role in how my tires are wearing, but to be honest, I'm only mildly "spirited". It's more the feeling of control and preciseness which has me preferring sport-biased tires more so than what they are capable of. And for this reason, I probably wouldn't go with an H-rated tire. What's funny is, I always run my tires between 3-4 pis higher than recommended, so I'm really not sure how the inner and outer edges of my tires have worn--as if they've been under-inflated this whole time. I think the longest I went without a rotation was probably 7k miles, but that's not the norm.

Some pics of what I would normally attribute to under-inflation:

Image

Image
NJGuy wrote:I see that you're moving in a different direction with your tire selection. I'm actually curious as to why, so I'm going to bombard you with some questions. ;)
-Are you sticking with one set of all-seasons, or are you looking to get a set of winter wheels?
-Do you plan to do less driving in winter weather?
-Are you dead set on a minimum of a V speed rating?
-When are you looking to buy?
Yes, as much of a believer as I am about dedicated snows, with my old 7 Series (which already has a set of Fall tires/rims in the garage), I cannot spare the space for another set in the garage. And other than last winter, I also do not feel the severity of our winters has justified the need for dedicated snows--especially since my wife and I both have the ability to work from home when the roads are bad. So, yes--I will be looking for all seasons again and with a min speed rating of "V". I will probably put this off until Fall since my Nokians are still pretty viable other than the snow sipes being worn on both edges of all 4 tires.
NJGuy wrote:If you're getting winter wheels as well, it seems that the Continental DWS in a 235 width, slightly shorter sidewall and higher speed rating would be a good pick to satisfy your desire to drive your EX in a "fun" manner :naughty: . But if you're only sticking with one set of tires, the Nittos in OEM size seem like a better selection to me. Keep in mind the DWS tires have the larger openings in the outer tread blocks, so they may be more prone to heel-toe wear and the noise associated with it.
Good observation re: the Contis. The main draw for me is their winter capabilities, as many owners state their sidewalls tend to be more flimsy than most other tires in that category--although "inflation" seems to be a proven way of stiffening them up a little when desired. I already have some non-winter experience with the Nittos on our Ford, and so far, I'm a huge fan of them. Unfortunately, the only "unknown" is how they do in the snow. These tires have zero (and I mean ZERO) reviews on them out there, so while ideally, I'd love to put off this decision until I could drive our Ford in the snow with them, I'll likely need tires before then.
NJGuy wrote: And if you're willing to spend a bit more, I'd also look at the following models:
225/60R17V: Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus (my sister has them on her Scion in a different size)
235/55R17V: Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus
I'm not sure if you're willing to try H-rated models, but here are a few that I would probably look at if I had to buy today:
235/55R17H: Contintenal PureContact
225/60R17H: Michelin Premier A/S
Other than the Michelins, you might be able to get the prices closer to your $132/ea. target if you catch some of these models on sale or with a rebate at the right time.
Yes--the new Pirellis happen to be on my 'radar', but I'll have to read up on the new Turanzas. I know the old model wasn't great. I did wonder about the new Michelin Premier A/S even though it's an H-rated tire, but the fact they almost seem to go out of they way NOT to mention anything "sporty" about them whatsoever in their description kind of scared me away. My biggest fear is being "married" to a set of tires for 2-3 years which turn my EX into grand dad's Buick ;)
NJGuy wrote: FWIW, I am happy with the Michelin Primacy MXV4 tires I've had on our EX for the past year. If I had to give an assessment on them, I'd say that I hardly even notice them (and that's a good thing). What I mean here is that they hardly put up a fuss with whatever I throw at them.
Push them in corners in the dry? No problem.
Semi-spirited driving in the rain? No issue.
Noise? Not much at all.
Bumps in the road? Sure, I'll feel them (after all, I'm not driving a Buick Roadmaster), but without any drama.
The tires pretty much do their job without me having to think about them, so I'm free to think about and focus on other stuff while driving. They've also provided adequate and predictable traction in winter weather for an all-season tire and have minimally worn. I haven't been tracking the gas mileage that closely, but it hasn't been drastically different than before. I'll probably pay more attention to them in my drives as the tread wears away more and more; but so far, I think they've been an excellent all-around performer.

