[roverguy10]

It's time to start looking at tires again. I've been purusing the boards and have read many posts on tires but there isn't a comprehensive thread where people can go to look at options. I'd like to try and get one started here and maybe we can get it added to the FAQ thread..

What I'm proposing is that you post what tires you run / ran and 3 positives/3 negatives on those tires so that as we go through the buying process there is good qualitative data to use in conjuction with the tested quantitative data.

 

[roverguy10]

Toyo Proxes 4 - Great handling both wet and dry. Handles corners well, does not tramline. Downside, short life (approx 9000mi) developed speed dependent vibration around 5000mi

 

[JCM55555]

Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta

Pros: Superb dry handling, excellent wet handling, quiet, $200/tire, decent tread life. (Swapping my rears after 13,000 miles, fronts have a lot more life left)

Cons: :dunno:

 

[Mfreakin5]

Sumitomo HTRZIII's.

Pros: Great performance in wet and dry, Cheap (way less than $200/tire), excellent treadlife

Cons: Noisy on the highway.

I can't imagine why anyone would go with another tire unless you like to waste money. My car came with Toyo Proxes T1R's on it when I bought it and those were very sticky but these give 90% of the stick for 50% of the price and 300% of the treadlife.

I'm at 21k miles on my first set, still have 40% left in the front but the rears only have about 1k left before the wear bars. My girl's M3 got 24k out of her rears as well. We're both ordering new rear tires right now. I can't recommend these tires highly enough.

 

[E55AMG2]

PS2:

Pros: Dry/Wet Handling is superb, wear well, silent, amazing in all ways. Con: Price

Starspec Z1:

Pros: unsurpassed dry handling in class, wet equal to PS2 Cons: Ride very hard, noisy and get noisier as they wear


Continental Extreme contact DW:

Pros: Similar to PS2, but slightly lazier turn in and softer ride, flat spot easily (but go back to round just as easy). Cons: Noisy when they wear

 

[OC e39r]

PS2:

Pros: Dry/Wet Handling is superb, wear well, silent, amazing in all ways. Con: Price

Starspec Z1:

Pros: unsurpassed dry handling in class, wet equal to PS2 Cons: Ride very hard, noisy and get noisier as they wear


Continental Extreme contact DW:

Pros: Similar to PS2, but slightly lazier turn in and softer ride, flat spot easily (but go back to round just as easy). Cons: Noisy when they wear

PS2 and DW are back ordered and many places wont even take orders. What will be avaialble soon is the Michelin Super Sport, and it sounds like a promising tire. Generally speaking E55AMG2 is spot on regarding his discription.

 

[Beemer Guy]

Michelin A/S Sport Plus

Pros: All-season, good wet or dry, cold temperature traction, quiet, price (compared to PS2), looks, made in USA
Cons: Price (compared to some cheaper Asian makes), dry traction (not quite as sticky as performance rubber)

 

[robo]

Continental Sport Contact 2
Pros: good performance in wet and dry, quiet, cheaper than PS2
Cons: poor life span, now only available in merc and porsche fitment, collected nails

 

[Kinder]

Just FYI, PS2 is not in the Michelin catalog anymore, at least in France. Pilot Sport, Pilot Sport PS3 and Pilot Super Sport are the recommended tires (using the vehicule search).

 

[mattmartindrift]

Pros: Similar to PS2, but slightly lazier turn in and softer ride, flat spot easily (but go back to round just as easy). Cons: Noisy when they wear

Hankook V12 Evo fit this description almost exactly, sans wear noise. In fact, they feel slower than the PS2 due to the turn-in; but, have churned out faster lap times in numerous tests.

They're also dead-quiet (supposedly 1dB quieter than PS2) and were surprisingly comfortable in sizes 245/35 and 275/30 on my 19x.9.5/10.5 wheel setup.

 

[SleeperE39]

I'm running Bridgestone RE-11's 275's all around on 19x9.5" wheels.
Basically they are just a notch down from R-Compounds.

