Your favorite DD tires

[BavarianZHP]

I've read rave reviews for the Michellin PS2's and now that the PS3's have been out for a couple seasons (all season), I find myself considering those. What are your favorite sets of tires for DD? I found an awesome link on tire reviews here, seems to reflect what I've researched so far:

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyres_For/BMW/E46-3-Series.htm

I still have the PO's original tires on (Bridgestone Potenza's) and the road noise is killing me. For DD I take it easy, so LLR's (low rolling resistance), road noise, and efficiency are top priorities for me.


EDIT:
Compiled Results Here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6cIaXIw9dhxbVA0Q2VCWmliUnc/edit?usp=sharing

[Mike2003ZHP]

I've gone through many tires and my favorites for value, performance and smooth quiet ride are my current Nitto NT555's.

[94jedi]

Good thread. I'll probably be in the market for new tires later this year. The PO of my car put on some terrible no name tires but they are durable as steel lol. Performance is predictably bad but that is expected.

[RITmusic2k]

Nexen N3000 (http://www.tirebuyer.com/tires/nexen/n3000/p/tv181000014:tv181000004) - literally the cheapest summer/ultra-high performance tires available online anywhere in our size combination. Low price, A AA traction rating, and really high treadwear rating for the tire type. Oh, and they look really cool too.



If you're not taking the car to the track, this is an economical way to shoe your baby in something that will still accept the occasional spirited jaunt around the block.

EDIT: Looking really cool, too -

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-PQzZ7wdLrM8/UmV5g7_RtWI/AAAAAAAAC1U/qm3OjkPA_So/s800/photo.JPG

[BavarianZHP]

Since I'm in the mood of researching and giving, after we reel in results I'll start posting the tires, links, and pricing for each of them for all to conduct their own research if preferred.

[kayger12]

I'm still loving the Khumo Ecsta 4X as the best bang for your buck all season tire out there.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

[MiniD]

I have the new PS3s and they are awesome.

[94jedi]

I'm still loving the Khumo Ecsta 4X as the best bang for your buck all season tire out there.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

I'd be willing to give up the all season style tires for a bit more performance and "stick". It doesn't snow much around here (although we just got about 4" of the white stuff this morning lol) but we do get a fair amount of rain. Good thing is I have a short commute so I'm not far from home should the weather turn nasty.

[pfr]

I've been very happy with Michelin Super Sports

- Peter

[NorCal-Dimitri]

I put on all season Michelin Pilot Sport AS3's about a month ago and I'm loving them

[fredo]

You can't go wrong with Michelin. I have PS A/S on the e90, Primacy MXV4 on the Saab, and PS A/S 3 on the Mini Cooper. I'm very happy with my choices.

[yura]

I've been very happy with Michelin Super Sports

- Peter

+1 on this. Got these tires this summer and am happy with them so far - great grip.

[Mtnman]

I'm on my third set of cont. DWS. Really good all season tires. But the mich pilot sport AS plus tires wee the best ones I've ever bought. Not worth the extra $400 per set over the DWS unless money is no object though.

[BCS_ZHP]

I've had Yokohoma, Michelin, Kumho, Nexen, Continental, General, BFG, and maybe one other brand I can't remember on the 9 e46s & 3 e39s we've had/have. Without a doubt the Continental DWS's have my vote as the best DD. Close to Michelin in grip, better in fuel economy, better in wear/tread life, good ride comfort, a little on the soft side for sidewalls if you push the car hard regularly but no complaint for DD, quieter than the Michelin A/Ss, no tramlining, they do flat spot a bit in the below freezing cold temps but this goes away in 5 miles, they're less expensive than Michelin & Yokohoma but more than the others, not too much more. We have a set of 315s on the rear of my wife's x5 with 25K miles and they still have 6-7/32nds of tread, about half life of a tire, the x5 is a staggered set up so these haven't been rotated, I'm amazed by their longevity. I have one front set on a ZHP with 32K miles and the D, W, & S stamped in the tread is still perfectly visible. I'm sold, I'm a convert, I will only buy the DWSs for our BMWs from here going forward.

[az3579]

I'd be willing to give up the all season style tires for a bit more performance and "stick". It doesn't snow much around here (although we just got about 4" of the white stuff this morning lol) but we do get a fair amount of rain. Good thing is I have a short commute so I'm not far from home should the weather turn nasty.

It's not always a matter of snow or not, but summer tires essentially become a lot less effective with traction when the temperatures go below 40 degrees (I believe that is the temp BMW uses in their documentation). It could be 25 degrees out, but you'll have next to no grip in those temperatures even if the pavement is dry. If you live in Maryland, either winter tires or all seasons are recommended as temperatures do go below 40 during the winter. That said...


I'm on my third set of cont. DWS. Really good all season tires. But the mich pilot sport AS plus tires wee the best ones I've ever bought. Not worth the extra $400 per set over the DWS unless money is no object though.

I have had Conti DWS tires prior to me purchasing a dedicated set of summer and winter tires. They were an excellent all-around tire, with plenty of grip in the dry and wet. Snow performance was "whatever" as expected from an all-season tire. They were decent on the track, and lasted about 4 track days and 35-40k miles of daily driving (don't remember exact figure).
Currently I have Pirelli Winter Sottozero tires, which are a performance winter tire. They have excellent grip in the wet and snow, and acceptable grip in the dry.

For those who don't want to swap tires, Conti DWS is my choice.
For those who want to swap, then get dedicated winter tires and summer tires if you want the best performance in either temperature conditions.


My daily set of wheels this past summer (summer tires) were Hankook Ventus V12 Evo K110's. As a daily driving set, they were great tires for the price, and were definitely "bang for the buck" tires. They were not good on track; I came back with missing tread blocks after just one track day. I've never ever had that happen to me before...
I can't report a mileage on them as I had premature failure on one of the rears (bubbled up sidewall), most likely from a pothole. I also forgot to record the mileage when I put them on.

[Vas]

bridgestone so4 pole position.

[danewilson77]

DWS

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[imola red zhp]

Like the Hankook V12

sent by new technology DA

[Crickett]

+1 for the DWS, though I’m getting a set of Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3s tomorrow. I’ve had no complaints with the Contis, just wanted to see what the new PS A/Ss are like.


Tapatalk’d on my iPad mini

[HokieZHP]

Michelin pilot sport A/S are the best I've ever used. The new A/S 3's are supposed to be even better so they're my recommendation. I've driven the A/S 3s just not on a BMW and they're awesome. They'll be my next set in the spring

[94jedi]

Back in the 90's I loved my Yokohama AVS' on my VW's but they decided to stop making them for some reason.

[kayger12]

+1 for the DWS, though I’m getting a set of Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3s tomorrow. I’ve had no complaints with the Contis, just wanted to see what the new PS A/Ss are like.


Tapatalk’d on my iPad mini

The Tire Rack review of the A/S 3s was impressive. Leaning towards dropping the coin on them when the Khumos give up.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/videoDisplay.jsp?ttid=177

[Hermes]

I've been very happy with Michelin Super Sports

- Peter


+1 on this. Got these tires this summer and am happy with them so far - great grip.

