not much talk around here about goodyear, but michelin always makes a good quality overpriced tire.
good tread wear and ride quality.

Im on the General Altimax RT43 for the summers on 18" super smooth ride and handling and great tread wear, and on 17" goodyear ulttragrip winters which lacks the ultra grip they so advertise.

 

not much talk around here about goodyear, but michelin always makes a good quality overpriced tire.
good tread wear and ride quality.

Im on the General Altimax R43 for the summers on 18" super smooth ride and handling and great tread wear, and on 17" goodyear ulttragrip winters which lacks the ultra grip they so advertise.

Thanks for your insight; funny you should say “good quality overpriced’ - exactly what I am finding - on the price aspect at least.

 

We have several discussions on this "which tire?" question. While there isn't one specifically comparing these two, there are threads for BOTH these and there are threads comparing the other model(s) of Michelin or Goodyear. Have you gone over those to glean information?

 

Hi, yes, I’ve searched the entire list of forums including the tire and wheel forum here and read about 2 hours worth of threads on this topic. Only one post actually talks about the tire rack comparison between these two tires.
the defender 2 is a relatively new tire and that’s possibly why there is not much talk about it yet.
So, I figured I’d bring this up here to see if in the meantime there are other fellow ody owners who have either tire and can offer their perspective and experiences. This forum is a wealth of information and its users’ willingness to share and help is just amazing; a great resource when in need.

thank you

 

I just put crossclimates on mine as I've had good luck with them being a true all season tire, as we have nasty winters in NH and they don't fall to pieces in ice and snow like most all seasons.

 

I have Maxlifes on my 2015 Odyssey and they ride well, and seem to be on the path to lasting longer than my previous tires have. I chose them due to the long treadwear life because the van goes through tires pretty fast, even with routine rotations. I run dedicated winter tires, so I can't comment on snow traction, but I do notice that they tend to slip a bit when starting a turn from a stop in rainy conditions if I punch the pedal too hard.

 

That’s good to hear - thanks for sharing your experience with the Maxlife. I currently have the Goodyear assurance comfortread that lasted about 46k miles and have 3/32 and 4/32 left on them. Pretty good so far but they also advertised 80k life. Totally agree that the van chews tires pretty quickly.

 

Try to get a tire with a load rating 0f 108 instead of the stock 103 or 104.

If you want them to last longer.

 

Thanks for the suggestion; I will look into that

 

I have maxlife on my 2011. I have about 15k miles on them and they are fine. Winter driving is fine.

 

Thanks for your input; sounds like I should be fine with the Maxlife tires

 

I would avoid Goodyears at all costs. I've had several over the years and, while they have been nice tires with decent noise/ride, none of them have ever made it to the advertised mileage. Note that, I am not hard on tires. I keep them properly inflated and rotated every 7-10k. Michelins are generally regarded as the best in any passenger category, though they are also priced as such.

I am currently on my third set of tires on my '08. I wen with the Continental TruContact from Discount Tire, and have been very impressed with the ride quality and treadwear. They's got 35 k on them and still look less than half worn. Previous set was Goodyear Assurance and I only got 32 k out of them.

 

I can't speak the Goodyear, but I've had the Defenders on my 2011 Ody since 2021, about 15K miles on them so far, no complaints -- good traction in snow/ice (I'm in New England), quiet on road, smooth ride. I occasionally drive "off road" on dirt/mud roads and haven't had an issue.

I'll be putting them on our 2019 CRV which is at 35K and coming up due soon.

 

I am a Michelin fan, no, not the Michelin Man though my circumference is beginng to resemble him.
I have Michelin Defenders on my 2001 Ody. I too get the stated mileage out of Michelins whereas Goodyears, I maybe got 80-90% of stated mileage.
I've never really had a bad experience with Michelins. That doesn't make them YOUR best choice. I'm just confirming
the other post regarding mileage life. Sometimes I let my wallet do the talking, and at others, I make the decision.
Good luck and happy motoring.........

 

The Michelin's get a lot of glowing reviews from owners...

My only real issue with them is cost, in comparison to other similar spec tires.

I have had to throw two sets of Michelin's out prematurely in the extended family fleet, due to tire noise/vibration and cracking because of age...
So they aren't perfect.

if you can get a good deal or manufacturer rebate to make the price competitive, then go with the Michelin's.

 

The Michelin's get a lot of glowing reviews from owners...

At the same time I hear several people who used the Michelin Defender on the Ody say that although they last for a good while, they're very hard tires and not very quiet, especially after they wear a little bit.

Always a tradeoff between ride quality and tread life though.

This plus a lack of variety at Costco is what pushed me away from getting the Defenders they sell and going with Continental at Discount Tire instead.

 

What doesn't get talked about is how long in time you expect to have a set of tires on vs the tire's rated miles. Industry standard is 6 to 10 years, but 6 or 7 is probably more realistic. So having a tire with a high mileage rating that gets too old before you get to use the miles you paid for is kind of a drag. I am also a Michelin guy mostly because I like how well the hold tire pressure. My 2015 came with Primacy MXV4s and I replaced them with the same thing. I semi retired and do not drive as much. Their 60k rating will fit perfectly with my projected mile usage. I think they have addressed the excessive hardness of the Defenders rubber and also lowered the miles. But they did that after I needed tires. I wanted the quietest tires I could get.

