cmkratt

I have an '04 TL with 45,000 miles, and I'm about to have to put my third set of tires on it. I got 24,000 with the EL-42's before the hydroplaning problems put the fear of God in me. I put Pirelli PZero Nero M&S on, but I must be in the minority in that I have been unhappy with them. They were great for the first 10,000 miles, but they have become increasingly noisy and rough riding. By the way, I have rotated per the maintenance minder, I'm diligent with the tire pressure, and I've tried road-force balancing. I have 21,000 miles on the Pirellis now, and I will replace them within the next 3000 miles. (Treadwear on my rear-tires is down to the indicators, but the local Acura dealership is going to install the rear bump stops to deal with the pre-mature tirewear TSB.)

So the question is, which tires do I go with? My original thinking was Michelin Pilot Sport A/S, but I am a little concerned about noise and ride comfort. The Bridgestone LS-Z seems to be a great choice for ride & comfort without sacrificing too much on performance, but some people have flat-spotting concerns. A local tire shop has tried to talk me into the Michelin MXM4 HX, but I've read way too many negative posts about tire squeal and performance issues on that tire.

I don't drive the TL aggressively and have a 60-mile round trip commute each day, so my priorities are comfort (minimal vibration), noise, handling, treadlife, and price, in that order.

Does anyone have any direct comparisons between the LS-Z and the Pilot Sport A/S, or just any input in general?

Thanks!

Sclass88

My sister and I both have LS-V's, she on her Accord and me on my TSX. My dad has the LS-Z's on his TL and we all love them. Like you mentioned, they do develop flat spots easily but quickly disappear after a few minutes of driving.

The tires are SILENT. Compared to the Michelins that my sister and I had on our cars and the EL42's that my dad had on his TL, the noise difference is light and day. Performance is dramatically better. I can take my TSX into curves at much higher speeds than I would have felt comfortable doing so with my old Michelins. However, you mentioned that you are not looking for an ultra performance tire so this offers an excellent blend.

The tires offer a superb level of comfort and luxury while also being a very good sporting tire. I recommend them to anyone who desires an all season tire while not sacrificing comfort, quiet, and sporting abilitites.

One additional downfall of the tire besides the flat spotting is that they were somewhat difficult to come by. I ordered them from Firestone and they had to order 2 from one warehouse, and 2 from another warehouse. Also, they are somewhat expensive ($221/ tire is what I paid) but can be found for cheaper if you shop around.

EDIT: I read your post again and saw that you do a 60 mile commute per day. My dad does this as well (we live in Massachusetts but he works in southern New Hampshire) and the tires show absolutely no wear. He's put about 15K on his, I've put about 10K on mine and my sister has put about 35K and all three sets look brand new like they were just mounted on the car.

legionofdoom

I think this is the first negative thing I've heard about the Pirellis on this board. Damn, I was just about to order them this week too...

baby_igor

I'm just shy of 40K using LS-Z on my 04TL, and will buy them again. I was considering PP960 and PS A/S, but prefer the quiet ride of the LS-Z. I'm in sales, and do all kinds of driving, and their performance has been faultless. The only area for improvement would be in light snow or slush.

cmkratt

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Based on all the positive reviews I read on the PZero's, I thought they were the answer too, but no dice. I did read one post from someone that went from EL42's to PZeros and now has the LS-Z's, and he was also disappointed with the noise and ride quality of the Pirellis.

I will say this about the Pirellis - they stick like glue in wet and dry condidtions, even with my treadware almost down to the nubs.

cmkratt

Thanks, Sclass. Is the flat-spotting an issue at any temperature, or mainly just in cold-weather? I live on the Gulf Coast and don't have many driving days below 40 degrees. In any case, it doesn't sound like a problem once you get down the road a few miles.

richrath

cmkratt,

Flat-spotting is generally a cold-weather phenomenon, but cold here means like "less than 50F." So your Gulf Coast weather should make it a minimal concern. It happens to any tire that incorporates nylon cord. Most performance tires have it. It goes away in a couple of miles.

If the cost of the Turanza LS-Z is not an obstacle to you, I'd go for it. By reputation, and by having a TireRack rep try to steer me to them when I expressed desire for comfort, they should suit you fine, like Sclass's relatives.

BTW, the noise thing on the Zeros is really common to all tires, they get noisier as they age. Personally, the comfort level of the Zeros has been fine for me. legionofdoom posted a question in another thread looking for long-term reviews on the Zeros. I have 38,000 on mine -- they're hanging in but need replaced next month or so -- and I posted a review in that thread. In case you or anyone is interested.

mbdurham

I have had good luck out of my Pilot Sport A/S about to put them on my other car also