+2

I love mine, but I'm kinda disappointed they don't make one in the 740's oddball 18" size. Even more annoyed that they don't make a 15" so I can run them on the 2002 and E21

[Johal E32]

i have the pilot sport a/s and im not too happy.

They handle great, but they stupid things are starting to chunk! It looks like my dog chews on the tires at night. Yeah, I've done some spirited driving on these tires but I have never seen tires start to chunk! Luckily they are still good on my dad's M5, no chunking there. I could still get another 10-15k outta my tires no sweat (currently 10k on em). I guess they are good DD tires, but they can't handle it when you push them. They actually corner really well and grip well, but the aftermath, the chunking makes em a no-no for me.

Funny thing is my mechanic said the EXACT same thing. He said these tires will start to chunk when you go on drives with twisty roads..

Next time I'll get the Conti DWS or just a summer tire.

[kayger12]

i have the pilot sport a/s and im not too happy.

They handle great, but they stupid things are starting to chunk! It looks like my dog chews on the tires at night. Yeah, I've done some spirited driving on these tires but I have never seen tires start to chunk! Luckily they are still good on my dad's M5, no chunking there. I could still get another 10-15k outta my tires no sweat (currently 10k on em). I guess they are good DD tires, but they can't handle it when you push them. They actually corner really well and grip well, but the aftermath, the chunking makes em a no-no for me.

Funny thing is my mechanic said the EXACT same thing. He said these tires will start to chunk when you go on drives with twisty roads..

Next time I'll get the Conti DWS or just a summer tire.

Are you running the new A/S 3s or the previous version A/S?

[terraphantm]

+2

I love mine, but I'm kinda disappointed they don't make one in the 740's oddball 18" size. Even more annoyed that they don't make a 15" so I can run them on the 2002 and E21

+3. Best tire I've driven on, and they're so light that my gas mileage improved a bit compared to the Bridgestones I had before


i have the pilot sport a/s and im not too happy.

They handle great, but they stupid things are starting to chunk! It looks like my dog chews on the tires at night. Yeah, I've done some spirited driving on these tires but I have never seen tires start to chunk! Luckily they are still good on my dad's M5, no chunking there. I could still get another 10-15k outta my tires no sweat (currently 10k on em). I guess they are good DD tires, but they can't handle it when you push them. They actually corner really well and grip well, but the aftermath, the chunking makes em a no-no for me.

Funny thing is my mechanic said the EXACT same thing. He said these tires will start to chunk when you go on drives with twisty roads..

Next time I'll get the Conti DWS or just a summer tire.

Same thing happened with my dad's 535xi (Michelin Pilot A/S+... no idea how the A/S3 are). We weren't happy with DWS either, too soft. Decided to just run summer/winter, and much happier. The car feels much better in both sets of conditions

[HokieZHP]

That's odd. I drive my cars more aggressively than most I'd say and have never had chunking issues with the michelins (been through 2 sets).My whole family has been running them on all of our cars for a few years now and have never had issues. My mechanic recommends them for his sports car/exotic customers as well and hasn't told me of any issues and I talk to him weekly (good friend of mine). That's really weird that that happened.

May be another issue like tire pressure or something causing it.

[Hornung418]

Been on Kumho extsa 4s for the past year or so...they are proving to be a great tire for the money. However in have noticed a huge drop off of grip when the temps hit below freezing...which was expected. Greta tire for $99 a pop.

Sent from my GS3.

[MrMaico]

I still have the PO's original tires on (Bridgestone Potenza's) and the road noise is killing me. For DD I take it easy, so LLR's (low rolling resistance), road noise, and efficiency are top priorities for me.

My car had the Potenza's on it when I bought it and the noise was so annoying that I switched tires a few thousand before I had to because of it. I installed a set of the Hankook V12s and have been pretty happy with them. Only downside I noticed was the softer sidewall compared to the Bridgestones but after a while you get used to it and it doesn't seem so noticeable. I've wore out 1 set of rears so far and then next time I need tires all 4 should be due.

I am going with the PSS next time. Can't wait till that time comes!:biggrin

[Johal E32]

Are you running the new A/S 3s or the previous version A/S?

previous version.


+3. Best tire I've driven on, and they're so light that my gas mileage improved a bit compared to the Bridgestones I had before



Same thing happened with my dad's 535xi (Michelin Pilot A/S+... no idea how the A/S3 are). We weren't happy with DWS either, too soft. Decided to just run summer/winter, and much happier. The car feels much better in both sets of conditions

Yep PSS are amazing.


That's odd. I drive my cars more aggressively than most I'd say and have never had chunking issues with the michelins (been through 2 sets).My whole family has been running them on all of our cars for a few years now and have never had issues. My mechanic recommends them for his sports car/exotic customers as well and hasn't told me of any issues and I talk to him weekly (good friend of mine). That's really weird that that happened.

May be another issue like tire pressure or something causing it.

I dunno man, i read some reviews and other said the exact same thing as me. Glad they work for you though. tire pressure may have a factor in this, but I've ran 38 all around, 32F, 35R and saw no change.

It just bugs me that the outer areas are wearing (chunking..) I had a alignment done at a high end BMW shop, new FCABS, new RTABS, all other suspension components were replaced by PO.. <40k miles ago

[HokieZHP]

previous version.



Yep PSS are amazing.



I dunno man, i read some reviews and other said the exact same thing as me. Glad they work for you though. tire pressure may have a factor in this, but I've ran 38 all around, 32F, 35R and saw no change.

Just interesting to hear as I have nothing but good things to say. May have been a weird batch they had or I just have escaped the issue. Either way sorry you had issues with them.

[Johal E32]

Just interesting to hear as I have nothing but good things to say. May have been a weird batch they had or I just have escaped the issue. Either way sorry you had issues with them.

Yeah I might have gotten a "early" version of the tire? Picked em up from America's tire last year and they had the tires same day shipped, so I have no idea how long they were sitting before that..

They are holding up beautifully on my dad's M5, but that car is babied. Only driven "hard" when getting on the freeway. Whereas in my wagon I really push it HARD in the corners.

[BRGcoopahS]

Got a set of conti DWS and they have been incredible. They have been great in all conditions. Out of every all season, they are easily the best I've driven in the snow. I had a cheap pair of all seasons in my mini with an LSD that was terrible in the snow, got stuck multiple times: I also had a set of potenza all seasons that were pretty good. But these DWS tires are easily the best in the snow. Now in a rwd zhp, I haven't gotten stuck once in these and I've been trying to. The car will slip but nothing too bad. It makes the driving more fun. They sure as hell aren't blizzaks, but they do much better in the snow than your average all season. I can't imagine wanting any other tire yet.

[BavarianZHP]

Compiled your inputs here. I only had time to use tirerack, so if the tire wasn't on there I left the info out (wanted to do as direct of a comparison in price as well). If you have the info, feel free to comment in the thread and I'll add it in with citation.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6cIaXIw9dhxbVA0Q2VCWmliUnc/edit?usp=sharing

Not sure if the sort macros work in google apps..... but if you download, enable editing, then enable content/macros they should. Hyperlinks of tires lead to tirerack.com with STAGGERED setup.


