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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Technical Forums > Wheels and Tires Forum Sponsored by The Tire Rack > A few comments on Michelin Pilot Super Sport & A/S 3



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      12-20-2013, 09:15 AM   #1
Drivaar
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Cool A few comments on Michelin Pilot Super Sport & A/S 3

After having the Michelin Pilot Super Sports on my stock 335i for two years or so, I recently downgraded to the new Pilot Sport A/S 3. Here are some comments after the experience:

Pilot Super Sport
  • If you're interested in a max performance summer tire, there really is no other choice than the PSS... It's much better than the old category leader (the Pilot Sport 2) -- much longer treadlife, much more grip, and lower price. You have to be a complete idiot not to buy it if you were a big fan/user of the PS2 (unless you want to give up perf and save some $).
  • The only real downsides to the PSS are cost and slightly rougher ride compared to its peers. But the grip level is about 5-10% higher, which is astounding.

Pilot Sport A/S 3
  • I downgraded to the A/S 3 because it basically performance the same as the old PS2, Pole Position S-04, etc... so it's really the equivalent of a "pre-PSS" Max Performance tire in many ways...
  • But it's also quieter, less harsh on bumps, has much longer treadlife, and can handle heavy rain and even light snow (though NOT heavy snow)
  • The snow issue is the trick with this tire... basically is a little bit sketchily advertised as an all-season. In the A/S 3 reviews on the web, you'll notice that Michelin didn't show any results on snow.
  • This seems like the no-brainer tire for anyone who wants great (but not peak) performance while balancing other qualities, as long as snow performance is not really needed.
  • I was initially worried whether the A/S 3 could handle the torque of 1st gear (stock) -- it can, with no slip.
  • The other benefit I noticed with the A/S 3 is that you get less feedback from lousy road surfaces... feedback is great on perfect roads, but if you live in a city with broken/bumpy/uneven roads, it's really nice not to get all that info back, IMHO!

I hope this info is helpful... Time for the other tire manufacturers to step up their game!
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      12-20-2013, 12:00 PM   #2
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Nice review!
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      12-20-2013, 12:08 PM   #3
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I agree, very nice review.

I have one question, though. I've read that these tires are noisier than the PSS. Do you notice any difference in road noise between the two?
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      12-20-2013, 09:00 PM   #4
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Ninpo1: Not sure... TireRack's testing seems to indicate that they are quieter. The TireRack reps will keep saying their numbers are not comparable across tests, but when there are big differences, it seems to hold.

My personal experience is that they seem quieter on most roads, which makes sense because the tread blocks are smaller. So there is actually less of the tire contacting the road. I did notice a little whining on a very smooth road (ironically), but I wouldn't say it's a significant issue at all, especially considering all the other benefits (treadlife, traction, comfort, cost vs. tires with similar perf).
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      12-20-2013, 09:37 PM   #5
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I was almost sold on PSS before reading this, you may have persuaded me away from them.

I'm in the midwest and with all the freeze/thaw cycles and generally horrible weather, the roads are always crap so I'm looking for something more forgiving. Do you think the A/S3 is better for that if we're just talking about summer? (some heavy rain, not many if any track days)
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      12-20-2013, 10:33 PM   #6
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LaVerita: Sounds like the A/S 3 would make more sense for you...

Also, since the A/S 3 is basically performing like the old PS2, it should be fine for the track as well.

The only reason I'd go with the PSS if I were you would be if you're having traction problems with the JB4. PSS really will provide astounding grip (unless you've used a dedicated "Extreme" tire).

It's also a matter of personal taste -- when I was younger, I was really into having the best performing tire. But now, with the A/S 3, I still don't have wheelspin in 1st (since my car is just stock), and I can get more comfort, so I am happy to trade off a little perf to get that.

Last edited by Drivaar; 12-21-2013 at 07:23 AM..
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      12-20-2013, 11:34 PM   #7
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Thanks a ton for posting your perspective. I'll need new tires soonish and was looking at either going with the PSS again or with the new Pilot Sport A/S 3s. I like the PSS but would like something with a longer tread life and as I recently experienced in DFW, also better able to handle inclement weather. Main concerns of mine are road noise and comfort but I may not need to worry about those. Now to just wait for Tirerack to throw in a rebate for the Michelins .

I did have one question though. PSS runs a bit wider than their stated width (255 is in actuality closer to 265 in width). Is this the same for the A/S 3s?
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      12-21-2013, 10:43 AM   #8
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I was also wondering about fitment.

What size tires were you running with both, and I may have missed it but also what size wheels?
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      12-29-2013, 09:20 AM   #9
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jakuum: Sorry, I'm not sure... If I get a chance I can try to measure the fronts by turning them outward.
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      12-29-2013, 10:06 AM   #10
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Can't wait to get these on, bought a set and they should be on very soon. Getting rid of Hankook V4es fronts and RE050A rears, both POS tires and worn to hell.


Edit: Well, I got one on, and what can I say, quiet and grippy in 30 degree weather. I'm impressed! Only downside is that the sidewall looks pretty chunky in comparison to Potenza's of the same wall height

Last edited by drunkenup; 12-30-2013 at 08:28 PM..
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      01-13-2014, 10:55 AM   #11
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I have both as well, and thought I might chime in. They're really disappointing in snow, worse than the Pirelli M&S I used to have as well as the older A/S Plus. On the positive, they are quiet and they do ride well. I got stock in my driveway in around 4" of snow, which for me is not acceptable.

I'm going back to the PSS, dry grip levels are a fair bit higher and they are at least as good in the rain.

The new PA4 (what I switched to for winter) is phenomenal.

