My first Xfire (9599) had the Michelins and I'm now driving on the Contis. My general impression is that the Michelins gave a more solid feeling of connection to the pavement and I never had any problem with adhesion in the rain. I haven't had the opportunity to drive on the Contis in wet conditions, so unable to comment as yet. One sollid plus for the Contis: based upon the treadwear ratings, you can expect them to deliver approximately 60% more mileage than the Michelins.