Short summary of my findings with info I have:

Most ZHPmafia recommended: Conti DWS
Highest rated on tirerack: Michelin PSS
Cheapest: Kumho Ecsta 4X (if you buy staggered)
Most sticky/Most wear: Bridgestone S-04 pole position and Hankook V12 (via UTQG)
Least Grippy/Longest lasting: Conti DWS (via UTQG)
Lightest in weight: Conti DWS

[JKO_ZHP]

I've had Michelin Pilot Sport PS2s on the 325Ci before and it was my first car so it was "normal" to me.

But after having to shop for tires for the ZHP, I realized the difference between them and what I chose to get, the Kumho Ecstas.

Between the two, the PS2s had much better grip and felt slightly more comfortable...but at the price of the Kumhos, I would be willing to give up that extra grip to have that extra cash. It IS for DD'ing anyways - my shop guy recommended Hankook Ventus V12s since he said Kumhos are terrible from experience, but again, at their price, I am willing to have them for DD'ing.

Don't know if it's because of the tires but I have been tramlining for a while though.

[BCS_ZHP]

I don't understand all the consternation here, and I've been plenty guilty of it myself in the past. We're all driving cars that are worth somewhere in the teens of thousands of dollars (pick your own value) and we kill ourselves debating tire selection when the difference between the best (Michelin) and others is only a couple hundred dollars, or about 2-3% of the value of our cars. We all have our reasons for making our individual tire selections, take care of your ride and buy the best that you can afford given your circumstances while realizing anything less than the best likely comes with some compromises.

[kayger12]

I don't understand all the consternation here, and I've been plenty guilty of it myself in the past. We're all driving cars that are worth somewhere in the teens of thousands of dollars (pick your own value) and we kill ourselves debating tire selection when the difference between the best (Michelin) and others is only a couple hundred dollars, or about 2-3% of the value of our cars. We all have our reasons for making our individual tire selections, take care of your ride and buy the best that you can afford given your circumstances while realizing anything less than the best likely comes with some compromises.

^Not that simple, imo, which is why I think that there's so much consternation.

The question has always been (and remains) is the premium you pay for the best reflected in the difference in performance AND do you stand to benefit from said performance given your driving style.

If you put 20,000 miles a year on your ride, the hundreds of dollars of difference turns into thousands over the course of a few years.

You hit it on the head, though-- figure out the increased benefit vs what you can afford or are willing to pay.

[Washburn]

MODs: Can we move this to the TIRES section ?? :)

Anyone try the General GMax AS03 ? This is a UHP AS tire with good reviews, and I am also trying to decide for the next set:
Gmax, DWS (current), or A/S 3?
I like the DWS but it does flat spot a LOT.

DWS has lost its throne for Hankook Ventus S1 Noble2 (IDK if it comes in OEM ZHP staggered sizes) in the UHP AS category at TR, and is now 2nd place;
AS/3 No. 6; Gmax is No. 7

What I am really after is the huge price difference between the GMax and the As/3 (or DWS) - consdiering the reviews, it seems like with the Gmax one gets about 80% performance of the other 2 for about 60% of their price...

11585 11586
11587

[danewilson77]

Done

[trancenation]

I'm running Michelin Pilot Sport 3 A/S. Very good ride quality, low noise, and performance. Coming from Toyo Proxes T1Rs, these were a major upgrade. As always, purchase what you can afford in your circumstances!

[BavarianZHP]

I know my dad loves Michelin... Made in the USA patriot stuff... bridgestone is japan and conti is Portugal? I'm definitely trying out some DWS's when the time comes.

[fredo]

I heard Michelin are made in France ? Maybe they have factories in USA by now.

[3ZHPGUY]

I'm on my second set of Bridgestone Potenza RE-11s and very happy with them. Found a good Tirerack review that may interest you.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC83IbX__Gg

[az3579]

^Not that simple, imo, which is why I think that there's so much consternation.

The question has always been (and remains) is the premium you pay for the best reflected in the difference in performance AND do you stand to benefit from said performance given your driving style.

If you put 20,000 miles a year on your ride, the hundreds of dollars of difference turns into thousands over the course of a few years.

You hit it on the head, though-- figure out the increased benefit vs what you can afford or are willing to pay.

This x 1000000. If I put maybe 4-5k miles on a year and garage kept the car most of the time, I'd have Michelin Pilot Super Sports, or maybe Hankook RS3's. . But, since I drive 30-32k a year, I can't afford to replace a $1000 set of tires every season, because they get horrible mileage. That shit is way too crazy for my budget.
That's why instead I went with a $700 set of Hankook V12's that lasted me probably around 25k or so before one of them blew up, forcing me to replace all four. The timing couldn't have been better; it blew up right when it was winter tire switchover.

In the end, some of us have to make some serious budget vs performance choices, and most of the time the budget ends up winning.


Guy,
I love the RE-11's. I have a set of these as my auto-x and track set. They're still good after 3 years of 95% autox usage, 1% track, and 4% street usage. These tires are amazing in the dry.
They tramline like a biotch though when you hit bumps.

[BavarianZHP]

I heard Michelin are made in France ? Maybe they have factories in USA by now.

Yep French company but many of their tires are made in the US (probably only applies to us? I'm certain they have many factories in many regions across the globe). At least the ones I looked at had "Made in USA" stamped on them.

[3ZHPGUY]

[QUOTEGuy,
I love the RE-11's. I have a set of these as my auto-x and track set. They're still good after 3 years of 95% autox usage, 1% track, and 4% street usage. These tires are amazing in the dry.
They tramline like a biotch though when you hit bumps.[/QUOTE]

Love the tires, several track days at Mid-Ohio and Nelson Ledges and a few auto-x's here in Tennessee. Once I got out of the Norther n Ohio checkerboard and into the twisty hills of Middle Tennessee, I couldn't give them up.:)

[Vas]

I love me some Summer tires that are nice and sticky. Currently on Bridgestone Potenza s04 and came from conti dws.

[terraphantm]

Yep French company but many of their tires are made in the US (probably only applies to us? I'm certain they have many factories in many regions across the globe). At least the ones I looked at had "Made in USA" stamped on them.

IIRC my SuperSports were made in France

[HokieZHP]

I agree with Bruce. You should invest in the best tire you can afford. If I'm on the highway and the person in front of me slams on their brakes, I want to make sure that wet or dry my tire will slow my car as quickly as possible. As well as hold me on the road if I am surprised by an upcoming corner on a back road. I guess that's how I've always viewed tires. I'd rather have something that will give me the advantage in a "what-if" scenario.

I understand y'all's point with driving so much and spending more on a tire adds up but for me it's worth it for peace of mind. Just sharing my view/opinion on tire selection...

[RITmusic2k]

I know I weighed in with an economy answer, but I have to post my thoughts on the "how much tire to buy for your car" discussion:


It doesn't feel like it, but tires are cheap. Of the two major consumables we put on our cars, they're not the big one.

The most expensive tire set (that isn't a racing slick) I can find for our cars is the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 ZP, at $1,366. They're rated for 20,000mi. In the absolute worst case scenario, we can say you'll go through two sets of rears in that time (as noted by the reduced mileage guarantee when staggered sizes are used), which adds another $802, bringing our total up to $2,168.

