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The recent Tire Rack tire article came out just in time for me. My car had worn out, mismatched tires when I bought it in January. I've been planning to buy new tires before the wet season starts. This year is supposed to be very wet, and everyone knows SoCal and water do not mix. :D

I was leaning towards the Yokohama dB Super E-Specs because of higher lateral grip. I wanted to reduce rolling resistance while increasing grip. Last night I put in an order for the Michelin Energy Saver A/S. The rolling resistance was the lowest of the test bunch while handling was near the top. They also are quite a bit less expensive than the Yoko's, partly because of the current Michelin rebate.

I'll weigh one of the stock wheels before the tires are mounted just so I know what the wheel weight actually is. I was considering changing the wheels for lighter ones, but Manuel reported the stock weight to be 12 pounds which is light enough for me.

There are many inflation threads on the forum, but I saw one reference by Wayne to the "under pressure" article. I can't find that article. Where is it?

I bought my tires through Costco and they use nitrogen to fill. I'll try to get them to inflate the tires to my specs, but I have a feeling they will be resistant to go above placard. SO, does anyone have experience with adding compressed air to the nitrogen fill? Are there any issues to be aware of? Should I just bleed off the nitrogen and refill with air?

Thanks!
:Banane35:

Here's the Under pressure article: http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11652

As for filling with Nitrogen, it has no benefit for auto tires that we've been able to discern. Some places claim that nitrogen "leaks" out of the tire slower than "normal" air... completely ignoring the fact that

The air is mostly nitrogen to begin with and
if nitrogen does leak more slowly then you'd have ever smaller percentages of other gases every time you filled the tires.


I hope that helps!

Often when things are foisted on you, the most expedient course is to just carry on. I think nitrogen fill is a bit of a foist. I would just let them do their thing, likely putting the air pressure on the manufacturer's guideline, then roll 'round the corner to your local gas station and set things right. I would not worry about the nitrogen that's in there, getting diluted with regular air, etc: no big deal.

As Sean says, ordinary air is 4/5 nitrogen, so not a a lot of difference. You could also ditch the green valve caps if you like.

Oh, and please let us know how they work out, of course ;)

how does the weight of this tire compare to oem, and when did it last snow in lakewood?

According to TireRack, both Bridgestone Insignia SE200-02 (one OEM Honda used) and Michelin Energy Saver A/S are 18 lb. That's in 195/65R15. Dunno about snow in Lakewood.

Tire weight should be within a pound of stock. My car had Dunlop SP-31 tires stock (I think) because there are 2 of those still on the car. I can weigh a tire before it's mounted, but I expect it to be 18 or 19 pounds.

I don't think I mentioned anything about snow. It is an El Nino year and driving in LA gets dicey when it's wet. Anyway, there is snow in the mountains an hour away, so having summer tires means I could not drive this car to the mountains in the winter.

I had the tires mounted on Saturday. I haven't given them much of a shakedown yet. I did notice that on the freeway (grooved concrete) there is occasional squirrelyness. I couldn't see anything funky about the surface, but I felt the rear of the car moving side to side. It made me wonder if the lug bolts were all tight, but I haven't checked yet.

I think I've heard of new tires needing some miles to "wear in". Not sure if this behavior relates to that phenomenon.

The tires were only inflated to 37 despite the ticket being marked with inflate to sidewall. I pumped them up more last night, but I'm running much lower pressures than many others on this forum. I haven't read all the pressure posts yet and I want to see how the car handles at 45 before going higher.

So far I am happy with the FE. When I paid more attention to the IFCD yesterday afternoon (in the morning I was hurrying), I was able to keep the gauge in the top quarter of the range relatively easy. And the inflation at that point was lower than the old tires were.

After a couple of tanks with these tires I'll post my MPG. My data won't be that useful because the driving conditions are not well controlled. My wife mainly drives the car and she does mostly city driving without paying much attention to the IFCD. I rarely drive the car and when I do it's mostly highway. It might be hard to pick out the tire factor from the gas and mileage log.

