I was looking for a replacement tire for the OEM Michelin MXM4 Primacy tires. The tire noise has gotten noticeably worse at 23,000 miles, so much so that it was the dominant noise at 60+ mph. And at 23,000 miles ,the tread is down to the wear indicators. I was hoping for a quieter tire, an efficient one and one with a better wear life. From my research on Tirerack I looked at all the options and the best option appeared to be the Continental Pure Contact LS. Compared to the Michelin MXM4:
Continental PureContact LS Michelin Primacy MXM4
Would You Recommend 8.6 6.3
Wet Performance 9.2 8.4
Dry Performance 9.3 8.7
Winter/Snow Performance 8.0 5.7
Comfort Performance 9.0 8.3
Treadwear Performance 8.7 7.3
Tire Specifications UTQG 700 AA 500 AA
Part of the Comfort Performance rating is noise level, although all of these ratings (except the tread wear rating) are a relative comparison with the previous tires not an actual measured test. Also, unlike almost every other tire option, the Continentals have a "Green" efficiency rating like the Michelins, so presumably they should have a similar KwH/mile rating. My one concern was that the Continentals do not have the layer of sound foam inside the tires like the Michelins do. But according to the Car and Driver detailed testing of foam equipped tires, it appears to be more of a gimmick than a true advantage.
As it turns out the Continentals are also much less expensive than the Michelins so it made the choice easier.
I just had the Continentals installed and I am thrilled with the results. I had installed a Sound Meter app on my phone and tested the Michelins at 60 mph for a relative comparison. I measured 74 - 77 dbA for the Michelins. On the same stretch of road on the Continentals I measured 71 - 75 dbA so a roughly 2.5 dbA reduction which matched my perceptions that they are in fact quieter. The driving dynamics are very similar with very solid grip on dry, high speed curves. We live in the mountains of WNC so I have not tested the KwH/mile efficiency yet or the wet or snow grip. I will report back on this thread once I am able to test these other conditions.