Well, in those 20,000mi, given average local prices and my current driving habits, I'll have spent $3,727 on gasoline.

It's just a matter of psychology and framing that makes tires seem so expensive; you have to pay for a whole year's worth (or more) of them up front. If you had to buy gas this way, you'd likely have a heart attack. It's just convenient that we can only hold a tankful at a time, so we end up doling out $40 or so a week - by its nature, we're forced to budget our fuel expenditures.

You might say it's an unfair comparison because gas is something we simply *have* to buy when we own a car. But the exact same thing is true of tires. And for all the money we spend on performance enhancers from aerodynamics to engine tweaks to suspension and brakes, tires are the only thing that actually sticks us to the road. When gas fails us, we slow down and pull over. When tires fail, we risk death. They're more important than gas.

So If we set aside $20 every time we filled up our gas tanks, then we'd have all the money we need for the nicest tires we want when the time comes to change them. And unless we're all going for the absolute most expensive tires on the market, we'll probably have a lot of money left over.

[Stigissimo]

Michelin PSSs are Effin SWEET. Got them for less than a grand, they're extremely responsive, and perform pretty well in the wet. Highly recommended.

[Lanister]

I have Michelins PSS on the back and I think they're making a bit of highway noise. Although I think that's kind of expected as they get a bit older, especially because of the cuped design.

[Stigissimo]

Mine are pretty new (don't even have them on right now -> snow tires) but I'll keep a look out for that as they age.

[E_Rak]

I'm on a set of JOKE ahama avid envigors (not entirely by choice, got two for free) and they are ok at best. Half decent in the dry, reasonable grip, you can tell when they start to struggle. I will say though they are very nice in wet conditions. Pretty slippy in the snow compared to some other tires I've driven with, however good for drifting ;) There are better options out there.

Sent from my oversized iPhone | HTC One

[billyjack]

I'm still very happy with my Kumho Ecsta 4x. They do seem to have less grip in sub-freezing temps and they do flat spot when they sit for two days. But the same is true for a lot of tires. The price to performance ratio is just about perfect for me. When I transitioned into using my ZHP as a year-round daily driver that ruled out summer UHP tires. There's only a handful of A/S UHP tires to choose from and they're all probably just fine for most of us. I take exception to the assumption that because Michelins are more expensive they are more appropriate for our cars or safer. I've driven many brands and types of tires on many cars and truthfully most of them are fine. There are things you like about each and things you don't. I could've afforded to put Michelin PS A/S on instead but I decided not to - the price was almost double the Kumhos. The real-world difference between them does not reflect that.

Tires are incredibly important to the safety of your car. Buy the best you can afford. But don't assume the most expensive is the best for everyone.

[kayger12]

^Definitely. I am tempted by the A/S 3s.

We'll see how I'm feeling when the Khumos finally give up. If wear doesn't accelerate I've got well over a year left on them.

[az3579]

^Definitely. I am tempted by the A/S 3s.

We'll see how I'm feeling when the Khumos finally give up. If wear doesn't accelerate I've got well over a year left on them.

Does your car see any usage in the winter at all?
If not, you should consider summer tires. :dunno

I have it in my head that you don't drive it in the winter. Correct?

[kayger12]

It does, but it doesn't see rain or snow.

I thought about going summers but wasn't sure about running them in colder temps even if the road is dry.

You think it's an option?

[az3579]

It does, but it doesn't see rain or snow.

I thought about going summers but wasn't sure about running them in colder temps even if the road is dry.

You think it's an option?

If you do drive it in the winter then I would say no to summers. They are useless below 45-ish degrees.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

[kayger12]

No dice then. I drive it less, but I definitely drive it.

[BimmerRules!]

I've had Yokohoma, Michelin, Kumho, Nexen, Continental, General, BFG, and maybe one other brand I can't remember on the 9 e46s & 3 e39s we've had/have. Without a doubt the Continental DWS's have my vote as the best DD. Close to Michelin in grip, better in fuel economy, better in wear/tread life, good ride comfort, a little on the soft side for sidewalls if you push the car hard regularly but no complaint for DD, quieter than the Michelin A/Ss, no tramlining, they do flat spot a bit in the below freezing cold temps but this goes away in 5 miles, they're less expensive than Michelin & Yokohoma but more than the others, not too much more. We have a set of 315s on the rear of my wife's x5 with 25K miles and they still have 6-7/32nds of tread, about half life of a tire, the x5 is a staggered set up so these haven't been rotated, I'm amazed by their longevity. I have one front set on a ZHP with 32K miles and the D, W, & S stamped in the tread is still perfectly visible. I'm sold, I'm a convert, I will only buy the DWSs for our BMWs from here going forward.

Thanks to this ringing endorsement by a experienced and knowledgable member, I ordered the DWS yesterday thru our site. :)

I was tempted to try the Hankook ventus s1 noble2 based on the comparison table that another member was kind enough to post on this thread; that table clearly showed that Hankook was better than the DWS in some key categories.

However, the # of reviews (~160k for Hankook vs. 33 million for DWS) that formed that study made me pause. More importantly, I rely and highly value the feedback of the members here and so it was an easy decision.

Will post my thoughts later next week once I have them installed.

Thanks again!

[danewilson77]

Thanks to this ringing endorsement by a experienced and knowledgable member, I ordered the DWS yesterday thru our site. :)

I was tempted to try the Hankook ventus s1 noble2 based on the comparison table that another member was kind enough to post on this thread; that table clearly showed that Hankook was better than the DWS in some key categories.

However, the # of reviews (~160k for Hankook vs. 33 million for DWS) that formed that study made me pause. More importantly, I rely and highly value the feedback of the members here and so it was an easy decision.

Will post my thoughts later next week once I have them installed.

Thanks again!

Thanks Dood.

[BimmerWill]

I'm currently in the market for picking up some tires for the staggered set of 68's i have at the house. As such I won't be able to rotate them. I would like to get some decent amount of life out of them and I do not track the car. I drive it fairly spirited on occasion but nothing ridiculous. I have run Kumho's in the past but have noticed that I rarely get more than 1 year worth of use out of them before I have to replace them again. I'm considering the Continental DWS tires but will be slightly more expensive than I'm used to shelling out. Right now i'm debating between the two. I was happy with the kumhos but they tend to decline sharply after a certain amount of mileage. Decisions decisions....

[Washburn]

If you feel a bit adventurous why not look at General Gmax ?
Or Hankook Ventus ( the number 1 on tire tack I forget exact model code)


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[bjbstewart]

I had a 2001 330ci with sport package as a DD - swapped out the Michelin PS (or POS as I refer to them) with BF Goodrich KDW 2's. I was pretty impressed with the ride, handling, and durability of those tires and would recommend.

If you want the ultimate in a street / performance tire, definitely go with the Michelin PSS. All the Z4M guys run them for DD and track. Amazing tire!

I would avoid the Hankook V12's. I find them unpredictable and not very sticky. Plain old scary in the wet.