I'll keep my green valve caps because it makes me feel more green. :D

I did a couple of braking and handling tests last night. This is with 45PSI. These tires have good grip! I could brake really hard without engaging the ABS. The tires turn in good and hold well without squealing.

My previous experience with Michelins has left me wanting more. My Volvo 940 turbo wagon had MXV4s when I bought it. Those tires screamed and slid through many turns. I put on Kumho Ecsta ASX and was much happier. My truck came with LTX M/S and they also screamed through turns. I now have Goodyear Wranglers on the front (I got them almost free) and the truck can corner much faster than it did with the Michelins.

I'm still reading other posts about tire pressure before I decide to inflate the tires higher. My wife has no feel for what the car or tires are doing at any given moment. So I do not want to set the car up in a way that she has to plan stops or turns. Because that will just result in a crash.:eek:

Cheers!

Ian, how have those Michelin's been for you? Have you found them to be comparable to the OEM Dunlops or better?

Jess

I inflated my tires (excuse me, tyres) to 40 psi the other day after reading the article on air pressure and the effect on fuel mileage. I have not had the cahones to go up to 45 psi.
I will be checking the wear on them over the next couple of months. Yes, it is raining quite a bit here in So. Cal., so wet grip is important (now that the 2 years worth of road grit and oil have been washed away).

I have not had the cahones to go up to 45 psi.

No worries. I ran mine at 44psi for a year or so and then bumped it to 50psi and then finally 60psi. I have over 41k on them and I noticed more of an increase in FE when I bumped them to 60psi than at 50psi.

I look forward to hearing from your experience with them. I may have another 10k on mine and am seriously considering the Michelin's.

Jess

I realize this is an oldish thread, but I just got a set of A/Ses
onto my Prius. Here's a page (http://techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/tires/) about the swap. So far they're
doing really well, although it's winter and once spring hits
and they've got more miles on them we'll really see. So far
so good in the snow, too. That's what the "A/S" is supposed to
indicate...
.
_H*

Very nice Hobbit! I have to stop looking into these or I'm going to run out and buy some before I really need them. :D

Jess

I just bought a set of the Energy Savers from Tire Rack. They've been reduced from 112.00 to 99.00ea, plus you can get a 70.00 rebate on them.

Jess

I got my Energy Savers today! :woot:

My Dunlops have 4/32 of tread left and part of me wants to get what I can out of them... but the other part of me is just itching to get those Michelin's on! :D

Jess

Keep us posted, Jess. I predict you will crack soon... ;)

Ok guys. I need some peace of mind. I'm going to get the Energy Savers installed, but I can't for the next week or 2. Currently, I have them in a shed against the house. They're lying horizontally on cardboard, stacked 4 high. The temps have been on the cool side, upper 20F's /lower 30's in the evening and 40F's and 50's during the day.

They've already been in there for a week. Do you think they will be okay for a another week or 2?

Everything I read says that have to be in a cool, dry place w/o extreme temps and they should be covered. I'm considering putting each of them in a large garbage bag and/or bringing them in the house. I know my wife will have an issue w/ it, but for as much as they cost, I'm sure she can deal w/ it.

Any thoughts?

Thank you!

Jess

I don't think you have anything to be concernrd about regarding the temperatures. My only suggestion would be to stand them up on their treads rather than stacking them on their sides. I assume they are being kept dry.

We'll be interested to read your comments once you get them installed. I'm not overly impressed with the OEM Dunlops for traction or cornering. I still enjoy the overall driving experience and safety, with less concern with getting that last .01 mpg from LRR tires.

Cheers,

Roger

Thanks Dream'R,

I've never (knock on wood) experienced any issues w/ my Dunlops other than the fact that they're loud as hell. I'm excited to experience the difference w/ the Michelins. They are supposed to be quieter after all.

I've read comments to have the tires vertical and other comments say horizontal. My thinking was that if they're vertical that gravity would misshape them?

