Michelin PS4's

Chat about your 2018+ AW/BZ model Polos here!
German_Fartbox
New
Posts: 38
Joined: Mon Dec 07, 2020 3:19 pm
Drives: Polo GTI 2.0 DSG (2020)
Location: West Yorkshire

Michelin PS4's

Post by German_Fartbox »

So I went through my front two Bridgestones in 8000 mile - my own fault really. Anyway I've had Michelin PS4's fitted on the front since that's what 90% of people say to get. Well... They are sh*t in my opinion. I'm running 38psi in the front, so I'm open to trying different pressures if anyone else runs anything else.

Twice under heavy breaking the car has completely lost traction - this NEVER happened with the same amount of speed and breaking on the Bridgestones. Three times when throwing the car into a hard corner the tyres have felt like they were skidding or possibly folding which resulted into a late grip which then whipped the car. Maybe I just need to get used to them but I've not noticed too much of an improvement in a straight line and breaking and cornering on them has been shocking. The cornering just seems awful, I've lost so much confidence driving the car now.

I had the Eibach Sportline springs fitted just before I changed the tyres and the handling went through the roof, now all that seems to of gone...

Any thoughts? Pressures? Do the tyres just not fit how I drive?
Bepis
Silver Member
Posts: 322
Joined: Wed Jul 17, 2019 1:19 pm
Drives: 2017 6C GTi Manual
Location: Cheshire

Re: Michelin PS4's

Post by Bepis »

Having just replaced all 4 of my tyres with PS4's I found them to be much better all-around in terms of dry/wet grip, road noise and comfort compared to the mix of 4-year old factory Bridgestone's and Accelera PHI R mix that the previous owner fitted. Admittedly the Accelera's had nowhere near the grip of the Bridgestone's and they became lethal in the wet. Understeering on roundabouts at 20mph and on corners that I took quicker in the same conditions in a 9n3 match with 195/55/15 Yokohama V701's.

With the Accelera's before I replaced them I tried dropping the pressures from the factory 39psi to 34psi but there was no difference. But they were a s**t tyre so it might be worth a go with the Michelin's but just be wary of uneven wear on the outer edges.

I'm also not driving an AW GTi but a bone stock 6C manual which is a 215/40/17 rather than a 215/40/18 (correct me if I'm wrong) but I can't imagine they'd be massively different tyres other than the size difference.

After doing 1500~ miles on the PS4's I have noticed that the tread of the tyre feels a lot tougher and smoother and less pliable compared to when they were new but I haven't noticed any performance degradation. The outmost edge of the tread blocks also seems to not be being used much so I wonder if the factory non-eco pressures are still a little tad high. I did also notice a drop of roughly 2MPG when filling up but it really isn't much and means the in-car readout is much more accurate now.

As for how I drive, when doing a spirited backroad run I'd rarely if ever speed but if I did it wouldn't be any more than 65mph in a national and I prefer to carry my speed through a corner rather than hard braking and hard acceleration. Also has the added benefit of still averaging 40mpg~ on that tank of fuel :lol: .

I'd try (not all at once):
Dropping the pressures at the front slightly
Swap them to the back and put the Bridgestone's at the front and see how it feels
If you didn't at the time of fitting get an alignment

Hope that helps :)
S_94
Gold Member
Posts: 696
Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2018 4:41 pm
Drives: Polo GTI+
Location: UK

Re: Michelin PS4's

Post by S_94 »

The PS4s definitely improved the car for me. Only thing I've been disappointed with is the car still tramps a lot when trying to set off from a stand still. It's fine if I get the car rolling a bit first and the roads are dry.

Running 36psi all round.
SRGTD
Bling Bling Diamond Member
Posts: 3508
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 9:40 pm
Drives: 2020 AW Polo GTI+, Pure White.
Location: UK

Re: Michelin PS4's

Post by SRGTD »

@German_Fartbox; I find the PS4’s better than the factory fit Bridgestones that my GTI+ came with. I’m not a particularly enthusiastic driver these days, so no racing starts or traffic light grand prix for me, but with the Bridgestones I experienced axle tramp / wheel hop on a few occasions when pulling away from rest when the road surface was slightly damp, and that was under ‘normal’ acceleration. I’ve not experienced any axle tramp / wheel hop since I’ve had the PS4’s, whatever the road or weather conditions.

