Pilot Super Sports

Well its time for new shoes. I have had the Sumi 3's for 3 sets now and was very satisfied with them. Saw the Pilot Super Sports at a cheaper price than PS2's and decided to get them. They are about $400 more than the Sumi. Getting them mounted on Tuesday and I'm giddy. Always wanted the PS2 but could not justify the cost. Apparently the PS2 is being discontinued in the sometime future. Any of you running these? Thoughts?

I was looking around on the tire sites - on Discount Tire Direct, people are giving good reviews to a Hankook tire - the set of 4 of them is in the high $600 range if you don't get the warranty. Claims of being very quiet and a lot of grip. When the time comes I might consider them. Z rated tire. Tire Rack has them also - $646 for 4. Hankook Ventus V12 Evo K110 is the model. Anyone here have them? They came in 2nd in this Car & Driver test: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...12_evo_page_10

Never tried the pilots....but to answer steves....I have those hankooks....for no track 100% street use..i don't think you can beat them...used them for many sets on various cars... FYI I'm pretty sure they still come with free warranty....up to initial 2/10 tread wear or something like that...i had a nail and unrepairable....tirerack replaced them free of charge as i still had 8/10 or something like that tread left.

I have been running PS2's for some time now but the rears are about shot and all of them are stale dated so I want to replace them soon. PS2's are too pricey and I had also been considering the Hankooks. Seems like some love them and other hate them, same with the Sumi's. Now I think I am going to go with the new Pilot Super Sports too. They are not yet available in an "N" rated version (but then again neither are the Hankooks or Sumi's), but I think that Porsche has been involved in the development of the tires. And if you read the reviews they are supposed to corner and brake better than the PS2's and to last longer, and are significantly less expensive. I have priced them about everywhere and all the on-line dealers are pretty close, and there is usually a $70 discount card if you buy a set of 4. However I think I am going to go with Costco which will order them for me. Installed they are about the same as buying form Tirerack or the other on-line sources, having them shipped and installed locally (roughly $1,050 to $1,000) but Costco includes the road hazard warranty in the price which is an extra $75 to $100 through the on-line sources. I am curious what you think f them after you run them for a week ro two.

the super sports are getting good press.

so the Pilot Super Sports are better and cheaper than PS2's? Good to hear...I've been running PS2's and have been pleased but they are expensive.....I run them for street and track(about 8 track days per year) and find them a good compromise....

I just replaced my Conti contact 2's with the Pilot Super Sports and am very pleased. The Conti's were suffering from old age and were crashy, noisy and and took a while to warm up. The PSS deal with bad pavement much better and turn in is crisp. Rear tires are much quieter so that you mostly notice tread noise from the front. Although I haven't pushed them yet there is tons of road feel. 15K tread warranty and the current rebate swayed my choice.

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I'm curious too. I will be sure to write back. My local Tire Barn beat the rack. I'll be out the door for $1200. I never thought of Costco! But even the price I got them for is way under a PS2 cost. I hope Michelin isn't starting the price out low just get us all hooked and than pull the rug out.

The rebate on these tires does not apply to discount clubs like Costco. This is straight from the rebate form and is only good till 9/7. You can check by going to the Michelin site and use the dealer locator, it shows where you get the rebate. The price I paid was a bit less than Tirerack from a local dealer.

Guys; I have been looking for a new set of sneakers for my C-2. I want to run a slightly larger size, 235/40ZR18 up front and a 295/30ZR 18 in the rear, but can't find the (rear) sizes, just yet. Waht sizes are you running, please......as the PSS are getting good reviews....I was advised to look at Yokahama Neova's (stiffer sidewall?)....any thoughts, as it will be time to replace my sumi III's here shortly.

At the Costco we go to when the Michelin rebate is in effect they advertise it and give you the $70 right off the price when you pay.

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The sizes you mention are my current on the Sumi's. I went with the same size for the front but went to a 285/35/18 on the rear. Looking at the specs the diameter from front to rear is a .3" difference. Should work just fine.

I have about 1200 miles of track time on the SuperSports in both wet and dry at Calabogie Motorsports Park in Ontario, Canada. It is a very high grip track with plenty of late apex corners. My car is an 01 C2 cab with PSS9 suspension. My previous 2 sets of tires were Yokohama Advan AD07s. It is difficult to compare tires without back to back runs. The SuperSports were great in the rain and grip well in the dry. Turn in is good and they give way gradually and predictably. I had real difficulty in dialling the right pressure in compared to the Yokohamas. Finally settled on 34 F, 40R hot. These tires build up heat quickly. If you start out 38 R cold, hot at the end of a 28 minute minute session will be 50! I've noticed reasonable wear on the outside edge of each tire...no way they will last to the warranty period. I also used to swap the Yoko's side to side by removing tires from wheels and exchanging them (required as they are directional) which helped them to wear more evenly. The Michelins are asymmetrical so only the tire and wheel can be swapped side to side so outside edge is always outside edge. I believe the Yoko sidewalls must be stiffer as I didn't notice as much outside edge wear. Any pressure advice is welcome.

Rideau....did you change you suspension setup when you switched to the michelins?

Nope, car is set up the same as when Yokos were on.

well then, you might need to change your suspension settings for the super sports. BTW, totally jealous of Calabogie. They opened that track 6 months after I left Ottawa

The reviews on them are great. I just wish they had them in the stock size for my C4S!

