Didn't see any other references to this one as I was looking through the X-Type tire posts...so this will sort of be a placeholder that I hope to update over the next several months.

The '03 I bought wasn't in absolute immediate need of tires other than my concern over the age of the ones that it was wearing at the purchase. The age factored into my offer...DOT codes suggested that the fronts had been replaced in 2006 and the rears in 2007, so there were obvious signs of the sidewall checking that comes with age. I don't even remember which model of Michelin was on each corner (they were all the same).

Anyhow, although this will be one used mostly for highway miles, I do occasionally like a little enthusiatic driving on back roads and there is something to be said for a little silent message being uttered through a more aggressive looking tread. I had run Hankook tires on only one other vehicle but had no complaints with them.

I sourced the Ventus V12 Evo K110 for roughly US$97 a corner, and with all of the other stuff they add in plus the repair/replacement certificates, I was out the door at just over US$550 for the four tires. For the period that I expect these to live, I won't have a lot of weather outside of sunshine but there is some occasional downpours. My guess is we will also still have at least another dozen or so mornings where the temps get below 45 degrees F.

Ride was much quieter on the way home yesterday and originally I thought I might get to quickly check their wet performance, but the rains stopped long enough before I left the office that the roads were mostly dry by the time I went home. It also resolved a lot of the at-speed vibration that I was getting although there is still a little bit present...I will be doing shocks/struts in the next few weeks followed by an alignment so I know there is still room for improvement.

I did go ahead and step to the 225/50/16 instead of the stock 205/55/16. GPS confirms the speedometer is spot on, at least up to 82MPH (hey, it was a legal 75MPH and most agencies spot the extra seven miles an hour).

And yes, I know that being a softer compound, I am apt to be looking at replacements inside of 30K miles and even sooner if I have a lot of spirited weekend drives...but at the price I paid, that isn't a huge factor for me. For others, it might be...

 

so, now that I have about ~300 or so miles on them (still on the original shocks since the new ones just arrived Thursday), many of which were in the rain, I have to say that I like the handling in the wet. Was mostly on concrete the other day but some blacktop on the freeway an hour north of Houston and found myself having crept up well over the speed limit...I am one of those people who isn't always attentive to the speedometer and drive sort of by feel in the elements (in the dry, I just set the cruise).

With the AWD offered by the X-Type, I felt very at ease with these...time will tell whether they continue to feel as sure-footed once they get much further into their lifespan.

 

Quick update since I was answering another tire thread...

With almost another five months on these, still no complaints. My partner was driving it more than I was until a few weeks ago when we added the '04.5 to the mix. Wear seems good and I have no complaints about tire noise.

Based on what I have seen so far, I would absolutely consider these again for either this one or the other X-Type. I did not put them on the XK8 since I found a Nitto that I liked a little better at the right price...but trying to compare anything on the XK8 to the X-Types would not be a fair comparison to begin with