Michelin CrossClimate still the best?

[XK140]

1 hour ago, ColinBarber said:

Michelin CC are a combination of summer and winter tyres and are therefore a compromise between the two. Due to the fact they are designed to operate in light snow the tread pattern doesn't move as much water as a good summer tyre on a full wet test above 8 deg C.

Thanks for actually answering my question,Colin.

[nicnac]

27 minutes ago, XK140 said:

Thanks for actually answering my question,Colin.

He did , but what you have to take into consideration that a lot of UK driving( especially north ) is done in sub 8 deg temperatures , so in effect the summer tyre rubber begins to imitate plastic and does not do as good a job as any tyre made for all season /winter ie sub 7 deg . So its really a case of the rubber cocktail they use. to keep supple belo7 deg C ......... then the thread pattern and sipes come into play for water dissipation . 

[WipeOut]

I've had cross climates on another car and they're excellent all season tyres but not excellent winter tyres. of course much better than summer tyres in the snow. I only wish they did them in 20 inch rim size of the 450h.

[olliesgrandad]

Just now, WipeOut

I've had cross climates on another car and they're excellent all season tyres but not excellent winter tyres. of course much better than summer tyres in the snow. I only wish they did them in 20 inch rim size of the 450h.

I've just fitted the new Yokahoma Geolander CV508 to my series 4,
.I'll report back once I've driven them for a while. We have Cross Climates on my wife's Fiat 500 and I had them on my Series 3 RX450h. Hoping that they will be comparable.

[WipeOut]

5 minutes ago, olliesgrandad said:

I've just fitted the new Yokahoma Geolander CV508 to my series 4,
.I'll report back once I've driven them for a while. We have Cross Climates on my wife's Fiat 500 and I had them on my Series 3 RX450h. Hoping that they will be comparable.

I would be very interested to hear how you get on. Are these just for winter or do you intend to have them on all year?

 I don't really fancy buying and storing a set of 20" tyres and rims!

 

[Greisingel]

I can confirm that my £75 Super Valu boots cannot be recommended.

I was a bit broke and an mot required replacement.

When I win the postcode lottery I’ll be getting decent all weathers. This has been a useful thread. 

[LenT]

6 minutes ago, Greisingel said: This has been a useful thread. 

That’s a relief! 😊

And the next question is...which All-Weather/All Season tyre will you choose?

Which aspect of the ‘Super Valu’  do you wish to improve on?

 

[LenT]

14 minutes ago, Greisingel said:

. This has been a useful thread. 

That’s a relie! 😊

And the next question is....which all-weather/all season tyre will you choose?

Which particular aspect of the ‘Super Valu’ would you wish to improve on?

[DanD]

I got Michelin CCs on my RX450h and then on my previous NX. Current NX still has the original Yokohama, which I find too noisy... can't wait to change them.

Americans are obsessed about tyre rotation which I understand they insist on doing once a year. I understand that the practice aims to even out wear, but I don't understand why it is not recommended in other countries.

[Barry14UK]

I thought tyre rotation was recommended by Lexus.  On the RX there is going to be more wear with front wheel drive and it makes sense that all tyres are eventually renewed as a set.

Another happy owner with CCs which transformed my car from the Dunlops it came with.

[LenT]

5 hours ago, Barry14UK said:

I thought tyre rotation was recommended by Lexus. 

The Manual of my IS250 does indeed show a tyre rotation schedule for same size wheels all round, and recommends swapping on same axle if two wheel sizes are involved.

However many modern tyres, especially if the tyre pattern is designed for better wet road performance or is asymmetrical, are one directional.  An arrow on the tyre wall indicates the direction of forward rotation.

Some repositioning will thus have the tyre rotating against the tread pattern design, which will seriously affect its performance on that side of the axle.  

I wonder what an insurance investigator would make of that in the event of a claim?

[royoftherovers]

No need to wonder Len, I think that you and most of us know. But we wouldn`t do it, would we ?

[olliesgrandad]

Just now, WipeOut

5 minutes ago, olliesgrandad said:

I've just fitted the new Yokahoma Geolander CV508 to my series 4,
.I'll report back once I've driven them for a while. We have Cross Climates on my wife's Fiat 500 and I had them on my Series 3 RX450h. Hoping that they will be comparable.

I would be very interested to hear how you get on. Are these just for winter or do you intend to have them on all year?

 I don't really fancy buying and storing a set of 20" tyres and rims!

