Greetings to all beloved readers smile_clown.gif I've jumped into the PS3 bandwagon on day 2 after it hit the market...it couldn't have come at a better timing as my previous rubbers were already down to the treadwear indicator smile_blackeye.gif

For fellow readers' reference, my tyre size is 245/40/18.

If I can sum up my experience with the PS3...it'll be...no regrets, not looking back, definitely will remain my choice for the next 2 - 3 tyre replacements until PS4 comes out smile_blush.gif

But as I've promised Bro vr2turbo, I have to itemise my experience with the PS3 without fear or favour for the benefit of our fellow readers. Here it goes...

After doing some decent, mild and extreme driving, I've so far clocked almost 500km on the spanking new PS3 on my ride fitted 2 days ago.

Scrub in was almost immediate (even the PS2 needed about 50km to scrub in). My car turns with razor sharp precision irrespective of road speed.

Wet Handling...So far, I have not driven through heavy downpour yet. But I've driven the PS3 over the immediate leftover of a heavy downpour...through puddles and streaming water on country/back roads. True to PS reputation...the car stayed true to my cornering line. The last time I experienced this was with my PS2. Even my previous rubbers (GY Eagle F1 Asy) veered off line when crossing puddles. The "problem" with PS3 is that I the limits of traction under such condition is so much better than the PS2!!! Why I say it is a problem...because I tend to attack the corners even faster because I can brake very very late and power out so very early...so addictive!!! Thankfully the vehicle in front remind me to do that sparingly smile_clown.gif Nevertheless, I'm not yet finished with the wet handling test until I get to drive it through East Coast's like infamous monsoon downpours. For now, a big tick for Wet Handling.

Dry Handling...What can I say...this tyre performs almost similar to semi-slicks without the setbacks of semi-slicks (need to warm up the tyre for maximum grip; wears off rapidly; ridiculously expensive; completely hopeless in the rain). For those of you whom have used PS2 before...the PS3 bites and sticks to tarmac completely identical to PS2...if at all, subjectively slightly better than the PS2. This is because, I'm able to attack mid corners and hairpins at about 10km/h to 15km/h faster than when I used the PS2 on the same mid corners and hairpins. Here's the big surprise...when I did that with my PS2, I can see my instrument panel showing my traction control working very hard most of the time. With the PS3...voila, my car's traction control display on the instrument panel hardly lit up. In fact, just to make sure I wasn't lucky on that outing, I repeated the same route under the same dry condition WITH MY TRACTION CONTROL SWITCHED OFF (no need to reveal the vehicle speed...enough to say the various isolated raw vegetables I kept in the boot became MIXED VEGETABLES at the end of the route. Another big tick for Dry Handling.

Comfort and Noise...As far as I can remember from my PS2 days, subjectively there is no significant difference in the noise level. The PS2 was among the most quietest tyres when it was launched. This reputation was significantly challenged by the GY Eagle F1 Asy towards the tail end of the PS2 era. I can subjectively say, the GY Eagle F1 Asy was slightly quieter than the PS2...only slightly. Minor tick for the Noise. Comfort...oh my gosh...as is typical of PS series...the PS3 is so so butter smooth. The sensation felt when running on typical Malaysian country/back roads is like driving using 70 profile/series tyres...very comfortable. A big tick for Comfort.

Appearance...Trust me on this...Unlike the PS2's very attractive and seductive side view, the PS3 is indeed very bland looking from the side whether tyre only view or tyre fitted to car view. But when viewed from the front or the rear or front three quarter or rear three quarter, the PS3 is oh so garang and sexy smile_tongue.gif I used to admire the PS2's or the CSC2's front/rear view but the PS3 takes it to another level altogether. A big tick indeed for Appearance.

RM...this is where it matters most after all the big ticks above...this is also where I normally end up with a BIG CROSS OUT INSTEAD OF A TICK because the cost of 1 PS2 can buy 2.5 tyre of the same size from various competitor brands...what good is such positive qualities if it cost a bomb, right? Well, I guess Michelin struck the right formula this time round...by manufacturing the PS3 in TomYum Land, it is able to sell at a very un-Michelin price levels...especially for a PS series!!! Another big bonus is that, this time Michelin learnt their lesson well by making the PS series available to even 15 inchers smile_thumbup.gif Those days, I used to be so pissed off at Michelin for making their PS series available to those respective era's large wheels (Pilot Sport was launched when 13"/14"/15" wheels were common and their smallest size was 16"; Pilot Sport 2 was launched when 15"/16" was common and their smallest size was 17"...this time PS3 is launched when 16"/17"/18" is common and the PS3 has all sizes starting from 15") So this time round, Michelin is most likely to make a huge success with the PS3 because suddenly people whom can only afford at best a Michelin PP series can now go for the PS series for a negligible premium and suddenly transformed their vehicle to greater capabilities...Definitely a big tick for RM smile_thumbup.gif

Now here's the icing to the cake...I always save the best for last...in my previous write up about PS2, I've always overlooked 3 very important features about the PS series. Now is the best time to enlighten fellow readers about these features...for those whom have used the PS series, this is nothing new, of course.

1) As far as I know, only Michelin gives out unconditional 5 years warranty on their PS series for purchases throughout the year...no need to wait for special promo to give out such warranty...even if given, it is normally CONDITIONAL WARRANTY .

But for the PS3, Michelin is giving out not 5 but 6 years unconditional warranty...I think the warranty will outlive the treadwear.

2) The trick about getting the best out of the PS series is to use exactly the vehicle manufacturer's tyre pressure recommendation. It is not like other tyres...when wanting hard ride, overinflate; when wanting soft ride, underinflate. Do either one (underinflate or overinflate) in a Michelin PS series the ride would normally be hard. When the tyres are inflated to the exact tyre pressure as indicated in the vehicle owner's manual, the ride would be butter smooth, quiet and maximum traction achievable;

3) I don't know what the guys at Michelin do with their PS series but their PS series are very light compared to other brands of the same size.

Having said all the above, for those that intend to change to the PS3 from GY Eagle F1 Asy, a mild degree of improvement in wet, dry and comfort can be experienced. For those that intend to change from other brands/models, a drastic degree of improvement in wet, dry, comfort and noise can be experienced. For those that intend to change from PS2...a slight degree of improvement in wet, dry and comfort can be experienced.

Hopefully my feedback above is of help to fellow readers in their decision making process. I shall provide more feedback on this topic when I get newer inputs to post.

Good luck in your decision making process. My instinctive guess is that most of you guys and gals out there that do decide to go for the PS3 is not going to regret getting them. The thought of "...why didn't I go for the PS series all these while despite its price..." may come to mind. Good hunting smile_tongue.gif