Costco Michelin X-Tour tire review

[Cujet]

I just installed new tires on the Jaguar X-Type (a fun to drive, but less than excellent car) Costco now carries a less expensive Michelin tire. The X-Tour A S. It seems to be tire that is available at Costco, but not common elsewhere. No idea if it's based on some other model of tire. It's a full tread depth, 80,000 mile warranty tire with an 820 treadwear, traction A and Temp B ratings. The reason I bring this up is that Michelin is now making certain tires, sold at Costco, with only 6/32 tread depth. Not a good thing in the heavy rains of South Florida. So the X-Tour A S tires look like any other Michelin passenger car tire, and they drive/handle exactly as one would expect from very pedestrian Michelin car tires. Smooth, reasonably responsive, very good in the rain and cornering power is quite good. Costco had a deal for $70 off a set of 4 tires, plus 1cent installation. The entire set cost just over $400. About the best deal possible as far as I am concerned. I would have preferred a set of higher performance tires, but these will be excellent for the upcoming long commute and should last quite a while. They replace a set of Chinese made Hankook tires that I purchased when I was selling the car. The Hankook tires never wore out, instead they developed multiple bubbles and blisters under the tread, leading to an oscillating steering wheel at slow speeds and a violent shake at anything over 50. I posted a less than stellar review of the Hankook tires when I purchased them. I'm only sorry I did not remove them sooner. Quite simply, they were unsafe from the very start. With poor cornering power, terrible wet traction and eventual deterioration into UN-usability. Chinese tires are to be avoided.

 

[Cujet]

Note: The Costco Michelin X-Tour A/S (t+h) tires seem to be quite similar to the Defender T+H tires sold elsewhere. And they come with a full 10/32 tread depth.

 

[CharBaby]

Sam's Club used to(maybe they still do) have a Michelin X-Radial tire that was similar to another Michelin tire sold elsewhere.

 

[Danh]

Cujet, how well did Costco handle mounting and balancing? Careful of the rims? Balanced correctly the first time? Used an actual torque wrench? I've always been leery of big-box auto services as I assumed their staff was underpaid and underexperienced, but maybe I need to adjust my thinking.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Originally Posted By: Cujet

Note: The Costco Michelin X-Tour A/S (t+h) tires seem to be quite similar to the Defender T+H tires sold elsewhere. And they come with a full 10/32 tread depth.

The Defender T+H also comes with 10/32, as did the original Defender. The Premier is the one with only 8.5/32

 

[Cujet]

Originally Posted By: Danh

Cujet, how well did Costco handle mounting and balancing? Careful of the rims? Balanced correctly the first time? Used an actual torque wrench? I've always been leery of big-box auto services as I assumed their staff was underpaid and underexperienced, but maybe I need to adjust my thinking.

They did just fine. The wheels are OEM wheels that use clip on weights. So that's what they used. The wheels were not scratched or damaged in any way. The balance is perfect. And yes, they used a torque wrench. My local Costco does a far better job than Tire Kingdom.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Cujet

I just installed new tires on the Jaguar X-Type (a fun to drive, but less than excellent car) Costco now carries a less expensive Michelin tire. The X-Tour A S. It seems to be tire that is available at Costco, but not common elsewhere. No idea if it's based on some other model of tire. It's a full tread depth, 80,000 mile warranty tire with an 820 treadwear, traction A and Temp B ratings. The reason I bring this up is that Michelin is now making certain tires, sold at Costco, with only 6/32 tread depth. Not a good thing in the heavy rains of South Florida. So the X-Tour A S tires look like any other Michelin passenger car tire, and they drive/handle exactly as one would expect from very pedestrian Michelin car tires. Smooth, reasonably responsive, very good in the rain and cornering power is quite good. Costco had a deal for $70 off a set of 4 tires, plus 1cent installation. The entire set cost just over $400. About the best deal possible as far as I am concerned. I would have preferred a set of higher performance tires, but these will be excellent for the upcoming long commute and should last quite a while. They replace a set of Chinese made Hankook tires that I purchased when I was selling the car. The Hankook tires never wore out, instead they developed multiple bubbles and blisters under the tread, leading to an oscillating steering wheel at slow speeds and a violent shake at anything over 50. I posted a less than stellar review of the Hankook tires when I purchased them. I'm only sorry I did not remove them sooner. Quite simply, they were unsafe from the very start. With poor cornering power, terrible wet traction and eventual deterioration into UN-usability. Chinese tires are to be avoided.

Thanks for the review. Just to clarify, Costco is selling unique models of tires with shallow tread, or are they selling common models with a uniquely shallow mold for the tread, for Costco to keep a price point with?

 

[itguy08]

Originally Posted By: Cujet

They replace a set of Chinese made Hankook tires that I purchased when I was selling the car. The Hankook tires never wore out, instead they developed multiple bubbles and blisters under the tread, leading to an oscillating steering wheel at slow speeds and a violent shake at anything over 50. I posted a less than stellar review of the Hankook tires when I purchased them. I'm only sorry I did not remove them sooner. Quite simply, they were unsafe from the very start. With poor cornering power, terrible wet traction and eventual deterioration into UN-usability. Chinese tires are to be avoided.

