Michelin Update

[RJay]

• If you don't care for and/or have no intention of purchasing Michelins for your GT350 you can stop reading
• If you are totally satisfied with the Pilot Sport Cup 2 and plan on purchasing a set when your GT350 needs new tires you can stop reading - there are plenty of them available due to the OEM agreement between Ford and Michelin
• If you are looking for other Michelin alternatives for your GT350 you may find the following interesting

I've been noticing, along with a lot of other people, that the supply of alternate Michelin tires for our cars has really dried up lately. When I first bought my car it was no problem to find Super Sports. There was also the 4S and talk of Michelin adding additional sizes in the future.

I'm on vacation this week so I decided to try and get some answers. I was motivated by the fact that I daily my car and noticed that the supply of 305/35R19's (Super Sports) seemed to be completely on back order. The prospect of finding a replacement tire should I end up with a non-repairable flat started to worry me.

I called Michelin today and spoke with their Concierge Sales service. Found a very knowledgeable young man in Consumer Advocacy and asked him what was going on with the tire supplies and what did the future look like? He said there were plenty of the SC2's since those were the OEM tires. I asked specifically about Super Sports and the 4S.

295/35R19:

• Plenty of the Pilot Super Sports available
• 4S getting scarce (Tire Rack showing availability in early February)

305/35R19:

• No Pilot Super Sports in stock (No production scheduled for at least four weeks)
• The 4S will not be made in this size in the foreseeable future (6-month production view of new sizes)

305/30R19:

• The 4S is available

315/30R19:

• Pilot Sport A/S 3+ (All Season)

325/30R19:

• The 4S is available in early/mid-March

After I got off the phone with Michelin I called the Tire Rack customer service team. I asked specifically about the 305/35R19 Super Sport and relayed what Michelin had told me. They researched their orders and found that the first (small) shipment of those tires was due in mid-February. They asked if I wanted to buy one or two in advance because some had already been sold. I decided to buy one and keep it in my garage as a spare.

So, all that to say this: Super Sports are still an option for the Base, but act quickly if you're trying to put a set together in OEM sizes. My R brethren can put a set of 4S's together if 325's on the back are OK and waiting until March works for you. Just wanted to share what I had found out today and hopefully provide some insight into the situation.

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[orangegrower]

Thanks for the research Randy and sharing. We need to get together it has been a long time. Any events coming up in the near future?

 

[galaxy]

Great write up. Neat to hear there’s another 315 option, but kinda sucks no matching 305 for the front!

 

[oldbmwfan]

For what it's worth, the 4S and PSS can be run in 305/30-19 on front and rear R-size wheels. There is a mild stretch in the rear, but the 11.5" wheel width is within the acceptable spec range for the 305/30-19 tire. And the street tires (PS4S and PSS) have a more square profile than the Cup 2 tire, so the stretched 305 actually has a tread width and shoulder profile that is very, very close to the 315/30-19 Cup 2 (stock) R tire. For those who don't want the super-poked 325 look in the rear of their R but who want to run a more street-friendly compound, this is a good way to go.

I run 305/30-19 PSS on all 4 Signature SV501 wheels in stock R dimensions (11" front, 11.5" rear with stock offsets), and I keep the 305/315 Cup 2s on the CF wheels.

Pic of 305s all around:

 

[RJay]

Thanks for the research Randy and sharing. We need to get together it has been a long time. Any events coming up in the near future?

Hi Mike! Yes, it has been far too long! There's a Scottsdale Cars & Coffee on Saturday - let me check with the boss and I'll let you know.

 

[orangegrower]

Hi Mike! Yes, it has been far too long! There's a Scottsdale Cars & Coffee on Saturday - let me check with the boss and I'll let you know.

Do you think they will let the riff raff like us in?

 

[bendensez]

For what it's worth, the 4S and PSS can be run in 305/30-19 on front and rear R-size wheels. There is a mild stretch in the rear, but the 11.5" wheel width is within the acceptable spec range for the 305/30-19 tire. And the street tires (PS4S and PSS) have a more square profile than the Cup 2 tire, so the stretched 305 actually has a tread width and shoulder profile that is very, very close to the 315/30-19 Cup 2 (stock) R tire. For those who don't want the super-poked 325 look in the rear of their R but who want to run a more street-friendly compound, this is a good way to go.

I run 305/30-19 PSS on all 4 Signature SV501 wheels in stock R dimensions (11" front, 11.5" rear with stock offsets), and I keep the 305/315 Cup 2s on the CF wheels.

@oldbmwfan, do you have any pics from the rear corner looking down the side of the car showing the sidewall stretch? I have a set of SV902 in R-spec coming and am debating on what tire to run.

 

[rjcruise]

@oldbmwfan is spot on. I have the same set up except with the 4S's for the same reason, I did not want the rear 325 tire poke that I had seen on several other 350's. Mine are also mounted on Signature wheels, SV503 R spec.

 

[oldbmwfan]

@oldbmwfan, do you have any pics from the rear corner looking down the side of the car showing the sidewall stretch? I have a set of SV902 in R-spec coming and am debating on what tire to run.

The pics above are better than any I have handy ...

 

[THX 138]

This tracks what my local Discount Tire rep told me when I tried to order a set of OEM Michelin Pilot Super Sports in stock sizes for my 2016 GT350. He called Michelin directly and was told essentially the same info as above. He went ahead and put my order in so that when production on the OEM MPSS's begins again, I'll be one of the first in line, but he estimates 6-8 weeks before they come in. (My car is under a car cover and on a trickle charger for the Indiana winter anyway, so I told him no big rush.)

 

[rogersteele]

I have been dealing with the same Michelin supply issues..

I am wanting a set of PS4S mount on my new CS-21 wheels whenever they arrive.

I just cannot Michelin to tell me why they refuse to sell us these tires.

Does anyone have any insight?

In my opinion while the Sport Cup 2s are a decent track tire it is simply not an ideal daily Street Tire.

 

[orangegrower]

Does anyone have any insight?

I put 295/35/19 PS4S on all 4 corners with my CS-21 wheels and have zero regrets. I used forscan to adjust the speedometer and love the setup. I did not want to use a 30 series tire as I did not want to lower the ride height any.

 

[galaxy]

I got one word for all this Michelin drama...Continental.

the Extreme Contact Sport (the new tire) is every bit the tire of a 4S and (I’ve said this in a thousand other threads) the 325/30 runs small for all you guys that don’t like wide, square look (I hate it) of the Michelin 325’s. It fits more like the traditional 315 does on a 11.5” wheel.

 

[bendensez]

I got one word for all this Michelin drama...Continental.

the Extreme Contact Sport (the new tire) is every bit the tire of a 4S and (I’ve said this in a thousand other threads) the 325/30 runs small for all you guys that don’t like wide, square look (I hate it) of the Michelin 325’s. It fits more like the traditional 315 does on a 11.5” wheel.

Agreed! I’ve done a lot of research into this. The 325 rear tread width fits Billy Johnson’s recommendation. These are what I want on my new SV902. However, 305/30 for the front is on back order with no date yet. I have an order placed. Hopeful they will be in by the time I get my car out in the spring...

 

[nordique14]

The 325 Conti’s will not be available until mid-March. I have had an outstanding order since Thanksgiving.

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