They are nice and dry. I put them in garbage bags to keep them clean. :)

Jess

I've alway got either our snows (on rims) or summer tires in the garage, layed horizontally in a stack. When I got the snows put on the the tire place wrapped the regular wheels in large plastic bags. I retained those, and drape one of those over the stack of tires (and top it with a chunk of carpet and my oil change apparatus), to help keep off the dust, UV, etc.

The whole stack doesn't sit directly on the garage slab: I've put a rubber door mat (you know the kind made from recycled tires, with open weave) under the bottom tire.

Also, once during their duration of being stacked I typically unstacked them, take them inside, clean and wax them, check the tread, etc, so they do get a bit of a breather.

They seem ok. I have seen a Princess Auto item, a pole with spacers for tires, but haven't bothered.

Thanks guys,

I feel better about it now. They're all wrapped in garbage bags to keep them clean.

I wish I had them on now with all the rain we've been getting here lately. There is such a drag with the Dunlops, when I have to drive on wet roads. It will be interesting to feel how much better the Michelins are on them.

Jess

From what I've seen in tire reviews, the Michelin's won't disappoint on wet roads. With only 4/32 left on the Dunlops, you will want to be very careful on wet roads because braking distances are double what they are with full tread. Dry pavement is not an issue for worn tires, but when the road gets a film of water, drive like you're on ice&snow to allow extra room. When it's finally time for the Michelin install, the LRR design means you won't be taking the "new tire bath" on fuel economy, as the A/S with full tread will probably hit the ground running with the same RR as the worn Dunlops.

You're absolutely right MaxxMPG! We've had a lot of wet weather here lately and as soon as the Dunlops hit the wet road it feels like I'm driving through mud. I do try to be extra careful, staying away from puddles and giving myself more of a buffer.

I'm getting the Michelin's installed next week. Can't wait!

Jess

I plan on getting the Energy Savers installed the end of this week. I know they won't put any more air in them beyond the max sidewall, but considering they're new tires, should I be reluctant as well? Is there a break-in period or I should I just go ahead and bump them to 60psi like my Dunlops?

Jess

If you had confidence with the Dunlaps at 60 then I sure would not loose sleep with Michelin tires pressed to 60! They are a cut above most tire out there?
Cheers,
Hal

I ran up my new tires to preferred pressures as soon as I had them installed on both of my cars. I wouldn't worry much.

Thanks guys. No more worries here. ;)

Jess

I finally got the Energy Savers installed this morning. I got them installed at the local Discount Tire up the street. They asked if I was interested in replacing the heavy, ugly wheels on my car? Of course, I said no. I also told him that they aren't heavy and I don't think their ugly either. Needless to say that shut him up. But then he grabbed one of the Energy Savers and said, " you want to put these heavy things on your car?" I said they only weigh a pound more than what I have on there. He said, "boy you really did your research. You must really want to keep the numbers up." "Better believe it, those are the most efficient tires on the market," is all I said back. And then I thought, shouldn't he already know that? :rolleyes:

Regardless of that little banter the experience was good. They had the tires on in less than an hour. They only pressed them to 32psi, so down the street I went to bump them to 60psi.

My first impression? Quiet! I knew the Dunlops were loud, but holy cow! One might question if my car is even on, it's so quiet. Too soon to judge anything else about them really. The mileage hasn't really changed, they steer easier and I can drive through water on the road with ease, is all I have for now. Aside from the mileage, that's probably typical when comparing new tires to old ones.

I just filled up before I put them on so I'll have a whole tank on them. :)

Jess

I got them installed at the local Discount Tire up the street. They asked if I was interested in replacing the heavy, ugly wheels on my car? Of course, I said no. I also told him that they aren't heavy and I don't think their ugly either. Needless to say that shut him up.


Hi Jess;

Amazing isn't it? The local tire guys have exactly the same kind of talk. It almost seems they all went to the same school, does it not? :D

Anyway, my original Dunlops are still going strong and I'm not quite sure when they'll be replaced. They do make quite a bit of noise when they are loaded with rocks, but after cleaning the threads with a rock picker, they can quiet down a bit... but I am sure they'll still be noisier than the Michelins.

