Photo comparison of 235/40 vs. 225/40 Michelin Pilot Super Spot on Stock Austins

dre1615 said:

Reviving this thread instead of starting a new one. Will I have any issues mounting a 235 PSS on an 8" wide RSe10 wheel? Thinking 235/35/R18. Planning on lowering with springs in future. Let me know if I asking for trouble or if I should go with 8.5" rim width. Thanks!

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dre1615 said:

I guess I just assumed since it would be better if it fit, slightly larger contact patch. Is there a pro to go with the 225, besides cost and price?

Edit: sorry didn't read correctly. No reason really if 40 is better that's what I'll get. Just don't know what is ideal. That is why I posted

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dave1078 said:

Just thinking comfort wise, might be better to have a little more sidewall on the street. I'm running conti dw 235/40s on 18x8s and it's just fine. If you're doing 18x8.5, definitely run 235s. If 18x8, you can do either width.

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dre1615 said:

Thanks for the response. I think I'm set on 235/40/18. How are you liking the conti DW's? I'm considering them over the PSS because they're almost half the price with slightly inferior performance ratings. Or go all season and sell the austins as my winter set.

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dave1078 said:

I haven't ever tried PSS, but am told they're phenomenal for handling and responsiveness. I was coming from stock Hankook Ventus all seasons, which I thought were ok for being a non-summer tire. Stage 2 Unitronic...I could still get traction if I was careful in second, but definitely saw the limits on handling. Also, I went from austins to rse10s at the same time and shed ~5lbs per corner.

With all that in mind, the DW grip is a vast improvement. If I half throttle it, I can mostly get traction in first gear. Second gear is no problem at all. On cornering, I feel a lot more confidence. These tires will start to complain when you're about to hit the limit. I'm sure the PSS offer better steering response and grip, but I'm not on the track and tires are a wear item. I can't really hit the limits with my current setup without being a complete hooligan. In fact, the grip is so good that it exposed some of the things I want to change on the suspension. Didn't even notice them before swapping wheels and tires. Hope that helps.

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dave1078 said:

I haven't ever tried PSS, but am told they're phenomenal for handling and responsiveness. I was coming from stock Hankook Ventus all seasons, which I thought were ok for being a non-summer tire. Stage 2 Unitronic...I could still get traction if I was careful in second, but definitely saw the limits on handling. Also, I went from austins to rse10s at the same time and shed ~5lbs per corner.



With all that in mind, the DW grip is a vast improvement. If I half throttle it, I can mostly get traction in first gear. Second gear is no problem at all. On cornering, I feel a lot more confidence. These tires will start to complain when you're about to hit the limit. I'm sure the PSS offer better steering response and grip, but I'm not on the track and tires are a wear item. I can't really hit the limits with my current setup without being a complete hooligan. In fact, the grip is so good that it exposed some of the things I want to change on the suspension. Didn't even notice them before swapping wheels and tires. Hope that helps.

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napadirt said:

Beyond the obvious increased traction under acceleration, braking, and cornering, here are my initial impressions of the Michelin PSS after 60 miles:

1. Body roll is substantially reduced.
2. Turn-in more responsive.
3. Less steering angle required. About half the slip angle.
4. Stiffer ride over bumps. Not harsh, just much more road feel through the chassis. Steering feel regrettably is still numb.
5. Front and rear of the car now roll together on corner exit, feeling more connected.


Yes the ride is slightly stiffer, but it's not a harsh ride by any means. Bumps on the road are now very much part of driving experience. Road noise however isn't any louder.

These tires completely transformed the personality of the car. It now drives like a "sports car", instead of a "sporty hatch". I find it somewhat surprising that tires can have this large of an effect on the car

Nearly all of the handling gripes I had on the car were eliminated by these tires. I am now less keen to lower the car and add stiffer anti-roll bars. I will eventually try stiffening the rear sway bar to make the car more pointy and the rearend more active, but I may choose a tune first prior to any chassis upgrades. With the increased traction, the additional torque and power provided by a tune now seem more usable.

I wonder why VW chose to dull the driving experience with these Pirelli A/S tires?

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