Should I cancel Michelin Primacy MXM4 for the new Michelin Defender tire?

[JEDI]

2005 Mazda3i, 16" tires
My main concern is wet + light snow traction.

At Costco, Ordered the Primacy MXM4 to replace my Primacy MXV4 (almost 15k miles past the 60k warrenty ).
i estimate tread remaining at 3/32 or 4/32.

Now i notice on Costo.com's website they are selling the newest Michelin Tire, the Defender:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyresults/surveydisplay.jsp?type=ST

Primacy MXM4:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyresults/surveydisplay.jsp?type=GTAS

The Defender is the same price, but is 90k warrenty! and advertises that it stops 31ft shorter than the Goodyear® Assurance® ComforTred® Touring. (MXM4 stops 29' shorter than the Assurance® ComforTred® Touring.)

The only downside is that it's a new tire and the Tire Survey results at Tirerack only have 200k miles reported for the Defender.
MXM4's results are based on 1.2M miles reported, and MXV4 is 13M miles.


Pros for Defender:
MUCH better warrenty, stops a little better in wet traction tests.

Cons:
new tire thus very small sample size.
Temperature rating = B (Does this matter??)


The Primacy MXM4 are in and and I planned to get them installed over the weekend. but i can cancel w/full refund.

Stick with the MXM4?
or cancel and wait till Dec to get the Defender when Michelins are $70off at Costco?

 

[Zivic]

i am running the defenders on my odyssey. they feel the same as the previous michelins, but are supposed to be a 90k mile tire. not sure how that equates to your mazda3

 

[JEDI]

i am running the defenders on my odyssey. they feel the same as the previous michelins, but are supposed to be a 90k mile tire. not sure how that equates to your mazda3

what were your previous michelins?
how is the Defender in rain and light snow?

 

[Zivic]

Michelin Energy LX4

my wife drives the van more than I do. I have only had them a month. I haven't driven them in anything other than dry weather.

the shop I bought them from, said they are michelin's top rated tire.... but I had the same concerns as you did with limited reviews being the tire is new. I trust michelin tires, and I only got about 40k out of the originals (thinking I should have at least gotten 50k). these were about the same money and had a much longer treadlife, so I went for them

 

[SpatiallyAware]

The mxm4 is a great tire, personally I would probably stick with it.

I have some hesitations about these ultra low rolling ~90k warranty tires. It just seems impossible to get that kind of wear rating without using stiffer rubber. I'm surprised it brakes better, but it could be due to tread pattern of something.. None of them are really tried and true, yet.

If you care about handling I would stay with the mxm4 rather than risk the defender.