Trying To Decide Between Michelins Or Continental

[Rick G.]

I want to replace the OEM Dunlops on my new to me (bought in November) 2022 SR5 Premium 4WD.

I'm trying to decide between the Michelin ATX A/T2 in SL (Standard Load) rating, or the Continental Terrain Contact A/T in the SL (Standard Load) rating.

I'm sticking with the stock size: 265/70 R17.

I won't be going on rough off-roading. Mainly expressway / highway driving, city, country roads, and some gravel roads occasionally. I'm thinking I don't need the heavier "E" rated for my expected type of driving.

I'd like to hear from anyone who's running either one of these two brands of A/T tires, as to how you like them, or anything bad to say about either brand.

A couple of my big concerns would be- handling in the rain / wet roads, and the propensity of either one of these tires to retain small stones, pebbles, or gravel in their treads after driving an unpaved dirt / gravel road.

Whichever brand I ultimately decide to go with, they will be purchased from my local Discount Tire dealer.

Thanks for reading.

 

[premise]

Michelin sweats the details like no other. Michelin all the way! All tire companies have duds, but your chances are better w/ Michelin, from my experience.

 

[Humble Leader]

michelin defender LTX M+S is a better overall daily driver than the ATX

I've offroaded with my defenders and even my XICE winter tires which are michelin as well. they both handle mud, snow and rain just fine with the winters being much better in extreme cold

for your use case the defenders will be a better tire

 

[fkheath]

I have BFG KO2 tires, but they are probably overkill for your type of driving. BFG are made by Michelin, so they generally have the same quality. There are other BFG tires that are not as an aggressive as the KO2 tread that may also work well.

 

[premise]

I have BFG KO2 tires, but they are probably overkill for your type of driving. BFG are made by Michelin, so they generally have the same quality. There are other BFG tires that are not as an aggressive as the KO2 tread that may also work well.

Yes, Michelin bought BFG and Uniroyal many years ago to round out its portfolio. And there has been technology sharing across the 3, mostly downhill from Michelin to the other 2. Some BFG models at least were designed at MARC (Greenville, SC). About 25 years ago there were big deltas between the 3 makes in terms of overall performance, but how narrow the gap is now I don't know. It is amazing how many things are considered in tire design, and Michelin usually reserves its top technology for itself, until it becomes counterproductive to continue doing so. The C3M process is an example of a technology originating w/ Michelin, and maybe eventually filtering down to the other 2. They may have even licensed this technology to Pirelli I think, but don't quote me lol.

 

[Ripper238]

Out of those 2 options I would lean toward Continental for a better all around tire for the 4R. Not that Michelin is bad (had them on my Expedition), just that they make better car tires and the side walls tend to be thin.

I personally wouldn't buy Michelin except for there super sports for a car.

 

[curmudge1]

Another vote for the Michelin LTX M+S

On my 2nd set of the Michelin LTX M+S on my 2012 TE 4R.
I like the ride, & no problems in snow, & they last a long time.
My $.02.

michelin defender LTX M+S is a better overall daily driver than the ATX

I've offroaded with my defenders and even my XICE winter tires which are michelin as well. they both handle mud, snow and rain just fine with the winters being much better in extreme cold

for your use case the defenders will be a better tire

 

[Yamahamer]

I had Michelin LTX A/T2 tires, stock size, installed on my 4Runner as soon as I bought it. No idea of the difference between Michelin ATX and LTX tires...but my LTX Michelins have been excellent. They DO pick up gravel/pebbles; I can hear them coming off the front tires and pinging off the running boards. Which is one of the main reasons I have running boards - to protect the rocker panels.