 

I used to own a 2005 honda odyssey EXL before a truck smashed into it in 2022. I am Costco member so I always purchased the tires from Costco. So I typically went with the best Michelin tires that were on offer. I can say with a great deal of confidence that the top of the range Michelin tires are a great drive, but the just don't last. They wear way too much, and when they get to about 20 to 30 k they start slipping and sliding across the road. I also eventually noticed that my Honda dealer was selling tires cheaper than my local Costco (Costco Gaithersburg, MD). So most recently (October 2022) I purchased a new set of Kumho (Korean tire firm, manufacturing in Ohio or Indiana, I think) for my Honda Civic (2010 LX). My Civic, which also used to get Michelin tires has finally stopped slipping across the wet road!! I have no idea if the Kumhos will last, but they were much cheaper than the "top brands". On a final note, I also tried the top of the range Goodyears on my Odyssey and I found them to be a total disaster. OK, my reply is all over the map, but in essence here is the advice I provide. Take a look at what your local Honda dealer has to offer re. tires (I am shocked that I just typed that, trust me!) But you might be surprised, especially if there are coupons/deals on offer. It might be better than your Sam's club or a Costco club. Secondly, whatever you buy, be sure to note down the mileage when you bought the tires, and also the mileage at which your car starts slipping around and tires start spinning on a wet road. That will give you a true idea as to the quality of the tire. Finally, do take note of the mileage at which you have to replace the tires. You'll be surprised, as I was, when you see that these "top brands" wear out by the time they reach about 50% of the stated warranty mileage (usually claim about 80k warranty, lol. IMH experience, these brands last about 40 k or less before they need replacement).

 

You'll be surprised, as I was, when you see that these "top brands" wear out by the time they reach about 50% of the stated warranty mileage (usually claim about 80k warranty, lol. IMH experience, these brands last about 40 k or less before they need replacement).

Mileage warranty is useless, especially on a minivan. I don't know how some get 80k+ out of their tires on these but in my experience minivans eat up tires and you're lucky if you can get 30-40k out of any set. I've barely limped tires to 30k on mine.

 

The other thing to be obsessive about is tire pressures. I up mine a bit, usually to 37 or 38 lbs. Although it does not apply to me in SoCal, the pressures will change in colder climates going into and then back out of winter. Speaking of cold, always check your tire pressure cold, like first thing in the morning. If you do not have a compressor and live more than a mile or 2 away from air, get your own compressor.

 

I do have a compressor which is definitely handy when inflating tires at home. I wrote above that I keep pressure at 33psi as stated on the label. Should I be going a little higher?

 

I was typically trying to stay within the rated tire pressure of 33psi as indicated on the label on the driver side b pillar. It sounds like I should be adding a little more than the rating calls for? Thanks

 

The second generation vans had a spec of 36lbs. I used to get it back from service with 32lbs. and a week or two later I would find my MPG had dropped and remember to check them. Back in the old days around here we would go as high as possible until the center flip down tray rattled. That was 38lbs. It is a balance of ride, handling, fuel mileage, and tire wear. Technically you can go as high as the max cold on the side of the tire. I would up the pressures a couple of pounds all around every couple of weeks and see how it feels to you.

Also, as I said (and once learned here), the pressure drops as it gets colder. If you live where it's cold (but not cold enough to change out to winter tires) you have to add air as it gets cold and adjust again as the weather warms.

 

I always go by the factory recommendation on pressure except in cold weather I might add 1 pound. I always check cold, first thing in the morning before the sun hits them. For me, 5 years is pretty much 'it' because of dry rot, regardless of miles. For the Odyssey, our third set was Goodyear Assurance Weather Ready 25,000 miles ago and they are still looking good. I've been happy with them especially in the wet. We're not getting any snow anymore and both being retired wouldn't have to drive in it anyway, but the tires do have the mountain/snowflake design on them for all-season plus. They're quiet and grippy. Never had any odd problems with them. First set of Goodyears I have bought in a long time.
Someone suggested checking with the dealer on tire pricing, and I found that to be true. I was looking for tires for my Sportage. I kind of settled on one and went to my tire shop and got the price. Went to the dealer and they had the same thing $200 less for the set. However, Sam's Club has a great warranty which is included on some tires and was on the Goodyears.

 

So what is with all this "minivans eat tires" stuff? Why would a minivan eat tires any faster than my old just as heavy SUV which I could easily get 50k miles out of all terrains (which are not typically your high tread life tire type)?