YMMV.
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      03-03-2014, 10:17 AM   #12
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I just got these installed on my 3-season wheels on Saturday. I'm still running my winter wheel/tire combo, so I can't comment on the performance. What I can say is these tires definitely run WIDE. The 225/45/17 Bridgestone RE760's I had on the fronts looked stretched and the rim protector barely covered the edge of the wheel, if at all. The A/S 3 rim protector is deep and really covers the edge of the wheel. The 255's in the back also look wider than the RE760's, although the 760's sidewall looked nice and fat with plenty of rim protector. This in on a 2006 325 sport package with staggered 161's. I'm hoping to get these on the car during the next couple of weeks. If I'm going to "downgrade" to A/S tires, I at least want to take advantage of the low temp capability.

FWIW, I really liked the RE760's, which I had on the car since 2009. Great grip, quiet, great treadwear. I just hated how heavy the fronts were. 28 lb for a 225/45/17? That is the heaviest non-RF you can buy in that size. I think the A/S 3 is 23 lb.
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      12-10-2014, 06:32 PM   #13
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Not sure if anyone has had more experience with these tires but I'm having major wheel spin on my 335. My car is modified but with the weather drop in the 7-13C weather, these tires seem to spin like crazy. I actually found the Conti DWS better! I'm in Vancouver, BC, Canada and the weather is usually in the 7-13C range for 4-5months hence why I bought these. My PSS wasn't meant for cooler weather and it's too warm for my XIce set.
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      12-10-2014, 11:30 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zhp43867 View Post
The new PA4 (what I switched to for winter) is phenomenal.

YMMV.
I will support that comment for the PA4. Amazing tire on cold dry roads, light snow and in the rain, even heavy rain. It does not snow much at all where I live, and as such no need for a dedicated snow tire, but for anything below 5C/41F they are amazing. I even like them more than my Conti DW summer tires.
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      12-10-2014, 11:44 PM   #15
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Q: is there any point of getting PSS if they're going to be stretched? one would assume you're not maximizing the characteristics of what the PSS are suppose to do and just better offer getting something else at a lower cost, I'd just be a waste of money and not much point, fair to say?
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      12-11-2014, 10:11 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by badass335 View Post
Not sure if anyone has had more experience with these tires but I'm having major wheel spin on my 335. My car is modified but with the weather drop in the 7-13C weather, these tires seem to spin like crazy. I actually found the Conti DWS better! I'm in Vancouver, BC, Canada and the weather is usually in the 7-13C range for 4-5months hence why I bought these. My PSS wasn't meant for cooler weather and it's too warm for my XIce set.
Hmm, interesting. Yeah, that's not cold at all for those tires to lose traction like that.

As a point of reference, BOTH of my tire sets below have zero issue holding Cobb Stg1+ power levels in second gear on up. I was VERY surprised to find that my winter setup has no problem keeping traction after adding the FMIC and OTS tune over the summer.
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      12-11-2014, 06:23 PM   #17
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Anyone run both the Potenza S04 and the Michelin AS/3? I wonder how the grip compares. I have not been able to get the S04 to break loose at all in regular street driving - even hitting onramps at pretty fast speeds. It would be impressive if the AS/3 offered that level of grip being an AS tire.
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      12-12-2014, 12:17 PM   #18
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Now that I have run my AS3 a bit more, they do not have the traction the PS2 had. They do have some good amount of lateral grip, possibly as much as the PS2, but not equal to the PSS in a noticable way. Still happy with the compromise, but it is a compromise compared to full on PSS and it feels.
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      12-14-2014, 12:57 PM   #19
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I'm actually not happy at all. I've been a Michelin fan and it seems like they are dropping the ball. I had the ps2 and they were great. Again summer only so went to Pirelli pzero all season. They were just horrible! Switched to A/S plus. The A/S plus had an issue where the rear tires cupped. The front were ok. After checking the Internet, found a lot of users running into the same issue. They wouldn't warranty it either. Ended up getting dws. Great tires. Ended up selling rims and buyer wanted the dws so I just bought a set of PSS. Again great tires but summer so bought these AS3's. Shop informed me that one of my fronts are out of round. Complained to Michelin and they said that it can be balanced out??. Had road force balancing done and still noisy. The PSS were way quieter than the as3. Same rims too. Now I've had these tires for 4 months and I'm thinking of going back to dws.
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      12-14-2014, 05:28 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by badass335 View Post
I'm actually not happy at all. I've been a Michelin fan and it seems like they are dropping the ball. I had the ps2 and they were great. Again summer only so went to Pirelli pzero all season. They were just horrible! Switched to A/S plus. The A/S plus had an issue where the rear tires cupped. The front were ok. After checking the Internet, found a lot of users running into the same issue. They wouldn't warranty it either. Ended up getting dws. Great tires. Ended up selling rims and buyer wanted the dws so I just bought a set of PSS. Again great tires but summer so bought these AS3's. Shop informed me that one of my fronts are out of round. Complained to Michelin and they said that it can be balanced out??. Had road force balancing done and still noisy. The PSS were way quieter than the as3. Same rims too. Now I've had these tires for 4 months and I'm thinking of going back to dws.
I think you may have received a bad set. I'm currently running AS3's and they are quieter, and handle bumps better than my previous PSS
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      01-12-2015, 12:27 AM   #21
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I just traded my 2000 323ci for a 2007 328xi.....I have been reading a lot of posts on here and am just as confused as when I first started looking for tires. I've been looking at GY Eagle Sports A/S....Michelin SS...Kumho Ecsta...Lexani LX7...and Falken Ziex...after reading one review I have dismissed the PZero Nero. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated. Hopefully this will be my first of many posts on this fine site.
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      01-12-2015, 12:28 AM   #22
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I almost forgot....I'm in Ohio...which means snow in the winter and potholes the rest of the year!
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