Final Update!
Time to bring this thread to a close
It ended up taking longer than I expected and these tires are no longer a "new" design, but I can't just leave the ending open lol
Had the new tires fitted yesterday. If you don't want to read any further about my thoughts, opinions, and if I would recommend these tires; just know I did in fact replace them with another set of A/S 3+
Final Stats
Miles on tires - 35,199
Avg Front Tread Depth 3/32
Avg Rear Tread Depth 4/32
Number of Patches - 2 (on the same tire)
Number of Flats - 0
So, clearly I enjoyed them enough to purchase another set and here are my top 3 (anecdotal) reasons for doing so.
1. Performance.
Hands down best UHP all-season I've tried. I never seemed to run out of grip, even on my last day with them the cornering ability was fantastic. I also had more than a couple emergent braking situations over the life of these tires and I never heard a single screech with my foot planted to the floor.
2. Wear.
Not for their longevity, but for how evenly they wore. I've never had a tire wear so evenly before. I know that alignment is a big part of that, but to be so perfectly worn in terms of depth and absolute lack of any signs of feathering or other abnormalities I found impressive.
I actually didn't even get an alignment when I had the new set installed yesterday (I know it's sacrilegious). I've never done that before, but I plan to watch them really close for the first few thousand miles with frequent depth checks just to make sure and if I notice anything weird I'll be able to get it aligned before any real damage is done.
3. Value
At least in the 225/45/r17 version they are super affordable. The performance at this price point is ridiculous. I bought the new set from Discount Tire Direct. They had a $50 off special and Michelin had a $70 rebate. Total price was $468 all in.
Overall they're great!
Not the softest (re; comfortable), the most quiet, or the longest lasting, but their ability to excel at exactly what they were designed to do is 2nd to none. The Golf is by no stretch a "sports car", but it is undoubtedly fun to drive and handles really great for what it is.
To have a tire that can handle the wet and cold with ease and also confidently rip up the curvy back roads in the summer (faster than I should probably go on public roads) is what really made me a fan boy
Don't hesitate to try them out if this category of tire is something you are considering.
Anyway. Thanks for reading and hanging in there until the end lol (Sorry it took so long).
Here's to the next 40k miles.....I think I can make it this time
Cheers!