Seems to me if the vans are eating tires, there's either some suspension design issue or too soft of tires are being used. I could get the same tires I had on my SUV or my truck in the van's tire size, maybe that would take care of tread life issues if the current Defenders don't last

 

Tire choice is basically what it comes down to. People seem to be much more willing to tolerate road noise and compromise on ride comfort in SUVs and pickup trucks than they are in minivans, and so minivans generally get smoother, quieter passenger car tires as opposed to tougher truck tires. From the car tire's perspective, a minivan is just an extremely heavy car and that wears on the tires. From a truck or SUV's tire's perspective, that same minivan is a light vehicle that doesn't work the tires too hard.

If you're happy to have a truck-like tire behaviour in your Ody, tire wear is not an issue at all. Most of us aren't happy to do that and so we struggle to find the right balance between longevity and comfort.

 

But I still had P rated (passenger) tires on my SUV, not LT (light truck).

 

I have a set of Goodyear Assurance Maxlife tires. I also have a dedicated set of Blizzaks and wheels for Winter so I cannot comment on them on snow covered roads. I got the Maxlife's since they had something like an 80,000 mile warranty. We'll see if they last that long, as I drive highway miles to/from work and live in a rural setting going to town few times a week. Not an aggressive driver, but I'll punch it when I need to. Van is aligned and I check tire pressure on a regular basis to keep abnormal wear down to a minimum. I believe the formula is slightly harder in order to get the estimated longer wear but I can't tell that they are harder by the feel of the drive. They are relatively quiet compared to my Blizzaks and they will, however, chirp when accelerating from a stop but that only happens when I need to get going quickly. No complaints yet.

 

I don't have specific input on either of the tires that are being compared in this topic, but the OE tires on my '16 EX-L only got me 35,000 miles. I replaced them with a set of Goodyear Assurance "Comfortred Touring," which went 55,000 miles. I am now on a set of Michelin CrossClimate 2 tires, and I like them the best as far as all-weather handling and overall performance but I don't know how long they will make it (treadwear doesn't appear to be any worse than the Goodyears though, just eyeballing it). I don't think there is such a thing as a "quiet" tire on our vans, but relatively speaking the CrossClimates aren't any louder than anything else I've run.

 

So, I learned today that my Sam's club won't rotate tires with some dryrot and 3/32 4/32 tread life remainig.My current tires are 5.4 years old and about 45k miles. Suggestions were between the Goodyear Maxlife and Michelin Defender 2 with the Defender 2 being the technician's favorite. Being in Michigan, traction in winter conditions is important. Also Defenders would be about $160 more in total than Maxlife due to higher price and not as high of a rebate. Do you have any of the two suggested tires and have any pros/cons? (comfort/noise/life/performance/etc) Thank you in advance

I personally like the Falken Sincera Sn250 A/S. They came with the car in 2018 and they still have TONS of tread on them. They ride smooth and last forever. My Michelins never lasted this long.

 

The Michelin's get a lot of glowing reviews from owners...

My only real issue with them is cost, in comparison to other similar spec tires.

I have had to throw two sets of Michelin's out prematurely in the extended family fleet, due to tire noise/vibration and cracking because of age...
So they aren't perfect.

if you can get a good deal or manufacturer rebate to make the price competitive, then go with the Michelin's.

 

I got 54K miles out of my Defenders. I thought I would get another season out of them based on 6/32 tread, but they were 8 years old, and my tire retailer wouldn't replace a faulty valve because the tires were beginning to show a hint of sidewall cracking.

I could afford new tires so I didn't push the issue.

I am extremely easy on tires.

 

Well, overwhelming support for the Michelin defender 2 here … so I bit the bullet and ordered a set. Getting installed in a week. I will monitor performance, wear and mileage.
Thanks all for your feedback and suggestions; very much appreciated.

 

Just checking in @adimitrea ... How have you felt about the Defender 2 tires? I will be getting a set installed soon.

My OEM Bridgestone Turanza's are not doing too badly at just under 3 years with about 33k miles, but I managed to get a flat with a puncture close to the sidewall. One option was to replace just the front tires with Turanzas at the dealer, but I'm opting to go with the new Defenders. Costco has an okay discount on Michelins at the moment (just $80 off a set of 4)

There are so many considerations on tires, and it doesn't help that all the tire companies (Michelin not least) change models in seemingly subtle ways. E.g. there are many threads on here about Defenders but I think the Defender 2's are relatively new. It looks like they launched in late 2022. Are they pretty similar to the previous generations? (i.e. Defender LTX and Defender T+H) Has the collective wisdom/experience regarding these increased?

This will be my first Costco tire experience. I previously had great experiences through Sam's Club with two different vehicles, and I do like that Sam's seems to have more options for tires (e.g. their Pirellis worked great). However, I've kind of been wanting to try Michelin, so here goes!

 

Re: the comparison of a truck to a minivan, the Odyssey is a great freeway cruiser. We all want it to keep its quiet, soft ride. SUVs, especially the ones on a truck frame, take truck tires, which on the relatively light SUV can last until they rot off. The minivan takes basically car tires but it weighs 5000 lbs with a couple of people in it. Hence, it eats tires.

 

Expect good snow grip from Assurance Maxlife and Defender2. Maxlife has decent traction and cornering. It's satisfying and safe for winter, except heavy snow. Defender2 has okay traction but struggles with corners.