They ride a bit harsh and are a bit noisy.

Fantastic Grip wet and dry.
This can be a good and bad thing depending on your take.
If you have a less grippy tire - you can easily get the tail out for throttle steering control. To some, that is the whole reason they enjoy RWD because they can bring the back end out.
With the RE-11's?? Much more difficult to light up the rears in dry conditions.

They are rated 180 UTQG - but I have 22K km's on them and have 6.4/32" tread from a start of 9/32"

The e39 was never a car with good steering feel so it's hard to say how they are in that respect.
Turn in is quick, although the CG coilovers may help a tad with that.

The Continentals Contisport Contact 5P are really doing well in the European Tire comparos.
Web Site of Interest - Tyre Articles - tyre reviews, the online tyre guide

Really depends on what you use the car for, what weather you encounter, and whether or not you want to take the car on the track without changing out the wheels.

I went with the RE-11's as they can be used for the occasional track lapping day if I choose, and offer great traction in the rain.

My replacements will probably be something a little less extreme.

In no way are the RE-11's anywhere close to the harshness of run-flats though.

 

[stringbag]

Just replaced my PS2s with Contisport contact 3s.
Can't fault them. Just as good as the PS2s in all conditions, only cheaper. Won loads of Euro tyre tests and I can see why.
Cant comment on wear yet, but soon will!

 

[E55AMG2]

Hankook V12 Evo fit this description almost exactly, sans wear noise. In fact, they feel slower than the PS2 due to the turn-in; but, have churned out faster lap times in numerous tests.

They're also dead-quiet (supposedly 1dB quieter than PS2) and were surprisingly comfortable in sizes 245/35 and 275/30 on my 19x.9.5/10.5 wheel setup.

I wouldnt take hankook tires even if they were free. Yuck.

 

[E55AMG2]

The e39 was never a car with good steering feel so it's hard to say how they are in that respect.
Turn in is quick, although the CG coilovers may help a tad with that.

You must have some numb hands!

 

[Edgy36-39]

Subscribing since the car I just bought will eventually need new rubber. She came to me with Pirelli PZero Neros. My indie owns a lot of BMWs, and is a fan of Kumhos.

 

[Sales Geek]

Subscribing since the car I just bought will eventually need new rubber. She came to me with Pirelli PZero Neros. My indie owns a lot of BMWs, and is a fan of Kumhos.

I've had lots of Khumos on other cars and every one of them ran the same -- good value for the money, quiet when new but prone to awful noisey flat spots if not driven for a few days when they got a few miles on them. They're not bad tires and I'd gladly put them on my Maxima but honestly I'd look elsewhere for my M5. My son has a new set of Continental DWS and I'm looking at them for my next set of tires. They are NOT cheap but the car was distinctly better than the original Kumhos.

NOTE: my son differs with me on the Kumhos flat spot issue. He said his previous Kumhos on his M5 didn't have that problem. The Ecstas on both my Maximas did have this problem after they were broken in a bit. I've had at least four sets on my Maximas and I am guessing three sets on our former 1995 Integra GSR.

 

[badmood34]

Hankook V12's

Been great on my beast. 9k plus miles on them. Very quiet...still quiet. Handle very well in Nor Cal weather. Another 9-10 k miles left in them easy. Wearing evenly.

For the $$ this tire has performed very well for me.

Don't track my car. Mostly aggressive city/freeway driving .

No complaints at all.

 

[nixter]

Had the Vred's on my E34 M5 and thought they were great. Looking to get new tires soon (E39 came with Toyo's) and I'm considering the Vred's again along with the Dunlops.

 

[mattmartindrift]

I wouldnt take hankook tires even if they were free. Yuck.

lols, been a while since you've been on them, I assume.

i wouldn't take dunlops if they were free

 

[E55AMG2]

lols, been a while since you've been on them, I assume.

i wouldn't take dunlops if they were free

Actually, no. And other than the starspec Z1, I wouldnt run any other dunlop.