Pirelli PZero Nero M&S Review
03-17-2007, 02:04 PM
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Pirelli PZero Nero M&S Review
Hey all,
With 21,000 miles on my TSX I had reached a point where I was ready to dump the OEM MXM4's and try something at the higher end of performance. The stock Michelins were becoming noisy and the lack of grip was starting to bug me. Since I had done the A-Spec suspension and Progress RSB, I wanted to get tires that would allow me to maximize these mods.
I did some research on Tirerack and decided to go with an ultra high performance all-season tire. I briefly considered going full summer tire, but living in Washington took care of that idea pretty quickly, since summer tires are useless, and indeed dangerous, in even light snow. Since UHPAS's are just a step below full summer tires, they seemed like a good compromise.
Several members here have recommended tires like Avid V4's and others, but based on a recommendation from fellow AZ member fedlawman, I settled on the PZero's Nero M&S's (highly rated at Tirerack). I got them through a local Discount Tire outlet in the 225/45 17 size. Discount price-matched Tirerack at $129 per tire. They had them in stock and I was out of there in about an hour. Bye bye crappy Michelins.
As I watched them being installed, the first thing that struck me was how much more aggressive the tires looked than the stockers. The tread pattern, profile, all of it just looked better from the get-go. Appearance has no real value in a tire, but it does appeal to us enthusiasts at the gut level
The tires were greasy as hell at first, so I gave them a few hundred miles before starting to really push them. Impressions are as follows:
PROS
1. Dramatically increased grip, especially in dry conditions. Whereas the stockers would squeal like a stuck pig when pushed hard in a turn, I've yet to induce any squeal from the Pirelli's. Last night I attacked a freeway on-ramp at a high rate of speed and, once the car took it's set, the TSX just railed the turn. About halfway through the cloverleaf I came up on another car and had to lift. The back end actually started to step out. That's never happened to me before. I think I'm finally realizing the full potential of my suspension set-up. Very cool. These babies hook up. Turn-in is crisper, too.
2. Good wet performance. I'm not sure they're quite as good as the stockers in this regard, but they only have about 400 miles on them, and my expectations may be skewing reality. Still, solid in the wet stuff.
3. Value. I feel at $129/tire that this rubber represents a solid value. Some lesser tires go for much more.
4. Good balance of ride quality and performance (more on this under cons). They are stiffer than stock, but not overly so.
CONS
1. Noise. These tires are noisier new than were the stockers at 21K. Not a huge deal, but people should be aware of it going in. At freeway speeds, there is a sort of drone that wasn't there before. Again, not a big deal, but noticeable.
2. Slightly worse ride quality. The lower profile and stiffer sidewalls of these tires do contribute to a stiffer and noisier ride. You will notice this, but I think the trade-off for greater performance is worth it. Since the TSX is not a quiet car to begin with, this may bug some.
3. My wheel gap is back!
What little reduction in wheel gap I gained by installing the A-Spec suspension has returned due to the slightly lower profile of these tires. Again, not a huge deal, but worth mentioning. For those with third-party coilovers this will not be an issue.
All in all, for those looking for a very nice upgrade in tire performance at a reasonable price, while still maintaining the benefits of an all-season tire, I can highly recommend the Pirelli PZero Nero M&S's.
John
With 21,000 miles on my TSX I had reached a point where I was ready to dump the OEM MXM4's and try something at the higher end of performance. The stock Michelins were becoming noisy and the lack of grip was starting to bug me. Since I had done the A-Spec suspension and Progress RSB, I wanted to get tires that would allow me to maximize these mods.
I did some research on Tirerack and decided to go with an ultra high performance all-season tire. I briefly considered going full summer tire, but living in Washington took care of that idea pretty quickly, since summer tires are useless, and indeed dangerous, in even light snow. Since UHPAS's are just a step below full summer tires, they seemed like a good compromise.
Several members here have recommended tires like Avid V4's and others, but based on a recommendation from fellow AZ member fedlawman, I settled on the PZero's Nero M&S's (highly rated at Tirerack). I got them through a local Discount Tire outlet in the 225/45 17 size. Discount price-matched Tirerack at $129 per tire. They had them in stock and I was out of there in about an hour. Bye bye crappy Michelins.
As I watched them being installed, the first thing that struck me was how much more aggressive the tires looked than the stockers. The tread pattern, profile, all of it just looked better from the get-go. Appearance has no real value in a tire, but it does appeal to us enthusiasts at the gut level
The tires were greasy as hell at first, so I gave them a few hundred miles before starting to really push them. Impressions are as follows:
PROS
1. Dramatically increased grip, especially in dry conditions. Whereas the stockers would squeal like a stuck pig when pushed hard in a turn, I've yet to induce any squeal from the Pirelli's. Last night I attacked a freeway on-ramp at a high rate of speed and, once the car took it's set, the TSX just railed the turn. About halfway through the cloverleaf I came up on another car and had to lift. The back end actually started to step out. That's never happened to me before. I think I'm finally realizing the full potential of my suspension set-up. Very cool. These babies hook up. Turn-in is crisper, too.
2. Good wet performance. I'm not sure they're quite as good as the stockers in this regard, but they only have about 400 miles on them, and my expectations may be skewing reality. Still, solid in the wet stuff.
3. Value. I feel at $129/tire that this rubber represents a solid value. Some lesser tires go for much more.
4. Good balance of ride quality and performance (more on this under cons). They are stiffer than stock, but not overly so.
CONS
1. Noise. These tires are noisier new than were the stockers at 21K. Not a huge deal, but people should be aware of it going in. At freeway speeds, there is a sort of drone that wasn't there before. Again, not a big deal, but noticeable.
2. Slightly worse ride quality. The lower profile and stiffer sidewalls of these tires do contribute to a stiffer and noisier ride. You will notice this, but I think the trade-off for greater performance is worth it. Since the TSX is not a quiet car to begin with, this may bug some.
3. My wheel gap is back!
What little reduction in wheel gap I gained by installing the A-Spec suspension has returned due to the slightly lower profile of these tires. Again, not a huge deal, but worth mentioning. For those with third-party coilovers this will not be an issue.All in all, for those looking for a very nice upgrade in tire performance at a reasonable price, while still maintaining the benefits of an all-season tire, I can highly recommend the Pirelli PZero Nero M&S's.
John
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