 

[Centrifugal]

I have been running Michelin LTX A/T2 tires, SL in stock size for over 80,000 miles with still plenty of tread left. They do pick up small pebbles when off-road but they fling off once you hit the pavement at speed. They work well on wet or dry pavement, balance well, get good traction aired down in deep sand and moderate rocks. Pretty quiet on pavement. I have no real complaints. I have been researching other tire brands for my next set this year but the reviews and test results point out all the flaws in them. Like noisy on pavement, hard to balance, bad traction when wet, tread wears out too fast, etc.
So I’ll probably get another set of Michelin LTX A/T2 tires.

 

[djeepin]

Continental has beefier side walls than Michelin. it may be same thickness, but Michelin more flexible. That's what I feel compare used tires at local tire shop.

 

[mbm112]

For that kind of driving, go for the LTX M/2 (or the new M/S3). It’s a better all around tire.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

They are both pretty close on paper. The Continentals are rated for better wear, and come in a lot cheaper, at least on tirerack. I have Continentals on three of my vehicles (not the ones you are asking about though) and have nothing but good things to say about the brand. I doubt you'd notice much difference.

 

[Rick G.]

Alrighty. I appreciate everyone’s time and input. Thank you!

 

[RAVL 2016]

You will not go wrong either way. Have had Continentals and Michelins on many cars and they are both very solid. Personally, it is probably more important that you get a tire suited to your local climate and where you drive than focus too much on the brand in this instance, given again how good they both are.

I might also add Bridgestone into the comparison as well and just see what is the better deal or on special.

 

[GNB]

I want to replace the OEM Dunlops on my new to me (bought in November) 2022 SR5 Premium 4WD.

I'm trying to decide between the Michelin ATX A/T2 in SL (Standard Load) rating, or the Continental Terrain Contact A/T in the SL (Standard Load) rating.

I'm sticking with the stock size: 265/70 R17.

I won't be going on rough off-roading. Mainly expressway / highway driving, city, country roads, and some gravel roads occasionally. I'm thinking I don't need the heavier "E" rated for my expected type of driving. Most of my driving is city and highway- the Continentals have been exceptional for me.

I'd like to hear from anyone who's running either one of these two brands of A/T tires, as to how you like them, or anything bad to say about either brand.

A couple of my big concerns would be- handling in the rain / wet roads, and the propensity of either one of these tires to retain small stones, pebbles, or gravel in their treads after driving an unpaved dirt / gravel road.

Whichever brand I ultimately decide to go with, they will be purchased from my local Discount Tire dealer.

Thanks for reading.

I have the Continental A/T All Terrain Contacts on my 2015 TRD Pro , and so far have 45K miles on them with 5/32 tread depth remaining. No way I will get more than 50K miles from the Continentals, with wear being very even across all four tires.

I live in Houston, so not much ice or snow LOL. But lots of rain . For me, the number one criteria for a tire is wet road performance.

The tires are outstanding comfort wise, and hold the road very well in rain.

I am pleased with the tires, and the fact they are A/T tires can go off road. I don't do rock climbing, so the Continentals are fine for all my use.

I will be replacing my tires soon, and most likely will replace with the exact same Continental tires.

 

[AaronBock]

I have the Continental TerrainContact A/T on mine and haven't had any issues with them. I went with those at the time cause they were slightly cheaper and had a lot of reviews which were all good. But I'm sure Michelin will be just as good if not better.

 

[Rick G.]

Well you guys are going to shoot me. After all this, I went off on a different tangent. My sales guy at Discount Tire realized I wasn’t happy with the prices.

He said let me show you something. We went out to the parking lot, he wanted to show me his FJ Cruiser. He had SUMITOMO ENCOUNTER AT tires on it, SL Standard Load rating. He asked me what I thought about these.

They looked great to me, a mildly aggressive, “trucky” looking tread pattern. I asked him how they rode.

He said let’s take it for a drive and you tell me. He let me drive the FJ. I was able to get up to 55 MPH briefly. They felt fine to me.

We got back and I thanked him and told him I wanted to think about it, go home and read up on these SUMITOMOs.