[PirateZHP]

DWS just did AWESOME through the snow... passed a few other BMWs without. ;-)

[tkundhi]

Will,

One year is really fast. My experience is that tier one brands like Michelin, Continental, Dunlop, Bridgestone, etc. are better as DD tire overall. Not only from a wear perspective but also ride and sound quality. Most tier two+ tires give up on these qualities sooner. I found myself replacing Kumhos and Falkens sooner because the got too loud. So I've become a tire snob for the street cars and stick with Michelins. I have used Dunlop Dezzaris (sp) as my dual use tire on my E36 M3. Street and track. I get two years out of a set. That is 7 months of street use and 12-16 track days per year. The cords are showing by the end of year two.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BimmerWill]

Thanks for the info. I believe I'm going to go with the continentals

sent from S4

[cakM3]

For summer the two makes I use are Michelin Pilot Super Sports (ZHP) and Hankook Ventus V12's (///M)

[BimmerWill]

For summer the two makes I use are Michelin Pilot Super Sports (ZHP) and Hankook Ventus V12's (///M)

How do the hankooks hold up?

sent from S4

[cakM3]

How do the hankooks hold up?

sent from S4

I get about two to three season's worth of use from my rear set of Hankooks avg.....depends on how many miles/yr I drive the ///M. This past season I put on less than 4k miles on the ///M and spent most of the season driving my ZHP :)

Since the ///M has lots of torque and I really run the car whenever I take it out, I typically avg about 15 - 20k or so on the tires...

[BimmerWill]

Alright thanks for the info

sent from S4

[BimmerRules!]

Thanks to this ringing endorsement by a experienced and knowledgable member, I ordered the DWS yesterday thru our site. :)

I was tempted to try the Hankook ventus s1 noble2 based on the comparison table that another member was kind enough to post on this thread; that table clearly showed that Hankook was better than the DWS in some key categories.

However, the # of reviews (~160k for Hankook vs. 33 million for DWS) that formed that study made me pause. More importantly, I rely and highly value the feedback of the members here and so it was an easy decision.

Will post my thoughts later next week once I have them installed.

Thanks again!

Update: it's now 1000+ miles on my DWS and count me as a happy customer. I was shocked at the casual confidence it built on me and happily parked the car on ice and snow without hestitation.

[danewilson77]

Did I say Conti DWS?

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[PirateZHP]

Did I say Conti DWS?

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

I know I did...

[slater]

just saw this thread.

michelin pilot super sport for me. they cost more, and i'm quite frugal, but once you live with them for a while you see where your money went.... smiles per mile.

not only do they stick well in both dry and wet, but they wear well, are quiet, compliant enough, and due to their crazy compound they actually stick just as well in the wet at 3/32" as they do when new. oh - and the best part - they are light. very light. and most are made in the US (OE ZHP sizes are).

peter

[cakM3]

I have worn my rear sets of Pilot Super Sports down to the cord and yet these tires continued to stick and I was able to hold my track thru tight clover leafs....of course I was unaware that the rear tires have worn down that much....tires have been replaced with a new set of Pilot Super Sports....easily the best set of tires I have ever driven with. Hands down.... :thumbsup

[Dave1027]

Got a pair of Conti DW put on the rears last Saturday. They replaced Bridgestone RE760 which I still have for fronts. These Contis are quite different. They are quieter, smoother and take bumps better but they seem spongier. Almost feels like I have softer shocks installed. They also are not as stable. A little bit squirelly actually and it feels like they are more to the oversteer side. Don't know if it's the odd tread pattern or the soft side walls causing it.

[Crickett]

Got a pair of Conti DW put on the rears last Saturday. They replaced Bridgestone RE760 which I still have for fronts. These Contis are quite different. They are quieter, smoother and take bumps better but they seem spongier. Almost feels like I have softer shocks installed. They also are not as stable. A little bit squirelly actually and it feels like they are more to the oversteer side. Don't know if it's the odd tread pattern or the soft side walls causing it.

Don’t any new tires feel a bit more “squirrelly” and “spongy” compared to worn ones? Due to the extra few 32ds of tread? Not saying that you’re wrong about the Contis being a bit softer than your RE760s, just thought I remembered something about new tires’ treads.

[Dave1027]

That could be. Seems these Contis are getting less squirelly as they break in. Just odd that there's such a drastic difference in feel but these are my first tire replacement on the beam.

[slater]

Got a pair of Conti DW put on the rears last Saturday. They replaced Bridgestone RE760 which I still have for fronts. These Contis are quite different. They are quieter, smoother and take bumps better but they seem spongier. Almost feels like I have softer shocks installed. They also are not as stable. A little bit squirelly actually and it feels like they are more to the oversteer side. Don't know if it's the odd tread pattern or the soft side walls causing it.

the DW/DWS have soft sidewalls. that'll definitely make them feel less stable.

peter

[Vas]

Can the people that have the Michelin AS3 chime in and give their reviews? Is it worth the extra money over the DWS or other all season tires? How do they when they are not brand new and have some miles on them?

How do they compare to the grip of a a max performance summer tire?

Tirerack has an article about the top 4 high performance tires below
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=177

[HockeyGoon]

I'm still on the original potenzas , looking to upgrade to Michelin supersports. Are they any good?

[Hermes]

Original as in 9 years old? Yes, there is huge difference

[BRGcoopahS]

Update: it's now 1000+ miles on my DWS and count me as a happy customer. I was shocked at the casual confidence it built on me and happily parked the car on ice and snow without hestitation.

I was pretty amazed at them this winter. I was driving through 3 inches of snow on the road at times without getting stuck. Even at dead stops with small mounds of snow from snow plows did I still not get stuck. I seriously drove through every snow storm at its peak this winter in northern jersey and never got stuck. I slipped about, had a bit of trouble at times, but as long as dsc was off and I was careful, I was fine. For all seasons you cannot go wrong.

Now it's about time to see how they do in warm and dry conditions. I'm sick of the snow!

[1 M Mike]

I've been running Conti Extreme Contact DWS's on the 4-Motion awd R32 for the last 27,000 miles over 30 months and have been extremely satisfied with them, except that they are now at 4/32's and need to be replaced short of the expected 50k miles on the warranty. Bummer that, but I'll admit to running this car harder than I ought to since while the sport tuned suspension is sublime on dry surfaces, it's in the snow and wet that it really comes to life. In the past I've run with the stock Dunlops, Goodyear F1 Eagle and finally the Conti's and right now I'm ruminating on trying something different.

In looking at replacements the Pilot A/S 3's are at the top of the list, so those of you that have had more than a few months worth of stints on them please provide your latest impression. I'm particularly looking for those that have experience in the snow since it's very possible IN could experience more record snowfalls in the future such as the 57 inches we received this past winter.

[Avetiso]

Need some advice, fellas. Hit a crazy pothole, one tire is ruined. Need to replace both fronts now.

I don't need all seasons. I'm looking for a summer tire that can also handle some rain in the winter.

What can you guys recommend me in the $120-$180 dollar range per tire at stock sizes? Also, you guys think it's work going with a wider tire, like 235?

I'm looking for the most performance possible from the tires.

[Vas]

I love my Bridgestone potenza s04. Tirerack tested them in their performance summer category and they came second behind pilot sports.