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What did you have them at cold to get 34F and 40R hot?

"well then, you might need to change your suspension settings for the super sports. BTW, totally jealous of Calabogie. They opened that track 6 months after I left Ottawa" I have as much negative camber as possible without going to GT-3 control arms, camber plates etc. Maybe if I try going up in stiffness? Set at 7 now. Regarding Calabogie, fly in and rent one of their track prepared Mustangs for a few days! "What did you have them at cold to get 34F and 40R hot?" I don't know as I kept starting the days with different cold pressures (reducing each time) and always had to let air out to reduce tendency to slide. Understeer on wet track was quite exciting, especially at the end of a session if they were over 40 in front. Hot at 34F, 40R was great, didn't want to go down any further.

Where do the sell these, I don't see them on Tire Rack.

They're on Tire Rack. They probably just don't have fitments for your car (or mine): Super Sport Specs on the Tire Rack Site -Eric

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Are you getting the $70 rebate? Michelin $70 Rebate

I hope they get them soon, too!

what size are you buying in the super sport ? I can't find the 295x30x18

Gang: for the rears, there currently is no 285/295 30 18's (bummer) but, if I am correct, you can use a 35 sidewall as long as the difference in diameter between the front and the rear is not greater than .5", or it screws with with your ABS- according to Spenser at Speedsport Tuning- and he is extremely reputable when it comes to P-cars Overall tire diameters greater than .5" diameter difference may also screw with your PSM/PASM???. My car doesn'ty have PSM/PASM so I was only told about the potential ABS "issue." I hope that the real guru's in here will confirm this or tell me I'm wrong. Maybe next year, Michelin will add our sizes to the product mix, until then, this might be the only way if you want new PSS sneakers on your baby.

Well so far so good. The tires are very grippy after getting the greasy oil stuff off. Have not had them in the rain yet........nor have I had them on the track yet but will in a few weeks. With the PSS, I was able to play on an off ramp at speeds I couldn't have with the Sumi 3. The tires are very quiet and comfortable. Me likey!!! ps...I almost forgot about the $70 rebate. More DE cash!

Story after 8 track days at Calabogie Motorsports Park (check the track map) with approximately 2600 km distance travelled on track. I'm not the fastest guy out there but am not wasting time either. Fronts corded on outside edges and unsuitable for another day, rears still ok but not long for this world. I did get better wear from my directional Yoko AD07s as I was able to take them off the rims and swap them side to side so edges wore evenly. The Michelins are asymmetrical so the outside edge is always the outside edge. Should be interesting to see if the tread wear warranty applies.

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First part rules out the second part.

"First part rules out the second part." Can't blame a guy for trying....am not holding out any hope. I did check the Michelin web site for warranty info and did not see any disclaimer regarding track in their brief warranty description....I'm sure there are weasel words somewhere to deny a claim given track use.

Taking street tires out on the track? Not sure if I would call this "weasel words" if Michelin does not replace them. I have heard lots of stories of street tires coming apart on the track, particularly if they are not shaved. Shoot, there are lots of track tires that would be pretty much gone in 2,600 kim.

Hi Doug I wasn't naive enough to expect them to last for 55,000 km on the front...I would have been astounded. My car has 90,000 km on the clock and this is my 8th set of tires, soon to have the 9th ( a few extra fronts and rears thrown in at intervals). My comments were solely in regard to words like "up to 2 times longer tread wear than other competitors" and "limited tread wear warranty". I have searched for the full warranty that defines what "limited" means and no luck. No disparagement meant towards Michelin, only a general comment about full disclosure by manufacturers of any sort. On the positive side, I had a great track season...enjoyed every minute of wearing out a perfectly good set of tires and looking forward to many more days of accelerated tire wear. Regards Ian

Ian - I think I know what you mean. I have been thinking of getting a set of Super Sports and one of the attractive things about them is the supposed better wear. But then I never have tracked my car. I do have a few friends that track their cars on a regular basis and it seems that they go through tires and brakes in a very short time. This seems to be cone of the major expenses of tracing cars. Several of them run Hoosiers or other strictly track tires. They have said that street tires with full tread tend to overheat and eat themselves up. I think some drivers do shave the tread down for track use but this seems an expensive route when paying as much as you do for Michelins. What did you think of them for street tires? I know that the reviews are really good and they are 20% or so less than the PS2's that I have now.

Hi Doug I have no hesitation in recommending them for street tires. I've had 2 x Continentals, Kumhos, Goodyears, PS2s, 2 x Yokohama AD07s and the Supersports. Supersports are relatively quiet, are superb in the wet and have excellent turn-in and handling characteristics. In comparison to my previous favourite, the AD07s, quieter and better street ride. It's hard to compare on track to the AD07s as one would need back to back with tires that have equivalent wear but I believe AD07s (and I'm sure the replacement AD08s) wear better, perhaps better in dry and likely not better in wet. Conclusion? You can't go wrong with these tires. You are right about tires and brakes being consumables if you track the car frequently. Rotors, pads and tires are the price of admission but it is all worth it. On the flip side, the only on track mechanical incident I've had is blowing a Mass Air Flow Sensor..that's it for 11 seasons which is amazing in comparison to other marques.