I don't see you going with the MXV4s for obvious reasons, but I can say that I'm very satisfied with my purchase. Good luck with your tire shopping adventures and let us know how it goes. :)
You know, about the only H-rated tire I might consider going with would be the Michelin. I really did like the orig equipment Latitudes and also had a set on our Ford when it was new (those were actually the Latitude HP in "H" speed rating which handled fine), but my problem is spending that kind of coin on something I'm unsure about on our specific cars. If the Lats were still available, I would probably buy them because they are a known (and beloved) entity which, to me, justifies their price. Buying tires is like getting married for 2-3 years; I really need to love them. And yes--this is the funny way in which my brain works.... :rotfl

Thanks again for your thought provoking questions. Will keep you posted on my decision.....

Cheers,
Tim

Bingle
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2014 9:29 am
Car: 2012 EX35 Journey AWD
Location: Marietta, GA

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The DWS is a really good tire. I've had 2 sets of them - one is still on my wife's IS300 SportCross and still have a lot of tread left after about 30K miles. I also had them on a BMW 5 series wagon that we replaced with the EX35. I got about 34K out of that set and replaced them with Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3's. I was going to get another set but Michelin had a rebate promotion going on and my "tire advisor" recommended them over the DWS for the same amount of money. Of the 2 I did prefer the Michelins - they were quieter and offered better handling - they just felt softer and seemed to have more grip than the DWS....seemed better in the rain too. I'm definitely going to look at them again when it comes time to buy tires. The only issue I see is that they don't rate as highy for snow and ice as the DWS which could be a big factor depending on where you live. I also think the DWS will have a longer treadlife.

On another note, My EX is a 2012 with the 19's and it has Bridgestone Turanza EL42 tires. Are these OEM tires? I ask because the car has 22k on it and these things still have about 8/32 left on them...just wondering if they've been replaced or does this tire wear like iron.

Edit: I see these are in fact OEM - any insights on mileage other owners have gotten out of them appreciated.

Thanks!

Brad

ArcticBlue
Posts: 67
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2011 7:07 pm
Car: 2011 AWD Journey/Premium Pkg

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Agreed on the DWS - I have them on my Jaguar and they are wearing well - as opposed to their Pirelli predecessors. The OEM Bridgestone EL42 on our EX35 have been surprisingly good tires, especially in snow, but at 34,000 miles they are getting very, Very noisy. So, in spite of their refusal to wear out the tread, I am seriously considering replacing them (despite 6/32 left on all four tires), simply because of the noise.
Firestone Firehawks are available in 245/45-19. They are $250 cheaper for a set than the DWS at Tirerack. The few reviews on them are positive (as has been my experience withe the Firestone Destination LE2 on my Grand Cherokee). Bottom line, I'll go with the Firestones as soon as The Queen gives me the green light to replace the Bridgestones solely on the basis of noise.
Cheers!

eaadams
Posts: 25
Joined: Tue Jul 06, 2010 10:26 am

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CostCo tells me the 225/55R-18 Michelin Primacy MXV4 are discontinued.

I live in California so I don't care about weather. I just want quiet and comfort.

suggestions?

meanie
Posts: 173
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 3:43 pm
Car: G37, EX35

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[quote="Bingle"]
On another note, My EX is a 2012 with the 19's and it has Bridgestone Turanza EL42 tires. Are these OEM tires? I ask because the car has 22k on it and these things still have about 8/32 left on them...just wondering if they've been replaced or does this tire wear like iron.

Edit: I see these are in fact OEM - any insights on mileage other owners have gotten out of them appreciated.

I just replaced my 19 inch Bridgestone Turanzas this winter at roughly 45k. I have no complaints about them, but they are pricey. After a lot of indecision and pondering the ratings and feedback on Tire Rack I choose Hancook Ventus S1 Noble2 for good all round tires that have to contend with New England weather and pot holes. They are reasonably priced and so far have proven better in the snow, as quiet on smooth roads, but boomier on rough ones, with handling at least as good as the Turanzas. I hope they last as long.


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