Michelin tires at Sam Club; XLT AS?

[shadowmaker]

Sams has Michelin XLT AS tires instead of defender LTX M/S. They look almost identical.

From what I can gather, they are exclusive to Sams/Costco and are about $60 cheaper. They also give you the rebate instead of having to wait on it.

But I cant find any reviews on them, everything is 3+ years old. Michelins are backed by any authorized dealer but cant get an answer if these are or if they have to go back to Sams.

Any body have any experience with them?

 

[rihavens]

I've seen it both ways. A tire can look the same as another and be built completely differently inside, and a tire can look identical and be the exact same tire with a different name. We build two different tires that have the same everything but one is double the price with a more marketable name on it. OEM tires, though, they'll add extra rubber to the tire under a special DOT code and ONLY sell it to the manufacturer. The manufacturer, therefore, ensures that their vehicle will NEVER ride as well as it did on the first set of tires (mind as well get a different one!)

Anyway, no telling what the difference is. I know of a certain store that is famous for pressuring manufacturers for ways to cut costs and them tires they sell usually are built with fewer materials.

 

[(none)]

For daily driver tires? I wouldn't worry about it. Hard to go wrong with any Michelins in my experience.

 

[philsey]

I drove the LTXs on my 2010 for 20,000 miles before I traded it, and I really like that tire. I wanted to swap them to the 2018, but it was just too (labor) costly.

To me, the retail Michelin (LTX) is a top-line premium tire, and I buy it for that reason. If the tire is sold for $60 less, my Spidey-sense tells me there has to be a reason. It may be negligible, but it may not be too.

You might learn from michelin.com or call and talk to a Michelin CS person. I'd be surprised if they reveal much.

I'd also be surprised to find a tire dealer that supports a Costco-specific tire. Personally, I am 100% satisfied with Discount Tire. Last week they repaired (nail) my OEM tire for free.

EDIT: Couple afterthoughts:
- I'd price the Costcos, and see if a tire store will price-match, can't hurt.
- Don't know what size you'll choose, but I've read many times Costco/Sam's/etc will not mount anything but oem-size.

 

[chester4Run]

I'd also be surprised to find a tire dealer that supports a Costco-specific tire. Personally, I am 100% satisfied with Discount Tire. Last week they repaired (nail) my OEM tire for free.

EDIT: Couple afterthoughts:
- I'd price the Costcos, and see if a tire store will price-match, can't hurt.
- Don't know what size you'll choose, but I've read many times Costco/Sam's/etc will not mount anything but oem-size.

I echo your praise for Discount Tire. I've used them for the last few sets I bought and had great experience with them, even when one set wore out prematurely and took unrepairable damage...they warranted them and applied the remainder to a new set.

I have had Sams mount oversized tires. They were a pain about it and made me sign a bunch of paperwork stating that I knew the tires were oversized, but they did it. Discount Tire gave me no such issues and were even willing to switch sizes around if they rubbed.

 

[enyce]

Sams has Michelin XLT AS tires instead of defender LTX M/S. They look almost identical.

From what I can gather, they are exclusive to Sams/Costco and are about $60 cheaper. They also give you the rebate instead of having to wait on it.

But I cant find any reviews on them, everything is 3+ years old. Michelins are backed by any authorized dealer but cant get an answer if these are or if they have to go back to Sams.

Any body have any experience with them?

If you are strongly interested in the tires, check the DOT numbers.

Sometimes the deal is too good to true...

 

[BaddaBing]

Sams has Michelin XLT AS tires instead of defender LTX M/S. They look almost identical.

From what I can gather, they are exclusive to Sams/Costco and are about $60 cheaper. They also give you the rebate instead of having to wait on it.

But I cant find any reviews on them, everything is 3+ years old. Michelins are backed by any authorized dealer but cant get an answer if these are or if they have to go back to Sams.

Any body have any experience with them?

Michelin LTX is a great all season tire with a good warranty. Sams has horrible service and the techs, on average, are undertrained. I agree with other members, go to Discount tire and they will match price. Better service, free rotation and much quicker when you do need service. I know from experience. I will never buy tires from Sams club again.

Good luck

 

[philsey]

Michelin LTX is a great all season tire with a good warranty. Sams has horrible service and the techs, on average, are undertrained. I agree with other members, go to Discount tire and they will match price. Better service, free rotation and much quicker when you do need service. I know from experience. I will never buy tires from Sams club again.

Good luck

I was just re-reading some of these posts ... and reflecting on why I was so impressed with DT ... I watched the techs at work ... before mounting my new tires the tech took a power wire wheel to both wheel rim edges and cleaned them thoroughly (good PM) .... and GASP! they installed them with a TQ wrench ... by hand. Also free rotation and rebalancing every 5k. Knowledgeable people, great service ... I'll pay for this. Tires and brakes - nothing more important.

 

[shadowmaker]

To me, the retail Michelin (LTX) is a top-line premium tire, and I buy it for that reason. If the tire is sold for $60 less, my Spidey-sense tells me there has to be a reason. It may be negligible, but it may not be too.

My spidey-sense went off on this as well. I waste more than $60 on useless crap, not willing to take a chance on tires.

Michelin LTX is a great all season tire with a good warranty. Sams has horrible service and the techs, on average, are undertrained. I agree with other members, go to Discount tire and they will match price. Better service, free rotation and much quicker when you do need service. I know from experience. I will never buy tires from Sams club again.

Good luck

We bought tires at Sams one time and just reading this reminded me of why it was only one time. Those guys in our Sams just didnt seem to care or know what they were doing.

 

[shadowmaker]

I called DT and they matched Sams on the BFG. BUT between the price and the wet traction concerns; this is my wife's daily, I just didnt want to risk her safety. Maybe the traction is an issue, maybe its not but I didnt want to risk it. If it was my daily, I probably would have went this route.

I wanted the Cooper AT3 or the ATP but DT had neither in stock. I really wanted to buy from DT but I needed tires and a local tire shop had Mastercraft ATX, which is made by cooper and looks alot like the AT3 or the ATP. My dad had them on his truck and he really liked them.

So far, they ride very well. At $115 a tire, I figured I would roll the dice and see how they do.

 

[LandCruiser]

Buy them from Costco, mount elsewhere.

Costco wouldn't touch my 4Runner with Spidertrax and refused to mount tires without TPMS sensors.