Winter Tires Anyone running Michelin

Hey everyone, wondering if anyone ran Michelin Xice 2's last year?

I need new tires for the 2010 golf and I usually go with Nokian Hakka R's but this year with tax installed is around $1050 Tire size is 205/55/R16

A local place has Michelin Xice 2's for $740 Installed with taxes, they are supposed to be very comparable to the nokians and supposedly rate in the top 2, nokian being the other front runner.

Just wondering if anyone has any experience with them. I've always loved the nokians, but $300 less these days isn't something to shrug off lightly.

Thanks!

P.S. I want to stick with this tire size, so 195/55/R15 isn't an option

I loved my Michelins last winter.

I ran a set of x-ice on my 99.5 last winter - they were good, but didn't feel quite as "sure-footed" as the Continental snow's they replaced. I paid in the $700 range for the tires mounted, balanced, and installed from a tire shop in St Jacob's.

Call Mr. Fox tire in Buffalo, take a trip and save half the cost. I got Blizzak's for $99 each -
half what they wanted locally for the exact same tire. Cost me $56 in hst at the border.

if you decide on the michelins, if you have a membership costco is usually the cheapest place to get them.

I enjoy my X-Ice IIs on my MKIV.

read plenty of complaints about michelin x-ice 2's and blizzaks on various blog/forums. way more popular than nokians due to price and availability. i run hakka r's and they r the best i've ever had. haven't had michi's but the sites never have any complaints about hakka r's. ever noticed this? either telling or not popular enough to form broad opinions.

Hakka on the Mk IV, Michelin on the wagen. let it snow but I am still not comparing apples to apples, the cars are so vastly different.

Last week I bought a set of Toyo GSI-5 and I am impressed. So impressed I purchase a set for my wifes CRV. I paid $750 installed minus the $50 rebate. I just sold my x-ice tires. I would never buy them again. Just my 2c

Matt

I ran 4 X-Ice on my 04 Jetta and was not impressed especially in heavy snow. Now running Nokian Hakkapeliittas bought in Michigan on my 06. Night and day difference. I drive 50k a year and much of it is in central Ontario where we get snow.
Nokians alot cheaper in MI than here and it's a good time to go X-mas shopping anyway

Michelin is French for over priced and over rated.

Went with the X ice x12 tires. Now just need some snow and ice. They are quiet as the nokians I've run in the past. If not quieter. They seems to have a stiffer sidewalk, I know with the nokians in a quick corner have soft sidewalks that give an unnerving feeling. Not so with these.

I was pleased to see they are made in Germany. Fitting for a German made car.

I was displeased at the fact the car came with made in china hankooks from the factory. You'd think you have gotten continentals coming from germany. The spare tire is continental.

Oh well they are gone now.

Beamer has Hakka R's. They rock.
TDI has Semperit.....ok wouldn't buy them again.
Audi AWD has Goodyear Ultragrips.....(price was right) haven't tried them in the snow yet, but they are noisy on dry and took ALOT of weight to balance.

I would spent the extra money for the Hakka's again next time.

I ordered x-ice2 for the 05 passat wagon last year from tire rack. Had them delivered to some shop near the Niagara Falls boarder. They have their online list there that finds a local place for you. You can call them and confirm a date/time so there are no mix-ups.
40 min drive, and took my old crappy tires off, put the new ones on and drove them over so no extra fees. Everything came to JUST under $500 USD. Got to fill up cheaper gas, so this offset the gas to go there and back.
Decent tires. But, I have had Nokians before. Waaay back in 2002~2003. They were noticeably better.

SignHere said:

Last week I bought a set of Toyo GSI-5 and I am impressed. So impressed I purchase a set for my wifes CRV. I paid $750 installed minus the $50 rebate. I just sold my x-ice tires. I would never buy them again. Just my 2c

Matt

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I got two sets of these Toyo GSI-5's. One for the wifey's Golf and one for mine. Had them mounted on steel wheels. Paid about the same as you did. Already got the 2 rebate checks.($60/set). Only had 2 runs on snow so far but they seem pretty good. Not that noisey at highway speeds.

Volvo uses Gislaved's, awesome winter tires that are mounted on all the cars in my driveway. Between 85-130 a tire depending on size.

I have had both the Nokian Hakka R's and the Michelin X-Ice Xi2. I ran the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R for one complete season and then the following year I ran the Micheline X-Ice Xi2. I prefer the Michelin myself even though the Nokian are supposed to be the "best". I found the Nokian to be fantastic in the snow but not so great on black ice and slush. No tire is super in the these conditions but in my experience, the Michelin's were better for the area that I drive in (South Western Ontario). Hope this helps!

Too add: My X-Ice IIs were free and included with the car, so I can't compare them to any other winter tire.

hakka pros and cons.

Ookpic said:

I have had both the Nokian Hakka R's and the Michelin X-Ice Xi2. I ran the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R for one complete season and then the following year I ran the Micheline X-Ice Xi2. I prefer the Michelin myself even though the Nokian are supposed to be the "best". I found the Nokian to be fantastic in the snow but not so great on black ice and slush. No tire is super in the these conditions but in my experience, the Michelin's were better for the area that I drive in (South Western Ontario). Hope this helps!

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i run hwy 2, 19, 59, 401, 403, 404, 407, and qew all winter. hakka's excelled in winter highway cold, mild, dry, wet, lane change, drift, ice, all braking, and ploughed to unploughed cond not to mention noise and fuel econ. never let me down. city slush on the otherhand...just like all of my other snows...hit or miss.