I found the write ups and reviews on their ENCOUNTER AT tire to be within palatable and acceptable parameters. I learned that SUMITOMO is a Japanese company, with manufacturing plants in Japan, Thailand, China, and the USA.

I was really surprised to also learn that SUMITOMO Tire and Rubber Company owns FALKEN Tire.

A couple days later I went back to see my Discount Tire guy. I told him I’d like to pull the trigger on a set of these SUMITOMOs, under one condition- I didn’t want any tires from the China plant. He said they would have no control over that. He also didn’t have the SUMITOMOs in stock, but could have them here the next day.

He said he can order them in and we could check the tire sidewalls to see where they were made, and that I wouldn’t have to take them if they were labeled China.

But then I also told him I didn’t want any “old” tires that had been sitting in a warehouse for the last 5 years. Lol. He said no we wouldn’t do that. He assured me that they should be no older than 6 months old on the DOT date code stamps. So I said OK let’s do it.

Well they came in the very next day as he promised, but turns out I couldn’t make it next day, so I went in the day after. We inspected the tires together. All 4 tires, stamped in the sidewall Made in Thailand. Ok so far. Next check DOT date codes. All 4 tires stamped from just this past November, 2023. Good enough for me, they hadn’t sat anywhere long at all. Yippee! lol.

So, I went from dreaming of CONTINENTALs and MICHELINs to SUMITOMOs. Lol.

I got the factory stock size, 265/70 R17s, in the SL (Standard Load) rating.

So far I am very happy with them. They look cool, without being overkill aggressive in the looks dept., and ride and drive great. So far, I’ve had them up to 85 MPH for a stretch of road on the expressway, (in a 65 MPH speed limit area) Lol! Smooth and solid.

The tire shop has my PSI set at 38 PSI. Max for these SLs is 51 PSI. I don’t know if I’ll even try messing with the PSI. Feels good right where they’re at. I guess if ain’t broke don’t fix it. lol. My Discount Tire guy told me to come in for rotation and balancing every 5,000 miles.

The price on the SUMITOMOs- $193.00 / tire = $772.00, plus installation, and tax.

Other than that, I got to test drive a FJ Cruiser for the first time ever. It was OK, but I’m partial to 4RUNNERS. I was surprised to learn that Toyota isn’t making FJs any more. I never paid them any attention. Didn’t realize it! Duh-Oh!

Well wish me luck with these SUMITOMOs. I got something more in my price range while still being a major brand name.

I tried to post pictures here of my new tires on my 4RUNNER, but the board won’t let me post them. Not sure what’s up with that?

 

[fkheath]

Well you guys are going to shoot me.

I got the factory stock size, 265/70 R17s, in the SL (Standard Load) rating.


The tire shop has my PSI set at 38 PSI. Max for these SLs is 51 PSI. I don’t know if I’ll even try messing with the PSI. Feels good right where they’re at. I guess if ain’t broke don’t fix it. lol. My Discount Tire guy told me to come in for rotation and balancing every 5,000 miles.

The price on the SUMITOMOs- $193.00 / tire = $772.00, plus installation, and tax.

Other than that, I got to test drive a FJ Cruiser for the first time ever. It was OK, but I’m partial to 4RUNNERS. I was surprised to learn that Toyota isn’t making FJs any more. I never paid them any attention. Didn’t realize it! Duh-Oh!

I tried to post pictures here of my new tires on my 4RUNNER, but the board won’t let me post them. Not sure what’s up with that?

1. Glad you are happy with them. Enjoy. We won't shoot you if you are happy. We might shoot you to put you out of your misery if you are not happy. LOL

2. This forum has very strict size limitations on picture sizes, only a few KB. You have to crop and reduce the resolution significantly to get them to meet the limitations.

3. They stopped importing the FJ to the US in 2014. Actually the FJ had the same running gear and suspension as the 4Runner at that time, just a different body.

