Michelin Defender vs General RT43?

[604_guy]

Hey guys, hows it going? Newbie here. I come from the world of muscle cars. My 2014 mirage is my DD, well more like my all season car lol. Its time to replace the tires, the stockers suck as everyone already know. I am not well versed with all season tires, most of my knowledge starts and ends with extreme summer tires. I have narrowed it down to Michelin Defender and General RT43, both are going to cost me pretty much the same OTD after taking out the $70 michelin rebate. I have heard RT43s have better grip in wet conditions - how do they stack against the defenders? It's going to rain pretty much 5 days a week for next 4-5 months or so, snowing maybe 4-5 times during this period.

What are your thoughts? Pros and cons of each?

[Eggman]

Hello 604 guy and welcome to the forum.

Sorry I can't give you any advice on your tire selection as I'm still breaking in my original Enasaves but hopefully someone else can chime in. I know the RT43 is a fairly popular option and Michelin is a well-known brand. I don't think you can go wrong with either.

Some members consider changing to 15" wheels as this opens up more options in tires for not much more money.

Have you considered getting a set of snow tires?

[604_guy]

Thank you! Michelin is indeed a well known brand, I have been using 285/35/19 Michelin super sports for quite some time now and they have been fantastic! But as you know all seasons are a different animal all together. I have read mixed reviews on the defender (1010tires.com), and yet tire rack praises it quite a bit.

On the other hand, its just too much money to switch to 15's, not to mention significant drop in mileage due to excessive weight over the stock setup. Same goes for snow tires - too much money to have two sets of tires, I doesn't really snow much over here. Mostly rain, occasional snow/icy patches in the morning/night

[Basic]

I have the RT43s on my car right now and they are great. General has the affordable all season market down pat in my opinion. Great balance of price, performance, and tread life. The Michelins will last forever, and wear flat as a board, but they wont do much else.
Just my two shiny copper thingies...

[Cani Lupine]

RT43s are excellent in the wet and snow, and last a long time. Only downside is soft sidewalls, so there isn't much in the way of steering response, and there is some light tread growl on some surfaces.

Defenders are quiet, long lasting, are more responsive, and have low rolling resistance, but not as much grip.

[604_guy]

Awesome! Good info. I'm not too worried about cornerning or anything like that. Are the generals low rolling resistance tires too? Do they tend to act funny on twisty mountain roads? How do the defenders do in rain/snow?

[Top_Fuel]

...its just too much money to switch to 15's
...not to mention significant drop in mileage due to excessive weight over the stock setup

You can run 15" wheels and tires on a Mirage and still maintain great fuel mileage. You just have to be careful choosing the right combination. Check my fuel log. I've had 15" wheels on my car since it was almost new.

The time to consider a wheel upgrade is when buying new tires. Quality low rolling resistance 14" and 15" tires cost about the same. It just comes down to finding a proper set of light weight 15" wheels for a reasonable price.

You can see the details of my wheels/tires here: Fuel Efficient 15 Inch Wheels and Tires

[namco]

the defenders are much better than the generals, period. if you have the extra dough to get defenders, do it.

if I'm not mistaken, the defenders replaced the pilot exalto a/s line of tires seeing as they are in the same price range for all season tires, and the pilot exalto a/s tires were godly for their price and performance. before my accident i was a mechanic at a shop and we sold defenders, comparing them to others in the price range, they are amazing for the money.

id say the rts might give slightly better dry grip while the defender will be more rounded and work better in rainy conditions.

[604_guy]

Surprisingly the RT43s are rated much better for wet/snow grip than the defenders, even tirerack's survey has the general rated at #3 or 4, while the defender is down at #9 in their all season survey. The defenders have mixed reviews, which I chose to go with the RT43s

[remusrm]

Do not get Michelin Defender. I had balancing issues. Now on my new lancer se opted for the Michelin Premier and still have issue. Get something else!