Uneasy/Second thoughts about Michelin Pilot Alpin 5... return it or not?

[Flower Power]

I have just made a great buy on Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 235/55 r17 103V EL winter tires. (For Summer use I have Michelin Latitude Cross, a very mild AT Summer tire and love them.) I have measured the tread depth on Alpins 5 and it is less than 8 mm new. Maybe 7.6 - 7.7mm. In Austria, only 2 kms from my house, by law, the winter tire is NO longer seen as a winter tire if grooves are below 4 mm deep and that law is from Nov.1st to April 15th. In Germany, where I live and the van is registered laws are more forgiving... 2 mm will still be OK.

But, a big but, I drive almost everyday on Austrian mountain roads going to the stores, vet, haircut, seeing friends, crossing to Italy, Switzerland, etc. The new (!) Alpins will give me only 3.5 mm use. Not much for an expensive tire. I probably need to return them back to Amazon. Should get something more long lived/solid.... eyeing a half the price Kumho Wintercraft 52+ Or should I try another premium brand?

I am aware of the weight of the Cali and the need for a strong sidewall if one wants to have better handling. I do not want soft and "comfortable" (read squishy) handling. What do you think? Keep and try Alpin 5 after all or not?

 

[vbk1975]

I have just made a great buy on Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 235/55 r17 103V EL winter tires. (For Summer use I have Michelin Latitude Cross, a very mild AT Summer tire and love them.) I have measured the tread depth on Alpins 5 and it is less than 8 mm new. Maybe 7.6 - 7.7mm. In Austria, only 2 kms from my house, by law, the winter tire is NO longer seen as a winter tire if grooves are below 4 mm deep and that law is from Nov.1st to April 15th. In Germany, where I live and the van is registered laws are more forgiving... 2 mm will still be OK.

But, a big but, I drive almost everyday on Austrian mountain roads going to the stores, vet, haircut, seeing friends, crossing to Italy, Switzerland, etc. The new (!) Alpins will give me only 3.5 mm use. Not much for an expensive tire. I probably need to return them back to Amazon. Should get something more long lived/solid.... eyeing a half the price Kumho Wintercraft 52+ Or should I try another premium brand?

I am aware of the weight of the Cali and the need for a strong sidewall if one wants to have better handling. I do not want soft and "comfortable" (read squishy) handling. What do you think? Keep and try Alpin 5 after all or not?

The trend is for the latest modern tyres to have less tread to start with but be made with much more durable & quality materials that remain far more consistent as they wear.

It feels counter intuitive but various emissions laws, wear and pollution laws are kicking in and as result the tyre companies are changing their constructions / materials also driven by various new safety regs that require tyre performance to be maintained as they wear down.

The tyres should have a data sheet and it it might be worth looking at the declared wear rates and not just the starting depth before you decide to swap them out, i can absolutely see you view point, I personally run all season 3 peak tyres and swap them out at 4mm, which some people will just think it crazy waste but that is what i feel happy to do.

 

[Flower Power]

You are bringing a good point, Michelin assures as well that the performance of this tire stays high even as they are wearing down. But Polizei and Insurance company might not know that... Four tires with mounting will set me back about 800 euros. Two winters of use and they might be down to 4mm.. I think that I will take another option. Something like mentioned and well rated Kumho for less that 100 a tire, deeper grooves and 3, maybe four winters of use.

 

[pchmlk]

That's a lot of haircuts.

 

[RedWhiteMonkey]

I'm based in Germany as well but probably don't drive as many winter roads as you by the sounds of it. We changed to Michelin Aglis at the start of the year and I'm really impressed with them. I couldn't be bothered with the twice yearly saga of changing tyres anymore.

 

[Alexlex85]

I would get them fitted and rotate them back to front to manage the wear. Either way i wouldnt expect a different tyre to give you twice the service life.

Alternatively you could consider swamper style wheel& tyre combo.

 

[Flower Power]

That's a lot of haircuts.

Oh yeh, but at 10 euros each I can afford it once a week and before major holidays. Saving hot water cost and electricity to blow dry at home.

 

[Flower Power]

The tires went on this afternoon. While at the shop I measured 5 different winter tires waiting to be mounted on different cars. They all were 8mm new, so Michelin with slightly lower measurements is not so off. I do not know why but I had in mind that new tires come usually with 10 to 12mm deep groves. I guess not. That was validating the Michelin choice. Had no time yet to evaluate how they feel on road. Thanks for previous comments.

 

[chockswahay]

The tires went on this afternoon. While at the shop I measured 5 different winter tires waiting to be mounted on different cars. They all were 8mm new, so Michelin with slightly lower measurements is not so off. I do not know why but I had in mind that new tires come usually with 10 to 12mm deep groves. I guess not. That was validating the Michelin choice. Had no time yet to evaluate how they feel on road. Thanks for previous comments.

I have no experience of the tyres you have fitted but as it happens I had similar concerns when I had Michelin Cross Climate 2's fitted. They also only had about 7mm when new. After nearly 15000 miles they still had 5mm so wear seems very reasonable. In the UK the all season tyres do most of what 'we' need and still allow driving in snow conditions when abroad (like Iceland this year in April, they worked really well).

Hopefully you can now be free of 'Buyers Remorse' and enjoy those trips to the barber

 

[Black Forest]

Germany also here and we are into a second season of Dunlop Sport something or other winter tyres....

If you got a good deal on them and I see you have them fitted, carry on. There will be another great deal somewhere in 2 years / 3 years time I guess....