Michelin tire availability changes

[booster]

It appears that the often first choice Defenders are going away in the 16" sizes used on many of our vans, which kind of pains me because our now 6 year old MS2 Michelins will be do to replace in a couple of years.


Michelin is recommending the Agilis line of their European commercial tires as a replacement. A bit worrisome is the commercial category, much more sidewall nylon reinforcement, and claims of being designed to last longer with more durability in commercial vans.


All of the "benefits" they list often come at the expense of ride comfort and handling response. Our OEM Bridgestone V-steels come to mind that way.


I haven't been impressed with the limited number of other tires on vans I have driven, and there is a very big gap in the Tire Rack ratings between the Defenders and the rest of the brands for load range E tires.


Has anyone had the Agilis tires yet? It appears they will be supplied on Michelin tired new euro styled vans in the US fairly soon and will be the only aftermarket model available if the old LTX goes away, which is being stated as very likely.


We thought about trying to go to Defenders now, but that might be tough to find ones that haven't been sitting too long, and also if we did have a future failure, no matching replacements would be available.


Anybody got any great ideas which way all this is going? I think there are going to be a lot of MS2 and Defender users that will be pretty interested as both the MS2 and Defenders seem to be very good on our B's.

[Davydd]

Our three sets of replacement tires on our three vans have been Michelin Defenders or the LTX MS/2's. They were all better in ride and wear than our OEM Continentals. I assume our next van on order will have Continentals again because we didn't upgrade tires. So I may not have to make a decision again in roughly 40,000 miles. Hope it settles out by then with recommendations.

[SteveJ]

Originally Posted by Davydd

Our three sets of replacement tires on our three vans have been Michelin Defenders or the LTX MS/2's. They were all better in ride and wear than our OEM Continentals. I assume our next van on order will have Continentals again because we didn't upgrade tires. So I may not have to make a decision again in roughly 40,000 miles. Hope it settles out by then with recommendations.

Thanks for the Conti info. I'm a year or two out from replacing my Coopers.

[rowiebowie]

Booster, I'm really sorry to see the LTX M/S tires discontinued by Michelin. I got maybe their last set back in June. Here's my story.

My Firestone Transforce started severely side-cracking after only 3 yrs. (came on the van when purchased used). If not for that, they rode smooth, handled nicely, and seemed to give good tread life. Turns out they were discontinued as well and replaced by Transforce 2's. Never really considered them, however, due to my good past experience with the LTX's.

In my pre-purchase checking, I did not see the Load Range E's in my size on the Michelin website. I went to Discount Tire for a replacement set of LTX M/S and they confirmed they were discontinued. But luckily, there were still some in warehouse inventory. All were manufacture date within the past 6 months.

So my decision was, do I get a discontinued tire (no chance of future replacement) or a different, as yet untested/reviewed, set? I decided the LTX was worth it, so I ordered 5 new tires instead of 4. This gives me a matching replacement for one of the tires should it be lost due to a road hazard that makes it unrepairable. Since I've not had blowout or ruined a tire in over 40 years, I figure this is a fairly safe bet.

The problem is I now need a set tires for my Honda CRV and no LTX M/S option. Discount tried to recommend two new Michelin models Agelis and T+H. Both have little reviews and what's out there is not that good. Decisions, decisions.

[booster]

Originally Posted by rowiebowie

Booster, I'm really sorry to see the LTX M/S tires discontinued by Michelin. I got maybe their last set back in June. Here's my story.

My Firestone Transforce started severely side-cracking after only 3 yrs. (came on the van when purchased used). If not for that, they rode smooth, handled nicely, and seemed to give good tread life. Turns out they were discontinued as well and replaced by Transforce 2's. Never really considered them, however, due to my good past experience with the LTX's.

In my pre-purchase checking, I did not see the Load Range E's in my size on the Michelin website. I went to Discount Tire for a replacement set of LTX M/S and they confirmed they were discontinued. But luckily, there were still some in warehouse inventory. All were manufacture date within the past 6 months.

So my decision was, do I get a discontinued tire (no chance of future replacement) or a different, as yet untested/reviewed, set? I decided the LTX was worth it, so I ordered 5 new tires instead of 4. This gives me a matching replacement for one of the tires should it be lost due to a road hazard that makes it unrepairable. Since I've not had blowout or ruined a tire in over 40 years, I figure this is a fairly safe bet.