I'm sure you're going to be very happy with the Michelins. That is one brand I swear by, and not at. ;)

Cheers;

MSantos

Hi Gang:
Since getting the new control arms installed my HCH2 is very quiet again, even with the Dunlaps. I think I will go Michelin the next time around.
Cheers,
Hal

Amazing isn't it? The local tire guys have exactly the same kind of talk. It almost seems they all went to the same school, does it not?

Yeah, I couldn't tell if he wanted my business or not. :rolleyes:

I did read about the break in period of tires on Tire Rack where they say that steering might actually feel more resistant, but it's quite the opposite with the Energy Savers. Steering is much easier than before. I'm looking forward to them breaking in and seeing what they can really do. :)


Jess

I'm not even halfway through the tank yet, but I have to say these tires really like to roll. The car seems to roll with such ease and effortlessness. I found that I can drive with a much lower TPS and still maintain constant speed. Plus, I have to be sure I coast from further back or I'll come to a red light or behind the car in front of me way too hot. And they're just so quiet and smooth! I am very happy with this purchase. :D

Jess

Hi Jess;

You are really trempting me now ;)

Even though I always thought of myself as a Michelin kind of guy, I was willing to replace my original Dunlops with the same stuff simply because of the LRR factor. Now, I may have to revise my plan and consider the rubber you just got far more seriously. :D

Anyway, do tell us how they're holding out for you especially in matters related to your perception of rolling resistance. If you see them as good or better than the OEM rubber, then they'll be at the top of my list too.

Cheers;

MSantos

You and me both msantos. Sounds real good to me! :D
cheers,
Hal

Hi Harold;

Indeed. I just had a look at the info at Michelin's site and they do list this particular tire as a perfect fit for the HCH-II.

Here are the specs:

http://www.michelinman.ca/overview/energy-saver-a-s/4458.html?sc=TSV

I believe this particular tire to be significantly better than the OEM rubber in many ways, but more importantly, I believe their rolling resistance is at least as good if not better than the OEM rubber.

In my eyes, I see these Michelins more and more as my next set of tires.

Anyhow, I also do not totally dislike the Dunlops especially after I pick the darn rocks from the tire threads. Their RR is pretty low and they do deliver on the things I seek.
The other thing I like about the Dunlops: My local Fountain Tire shops will fix any flat tire or damage on the Dunlops for free as long as they are Dunlops. Interesting, isn't it?

Decisions, decisions. ;)

Cheers;

MSantos

A quick check on the 'Rack shows that they now have the Energy Saver A/S in "my size" (225-50-17), evidently because that is the size used on the FFH. If I didn't have so much life left in my OEM tires, I would have to click [Submit Order] on these babies.

Fortunately, my stock tires are Continental ContiSkid-n-CrashTouring which appear to be LRR on the charts. But I can only wonder how much better I could do with the Michelins. Maybe I should deflate my tires to placard pressure, as that seems to burn them out in 15k miles (according to reviews), while mine have 24k on them and are still at 7/32 measured on my tread gauge.

I have to be sure I coast from further back or I'll come to a red light or behind the car in front of me way too hot.
This was the experience I had, with a loaner Toyota Corolla (during our recent accident repair) that had Bridgestone Insignia SE200 (without the -02). With them you could really roll, it was very satisfying, coasting a long way to red lights, etcetera.

We have the Bridgetone Insignia SE200 (with the -02 suffix), on our HCHII, but even they don't feel quite so freewheeling, not sure why. Maybe due to regen braking? We've got ~4mm remaining on those, which equates to 5~6 thirtyseconds. So, we'll likely go another season with them. One school of thought is that 5 years is the limit, regardless of mileage, due to tires aging.

Anyway, the SE200's sit in the garage while we still roll on our winter tires WRG2's, on steel rims, for a few more weeks. I'm itching to swap back, but holding back, it can snow still, and frosty mornings are still happening.

