Options for 02 BMW 325Ci

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antonmnster

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My 225/45/17 Kuhmo ASXs summer tires are about due. They've still got about 30% tread, but their annoying trammeling is driving me nuts. (My winter iPikes are refreshingly stable.)

I'm thinking about Continental DWS, but I really don' need something that has any sort of winter traction. What I'm really looking for, given that this is my daily driver, is directional stability and a quiet ride. Performance is always good, but since I only put maybe 6000 miles on my summer tires per year, I'd prefer something that will still be comfortable a few years from now.

Anyone else in the same boat?
 
Originally Posted By: antonmnster


I'm thinking about Continental DWS, but I really don' need something that has any sort of winter traction. What I'm really looking for, given that this is my daily driver, is directional stability and a quiet ride. Performance is always good, but since I only put maybe 6000 miles on my summer tires per year, I'd prefer something that will still be comfortable a few years from now.


I currently have these in 16 inch on my 88 325is. Boy has this car gotten quieter since putting them on. The car has never been this quiet in my ownership (10 years). I also dont' really have need for winter driving, but still, it's nice to know it's there in case i encounter some chilly/slushy conditions.

They also wear well and grip fairly well for an all season. I'd totally buy them again, despite their slightly higher price.

check out the reviews from other BMW owners:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Continental&tireModel=ExtremeContact+DWS
 
Nokian make about the best summer tyres in dry braking tests, but Continental, Dunlop, Goodyear, Michellin and Pirreli all make excellent summer tyres. No one in Germany with any care about braking distances or cornering buys tyres from any other company. Continental are the leading OEM supplier, BUT Nokian did beat them in summer tyre tests last year, which was one big surprise. Michellin have a good reputation for long lasting summer tyres and Dunlop Winter Sports are the best in the wet, dry cold or ice.
In terms of noise Michellin fuel savers are very good and last a long time and are real good in dry braking terms, BUT are only average in the wet.
Every tyre size is different in terms of the best company, so always DYOR.
 
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Well, if you want the "best" tire that is readily available, the Michelin Pilot Super Sport is about as good as it gets. But you pay for that privilege.

With dedicated summer/winter tires, I'd honestly consider them. They'll be on my M5 in the next few months when the Blizzak's come off.
 
I'm shopping summer rubber for my WRX in either that size or the OEM 215/45/17. For you, I'd get Pirelli Cinturato P7 if you have a Discount Tire store close by. The Tirerack doesn't list having it for some reason. I'm also considering the Michelin Primacy HP which is a grand touring summer tire.
Grand touring tires are supposed to be quiet and better riding while still providing responsive handling.
 
In MN you probably want all seasons..

otherwise you will have to leave your snows on until its over 40F (anytime you are driving)

and will have to put the snows back on at the first snowfall.

maybe kumho 4x's or similar.
 
Originally Posted By: antonmnster
Anyone else in the same boat?

Look at the new Bridgestone RE 970.

That's most likely what I'll be getting for my 530i this Spring to replace the RE960 that I had on it for the past 5 years.
 
+1 thats another top choice

or the new Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3

thats coming out in may.
 
Originally Posted By: antonmnster
My 225/45/17 Kuhmo ASXs summer tires are about due. They've still got about 30% tread, but their annoying trammeling is driving me nuts. (My winter iPikes are refreshingly stable.)

I'm thinking about Continental DWS, but I really don' need something that has any sort of winter traction.


In more than half a century of driving, I have gone through a lot of tires (usually purchased in pairs rather than as sets of four), and, among those, have had only four individual tires that failed in the sidewall; three of the four sidewall failures were in Continental tires. Anecdotal, yes, but finally, I am convinced. The last Continental to fail on me -- which I had to replace this past summer with an identical Continental to match tires across the axle, and that replacement will probably be the last Continental I ever buy -- failed within six months of installation, virtually brand new, with only a couple of thousand miles on it. The failed tire was an ExtremeContact DW, a better tire for your circumstances than the DWS, having much better wet traction by not compromising to gain any snow traction.

On the other end of the car from the Continental end, we now have Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT tires, which on price and on paper seem to match up closely against the Continental ExtremeContact DW tires; but on the car, the Dunlops are a much better tire than the Continentals. In construction, the Continentals incorporate a single-ply cheap polyester carcass fabric, while the Dunlops incorporate a two-ply superior rayon carcass fabric.

Have you looked into the Vredestein Ultrac Sessenta tires, which are sold for under $150 each in the 225/45R17 size, at Tires-Easy (the North American face of German delti.com)? The Ultrac Sessantas have fared well in German auto magazines' comparison tests.
 
I'd agree with GC4lunch about Continental tires. They are designed with thin sidewalls to keep the weight down, which is fine if you live in an area that has good roads. I was going to choose them for my Audi, but I went with GY Eagle GTs instead and am very happy with them. Like another poster said, you may want all-seasons so you don't have to have your winter tires on from Halloween to Easter instead of Thanksgiving to St Patty's day.
 
I've now got 8 sets of wheels for my 328Ci (need to sell some, but it's like choosing which child to sell!), and in the past I've always gone with Michelin Pilot Sport 2's, Pirelli P-Zero Nero's, Toyo T1R's, or Pirelli Corsa System tires for UHP Summer Tires that can handle any amount of canyon carving, will work 100% at autocross events, and even handle road course events admirably...while still being very much streetable.

However, since I first threw some Michelin Pilot Super Sports on my BBS LM's (255/30R19 on 19x9.5" Fronts and 305/25R19 on 19x12" Rears, I believe that first set was), I have been HOOKED!

Seriously, they are the first non R-Compound tires that aren't drastically out-performed by my brakes (Monobloc 8-Piston Calipers up front with 15.2" 2pc Floating Slotted Discs and Monobloc 6-Piston Calipers in rear with 14.7" 2pc Floating Slotted Discs)...
60-to-0mph distance decreased by 7'4" on average!
Variance between 15 (very) hot runs was 2'3"!

Only better tire is the PS Cups, but I wouldn't drive them anywhere that could even possibly maybe get more than 1/1000th of an inch of rain!
 
I went with the PSSs! The m'fr rebate along with the feedback from here as well as e46fanatics sealed the deal.

I've only driven them home from the tire store, but they do seem to be sublime. I mounted my 8 year old Kumho ASXs yesterday just to get my snow tires off, and I forgot how amazingly awful they were.

On a 1-10 I went from -4 to 11.
 
Originally Posted By: antonmnster
I went with the PSSs! The m'fr rebate along with the feedback from here as well as e46fanatics sealed the deal.

I've only driven them home from the tire store, but they do seem to be sublime. I mounted my 8 year old Kumho ASXs yesterday just to get my snow tires off, and I forgot how amazingly awful they were.

On a 1-10 I went from -4 to 11.


Excellent choice
thumbsup2.gif


Mine go on after the weather warms up, I'm looking forward to the traction
smile.gif
 
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