Any first-hand experiences with Pirelli alternative?
 

I know the 18-inch Pirelli's are a great handling tire, and that every tire is a compromise. That said, I was wondering if anyone had actually gone to the trouble of swapping a different tire to rid themselves of the racket these things make (especially on concrete highways). I have a set of OEM Michelin Pilot MXM4 tires in storage (came off a '10 Challenger) that only have about 500 miles on them. I really don't want to go to all the trouble of swapping out if it isn't going to make a significant difference, or if it will create some other unintended consequence. Plus I was saving these tires to replace (when needed) the tires on the wifes' Taurus. Which means I'll have to buy tires for her car in about a year if I put these on the Mustang. Could I mount (temporarily) the OEM 18-inch wheels/tires from the Taurus (2011) onto the Mustang just as a test? They are the exact same tire as the ones I have in storage. Any other recommendations?

You may/may not be able to mount the tires on your wife's car. This depends on the size of the tire and if the wheel off-set/bolt pattern will fit. My guess is that they will not work, as there are LOTS of variables here and being they are from a Dodge, they might not fit.

When you say the Pirrelli's are a great handling tire, of which model do you speak? I would expect the MXM4's to be very quiet, but loudness is a subjective thing.

One must also consider the drivers needs and what make/model of car you drive. I see it is a '13 Mustang, but is it a V6, GT, 5.0, Cobra or what? How you drive and what you drive are HUGE parts of the decision on which tire to run.

Jazzer welcomes rt666er to MF's :D

Thanks for the reply. I guess I could have been more detailed. The tires that came off the Challenger are the exact same size, brand and model of tire that came on the Taurus. The are Michelin Pilot HX MXM4 P235/55R18. The bolt pattern of the Taurus wheels are identical to the Mustang, however, I believe the offset is a bit different (39mm vs 44mm). These tires also have a slightly larger diameter than the tires that came on the Mustang (55 vs 50). I would not be putting the Taurus wheels/tires on the Mustang for more than a few miles, just to see if the tires are significantly quieter than the Pirelli's. My Mustang is a 2013 V6 Auto Pony Package car.

OK.. go ahead and try it

The off-set is less than 1/4" difference and cannot possibly see the additional 1/2" less clearance as an issue. Just be sure to check the clearance around the calipers and such, as this might come into play when mounting it up. Just make sure it spins freely once tight and do a "slow roll" push once on the ground just to make sure you don't have any possible rubbing.

If all looks good there, take it for a drive and see :D

Good point about checking the caliper clearance... thanks.

From my experience the Mich and the Pirelli's you are comparing are about equal in the 'road noise' department.

Thanks. I think for now I've decided to just turn up the stereo...