[Avetiso]

I love my Bridgestone potenza s04. Tirerack tested them in their performance summer category and they came second behind pilot sports.

They look like a great tire, and pricing aint bad. What do you think of going up to 235?

Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk

[Vas]

I was considering it as well. But only if the front rim is wider.

[TheFinanceGuy]

They look like a great tire, and pricing aint bad. What do you think of going up to 235?

Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk

Did you end you going with a wider front tire? I need to replace all 4, and was considering this as well.

[Avetiso]

Did you end you going with a wider front tire? I need to replace all 4, and was considering this as well.

I went with 235s. I like it, but I would want to go even wider. Now that I have square wheels, I wish I had 265 square.

Go as wide as your wheels will allow, IMO.

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

[Vas]

IMO I would not run a 265 or even a 255 on the front due to the tendency of the front of the car to annoyingly begin to track steer. Plus the turn-in feel begins to suffer and with that much tire with the factory alignment specs, understeer will just be brutal

[Avetiso]

IMO I would not run a 265 or even a 255 on the front due to the tendency of the front of the car to annoyingly begin to track steer. Plus the turn-in feel begins to suffer and with that much tire with the factory alignment specs, understeer will just be brutal

Derek has 255 square and loves it. Says turn in is fantastic. :dunno

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[TheFinanceGuy]

Thanks. Lots to consider...

[Vas]

Derek has 255 square and loves it. Says turn in is fantastic. :dunno

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But Derek is not on stock suspension/factory alignment specs IIRC

[Avetiso]

But Derek is not on stock suspension/factory alignment specs IIRC

Right. OP, stock suspension?

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[Johal E32]

Derek has 255 square and loves it. Says turn in is fantastic. :dunno

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He also dailys a prius and uses the ZHP as his toy. I ran 255 up front and hated it on the daily grind. Car tramlined like a bee with an itch.. For track/auto-x yeah I would run 255 or 245 square, for DD use 225 up front is MORE than enough.

[Vas]

Square 245 or 235/255 would be ideal IMO

[WOLFN8TR]

Yokohama YK580's. Pretty happy with these so far. Rides good, handling good and they are quite.

http://www.discounttire.com/infoyokohamayk580/yokohamayk580.html

[Mike V]

TireRack is having a closeout sale on the Hankook V12 Evos. Keep in mind they are a "summer" tire though.

[Taliben]

TireRack is having a closeout sale on the Hankook V12 Evos. Keep in mind they are a "summer" tire though.

I grabbed some 255/35 for the rear, you can't beat that price

[jwalther]

I had dinner last night with a buddy of mine who owns a wheel/tire/brake shop. He just got back from a trip to the Michelin facility in Greenville. He raved about the new AS3s. They put AS3s on a stock Camry, and some generic Chinese performance tires on a new 3 Series. He said the Camry ran circles around the BMW.

[HokieZHP]

The A/S 3 is the best all season tire I've ever driven IMO. I just ordered a set for my 335...in 19".... :shifty

[Vas]

I am still on Bridgestone S04 on my zhp however just had installed a full set of Conti Extreme Contact DW that replaced the Conti DWS all seasons on the wife's zhp. Let's see what these tires are like.

[slater]

i've heard the conti DW/DWS have really soft sidewalls.

michelin pilot super sport for me. hands down.

peter

[Vas]

With the DWS they did have a soft-sidewall but those are the All-Season tires and the DW are strictly summer tires. Pilots are nice but were soo much more expensive that it is not worth it.

[slater]

how much more?

personally, after driving on so many sets of tires - the PSS (clarifying here that we are both talking about the super sports) are worth the extra money, to me. i'm a frugal guy, but the PSS are worth it to me - aside from the performance, they are excellent in the rain, long-lasting and have a great warranty.

peter

[az3579]

how much more?

personally, after driving on so many sets of tires - the PSS (clarifying here that we are both talking about the super sports) are worth the extra money, to me. i'm a frugal guy, but the PSS are worth it to me - aside from the performance, they are excellent in the rain, long-lasting and have a great warranty.

peter

Pilot Super Sports are most definitely not long lasting. They are amazing in every single way except longevity. People seem to get like 15K out of them. Has anyone been able to double that, or get more than that? Please chime in!

So far I'm about 15K in on my Bridgestone S-04's. The rears were worn down quite a bit but that was because I forgot to rotate them (I run a squared setup). I rotated them to the front and expect to get another 10K out of these tires before they start to cord. Only time will tell how far I can go...

[slater]

i ran my last set on my A4 for roughly 16K miles and they were still at 7/32"... (10/32" is what they are new). they have a 30K mile treadwear warranty.

lots of folks complain about tire wear, but also have no idea about the state of their alignment, bushings, tire pressure, etc!

peter

[az3579]

i ran my last set on my A4 for roughly 16K miles and they were still at 7/32"... (10/32" is what they are new).

lots of folks complain about tire wear, but also have no idea about the state of their alignment, bushings, tire pressure, etc.

peter

Yeah but that's a different car. I'm specifically referring to the ZHP.

[slater]

Yeah but that's a different car. I'm specifically referring to the ZHP.

it's still a car rolling down the road with the same tires, almost exactly the same weight. :)

if your ZHP was properly set up, and you had a square setup and rotated tires... why should your results not be similar?

peter

[az3579]

it's still a car rolling down the road with the same tires, almost exactly the same weight. :)

peter

With probably a lot less negative camber...
This makes a huge difference. If it wasn't for the camber on my car, I'd probably be able to squeeze an extra 10k out of them on top of what I get with them now.

[Vas]

A full set of Conti's ran me $650 mounted and balanced. Tirerack has Pilot sports for $832 and then add on the shipping and mounting. That is a significant price difference.

Pilot Sports with the factory wheel set-up and suspension settings usually last for 15k or maybe a little bit more for a zhp. I would have loved to buy some but my wife would never see the full benefit of them on a car that is a daily driver.

[az3579]

A full set of Conti's ran me $650 mounted and balanced. Tirerack has Pilot sports for $832 and then add on the shipping and mounting. That is a significant price difference.

Pilot Sports with the factory wheel set-up and suspension settings usually last for 15k or maybe a little bit more for a zhp. I would have loved to buy some but my wife would never see the full benefit of them on a car that is a daily driver.

The price was exactly the reason I went with the S-04's over the Pilot Super Sports. The S-04's were very close to the PSS' in pretty much all of Tire Rack's tests, but the price of the PSS was significantly more. They aren't that much better to have to pay at least a couple of hundred more for a set, IMO.

[slater]

With probably a lot less negative camber...
This makes a huge difference. If it wasn't for the camber on my car, I'd probably be able to squeeze an extra 10k out of them on top of what I get with them now.

well, how is your camber set on your car now that it's lowered?

our A4 was lowered a little on ST coilovers, i ran -1.7º of camber up front and -0.8º on the rear. i had very even wear.



A full set of Conti's ran me $650 mounted and balanced. Tirerack has Pilot sports for $832 and then add on the shipping and mounting. That is a significant price difference.