 

They are similar in concept to Cross Climate in that they are a Summer tyre developed for year round use. They are M&S rated with a tread pattern and compound designed for excellent low temperature and snow performance. Like you I didn't fancy faffing around with 2 sets of 20 inch wheels.

[Barry14UK]

One accepts that with some tread designs you are limited to changing tyres between front and rear on each side rather than full rotation round the car. 

[LenT]

51 minutes ago, Barry14UK said:

One accepts that with some tread designs you are limited to changing tyres between front and rear on each side rather than full rotation round the car. 

Even this simple option isn’t available for my Lexus.  It has different size tyres front and rear.  On my model this is what you get when you have the 18” wheels.

How common this use of two tyre sizes is in the Lexus range, I don’t know.  I presume it’s meant to provide handling benefits  - no doubt to compensate for the less comfortable ride!

[Barry14UK]

Can't answer your question as regards Lexus models but normally where different size wheels are used the larger rear would be to improve stability and particularly traction for rear wheel drive or full all wheel drive;  often  part of a stiffer set up on more sporting versions or models.  The look also appeals more to some. 

A tyre that may  work very well for some models may not be most suited to some others.  

[Spottedlaurel]

I don't know when it started or how long it will run for, but Black Circles are currently doing 15% off Michelin including CrossClimates. Doesn't appear to be dependent on buying a set of 4 either, so a pair of 19s for a gen 3 model is just over £280 fitted.

[RonsonSJohnson]

hi guys,

Just wondering the tyre size of the alloys on the gen 3 RX450h advance, they are Gunmetal 19" but i don't have any other data on them i can find

[Spottedlaurel]

18 minutes ago, RonsonSJohnson said:

hi guys,

Just wondering the tyre size of the alloys on the gen 3 RX450h advance, they are Gunmetal 19" but i don't have any other data on them i can find

I think all apart from the rare SE model use the same size 19" tyre, which is 235/55. That gives them quite a chunky sidewall depth, which is probably good for rural driving and speed bumps etc in town alike.

[RonsonSJohnson]

22 minutes ago, Spottedlaurel said:

I think all apart from the rare SE model use the same size 19" tyre, which is 235/55. That gives them quite a chunky sidewall depth, which is probably good for rural driving and speed bumps etc in town alike.

but the width is very Narrow, i think i had 235 on a old golf, my last car was 275 on the rear. is this for MPG i wonder ?

[Barry14UK]

I think it is because it's thought the RX is not the sort of car that people will drive like a sports car and is about the minimum they could fit thereby reducing cost and weight.  Seems to me to work quite well!  Very marginal but wider wheel'tyre set up adversely affects aerodynamics slightly, so would make a miniscule difference to fuel consumption.  Also, larger width tyres will create greater rolling resistance.

Would you wish to fit unnecessarily larger width tyres at even greater cost? 

[Apple500]

@BartLexusFan
Did you end up going for the Cross climates??
I have a 2014 with 235/55R19. Cross Climate 2 are available and is the specced tyre on the Michelin website but it is a Volvo OM tyre.
They have great reviews but unsure about fitting a volvo OM tyre. The Costco guy was very helpful but there wasnt any winter tyre recommendations on the costco computer

[stepheneric]

I contacted Michelin Customer services about which to fit - either Cross Climate 2 or Cross Climate SUV - to my 2013 Rx450h

They advised the SUV tyre. I have ordered from Formula one auto who are doing special deals on Michelin at the moment. Also

Michelin are giving £100 refund on 4 tyres up to end of November.

[RonsonSJohnson]

is it worth getting a all season tyre in UK and ireland, when we get at most 7-14 days of cold and snow, would a summer tyre with a rated Wet handling not be a better option ?

struggling to get my head around winter tyres for irish weather when its 50% rain and maybe 2% snow over last 2 years.

 

[Spottedlaurel]

58 minutes ago, stepheneric said:

I contacted Michelin Customer services about which to fit - either Cross Climate 2 or Cross Climate SUV - to my 2013 Rx450h

They advised the SUV tyre. I have ordered from Formula one auto who are doing special deals on Michelin at the moment. Also

Michelin are giving £100 refund on 4 tyres up to end of November.

That's good, given that the CC2s are more expensive. As mentioned in another thread, Blackcircles are giving 15% off at present which knocks the price down from just under £700 to just over £600.

I don't think the £100 refund works with them however, I couldn't see them on Michelin's list.