This Energy Savers do roll much easier than the Dunlops. Everything I read says that new tires don't roll as well as old, worn tires. However, the Energy Savers felt more "free wheeling" from the get-go than the Dunlops did at 4/32 of tread left. The steering also feels freer than before.

I don't what they're made of...but I like it! :D

Jess

I know it's off-topic, but seeing how these tire threads often become a general discussion, Nokian's debuting a new (and first for them?) all-season, the eTyre, touting traction and LRR:

http://www.nokiantires.com/tyre?id=99244&group=1.02&name=Nokian+eNTYRE

Likely still hard to find. In Canada, Kal Tire is one Nokian dealer.

I've been meaning to review my mileage log for the effect of the new tires, but still haven't done it. My guess is that the mileage is at least as good as it was before I switched. My wife drives the car regularly and her daily drive is 3 miles to the Blue Line station. She does not pay ANY attention to the iFCD. :( I can get 50-60MPG in the suburban streets where she gets like 32. I wonder if there is another thread about teaching your Significant Other to pay attention to FE without crashing. :rolleyes:

I can say that I like the handling of these tires. I was very concerned about LRR tires having overly hard tread compound and compromised lateral grip. The tires really grip around corners. I do not hear them squealing like pigs and I have not exceeded their grip level. We are having a wet year in So Cal and the tires hold well in water.

One thing I noticed right away was that the car swerves on the freeway. It feels a little like there is play in the steering, except there isn't any play in the steering. I suspect it may be something in the rear. But I haven't checked the links or bushings yet. I had the rear upper control arms replaced under warranty last summer and the new tires went on in October, so the alignment should be good. Another thing I would like to do is have the alignment checked again.

I'm not really familiar with Honda suspension. Is there any chance that the rear end has developed toe-out?

Kind of a meandering post... Cheers!
:Banane35:

I know this thread is a bit old, but I'm all-of-a-sudden shopping for replacement tires on my 2008 HCH and could use some advice. For a good 3-season tire (with lots of rain), how would the Michelin Energy Saver A/S compare with the Michelin HydroEdge or the Michelin Pilot Exalto? I was reading through earlier threads and found good reports on all three-- I checked out Tire Rack's comparisons, and the HydroEdge scored higher in customer ratings, but the Energy Saver is too new (I guess) to have been reviewed. Any suggestions?

thanks

Philip

I would maybe give the edge to the Hydro Edge for performance driving. I have these on my CR-V and really like them.[HE] they do give off a bit of noise thou.. My next tires for my HCH 2 will be Energy Savers.:Banane26:
cheers;

H

I have about 1300 miles on my Energy Savers. They have not decreased my fuel efficiency at all and I foresee them actually increasing it as they break in more. What I do love about them is how quiet they are!

Jess

thanks, guys; the quiet sounds nice! What about performance in the wet? Do you think the Hydro Edge have anything to offer over the Energy Savers, aside from the name?

Philip

FWIW - Hydroedge and Energy Savers in direct comparison test -
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/chartDisplay.jsp?ttid=121
The Energy Saver seems to have a slightly shorter stopping distance and slightly lower wet cornering g-force. Dry braking and cornering has them in a dead heat.

Wet weather performance is very subjective because the pavement material and condition largely determines how well the car handles. And any oily film on the road surface compounds the problem. That's why I value test charts like the ones in the link above - they use the same cars, same roads, same conditions, and provide raw numbers to examine.

The do well in wet weather, I guess. Haven't had a lot of wet weather lately. Anyway I don't find myself driving more than 40mph on my commutes. Not a lot of performance needed there. :D

Jess

thanks for the feedback, all- and geeze, Maxx, that's a great website! Thanks-- I'd poked around the Tire Rack site and had found basic comparisons, but nothing like those charts. Bookmarks!

Philip

Hi Chris;

This link contains exactly the type of comparison I was looking for. Thanks.
In my books, the Michelin Energy Savers are a no-brainer and one that I would purchase in a heartbeat.

