New Michelin X-Ice Xi3 via Tire Rack

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Bit the bullet and decided to run dedicated winter tires this year. We will see how handy they prove to be--I have a brutal schedule, just not sure how bad the season will be.

Went with the Michelin Xi3 and new rims from Tire Rack, size is stock 16" for my variant of the '07 Accord. Tire Rack also did the mounting and balancing. I was happy with the ease of the buying process and blown away that they were delivered the next day. I feel they were well packed and there are no scratches on the rims.
What I am not happy with is the DOT code, they are essentially 2 years old already. (you can see they are stamped 4612. Pictures below(unless I screw up the upload). What do you guys think of the age?
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I wouldn't worry considering you probably won't get more than a few seasons out of them at which point they will be 5 years old and out of tread, some people only get 2 years out of the snows if they drive a lot.

You will feel unstoppable in that FWD accord with snows. You will be driving the speed limit while people are sliding at half the speed.
 
I have talked to the store Mgr's at my local Good/Year and Firestone tire stores. They claim that they are not supposed to sell tires that are beyond 5 years old on the tire build date markings.

Hope this is comforting!
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CB
 
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Interesting... I just got four of them in 205/55R16 from Discount Tire. My manufacture date is the third week of April this year. When I went to get them, the writer (incorrectly) tried to tell me that 205/60R16 was my best replacement size. I wonder if maybe Michelin just made a huge run of them two years ago, and they're still getting pushed through the supply pipeline.

Either way, I'll echo what others have said - two years stored indoors is nothing to worry about.
 
I've got some X-ice Xi2 that will be going back on soon. This will be their 4th winter and probably the last. I have over 47k miles on them now.
 
Originally Posted By: leeharvey418
Interesting... I just got four of them in 205/55R16 from Discount Tire. My manufacture date is the third week of April this year. When I went to get them, the writer (incorrectly) tried to tell me that 205/60R16 was my best replacement size. I wonder if maybe Michelin just made a huge run of them two years ago, and they're still getting pushed through the supply pipeline.

Either way, I'll echo what others have said - two years stored indoors is nothing to worry about.


I don't know what truth there it to this, but earlier in the year I was between the Xi3s or Arctics for 3 cars this winter. I was trying to take advantage of some rebates at the time at DTD and when I asked when I would be able to get Xi3s they told me that as of now, they showed none available and did not show an open order (2 weeks prior to that, I had called up and was told there was an open order but no expected delivery date). The person at Discount Tire Direct went on to tell me they way they do their ordering is they place a bulk order for the season and that is all the stock they get, they could not special order them for me or anything. I thought it was strange, but might also explain the "freshness" of the tires I've gotten from DTD in the past.

The Xi3s I bought last year from Tire Rack (November 2013 - 215/60/16) were date code 3912. I would think the older date probably has some to do with how they order and ensure stock year round (since I believe you can order Xi3s from Tire Rack year round pretty much).
 
I know when I called DTD, they said they couldn't get the Xi3 in 205/55R16 at all, even though my store was showing 20 of them in stock. So yeah... DTD and local stores are obviously different.
 
Thanks for the replies.

After thinking about it more I feel, as many here have said, that they will be worn out before they are too old anyway. I figure Tire Rack buys in huge volume since they always seem to have things in stock all year round that other companies don't.

I'll post my opinion of the Xi3 in about 2 months
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No worries. Tire Rack stores their tires inside. I had XIce2's on my Camaro for 6 seasons and put about 48k miles on them. They were still good when I retired them after last winter.

XIce2's I noticed had a tendency to slide in slushy conditions, but they were great in snow and ice. In panic stop situations, you may want to look in your rear view mirror and watch the guy behind you. He won't be able to stop as well as you.
 
Originally Posted By: Cardiobuck
Thanks for the replies.

After thinking about it more I feel, as many here have said, that they will be worn out before they are too old anyway. I figure Tire Rack buys in huge volume since they always seem to have things in stock all year round that other companies don't.

I'll post my opinion of the Xi3 in about 2 months
wink.gif


You may be on those tires for years. The 1st gen Latitude X-Ice went from my Trailblazer in '08 to the Rainier and were still above the snow wear bars (6/32" btw) through '12. I ran them this summer since I bought the gen II last year. They ran for 5k miles this summer and were still at 7/32"

There's a reason that Michelin gives the Xi3 a 40k mile warranty, they give good performance and last.

btw...I don't recommend running a winter tire in the summer now because there was a fine dust of inner liner rubber on the inside of the tire. After 5k miles there was about a tablespoon of material inside each tire that had come off the inner liner. They're designed to run at under 45F.
 
Originally Posted By: A_Harman
No worries. Tire Rack stores their tires inside. I had XIce2's on my Camaro for 6 seasons and put about 48k miles on them. They were still good when I retired them after last winter.

XIce2's I noticed had a tendency to slide in slushy conditions, but they were great in snow and ice. In panic stop situations, you may want to look in your rear view mirror and watch the guy behind you. He won't be able to stop as well as you.

+1 on both counts. I always remind my wife at the beginning of winter that 90+% of cars on the road do NOT have the right tires for WI winter.
 
Originally Posted By: A_Harman
No worries. Tire Rack stores their tires inside. I had XIce2's on my Camaro for 6 seasons and put about 48k miles on them. They were still good when I retired them after last winter.

XIce2's I noticed had a tendency to slide in slushy conditions, but they were great in snow and ice. In panic stop situations, you may want to look in your rear view mirror and watch the guy behind you. He won't be able to stop as well as you.


yep I always look in the rearview. I'd rather dodge off on the shoulder if possible instead of getting rear-ended.

The xice xi2's will be going into year 4 plenty of tread still.
 
My xi3's (2012 DOT's) will be going on probably by the end of the month for their third season. we had snow on Friday already nothing stuck but quite early for that snow already.
 
And that is the reason why I am buying all my tires in Costco.
Ordered online last year two sets of winter tires. One set was Bridgestone Blizzak LM-60 for my CC, tires were two weeks old!
Ordered one set of Blizzak's WS-70 for my wife's Tiguan, they were three weeks old!
 
Originally Posted By: Rand
Originally Posted By: A_Harman
No worries. Tire Rack stores their tires inside. I had XIce2's on my Camaro for 6 seasons and put about 48k miles on them. They were still good when I retired them after last winter.

XIce2's I noticed had a tendency to slide in slushy conditions, but they were great in snow and ice. In panic stop situations, you may want to look in your rear view mirror and watch the guy behind you. He won't be able to stop as well as you.


yep I always look in the rearview. I'd rather dodge off on the shoulder if possible instead of getting rear-ended.

The xice xi2's will be going into year 4 plenty of tread still.


Been there, done that! Once had to hop a curb and sidewalk into a gas station parking lot to avoid someone that had no chance of stopping. Luckily they didn't hit me or anyone else - just slid, gracefully, through the intersection.
 
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