The problem is I need a set tires for my Honda CRV and no LTX M/S option. Discount tried to recommend two new Michelin models Agelis and T+H. Both have little reviews and what's out there is not that good. Decisions, decisions.



Discount actually got 5 tires out of a competitors warehouse in Dallas to complete my order. My decisio

Did you get the LTX Defenders or regular LTX of old, which may still be available depending on who you talk to?


I just look at DW's 2009 CRV and it has 225-65-17 tires on it now, which are Defenders. Her's are also aging out soon and she is rightly worried.


They appear to be regular car/compact SUV tires, so Defenders very well may still be around for those sizes and load capacity. The CRV is maybe 3250#, so certainly wouldn't need LT tires on it I just put on some Continental midline touring tires on my 5000# Buick and it really drive nice. They replaced 10 year old LTX's on the Buick, which were really a bit too truckish for it.


I can't imagine Discount recommending Agilis for the CRV unless you said you wanted LT tires, as they Agilis is a full out commercial truck tire, it appears.

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by booster

Did you get the LTX Defenders or regular LTX of old, which may still be available depending on who you talk to?

The newer LTX M/S (at least the same tread design only in load range E) like my wife's Expedition tires we got in 2016.


I just look at DW's 2009 CRV and it has 225-65-17 tires on it now, which are Defenders. Her's are also aging out soon and she is rightly worried.

I too worry over getting the "right" tire. Plenty of times in my past I have not and had to live (at least for a while) with sub-par tires. Then, when I find a tire I like, it seems not too long until it is discontinued.

They appear to be regular car/compact SUV tires, so Defenders very well may still be around for those sizes and load capacity. The CRV is maybe 3250#, so certainly wouldn't need LT tires on it I just put on some Continental midline touring tires on my 5000# Buick and it really drive nice. They replaced 10 year old LTX's on the Buick, which were really a bit too truckish for it.


I can't imagine Discount recommending Agilis for the CRV unless you said you wanted LT tires, as they Agilis is a full out commercial truck tire, it appears.

I guess I wasn't clear. Discount was recommending the newer Michelin Agelis, when I shopped in June for LT tires, and recommended the D + T for the CRV when I shopped earlier this month.

But I just went to the Discount website and they seem to show the LTX M/S in 245/75/16. But I believe you went oversized to 265/75/16.https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tir...fender-ltx-m-s

Your guess is as good as mine if they can actually deliver on these sizes, but I specified I would only take manufacture dates within the past 6 months when I got my last LTWX M/S's in June. Codes were within those parameters.

[booster]

Originally Posted by rowiebowie

But I just went to the Discount website and they seem to show the LTX M/S in both 245/75/16 and I believe you went oversized to 265/75/16.https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tir...fender-ltx-m-s

Your guess is as good as mine if they can actually deliver on these sizes, but I specified I would only take manufacture dates within the past 6 months when I got my last LTWX M/S's in June. Codes were within those parameters.

Lots of places still show the Defenders in the van E range LT sizes, but from what I have seen in reading, they are getting very rare and hard to find, as well as often being old stock that was stashed somewhere. I don't think I would get them anyway as the issue of a replacement a couple of years down the line could be an issue.


I just looked at the Michelin site about the CRV. Still show Defender LTX and Defender D+T for it and also Latitude which is supposedly a bit nicer but less wear.

[avanti]

Moderator's note:
As an experiment, I have created a parallel thread to this one, intended to preserve contributions that may be considered peripheral to the intended topic:

http://www.classbforum.com/forums/f5...nges-9592.html

I have moved several such posts from this thread to that one.
Please continue any discussions that are not narrowly on-topic in that thread.
Thanks.

[hbn7hj]

My class C aged out a set of LTX MS 2's. I replaced them with Michelin XPS Rib. I can't tell a good ride and control from a bad ride and control so I'm a happy guy. I intend to replace the Roadtrek MS2's wit XPS Rib also.

