OK_TL04

I've got the EL42s on my 04 with 25K miles and the Acura dealer says they have 4/32 on them, but didn't tell me they needed to be replaced. I have read plenty of the notes on these and am looking to replace them with the Pirelli PZero Nero M&S. I was wondering what people are getting out of the EL42's and if 4/32 should have been noted by the dealer to replace them?

subinf

if mine didnt blow out at 19k i expected to get just under 30k on them. im much happier now that i have replaced them and suggest you do the same. 4/32 tread depth on all four tires?

jginnane

The Pirellis are excellent, and excellent for the price. The question you might have is whether to get stock size (235/45-17) or 10mm wider, for dry traction. It's a $7/tire difference at tirerack.com.

I can't attach anything to a private message, but if you PM me back your email I can send you the MSWord doc I wrote my service manager 1 week ago. I got the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S as a full warranty replacement for the EL-42s at 17,000. My service advisor cautioned that this was a "one-time" courtesy-warranty thing (or some such).

At 25K, you're already past the useful life of about 90% of the TL + Bridgestone owners here, so your dealer might not do anything for you (unless he wants you to buy another car from him in the future. ;p

OK_TL04

subinf - yes, I've 4/32 on all fours..

jginnane - thanks for the offer on the letter and I have read some articles on those, but with my mileage you are right its a long shot. I'll not bother the dealer with it just incase I need something more important down the line. Although the EL42's really are horrible. I am considering the 245/45's instead of the 235/45's, but have not made a decision yet. What do you have on yours?

ndx2

I paid a visit to the dealer a few days ago regarding the tires (I actually went there because I lost my wheel lock key and had them remove the locks and just inquired about the TSB on the EL42's).

They were charging $200 per tire, and at your current mileage, you'll be paying 75% of that, which is just beyond ridiculous. Also, they'll most likely deny your case, because the TSB applies only when the rear tires wear out quicker than the front.

I'm at 19k and my tires are almost done... I was gonna go with the Pzero Neros, but seems like the Kumho ASX's aren't a bad choice, either (my brother just got them and they're actually very nice). I think they're about $30~ cheaper than the Pirelli's.

I'd stick with the original spec of 235/45/17 - I mean, you're getting all season tires, not high-perf summer tires for track use and whatnot... don't see a reason to change the specs the engineers chose for the car.

jginnane

Michelin Pilot Sport A/S, 235/45-17, now seven days & about 500 miles old. The letter I'd written the dealer mentioned oversized (245mm) Pirellis as my preference. But he had the Michelins. These seem to have become standard 3G OEM rubber sometime after May 2005, including AT models ... from comments on tirerack and here, it looks like they should last 35-45K. 400 treadwear rating, like Pirellis. (Bridgestone Turanzas are only 240.)

One tidbit I picked up is that the Turanzas are OEM on Nissan Altima/Maxima models, and they report about twice the life we get on TLs. Our size Turanza appears to be specially built (just for the TL) so, despite the name, there are construction differences across the Bridgestone product line.

Another tidbit is that at least on the Honda Accord _EX_ trim level, Michelin Pilot A/S's come standard.

Unless something else comes along (or we trade before then), I'd get the oversize Pirellis or even Avon Techs next time to save a couple bills for the set.

ttliang

r u sure you didn't get the MXM instead of pilot sport a/s? just checking cuz mxm are standard tires for 05 navi 6mt and AT. pilot sport a/s is def. not standard in us i don't think.

CFIMEI

FYI, I just bought a new 06 TL with the EL42, I measured the tread depth as soon as I got it home and it was 9/32 all the way around.

jginnane

Hmm. Hmmmmm...

I couldn't check when I first read this, because my wife had the car out. (I usually drive the Yukon, she the car.)

You're right. Officially the "Pilot HX MXM", 93W rated, listed at tirerack.com at $226 per. And with a heap of posted abuse by Acura owners, too. The only thing they DON'T say is that the tires wear out at less than 20K, like the Bridgestone Turanza EL-42s.

Well, the service rep said we were getting "Michelin Pilots", and it's my own fault for not looking closer at the tires when we picked the car up at the dealer. (Though it was 7pm when we got back there, so we couldn't have done much.)

Well. In spite of this being a much more expensive tire than the Pilot Sport A/S, it's lower in every rating category. Treadlife is officially "300" for the MXM versus 400 for the Sport A/S (and the Pirelli Nero P-Zero), so we may be changing tires again sooner than I'd expected.

If there's anything good about the MXM, there's a fairly thick rubber flange to help protect the stock alloy rims.

Hmm.

jginnane

"Never look a gift tire in its sipes."

All right, I've had a chance to look further into what they gave me (Michelin Pilot HX MXM4) ... versus what I asked for, and what I thought I was getting, namely, the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S.

Michelin's website sez the MXM4 is the super-ultimate best grand touring tire they make, with all the best and latest tread compounds, cross-hatched sipes, etc. etc. Quiet, long-lasting, excellent traction on anything. Acura TL owners posting on the tirerack.com website largely say this tire sucks, especially on snow. But about half the complaints seem to stem from the price ($226 in stock size, as of this writing) and value for the money.

It's very hard to directly compare these tires because tirerack puts them in different categories. The Sport A/S is a member in a group called "Ultra High Performance All-Season", and ranks 6th of 9 (with Avon Tech and Pirelli Nero P-Zero being #1 and #2, respectively).

The MXM4 is in a different group for "luxury performance" which is called "Grand Touring All-Season". Largely on the basis of negative comments by Acura owners, it ranks 16th of 16 in this group... Bridgestone Turanza LS-Z ranks #1.

My initial driving with this tire on snow and ice had good handling characteristics. It tracked well and gave me good road control at highway speeds. But I can see why people might complain about snow traction, because the sipe pattern is too modest to provide much bite on starting off.

I would recommend to anyone about to spend money on tires to consider first the category "Ultra High Performance All Season". Unless you want dedicated winter and summer tires, which is a good idea north of about NYC. I keep re-reading the description(s) for "grand touring" and "luxury performance", and I confess I just don't get it. Is that supposed to be like designer jeans?

consultauto

replace them, those tires suck anyways. I replaced my el42s at twelve thousand miles, could not take the flatspotting, poor wet wheather traction etc. I replaced them with the pirelli's pzero nero, good tires, 400 tread wear rating, good price, and overall upgrade.