M Pilot Super Sport Review - Stock GT PP

[ATLalien]

Just thought I would share my opinions on my new Michelin Pilot Super Sports. I've had the tires installed for about 3 weeks now and we haven't had any rain during that time, so unfortunately I don't have any feedback on the wet performance which is one of the main reasons I chose these tires. If folks are interested, I'll be glad to post a wet weather update.


Car: 2015 GT PP, Bone Stock. I got only 10K miles out of the stock Pzero Summers.

• Requirements: I wanted a tire that was at least as sticky on dry surfaces as the stock Pzeros, but with better wet performance, and a higher wear rating. Living in GA and having a second vehicle to handle what little ice/snow we may get, I had no need of an all season tire.
• Tires considered: After briefly considering going back to the stock rubber, I narrowed it down to two tires which I don't see cross shopped very often (likely because of their difference in price):
  • BFG Comp Sport 2 (Max Summer): These tires were very highly rated for dry traction and especially wet performance. They are significantly cheaper, and have a higher wear rating (UTQG-340). However, I found very little test data except what came out of BFG sponsored events, which compared to lower tier performance tires.
  • MPSS: Universally the highest rated performance tire based on everything I saw. Wet & dry performance had very good test results in every review I could find from multiple different sources. Tons of test data on these tires. Lower UTQG, at 300, than the BFGs but higher than the Pzeros (220).

I probably would've been pleased with the BFG's and saved some $ to boot, but with this car I didn't want to have any regrets just to save money. Due to that and the overwhelming positive test data, I chose the MPSS.

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• Daily Commute: I immediately noticed the ride quality and smoothness were improved over what I remembered from when the Pzeros were new. Any road imperfects were a little smoother. Steering is more responsive and precise as well. The biggest improvement I noticed here was traction on hard launches from a stoplight. Even when the Pzeros were new, they would break lose much sooner. With the MPSS, the most I've produced is a quick chirp and the car just goes. Granted, being on public roads, I'm only launching at maybe 3500 RPM or so, which is about as much as I'd give the Pzeros when new. Also in the kinds of spirited driving I'm comfortable doing on public roads, I've yet to break traction between gears where this would routinely happen on the Pzeros. Don't get me wrong, this car has enough power to break any street tire loose from a dead stop, 1-2 shift, and 2-3 shift; it's just more difficult to lose traction on the MPSS's.
• First "spirited" mountain drive: I actually thought the stock Pzeros were pretty good in this environment when new. The differences I observed below were not huge, but were noticeable improvements.
  • Initial bite/grip: A bit more confidence inspiring is the best way I can describe it. Maybe a little less body roll, no sliding or squealing on initial entry into a hard turn. I hit the first turn much faster than I planned and the turn was much deeper than anticipated (Gmeter register .84 here). I didn't hit the brake, just let off the throttle and the car carried it's momentum through the turn with no drama.
  • Corner Exit: Another area where I would chirp the Pzeros often, exit in 3rd gear and jumping back on the throttle fairly hard on exit. No drama from the MPSS, just point and shoot action.
  • Steering/Transitions: More precision on quick transition turns left to right, and back. Noticeably less body roll.

In the end, I'm satisfied with my purchase thus far. Honestly, for the cost, I fully expect to be satisfied! That's really about it for now. We've been in a bit of a drought down here, can't wait to try these in the rain!

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[Gibbo205]

Pretty much my findings.

Today I drove home in dry but chilly conditions, around 5c, similar conditions on the Pzero could be rather scary as when cold even in the dry they were very poor and took a lot to warm up. Whereas on the MPSS I drove home like I stole the car, they just grip and worked, I even booted it in first gear from a stop light, just a little spin and chirp. Far better in colder weather!

When its wet you will love the MPSS, they are a vast improvement over Pzero, but be warned these cars still handle not so great in the wet and let go easy but at least on the MPSS you get more feedback and they have more progression, the Pzero were like driving on ice at times in the wet, they just threw the towel in.

 

[ATLalien]

Yeah, I the Pzero's turned to stone below 50 F and I definitely had to be careful in the wet. At 10K miles they were pretty well useless.