Pilot Sports with the factory wheel set-up and suspension settings usually last for 15k or maybe a little bit more for a zhp. I would have loved to buy some but my wife would never see the full benefit of them on a car that is a daily driver.

agreed on the wife bit. probably a good choice, then!



The price was exactly the reason I went with the S-04's over the Pilot Super Sports. The S-04's were very close to the PSS' in pretty much all of Tire Rack's tests, but the price of the PSS was significantly more. They aren't that much better to have to pay at least a couple of hundred more for a set, IMO.

to me, it's worth a couple hundred for the confidence, because buying tires you've never tried before is almost always a crapshoot... i have wanted to try the S-04's, but they are kinda heavy.

the only other tire i have been interested in trying is the bfgoodrich g-force sport comp-2. they have been getting excellent reviews, especially from the porsche folks, and the price looks great - almost good enough to take the gamble if they aren't awesome, could always resell them.

also, both the that tire and the PSS are made in the US, which helps me when i bring them over the border (no duty to pay! :) ).

peter

[TheFinanceGuy]

A full set of Conti's ran me $650 mounted and balanced. Tirerack has Pilot sports for $832 and then add on the shipping and mounting. That is a significant price difference.

Pilot Sports with the factory wheel set-up and suspension settings usually last for 15k or maybe a little bit more for a zhp. I would have loved to buy some but my wife would never see the full benefit of them on a car that is a daily driver.

Dang. I paid $900 for the ZHP- mounted and balanced.

[tkundhi]

I'm in the PSS camp. My target is 2 years on set. That is summer (Apr - Oct) plus 12 - 16 track days. The 245 square setup looks like it will easily meet this goal. However one track blistered the outside edge. Problem is the track surface. Not the tire. Happened to many drivers regardless of tire brand. My PSS actually looked much better than others.

Like Peter I will pay a little more for the benefits of the Michelin. Car has bone stock suspension. Only mod is I knocked the crashed pins out of the amber plates for a bit more negative camber.


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[UdubBadger]

Pss is the belle of the ball in the summer tire category for daily use, hands down. Guys autoX these tired extremely well too. If you see a track frequently probably worth going up to next category of extreme summer performance but for most that's overkill.

Nothing wrong with the Conti DW summers either. No they aren't the prom queen but man they are definitely her just slightly less attractive yet much easier to get with best friend. Nothing wrong with that. ;)

[Avetiso]

Pss is the belle of the ball in the summer tire category for daily use, hands down. Guys autoX these tired extremely well too. If you see a track frequently probably worth going up to next category of extreme summer performance but for most that's overkill.

Nothing wrong with the Conti DW summers either. No they aren't the prom queen but man they are definitely her just slightly less attractive yet much easier to get with best friend. Nothing wrong with that. ;)

:rofl

Yeah, I'd agree. Most of the people here that argue for or against PSS probably will never use them to their full potential either way. I see no point is spending a few hundred more for performance I'll rarely ever use, even on an M3 vs. my ZHP. If you are serious about track, the actual smart move is getting a dedicated set of track wheels.

I loved my S-04. Grip was amazing relative to anything else I've tried, but I have never tried the PSS.

I'll probably get some DWs or S-04 next time around. Not going to splurge on something I don't need.

[tkundhi]

:If you are serious about track, the actual smart move is getting a dedicated set of track wheels.



It all depends on your objective. I'm serious about the track. It is "my time." Others golf, fish, hunt or whatever. I go to the track. That said I'm past needing to be the fastest. I don't want to lug another set of wheels and tires to the track. When I did that I often ended up swapping my street tires back on when it got wet because I wasn't going to run r-comps.

These days I want to arrive and drive as much as possible. Also not having to spend as much time on my car at the track allows me to concentrate more on my students and just hang out.

There are many excellent tires available these days at multiple price points.

t.

[az3579]

It all depends on your objective. I'm serious about the track. It is "my time." Others golf, fish, hunt or whatever. I go to the track. That said I'm past needing to be the fastest. I don't want to lug another set of wheels and tires to the track. When I did that I often ended up swapping my street tires back on when it got wet because I wasn't going to run r-comps.

These days I want to arrive and drive as much as possible. Also not having to spend as much time on my car at the track allows me to concentrate more on my students and just hang out.

There are many excellent tires available these days at multiple price points.

t.

All very good points. It's one reasons why I got tired of autocrossing. I got tired of switching tires every morning, putting all that work into it, for not very much seat time. I found that I wasted a lot of time "preparing" when I could've been hanging out having a good time.

I still swap tires for the track, but I wouldn't really have much time to hang out anyway considering the frequency of class and track time. Besides, I didn't want to run into a situation where my tires get trashed and can't get home; the closest track is over an hour away, and I'll find myself at faraway tracks more frequently in the coming seasons.

[tkundhi]

BP, I went through a similar cycle. My friends and I travel for our track time. We are smack dab in the middle of the country. The closest track is a shithole and I haven't driven it in the past 3 or 4 years. We drive to many hours to visit tracks. We drove to Austin the last two years for the BMW event at COTA. We are trying to put together a week long trip that would take us to the east coast (VIR). We think we can hit 3 or 4 other tracks on the way there.

I'm really looking forward to this Sat. A group of us are doing a private event with some Corvette guys. At last count we'll have 5 ZHPs there. Should be interesting.

t.

[derbo]

All very good points. It's one reasons why I got tired of autocrossing. I got tired of switching tires every morning, putting all that work into it, for not very much seat time. I found that I wasted a lot of time "preparing" when I could've been hanging out having a good time.

I still swap tires for the track, but I wouldn't really have much time to hang out anyway considering the frequency of class and track time. Besides, I didn't want to run into a situation where my tires get trashed and can't get home; the closest track is over an hour away, and I'll find myself at faraway tracks more frequently in the coming seasons.

I usually bring my stock 135 set in the back seat just in case I need to drive home on them.


I have to say, I'm definitely looking into some Continental DW for replacement tires on the ZHP rims. They are significantly cheaper than the PSS and I don't need that great of handling tire since I have better tires on my track set.

[slater]

I usually bring my stock 135 set in the back seat just in case I need to drive home on them.


I have to say, I'm definitely looking into some Continental DW for replacement tires on the ZHP rims. They are significantly cheaper than the PSS and I don't need that great of handling tire since I have better tires on my track set.

i don't understand you guys - "i don't need that great of handling", even on the street. man, EVERY time i am behind the wheel, i don't care if i'm going to the grocery store or a backroad blast, i want a dang good set of tires underneath me. maybe y'all aren't as sensitive as i am. :)

peter

[Vas]

i don't understand you guys - "i don't need that great of handling", even on the street. man, EVERY time i am behind the wheel, i don't care if i'm going to the grocery store or a backroad blast, i want a dang good set of tires underneath me. maybe y'all aren't as sensitive as i am. :)

peter

Peter, I think you are missing the point here slightly. Pliots are not the only good set of tires out there and the S04 or the Conti DW are just as good on a street driven car.

A little update on the DW. It has been raining here the past week and the Conti are showing their capability in the rain and standing water. Even the wife stated how much she is liking them in the rain.

As far as a comparison between the S04 and the DW, the bridgestone are more on the harsher side with the stiffer sidewall versus the Conti DW. But its not drastic or bad.