I think your driving style is very different to mine, especially if you can burn through a pair of Bridgestones on the front of your car in 8,000 miles 😀. My last GTI - the 6c Polo GTI - had Continental Sport Contact tyres and they’d covered around 22k miles when I sold the car. The front tyres still had approx 4mm of tread remaining. Bridgestone seem to use quite a hard rubber compound for their tyres. Many drivers find they seem to last forever, the trade off being poorer grip compared to competitors tyres manufactured from a softer, grippier rubber compound.

IMO the PS4’s give slightly better ride comfort than the Bridgestones (tyres currently at 38 psi front, 35 psi rear). I don’t think there’s too much in it in terms of noise levels between the two brands. I don’t know if there’s any difference if fuel consumption, Bridgestones v’s PS4’s as I don’t check my mpg very often.

If / when I need to replace the PS4’s, if the choice was between the factory fitted Bridgestones and PS4’s, I’d go for PS4’s again.
monkeyhanger
Bling Bling Diamond Member
Posts: 2643
Joined: Fri Feb 23, 2018 9:58 pm
Drives: Audi A4 Avant Quattro 40 TDI, Polo GTI+
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Re: Michelin PS4's

Post by monkeyhanger »

If you can burn through a set of rock hard Bridgestones in 8k miles then you must be driving like a nutter. Most will see 20k miles on the fronts. You also talk about "throwing" the car around.

If you're flinging the car around, I think you'd find the car a lot more predictable on 4 tyres of the same type rather than those on the front axle being a lot gripper than those on the rear axle.

I'd recommend 35psi fronts and 33psi backs, if you were running 4 x PS4s.

Back end stability is a little way off the likes of a Golf GTI when you start flinging it around - rear axle grip for both wheels on a bend would be far better with multilink rear suspension (which the Polo doesn't have).

I've momentarily lost the back end once when I had all Bridgestones on. My 2018 Polo GTI went tail happy doing some moderate acceleration out of a large roundabout (so large it was almost straight) when I had 4000.miles on - bone dry road on a warm day. In the outside lane, a Golf GTD gunned it at twice my rate of acceleration, with no drama. That was the incident that made me decide to ditch the Bridgestones for PS4s.
Andy Beats
Bling Bling Diamond Member
Posts: 2012
Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2018 1:12 pm
Drives: Nissan Leaf 40KW (and Polo United)
Location: aberdeen

Re: Michelin PS4's

Post by Andy Beats »

Never got the Michelin 'thing' especially when they tend to be dearer.
They were stupid money on my Alpina, over £200 for a rear - Falken £134 and better wet grip.
When the likes of Falken, Dunlop, Avon and many, many others make great tyres for less, why bother?
German_Fartbox
New
Posts: 38
Joined: Mon Dec 07, 2020 3:19 pm
Drives: Polo GTI 2.0 DSG (2020)
Location: West Yorkshire

Re: Michelin PS4's

Post by German_Fartbox »

monkeyhanger wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:07 pm If you can burn through a set of rock hard Bridgestones in 8k miles then you must be driving like a nutter. Most will see 20k miles on the fronts. You also talk about "throwing" the car around.

If you're flinging the car around, I think you'd find the car a lot more predictable on 4 tyres of the same type rather than those on the front axle being a lot gripper than those on the rear axle.

I'd recommend 35psi fronts and 33psi backs, if you were running 4 x PS4s.

Back end stability is a little way off the likes of a Golf GTI when you start flinging it around - rear axle grip for both wheels on a bend would be far better with multilink rear suspension (which the Polo doesn't have).

I've momentarily lost the back end once when I had all Bridgestones on. My 2018 Polo GTI went tail happy doing some moderate acceleration out of a large roundabout (so large it was almost straight) when I had 4000.miles on - bone dry road on a warm day. In the outside lane, a Golf GTD gunned it at twice my rate of acceleration, with no drama. That was the incident that made me decide to ditch the Bridgestones for PS4s.
Yeah I know I've burnt through them at a rediculous rate - this doesn't bother me. I do a lot of driving in the Peak Distrist so the car does get driven heavily down there. Built up areas its nothing more than some Traffic Light GP every now and again. I did go through a phase a few months ago of launching the car a fair bit which is where I think I've gone through them mostly.

I suppose 'throwing' may come across agressive. To be clear I don't mean I'm just swinging the wheel just as I hit a corner and expect the car to turn at a 30degree angle or anything. As mentioned when I'm driving in the peaks it will be heavy acceleration, breaking, agressive cornering. I do push the car as much as I can. I'm driving no different to when I was on the bridgestones and its the front end I'm now losing. I lost the back end once on the Bridgestones but that was my own fault in the wet. I've driven a few different small hothatches and the Polo GTI for me is by far the most fun so I want to make the most of it whilst I have the car.