Too bad my original LRR Dunlops still have much of their thread left. At this rate I am likely to keep them forever. :o


Cheers;


MSantos

The Dunlop SP-31s on my '09 Civic were a disappointment. They had 6/32" of center tread at 23,000 miles, but they had developed sidewall cracks and deep tread cracks. I was worried about safety, so based on the Tire Rack test, I bought the Bridgestone Ecopia EP100. It's too early to tell much about them, except that ride and mpg are slightly better.

The tire dealer steered me away from the Michelin Energy Saver, claiming Michelin had not been meeting their treadwear ratings, 480 for the Michelin vs. 400 for Bridgestone. Yes, the salesman could have been misleading me, except the Michelins did cost more.

Regardless, I'm thankful for Tire Rack's testing from Aug 2009. Consumer Reports just tested LRR tires, but only ranked them by braking, handling, etc. Most other Internet information is limited or outdated. I can't wait until the Feds and California release their test results.

Hi All:

From the OP, how is the FE holding up on the swaps in HCH-II's and Prius'?

TIA

Wayne

I have about 1500 to 2000 miles on mine. I'm extremely pleased w/ my Energy Savers. My commute has shortened so it's not as easy to get the mileage I was getting, but anytime I do have to drive across town and back I'm in the upper 60's to lower 70's. And their so very quiet!

Jess

I just ordered mine today. BTW, the $70 rebate has been discontinued. :-(

Thanks for all your previous comments, they were very helpful in helping me reach my decision!

Thanks,

Bob

I haven't had the luck or great experience everyone else has had with these tires. I have a 2008 with 55k.

Using the stock tires I could easily average 46-48mph; however, ever since I mounted the Michelins, I am struggling to break over 40.0!!

My inflation is set to 44 (max) which is also what the OEM max setting was.

I haven't changed my driving style or my routes at all. Could this really be related to the tires or something else? The dealer gave me the typical "I've heard that before, you should stick with the OEM tires instead".

Acceleration is sluggish and my RPMs are significantly higher when accelerating, for example from 60-65. I am actually hitting 4k RPM with the pedal slightly depressed to accelerate.

Please help! Something can't be right. I know I can't be the only one with this problem, or if I am, something must be going on.:confused:

I would take the psi up another 10lbs. with the energy savers. Michelin are a very well made tire, in my estimation. Is there any chance your alignment may be out. Wouldn't hurt to check as your getting up there with the mileage. :) H

I may have to give that a try. The alignment should be okay. I just took it in for scheduled maintenance after the tires were installed and the dealer is really good about performing checks on most aspects of the car.

I took it to the dealer today and they noticed a very small leak on one of the tires where the valve stem connects via o-ring to the TPMS. It isn't significant enough to worry about at the moment. Besides, I just filled the tires this morning to 44 and filled the tank and reset my numbers - they were still dismal.

I will have to check the air filter this weekend to rule out a clogged intake. I have the K&N on there and those can go forever without worry, but maybe something is jammed in there or I just have a large amount of buildup in a short period.

What a bummer. I'm actually considering spending more money to go back to OEM tires.

Try to isolate whether the issue is tires/brakes/bearings/alignment or powertrain related. Get to around 50mph and shift to N and see how the car glides. If something is dragging it down - more than when you had the OEM tires, check wheel bearings, hung brake calipers, or alignment. Confirm that the parking brake assembly isn't stuck "on" even if the parking brake does not appear to be "on" from within the car.
A 17% drop in FE and 4k rpm acceleration at part throttle means something is out of whack, and the Michelin tires don't sound like they're the root cause of the issue.
If the car glides as well as before (or better) in neutral but not in drive, the issue is related to the transmission/final drive and not the tires or other "rolling" components.

if the car doesn't roll as easily from a stop when you take your foot off the brake, its the tires (assuming air pressure is same).

