Tire Recommendation 2011 Mustang

[edvanp]

I have a low mile (27k) 2011 Mustang that is a nice weather car for me. It was my fathers and he decided he didn't need 6 cars so I got a pretty good deal on it. It's not the GT, but it does have the 305hp V6 which runs pretty good. Anyway, it has the original Pirelli P Zero Nero tires 235/50/18. They have plenty of life left in them, but they are noisy and I'd like to replace them. The car won't see snow but will possibly be driven in rain, so a tires that's good in rain is required. It's also important I have something that is quiet with good road manners. Any suggestions? I'm considering the Cooper Zeon RS3-G1, Cooper CS5 (Ultra Touring) and the Michelin Pilot Sport (UHP, pricey) but would consider other recommendations.

Thanks!
(stock photo below of what my car looks like)

 

[RooflessVW]

Budget?

Do you need an all season?

 

[mightymousetech]

Which Michelin Pilot Sport?

 

[KMJ1992]

I like Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval Indy 500s on my sports cars. Excellent summer tire for the money. They make a few different versions for summer or all season.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: mightymousetech
Which Michelin Pilot Sport?


Aren't there three now?

 

[skyactiv]

Cooper

 

[mightymousetech]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: mightymousetech
Which Michelin Pilot Sport?


Aren't there three now?


Quick copy/paste from Tirerack

Max Performance Summer
Pilot Sport 3
Pilot Sport 4
Pilot Sport 4S
Pilot Sport PS2
Pilot Sport PS2 ZP
Pilot Super Sport
Pilot Super Sport ZP

Ultra High Performance All-Season
Pilot Sport A/S 3 (W- or Y-Speed Rated)
Pilot Sport A/S 3+ (W- or Y-Speed Rated)
Pilot Sport A/S 3+ ZP (W- or Y-Speed Rated)
Pilot Sport A/S Plus ZP

High Performance All-Season
Pilot Sport A/S 3 (H- or V-Speed Rated)
Pilot Sport A/S 3 N-Spec
Pilot Sport A/S 3+ (H- or V-Speed Rated)
Pilot Sport A/S Plus N-Spec

Streetable Track & Competition
Pilot Sport Cup 2
Pilot Sport Cup 2 ZP
Pilot Sport Cup ZP
Pilot Sport Cup+ / N-Spec

 

[IndyIan]

The pilot sport A/S3's seemed to work very well at our last wet autocross. Don't know how quiet they are on the road though.

 

[mightymousetech]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
The pilot sport A/S3's seemed to work very well at our last wet autocross. Don't know how quiet they are on the road though.


They are not. Really regret getting mine. My Hakka winters are much quieter, as are my Mich Pilot SS.

 

[d00df00d]

Originally Posted By: edvanp
I have a low mile (27k) 2011 Mustang that is a nice weather car for me. It was my fathers and he decided he didn't need 6 cars so I got a pretty good deal on it. It's not the GT, but it does have the 305hp V6 which runs pretty good. Anyway, it has the original Pirelli P Zero Nero tires 235/50/18. They have plenty of life left in them, but they are noisy and I'd like to replace them. The car won't see snow but will possibly be driven in rain, so a tires that's good in rain is required. It's also important I have something that is quiet with good road manners. Any suggestions? I'm considering the Cooper Zeon RS3-G1, Cooper CS5 (Ultra Touring) and the Michelin Pilot Sport (UHP, pricey) but would consider other recommendations.

In this size, the three Michelin Pilot Sport options I can see are the Pilot Sport A/S 3+, the Pilot Super Sport, and the Pilot Sport 4S. There's no advantage to the A/S 3+ in this application, and the 4S replaces the Super Sport, so I'm going to assume we're talking about the 4S here.

Which is convenient, because... that's the tire you should pick.

If you lined the Pilot Sport 4S up against some cheaper options and drove them back-to-back, you'd know why it was more expensive. And if you put 20k miles' worth of wear on each one and THEN ran them back-to-back, you'd know EXACTLY where your money went. No matter how you look at it -- wet performance, dry performance, noise, ride, whatever -- the 4S works better near the wear bars than most tires do when brand new. Nothing else combines that level of performance with good NVH, and long usable life, and moderate rolling resistance, and excellent construction, and and and...

In terms of NVH, the 4S should be much better than those Pirellis. There are quieter tires out there, though. But you'd have to be willing to accept BIG performance trade-offs. They're the kinds of tires that, if you were really interested in them, you probably wouldn't be driving a Mustang in the first place. Your call on that.

As an overall package though, there just isn't anything that even competes with the Pilot Sport 4S right now -- even in terms of bang-for-the-buck. It's probably the best summer tire ever made.

 

[mightymousetech]

Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Originally Posted By: edvanp
I have a low mile (27k) 2011 Mustang that is a nice weather car for me. It was my fathers and he decided he didn't need 6 cars so I got a pretty good deal on it. It's not the GT, but it does have the 305hp V6 which runs pretty good. Anyway, it has the original Pirelli P Zero Nero tires 235/50/18. They have plenty of life left in them, but they are noisy and I'd like to replace them. The car won't see snow but will possibly be driven in rain, so a tires that's good in rain is required. It's also important I have something that is quiet with good road manners. Any suggestions? I'm considering the Cooper Zeon RS3-G1, Cooper CS5 (Ultra Touring) and the Michelin Pilot Sport (UHP, pricey) but would consider other recommendations.

