530i needs new tires: Bridgestone RE970 or...?

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Quattro Pete

Quattro Pete

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I'm pretty much set on getting RE970s in the next month or two, unless someone strongly thinks I should consider something else in this category.

It's going to be a 3-season tire. It should be able to handle some very light snow and cold temps just in case I get caught off guard and don't put on my dedicated winter wheels/tires on time. Another reason I'm looking at A/S tires is that they generally provide somewhat longer treadlife, but it's not my main buying criteria. I want something that is fairly responsive yet not too harsh riding and offers decent grip. I've owned summer max performance tires before, and I don't need that level of performance anymore, but I don't want a flabby noodle either. The size is 235/45/17. AA wet traction rating would be nice.

The current set I have is RE960 which I have generally been happy with. The treadlife wasn't all that great (actually not much better than summer tires), but since I don't drive all that much, they still lasted 5 years, which is fine.

I'd like to stick with major well-regarded brands (no Kumho, Falken, Nexen, etc.) Price isn't that big of an issue when considering how infrequently I buy tires.

Any thoughts?

I guess Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus would be another possible contender, but I prefer 970's tread pattern, as shallow as it may sound.
smile.gif
Not considering Conti DWS - their steering response is rather mushy and I suspect they give up some of the summer dry handling in exchange for better winter traction, which I don't need.
 
I have General Altimax HP in the same size on my 530i and I really like them. Great in wet conditions but I'm not fond of them in the snow.
 
Eagle F1 Asymmetric All Season. GY stores have it on sale over the weekend with an $80 rebate. AWESOME dry and wet traction for an all season tire.
 
I have the RE960s. I got them before they shifted all production to Mexico. There was no discount for them being made in a place with lower wages and less regulation.

I like my 960s, but I will probably go primacy MXM4 or similar on my saab next time. No real complaints so far on the 960s though.
 
If you liked the RE960 I would not hesitate on the RE970. I really liked the RE960 too and heard the winter traction is much improved.
 
Originally Posted By: rjundi
I really liked the RE960 too and heard the winter traction is much improved.

Actually, reading TR user reviews, it appears that winter traction on the RE970 still sucks just as before, but again, it's not all that relevant for me anyway.
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
but I will probably go primacy MXM4 or similar on my saab next time.

In my size, the Primacy MXM4 would be made either in the US or France. If it's France, I'm not sure that it's any better than Mexico made RE970.
smile.gif


However, all in all, as far as uniformity goes, Michelin is probably the best, requiring little balancing and providing a smooth feel. Alas, I'm not sure if a grand touring tire would be crisp enough for me.
 
I have 960s and I love them, too bad the 970s do not come in my tire size. They are great in the rain and I felt more confident breaking and cornering. I will admit to being bridgestone fan.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
I'm pretty much set on getting RE970s in the next month or two, unless someone strongly thinks I should consider something else in this category.

It's going to be a 3-season tire. It should be able to handle some very light snow and cold temps just in case I get caught off guard and don't put on my dedicated winter wheels/tires on time. Another reason I'm looking at A/S tires is that they generally provide somewhat longer treadlife, but it's not my main buying criteria. I want something that is fairly responsive yet not too harsh riding and offers decent grip. I've owned summer max performance tires before, and I don't need that level of performance anymore, but I don't want a flabby noodle either. The size is 235/45/17. AA wet traction rating would be nice.

The current set I have is RE960 which I have generally been happy with. The treadlife wasn't all that great (actually not much better than summer tires), but since I don't drive all that much, they still lasted 5 years, which is fine.

I'd like to stick with major well-regarded brands (no Kumho, Falken, Nexen, etc.) Price isn't that big of an issue when considering how infrequently I buy tires.

Any thoughts?

I guess Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus would be another possible contender, but I prefer 970's tread pattern, as shallow as it may sound.
smile.gif
Not considering Conti DWS - their steering response is rather mushy and I suspect they give up some of the summer dry handling in exchange for better winter traction, which I don't need.


I've driven on both, auto crossed both. I prefer the 970's over the Michelins. However, the Pilot Sport AS Plus is done. It is being replaced with the Pilot Sport AS3 which should be available within the next month. It is a asymmetrical tread design which I much prefer over a directional tire. The reviews so far have been very promising. If you do a google search, you will see that Motortrend did a quick review on the ones that were available. Looks to be very promising.
 
Originally Posted By: Johnny248
I've driven on both, auto crossed both. I prefer the 970's over the Michelins. However, the Pilot Sport AS Plus is done. It is being replaced with the Pilot Sport AS3 which should be available within the next month. It is a asymmetrical tread design which I much prefer over a directional tire. The reviews so far have been very promising. If you do a google search, you will see that Motortrend did a quick review on the ones that were available. Looks to be very promising.

+1

It can be cross rotate.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
I'm pretty much set on getting RE970s in the next month or two,

Another reason I'm looking at A/S tires .... The size is 235/45/17. AA wet traction rating would be nice.

You do realize, don't you, that the Traction rating for any all-season tire is pretty much irrelevant. Unless you are able to lock the wheels (losing steering control) when you brake. The NHTSA Traction test tests tires only in a locked state, when the film of water that all tires with hydrophilic tread compounds (that is, all all-season tires) retain on the tread gets scrubbed off of the small area of the tire's tread that the locked state prevents from rotating away from the area of contact with the pavement. In the real world, an all-season tire rotates a fresh new wet patch into the area where the tire meets the road. If you want good traction on wet pavement, just cross all-season tires off the list.
 
Originally Posted By: GC4lunch
If you want good traction on wet pavement, just cross all-season tires off the list.

Based on my personal experience with summer tires as well as my current all-season RE960s, I strongly disagree.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: GC4lunch
If you want good traction on wet pavement, just cross all-season tires off the list.

Based on my personal experience with summer tires as well as my current all-season RE960s, I strongly disagree.


There are plenty of high performance all season tires that get fine traction in the wet.
 
Originally Posted By: Johnny248
There are plenty of high performance all season tires that get fine traction in the wet.


The design of the tread compounds of all-season tires specifically requires that the tire not shed water (in the form of snow that is locally melted by the pressure of the vehicle) from the tread; without that design parameter, the tire would lack snow traction. Retaining water on the tread, between the tire and the pavement surface, promotes "fine traction in the wet," how?

There have been many objective tests conducted that establish that all-season tires have dramatically longer stopping distances in the wet than non-all-season tires. Here are the results of just one of them, showing an average stopping distance from 80 kilometers per hour: the non-all-season tires stopped on wet pavement in 38-39 meters, while the all-season tires required about seven and a half meters longer to come to a stop. From TyreReviews.co.uk and the German magazine Auto Bild (Until recently, Nokian had a video, narrated in English by a sexy lady, on its website, that showed a similar test, with a car fitted with all-season tires on a wet surface taking much longer to come to a stop from even a moderate speed than a car fitted with non-all-season tires on the same wet surface. However, the video seems no longer to be on the Nokian site, and a quick search this evening could not locate it.)
 
GC, I don't doubt there are some summer tires that are better than some all-seasons when it comes to wet braking. But you're generalizing. I can show you some summer tires that are in fact worse than some all-seasons when it comes to wet braking.

Bridgestone RE760 (summer tire): stopping distance from 50 mph: 92.9 feet

Bridgestone RE960 (all-season): stopping distance from 50 mph: 87.6 feet
 
I'm a fan of the RE960s. I'd generally go with B'stone before a michelin offering.

I don't know if it applies to your taste, but I just wrote a thread on an unusually good experience with GoodYear (tripletread A/S). you might consider.
 
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