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Thread: Michelin Defender 175 /65-14 : could these be used

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    Quote Originally Posted by socal6g View Post
    I thought we had 4.5
    The stock steel rims are marked as 14x5 as I recall, and there no issues fitting 185/60R14 on them.

    With 175/65 I would be concerned to use spare, at least on drive axle.


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    Senior Member Cobrajet's Avatar
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    So it's coming up on tire time for me. Looks like I will be getting around 30k out of the OEM Enasaves which, by all reckoning, doesn't seem too bad.

    The Michelin Defender, in 175/65-14, is one of the tires I am considering. Slightly larger, but seemingly close enough. Damn the oddball size this car needs! Praise for the Defender is near-universal (for a tire, anyway), and price would be at or near that of a new set of Dunlops.

    Has anyone used a set of these tires, either on their Mirage or another car? Thoughts?
    Last edited by Cobrajet; 10-06-2015 at 10:42 AM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Cobrajet View Post
    So it's coming up on tire time for me. Looks like I will be getting around 30k out of the OEM Enasaves which, by all reckoning, doesn't seem too bad.

    The Michelin Defender, in 175/65-14, is one of the tires I am considering. Slightly larger, but seemingly close enough. Damn the oddball size this car needs! Praise for the Defender is near-universal (for a tire, anyway), and price would be at or near that of a new set of Dunlops.

    Has anyone used a set of these tires, either on their Mirage or another car? Thoughts?
    Rt-43s half the price and come in 185/60 size which is closer to OEM. As far as LRR Defenders are not that good, at least according to Prius owners. Good tire otherwise. RT43 are non-lrr but were rated better than avg on CR rolling resistance test. They also rated higher than Defenders in TireRack reviews.

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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 46.4 mpg (US) ... 19.7 km/L ... 5.1 L/100 km ... 55.7 mpg (Imp)


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    Senior Member Cobrajet's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by cyclopathic View Post
    Rt-43s half the price and come in 185/60 size which is closer to OEM. As far as LRR Defenders are not that good, at least according to Prius owners. Good tire otherwise. RT43 are non-lrr but were rated better than avg on CR rolling resistance test. They also rated higher than Defenders in TireRack reviews.
    The Prius is a VERY heavy car. That is what most people fail to account for when it comes to treadwear and rolling resistance. Most of the complaints about the Defenders came from hybrid owners. A co-worker has a Prius C, and when he is turning into our parking lot I can hear his tires scuffing and howling.

    I think the Defenders would work much better on a light car like the Mirage that doesn't like being tossed into corners, which is why I am curious if anyone has any experience with them.

    There are other options, to be sure, but if the Defenders perform as advertised then they look like a decent bet. I am not against cheap tires, but you often get what you pay for.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Cobrajet View Post
    The Prius is a VERY heavy car. That is what most people fail to account for when it comes to treadwear and rolling resistance. Most of the complaints about the Defenders came from hybrid owners. A co-worker has a Prius C, and when he is turning into our parking lot I can hear his tires scuffing and howling.

    I think the Defenders would work much better on a light car like the Mirage that doesn't like being tossed into corners, which is why I am curious if anyone has any experience with them.

    There are other options, to be sure, but if the Defenders perform as advertised then they look like a decent bet. I am not against cheap tires, but you often get what you pay for.
    I have regular Prius and Prius C also, no need to explain how much they weight. Prius btw is light for mid-size car, 3042lbs only. Not as light as Mazda3 hatchback but lighter than most in this category. Prius C is about 100lbs heavier than Yaris, and only slightly heavier than Versa. And there are no C owners using Defenders they don't come in right size. The screeching sound you hear from your co-worker car comes not for weight but from horrendous understeer, caused by steering geometry.

    In reviews Defenders are worth of 3-5MPG loss on Prius, when compared to Michelin Energy Saver A/S. This is according to those who install them. Strangely 3MPG is about as much as I lost with RT-43 on Gen3 Prius.

    With respect to "you get what you paid for" is certainly not the case with Michelins. They are way too overpriced. Generals are made by Continental (their value brand) and got good reviews from owners and tire specialists, read this: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...y.jsp?ttid=195

    Here are the links to ratings for Touring and Grand touring groups:
    http://www.tirerack.com/tires/survey...ay.jsp?type=ST
    http://www.tirerack.com/tires/survey....jsp?type=GTAS

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    Michelin tires always dryrot in half the time or even less than any other tire. I can't justify the absurd prices for a tire that is going to dryrot in 3 years.

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    another reference to Defender, Conti TrueContact and General RT-43 (extract from CR).

    CR rated Defender #1, TrueContact #2 and RT-43 #3. 175/65R14 Defender is $96ea, TrueContact doesn't come in R14, and 185/60R14 RT-43 is $60. YMMV.

    Read this: http://www.bmwblog.com/2015/10/05/al...each-category/

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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 46.4 mpg (US) ... 19.7 km/L ... 5.1 L/100 km ... 55.7 mpg (Imp)


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    Quote Originally Posted by Cobrajet View Post
    So it's coming up on tire time for me. Looks like I will be getting around 30k out of the OEM Enasaves which, by all reckoning, doesn't seem too bad.

    The Michelin Defender, in 175/65-14, is one of the tires I am considering. Slightly larger, but seemingly close enough. Damn the oddball size this car needs! Praise for the Defender is near-universal (for a tire, anyway), and price would be at or near that of a new set of Dunlops.

    Has anyone used a set of these tires, either on their Mirage or another car? Thoughts?
    I have and they are great. But I would not get them for the stock wheels. The stocks are 14x4.5, so the tires needs 5-6. I can tell you they are way to wide for the rim. I had to get new wheels and they fit but had issues with the balance. I would get new wheels if possible. I am considering going to 185/65/14 from 186/60/14 on my 14x6 wheels.

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  9. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by remusrm View Post
    I have and they are great. But I would not get them for the stock wheels. The stocks are 14x4.5, so the tires needs 5-6. I can tell you they are way to wide for the rim. I had to get new wheels and they fit but had issues with the balance. I would get new wheels if possible. I am considering going to 185/65/14 from 186/60/14 on my 14x6 wheels.
    I have looked around, and seemingly EVERY tire in any size larger than 165/65-14...including the RT-43...theoretically requires a wider wheel. Did Mitsubishi really stick us with wheels that will only accommodate ONE ODDBALL SIZE?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Cobrajet View Post
    I have looked around, and seemingly EVERY tire in any size larger than 165/65-14...including the RT-43...theoretically requires a wider wheel. Did Mitsubishi really stick us with wheels that will only accommodate ONE ODDBALL SIZE?
    RT43 185/60 mounted fine. They listed for 5-6.5 rims, and oem steel are 5". Rt43 measured rim width 5.5"

    Defenders listed for 5-6" rims, so they will be fine too.


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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 46.4 mpg (US) ... 19.7 km/L ... 5.1 L/100 km ... 55.7 mpg (Imp)


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