[booster]

Originally Posted by hbn7hj

My class C aged out a set of LTX MS 2's. I replaced them with Michelin XPS Rib. I can't tell a good ride and control from a bad ride and control so I'm a happy guy. I intend to replace the Roadtrek MS2's wit XPS Rib also.

For a long time the Ribs were the go to tires for ill handling Dodges to reduce wandering, although Defenders seem to have taken over most of it now. The Rids are hard core truck tires, probably similar to Aegis?

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by booster

For a long time the Ribs were the go to tires for ill handling Dodges to reduce wandering, although Defenders seem to have taken over most of it now. The Rids are hard core truck tires, probably similar to Aegis?

From the ratings I’ve read the Michelin XPS Ribs have excellent wear, but lack in wet traction. They are definitely a truck tire.

[Nekit]

I have the Michelin Agilis Cross Climate C tires on my 2006 158" Sprinter Rv and am happy with them. These are the directional tread tires. Can't tell much difference from my old LTX MS2 tires. I have about 7000 miles on them.

They are also available in a non directional tread in my size 245/75R16.

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by Nekit

I have the Michelin Agilis Cross Climate C tires on my 2006 158" Sprinter Rv and am happy with them. These are the directional tread tires. Can't tell much difference from my old LTX MS2 tires. I have about 7000 miles on them.

They are also available in a non directional tread in my size 245/75R16.

Thanks for the info. Not many reviews are out there for this new tire. Glad I got my set of LTX M/S's just before they were discontinued.

[booster]

Originally Posted by Nekit

I have the Michelin Agilis Cross Climate C tires on my 2006 158" Sprinter Rv and am happy with them. These are the directional tread tires. Can't tell much difference from my old LTX MS2 tires. I have about 7000 miles on them.

They are also available in a non directional tread in my size 245/75R16.

Great information, it will be very interesting to see how the users of MS2's and Defenders see the new version once they use them.


Did you notice any increase in road harshness with the Agilis?

[tinchariot]

I choose Sumitomo Encounter HT 225/75R 16 from Tire Rack. great price & rating. Had Costco mount & balance with nitrogen. Nice tires!!

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by tinchariot

I choose Sumitomo Encounter HT 225/75R 15 from Tire Rack. great price & rating. Had Costco mount & balance with nitrogen. Nice tires!!

Costco will mount tires they don't sell themselves?

[tinchariot]

It's a new thing Costco started last year. They also repair tires.

[Ebyronjr]

David:

I installed the new Michelin Agilis tires on Libertas in late May 2018 and Fred Ahlgren (Gustov) installed Agilis around the same time. We have both been pleased the ride.

[PJ2016]

This past May I installed a set of Agilis Cross Climate on my 2012 Pleasure Way Plateau (2011 3500 Sprinter); only have about 4K miles so far; not a fair to compare to a set of mostly worn out Continentals (35k miles) but I've been very pleased;

The van is driven almost exclusively on mountain roads in Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina; they have relatively low road noise, the handle good, and twice this summer I had to drive in two hours of torrential rain and they felt well planted on the wet roads; they also have the mountain/snow symbol which has value to me since I live at 3600 ft elavation and frequently run into light snow on arriving home when the surroundings areas are getting rain.

4k miles doesn't say anything about the future and moving from worn tires to new most always gives a good impression of the new but I don't recall ever being this satisfied with the Continentals.

All subjective but my take on the Agilis
PMJ

[booster]

Originally Posted by PJ2016

This past May I installed a set of Agilis Cross Climate on my 2012 Pleasure Way Plateau (2011 3500 Sprinter); only have about 4K miles so far; not a fair to compare to a set of mostly worn out Continentals (35k miles) but I've been very pleased;

The van is driven almost exclusively on mountain roads in Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina; they have relatively low road noise, the handle good, and twice this summer I had to drive in two hours of torrential rain and they felt well planted on the wet roads; they also have the mountain/snow symbol which has value to me since I live at 3600 ft elavation and frequently run into light snow on arriving home when the surroundings areas are getting rain.

4k miles doesn't say anything about the future and moving from worn tires to new most always gives a good impression of the new but I don't recall ever being this satisfied with the Continentals.

All subjective but my take on the Agilis
PMJ

Did you get the directional or symmetrical tread pattern version? It appears both are available in the US?