If you lined the Pilot Sport 4S up against some cheaper options and drove them back-to-back, you'd know why it was more expensive. And if you put 20k miles' worth of wear on each one and THEN ran them back-to-back, you'd REALLY know where your money went. No matter how you look at it -- wet performance, dry performance, noise, ride, whatever -- the 4S works better near the wear bars than most tires do when brand new. Nothing else combines that level of performance with good NVH, and long usable life, and moderate rolling resistance, and excellent construction, and and and...

In terms of NVH, the 4S should be much better than those Pirellis. There are quieter tires out there, though. But you'd have to be willing to accept BIG performance trade-offs. They're the kinds of tires that, if you were really interested in them, you probably wouldn't be driving a Mustang in the first place. Your call on that.

As an overall package though, there just isn't anything that even competes with the Pilot Sport 4S right now -- even in terms of bang-for-the-buck. It's probably the best summer tire ever made.


This. I LOVE my Super Sports. Amazing combination of grip (wet, dry, and even cold) feel, longevity and surprisingly comfort. The new 4S takes that tire and makes every single quality even better.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=223

Quote:

Michelin Pilot Sport 4S (Max Performance Summer 245/40R18 (93Y))
What We Liked: Does everything asked of it at a very high level.
What We'd Improve: Nothing.
Conclusion: We are genuinely impressed.

 

[d00df00d]

Originally Posted By: mightymousetech
This. I LOVE my Super Sports. Amazing combination of grip (wet, dry, and even cold) feel, longevity and surprisingly comfort. The new 4S takes that tire and makes every single quality even better.

Exactly. And what's extra shocking is HOW MUCH they improved the wet grip while keeping everything else the same or better. The Super Sport makes you feel like a tire can't get much better in the wet without big compromises... and then you drive the 4S and it's a LOT better, with ZERO compromises.

Every iteration of that lineup just gets more surreal.

 

[CT8]

Can't help you with the tires but she is a beauty.

 

[Rolla07]

I had the Cooper RS3 A's and was really happy with them. Traction was far superior to a touring tire. Guess it depends how you plan to drive it. I much prefer UHP's but you will pay more to buy them and will need to replace them sooner. I would first decide if you want a touring tire or performance tire. Once you make that decision, you can compare some similar ones.

The RS3 G1's are a cheaper option to any AA traction tire.

Id say the Coopers sit in between touring and UHP. I wouldnt hesitate to go with these if it was my car.

 

[Kestas]

I too would go to Tirerack and do some research.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyresults/surveydisplay.jsp?type=MP&width=235%2F&ratio=50&diameter=18&cameFrom=TSR

 

[mightymousetech]

Originally Posted By: Rolla07
I much prefer UHP's but you will pay more to buy them and will need to replace them sooner. I would first decide if you want a touring tire or performance tire. Once you make that decision, you can compare some similar ones.


Not necessarily. My SS have lasted double what my A/S3 did, and I still have significant tread left.

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: mightymousetech
Originally Posted By: Rolla07
I much prefer UHP's but you will pay more to buy them and will need to replace them sooner. I would first decide if you want a touring tire or performance tire. Once you make that decision, you can compare some similar ones.


Not necessarily. My SS have lasted double what my A/S3 did, and I still have significant tread left.

Yeah, my sport comp2's were pretty cheap and are on track for 50k km, and that's with 6 or 7 autocross's per summer. They aren't even that noisy. I don't regret buying them anyways. I haven't yet had to use them to avoid an accident, but they are more grippy than in the dry and wet than any touring tire. There is more rolling resistance though, as I don't get as much of a summer fuel economy bump as I did with all seasons.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Summer tires will be quieter than all-seasons and at least as good in rain, too.

A good affordable summer tire is the Sumitomo HTR Z III

 

[edvanp]

Thanks for the input everyone. The Pilot Sport 4S sure look good and the reviews are fantastic!

 

[dgunay]

Originally Posted By: Rolla07
I had the Cooper RS3 A's and was really happy with them. Traction was far superior to a touring tire. Guess it depends how you plan to drive it. I much prefer UHP's but you will pay more to buy them and will need to replace them sooner. I would first decide if you want a touring tire or performance tire. Once you make that decision, you can compare some similar ones.

The RS3 G1's are a cheaper option to any AA traction tire.

Id say the Coopers sit in between touring and UHP. I wouldnt hesitate to go with these if it was my car.


As a current RS3-A user, I wouldn't recommend this tire because his priority is getting a quiet tire. RS3-A is louder than my winter tires. I agree that traction is great though.

Seems like RS3-G1 is the newer version of RS3-A, I am sure that they improved tire noise, but YMMV.

I'd skip the CS5 too, you need more performance oriented tire for Mustang.