I tried what you suggested Maxx and it is difficult to tell when I shift to Neutral at highway speeds whether or not I decelerate any faster than before; I never really tried that so I don't have anything against which to compare. That said, however, when I tried it, my speed didn't seem to decrease any faster than what I would expect.

I have noticed that gliding is extremely difficult lately. The moment I press the gas pedal to microadjust and balance out the charge/assist my mpg gauge drops from 100. It is very difficult to get it to glide for some reason, whereas previously I could glide all the time.

I don't hear or smell anything, so I could probably rule out a brake rub or parking break issue. A bearing is always possible, but normally that has some amount of roughness or noise associated with it as well.

Please keep trying to help!

I really don't want to leave it over at the dealer while they play with 'what could be' and charge me a ton for labor. Besides, they are so focused on blaming the tires or my driving style they won't listen to anything else. I actually got a lecture about rolling resistance and car-specific OEM tires. He actually admitted to not knowing much about the Energy Savers and was surprised when I told him they were designed for hybrids.

...
I haven't changed my driving style or my routes at all. Could this really be related to the tires or something else? The dealer gave me the typical "I've heard that before, you should stick with the OEM tires instead".

Acceleration is sluggish and my RPMs are significantly higher when accelerating, for example from 60-65. I am actually hitting 4k RPM with the pedal slightly depressed to accelerate.

Please help! Something can't be right. I know I can't be the only one with this problem, or if I am, something must be going on.:confused:

Hi Data_Ranger;

So far and in the absence of more information, I am quite certain that the tires are not the problem, mostly because issues and reports like yours are not that uncommon. In any case, having the tires aired to 44 psi pretty much helps rule out the tires as the problem since that is the pressure even the lousiest non LLR tire begins to loosen up a bit too (and I've had the chance to "try" some really bad tire choices for the HCH-II). :(

Anyway, at this point I would rather look at the typical culprits instead (don't exempt a combination of these either):
Engine Oil. If its not the recommended 0W20 oil you'll struggle a whole lot and instead of 2000 rpm or less, you'll get a much higher rpm even during "gentler" accelerations.
Wheel Alignment. Yes, these matter too. If the dealer did not do one upon the initial delivery of the vehicle then chances are that things could only have gotten worse since then. At best this is only making it worse for you.
12V battery. Once again, I lost count of how many times a weak 12V battery was behind a struggle against poor FE... and as always the engine is always told to work harder when this one is in a state of deficit. Have that one checked - just for giggles at least.
How's the transmission doing? Particularly the state of the CVT fluid.Easy ramp ups in RPM without much power being produced is a definite incentive to look deeper into this area.
How does your electric power steering feel. Although not as common, a very small number have exhibited this and with a definite impact on engine RPM and FE on the account of a stressed 12V subsystem.
How long have you had the K&N filter in? Did you ever lube it and if so, did you let it drain and dry long enough? My main concern with these filters is what happens to the various upstream sensors and emissions as time goes by, especially if we allow these oils in.Cheers;

MSantos

To rule out dragging brakes, you can jack up each corner of the car and turn the wheels by hand. If one of them gives you more resistance, you've found the problem.

Our dealership always tightens the parking brake to lock at 1~2 clicks. Spec is 8~10. Rear brakes will tend to whisper/drag a bit when the rear wheel is spun. Not too much though. Even when they're adjusted to spec. Sometimes just pulling up and releasing the E-brake (while the car is raised) will make it better. Also I suspect wrong oil grade. Puzzler...

I probably have about 7k or so miles on my ES's now and the mileage has been more often than not, in the upper 60's to lower to mid 70's. They're still very quiet too. I highly recommend them!

Jess

Thanks for the update Jess, sounds good.

Replaced the OEM Dunlops last month that had 77K miles on them, with these tires. They were much quieter - so much quieter that I heard the noise from a failing wheel bearing masked by the Dunlops. After the wheel bearing was replaced, the ride is wonderful! I kept them at 32 PSI just to get an idea of what they could do mileage wise. I've been getting mileage in the mid 60's with mixed driving conditions (mostly highway with some secondary road segments) and occasional A/C use because it's been in the uper 90's/lower 100's here lately.

