Posting a tire comparison here... continental DWS06 vs Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS. Vehicle is a 2014lexus GS350. This is our new "fun" car, which meant handling was important as was cabin comfort. Treadlife was not a concern, and I really wanted soft rubber, so this put me in higher-level UHP all seasons.
We bought the vehicle with Milestar 932s on it, a Taiwanese tire with pretty soft rubber that I'd never heard of. It was dead silent but mine wouldn't hold air at all.
Stock tires size is 235/45 r18.
Based on near paralysis by analysis of reviews I first installed the continental DWS06. I have no experience with UHP tires as we've always had ATs or touring tires. they were dead silent below 55 mph and had a super comfortable ride. The handling was actually very similar to the milestars that came on it, with slightly delayed steering response, maybe best described as relaxed, and a little sponginess in the rear. I'm not really an aggressive driver, but you could feel the rear dig in and scrub outward if you got on it through a turn. Very comfortable, quiet tire. It was hard for me to tell where the limit might be, and the steering feedback was muted. The vehicle already has a light wheel reminiscent of a crown vic and these tires stayed in that character.
But I couldn't keep them. At 60+ mph they would sing. It wasn't that loud, but it's the only sound they made, and the cabin almost reverberated with that single pitch. I'd turn the radio on but it just made me sad. For such a naturally quiet vehicle I thought I'd never take it out of town with that noise.
Discount Tire in Madison, AL is known for their customer service and impeccable mount and balance. I paid the difference for the Bridgestones and they installed them, no questions asked a few days later.
The RE980AS is by comparison, a Generally louder tire. It does not sing, instead it rumbles. I found the rumble more agreeable since it was more of a random noise and not a single tone. It's also a more direct steer with much better feedback for what's happening at the 4 corners. It's not as comfortable; you feel more of what's going on, but the gs350 is still a Lexus and is better at subduing road vibrations than it is tone.
Finally, looks. The Bridgestone has a pretty vertical sidewall on the oem-sized 8" wide wheel, whereas the continental rounded out some. If you're into that sort of thing, the continental looked better to my eye and held the edge of the rim perfectly. The Bridgestone comes in 2nd there. If you find yourself making snappy maneuvers in traffic and want the precision, the looks will pale immediately. The Potenza is more eager to control body motion.
Hope this helps someone.
-meep
We bought the vehicle with Milestar 932s on it, a Taiwanese tire with pretty soft rubber that I'd never heard of. It was dead silent but mine wouldn't hold air at all.
Stock tires size is 235/45 r18.
Based on near paralysis by analysis of reviews I first installed the continental DWS06. I have no experience with UHP tires as we've always had ATs or touring tires. they were dead silent below 55 mph and had a super comfortable ride. The handling was actually very similar to the milestars that came on it, with slightly delayed steering response, maybe best described as relaxed, and a little sponginess in the rear. I'm not really an aggressive driver, but you could feel the rear dig in and scrub outward if you got on it through a turn. Very comfortable, quiet tire. It was hard for me to tell where the limit might be, and the steering feedback was muted. The vehicle already has a light wheel reminiscent of a crown vic and these tires stayed in that character.
But I couldn't keep them. At 60+ mph they would sing. It wasn't that loud, but it's the only sound they made, and the cabin almost reverberated with that single pitch. I'd turn the radio on but it just made me sad. For such a naturally quiet vehicle I thought I'd never take it out of town with that noise.
Discount Tire in Madison, AL is known for their customer service and impeccable mount and balance. I paid the difference for the Bridgestones and they installed them, no questions asked a few days later.
The RE980AS is by comparison, a Generally louder tire. It does not sing, instead it rumbles. I found the rumble more agreeable since it was more of a random noise and not a single tone. It's also a more direct steer with much better feedback for what's happening at the 4 corners. It's not as comfortable; you feel more of what's going on, but the gs350 is still a Lexus and is better at subduing road vibrations than it is tone.
Finally, looks. The Bridgestone has a pretty vertical sidewall on the oem-sized 8" wide wheel, whereas the continental rounded out some. If you're into that sort of thing, the continental looked better to my eye and held the edge of the rim perfectly. The Bridgestone comes in 2nd there. If you find yourself making snappy maneuvers in traffic and want the precision, the looks will pale immediately. The Potenza is more eager to control body motion.
Hope this helps someone.
-meep