[slater]

Peter, I think you are missing the point here slightly. Pliots are not the only good set of tires out there and the S04 or the Conti DW are just as good on a street driven car.

A little update on the DW. It has been raining here the past week and the Conti are showing their capability in the rain and standing water. Even the wife stated how much she is liking them in the rain.

As far as a comparison between the S04 and the DW, the bridgestone are more on the harsher side with the stiffer sidewall versus the Conti DW. But its not drastic or bad.


i'm sorry if i'm coming off as being arrogant here. :) different strokes for different folks!

peter

[az3579]

i don't understand you guys - "i don't need that great of handling", even on the street. man, EVERY time i am behind the wheel, i don't care if i'm going to the grocery store or a backroad blast, i want a dang good set of tires underneath me. maybe y'all aren't as sensitive as i am. :)

peter

To that I would have responded...


Peter, I think you are missing the point here slightly. Pliots are not the only good set of tires out there and the S04 or the Conti DW are just as good on a street driven car.

Precisely my point. The Pilot Super Sports are wasted on the street, IMO, as you would never be able to use the extra traction they provide over the 2nd or 3rd best tires in the category. As a result, I don't see the point of paying hundreds more for a set, hence why I settled for the S04's. *Almost* as much grip and performance as the PSS, but hundreds less a set when I bought mine. Win.

And so far, they are proving to have better tire life than PSS' mounted on other peoples' cars. Hard to compare different cars though.

Needless to say, really really cheap tires aren't worth it because the performance difference between those and the tires we're talking about is HUGE. These tires are so close that the only way to tell the difference other than noise, comfort, and tread life, is to take them to the absolute limit.

[jsfbmw]

Good points are made about DD tire choice. However, to say something is a waste on the street is making assumptions about how one perceives value. The same logic applies to suspension or other performance upgrades. I now have PSS and they are stunningly good, wet or dry. The extra $200 a set they cost over the DW is not significant since they will last me for a few years (I use snows in the winter). I agree that the DW is a good choice and we are all fortunate for how tire technology has advanced.

[UdubBadger]

Peter, I think you are missing the point here slightly. Pliots are not the only good set of tires out there and the S04 or the Conti DW are just as good on a street driven car.

A little update on the DW. It has been raining here the past week and the Conti are showing their capability in the rain and standing water. Even the wife stated how much she is liking them in the rain.

As far as a comparison between the S04 and the DW, the bridgestone are more on the harsher side with the stiffer sidewall versus the Conti DW. But its not drastic or bad.

I've noticed same in similar conditions this week on my DW's. Even at low temps of 45-50 deg

[usinjin]

I just bit the bullet and threw a set of Pilot Sport A/S 3+'s on. The ride is much smoother, but I also feel like the pickup isn't as good as my previous set (can't remember what I came from at the moment). Am I just imagining things?

I also noticed they put 215/40/ZR18 on the front..would this make a real difference?

[ZHPizza]

I just bit the bullet and threw a set of Pilot Sport A/S 3+'s on. The ride is much smoother, but I also feel like the pickup isn't as good as my previous set (can't remember what I came from at the moment). Am I just imagining things?

I also noticed they put 215/40/ZR18 on the front..would this make a real difference?

It's a fairly heavy tire. I was deeply saddened by how much going to the A/S 3's (from the older model A/S+) hurt the performance of my last ZHP.

[usinjin]

It's a fairly heavy tire. I was deeply saddened by how much going to the A/S 3's (from the older model A/S+) hurt the performance of my last ZHP.

Good to know--they do make the car feel a little heavier and more sluggish--I did notice tirerack offering the conti DW's for closeout prices, tempting. Are they a lighter tire?

[slater]

I just bit the bullet and threw a set of Pilot Sport A/S 3+'s on. The ride is much smoother, but I also feel like the pickup isn't as good as my previous set (can't remember what I came from at the moment). Am I just imagining things?

I also noticed they put 215/40/ZR18 on the front..would this make a real difference?

yes, that is the wrong size. you want 225/40/18. i would bring them back and have them fix their error. what did they put on the rear?



It's a fairly heavy tire. I was deeply saddened by how much going to the A/S 3's (from the older model A/S+) hurt the performance of my last ZHP.

really? the PSS and A/S 3/+ are generally pretty light tires... 225/40/18 PSS is 22lbs.

[usinjin]

yes, that is the wrong size. you want 225/40/18. i would bring them back and have them fix their error. what did they put on the rear?

Rears are correct, 255/35ZR18. Would that affect the pickup at all? I suddenly feel like I'm driving a Crown Vic :p

[ZHPizza]

Good to know--they do make the car feel a little heavier and more sluggish--I did notice tirerack offering the conti DW's for closeout prices, tempting. Are they a lighter tire?
Yeah the DW and DWS are usually a few pounds lighter than the Michelins. You can check the individual weights on tirerack. What did you have on it before?


really? the PSS and A/S 3/+ are generally pretty light tires... 225/40/18 PSS is 22lbs.

Back in 2013 I replaced the older generation A/S+ with the [then] new A/S 3 and the car felt horribly bogged down. I don't know what the weight gain was between the generations, but it was noticeable.

If I were going to buy all seasons today then I would probably go with the DWS06 for the weight savings. That additional mass so far from the axis of rotation is killer.

[derbo]

I loved my Pilot Sport AS3s (the older model) on my TDI. I put 55k miles on it, and they still have 5/32nd on them. They handled rain and grips fairly well for an 3-season tire.

I'm currently on Michelin PSS on my ZHP and I love them. Great for rain, and grip is decent for a summer tire. I'm about 6000 miles in 1.5 months and tires still looking great. :)

[fredo]

Wait a second, do you mean you drove 55K miles on one set of AS3 ? :dunno

[san]

Wait a second, do you mean you drove 55K miles on one set of AS3 ? :dunno

It is possible on an all season tire if you rotate them quite regularly. I have dws06 tires on my Zhp and I've done about 30k miles on them and I may still get a atleast another 5k miles from the rears and the fronts are only worn about half. I think Dane is close to 50k miles on his dws tires which he rotates since he has a square set up...


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[az3579]

It is possible on an all season tire if you rotate them quite regularly. I have dws06 tires on my Zhp and I've done about 30k miles on them and I may still get a atleast another 5k miles from the rears and the fronts are only worn about half. I think Dane is close to 50k miles on his dws tires which he rotates since he has a square set up...


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I got 40k out of my set of DWS tires a few years back. That included daily driving and 3 track days.
They were definitely due for replacement by the time I was done with 'em, so I maxxed them out.

[san]

I got 40k out of my set of DWS tires a few years back. That included daily driving and 3 track days.
They were definitely due for replacement by the time I was done with 'em, so I maxxed them out.

40k miles with 3 tack days is awesome! I'm not sure if I can get to 40k with my rear tires, but I can still see the D and W on the tread so the tires still have some life left in them. Il be happy if I get anything more than 35k miles...


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[derbo]

Wait a second, do you mean you drove 55K miles on one set of AS3 ? :dunno

Yup, rotated every 5k miles.