4. I go by the tire pressure shown on the drivers door jam for my KO2s. Works for me. I never air them down going off road; too much of a hassle to carry a compressor big enough to inflate all four tires in a reasonable time. The 4Runner actually has a better ride off road than the Wranglers or Cherokee that I once owned.

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

It's funny with tires. Sometimes it takes a few years to know how good they are, sometimes they suck right out of the gate. I loved the Pirelli tires I put on my Z28 until they turned rock hard two years later. You just never know. Once you find something you like, it gets discontinued. It's always a tough decision.

 

[02SE]

Well you guys are going to shoot me. After all this, I went off on a different tangent. My sales guy at Discount Tire realized I wasn’t happy with the prices.

He said let me show you something. We went out to the parking lot, he wanted to show me his FJ Cruiser. He had SUMITOMO ENCOUNTER AT tires on it, SL Standard Load rating. He asked me what I thought about these.

They looked great to me, a mildly aggressive, “trucky” looking tread pattern. I asked him how they rode.

He said let’s take it for a drive and you tell me. He let me drive the FJ. I was able to get up to 55 MPH briefly. They felt fine to me.

We got back and I thanked him and told him I wanted to think about it, go home and read up on these SUMITOMOs.

I found the write ups and reviews on their ENCOUNTER AT tire to be within palatable and acceptable parameters. I learned that SUMITOMO is a Japanese company, with manufacturing plants in Japan, Thailand, China, and the USA.

I was really surprised to also learn that SUMITOMO Tire and Rubber Company owns FALKEN Tire.

A couple days later I went back to see my Discount Tire guy. I told him I’d like to pull the trigger on a set of these SUMITOMOs, under one condition- I didn’t want any tires from the China plant. He said they would have no control over that. He also didn’t have the SUMITOMOs in stock, but could have them here the next day.

He said he can order them in and we could check the tire sidewalls to see where they were made, and that I wouldn’t have to take them if they were labeled China.

But then I also told him I didn’t want any “old” tires that had been sitting in a warehouse for the last 5 years. Lol. He said no we wouldn’t do that. He assured me that they should be no older than 6 months old on the DOT date code stamps. So I said OK let’s do it.

Well they came in the very next day as he promised, but turns out I couldn’t make it next day, so I went in the day after. We inspected the tires together. All 4 tires, stamped in the sidewall Made in Thailand. Ok so far. Next check DOT date codes. All 4 tires stamped from just this past November, 2023. Good enough for me, they hadn’t sat anywhere long at all. Yippee! lol.

So, I went from dreaming of CONTINENTALs and MICHELINs to SUMITOMOs. Lol.

I got the factory stock size, 265/70 R17s, in the SL (Standard Load) rating.

So far I am very happy with them. They look cool, without being overkill aggressive in the looks dept., and ride and drive great. So far, I’ve had them up to 85 MPH for a stretch of road on the expressway, (in a 65 MPH speed limit area) Lol! Smooth and solid.

The tire shop has my PSI set at 38 PSI. Max for these SLs is 51 PSI. I don’t know if I’ll even try messing with the PSI. Feels good right where they’re at. I guess if ain’t broke don’t fix it. lol. My Discount Tire guy told me to come in for rotation and balancing every 5,000 miles.

The price on the SUMITOMOs- $193.00 / tire = $772.00, plus installation, and tax.

Other than that, I got to test drive a FJ Cruiser for the first time ever. It was OK, but I’m partial to 4RUNNERS. I was surprised to learn that Toyota isn’t making FJs any more. I never paid them any attention. Didn’t realize it! Duh-Oh!

Well wish me luck with these SUMITOMOs. I got something more in my price range while still being a major brand name.

I tried to post pictures here of my new tires on my 4RUNNER, but the board won’t let me post them. Not sure what’s up with that?

Sumitomo has been around a long time. They also make the seriously overpriced 'Open Range' line of tires, for Les Schwab.