Replaced the OEM Dunlops last month that had 77K miles on them, with these tires. They were much quieter - so much quieter that I heard the noise from a failing wheel bearing masked by the Dunlops. After the wheel bearing was replaced, the ride is wonderful! I kept them at 32 PSI just to get an idea of what they could do mileage wise. I've been getting mileage in the mid 60's with mixed driving conditions (mostly highway with some secondary road segments) and occasional A/C use because it's been in the uper 90's/lower 100's here lately.

Wow, how did you get 77k on one set of tyres?, my HCH-II has 64k on it and I am already looking for third set. The ones that I have right now(BFGoodrich Traction T/A) have maybe 25k and are already bald.

I see Michelin's are around $600 out of the door, Bridgestone Insignia SE200 is about $320 out of the door.

I used to keep 40psi but the center balded out early because of that, now I am not sure if it's environmentally friendly to make tyres bald faster in the center by keeping high psi.

If you're interested in Bridgestone Insignia SE200 I would also check out Bridgestone Ecopia EP20. The tread pattern of both can be viewed at Tirerack, and you'll see they are identical tread pattern. The SE200 comes in several variations, I believe only one is LRR, and it is confusing or impossible to get the correct one. The Ecopia EP20 comes only in on itteration, advertised as LRR. We replaced our HCHII's OEM SE200's with the EP20, and found them good for RR, and ride. More or less the same as SE200.

Hi Racer.

"How did you get 77K on tires?"

I kept the Dunlops at 50 PSI. I also accelerate, decelerate pretty "moderately". Back then I was driving at an average speed of 40 - 50 MPH on secondaries, 55-60 on the intersate.

Thanks,

Bob

...
I used to keep 40psi but the center balded out early because of that, now I am not sure if it's environmentally friendly to make tyres bald faster in the center by keeping high psi.

Hi Racer;

Something may not be right with your vehicle's geometry for the tires to wear that fast.

Second, unless my memory fails me: the "wear in the center" claim applies only to the older tech 2-ply bias tires. A contemporary radial tire should remain relatively flat even when taken to 80-100 psi - which is often double its maximum rated tire pressure.

On Radial tires the only significant cause of accelerated tire wear is under-inflation and poor wheel alignment and if you bring your tire pressures up (life begins at 40psi) and your car's alignment is not at fault then your should be able to get extremely good life even out of the original LRR tires these cars come with. How do I know? Let's just say my 2006 HCH is proof of that.

Up the pressures a bit and keep your alignment in check. ;)


Cheers;

MSantos

I had major accident couple of years back and car was in shop for over a month, although it was returned to factory specs maybe alignment got skewed again after few months, I recently got 3 year alignment plan from NTB where they had to correct it a lot.

do you guys think it's safe to just to replace 2 front tires and replace back later?. (just can't afford to replace all right now).

Also I have one of my tire saved from last time, it's in storage, will using this cause any issue?. (it's december, can't afford what's not planned :().

Bridgestone Ecopia EP20 was a good suggestion, Thanks.

Hi, it's been a while since I posted here, but I wanted to briefly share a couple of thoughts on the Michelin Energy Savers.

My first Winter with them left me feeling like they did not want to roll as it got colder. Once the weather was warmer they really rolled freely.

Also, these tires really hold their air. I had them at 60psi all Winter not having to adjust them at all.

Still love how quiet they are.

Jess

Jess

+1
I lower my tires to 44-46psi in winter then to 51 maxsidewall when it will not freeze anymore then to 58 in late Spring, currently at 54.
I have to relearn the car each time, also the engine feel differently with different temperatures.

My rear tires have 60k km= 37k mi and are at mid-life.

Michelin told me that CRR @25°C=77°F &2.5bar=36psi is 0.009. With each additional bar (14.5psi), CRR lowers by 20%, ie 0.0072 @3.5bar=51psi=maxsidewall.

Have fun,

Denis.