Michelin X Tour A/S 2 vs Michelin Defender 2

In depth comparison of Michelin X Tour A/S 2 vs Michelin Defender 2 to verify are they actually the same product?

For more detail, check out the link below:

[stryderricketts]

I am a Tire Center Supervisor at Costco, and I can tell you that the only difference between the two is the branding on the sidewall and the price.

Costco, Sam's, etc. contract with Michelin to buy ___ number of the X-Series tires. If you break down the DOT number, it'll tell you that they come from the same factories.

They aren't "factory seconds" or "returns" or whatever you may read online.

When you buy X-Series tires and you get a blowout or non repairable puncture, we will replace the X-Series tire with a Defender series tire if the X-Series tire is unavailable/discontinued/etc. And vice versa. Per Michelin's directive to all Costco Tire Centers, the tires are completely interchangeable in their respective families:
XLT A/S and Defender LTX
XLT A/S 2 and Defender LTX 2 X-Tour A/S and Defender A/S X-Tour A/S2 and Defender A/S2

If youre still not sure, feel free to ask any Costco Tire Center employee for more proof. There is all kinds of paperwork and service bulletins to show that they are completely interchangeable and the same tire.

I hope this helps!

[bluor]

In the market for tires, thanks for the video