I think that's a Hankook trait. I just replaced a set of Hankook Dynapro HT's on the F150 with 40k that never were great in snow and finally were unsafe in the ran. We're talking breaking the rear loose on a downshift at low throttle level. Happened 4x with a friend in the truck and we both were like [censored] was that? He also had similar poor performance from Hankooks on his vehicle.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2

Thanks for the review. Just to clarify, Costco is selling unique models of tires with shallow tread, or are they selling common models with a uniquely shallow mold for the tread, for Costco to keep a price point with?

Costco's Michelin X-Tour tire is a relabeled version of the new Defender T+H. The tire is relabeled so that independent tire retailers are not obligated to pricematch. Costco also sells the Michelin Premier A/S, which is a grand-touring a/s tire that starts at 8.5"/32, which is less than the normal 10/32". But unlike most tires, this tire has additional siping down to 2/32" so wet traction does not deteriorate as quickly at low tread depths. These tires are outstanding and I have sets on every family members' vehicles, and it is the only tire that I recommend to customers looking for a touring tire. They had reasonable wear, excellent traction and great ride qualities. The low starting tread depth is a bit difficult for some folks to accept, but it is truly a fantastic tire.

 

[Cujet]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2

Originally Posted By: Cujet

The reason I bring this up is that Michelin is now making certain tires, sold at Costco, with only 6/32 tread depth. Not a good thing in the heavy rains of South Florida.

Thanks for the review. Just to clarify, Costco is selling unique models of tires with shallow tread, or are they selling common models with a uniquely shallow mold for the tread, for Costco to keep a price point with?

The tires with lower tread depth are claimed to be 8/32 tread depth not 6/32 as I mentioned above. "I believe" that's the normal tread depth of those tires, regardless of where purchased. I looked on tire rack and they have the same versions with less tread depth. Why Michelin does this is beyond my understanding. They had large size SUV tires with what seemed to be very squishy tread and not much of it. Strange. No surprise the treadwear rating was lower too.

 

[NSG]

Have to ask since we are looking at tires now for my Wife's Solara. It's a second of a second car type of deal. First tires were Michelin MX4v and I believe we got close to 60k miles from them. I was about to order the Premier A/S but keep reading horrible reviews on road noise and or tread life not lasting at all.. IE something that needs replaced at around 30k miles which is not acceptable to me for tires. Between the Michelin - X Tour A/S T + H which have a rating of 80k miles or the Michelin - Premier A/S which have a rating of 60k miles what do you really think? Can you update us on how the tire is so far that you've been using and or likes/dislikes? Costco has other brands but when looking at the reviews they are pretty bad. I tend to only stick with michelin. Note that the 2007 Solara would be mostly driven highway miles about 60 miles per day. thanks, -Nigel

 

[CKN]

Please post a long-term review after they sit in the Florida sun for a few years.

 

[BJD78]

Sams club still has Michelin X tour tires. The Sams tire rep said they are basically Michelin defenders but made for Sam's club members and the tread pattern is the same as defender. The X tour are supposed to deliver 80,000 miles . tread depth when new is 10/32 They are 117 per tire. I elected instead to go with Pirelli p4 at $94 per tire. X tour is the same at Costco though not sure price, since I do not have a Costco membership. Pirelli gets bad reviews for wet and rain driving, but I have owned Pirellis before and driven in many rain storms with no issues.

 

[BZ1]

Hi,
I am glad that I have learned that X tour is re-branded Defender tires although Michelin.com (https://www.michelinman.com/tires/x-tour-a-s-t-plus-h.html) claims that they are improved Defender tires? I have Defender tires on our two other vehicles and we are very happy. Defender tires are not performance tires! However nobody in my family is performance driver but rather conservative with stress on safety. According Consumer Report Michelin Defender tires are ranked as #2 for size tires that I need 205/60R16.

 

[odie]

This tire is available at BJsWholesale . Took these a few years ago . Do have deep sipes .

 

[odie]

Michelin Defender T+H ( Mavis ) and Michelin X Tour T+H ( BJs Wholesale ) comparison .

 

[Cujet]

Please post a long-term review after they sit in the Florida sun for a few years.

OK,

I'm sure you want to know if there is dry-rotting. NOPE, not even a little.

Here we are nearly 3 years later. The tires are now down to about 1/2 tread depth. They are working great. The car sits outside, it's made trips to PA and spent time driving in the salt and snow. I'm very pleased with these tires!

I took a zoomed pic of the sidewall. I did not wash or clean it in any way. No cracking or dry-rot.

The tires will make it another year and they will be down to the point where I change them. Maybe the car will last that long, maybe not.

 

[Balrog006]

Awesome, my experience with multiple sets of Michelin tires over the past 20 years is very similar. Good to great performance, long wear, low maintenance. Costly , but worth the $