# Michelin Pilot Sport 4S or AS4?



## moRider (Feb 28, 2012)

Hi BFers, I've been putting off replacing my 340i tires and need to make a decision soon. Currently I have Bridgestone Potenza RFTs, which have not impressed (rough, loud). I have been debating between Pilot Sport AS4 and Continental DWS 06 Plus. I drive mostly in California (no snow) and could do the summer tire thing instead. Costco has a $150 off deal on the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S - essentially the same cost as Michelin AS4 from America's Tire or Big O.

Would you go with the summer tires? Any compromise besides terrible traction in snow and faster tread wear? Do these tires kick up more rocks, or is that more of a Cup 2 thing?


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## Autoputzer (Mar 16, 2014)

The performance between the two Michelins are closer than with previous summer performance vs. all-season performance Michelins. 

If you'll ever see sub-freezing temperatures, go with the AS4's. Michelins seem vulnerable to damage from cold temperatures. My PSS's had cracks down in the circumferential channels. It wasn't from sunlight, since the inner channels were cracked just as bad as the outer ones. The only explanation was sub-freezing temperatures.

The DOT treadwear ratings are only relevant for comparing tires from the same manufacturer. The PS 4S's have a DOT treadwear rating of 300. The AS4's have a rating of 500. With a square set-up and regular rotation, I got 40k miles out of a set of PSS's. That's probably a record. But, that would equate to 67k miles on the AS4's.

The DWS 06 is an all-season tire skewed more toward the snow end of the all-season spectrum. If you're not seeing snow but still want an all-season tire, going with the AS4's is a no brainer. 

I've gone through three sets of Continentals. They need more pressure than Michelins to wear evenly. That makes them ride worse.


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## moRider (Feb 28, 2012)

Great insights @Autoputzer. I read a few of your older tire posts and think the AS4 would tick all the boxes for me. My car (with staggered setup) had new rears when I bought it with 38k miles on the odometer. The fronts are presumably the original RFTs - and they are toast.


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## ppointer (Sep 29, 2010)

I have bounced between the PSS and AS 3's and 4's. I'm just too old to appreciate the PSS's any longer, and I no longer do track days of any sort. Just added a set of AS 4's to the e91 -- it was totally the right choice. Smooth, quiet and comfortable. Not driving fast enough to notice the lower adhesion limits that I assume are there when compared to the PSS's. I still have PS 4's on an M Roadster. I doubt I will ever wear those out....


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## Red Ruby (Sep 1, 2021)

it Is the potential Temperature to worry about with Summer tires. Below 40 degrees F bad things can start to happen. Below 30 degrees Summer tires can turn very brittle and crack apart just sitting in a driveway. Since tracking our 2021 X3MC isn't happening Michelin PS4s is year round.


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## moRider (Feb 28, 2012)

Thanks for the feedback. It makes sense to go with all-season UHP tires (for daily spirited driving, better wear, and occasional near-freezing temperatures). I'll be shopping across Tirerack, America's Tire, and Big O for the best deal


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## Gregory_tolson (Oct 4, 2019)

I purchased the all season Pilot Sport 4S's for my e85 last spring. They have been a great tire. I was contemplating the summer 4S but i saved like $500 not going that route, which honestly was money well worth saved.


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## ppointer (Sep 29, 2010)

Gregory_tolson said:


> I purchased the all season Pilot Sport 4S's for my e85 last spring. They have been a great tire. I was contemplating the summer 4S but i saved like $500 not going that route, which honestly was money well worth saved.


Not to mention the A/S can go as many as 2x the number of miles of the PSS, all other things being equal.


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## Gregory_tolson (Oct 4, 2019)

ppointer said:


> Not to mention the A/S can go as many as 2x the number of miles of the PSS, all other things being equal.


I watched a youtube review of lap time differences between the 2 sets of tires. I was like do i need the summers to go a second or 2 faster on the track? lol. I dont track it so it didnt matter to me. Plus the C8 Corvettes come standard with A/S Pilot Sport 4S's


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## ppointer (Sep 29, 2010)

Gregory_tolson said:


> I watched a youtube review of lap time differences between the 2 sets of tires. I was like do i need the summers to go a second or 2 faster on the track? lol. I dont track it so it didnt matter to me. Plus the C8 Corvettes come standard with A/S Pilot Sport 4S's


Sweet, thanks for posting. I did not expect the performance delta to be even that close, so that is excellent to know.


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## moRider (Feb 28, 2012)

Ah, that new tire smell. Needed tires before upcoming roadtrips and went with Contis. Pilot Sport AS4 was my first choice but has been backordered for a while now. Donut spare on its way.


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## moRider (Feb 28, 2012)

In case anyone is interested in how much room a compact spare takes up. Not terrible - obviously wish there was space under the trunk floor...


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## Cal SATX (Mar 3, 2021)

moRider said:


> Hi BFers, I've been putting off replacing my 340i tires and need to make a decision soon. Currently I have Bridgestone Potenza RFTs, which have not impressed (rough, loud). I have been debating between Pilot Sport AS4 and Continental DWS 06 Plus. I drive mostly in California (no snow) and could do the summer tire thing instead. Costco has a $150 off deal on the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S - essentially the same cost as Michelin AS4 from America's Tire or Big O.
> 
> Would you go with the summer tires? Any compromise besides terrible traction in snow and faster tread wear? Do these tires kick up more rocks, or is that more of a Cup 2 thing?


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## Cal SATX (Mar 3, 2021)

I finally threw away my run flats at 71,000 miles after spending $450+ every 6 months replacing a tire because of sidewall bulges. I replaced them with Michelin Pilot Sport 4s at a cost of $1560 at Discount Tire. They are all season tires... absolutely beautiful ride, even in Sport+ mode. The road noise is minimal compared to the run flats and the road handling is the same. Stupid me... I wish I had done this when I drove the car off the lot... it's a completely different car.

I figured it's cheaper to buy a Premium AAA membership then more new tires all the time. Discount Tires warranty is full replacement of the tire... not pro-rated when replaced. 

This is on a 2018 650i Gran Coupe... 20 inch wheels.


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## Jack Ducan (Jul 4, 2021)

When the wet performance of Michelin Pilot Sport 4 and 4s is compared, the Pilot Sport 4 has better aquaplaning resistance, while the Pilot Sport 4S has better numbers in wet handling and braking. All three features are essential when driving on wet roads, especially when it comes to safety. However, the gap in wet handling and braking between the two is quite substantial, while the 4S isn’t much worse than the PS4 regarding aquaplaning.


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## scharfschütze (3 mo ago)

Cal SATX said:


> I finally threw away my run flats at 71,000 miles after spending $450+ every 6 months replacing a tire because of sidewall bulges. I replaced them with Michelin Pilot Sport 4s at a cost of $1560 at Discount Tire. They are all season tires... absolutely beautiful ride, even in Sport+ mode. The road noise is minimal compared to the run flats and the road handling is the same. Stupid me... I wish I had done this when I drove the car off the lot... it's a completely different car.
> 
> I figured it's cheaper to buy a Premium AAA membership then more new tires all the time. Discount Tires warranty is full replacement of the tire... not pro-rated when replaced.
> 
> This is on a 2018 650i Gran Coupe... 20 inch wheels.


I just did the same with my new to me 2015 535. But I went with AS4's. Talk about a really noticeable difference in ride, noise and traction.


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