Know Your Car Basics 101: Safe, Durable Michelin Energy XM1 Reviewed

(Michelin Energy XM1 has almost the same tread design with the Ducaros and for almost the same price. Image source: Mercado Livre)

I had my 3rd tire change (since I got my car) over the weekend – the last time I changed tires (from Goodyear Eagle GA to the excellent Goodyear Ducaro GA), I already clocked about 78,000 km.

I managed to clock another 69,000 km (not quite impressive as Goodyear Eagle GA in terms of mileage) with Goodyear Ducaro GA before it showed severe signs of weariness (loud road noise was one). Hence the time for another tire change for all 4 wheels.

I checked around for the latest price for Goodyear Ducaro GA – my usual workshop quoted me RM179 per piece (I bought the Ducaros for RM150 per piece the last time around). I then went to the Goodyear shop that I got my Ducaros almost 3.5 years ago. I asked for Ducaros but unfortunately, the shop did not keep the stock of Ducaros (according to the owner, Ducaro is an old model, so they don’t keep stocks).

The owner showed me the other options – Goodyear Duraplus (which claims to last up to 100,000 km) and Michelin Energy XM1. Same size but there was a difference and I am not talking about the price (Goodyear Duraplus selling for RM160 per piece whilst Michelin Energy XM1 selling for RM175 per piece) or the expected tire life (Goodyear Duraplus been tested for 100,000 km whilst Michelin Energy XM1 is only expected to last for 50,000 – 60,000 km).

The difference is – despite the same size rating on the sidewall – Energy XM1 is bigger (when I put both tires together).

I have been thinking of only changing to brand new Goodyear Ducaros so I was faced with a tough choice when I was given the option of Duraplus or Michelin Energy. I did not have time to do “research” on these tires and I really did not know which one was better. I could have opted to go back to my usual workshop for the Ducaros but I did not feel comfortable with the price that was quoted (it sounded like rip-off).

Since I almost paid RM179 per piece for the Ducaros, I decided that it won’t hurt (my wallet) if I opted for the Michelins instead. Besides, Michelin has been a premium brand for many years now. The shop owner recommended the same – he said firstly there was only RM15 difference between the two but the Michelin is better in quality and noise reduction level.

Besides, the very fact that the Duraplus was actually smaller than the Michelin despite the same size rating made me opt for the Michelins (if it has been the same, I would have gone for Duraplus).

So, 4 pieces of Michelin Energy XM1 include wheel balancing and alignment cost me RM730. And I drive out of the shop, one thing I noticed is how silent is the tires but then again, I guess all new tires will be silent as well. So, what is the plus point of Energy XM1? Did I make the right decision?

I decided to research on the XM1 just to see what features it has and I found this:-

The Energy XM1 features Michelin’s ‘Green X’ silica based tread compound which reduces rolling resistance to improve fuel consumption. The tread design and SECII technology promotes uniform wear which enhances the overall tyre life.

The Energy XM1 tyre also features larger tread blocks and a higher groove ratio. These two features provide significant improvements to wet traction and overall handling, especially at high speeds and in tight turns. You should buy the Michelin Energy XM1 if you want an economical tyre that does not compromise on performance.

Michelin Energy XM1 helps to save money throughout the tyre life thanks to Michelin’s leadership on energy saving technologies. Michelin Energy XM1 brakes 7% shorter than its predecessor.

Michelin  Green X label on the sidewall guarantees a level of energy efficiency among the best in the market and reduced CO2 emissions. Larger tread blocks on the shoulder deliver high levels of grip.

A higher groove ratio on the inside provides multiple channels to wipe away water to deliver maximum grip.

(Source)

It is still too early to comment on the “performance” of the XM1 and whether it can save fuel (as it is claimed on Michelin website). For now, things have gotten really quiet in the inside of the car.