I'm just a bit 'huh?' after all the hype the PS4's get when I honestly would of preferred another set of Bridgestones with how they handle. Everyone says the PS4's changed the car for them but I just dont see where in a good way? I don't understand what this 'folding' feeling I'm getting when cornering. Is the tyre wall really soft on them? Maybe I just suite a firmer tyre? I have 38psi in the front and 36psi in the back so I'll try some different pressures next week and see how I get on. I didn't want to go with a lower pressure due to the 'folding' I think I'm getting.
Andy Beats
Bling Bling Diamond Member
Posts: 2012
Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2018 1:12 pm
Drives: Nissan Leaf 40KW (and Polo United)
Location: aberdeen

Re: Michelin PS4's

Post by Andy Beats »

FWIW I was fine with the standard Bridgestones too.
When I first got the car they had a bit of a vague feeling in heavy rain, but pushing them proved it was in my head.
I was doing very high speeds every day, wet and dry, and never any grip issues at all.
No mental axle tramp, no loss of rear grip.
monkeyhanger
Bling Bling Diamond Member
Posts: 2643
Joined: Fri Feb 23, 2018 9:58 pm
Drives: Audi A4 Avant Quattro 40 TDI, Polo GTI+
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Re: Michelin PS4's

Post by monkeyhanger »

German_Fartbox wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 12:26 pm
monkeyhanger wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:07 pm If you can burn through a set of rock hard Bridgestones in 8k miles then you must be driving like a nutter. Most will see 20k miles on the fronts. You also talk about "throwing" the car around.

If you're flinging the car around, I think you'd find the car a lot more predictable on 4 tyres of the same type rather than those on the front axle being a lot gripper than those on the rear axle.

I'd recommend 35psi fronts and 33psi backs, if you were running 4 x PS4s.

Back end stability is a little way off the likes of a Golf GTI when you start flinging it around - rear axle grip for both wheels on a bend would be far better with multilink rear suspension (which the Polo doesn't have).

I've momentarily lost the back end once when I had all Bridgestones on. My 2018 Polo GTI went tail happy doing some moderate acceleration out of a large roundabout (so large it was almost straight) when I had 4000.miles on - bone dry road on a warm day. In the outside lane, a Golf GTD gunned it at twice my rate of acceleration, with no drama. That was the incident that made me decide to ditch the Bridgestones for PS4s.
Yeah I know I've burnt through them at a rediculous rate - this doesn't bother me. I do a lot of driving in the Peak Distrist so the car does get driven heavily down there. Built up areas its nothing more than some Traffic Light GP every now and again. I did go through a phase a few months ago of launching the car a fair bit which is where I think I've gone through them mostly.

I suppose 'throwing' may come across agressive. To be clear I don't mean I'm just swinging the wheel just as I hit a corner and expect the car to turn at a 30degree angle or anything. As mentioned when I'm driving in the peaks it will be heavy acceleration, breaking, agressive cornering. I do push the car as much as I can. I'm driving no different to when I was on the bridgestones and its the front end I'm now losing. I lost the back end once on the Bridgestones but that was my own fault in the wet. I've driven a few different small hothatches and the Polo GTI for me is by far the most fun so I want to make the most of it whilst I have the car.

I'm just a bit 'huh?' after all the hype the PS4's get when I honestly would of preferred another set of Bridgestones with how they handle. Everyone says the PS4's changed the car for them but I just dont see where in a good way? I don't understand what this 'folding' feeling I'm getting when cornering. Is the tyre wall really soft on them? Maybe I just suite a firmer tyre? I have 38psi in the front and 36psi in the back so I'll try some different pressures next week and see how I get on. I didn't want to go with a lower pressure due to the 'folding' I think I'm getting.
The Michelins are a softer tyre with a more cushioned sidewall, they really press into the corners for better grip. The Bridgestones are hard and rigid, part of the reason they're lacking in grip when the car's pushed.

For me, in perfect Summer conditions, the Bridgestones feel like a better Summer tyre does in Winter - harder, less grippy.

As I said before, if you're driving your car aggressively, it'll be far more predictable on 4 tyres of the same type. Bad news having grippy front tyres and not so grippy rears, or vice versa. I'd rotate when the fronts are half worn to even things up a bit and bin all 4 together.