 

[stoli]

The MPSS get event better with heat in them. On the track I find when they've gone up 3-4psi is when they hit their sweet spot. ;) On the street 2-3psi is the max increase I ever really see.

 

[Paul@PKAUTODESIGN]

Michelin tires are hands down amazing.

 

[ATLalien]

Anyone use the BFG comp sport 2's? Curious to how those might compare.

 

[stoli]

Anyone use the BFG comp sport 2's? Curious to how those might compare.

Not in this car, but I've used them on previous cars. They are a harder tire, louder, and just ok in the Florida monsoon rain. ;) I switched from them to the PSS on my previous car. Big difference, but it was far from a performance car.

 

[ATLalien]

Not in this car, but I've used them on previous cars. They are a harder tire, louder, and just ok in the Florida monsoon rain. ;) I switched from them to the PSS on my previous car. Big difference, but it was far from a performance car.

Thanks! That was the other tire I was considering, so was curious about it's performance.

 

[Performance nut]

Thanks for posting this. I have been putting the idea of MPSS for awhile now and was debating whether getting a 245/45-18 MPSS is worth it versus a 255/45-18 BFG Sport Comp-2 tire. Is that extra 10mm worth it? So far, my thoughts were no it wasn't and that I'd rather have the MPSS's. Looks like you cemented my decision

 

[Todd15Fastback]

[MENTION=22413]Optimum Performance[/MENTION] runs the BFG comp2 tires. He can provide some good feedback on them since he tracks his car, too.

 

[wildcatgoal]

BFG Comp 2 tires are excellent tires favored by people who use their same street tires for Auto X or HPDE, but they have a tendency to be loud and almost "rumbly" (especially at slow speeds) on the road. The MPSS is a more refined tire but I believe its sidewall is going to feel less firm than the BFGs, according to the folks I've spoken with about this very topic at HPDE, autocross, etc. I figure ask others who track what they would use on the street and track if they were looking to move up a class. Neither I or they are a tire expert, but... some feedback per above.

 

[Optimum Performance]

P-Zeros had too much grip for my taste on stock suspension. BFG's are USA made (which employ's my Customers) and IMO transformed the car. Now it's fun to drive, car is neutral and predictable. Not a huge fan of spending almost twice as much for something that wears out for track use. If I was only interested in something for the street I would just run a performance A/S tire. A/S has higher limits than anyone should be finding on the street anyway. I found the BFG's to have better grip in normal street driving compared to the P-Zero's when accelerating, i.e no wheel hop. The chassis just works better with them.

I also have a set of Cooper RS3-A's on the factory wheels which kick ass (employing the Chinese) in the monsoons.

 

[Performance nut]

P-Zeros had too much grip for my taste on stock suspension.

Eh? Did I get a bad batch of tires?

 

[ATLalien]

Thanks for the feedback on the Comp 2's! I had read about the 'noise' which was something I wanted to avoid, but other than that, they did seem like excellent value per $. If I was doing any track time, I would've probably gone that route too.

Isn't having 'too much grip' a problem akin to having too much money? Jokes aside, I did find the Pzero summers to be plenty grippy in most situations when new

 

[Optimum Performance]

Eh? Did I get a bad batch of tires?

No, most people do not understand what is going on when they drive a car. "Feel" is a very subjective term. All my impressions are based off of laptimes and the consistency of lap times. The stock tires are too sticky for the stock suspension. This does not mean they are bad tires. Going to a 340 tread wear tire for me is faster because the car works better and is therefore easier to drive at it's limit. If you have better grip than suspension the car is unpredictable. If you place a wheel wrong or make a mistake and unload a tire while the other 3 don't it get's your attention. I have shots of my car folding the tire into the suspension because grip overwhelmed the suspension, when the car unloads itself scary moments happen. BFG's are not squealing around like the P-Zero's do. The squeal is the driver overdriving the car and upsetting the balance.

Yes, one of the few who thought the P-Zero's were a good tire for such a cheap car.

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