I've got the OEM (P245/50 R 17) Michelin Pilot HX MXM4's on my RL and I've put up with the unbearable road noise for 15,000 miles now. Enough is enough.

I'm staying with the 17" wheels, but would like your opinions on what brand of tire to switch to. These new tires will be for summer use only. A quiet ride is imperative.

I saw on the Tire Rack site that the Dunlop's were pretty well rated. What are your recommendations please?

Thanks in advance!

 

Don't know about the Dunlops, although I think there has been at least one post about Dunlaps on the forum since I've been coming here for the past year and a half or so. You might try searching for Dunlap posts if someone doesn't respond to your post.

That said, if you do search the forum posts, one of the tires most highly recommended on the forum for 17" wheels is the Michelin Pilot Sport. With somewhere near 35,000 on my '05RL, I'm now considering this tire for my 17" wheels. The dealer I'm currently closest to told me at my last visit that if these have the same specs as the OEM's, that they would order these and install for me. This is something I'm going to look into...the dealer may be stuck with just installing OEM's. ..we'll see.

In the OEM's favor, in my case anyway, is that they certainly have not given me any problems and possibly might get another 20,000 miles before having to be replaced. Note that except for a tendency for higher than legal speeds, I'm not particularly rough on tires. I've noticed that the OEM's *seem* to be somewhat quieter now than they were new and possibly "smoother" riding, but maybe I'm merely getting used to the ride...or something <g>.

I've had all the MID recommended tire rotations and balancing at my regularly scheduled dealer appointments.

 

Most recommended tires are the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S and Pirelli P-Zero Nero. Don't know if they are available in the RL's size, but many people have used the Avon M550 with great results.

 

Your best choice on the original 17" rims are the Pilot Sport A/S. Sadly, there are very few choices on this size of wheel.

 

Looks like you are one of the first to wear thru a set of tires. Please let us know what you get and how happy you are once they are installed. Of interest of me is the nosie difference of going from the OEM grand touring tires to high performance tires. Is there much difference in noise? Is the RL noise cancellation technology tuned to the OEM tires? I've got about 5K left on my tires and would like to get higher performance tires at the end of summer but am nervous about the noise.

I'd read several reviews on Tirerack that the Dunlop treadlife was suspect and that the Pilot Sports were noisy (compared to Avon 550s that they don't seem to make in oursize.) The V rated Pilot Exalto's look attractive but again, I can't find them in oursize.

 

[QUOTE=bluemule]Don't know about the Dunlops, although I think there has been at least one post about Dunlaps on the forum since I've been coming here for the past year and a half or so. You might try searching for Dunlap posts if someone doesn't respond to your post.
Are Dunlaps made by Dunlop?

 

[QUOTE=db22]After doing a google search, I've determined that Dunlaps are exceedingly rare. On information and belief, I'm convinced that someone other than Dunlop makes them.

<bluemule blushing>

 

I have Pirellis on my car and thats the only type of tire I will buy. Then been great to me in the rain, it doesn't snow in SouthFL so I can't tell you about how they are in the snow

 

Since you are looking at summer tires, look at the Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3. Mine took awhile to break in (very stiff when they first go on), but once they did (after 200 miles), I've been very happy with the handling and they are quiet for a high perf. tire. In daily driving, they are as quiet as any other tire I've driven on. The only caveat I would offer is that I have not driven them on the one highway around here with pavement that always causes a noisy ride, therefore, I don't know if they are better or worse than the stock Michelin's when on a known noisy road.

Michelin Pilot Sport2 is now available, but I don't know if they have a size that fits the 17" stock rims. I couldn't get the size I wanted for my 18" wheels. I'd look at them before the older Pilot Sport design.

Happy tire shopping.