I've posted on this several times. I drove about 1,500 with stock skinnies on front, then bought new rear rims. I am a Michelin fan for smoothness, ride, noise, very little balance needed, etc so I installed 185/60-15's. They are 1" taller and while that changed my speedo (so now it reads right) and to calculate the mpg I need to multiply by 1.056 to get actual distance, my economy is about the same. I record every drop of gas and for 3,600 miles my avg is 42.5 and that includes speeds to 85 on the interstate keeping up with the flow as well as driving in traffic in downtown Nashville. The ride is much better, the cornering is more agressive, there is a slightly heavier feel to the brake pedal, the 0-15 acceleration is a little slower (not because of fronts, but taller rears), mpg isn't changed. I kept a front for a spare since I think what smart does is totally out of tune with the US highway system - a bottle of goo and a powered bicycle pump - HA! The reputation for short tire life on the OE Conti's is very well documented so I expect much better life on these Michelins. Seems to me like a plan, but to each their own. I also know that if I have a wheel bearing, brake, hub, suspension, maybe clutch, trans failure that smart will tell me what they think of my idea, but hey, it's still a free world - at least until we get too liberal a pres.
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