Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Michelin Pilot Sport 4S

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
I need to replace my OEM Michelin Primacy MXM4 tires WITH acoustic foam on my 2021 Tesla M3LR. I am thinking about buying Michelin Pilot Sport 4S which does NOT have acoustic sound control. Has anyone used these tires? What do you think? Will they be much noisier? I live in South Florida so don’t need call season tires but am concerned about the noise.
 
I’ve had both in 18”. The foam works but it’s more as if it’s damping some frequencies not all, if you will. The PS4S set I got last Spring was due to the PS4 was long delay back order only. The 4S has a bit better steering response and grip. So there’s your tradeoff.

BTW, I have a Winter set of Pirelli SottoZero2 tires with foam and their noise profile is different than the PS4, pinch louder.
 
What did you go with? I need to replace my PS4s on my 2019 M3P but there is no stock to be found and currently Michelin isn't producing them.
One possible alternative is the Pirelli PZero "ELECT" that's now the OEM tire for the M3P.

My '18 M3P also had PS4S, which were great.

My '22" M3P came with the Pirellis, which also seem pretty great.

Maybe quieter, maybe a smidge less initial steering response, but still seem to be a really good UHP summer tire.
 
One possible alternative is the Pirelli PZero "ELECT" that's now the OEM tire for the M3P.

My '18 M3P also had PS4S, which were great.

My '22" M3P came with the Pirellis, which also seem pretty great. Maybe quieter, maybe a smidge less initial steering response, but still a UHP summer tire.
I have read a few not so great comments on the Pirellis and in my experience with other sport cars they sucked. It appears I can order from Tire Rack. I was also looking at the GY Eagle F1 option as recommended in the recent tire write up on here.
 
What did you go with? I need to replace my PS4s on my 2019 M3P but there is no stock to be found and currently Michelin isn't producing them.
@LandToSea Michelin has been having major problems keeping production up with demand for a while now. Back in November or so I was going to try PS4S when my 18x8.5" wheels arrived, but they were out of stock everywhere in the 245/45R18 size I wanted, with no real ETA.

I went with Bridgestone Potenza Sport instead and am very happy with them. They're also 300 TW in the same "max performance" category. BIG step up from the crappy Pirelli P-Zero PZ4 my M3P came with. Much better grip dry and wet, just as responsive feeling even with the taller sidewalls, and no obnoxious squealing like the PZ4 did in hard driving.

Compared to the foam lined Tesla-spec PZ4, the Potenza Sport are a little louder cruising on the highway. Not bad, I've had much louder performance tires, but the foam lined PZ4 were especially quiet for a performance tire. (I don't know if that holds true for regular PZ4.) On the flip side the PZ4 were obnoxiously loud in hard driving as mentioned, and the Potenza Sport are much better and quieter for that, as a performance tire should be. :)

The Potenza Sport are also way better than the old S-04 Pole Position, which were alright but never really impressed me. (Michelin PS2 was better in that era.)

I can't compare with the Michelin PS4S, still haven't used them. I'm sure they're better than the Pirellis too. From what I've read the PS4S and Potenza Sport are very close in grip, and the bigger difference is that the Michelin sidewalls tend to feel a little softer, so a bit less responsive-feeling but a bit smoother ride. In 18" the ride is good anyways, I like having firm responsive sidewalls, but if you're shopping for 20" maybe that preference would flip around?
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: LandToSea
Tire Rack test results suggest that the Pirellis and Michelins are the best of the bunch:....

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=269
@Zcd1 I've read that test. It's a load of BS, does not match my experience at all.

If you look elsewhere at tire comparisons, the PZ4 are usually rated poorly. That Tire Rack comparison is an outlier.

I'll note I replaced my wheels and tires at 1000 miles. So my PZ4 vs Potenza Sport comparison is with fresh vs fresh tires. And I put the PZ4 through its paces as best I could on the street - plenty of twisty road miles, and some middle-of-the-night sojourns through highway ramps to test their limits. Same for the Potenza Sport of course.
 
@LandToSea Michelin has been having major problems keeping production up with demand for a while now. Back in November or so I was going to try PS4S when my 18x8.5" wheels arrived, but they were out of stock everywhere in the 245/45R18 size I wanted, with no real ETA.

I went with Bridgestone Potenza Sport instead and am very happy with them. They're also 300 TW in the same "max performance" category. BIG step up from the crappy Pirelli P-Zero PZ4 my M3P came with. Much better grip dry and wet, very responsive feeling even with the taller sidewalls, and no obnoxious squealing like the PZ4 did in hard driving.

Compared to the foam lined Tesla-spec PZ4, the Potenza Sport are a little louder cruising on the highway. Not bad, I've had much louder performance tires, but the foam lined PZ4 were especially quiet for a performance tire. (I don't know if that holds true for regular PZ4.) On the flip side the PZ4 were obnoxiously loud in hard driving as mentioned, and the Potenza Sport are much better and quieter for that, as a performance tire should be. :)

The Potenza Sport are also way better than the old S-04 Pole Position, which were alright but never really impressed me.

I can't compare with the Michelin PS4S, still haven't used them. I'm sure they're better than the Pirellis too. From what I've read the PS4S and Potenza Sport are very close in grip, and the bigger difference is that the Michelin sidewalls tend to feel a little softer, so a bit less responsive-feeling but a bit smoother ride. In 18" the ride is good anyways, I like having firm responsive sidewalls, but if you're shopping for 20" maybe that preference would flip around?
Thanks. I am watching this now to see if I can feel comfortable going with the Potenza at a $400 savings over the PS4S.
 
It's possible something about the Tesla spec PZ4 is different, not just the foam liner, and regular ones are much better. I'm doubtful but it's possible. I wasn't going to risk it after finding the Tesla OEM PZ4 so mediocre though.
 
@Zcd1 I've read that test...does not match my experience at all.

There's little to no objective support for your position on the topic, but that's cool - you're entitled to your opinion regardless.

I have no experience with the Bridgestones, so can only comment about the Pirellis and Michelins.

Suffice to say that my opinion doesn't align with yours. (this is a recording)

PS: My comment about the Pirellis' steering response in comparison to the Michelins' was made BEFORE I read the Tire Rack test that says the same thing, so.......
Also, that same test says the Bridgestones' steering response is quickest of the bunch (and is maybe even too quick), which I don't doubt at all. It also says that their ride refinement is worst of the group, which aligns with other Bridgestone performance tires' characteristics, historically. The test concludes by saying that there isn't a bad tire in the bunch....
 
Last edited:
That's cool - you're entitled to your opinion.

However, similar to some other opinions you've shared, there's no objective support for your position on the topic.

I have no experience with the Bridgestones, so can only comment about the Pirellis and Michelins.

Suffice to say that my opinion doesn't align with yours. (this is a recording)
@Zcd1 I didn't try to shut down your experiences and opinions of the PZ4. I posted my own, on my own, as a reply to the OP. You seem to feel a need to shut me down though. Why?
 
  • Like
Reactions: XPsionic