I also got crappy Turanzas on the ID3s. They don't seem quite as bad, but we'll have to see how they perform on a torquey RWD delivery in the Winter (I don't do Winter tyres - I live at the coast, not hilly, no rural unsalted roads, with our mild Winters I've always been fine on decent Summer Tyres that are OK in the Winter - I wouldn't describe Bridgestones that way historically.
Andy Beats
Bling Bling Diamond Member
Posts: 2012
Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2018 1:12 pm
Drives: Nissan Leaf 40KW (and Polo United)
Location: aberdeen

Re: Michelin PS4's

Post by Andy Beats »

monkeyhanger wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 1:38 pm


I also got crappy Turanzas on the ID3s. They don't seem quite as bad,
Jeez, it's like you experience the total opposite of me with tyres. :D
I didn't any experience any lack of grip at all with the Bridgestones on the Polo, I doubt anyone else was pushing them any harder than I did seeing as it was thrashed to within an inch of it life every day.
I've also got Turanzas on the Leaf, perhaps some special LRR version.
They are abysmal, can't wait to see what the 18s with Dunlops feel like instead.
monkeyhanger
Bling Bling Diamond Member
Posts: 2643
Joined: Fri Feb 23, 2018 9:58 pm
Drives: Audi A4 Avant Quattro 40 TDI, Polo GTI+
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Re: Michelin PS4's

Post by monkeyhanger »

Andy Beats wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 5:40 pm
monkeyhanger wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 1:38 pm


I also got crappy Turanzas on the ID3s. They don't seem quite as bad,
Jeez, it's like you experience the total opposite of me with tyres. :D
I didn't any experience any lack of grip at all with the Bridgestones on the Polo, I doubt anyone else was pushing them any harder than I did seeing as it was thrashed to within an inch of it life every day.
I've also got Turanzas on the Leaf, perhaps some special LRR version.
They are abysmal, can't wait to see what the 18s with Dunlops feel like instead.
Don't get me wrong, the Turanzas on the ID3 aren't good, but they might be liveable - I will have to see how bad they get when the temperatures drop and we get some proper rain. RWD on the ID3 might be interesting if they do drop off in the Winter. I will probably buy Goodyear or Michelin if I do ditch them - The Goidyear Eagle Supersports I put on the A4 were probably the best tyres I've experienced on a moderately quick car.
Rosinfield
Bronze Member
Posts: 109
Joined: Wed Apr 17, 2019 9:48 pm
Drives: 2018 AW GTI
Location: Nederland

Re: Michelin PS4's

Post by Rosinfield »

It may come as a surprise, but I am very content with the Michelin CrossClimates + on my GTI. No complaint whatsoever. They perform fairly well in all conditions.
German_Fartbox
New
Posts: 38
Joined: Mon Dec 07, 2020 3:19 pm
Drives: Polo GTI 2.0 DSG (2020)
Location: West Yorkshire

Re: Michelin PS4's

Post by German_Fartbox »

Andy Beats wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 5:40 pm
monkeyhanger wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 1:38 pm


I also got crappy Turanzas on the ID3s. They don't seem quite as bad,
Jeez, it's like you experience the total opposite of me with tyres. :D
I didn't any experience any lack of grip at all with the Bridgestones on the Polo, I doubt anyone else was pushing them any harder than I did seeing as it was thrashed to within an inch of it life every day.
I've also got Turanzas on the Leaf, perhaps some special LRR version.
They are abysmal, can't wait to see what the 18s with Dunlops feel like instead.
I thought you never took the GTI out of Drive Andy?
Andy Beats
Bling Bling Diamond Member
Posts: 2012
Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2018 1:12 pm
Drives: Nissan Leaf 40KW (and Polo United)
Location: aberdeen

Re: Michelin PS4's

Post by Andy Beats »

German_Fartbox wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 8:39 am I thought you never took the GTI out of Drive Andy?
'D' doesn't stop you flooring it, you don't have to put it into 'S' or the stupid playstation mode to get performance.
There weren't many days I wasn't well over three figures on my way home (via private test track)
I'd still be doing it now if the Leaf wasn't restricted to 95mph :(
Last edited by Andy Beats on Fri Sep 24, 2021 10:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
Andy Beats
Bling Bling Diamond Member
Posts: 2012
Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2018 1:12 pm
Drives: Nissan Leaf 40KW (and Polo United)
Location: aberdeen

Re: Michelin PS4's

Post by Andy Beats »

Rosinfield wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 6:27 am It may come as a surprise, but I am very content with the Michelin CrossClimates + on my GTI. No complaint whatsoever. They perform fairly well in all conditions.
I had Goodyear Vector all-climate on the front of the GTi, they were fine.
Maybe a bit more vague during hard cornering, but that was it.
If you live where I do, drivers should really think about replacing their current tyres with all-season these days.
The wife's Evoque came on all-season as standard.
Post Reply